SINGAPORE: A netizen recently shared a post urging people to refrain from bargaining with local farmers as “malls are already owned by billionaires.”
An online user took to social media on Friday (June 23) to share a post reminding people of the stark contrast between the rich and the poor. “Repost to remind ourselves: When you see them selling their farm produce, please don’t bargain anymore,” the post read. “Just buy and help them go home early. These are the people we should help more…”
The netizen added, “… malls are already owned by billionaires.” The photo featured an elderly fruit vendor lying on a sack. On another sack were bananas on display.
Though somewhere in the comments, one netizen pointed out that the post originated in the Philippines and wasn’t “a Singaporean context,” other online users took the reminder to heart anyway.
“(I) agree much,” said one. “I’ve avoided spending at malls for so long.”
“(Is) this in Singapore? Where is this uncle?” asked one online user. Another answered, “Not likely in Singapore. If here, kena fine S$21,000.”
“I will buy all of his fruits,” said a fourth.
In another online group where the same post was shared, a commenter wrote, “I’d bought from an old lady probably in her 80+s all the vegetables and fruits….paid her 50s and asked her to bring it all back home…(such a) poor thing…”
Still, another netizen added, “I usually give them more.”
The post has been circulated on social media, even making it to a few online Singaporean Facebook groups.