06/21/2012 16:45

Young girl receives support over middle-aged woman in MRT priority seat squabble

HAVE YOUR SAY: A video of a middle-aged woman engaged in a heated verbal fight with a young lady over the MRT priority seat goes viral – who is at fault?

priorityseat

Text: Shah Salimat
Photo: YouTube

The online community has been up in arms over a video of a young girl and an old woman caught fighting on the train over a priority seat, typically given to commuters who need it. The video shows the girl and woman engaging in a small squabble before beginning to hurl vulgarities and point fingers at one another.

A witness said to a local Chinese daily that the fight started when the old lady boarded the train at Outram Park station with her foot in a bandage. The girl, who was seated at the priority seat, did not give it up to the woman who began to mumble words of disapproval towards the girl. After noticing, the girl gave up the seat for the old lady, who began complaining aloud of the girl's disrespect towards her.

YouTuber Darren Ong noticed some of the quips from the old lady in the video, especially a comment about the girl probably being a Chinese national. He opined, "Aren't our ancestors are from China? How is that even an insult? Grow up." Janine Christine, another YouTuber, said in her vlog that it is not a crime to occupy the priority seat and calls the old woman a "grumpy grouchbag" for her actions.

Many Singaporeans online have sided the young girl, with Facebook group 9GAG Singapore even giving her the Most Polite Ah Lian award in a macro image that has gotten over 6,000 shares. Facebook users largely commended the girl's restraint in handling the situation, with user Chua VenomCaster finding it "really cute" that the girl used the word "please" before hurling vulgarities at the old woman.

Twitter user @iSingaporeans commented that old women like the one in the video are "too much" and noted that the priority seat is "a privilege (sic) not a right". @longadin called the woman a "massive xenophobic douchebag" over her nationalistic comment but @haagendars likened it to a "clash of generations". @steppedonacat and @carelock_ admitted that both were at fault for their misdemeanours.

However, a blogpost by Luke Ng attempted to place the matter into context. He noted that the video only recorded part of the quarrel and did not establish the cause of the conflict that supposedly happened before the video was shot. He said: "Usually, our minds are automatically programmed to divide the absolutely right party and the absolutely wrong party... should we be more considerate?"

This is the latest in a string of cases of unruly behaviour on public transport. A few weeks ago, Alex Ong was caught on film pushing an elderly lady off a bus in a heated quarrel. The tables were turned in a case that happened on May 18, 2011, when a young lady refused to give up her seat to an elderly commuter. After an onlooker tried to take pictures of the lady, she retaliated by taking pictures of the onlooker and hurling defiant statements at her.

HAVE YOUR SAY: What are your thoughts about the comments gathered above? Sign in below and post your comments.

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103Comments
Apollo7777777
Jun 21, 2012 3:57AM
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Well, the old lady already got the seat - why be so petty over such a small matter and even resort to taking pictures of others - what is she trying to do? Publish in the newspaper that someone seated at the reserved seat. I think there must be a change in the mind-set that only at  reserved seat then the person must provide to an elderly or someone that need a seat. I once asked another commuter if she need the seat - well, she might be elderly but she just say that she will be alighting in the next two stops and even thanks me. I think the Auntie in the video should be less grude bearing. Let small matters rest ......
hetvliegen
Jun 21, 2012 5:17AM
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Giving up your seat to the elderly or handicapped or pregnant or whatever is an act of kindness. Acts of kindness are not obligatory. They are a privilege. SMRT should just remove that idiotic "prority" seat notice and leave that up to it's commuters.

