Two Sim Lim Square mobile phone retailers under investigation

[Saisyu]

Two Sim Lim Square mobile phone retailers under investigation

By Diane Leow, Marcus Mark Ramos, Channel NewsAsia and Loke Kok Fai
POSTED: 04 Dec 2014 15:12
UPDATED: 05 Dec 2014 00:29

Plainclothes policemen were seen carrying boxes away from De.Mac Gadget and Gadget Terminal on Thursday afternoon (Dec 4).

SINGAPORE: Two shops in Sim Lim Square were shuttered on Thursday afternoon (Dec 4), with boxes carried out by plainclothes policemen.

The two units were De.Mac Gadget at #01-50 and Gadget Terminal at #02-80. Several officials were seen carrying two large boxes out of De.Mac Gadget while a media scrum gathered.

In response to media queries, police confirmed that they have started investigations into two mobile phone retailers in Sim Lim Square, following reports lodged against them. "It is inappropriate to comment as investigations are ongoing," a spokesperson told Channel NewsAsia.

The Consumer's Association of Singapore (CASE) said Gadget Terminal tops the list of blacklisted Sim Lim Square shops with 14 complaints from September to November. The shop at #01-50, known to CASE as Mobile Apps, had a total of seven complaints against it in the same period.

At 2.53pm, two men whose faces were covered with hooded jackets were seen running out of one of the shops raided, in the direction of the adjacent Burlington Square.

Sim Lim Square has been in the spotlight recently following the case of Mr Jover Chew, the owner of Mobile Air, whose reported business practices including trying to refund a customer S$1,010 in coins and making a tourist beg for a refund led to the shop being shuttered for good last month.

The Government has also said it is looking to enhance laws against errant retailers, following a meeting with Sim Lim Square's Management Council.

A Sim Lim Square shopowner who requested to remain unnamed said his business would be hit again with the media coverage. "The world already knows what is happening. Let the police do their jobs, business is already so badly affected."

CONSIDER EMPOWERING CASE TO PROSECUTE ERRANT RETAILERS: MP

MP Lim Biow Chuan, who is also the President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said when Parliament meets next month, he will ask the Ministry of Trade and Industry to consider empowering the association with powers to prosecute errant retailers.

The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) currently stops short of allowing CASE and the Singapore Tourism Board powers of enforcement.

"Under the CPFTA, the two specified bodies are actually CASE and the Singapore Tourism Board. This would allow them to take out statutory prosecution against errant retailers. And I think if such powers are given, that would send a strong signal to retailers who behave in a dishonourable manner," Mr Lim said.

Mr Lim also clarified that CASE was not demanding that the management committees of Sim Lim Square and People's Park Complex handle the issue of enforcing stricter rental agreements on their own.

Earlier, CASE had asked both committees to respond by Friday on plans to amend their rules and by-laws to make it mandatory for all landlords to state that retailers must conduct their business in accordance to fair practices set out under the CPFTA.

It had also stated that if the retailers or landlords breach the Act, the Management Committee (MCST), should have the authority to compel the landlords to terminate the rental agreement and impose severe penalties on those in breach.

But the ability of the management committees of such strata-titled malls to deal with errant retailers may be limited, even if by-laws were passed allowing them to punish errant behaviour.

Mr Chia Boon Teck, Co-Managing Partner, Chia Wong LLP, said: "Such a by-law, even if passed, would be difficult to enforce, and it is susceptible to challenge as to its validity and legitimacy. And if the court agrees that the by-law is unlawful, the MCST may be ordered by the court to pay damages to the unit owner for carrying out an unlawful punishment."

- CNA/cy/dl

 

[Saisyu]

Police raided Gadget Terminal at Sim Lim Square because of complaints: GM

By Diane Leow
POSTED: 04 Dec 2014 17:58
UPDATED: 05 Dec 2014 00:31

General Manager of Gadget Terminal, Mr Gavin Chung, said police were at his shop for about an hour and seized a laptop and desktop and files from the shop.

SINGAPORE: The General Manager of Gadget Terminal, one of two shops raided at Sim Lim Square on Thursday afternoon (Dec 4), said police told him there had been many complaints against his shop.

Mr Gavin Chung, 32, said officers were there for about an hour and seized files, a laptop, a desktop computer, accounts and receipt books, as well as a few mobile phones.

Mr Chung said his wife is registered as owner of the shop. There have been 14 complaints made to the Consumer's Association of Singapore (CASE) against Gadget Terminal in the last three months, according to the latest consumer alert from CASE. He said he has been trying to work with CASE to contact customers to resolve the disputes.

"I called CASE and they said they have not been able to contact some of the customers that have complained. Previously, my shop has had very few complaints with CASE, but in these past three months, the number suddenly grew and I wanted to know how to fix the situation.

"Personally I do not want such disputes to happen and I have done my best to resolve such situations. But if we cannot reach the customer, there is not much we can do," he added, looking visibly emotional.

"Any customers who feel that we have sold them products at a higher price can come look for me and let me know," he said.

"Sometimes with price fluctuations, we cannot control the price at which we sell products. Customers have never caused a scene at my shop. We have been greatly affected by this."

Mr Chung said he will reopen his shop on Friday but he is worried about the media attention. "I need to eat, and my workers need to eat. Some of my workers sell products at a higher price and customers feel they have been deceived. However, it is a two-way street. Both parties are responsible."

He said Mobile Air on the ground floor of Sim Lim Square, which was also raided recently, was the source of bad press for the mall, and he is hoping the scrutiny on his shop will blow over quickly.

"If this case keeps going on, a mountain will be made from a molehill and other shops will be affected as well," he said.

- CNA/xk