The Taiwanese Mochi Merry-go-round - Organisers found

Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 11:14 PM

To: Yeo Guat Kwang
Cc: Lily Neo
Subject: Fw: Re :Chinatown Chinese New Year Bazaar 2006

Dear Guat Kwang,

Please see attached complaint of overcharging from a shopper at the Chinatown Bazaar. She has identified herself and the stall that allegedly cheated her. The complaint and the photograph of the stall are attached to this email.

I will be replying to her that I have sent her complaint on to CASE for attention. I would appreciate if someone from CASE could contact her and assist her accordingly.

By this email, I am also keeping Lily in the loop on this complaint.

Many thanks.
Heng Chee How

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MP Yeo Guat Kwang asked his staff, MaryAnn from CASE (Consumer Association of Singapore) to personally attend to my complaint. MaryAnn was very helpful. She informed the Weights and Measurement Office on my behalf. She found the organisers of the event. I was told one of them would contact me but it didn't happen.

I called the Weights and Measurement Office (under civil service too) personally. A Joseph said they were short-handed and they didn't have the manpower to investigate then, as it was the busy pre-Chinese New Year shopping season.

Nothing could be done? No.

The people who could do things and set things right didn't want to do anything. Credit they want to take but when problems arise, they either give excuses or vanish.

Where was MP Lily Neo all this time? She was sent a carbon copy each of my email and her colleague Heng Chee How's email.

The PA staff at Kreta Ayer Community Centre said he didn't know who were the organisers. muahahahahaha........

MP Lily Neo and her grassroot leaders appeared in a TV ad they bought that year. Some of the organisers appeared on TV programmes and accepted newspaper interviews to promote the event. When I called the newspapers' and TV station hotlines to get the contacts of the organisers, they didn't want to help.

Found!!

The Organizers

"Over the years, with the support from our partners and grassroots organizations, celebrating Chinese New Year in Chinatown has now become an iconic and significant event. Chinatown is a place for that is rich in history, culture and heritage and indeed has a special place for festivals. This year, our Chinese New Year reaches out to the community by engaging the youths and families in our celebration as well as the other racial groups and less privileged. With the festivities, we hope to also inject life and more business for the business community in Chinatown." Dr. Lily Neo, Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar and Adviser to the Kreta Ayer – Kim Seng grassroots organizations.

The Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2006 is organized by the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee with support from Singapore Tourism Board, Central Singapore Community Development Council, Trust Central Committee and Chinatown Business Association.

Chinatown CNY Celebration '06 was officially opened by MM Lee Kuan Yew.

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Until this day, in some of our local forums, netizens are still posting topics on being cheated by Taiwanese mochi sellers in Chinatown CNY Bazaar. It's been going on for years. Just avoid the bazaar.

Such a small matter also cannot settle, I don't expect MP Lily Neo to be a Minister.

Thanks to MP Heng Chee How and MP Yeo Guat Kwang for their assistance.

Complaint made to Mayor Heng Chee How on 23th January 2006, 10.08 pm
Mayor Heng Chee How replied on same night 23th January 2006, 11.18 pm - 1 hour 10 mins
Mayor alerted MP Yeo Guat Kwang and MP Lily Neo
Greatest help in this case - Kudos to MaryAnn of CASE

MP Lily Neo who is adviser to Kreta Ayer and her grassroot community didn't even bother to response.

无头公案

台湾麻糬‘团团转’的故事

一件看似很简单的事， 却让我尝尽了苦头。为了找出 2006 年牛车水农历新年年货市场的主办者，我费了九牛二虎之力还是一无所获，便传了一封邮件给当时的王志豪 市长。


01/23/2006 10:08 PM

亲爱的王志豪市长，

我给您写这封信是因为您是CDC的市长。我想找出牛车水农历新年年货市场的主办者。您当时参加了它的亮灯仪式 ，最重要的是，您认识主办者。

我往年在上述年货市场购卖年货时，三番四次被流动小贩欺诈并被索高价。 我回到家称了所买的肉干， 发现1kg庄的肉干只有700g。当我打开买来的曲奇饼， 是发霉的.....等。因为李光耀资政今年是年货市场亮灯仪式的嘉宾，我的儿子要求我带他去逛逛。 我想今年它一定有进步的啦!

