A good place for courtesy to flourish and develop is at the lifts.

More than 90 per cent of the population live in high-rise apartments and many work in medium- to high-rise buildings.

If it is difficult to call out a greeting, start with "thanks" when someone holds the button for the door, or gives way to let you in or out of the lift.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Ministry of Communications and Information and Singapore Kindness Movement should spearhead a national campaign to promote courtesy when using the lifts and also work with the Housing Board, JTC Corporation and commercial building managers to put up campaign messages on the walls in the lift area.

Aaron Ang Chin Guan