Good Humour Versus Bullying!

Yesterday, I read with dismay, how some British tourists taunted and robbed our old Trishaw Uncle in the New Paper. When I see or hear of people abusing little children or elderly people, my "Dracula fangs" will appear!

I was in a taxi when I read the article, and shared with the taxi driver the story. "It's a crime not to pay. Nothing is free in this world", declared the indiginant taxi driver." "I hope the government brings back those tourists and put them behind bars so that we can drive home the message that no one can get off scot free with his evil deed."

Yes, it looks like a trivial matter to those heartless tourists who even claim that things have gone out of proportion. Ask them to put themselves in the elderly trishaw rider's shoes. Three full grown British men must put themselves on a trishaw and even laughed and taunted at the 67 year old man by writing in their blog, "The slowest taxi in South East Asia.". When they alighted, the poor old trishaw man asked them for the $10 fare. "Just give him $5," one of them suggested flippantly. At the end they just walked off without paying a single cent." Yet they had the audacity to put the whole episode on YouTube, and blatantly feigned surprise at the uproar of many a thinking and compassionate local netizen. If these three British do not consider this as bullying, then what is it? Has Britain degenerated so much that her people could not differentiate what is good humour and what is bullying?

Compare these three British with my compassionate Canadian classmate. In 1980, one of our Literature professors, Dr. Parker, showed us some slides on his South East Asian Tour. There was a slide on some trishaw riders. I was surprised when Jim, one of my classmates, asked me more about life in Malaysia. He said that trishaws should be taken off the streets, as it is inhuman to use leg power when motors are already in operation. I explained to him that though it was backward and outdated, nevertheless trishaw riders needed the job. I then told him how I used to take trishaws to school everyday. After I had learnt to ride the bicycle in Secondary One, I managed to persuade the trishaw uncle to let me try his vehicle. "No! No! No! Dangerous!" he declared. However, after much persuasion he relented one evening after school. "Wow! Not so easy after all, uncle" I replied. "Mm....must make sure I don't get any fatter so that it will be easier for you to send me to school", I said, much to his amusement. I stopped taking the trishaw in Secondary Three, after I became more skilful on the bicycle. However, I never forgot the poor trishaw rider and looked him up now and then. "Uncle, I save money by cycling. So here is half for you, and half for my papa."

Through the interview with other trishaw riders, we learnt that most tourists pay up, but some try to get away without paying by saying that they had left their money in the hotel. They disappeared, leaving the poor trishaw rider, empty handed and filled with heart aches.

Did the three British tourists think that they could get off scot free because an old man of 67 would be in a vulnerable position to fight them, verbally and physically? Or did they think they could claim they could not communicate with the old man because he could not speak English? What could we do to prevent such episodes and help our trishaw riders.?

I suggest that a rule must be made for tourists to pay in advance before they take the trishaw. The maximum number of passengers should be limited to two. If a passenger is huge, horizontally as well as vertically, then it is safer for him to take the trishaw alone. It is inhuman as well as dangerous to overload the trishaw. Can you imagine the amount of strength needed to pedal the vehicle and how dangerous it could be especially when going up a slope.? The trishaw could overturn!!!

I like the way river taxis are being operated. Buy your ticket and queue up! Perhaps the Tourist Promotion Board could have a brainstorm on how to improve the situation to help our trishaw riders, many of whom are elderly. Most of them have had hard lives; we do not need the likes of the three British tourists to make their lives harder.

Gan Chau