Nobody owes you a seat. So be greatful when someone offers you one, smile, say thank you and shut the hell up.

life_moves_on
Jun 21, 2012 8:01AM
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Although I have no idea how the whole story is goes about, but I believe that it is NOT a LAW in Singapore to give up the priority seat. Even if the SMRT staff were to come, I suppose they could only suggest people with seats to give up their seats out of kindness. In this case, the young lady has already given up the seat out of goodwill, what more can be expected? She could have just occupied the seat and ignored the Auntie. Instead, she did something really nice. Isn't it said that " Kindness begets kindness"? Instead of being thankful and appreciative, the Auntie is being utterly unreasonable, making a big commotion out of something that has already been solved. Besides, she implied that the young lady is from China. So what if she's from China? So what if she's not from China? And taking someone's photo without his/her consent is extremely rude. The young lady only blew her top off when the Auntie took things too far. Hence, I would like to commend her for her tolerance.

kmassang
Jun 21, 2012 6:01AM
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I personally feel that the young girl was not at fault at all....she willingly gave the auntie her seat when it was demanded. To her credit, the younger girl did not say anything until the auntie whipped out her phone and started taking photos of her.
jas1234
Jun 21, 2012 7:50AM
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看了录像，我觉得年轻小姐已经很客气了。 她不是说了吗，她没看见妇女的脚有伤！看到​之后她不也是马上就让位了吗？ 她静下来好几次，为什么妇女还要故意找事？​我想告诉那位妇女，我们搭的是公车，你付车​资那位小姐也一样付车资，如果人家不让位你​也无话可说的。后面的告示牌只是一个告示，​没有法律规定 ，要不要让完全在于别人的想法。而且妇女连​一声谢谢也没有，好像让位给你是理所当然的​！唉，悲哀！以老卖老在现今的社会是行不通​的。

 

LOL25
Jun 21, 2012 8:36AM
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Pft. what's her problem?! The young lady was already very tolerant to keep quiet at the first few parts of the squabble. And yet this old lady had nothing to do. Butt itchy, want to blow matters up by taking photos of her. everyone's patience has its limits. Doesnt she realise that what she is doing is extremely childish? Get the sit already still go on ranting. Just let it be lah-_- why throw your own face and others? She really needs to do some self reflection
Purple Fave
Jun 21, 2012 5:31AM
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I just came back from Seoul... In both ends of each of their subway cabin, they have allocated seats for the elderly. I guess that is to cater to their large elderly community in the country. Hence even when there are empty seats in that section, the younger commuters will stand instead of taking those seats. When the allocated seats are all taken, it is common to see younger commuters giving up their seats in the "common" section to the elderly. This happens in China as well when young commuters (some are even teenagers) readily giving up seats for the elderly.

I guess it all boils down to educating the commuters in Singapore the proper behaviour on board MRT trains. As our country continues to flourish financially & economically, we should also learn to progress to be a more cultured nation.

In any case, I support the young lady who readily gave up her seat when she was asked by the auntie. She might not have noticed the auntie's injured leg initially. The auntie should have just thanked her & kept her mouth shut after that.
KatherineJ17
Jun 21, 2012 3:54AM
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I personally do sit at priority seats but when i see elderly coming in i would automatically offer the seat to them. Ain't that the meaning of PRIORITY? So when they are not around, why can't we take the seat first? The young lady did give up her seat without complaining. What i dont understand is why the old lady had to keep ranting. I believe im not the only person in the whole Singapore who sits at the priority seat. BOTTOM LINE, she offered her seat immediately when she noticed the lady.

Allareequalonthetrain
Jun 21, 2012 4:31AM
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Remove the priority seats.

 

As a gracious society, offering your seat to an elderly or anyone in need comes naturally. I have seen such gracious acts oftentimes on HKG MTR and they have no priority seats.

 

Educating our young is key to becoming a gracious society.

kpjames
Jun 21, 2012 5:52AM
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IS THE OLDER AUNTIE "OLD" ENOUGH TO ASK FOR THE SEAT??

ALSO AFTER GETTING THE SEAT, MUST SHE MAKE A SCENE LIKE THIS??

UNGRATEFUL "OLD" AUNTIE

IS "OLD" AUNTIE DISTURBING THE REST OF THE COMUTERS? YES!!! OF COURSE.

WHAT IF AH BENG IS IN THE SEAT??

