Myanmar-Singapore-Japan

Just as every region or country has its own traditions and every village has its unique customs, each country has different beliefs, behaviours, and policies. When you visit another country, you may notice that some things are better than at home, while other things may be less convenient. This is natural, I think.

When we arrived in Tokyo, we found it hard to find trash cans. Even before going, I had heard that it was difficult to find places to throw away trash and that people often had to carry it home. But I didn’t see people carrying trash bags around. I couldn’t find trash cans either. Yet, the city was clean, and I rarely saw street sweepers. I did see garbage trucks, though.

This experience made me reflect on how we also don’t have many trash cans in Myanmar. Personally, I find it quite troublesome because even something as small as a tissue can be difficult to dispose of properly. My bag ends up filled with litter. Since trash cans are scarce, they accumulate.

In Singapore, I appreciated the numerous trash cans in convenient locations. This setup supports cleanliness, encourages people to follow the rules, and promotes systematic waste disposal. I believe this is very beneficial.

But in Japan, even without many trash cans, the city remains clean. This made me reconsider my earlier assumptions. How severe are the penalties for littering in Japan? Do they even exist? I didn’t know for sure, but the absence of littering and the scarcity of trash cans seemed to reflect the high sense of personal responsibility and discipline among the Japanese people.

In Myanmar, what should we follow? During this time of striving for national development and progress, it’s important to adopt good practices and discard the bad ones.

We need more trash cans, but even more, we need to cultivate a sense of responsibility for proper waste disposal.

Material things can be bought with money, but you can’t purchase a sense of duty or discipline. Technological advances and expensive items like iPhones or LV bags can be used both in Japan and Myanmar. If we have the money, we can follow what others do. But developing a high moral character and discipline cannot be bought with money.

In Myanmar, I hope to see not only an increase in the number of trash cans for public convenience but also citizens who respect these trash cans, dispose of their trash properly, and possess a strong sense of responsibility and discipline.

Please make sure that our environment is not destroyed by our actions.
-May Thoon Khit-