Mystifying Rules

Over the last one week, there were two reports in the local dailies that highlighted some really strange rules created and propagated by some quite creative civil servants.

Rule 1:
Some buskers were complaining of the need to go for an audition before they could actually busk in our streets. Huh? I never knew that one had to audition for such busking. Life is already tough for the disabled ones who busk for some extra cash. They not only have to audition first but also need to be a member of some arts group! There are actually even more preconditons for busking listed in the busking authority webpage. Reading them is enough to put one off from busking.

Rule 2:
This rule surfaced when a foreigner working here refused to participate in the General Household Survey 2005 as it required him to divulge personal information and he considered it as an intrusion of his privacy. Guess what - he was threaten with a fine! There is actually a rule that allows the authority to impose a fine of $1000 on those who provide wrong information or simply refuse to participate.

Anyway, getting back to the story, the authority refused to budge and insisted he participate in the survey, saying that they could not simply select another participant as their samples were carefully selected. Hmm...does one do a survey without a backup list as there is bound to be someone who could not participate for whatever reason.

Do we need these stiffling rules to get the work done? Perhaps, it is simply a reflection of the authority officer penchant for creating rules rather than the state of our society. Sigh!