SDP opposes closure of wet markets

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Monday, 05 October 2009

Singapore Democrats

The SDP opposes plans to close five wet markets in Singapore to be replaced with supermarkets. This will increase the cost of doing business and raise prices of produce and other foodstuff.

Supermarket chain Sheng Shiong announced that it was buying over five wet markets in various housing estates and converting them into air-conditioned market facilities. The plan has sparked off unhappiness among Singaporeans.

The Singapore Democrats are concerned that such a conversion will mean that the stallholders will end up having to pay more for operating in the new facilities. The higher costs will be passed on to the shopper and add to the already high cost of living of Singaporeans.

At a time when inflation is already outstripping wages, such a move is reprehensible. It will only lead to more difficulties for the people.

If the idea is to create a one-store supermarket, the vendors will lose their independent livelihoods and may end up becoming workers of the supermarket. They will then have to compete with foreign workers which means that their income will be drastically reduced.

For these reasons, the Singapore Democrats are opposed to HDB approving the sale of the wet markets to Sheng Shiong. Among the five markets that are affected are: Choa Chu Kang Street 62, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, Serangoon North Avenue 3, Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 and Fajar Road.

The SDP will take the case to Singaporeans especially the residents at the Bukit Panjang constituency where we contested in the last general elections.

In our regular and on-going visits to the estate, we will draw attention to this unthinking and uncaring move, and will call on residents there to reject the politics of greed and profit-making at the expense of the economic well-being of the people.

We will ask the residents to oppose the sale of the wet market at Fajar Road and in so doing keep prices of foodstuff and other essentials from going up even further.

Singaporeans must put a stop to this hawking of the people's interests to the highest bidder. This has caused much hardship for the people as prices continue to escalate beyond our means.

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Comments (6)

Mon 05 Oct 2009 7:01 PM | BryanT - Control privatisation of essentially services & fa

I agree with SDP that the government's system of allowing private vendors to bid for and operate basic facilities, amenities and services such as hawker centres, markets, carparks, traffic and parking warden services, postal services, factory spaces, building of public flats, etc.

These private bodies, whose sole prerogative is profit-making, only act as an additional cost layer that inflates prices to the lay consumers while providing minimal or no value-add. They also usually charge a premium to merely act as middle-men to resell the facilities to the final retailers.

Anecdotal evidences indicate that they do not provide a higher quality of services than that of the statutory boards or ministries who used to run these.

If the statutory boards and ministries profess themselves to be bodies of efficiency and cost prudence, then they should not take an easy way out by devolving basic responsibilities to private vendors.

If the statutory boards' and ministries scope of responsibilities have been reduced over the years, then there should be a corresponding reduction in budget allocated to them.

SDP should be commended if it can keep tab on how the government allows the private sector to encroach on basic services to the people. This article itself represents a measure and balanced approached taken by the party without innuendos and undue politicking. Kudos and keep it up.

Tue 06 Oct 2009 12:19 PM | juzONEsingh

good!

cum to Bukit Panjang and make the Dr THP stand up and do something, for once, since the last erection...

the wet market is a nostalgic symbol.. dun let it be replaced by commercialism, man..

wat say we replace the retard son's father with Chip Goodyear??

Tue 06 Oct 2009 5:02 PM | AnnA - A Chance

Now is my chance to convince my family how condemned our lives are when we always agree to this money making government!!

Grrrr..

Wed 07 Oct 2009 11:55 PM | betrayed

Wet markets are the connection for heartlanders to Singaporeans. It involves interacting with the storeholders, patrons and suppliers. It is also the place where you find mainly true blue Singaporeans and less of foreigners. Where you can mix with your own kind of people (Singaporeans). A place to get away from the crowd of foreigners.

Thu 08 Oct 2009 10:30 AM | BryanT - All are welcome

Wet-markets should be preserved for its utilitarian, cost and even sentimental reasons.

But I am very apprehensive when the existence of wet-markets are justified (by betrayed) on [b]the premise that they are preserves (or reserves) for Singaporeans to get away from foreigners[/b].

It is fine that foreigners are not comfortable with the humid, wet and chaotic conditions therein and choose the clean and orderly aisles of supermarkets.

But my humble stand is that all public facilities in Singapore should be open to and welcome people of all races and nationalities. [b]They should not be retained or set up BECAUSE we don't expect non-Singaporeans to use them or want to exclude.[/b]

This is a precarious and slippery road. We must exercise caution, as we would when treading out our way on the damp floors of the wet-market.

Fri 09 Oct 2009 10:15 PM | BryanT - Case ends, but what lessons learnt?

With the announcement by HDB, everybody can now happily continue to patronise the wet-markets, locals or foreigners.

There must be some lessons here for the statutory boards, government and SDP. What are they?

Let me think about it first. Please post, if you have any.