Ramadhan Debt and 555 book

0Hazrul Azhar Jamari • 5th Oct 2007 • My Notes

I would often tease my girl that for every time she disturbs me, I’d write an entry into my 555 book. It’s not common for people her age… or mine for that matter to use the 555 book for debt archiving. Usually, the 555 book in my time was used by students to write short notes in school. Apparently, the practice is still prevalent in Malaysian society.

The new look 555 book

I do not know however if this book is still sold in Singaporean school bookshops. I remember this book being sold in my primary school. They cost S$0.50 each. They came in 3 colors. Either a blue, yellow or green one. I usually bought the blue one. And I’d draw or jot in them for fun. Usually, I drew sport cars.

The 555 book however has other uses than satisfying my creative tendencies. Among storekeepers, this book has been frequently used as a debt archiving register. It is particularly prevalent in the Indian society (you know? zaman chettiar?).

Thus the colloquial term “write in triple 5 book” to suggest to the person, that they owe you.

When I reminisce my past, I find that those memories are still relevant to present day Malaysia. Sometimes, I reflect at how much Singapore has progressed and as a result also lost some of its culture.

While this triple 5 book doesn’t seem to be as prevalent today as it was in yesteryear, it is a good culture to lose as a whole. It shows that Singaporeans no longer have the habit to land oneself in debt. Or perhaps, creditors have upgraded to using computers and pda’s instead?