Hougang shopkeepers petition against trade fairs

Hougang shopkeepers petition against trade fairs

Their business is affected, they tell WP-run town council

Nov 13, 2013


Hougang Central shopkeepers (from left) Malkit Singh, 55, Choi A Chao, 56, Stanley Lai, 46, and Liu Qijie, 38. Behind them is an ongoing trade fair at the communal space in front of Hougang Mall. Mr Singh, Mr Choi and Mr Lai were among the five who went to see the town council with a petition. -- ST PHOTO: GOH CHIN LIAN

By Goh Chin Lian

Shopkeepers in Hougang Central yesterday handed the opposition-run town council a petition against the frequent trade fairs that they said have hurt their business.

Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council manages the communal space in front of Hougang Mall, which it leases to organisers of trade fairs for a fee.

Around the thoroughfare are HDB blocks with about 60 shops.

The petition, signed by 31 shopkeepers of 25 units selling goods from clothing to cellphone covers, was addressed to town council chairman Sylvia Lim, who is the Workers' Party (WP) chairman.

mei mei said:

Hougang shopkeepers petition against trade fairs.

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so they want the ahpetc to ban competition so that all 31 shopkeepers could continue as monopoly?

what's so different between them and the white scums, who uses the state resource to restrict political competition so that we still see the >90% monopoly doing with it wants as it wishes?

knn, all this pap teach them come n kai jiao jiao wp, no businese close shop lah, WTF

Observations:

1. The whole episode smacks of plasters with the letters "PAP" everywhere. PAP advisor and PA grassroots involved. No shyness to conceal their affiliations this time. Disappointing to see the very same politicking PAP often tells opposition to stay away from. If this goes on I am sure fence sitters will be stirred.

2. Which makeshift outlet does not take business away from nearby concrete outlets. Might as well ban all pasar malams and pushcarts which PAP govt had allowed since time immemorial. Anyone remembers the frequent pasars by the RCs/CCs grassroots and some shops also went to PAP to complain but who did not do anything.

3. Despite all the hard work and ease of access to petition by the sycophant forces, it managed to get only 25 out of 60 shops to support. Why did the other 35 stay away and it is very telling.

4. No one will invoke the police unless the mob had behaved threateningly at the TC's gates. Which brings me to the point that these sycophant cowards will not even dare walk past the bus stop outside MOT's office if Lui decides to increase ERP. PAP they scared and want to carry balls, WP they try to bully. Very telling the kind of people that serves them.

Having Pasar Malam is not a zero sum game. Crowds traffic increased when there is Pasar Malam due to novelty factor. Even hawkers never complain about competing with Pasar Malam.
I suppose it also helps to draw traffic to nearby HC.