[h=2]
MP Baey & his controversial $2.50 nasi padang dish[/h]
December 15th, 2013 |
Author:
Editorial
What started out as an innocent Facebook posting has turned into something controversial so much so that even Wanbao also wanted to report on it.
It started when Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng made a Facebook posting on Wednesday (11 Dec), saying that he had a nasi padang meal at Tampines Blk 475 coffee shop:
Then one netizen Esther Chia asked Mr Baey how much he spent for the nasi padang dish. Mr Baey replied that it cost him $2.50. He said he eats this “once in a long while”.
Others commented that it was very cheap. Then another netizen, Fernando Fonseca, apparently went to the same coffee shop to order the same dish with the same items and he reported that it cost him $6.00.
Insinuating that it’s good to be an MP, Mr Fonseca said:
“Mr Baey Yam Keng order this and it cost him only $2.50. I went to the same kopitiam and buy 1 hour after he posted it and show the owner the photo. He charged me $6.00. #goodtobeaMP”
Soon, others began to join in the conversation on Mr Baey’s posting.
Many are surprised at the $2.50 price for a regular nasi padang dish:
CK Foo: Must be something wrong somewhere.
Sax Boxer: How is this possible to be $2.50? Even SAF canteen sell dishes like these at more than $2.50 already.
Miyamoto Musashi: Like this $2.50!!!!Cannot be lah
Susan Choo: The malay stall at our place sells nasi lemak at $3 now. Coconut rice, 2 kuning fishes, small piece of omelette, ikan bilis and sambal chilli.
Some wondered if this is the reason why PAP MPs are losing touch with the ground:
Jason Lee: PAP MPs have completely lost touch with the ground. Ordinary peasants also know that this cannot be $2.50.
Sing Na: It is not surprising then that PAP MPs often wonder why ordinary Singaporeans are complaining about rising food prices. $2.50 nasi padang, $8 for heart surgery…everything so cheap where got inflation? Why Singaporeans are complaining about increase in cost of living?
Others thought that the stall owner was just being “nice” to Mr Baey because he is the MP:
Susan Choo: Mr Baey had opened a can of worms himself. By right, as a public servant, he should not as it cast questions on integrity. If he can receive “special treatment” from a stall, what other “special treatment” he received. MP do work for people as we elected him to the Parliament. He received his salary from the State, not pro bono.
Low Kah Fai: can be easily disconnected with the ground leh if all charge like this. but what to do, stall owner want to PLP, you as peasant can only LLST lor.
Edwin Lee: Chong Keong Perks of being an MP
One of Mr Baey’s supporters quickly defended Mr Baey, saying that he had also received discounts from a shop owner before because the owner “likes” him:
Bryan Lim: I mean if the auntie want to give him special price… what can you say. I get my hair styled for $10 instead of $40 because the owner likes me… then my fault ah.. =S
Others disagreed, saying that as MP, perhaps he should not have accepted any discounts:
Patrick Wong: Mr Baey. With a piece of what looks like a chicken drumstick, it is obvious the $2.50 is far from reality on the ground. If this was preferential pricing for you, then it may not have been wise to accept it. If that was not the case and by posting this on FB to tell the world that our cost of living is reasonable, then it’s obvious you are not in sync with what’s going on the ground. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Bob Chua: If I were you, I will pay $10.00 and keep the change
Fernando Fonseca, the netizen who went to the Tampines coffee shop to verify the nasi padang price later reported on Mr Baey’s Facebook page that Wanbao actually wanted to interview him for a story:
Mr Fonseca later wrote:
“Unbelievable that 联合晚报 deemed that this was indeed news. There are more pressing issues that needs to be highlight. I have nothing against Baey Yam Keng, so I am not going to comment further, apart from the fact that I did pay $6 for the same ingredients. Maybe my chicken was fresher?”
“The whole point is not about how much I paid, but seriously, the chicken and the rice alone cost $4. In any matters, I have decided not to speak too much about this matter as
a. I am not trying to embarrass Mr Baey Yam Keng;
b. I am trying to set prices straight. What they pay for may not be what we have paid.
I was lucky in that I saw the photo, and I went to the place before, so I thought it was cheap for $2.50 to get such dishes. And I was wrong.”
And the best comment on Mr Baey’s posting:
Jeff Tan: Pay them still give them discount!!! Funny le.. Pay them to increase our monthly expenses, fares, COE, taxes, and fines, etc…. We very stupid I feel sometimes… We very good life indeed… But also very stress too… Very contradicting!!!!