Who's Monitoring Who?

If there's any doubt that Big Brother is in charge in Singapore, all you need to note is the proliferation of CCTVs installed at every nook and corner of the city state. VP of media for Shaw Theatre said the cameras in its newly renovated multiplexes such Jcube and Lido are meant for anti-piracy purposes. "However, we also realised that they allow us to troubleshoot any disputes involving  cinema operations or customers," he said.

Meanwhile Lui Tuck Yew's LTA has installed CCTVs to nab those parking illegally at private housing estates. LTA issues about 300,000 tickets for parking offences annually. Considering that there are 900,000 registered vehicles out there, there's a tidy revenue stream for the taking. And you thought those summonses were intended for education, a public spirited exercise to inculcate in motorists a healthy respect for the law.

When the lights went out onboard an MRT train on the North-South Line yesterday, the SMRT spokesman said blackouts in its trains are "not uncommon" and are "usually due to human error". He added, "We can rectify the problem quickly as long as it is reported to our staff.  In this case, we did not receive any report." Looks like CCTVs should be installed in the MRT control room, with the cameras focused on the staff, to "trouble shoot any disputes involving train operation or customers". Lui may call the tender for the car park monitoring, it is doubtful he would like to catch SMRT staff sleeping on the job. And they wouldn't dare sneak off to Jcube or Lido, the CCTVs there are actively monitored.

Screen grab from "Enemy Of The State"