Courtesy Campaigns

Thinking of Small Kindness Week inevitably leads to thoughts of Courtesy Campaigns.

The Courtesy Campaign started years back, if I remember correctly, in 1979 because the Tourism Authorities wanted to make Singapore a more memorable and pleasant place of visit for tourists. After all, ‘a satisfied customer is our best advertisement’.

Apparently, when the [then] Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) heard about this objective, he said something to this effect. ‘Of course, we must be courteous and kind to our foreign visitors but more importantly, we must be courteous and kind to our own people as well.’

Hence, the Courtesy Campaign had two objectives instead of one.

To symbolize the campaign’s message for our Lion City we had the Courtesy Lion.

Here’s a stamp to jog your memory.

Re-trievia recalled: Excerpts from Year 2003/ 2004
Tan Wee Kiat