Sunday Salvation At Serangoon Gardens Poem by Roy Lee

Singapore Notes 5th April 2005
For about 25 years, every Sunday, if possible, I go for a run for about 4 to 5 kms. (except if its too wet or too hot or too cold or too etc.) In Adelaide, it is along Tennyson beach, in Athens it has been around the Acropolis, in los Angeles its along Venice beach, in Beijing it has been along the Waidakoa canals. In Singapore it is around the streets of the condo around Serangoon Gardens. Within this circuit, I pass initially a Hindu temple which is right next door,2 Chinese temples, a mosque and finally St Peters Church. If someone wishes an each way bet on their religion, salvation is all within this running circuit! The only one obviously missing are the Buddhist temples and there are plenty of those at Geylang along with the working girls and boys.

Around the condo there has been a recent epidemic of funerals. The family puts up a large marquee in the public car parks, put the body there for a number of days, have visitors, put up banners about the deceased person, and make lots of noise and bang away on drums and trumpets when the procession starts to the cemetery. Heather went past one last week with KKK on the banners and the mourners were dressed in white (as is tradition in chinese funerals) .

I'm still parking at Geylang to get to my Mandarin classes. My communication is improving with my patients. Some I can speak Cantonese with. My Hokkien and Mandarin is not as good, but I have got the hang of Singalese. The idea is to not use any verbs or participles and put lah at the end of sentences. So if I say to a patient 'are you well? ', I will get a blank look. The proper way is to say 'you good lah? ' and in spite of the patient having an amputation, fever, anaemia and pain, they will always nod, and i can say 'ok lah' - and walk off with my entourage. A good days work lah!

The other thing about Singapore communication is that everything is in acronyms. To get to the hospital ie CGH, asap, I have to drive my MPV which has a very expensive current COE (certificate of entitlement) and an ERP (electronic road pricing) , onto the CTE, then onto the TPE towards the ECP and from CPH to get to Geylang. I take the PIE. To work in Singapore, I have to have a FIN from MOM (Ministry of manpower) and a MCR (medical council registration) number. In fact one cannot do anything without the FIN - I cannot open a bank account at DBS, or get electricity from SP services, or get accommodation either at a private condo or HBD (Housing Development Board) . Of course Singapore is governed by the PAP (Peoples Action Party) .

In Singapore I can’t live without MOM and PAP!


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Based on Singapore Notes 5th April 2005
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