“I can’t raise the price. Many of my customers can’t cope with an increase,” said the vendor. Because the prices were kept low, he had to sell more to maintain profits."
Unlike the simple food hawkers who empathize with many low-income customers' difficulty in coping with price increases, our GLCs who monopolise the essential services like public transportation & utilties were quick to raise fares & fees whenever opportunity arises even though they were already making hundreds of millions profit. As monopolies on these basic essential services, they are holding the people to ransom, as there is no alternative for us to turn to.
"A retired architect said that too many things had gone wrong here and too many price increases had been unwarranted. “We can no longer depend on the government to help us. We have to rely on ourselves.”"
And not a day sooner. The more Singaporean realises this, the better will be for our future.
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2008/12/20/columnists/insightdownsouth/2848628&sec=Insight%20Down%20South
Food hawkers the new folk heroes
INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH By SEAH CHEAH NEE
Almost every worker, businessman or student eats at a food centre every day, making the hawker a central figure in the fight against inflation.
IN TODAY’S crisis, what group of people do Singaporeans most likely accept as their regular heroes – politicians, company CEOs or bankers?
Answer: None of the above!
I believe it is the simple food hawkers who keep their prices low in adverse conditions, something that exerts a major, repeated impact on every family.
Let me explain my choice.
Recently, I was attracted by a queue in front of a suburban hawker stall that was selling breakfast at a price I thought had long been extinct in Singapore.
An overhead sign reads “Economic Beehoon (rice vermicelli) @ S$1.60”, a simple, nutritious dish that included a fair portion of vegetable and an egg.
During these harsh times, with the cost of living at a 26-year high, vendors who sell food at this price are few and far between.
They have become Singapore’s new unsung heroes.
The majority of their peers have followed the trend and raised prices to as high as possible.
During these trying times, hawkers who go that extra mile to help their regulars keep costs down are a heaven-sent to Singapore’s middle class.
Their biggest fans are, of course, the lowest 25% of the nation’s poor, who earn less than S$1,200 (RM2,900) a month. Half of them make no more than S$900 (RM2,180).
The people who queued up for a simple, cheap breakfast that morning – avoiding other costlier dishes – were mostly low-income earners. A few, however, were white-collar workers.
“I can’t raise the price. Many of my customers can’t cope with an increase,” said the vendor. Because the prices were kept low, he had to sell more to maintain profits.
Oil and some imported goods are now cheaper, and there’s worry about deflation ahead, but they mean little to people struggling with the high costs of electricity, food and public transport.
Hawker food is what is making life more tolerable for the Singaporean family.
Official statistics show that despite spiralling costs, the majority, or 65%, of hawkers had kept to their prices.
Almost every worker, businessman or student eats at a food centre or a coffee shop every day. It’s become the culture. His income is affected by what he is charged for food.
This makes the hawker, and the average S$2.50 (RM6) working meal he charges, a central figure and a decisive factor in the fight against inflation.
Thanks to these vendors, a thrifty Singa- porean who eats out twice a day needs to spend no more than S$8-S$10 or RM19.40-RM24.20 (plus drinks), among the lowest of all the global cities.
And those who can keep a meal down to S$2 (RM4.85) are gaining recognition these days as the new heroes.
A local reporter who made a study of Singapore’s hawker scene wrote: “I just don’t know how they can still afford to do so in this age of inflation and uncertainty.
“But there are some kind-hearted heroes out there who can still dish out a mean bowl of prawn noodles at S$2.”
Singapore is, of course, being transformed into a hub city of foreign wealth and talent, for which there is a price.
It is also approaching – or has arrived – at the high cost structure of rich international cities in America, Europe and Japan. A weekend movie ticket here costs S$10.
The current crisis is producing other heroes in the eyes of Singaporeans outside the policy-makers upon whom the public still relies for relief.
There are two other consequences. One is a decline in the people’s dependency on the government, and the other is a readjustment of who they consider are their heroes.
A retired architect said that too many things had gone wrong here and too many price increases had been unwarranted. “We can no longer depend on the government to help us. We have to rely on ourselves.”
National heroes are in short supply in tiny Singapore because of its short history.
In these heady days, they come from the little people – from the religions, from volunteers who work tirelessly to raise funds for, or provide free food to, the worst sufferers.
Public donations to charity last year hit a record S$820mil (RM1.9bil), 50% more than in 2006. The bigger stories come from those who contribute efforts to help the poor, the sickly and the aged, the dysfunctional families and abused children.
With retrenchments increasing, more people in wealthy Singapore are queuing up for free food.
The phenomenon will make social work (shunned by many youths because of its low pay) grow in importance in the years ahead. Some of the cases:
> The Singapore Buddhist Lodge serves up to 5,000 free meals to the needy each weekend, a 30% rise this year. They include foreigners; all are fed as long as the food lasts, no questions asked. Once a donor drove up with 900 bottles of cooking oil.
> The Central Sikh Temple serves free vegetarian Indian meals to 600 daily; the rising food cost is affecting handouts.
> Some 1,200 single and poor families are getting food rations from a joint effort by a Taoist and a Hindu temple. Another smaller monastery gives free meals to 200 people every day.
There are many others – too numerous to mention – including a host of contributing Muslims and mosques.
This decline in reliance on the government shows society’s maturity. In the past, people relied too much on official help
But, for the ruling party, this may result in less public bonding, with a political price to pay in future elections.
