Welcome to\u00a0Stomping Ground<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 a space where Stompers share reflections, personal essays and social commentaries that spark conversation and insight.<\/strong><\/p>\n The durian has always been a polarising fruit \u2014 you either love it or hate it.<\/p>\n It is also famously prohibited on Singapore\u2019s public transport because of its unmistakable smell. Those caught bringing prohibited items on board the MRT<\/a> can be fined up to S$500.<\/p>\n But Stomper Anwar <\/strong>feels the familiar \u201cNo Durian\u201d sign speaks to a larger issue \u2014 one involving public infrastructure, cultural identity and even social class.<\/p>\n \u201cThe inspiration to write this came while looking at the iconic \u2018No Durian\u2019<\/a> sign during a commute,\u201d said the Stomper, who recalled his own personal experience of being denied boarding on a public bus.<\/p>\n Anwar claimed he was \u201crefused boarding\u201d because he had been carrying durians packed in Styrofoam boxes and ended up walking 20 minutes home instead.<\/p>\n That experience got him thinking: How do you bring the King of Fruits home if you don\u2019t drive?<\/p>\n \u201cThe intersection of public infrastructure, culinary identity and social stratification offers a profound lens through which to examine Singaporean society,\u201d Anwar said.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the centre of this tension<\/a> is the durian \u2014 revered as the undisputed \u2018King of Fruits\u2019 and an undeniable cornerstone of local cultural pride.\u201d<\/p>\n While restrictions on durians are primarily intended to maintain the comfort of passengers in enclosed, air-conditioned spaces, Anwar feels they can have wider implications.<\/p>\n \u201cFor a nation where the vast majority of the population relies daily on public transit, restricting how this prized fruit is transported does more than regulate smell,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt subtly exposes and amplifies perceptions of socioeconomic disparity and class-based friction.\u201d<\/p>\n A 1988 news clipping about the durian ban on MRT trains.<\/p>\n PHOTO: NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n To Anwar, the durian is more than just something to eat.<\/p>\n He described it as a \u201csocial ritual\u201d<\/a>, with families and friends gathering around a table to crack open and share the fruit.<\/p>\n \u201cGathering around a table to crack open fresh husks is a multi-generational, communal experience that cuts across ethnic and linguistic lines,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt represents a shared heritage and a distinct sensory identity.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, he acknowledged Singapore\u2019s need to carefully manage its shared public spaces.<\/p>\n \u201cSingapore\u2019s governance model is highly celebrated \u2014 and occasionally critiqued \u2014 for its meticulous management of public spaces,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Stomper noted that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and public transit operators enforce rigid codes of conduct to ensure public transit remains efficient and comfortable.<\/p>\n Because durian has a \u201cuniquely potent, sulfurous and lingering aroma\u201d, he said, it is understandable why the fruit “was designated as a disruptive element\u201d on public transport.<\/p>\n The resulting \u201cNo Durian\u201d sign \u2014 a red slash across the spiky fruit \u2014 has itself become an iconic sight at MRT stations and other transit facilities.<\/p>\n A \u201cno\u00a0durian\u201d\u00a0sign at Tampines\u00a0MRT\u00a0station.<\/p>\n FILE PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n According to SMRT regulations, passengers are not allowed to carry durians<\/a> that are not in vacuum-sealed packaging or are in any form that may hurt other passengers or soil public buses.<\/p>\n However, Anwar argued that truly airtight packaging can be difficult to guarantee at a typical fruit stall.<\/p>\n There is, of course, one straightforward way of avoiding the problem altogether: drive.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s where Anwar feels the issue becomes more complicated.<\/p>\n \u201cThe socioeconomic discourse emerges when this environmental regulation collides with the realities of urban mobility and car ownership,\u201d the Stomper said.<\/p>\n With private cars notoriously expensive in Singapore, Anwar pointed out that many people rely entirely on buses and trains.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen a public policy dictates that an item cannot be transported via public transit, it implicitly dictates who can easily transport that item.<\/p>\n \u201cA wealthy individual purchasing high-end durians can seamlessly place them in the trunk of their private car, keeping the odour confined to their personal property while driving directly home.<\/p>\n \u201cConversely, a lower-income commuter who relies on public buses faces a steep logistical barrier. They cannot board a bus with a fresh basket of durians, forcing them into tough compromises.\u201d<\/p>\n The Stomper feels that the durian ban on buses and MRTs is a barrier for lower-income commuters who rely on public transportation.<\/p>\n FILE PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n The Stomper explained these compromises:<\/p>\n \u201cThis dynamic introduces the concept of spatial justice, raising the question of whether public infrastructure inadvertently privileges the lifestyle of car owners while restricting the cultural habits of ordinary citizens,\u201d Anwar added.<\/p>\n He believes this risks widening the perception of a social divide.<\/p>\n \u201cFood is traditionally a powerful equaliser. The love of durian is supposed to transcend wealth. Rich and poor alike share the same palate for the fruit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, when the physical act of bringing that shared love into the domestic sphere becomes contingent on one\u2019s mode of transport, the fruit itself becomes a marker of class stratification.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Anwar, this \u201csubtle, systemic suggestion that certain cultural indulgences are less accessible to those who cannot afford private transport\u201d can leave some people feeling marginalised.<\/p>\n He also pointed out that the issue has become more pronounced as premium durian varieties have grown increasingly expensive<\/a> over the years, transforming what was once an abundant fruit into something of a \u201cluxury commodity\u201d.<\/p>\n Durians have transformed from an abundant backyard crop into a luxury commodity, said the Stomper.<\/p>\n FILE PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n For those without private transport, he described it as a \u201cdouble blow\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe working-class citizen is confronted with a fruit that is increasingly expensive to buy, and systematically difficult to bring home.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, Anwar isn\u2019t suggesting that everyone should simply be allowed to board a packed bus carrying a pungent bag of durians.<\/p>\n He acknowledged that there is a legitimate reason for the restriction.<\/p>\n \u201cProtecting hundreds of thousands of daily commuters from an intense, polarising smell in a confined space is a legitimate public good,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cYet, the socioeconomic discourse it sparks is a vital reminder that administrative policies do not exist in a vacuum.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a society hyper-aware of living costs and class distinctions, even the simple act of transporting a fruit can become a flashpoint for deeper conversations about privilege, equity and the right to the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Anwar suggested finding ways to make it easier for people to transport durians without inconveniencing fellow commuters.<\/p>\n One possibility, he said, would be encouraging vendors to provide standardised, \u201cinstitutional-grade\u201d vacuum-packing facilities at markets.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ensures that the King of Fruits remains accessible to all Singaporeans, regardless of how they travel.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, Anwar said he hopes his experience and observations will prompt a broader conversation about the \u201csubtle friction\u201d surrounding one of Singapore\u2019s favourite \u2014 and most controversial \u2014 fruits.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it is a fascinating lens for examining spatial justice, class privilege and what it truly means to maintain inclusivity within our shared public spaces,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n Have your say on Stomping Ground! Write to us at stomp@sph.com.sg or WhatsApp 9384 3761.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHow the durian ban on buses highlights Singapore\u2019s mobility divide<\/h2>\n
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Costs of durians and transporting them inadvertently create a social divide<\/h2>\n
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Balancing public good and cultural inclusivity<\/h2>\n
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