WILL "OLD" AUNTIE BEHAVES LIKE THIS??

haizwhywesounhappy
Jun 21, 2012 5:06AM
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Well, I can only say we Singaporeans are a pathetic bunch... Small island, over-crowded, over worked, over-stressed. Result - we look for trivial inconsequential daily incidents to sensationalise and indulge ourselves in.  The advent of camera phones, video function even, makes it even more convenient to play reporter. The ease of internet postings makes it easy for everyone else to play judge. We all judge things through our own eyes.  I guess I am also being judgemental with my comments, and you all will probabnly judge this comment as well.  We should lookout for happy things to indulge ourselves. 
Geraldine Yeo
Jun 27, 2012 6:37PM
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I was in Taiwan many years ago taking the train (MRT) and to my surprised, even the crowd are there. The priority seat are vacant and these  people are willing to stand and give the seat to the needly.  Don't we (Singaporean) set a good example on what these people are doing?. STOP COMPLAINING.
Calrose
Jun 22, 2012 1:05AM
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I'm more than middle-aged but as far as possible I would try to avoid taking the reserved seats, in case there is one more deserving than me to take the seat.  I noticed a lot of commuters practising this too ie leaving the reserved seat vacant.  If one so desires to take the reserved seat, he / she should be alert enough to give it up once a more needy person steps in.  In fact, I observed such acts of civility regularly, including one towards me.  Whilst it is definitely not an entitlement, I believe most, if not all, will appreciate such acts of thoughtfulness.

 

In this case, the older lady should not have continued with her grumbling after claiming her seat ie if she grumbled only once and since the younger lady did not respond, the episode should have ended. It is really unfortunate that the scene have unfolded in such an unpleasant manner.  I hope both have learnt to practise restraint in future.

 

dTan74
Jun 21, 2012 9:54AM
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absolutely agreeable to an earlier statement.... it is NOT a LAW to give up the priority seat....... in the first place, the young girl may have also waited or chance upon that particular 'priority' seat based on first-come-first serve availability when she had boarded the train much earlier than that old lady....well as common saying, when too much privileges are given to individuals, people tend to take things for granted and start to conceptualize that these are my rights and so on.....so I think the most important word to learn here as an individual (especially for that old lady) is "Being Reasonable" and know our limits......Being an elderly or someone who had walked that far in life doesn't mean that you are always right and can behave unreasonably and expect people to respect you because in the first place, this old lady did not even give the basic respect to the young lady as a person!
Queenb2703
Jun 21, 2012 7:00AM
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I support AH LIAN!!! Who says older people should be respected? Show some before expecting any!
albert3950
Jun 21, 2012 7:45AM
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dun judge the girl by it look as ah lian, she is kind enough to give the seat to the bloody idiot upon approach, yet the bloody idiot women never appreciate. her ugly act has embarrass herself. she will regret after so much bombardment from the public........idiot women
saline64
Jun 21, 2012 6:51AM
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Is this auntie really that old?? i pity this young girl who give up the seat and kena all this ****...haiz

 

 

xLMFAOx
Jun 21, 2012 5:04AM
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PRIORITY SEATS IS NOT A GIVEN WILL SO IS UP TO US TO GIVE UP OR NOT. NOT ONLY PRIORITY SEATS MUST BE GIVEN TO NEEDY PEOPLE, OTHER SEATS ALSO CAN, SO WHY NOT OTHERS GIVE UP THE SEATS THEN? WE ALL PAY THE FARES SO IS FAIR. IF THEY ARE OLD THEN DON'T TAKE MRT LA

VLVL
Jun 21, 2012 5:11AM
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the noisy lady does not belong to any of the 4 categories, I dun see the need to offer her a seat in the first place. 

4eyes2c
Jun 21, 2012 7:46AM
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The old woman is an ingrate who doesn't even know how to be thankful. And the average Singaporean is ungracious anyway. I've traveled on the mrt in Taiwan (at different hours to many places) and the reserved seats are hardly ever taken by younger people, even when the trains are packed. They are there ready to be used by older or other people who really need them. Graciousness has to come from the heart. People who are treated humanely and with love from young know this automatically. Singaporeans are too harassed and stressed out to know this. They don't even know how to open up their kind hearts. I wonder why.
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