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Written by Ng E-Jay
15 November 2013
Shopkeepers in Hougang Central have handed AHPeTC a petition protesting against the numerous trade fairs being held in the vicinity that they allege have hurt their businesses by as much as 80%.
The trade fairs are held at the communal space in front of Hougang Mall, which AHPeTC leases to organizers for a fee, and the fairs are said to last for up to two weeks at a time. According to the shopkeepers, these trade fairs have been running one after another in quick succession since April, and they dread the major fair coming up in time for the December and January holiday season.
The shopkeepers claim that the fairs are able to sell similar products cheaply due to their low overheads, whilst they have to contend with higher overheads like fixed housing board rentals.
While we can understandably sympathize with these shopkeepers if their businesses have really been affected, there are some points that bear consideration.
Firstly, trade fairs and pasar malams have become more frequent all across the island in recent years, not just in opposition wards. Even as the latest saga has unfolded, there are trade fairs being held in Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Bukit Merah Central, Jurong East, Ghim Moh, Woodlands, just to name a few examples. But we never hear of complaints making their way to the mainstream press, and certainly not in such a dramatic fashion, with stories of police reports being made surfacing.
For example, according to one of the fair organizers, trade fairs have been held all year round in Toa Payoh Hub, but no shopkeeper has complained. Or, to be more precise, no complains have surfaced and made their way to the press like what has just happened in the opposition ward.
In Hougang Central itself, it is known that under the PAP, there have been several trade fairs held annually, each lasting two to three weeks, including lengthy fairs throughout the New Year season. But under the PAP, no complaints surfaced.
The trade fairs at the communal area near Hougang Mall comprise typically of six to ten stalls — which puts into doubt their ability to cause significant disruption to the numerous neighbourhood shops in the region.
Secondly, it is high rentals and other escalating costs that are truly hurting small businesses like neighbourhood shops and hawker stalls. The shopkeepers are barking up the wrong tree. They should be petitioning the HDB and other relevant authorities to look into the rentals and other fixed costs which are rising too fast. Those are the real factors that are doing damage to their bottom lines.
Thirdly, the petition submitted to AHPeTC only contains the names of 25 out of 60 shops operating in the region. This suggests that the majority do not see a need to complain.
Fourthly, as a netizen put it eloquently, “The whole episode smacks of plasters with the letters ‘PAP’ everywhere … No shyness to conceal their affiliations this time”.
That is what this episode appears to be about — yet another attempt to fix the opposition using any means necessary. This is the kind of politicking that hurts the interests of residents and sets everyone back.
Replying to The Straits Times on Thursday, AHPeTC chairperson Sylvia Lim said that while it has already committed to the year-end festive activities, it is “prepared to review the schedule and events for next year” after assessing the shopkeepers’ concerns.
- http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=8560
15 November 2013
Shopkeepers in Hougang Central have handed AHPeTC a petition protesting against the numerous trade fairs being held in the vicinity that they allege have hurt their businesses by as much as 80%.
The trade fairs are held at the communal space in front of Hougang Mall, which AHPeTC leases to organizers for a fee, and the fairs are said to last for up to two weeks at a time. According to the shopkeepers, these trade fairs have been running one after another in quick succession since April, and they dread the major fair coming up in time for the December and January holiday season.
The shopkeepers claim that the fairs are able to sell similar products cheaply due to their low overheads, whilst they have to contend with higher overheads like fixed housing board rentals.
While we can understandably sympathize with these shopkeepers if their businesses have really been affected, there are some points that bear consideration.
Firstly, trade fairs and pasar malams have become more frequent all across the island in recent years, not just in opposition wards. Even as the latest saga has unfolded, there are trade fairs being held in Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Bukit Merah Central, Jurong East, Ghim Moh, Woodlands, just to name a few examples. But we never hear of complaints making their way to the mainstream press, and certainly not in such a dramatic fashion, with stories of police reports being made surfacing.
For example, according to one of the fair organizers, trade fairs have been held all year round in Toa Payoh Hub, but no shopkeeper has complained. Or, to be more precise, no complains have surfaced and made their way to the press like what has just happened in the opposition ward.
In Hougang Central itself, it is known that under the PAP, there have been several trade fairs held annually, each lasting two to three weeks, including lengthy fairs throughout the New Year season. But under the PAP, no complaints surfaced.
The trade fairs at the communal area near Hougang Mall comprise typically of six to ten stalls — which puts into doubt their ability to cause significant disruption to the numerous neighbourhood shops in the region.
Secondly, it is high rentals and other escalating costs that are truly hurting small businesses like neighbourhood shops and hawker stalls. The shopkeepers are barking up the wrong tree. They should be petitioning the HDB and other relevant authorities to look into the rentals and other fixed costs which are rising too fast. Those are the real factors that are doing damage to their bottom lines.
Thirdly, the petition submitted to AHPeTC only contains the names of 25 out of 60 shops operating in the region. This suggests that the majority do not see a need to complain.
Fourthly, as a netizen put it eloquently, “The whole episode smacks of plasters with the letters ‘PAP’ everywhere … No shyness to conceal their affiliations this time”.
That is what this episode appears to be about — yet another attempt to fix the opposition using any means necessary. This is the kind of politicking that hurts the interests of residents and sets everyone back.
Replying to The Straits Times on Thursday, AHPeTC chairperson Sylvia Lim said that while it has already committed to the year-end festive activities, it is “prepared to review the schedule and events for next year” after assessing the shopkeepers’ concerns.
- http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=8560
