For those who do not think ahead before deciding to take the MRT and for those who have to take the MRT this Christmas season, consider yourself warned. Do not be surprised that your Christmas plans may suddenly disappear and you will lose that Christmas cheer. I tried to enter the MRT station on my way home and I brought with me a wrapped Christmas gift from a friend. I was stopped and I was given a blade to open my gift right then and there, watched by 2 guards.
It seemed logical for security but almost rude at my first take. She asked me to open the gift so that she can take a peek inside and so I did, partially with care that I do not rip the Christmas wrapper like I always do on Christmas day. The guard was not content when I showed her the box showing that it was a doll. I heard a comment (from another guard?) that somebody should teach me how to open a gift. Now I opened the other side and ripped part of the wrapper just to finish the long ordeal. I was thinking that she should have told me clearly what she wanted from the start and not just give me clues. They should have put a sign for first-timers. Who wouldn't want to take home your first Christmas gift and get home quickly via MRT to put it under the Christmas tree? I silently gave in while the passing people shared my sadness over the opening of a perfectly wrapped Christmas gift. See, they didn't know too. If I had bought that gift for someone else, just imagine paying that store to wrap the gift and encountering this incident immediately after. I wished we had these high-tech screening machines in our MRTs. The guards don't inspect bags and shoes carefully anyway. The guard just peeked at the display and let me off the hook instantly.
What if I was really bad, would they be really strict and not pretend to be? At least now I know the rules...it's not as obvious sometimes. Now, you know it too. And yes, they were just doing their jobs.
I've encountered the same situation at MRT-Shaw while carrying a surprise gift of my friend for another friend of ours (the gift was not mine, and not even for me). The same thing happened, I thought they would be contented to peek at the gift from the first opening, but the guards still insisted to have the gift fully opened.
ReplyDeleteSince I don't own the gift, I just decided to re-wrap it, and have my MRT card re-imbursed. I just thought, if I am a bad guy, I could easily lure them with the gift and still have my weapons safely carried inside the train.
Sad to say, but the system is really stupid!
What stories we have indeed. Mine was also in MRT-Shaw. Good thing it was not a perfectly wrapped Rustan's gift or the sadness would probably be multiplied. I just found out that i am not alone in this experience through you and some other people. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI just want to spread the word to remind the people of this rule before they even purchase that MRT ticket.