Customs Woes

In the same way that we cannot fathom the thought processes of the mentally retarded, the workings of the local immigration service is likewise lost on me, and indeed a lot of people. I just can't understand why it takes so long to stamp a few pages, check faces, and do that little thing with the computer that the officials do... if matters are already computerised, how difficult is it to clear cars and people waiting to cross the causeway for whatever reason they might have? Instead, the jams at the causeway checkpoints between Malaysia and Singapore are always so bad, it's got people muttering murder.

But perhaps i've been hasty. No disrespect to the state employees doing the best that they're capable of, given the tools and training they've been issued (whether it's part of Asian manners, an actual legal requirement, prudence or whatever, this “no disrespect” clause is a given when discussing public affairs and officials in Singapore, and I shan't be found wanting), but perhaps it can't be helped. Perhaps customs clearance the world over, at least in places where people actually care enough about doing it right, needs to be done at a ponderous pace to for it to have some meaningful effectiveness.

But again i say, i don't understand and don't know, what it is these customs guys do. My only participation in all this, which should entitle me at least a grouse, is sitting in my car on “neutral”, for too, too long, along with hundreds like me, burning fuel, boiling tempers and going no where. And even then, i thnk truck drivers get it worse...

Not pointing fingers, but it's a deplorable situation. Movement is the lifeblood of the world. Be it capital or blood, if either of these stays still, what we've got, is stasis, or a bruise. Perhaps things need re-thinking. Maybe we could look to the library service... they've got lots of stamping to do, no? Well they seem to have worked out the kinks and you don't see queues that often these days. But then again, maybe it's because most people hit the public library for a place to nap in cool quiet. And there's no stamping required for that.