Talking Point – A new comedy TV serial

Was watching the topic on Rogue Shoppers in Sim Lim Square on Talking Point last night and couldn’t help thinking that it was a comedy programme. No fault of Steve Chia. He handled the discussion well and the topic was current and of great interest to the public. For this particular episode I was kind of wanting to laugh but it was so painful to laugh at the jokes and the jokers. This episode is highly recommended. Please watch the replay and get some enlightenment as to why this city state is turning into such a God forsaken place. You will find all the reasons to clear your doubts that things could only get worse and who were contributing to the black comedy. Pay attention to spot the jokers.

Some of the things highlighted would keep your eyes popping out in disbelief. The statistics on the cheatings and scamming of shoppers were hopelessly spastic when the truth is out. It was all under statements, under reporting and unreal. The rogue shop keepers simply changed the name of the shops when they were getting too many complaints to start all over again on a clean slate. Many complaints were simply unreported especially when the cheated customers were tourists.

And the law, you would wonder what law is there to curb such rogue behaviours. And mind you, unethical doesn’t mean it is a crime. All the cheatings are never regarded as crimes. The law only go after the shops and not the workers or salespersons. So the rogues could keep on doing the same scams and immuned from the law. And the rogue shop owners were happily changing the names of the shops every six months. And the regulators were not really concerned. CASE’s main concern was not to deprive the rogue shoppers of their livelihood. This is very important consideration and you would know why after watching the comedy.

And don’t ever believe anyone who is telling you there were only a few cases and the cheatings only happened yesterday, and the Vietnamese case was only one such case and did not justify changing the law for a one case incident.

One thing was clear, the problems need to be addressed and it is so difficult to do so. No one knew how to solve this complicated and sophisticated problem of rogue traders cheating unwary customers. So Gabriel Kang, in all sincerity, perhaps the most rational guy other than the expert speaking from the TV screen, suggested bringing in some bright guys and locked them up in a hack-a-thon to brainstorm for a solution. Another suggested forming a committee or BOI, the most clever problem solving method of the super talents, to try to find an answer. Give them a little more time and they would likely suggest bringing in a foreign talent as the locals were too daft to find an answer.

I said it was a comedy. But I must warn you that it would be so painful to laugh. Luckily no one utter the phrase, ‘the customer is king’. In Sim Lim Square and a few of the notorious shopping centres, the rogue shop keepers are the king. And shoppers must be prepared to go down on their knees to beg for mercy.

After viewing the programme, I bet nothing concrete or useful will come out of it. It was all a bad joke, but highly recommended to watch and get sick in the stomach. Get a sick bag handy just in case.

Kopi Level - Green