MRT sighting: 2

Today, I think I spent more time on the train than any other days.

I had to go to the Singapore Expo to one of the halls to do book screening. You see, every year, we have a booksale. We sell the books dirt cheap after deeming them not suitable for usage within the library. We had to sieve through which are the ones that can be sold and which are the ones that had to be pulped due to horrific conditions. Some look like they have gone for a swim somewhere(don't want to imagine where).

As I boarded the MRT train, I saw this police/commando that we have become familiar with. They are seen at the MRT stations during peak hours almost every morning. He was standing on the opposite side of the train entrance. There were two baggages where the middle pole is and I thought he was guarding them.

You see, it is a comman sight where banks are situated that CISCO guards stand by while an officer brings in the day's cash supply for the ATM machines. I thoght this was the same situation. I naively thought I would be quite safe!

It was not to be as a group of other police/commandos headed my (our) way. I saw one of them making a phone call saying, "I am now headed towards Pasir Ris".

A couple sitting at the two-seater near the divider then said," Don't know whose is it."

This is when I got worried. There has been this video playing on and on at the stations reminding public like us to report any abnormalities or suspicious packages or persons that are sported. Obviously, these were abandoned baggages and who knows? There may be bombs in it!

I think the officers wanted to bring the baggages back to Pasi Ris, the end of the train line. I had to change trains at Tanah Merah in order to get to the Expo stop. As I get out, I saw this woman with long hair tied up in a ponytail and hairband, take the baggages and alight at the same stop as me. The officers hopped off too and quickly 'engulfed' her. A whole string of interrogation ensued.

In my attempt to not be a busybody, I could only catch snippets of the conversation/interrogation. I found out that the woman was from Malaysia and her parents were Malaysians. I deduced that she was probably taking a plane to return to her hometown. She expressed that she did not know what was wrong and feigned all innocence.

You see, that particular train line brings one straight to the airport. What I really could not fathorm is why she did not approach the officers to state claim of her belongings. I think that was plain stupidity on her part. She looks like she works her in Singapore and I am sure she is familiar with the public transport system. Withe surge in terrorism scares, there have been increased awareness via videos and announcement to report such cases of abandoned bags.

When she got onto the train headed for the airport, she called someone to express how afraid she was. Serves her right. It gave all other commuters a scare.