The fear of authority is well and alive in the heartlands. For what reason, I don't know why.
You learn that fast enough when you have to interview all manner of people for articles. Often, you get an uncle or auntie who gives you a brilliant quote. One that if you plug into your news article makes it sound complete, full of sense and sensibility, so much that you can feel the whole story falling into place.
Suddenly the sun seems that much brighter and the world a much better place. Then the hard part comes up. You have to ask the person for their name, age and occupation, or you have no proof that you didn't just pull this quote out of your imagination.
"Uh I'm sorry, I don't want to be quoted. Later I get in trouble."
When you hear these words, all you're thinking is "No shit my story just went into cardiac arrest." So of course when such a thing happens, you try your best to save the damn thing. You do the journalists' version of defibrilation, you know, those electric shock things they use to restart the heart.
So you start by armtwisting the newsmaker at the most safe level. You promise him that he will be anonymous. He might find out the next day that you're as trustworthy as a snake, but that's up to you.
"Don't worry sir, I just need these details so I can show my editor I actually talked to someone. I won't publish it."
He still doesn't want to give it to me. Okay, crank it up a level. Play bluff.
"No no, don't go, Mr Tan right? Is that how I address you? Oh you're not Mr Tan? Then how do I address you?"
Sometimes if they are unsuspecting enough they tell you their names, and from there you can more or less force everything else out from them.
But occasionally you meet a tougher nut. Okay, crank it up another level. The guilt trip.
"Sir, I can't quote you if you don't give me a name. If you don't do that, I can't run the article. Your fellow residents will suffer, you will be doing something that is not civic minded, its very selfish."
Sometimes it works and the person gives you what you want, because they actually have a conscience or some form of civic mindedness.
However, once in awhile you meet a cynical heartland uncle who has lost too much money on Toto, and paid too much money to CPF that he withdrew and spent on Resorts World Singapore, while firmly believing that the old man took his money from him.
Tactic: Play hardball. I think that's why people hate journalists.
"Okay, you want to tell me your name, or you want me to ask everyone around you till I get it? If I do the latter, I will run the name and there's nothing you can do about that because I got it myself, so you better tell me now, and we'll see if I keep you anonymous."
I have to admit that sometimes, I really feel like an asshole.