I COME from a Third World country. Until I came to Singapore, I was under the impression that giving up your seat to an elderly person or a pregnant  woman was a natural impulse.

Nearly 95 per cent of the time, a pregnant woman is assured a seat in a bus or train in my country, as the distances travelled are longer, and the conditions, more onerous. The most important issue here is the unborn child the woman is carrying. Every mother is anxious to ensure the safety of her child.

God forbid that the pregnant woman suffers a miscarriage if she is thrown to the floor by the sudden jerk of a stopping bus or train.

I feel very silly for raising such a well-known concern but, judging by recent reports, it almost seems as though people here are unaware of this issue. I was taught at a very young  age to regard other people – be they elderly or pregnant – as my own siblings or parents.

It may sound corny, but I  believe that if I were to sacrifice my seat to someone who needs it more, someday someone will return the favour to
my elderly parent or pregnant relative.

I have been teaching my sons this corny notion, by setting an example for them. They now give up their seats on their own initiative.

Singapore is my adopted country. While I am proud of its achievements and phenomenal development, I am amazed that we have spent so much time discussing what should by now be an inborn trait.

While I agree that there may be people with no obvious symptoms of discomfort who need seats, do we have to ignore those with obvious needs, just so we can claim that we treat every fellow passenger consistently?

We can all play a small part to make big changes in the mindset of our future generation. - Ms Sashikala Suganthan

For more my paper stories click here.