By Sia Ling Xin

CLEANER Gan Beet Phang, 60, was doing her usual rounds at a foodcourt during lunchtime yesterday, when 35 people sprang on her.

Each presented her with a yellow gerbera daisy, which symbolises kindness.

Madam Gan, whom colleagues described as "gentle and obliging", is among the first few recipients of the "Kindness Ambush" - where people surprise kind individuals to show their appreciation for the person.

"It's a great surprise. It makes me feel good," Madam Gan said in Mandarin.

This initiative by the Singapore Kindness Movement is the focus of celebrations for this year's World Kindness Day,which falls on next Friday.

Set up 12 years ago in response to former prime minister Goh Chok Tong's call to make Singapore a gracious society, the movement aims to encourage Singaporeans to be kind and considerate.

In 2001, the National Kindness Campaign was subsumed under it. A survey, conducted by the movement in December last year, found that more than half of 502 respondents were unhappy or indifferent to the current level of graciousness here.

So the movement came up with the "Kindness Ambush", to get more people to show their gratitude.

The movement's general manager, Mr Teh Thien Yew, explained: "When people realise that others notice their kind acts, they will be more motivated to continue to show kindness."

"We hope that, in time, this will set in motion a domino effect to move kindness forward."

This Friday, 45,000 daisies will be distributed free at locations around the island. The public is encouraged to pick up the flowers and "ambush" a kind soul.

They can film the ambush and post it on the movement's website (www.kindness.sg).

Other activities will also be held during this month to mark World Kindness Day.

These include dinners for foreign workers and domestic helpers organised by voluntary welfare organisation Touch Community Services, and the sale of "kindness cupcakes" at selected Prima Deli outlets.

lingxin@sph.com.sg

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