Singapore Diary: Singapore Taxi Drivers Serve Like Ambassadors

By Massita Ahmad Bernama's correspondent in Singapore shares her take from across the Causeway. SINGAPORE, 28 July (Bernama) -- While some taxi drivers give a bad name to their country, in Singapore they are a remarkable example of good etiquette and honesty. One of my friends back in Malaysia posted a WhatsApp message on a posting by Indian author Shiv Khera about his experience with a taxi driver in Singapore. The friend had asked me whether I had encountered the same experience like Shiv with taxi drivers in the island republic since starting work there seven months ago. Shiv's message was actually an extract from an article written by him: "16 years ago in Singapore I gave a taxi driver a business card to take me to a particular address. At the last point he circled round the building. His meter read S$11 (S$1=US$0.74) but he took only S$10. "I said Henry, your meter reads S$11 how come you are taking only S$10. He said 'Sir, I am a taxi driver, I am supposed to take you straight to the destination. Since I did not know the last stop, I had to circle around the building. Had I brought you straight here, the meter would have read S$10. Why should you be paying for my ignorance? He said 'Sir, legally, I can claim S$11 but ethically I am entitled to only S$10'. "He said further: 'Sir I am not a taxi driver, I am the Ambassador of Singapore without a diplomatic passport'. In my opinion he probably did not go to school beyond the 8th grade, but to me he was a professional. To me his behaviour reflected pride in performance and character. That day I learnt that one needs more than professional qualifications to be a professional." (full text at www.shivkhera.com) Back to my friend's question, my reply is 'yes' and it happened twice. The first pleasant surprise was when a taxi driver returned me 50 cents after I gave him S$5.50 as the meter read S$5.50. That day I was heading towards the nearest MRT station after attending an event at the Malaysian High Commission in Jervois Road. "Just pay me S$5. It's okay. I can't send you right in front of the crossing. There is a small construction going on near the crossing. "After all you have to cross the road to get to the station," he said pointing at the construction work. I insisted that he take the actual amount but the cab driver was reluctant to take it till the end. Not only that most will greet you well like wishing you "Good Morning Madam" when you are about to board the cab or "Have a nice day Madam" once you are about to alight. Once they get to know that I am a Malaysian, they will even get more friendlier. Food and durians will be the most popular topic to "borak" (talk) about. The second memorable experience was when I had to return to Malaysia at about 3 am on June 4 because of an emergency. A Singapore taxi driver from the Singapore-Larkin taxi stand had somewhat sensed that I was in distress. "Where do you want to go? Why so late? Is there an emergency?" he started the conversation. "My husband had a heart attack, Pak Cik (Uncle)," was the brief reply from me while at the same time I felt the taxi driver had started to increase the speed. "Don't worry when we arrive in Larkin I will get a taxi for you to get to the hospital. You have to be careful. You are a woman traveling alone so late in the night. There may be those who want to prey on you," he said. When I arrived at the Larkin station, he kept his word. "You wait here first (behind the taxi). Let me get you the right fare," he said. I saw him talking to a few taxi drivers and at one point I heard him raising his voice, "Ini kecemasanlah" (this is emergency). For the Pak Cik, the 'price' quoted by some was 'ridiculous' and he felt that one of the taxi drivers was trying to fleece me. My message to the Pak Cik: "May God bless you. It was a relief to have met the right person at that hour of need. And on my husband, he is on the road to recovery. Thank you." -- BERNAMA