Rude immigration officer shouted at visitor

[metalslug]

http://www.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20090315-128579.html


Sun, Mar 15, 2009
The New Paper

Rude immigration officer shouted at visitor

I AM a Singaporean who frequently travels to Batam and Malaysia on social and business trips.

On Wednesday, I reached Harbour Front from Batam at about 4pm.

There was an Indonesian man in front of me, waiting to clear immigration.

As he walked through the metal detector, the beeper went off. An officer shouted at the poor man to empty his pockets and walk through the detector again.

I think the man did not understand English, so the officer shouted at him again to walk back while pointing at the spot he was supposed to go to.

Even as the man was waiting for instructions, the officer shouted at him again, asking him to walk through the detector.

This is not the first time I've seen such behaviour.The situation is quite similar at the Woodlands Checkpoint where a lot of motorists and visitors encounter such unfriendly behaviour.

The immigration checkpoint is the first point of contact tourists have with Singapore.

Such behaviour by immigration officers would definitely project a bad image not only of themselves, but also of the country.

Visitors who don't come here often may think Singaporeans are rude and arrogant.

I understand that immigration officers have to be alert at all times, but is it too much to ask to be on alert but courteous at the same time?

Please do not treat visitors like criminals.

- Md Asri Bin Haji Jamahri


This forum letter was first published in The New Paper.

 

[po2wq]

sg c no up visitors who cum fr across ze cosway ... or who arrive by ferry ...

sg wil smile oni 2 ang mohs who arrive in sia ...

 

[bigbossman]

These rude immigration staff needs to be respectful of all people.... they don't deserve the officer title.... officers behave like gentleman

 

[Kohliantye]

I feel that the time has come for the message of the good ol' 80's, "Courtesy is our way of life" to be resurrected from the dusty storerooms of the past. Civil servants should be continuously bombarded in their mind that they are expected by the government to be more civil, humane and courteous in their dealings with the people. These "civil servants" are there to serve as "servants" of the state and not to lord over others. The government departments concerned should have in place a "demerit / merit points" system to punish and award those who are bad and good, respectively. The recalcitrants, should be booted out, or made to suffer pay-cuts and deprivation of year-end bonuses. Signs at government counters warning the public that no one is allowed to "abuse" the civil servants, should be removed. I am not encouraging " uncivil behaviour" among the people going to such counters, but feel that this is an appropriate time to act, as such signs may instil in the minds of these civil servants that the full brunt and force of the department is there to protect them, hence encouraging more uncivilised behaviour among them. Lest, it be forgotten, these civil servants are there to serve the tax-payers. Entering Singapore via the Airport is much pleasant then through the land and sea checkpoints. I am sure many would agree with me.

 

[Angelo]

give that officer a medal. thats the way to treat foreign trash. Esp 3rd world village trash. Well done man.

 

[Angelo]

Old Dog Thief LKY and his cronies depend on foreigners to perpetuate their illegal rule to plunder the locals legally.

we must always remember this fact.

 

[tchinkoo]

most likely they holding blue ic lah

so they cannot be bother

 

[scroobal]

I feel that the time has come for the message of the good ol' 80's, "Courtesy is our way of life" to be resurrected from the dusty storerooms of the past. Civil servants should be continuously bombarded in their mind that they are expected by the government to be more civil, humane and courteous in their dealings with the people. These "civil servants" are there to serve as "servants" of the state and not to lord over others. The government departments concerned should have in place a "demerit / merit points" system to punish and award those who are bad and good, respectively. The recalcitrants, should be booted out, or made to suffer pay-cuts and deprivation of year-end bonuses. Signs at government counters warning the public that no one is allowed to "abuse" the civil servants, should be removed. I am not encouraging " uncivil behaviour" among the people going to such counters, but feel that this is an appropriate time to act, as such signs may instil in the minds of these civil servants that the full brunt and force of the department is there to protect them, hence encouraging more uncivilised behaviour among them. Lest, it be forgotten, these civil servants are there to serve the tax-payers. Entering Singapore via the Airport is much pleasant then through the land and sea checkpoints. I am sure many would agree with me.

Well said. Its getting worse by the day.

 

[ahbengsong]

travel by air ... immigration at airport are much better mannered ... .. who needs cheapskate visitors who travel by bus or ferry ??

 

[popdod]

If the skin color is white .....you will see a 180deg change in customer service.

:o :p :o

 

[johnny333]

travel by air ... immigration at airport are much better mannered ... .. who needs cheapskate visitors who travel by bus or ferry ??

Those comming by ferry are more likely frequent visitors than those comming in via the airport. So likely to contribute more $$$.

Anyway it doesn't cost anything to be polite.