Unlike the simple food hawkers who empathize with many low-income customers' difficulty in coping with price increases, our GLCs who monopolise the essential services like public transportation & utilties were quick to raise fares & fees whenever opportunity arises even though they were already making hundreds of millions profit. As monopolies on these basic essential services, they are holding the people to ransom, as there is no alternative for us to turn to.
"A retired architect said that too many things had gone wrong here and too many price increases had been unwarranted. “We can no longer depend on the government to help us. We have to rely on ourselves.”"
And not a day sooner. The more Singaporean realises this, the better will be for our future.
http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2008/12/20/columnists/insightdownsouth/2848628&sec=Insight%20Down%20South
Food hawkers the new folk heroes
INSIGHT DOWN SOUTH By SEAH CHEAH NEE
Almost every worker, businessman or student eats at a food centre every day, making the hawker a central figure in the fight against inflation.
IN TODAY’S crisis, what group of people do Singaporeans most likely accept as their regular heroes – politicians, company CEOs or bankers?
Answer: None of the above!
I believe it is the simple food hawkers who keep their prices low in adverse conditions, something that exerts a major, repeated impact on every family.
Let me explain my choice.
Recently, I was attracted by a queue in front of a suburban hawker stall that was selling breakfast at a price I thought had long been extinct in Singapore.
An overhead sign reads “Economic Beehoon (rice vermicelli) @ S$1.60”, a simple, nutritious dish that included a fair portion of vegetable and an egg.
During these harsh times, with the cost of living at a 26-year high, vendors who sell food at this price are few and far between.
They have become Singapore’s new unsung heroes.
The majority of their peers have followed the trend and raised prices to as high as possible.
During these trying times, hawkers who go that extra mile to help their regulars keep costs down are a heaven-sent to Singapore’s middle class.
Their biggest fans are, of course, the lowest 25% of the nation’s poor, who earn less than S$1,200 (RM2,900) a month. Half of them make no more than S$900 (RM2,180).
The people who queued up for a simple, cheap breakfast that morning – avoiding other costlier dishes – were mostly low-income earners. A few, however, were white-collar workers.
“I can’t raise the price. Many of my customers can’t cope with an increase,” said the vendor. Because the prices were kept low, he had to sell more to maintain profits.
Oil and some imported goods are now cheaper, and there’s worry about deflation ahead, but they mean little to people struggling with the high costs of electricity, food and public transport.
Hawker food is what is making life more tolerable for the Singaporean family.
Official statistics show that despite spiralling costs, the majority, or 65%, of hawkers had kept to their prices.
Almost every worker, businessman or student eats at a food centre or a coffee shop every day. It’s become the culture. His income is affected by what he is charged for food.
This makes the hawker, and the average S$2.50 (RM6) working meal he charges, a central figure and a decisive factor in the fight against inflation.
Thanks to these vendors, a thrifty Singa- porean who eats out twice a day needs to spend no more than S$8-S$10 or RM19.40-RM24.20 (plus drinks), among the lowest of all the global cities.
And those who can keep a meal down to S$2 (RM4.85) are gaining recognition these days as the new heroes.
A local reporter who made a study of Singapore’s hawker scene wrote: “I just don’t know how they can still afford to do so in this age of inflation and uncertainty.
“But there are some kind-hearted heroes out there who can still dish out a mean bowl of prawn noodles at S$2.”
Singapore is, of course, being transformed into a hub city of foreign wealth and talent, for which there is a price.
It is also approaching – or has arrived – at the high cost structure of rich international cities in America, Europe and Japan. A weekend movie ticket here costs S$10.
The current crisis is producing other heroes in the eyes of Singaporeans outside the policy-makers upon whom the public still relies for relief.
There are two other consequences. One is a decline in the people’s dependency on the government, and the other is a readjustment of who they consider are their heroes.
A retired architect said that too many things had gone wrong here and too many price increases had been unwarranted. “We can no longer depend on the government to help us. We have to rely on ourselves.”
National heroes are in short supply in tiny Singapore because of its short history.
In these heady days, they come from the little people – from the religions, from volunteers who work tirelessly to raise funds for, or provide free food to, the worst sufferers.
Public donations to charity last year hit a record S$820mil (RM1.9bil), 50% more than in 2006. The bigger stories come from those who contribute efforts to help the poor, the sickly and the aged, the dysfunctional families and abused children.
With retrenchments increasing, more people in wealthy Singapore are queuing up for free food.
The phenomenon will make social work (shunned by many youths because of its low pay) grow in importance in the years ahead. Some of the cases:
> The Singapore Buddhist Lodge serves up to 5,000 free meals to the needy each weekend, a 30% rise this year. They include foreigners; all are fed as long as the food lasts, no questions asked. Once a donor drove up with 900 bottles of cooking oil.
> The Central Sikh Temple serves free vegetarian Indian meals to 600 daily; the rising food cost is affecting handouts.
> Some 1,200 single and poor families are getting food rations from a joint effort by a Taoist and a Hindu temple. Another smaller monastery gives free meals to 200 people every day.
There are many others – too numerous to mention – including a host of contributing Muslims and mosques.
This decline in reliance on the government shows society’s maturity. In the past, people relied too much on official help
But, for the ruling party, this may result in less public bonding, with a political price to pay in future elections.
