The Rhetoric
“I urge Singaporeans to stop shopping in Johor Baru. They should shop in Singapore. Shopping may costs a little more, but if we don’t support our neighbourhood shops … the shops will have to close down.”
– MP Ong Ah Heng, Straits Times, Apr 05, 2002. Mr Ong is also an assistant secretary general of the NTUCThe Reality
“Who do we cater for? Fifty shopkeepers or four million people? … in terms of volume and price strength, we will win.”
– NTUC Fairprice Chairman Chandra Das, on how NTUC’s megamart in Ang Mo Kio will compete with small shops“Many still flocking to JB to shop.”
– Straits Times, Apr 15, 2002