Singapore – Social media was once again used as the medium for spreading negativity, this time a member of the public slammed others who criticised the long queues that formed in IKEA before it’s temporary closure.
For some background on the story, Edward Yong uploaded the following photo on Twitter on Saturday (April 4), showing the snaking queues at the Alexandra IKEA outlet. “What could the emergency be? Meatballs?” read the beginning of the caption. A lengthy thread followed with netizens criticising the situation.
this was the scene outside Ikea SG today. what could the emergency be? meatballs? it’s not like Ikea sells coffins (which this crowd may well need soon).
100am donki+ntuc were like end of the world.
massive queues outside nespresso and bubble tea shops too. #firstworldproblems pic.twitter.com/4NQ59fFeKs
— Edward C. Yong ن (@infernoxv) April 4, 2020
Still, some understood the situation, such as Twitter user Ronald Ip who commented that many people needed tables and chairs for working or studying from home.
Consequently, on Wednesday (April 8), Facebook page All Singapore Stuff shared an Instagram story of someone bashing the public for their reactions on the incident that occurred at IKEA stores days before the circuit breaker measures took place.
Although there’s nothing wrong with condemning those that jump to conclusions regarding other peoples’ actions, the netizen went as far as cursing the public. He admitted that he got triggered at the IKEA memes circulating online because he was one of those who lined up. “Wanna get furniture on a normal day wrong meh? Against the law meh?”
The man explained that “there was a queue because they had to stop those from going in to allow those that were exiting out as there was only one small entrance lah.” Then the netizen proceeded by saying, “Comment so much maybe the Covid-19 should strike you and your loved ones. Toxic f*ckers.”
https://www.facebook.com/allsgstuff/photos/a.1993158977491488/3243462409127799/?type=3&theater
Members from the online community were quick to dismiss the man’s post.
Nurhidayana Razakh shared that there were no crowds at IKEA prior to the announcement of the circuit breaker period. “Why this person never go before that? Why must go eve of lockdown? Why cannot go after lockdown lifted meh?” she asked.
Meanwhile, Boon Kua noted that IKEA Netherlands was one of the first to close its doors to protect their staff and customer amid the pandemic, even if they weren’t advised to. He wondered if the same could be said for their Asian counterparts.
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