Mr Lee Yock Suan, Minister for Information and The Arts

Mr Noel Hon, Chairman, Singapore Courtesy Council;

RAdm Kwek Siew Jin, Chairman, Steering Committee;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and gentlemen

I am very happy to be here tonight, for the launch of the 21st National Courtesy Campaign. Over the years, the campaigns have adopted many different themes and approaches, and addressed different target audiences. However, their overriding objective remains the same � to help Singaporeans realise courtesy as an important building block towards a gracious society.

When the Campaign was begun two decades ago in 1979, there was no illusion that achieving its objective would be an easy task. Changing social behaviour is a complicated process, and it takes time. The Courtesy Campaign is thus necessary to remind the public of the role of courtesy as a social lubricant, and to encourage them to exercise courtesy. But let us be honest and realistic: the Campaign on its own cannot change people�s mindset. We need the full support of parents, teachers and care-givers who can show, most vitally through their personal examples, the merits of being courteous.

The new Millennium confronts us with a question that Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong had previously posed to our nation: Is it possible for Singapore as a society to be both materially successful and socially gracious? We continue to earn praises for our clean environment, our low crime rate, our economic success, our political stability. Closer to home, for me as Communications and IT Minister, our transport systems and info-communications services are among the best in the world. However, concerning whether we also have a �world-class� standard of courtesy, many would say that we are not quite there yet. Our challenge as a nation is to show that Singapore�s material success has and can be achieved hand in hand with progress in the finer aspects of societal progress, with courtesy as a prime example.

I believe that practising courtesy helps us progress as a society. In Singapore, almost 4 million people must live and interact on a small 650 sq-km island. In such a densely populated modern metropolitan environment, we need courtesy, more than ever, to be that crucial social �gel� that lubricates and smoothens relationships. It need not be anything complicated: a friendly gesture or a word of thanks can do so much to make life more pleasant.

This year�s courtesy campaign carries the slogan "Let�s move with courtesy", and has as its focus the transport sector. The transport sector is a significant one. Every single day, some three million people living in Singapore are on the move in one form or another. I am sure that everyone here has at one point or another been on the receiving end of a discourteous driver, fellow commuter or pedestrian, or worse, perhaps you have been the ones dispensing this discourtesy!

This year�s Courtesy Campaign aims to get commuters, motorists, pedestrians and transport service operators to start inculcating courtesy in everyday situations. Furthermore, it is very appropriate that our transport service agencies should drive this year�s campaign. They provide important public services, and thus are a very important part of Singapore�s transport landscape.

I am pleased to note that several transport service providers have already started courtesy-related activities. For example, the SMRT has conducted in-house customer care programmes for their front-line staff and drivers. It also drives its Most Courteous Passenger and Most Courteous Staff awards. The SBS has, through courtesy training programmes, taught its drivers and inspectors to be sensitive to customers. As for TIBS, its activities include having officials travel incognito every quarter in order to assess drivers� performance.

Transport is integral to life in Singapore. Even a short journey can turn into nightmare when people are rude and aggressive to each other. For example, I have come across many occasions where a driver signals he wants to change lanes, and guess what happens? The driver behind him in the next lane speeds up, and prevents the first driver from getting into his lane. So friends tell me it is sometimes better to change lanes without alerting the driver in the other lane. Pedestrians are also to blame sometimes. Some cross the road at leisure, totally ignoring the fact that the green man has already changed to red. Commuters on public transport have also complained about the selfish attitude of some passengers over seats as well as the boorish behaviour of certain drivers.

We should not dismiss these incidents as part and parcel of urban living. Moreover, discourteous behaviour can also be dangerous. Impatience and aggression are poor travelling companions to a person in control of a motor vehicle.

I hope this year�s courtesy campaign can help Singaporeans make a concerted effort to break the cycle of discourteous behaviour. It is not difficult to engage in simple behaviour, such as giving way to fellow motorists, keeping clear of MRT exits, moving to the rear of the bus and giving up our seats to those who need them more. If we receive the same courtesy from others, we should acknowledge them with a gesture or word of thanks. This will encourage them to be courteous. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we should take it as a personal challenge to stay courteous and calm in the face of provocation. As a traffic advisory message along some expressways have stated "It�s not a race, give some space".

For public transport travel, this year�s Campaign focuses on two key behaviours. The first is the reluctance of the commuters to move to the rear of the bus. It does not take much effort to move to the rear of the bus, but the benefits to those who are trying to board are tremendous. The second problem concerns crowding at the MRT train doors and the passenger platform. This is very inconsiderate because it prevents people from boarding or alighting. Both are behaviours well within commuters� power to undertake. A little courtesy and consideration can enable everybody to leave and board buses and trains quickly and efficiently.

As our society matures, we should do all we can to develop our character as a people. The transport sector has taken the lead in this year�s campaign. I hope the other sectors will take on the task in the years to come. We must never stop in our efforts to make Singapore a better and more courteous society. On this note, I take great pleasure in launching the 21st National Courtesy Campaign. Thank you and have a pleasant evening.