This week, I would like to highlight a number of letters that we have received from our readers, both of which feature a common concern among Singaporeans that should not be ignored – that of the rising costs of food.
A Mr Leonard Ong opined that “it would be in the best interest of the hawkers not to raise prices even if ingredients’ prices rise” on the basis that “hawkers who raise prices, especially those whose food is mediocre tasting, have to be prepared that they will earn even less, as the volume of customers may drop drastically.”
Mr Ong’s deduction is premised on the belief that customers might not buy at increased prices which would lead to a drop in the given hawker’s profit margin and that it is better to sell more than not at all.
This letter focuses our attention on two key issues – that of the overall increased costs of the price of necessities such as food and that the effect of this increase in prices is two-fold, affecting both consumers and businesses alike. It is important to note that business owners are also in turn customers, which can put them in a double bind in the crisis of escalating costs. This is especially so for small business owners, who will not have the same leverage with banks for financing or bargaining power with suppliers of raw materials as big companies.
A parent from Bendemeer Primary wrote saying that he or she was “concerned about the recent price increase and my child’s canteen food quality. My daughter told me that her favourite porridge has increased from $1.80 to $2…….I was shocked to see that the porridge had hardly any ingredients in it, except for some hardly-noticeable minced meat.” The parent in question stated that while he or she understood the need to increase prices, he or she was shocked that the quality was so poor.
“I expected to see at least some vegetables (peas or carrots?) to make the food more “balanced”. The portion was also small! You can tell from the small bowl placed on top of the plate”
This letter again reinforces the underlying concerns of rising costs of necessities, the fear of lack, and worries about not being able to afford a decent quality of life for average citizens and their families.
The parent in this case wondered if “perhaps schools or MOE could assist canteen vendors by lowering their rental, in order to encourage them to provide better value meals to students.”
Given that the Government’s role is to serve the people and to assist them in living a life of stability, this is not an unreasonable question. This is particularly the case in Singapore, where the Government actively markets itself as performing a paternalistic role – Vote for us, and we will provide everything you need. Is this tacit understanding between Singaporeans and the People’s Action Party (PAP) that gives the PAP the longevity that it has enjoyed? In the name of stability and the “good life” the Government justified the curtailment of certain freedoms and civil liberties plus the high salaries of their ministers – something that the people happily accept in exchange for a stable middle-class life.
What happens if that balance changes? These various letters certainly give an indication that people are starting to worry and if not nipped in the bud, could result in greater unrest.
Further to these letters, Reddit users have also aired their grievances. Reacting to a Straits Times article that quoted experts as saying that flexible work schedules could help raise Singapore’s fertility rate, netizens have offered suggestions as to what they felt would really be effective in boosting the fertility rate. Reading the comments, the overarching feedback is that reducing the costs of living is what would boost the birth rate in Singapore.
‘You know what would really boost fertility rate? Lower cost of living’
Yet it is in this climate that the Government has still insisted on going ahead with the planned Goods & Services Tax hike (without any exemptions on necessities) despite disquiet being expressed.
This week also saw Hindus worldwide celebrate the beautiful “festival of lights”. In Singapore, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance, and Second Minister for National Development, Ms Indranee Rajah, kicked off the Deepavali celebrations in style by wishing everyone Happy Deepavali at Mediacorp’s annual countdown show to welcome Deepavali.
In the United Kingdom, this Deepavali saw the country welcome its first Indian Prime Minister, Mr Rishi Sunak, who is also a practising Hindu.
While it was wonderful to see Ms Rajah as the guest of honour, it is imperative to take stock that while we are proudly a multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-religious society, our top politicians are still of the belief that we are not ready for a non-Chinese Prime Minister.
This is despite the overarching popularity of Mr Tharman Shamugaratnam. It is also strange for this belief that we are not ready for a non-Chinese Prime Minister to be held when so many non-Chinese citizens already hold top jobs in Government. Besides Ms Indranee, our Minister for Law and Home Affairs, Mr K Shanmuggam, among others, is also not Chinese!
https://theindependent.sg/lawrence-wong-may-be-declared-the-chosen-one-but-some-netizens-still-want-sm-tharman-to-be-the-next-pm/
So, why are our top brass so wedded to this strange belief?