Remember your manners in 'nanny state'

THE Government's annual effort to improve people's manners began at the weekend with users of mobile phones, pagers and the Internet among its targets.

The 19th Courtesy Campaign was launched with a TV commercial showing phone and pager users switching off their gadgets in a cinema.

National Courtesy Council chairman Noel Hon hoped people would turn off their phones and pagers at places of worship, theatres and formal functions.

Education Minister Teo Chee Hean said courtesy was becoming important even on the Internet. The findings of a "courtesy project" in cyberspace would be used as a guide for Net surfers.

"Courtesy is important in daily human relations," said Mr Teo.

Singapore has won a reputation as a "nanny state" after a string of campaigns aimed at teaching proper behaviour.

They have ranged from promoting the use of Mandarin rather than dialects, such as Hakka and Cantonese, to propagating good toilet etiquette.