A few years back I witnessed a very frustrating incident inside a NTUC Fairprice outlet. The auntie cashier looking nonchalant, smug and aloof, was watching over a few pioneer uncles and aunties looking lost, not knowing what to do, all because they did not have a seniors identity card. All they had were pioneers cards issued by the govt. They had no clue what was a seniors card. NTUC surely did not issue any seniors cards, and so did the govt. The only seniors identity card was issued by SMRT.
You see, NTUC Fairprice had announced giving discounts to senior citizens above 60 years and pioneers on different days. Apparently the cashiers were instructed that on days when discounts were given to the seniors customers, the seniors must produce senior identity cards to qualify for the discounts. These cards are only issued by SMRT, not NTUC Fairprice. And on days when discounts were given to pioneer citizens, pioneers would have to produce their pioneers cards to qualify.
The qualifying age for seniors cards by SMRT is 60 years. NTUC did not issue senior cards and depends on SMRT senior cards as proof of age. At that time, the youngest pioneers were 68 years! For days when discounts were given to pioneers, senior card holders would not qualify. On days when discounts were given to seniors, isn't it only natural for pioneers to qualify as they are much older than the seniors? No, this is not the case in NTUC Fairprice.
The problem was the instruction to show the respective cards, seniors or pioneers cards for discounts on the respective days. So on seniors discount days, must show senior cards. Pioneers cards not acceptable on seniors days. And not all pioneers have senior cards issued by SMRT unless they applied for it.
This was why the above incident took place. The unthinking and refusing to think cashiers would only give discounts if seniors cards are produced. Pioneers not recognised as seniors! No senior cards no discount. The pioneers uncles and aunties could not believe it but could not do anything and walked away angry and frustrated. What to do? Boh pian. The unthinking cashiers would not budge. That was what they were told to do. Dunno which idiot gave them the stupid instruction.
To many unemployed and retired seniors, saving a few cents is important and meaningful to them. You can imagine the aghast when told they would not be given the discount without showing a seniors card and their pioneers cards not recognised as seniors. And the equally unthinking cashiers just stood there looking at the lost looks of the pioneers unable to produce a senior card with an arrogant grin.
I wrote to NTUC after witnessing the stupidity of the cashier or was it the stupidity of NTUC Fairprice, for not getting this right, that pioneers are older than seniors and on seniors days, producing pioneers cards should be good enough as proof that they are older than the seniors. NTUC replied that they had sorted this out and pioneers cards would suffice and be acceptable on seniors days. The said NTUC Fairprice outlet was told and this was no longer an issue. But...it seemed that they only told this NTUC outlet and not others.
A few weeks back, in another NTUC Fairprice outlet, right next to the said outlet, had the same problem. The cashier demanded for my seniors card, pioneers card not acceptable to qualify for seniors discount. Not that I needed to save the few cents. But many illiterate pioneer uncles and aunties would be rudely refused the savings when they needed most by these unthinking cashiers. This time it was a young girl. I can expect the older auntie cashiers that might not have much education to act this way. But young and educated cashiers should know what is the purpose of producing a card to verify the age and pioneer generation uncles and aunties are much older than seniors cards holders, now youngest is 71 years. I explained this to the young cashier, but still she insisted on the seniors card, meaning that it was the instruction given to her. So have to obey like all daft Singaporeans.
I told the cashier not to perpetuate this silly procedure and to raise it up with her supervisors. Yesterday it happened again, demanding for seniors cards, and pioneers cards not accepted as proof of age. Fortunately another cashier reluctantly said it was ok to accept pioneer cards, not that they had been instructed to accept pioneers cards as proof of seniority. It was just her initiative/flexibility. I told them that this is the reason why daft Singaporeans would eventually be replaced by thinking and street smart foreigners. Our daft Singaporeans, including the young, are taught not to think, just follow the rules. Or is it the culture that is promoted in the island, kiasu, kiasi and kia cheng hu. Cheng hu or authority said so, just follow? Don't ask, don't question, don't think?
NTUC Fairprice, if you are reading this, please do the necessary and stop this ridiculous rule. In the first place you don't even issue seniors cards. You depend on SMRT seniors cards to verify the age. Why can't pioneers cards be good enough to verify the age of seniors when they are more senior than the senior card holders?
Stupidity has no cure is becoming a national disease in Singapore. And poor illiterate pioneers are the victims of this stupidity in NTUC Fairprice outlets. Oops, even the young are taught to be stupid and unthinking. Please remember, you may be earning millions and a few cents are nothing to you. Spare a thought to the numerous retired and unemployed uncles and aunties when a few cents count and matter to them.
PS. Or is it the intention of NTUC Fairprice to give discounts only to seniors and not to pioneers on seniors days as pioneers are not seniors?