 

[dc7176]

These rude immigration staff needs to be respectful of all people.... they don't deserve the officer title.... officers behave like gentleman

hav u ppl travel to US, Aust?? those officer dun give a damm about u!!! no greetin of goot morn, goot afternoon sir. u stare at them they shouted back at u, wat u wan???

now not so far off, at jb i saw the immigration shout at a sporean, throw back passport to the guy, n ask him go back to spore... wat the guy did?? LL pick up his passport n walk back the causeway!!

once back on board ferry from batam, i notice a man head swollen all over n a ferry crew is talkin to him. i tot he kena rob there, i then ask the crew wat happen to him, he told me tat guy kena bash up by the batam immigration coz he dun wan to give coffee money...

guys give our security ppl a break!! its difficult to balance service n security!! u wanna curse n swear?? pls do so to those paper general on top n not at these ground officer....

 

[scroobal]

hav u ppl travel to US, Aust?? those officer dun give a damm about u!!! no greetin of goot morn, goot afternoon sir. u stare at them they shouted back at u, wat u wan???

guys give our security ppl a break!! its difficult to balance service n security!! u wanna curse n swear?? pls do so to those paper general on top n not at these ground officer....

What a load of rubbish. Just because they behave like animals overseas, it does not mean our ICA can do the same. We should not tolerate it.

 

[diversifyx2]

One day, i would like to see Md Asri Bin Haji Jamahri become the immigration officer.

 

[dc7176]

What a load of rubbish. Just because they behave like animals overseas, it does not mean our ICA can do the same. We should not tolerate it.

couldnt u read properly?? i didnt say our ICA can do the same, infact i hav stated tat those in neighbourin countries r lot worse than us!!

i say go screw those paper general in charge... instead of complainin those ground ppl

 

[johnny333]

What a load of rubbish. Just because they behave like animals overseas, it does not mean our ICA can do the same. We should not tolerate it.

We tolerate the PAP what

LKY & family are milking billions from Sporeans. Whats billions compared to some rude guy at ICA

 

[banova888]

http://www.asiaone.com/Travel/News/Story/A1Story20090315-128579.html


Sun, Mar 15, 2009
The New Paper

Rude immigration officer shouted at visitor

I AM a Singaporean who frequently travels to Batam and Malaysia on social and business trips.

On Wednesday, I reached Harbour Front from Batam at about 4pm.

There was an Indonesian man in front of me, waiting to clear immigration.

As he walked through the metal detector, the beeper went off. An officer shouted at the poor man to empty his pockets and walk through the detector again.

I think the man did not understand English, so the officer shouted at him again to walk back while pointing at the spot he was supposed to go to.

Even as the man was waiting for instructions, the officer shouted at him again, asking him to walk through the detector.

This is not the first time I've seen such behaviour.The situation is quite similar at the Woodlands Checkpoint where a lot of motorists and visitors encounter such unfriendly behaviour.

The immigration checkpoint is the first point of contact tourists have with Singapore.

Such behaviour by immigration officers would definitely project a bad image not only of themselves, but also of the country.

Visitors who don't come here often may think Singaporeans are rude and arrogant.

I understand that immigration officers have to be alert at all times, but is it too much to ask to be on alert but courteous at the same time?

Please do not treat visitors like criminals.

- Md Asri Bin Haji Jamahri


This forum letter was first published in The New Paper.

What the heck were you doing standing there then? You should have tried to intepret for him then!

 

[banova888]

give that officer a medal. thats the way to treat foreign trash. Esp 3rd world village trash. Well done man.

You talk like a village trash from China. Forgetten about your village and your loved ones there! Chink!

 

[banova888]

hav u ppl travel to US, Aust?? those officer dun give a damm about u!!! no greetin of goot morn, goot afternoon sir. u stare at them they shouted back at u, wat u wan???

now not so far off, at jb i saw the immigration shout at a sporean, throw back passport to the guy, n ask him go back to spore... wat the guy did?? LL pick up his passport n walk back the causeway!!

once back on board ferry from batam, i notice a man head swollen all over n a ferry crew is talkin to him. i tot he kena rob there, i then ask the crew wat happen to him, he told me tat guy kena bash up by the batam immigration coz he dun wan to give coffee money...

guys give our security ppl a break!! its difficult to balance service n security!! u wanna curse n swear?? pls do so to those paper general on top n not at these ground officer....

If the Singaporean is not chinese, it is racist towards Chinese Chinks. If the Singaporean is a Chink! no problem. Ask the resident Chinks! "Jah_Rastafar" and " Imperial Arms " about this.

 

[banova888]

What a load of rubbish. Just because they behave like animals overseas, it does not mean our ICA can do the same. We should not tolerate it.

It starts with you!!! Animal!