在17/1/2006， 我从某个摊位买了一些台湾麻糬。 100g = S$1.80。 一位老夫人当时买的一袋台湾麻糬值S$21！这使我很吃惊， 我随口向儿子表示这些台湾麻糬好贵。 小贩称了我的台湾麻糬之后，表现出吃惊的样子， 然后收了我S$10。 我没看见他的秤，它是在他的摊位里面。 我注意到大多数摊位不是把称面向他们自己就是把它放在一个远离顾客视线的角落。

当我回到家时，我发现它的称量仅有425g，我付了S$7.65 - - 我被索价几乎高达31%! 我觉得先前那位老妇人好可怜。

我通过媒体设法找出主办者提出投诉，但新闻台和报馆拒绝给我主办者的资料，虽然他们的记者广泛地报导了上述年货市场的活动。 我也上网查询，但没有结果。

我拨给 Kreta Ayer 联络所。 一位年长妇女及一个男的先后接听了我的电话。 他们告诉我， `打给消费者协会咯。 我们不能帮忙。 我们不知道谁是主办者。’ 好啊! 活动每年在他们的地方举办了多年，他们不知情？ 这些人民协会的职员在撒谎。李光耀资政今年是年货市场亮灯仪式的嘉宾，他们不认识主办者？ 这种活动通常都有联络所基层组织的成员参与的。

在我的坚持下， 那个男的才给了我一个电邮地址， irene_a_l_tan@pa.gov.sg。我把投诉和摊位的照片电邮过去。至到现在，没有人给我答复。

小贩可能已经发现每年的牛车水农历新年的年货市场很容易欺骗顾客，因为消费者需要极大的努力和恒心来投诉他们的不法勾当。 向谁投诉？ 上那儿投诉？ 谁有这种闲功夫理你啊！

市长先生，每天有许多外国游客去 牛车水。 许多年长者去 牛车水。 这些都是容易下手的目标。 今年多了李资政的大驾光临，促进了牛车水农历新年年货市场的繁荣， 小贩们 肯定会磨好刀子准备‘大干一番’。

我不知道您是否会对这些人采取行动，我希望通过揭发这些不诚实的小贩，让其他人不必一再受欺诈。 被骗了我觉得很蠢，但是保持安静就更蠢。

致敬，

Jayne Goh

c.c. 梁莉莉lily Neo- Jalan Besar 集选区议员

********************* ooOoo *************************

勤劳的市长在同一夜晚回复了我的邮件。

星期一， 2006 1月23日， 下午11:18

亲爱的吴女士，

谢谢你的来信。

关于这个涉嫌索价过高的案件，我已把它交给消费者协会处理。他们会与您联络。我也转寄了你的电子邮件给梁莉莉医生，她是Kreta Ayer区的议员。

我祝愿您和家人过一个愉快，健康和充实的新年。

致敬意。

王志豪

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面对公众的投诉，这些议员们会如何应付呢？

...........继续.....

The Taiwanese Mochi Merry-go-round

Chinatown Chinese New Year Bazaar

The stall who overcharged their customers

Letter sent to Mayor Heng Chee How when I have exhausted all ways to find the organisers of the bazaar.


01/23/2006 10:08 PM

Dear Mayor Heng Chee How,

I am writing this letter to you because you are the Mayor of Central CDC, it is difficult to locate the organizers of the above event, you were present at its light-up, most importantly, you know the organisers.

I don’t like to go to Chinatown’s annual bazaar to shop as I have been cheated & overcharged a few times. Buy Bak Kwa, 1kg become 700g when I weighed it at home. Cookies were mouldy when opened…..etc. This year, my son requested to go because MM Lee did the light-up for it. It must be good lah!

On 17/1/2006, I bought some Taiwanese Mochi from a stall. 100g for S$1.80. An elderly lady before me was taken aback when the hawker charged her S$21 for her bag of sweets. I was surprised & remarked to my son that it was costly. The hawker heard & pretended to be in shock when he weighed my bag of sweets. He charged me S$10 for it. I didn’t see his weighing scales as it was inside his stall. I noticed most of the stalls either placed the scales facing them or in an obscure corner.

When I got home, I weighed it & found that it weighed only 425g – which should cost S$7.65 – I was overcharged by nearly 31%! I pity the poor old lady.

I tried to locate the organizers to lodge a complaint by calling news hotlines, they refused to give me the contact numbers although their reporters had reported the event extensively. I checked the internet, no result.

I called Kreta Ayer CC. A woman & later a man took my call. They told me, ‘Call CASE lor. We cannot help. We don’t know who is the organizer.’ Hello! The annual event is held right in their constituency for years. MM Lee coming this year, they don’t know the organisers? Usually a grassroot or CCC member would sit in the organizing committee.

The man gave me an email address at my insistence, irene_a_l_tan@pa.gov.sg I sent my complaint & photo of the stall to it. Until now, nothing is heard from anyone.

Every year the hawkers find it so easy to cheat, because it takes humongous effort to make a complaint against them. Where to complain? Who to complain? Who cares even if you complain?

Sir, many tourists go to Chinatown. Many elderly folks go to Chinatown. These are the easy targets. What more this year, MM Lee was brought in to promote the event. The hawkers would sharpen their knives for a good killing.

I don’t know if you are going to take action or not, I am taking action to uncover the dishonest hawkers, to be cheated repeatedly is stupid, but to keep quiet is more stupid.

Best regards,

Jayne Goh

c.c. Dr Lily Neo – MP Jalan Besar GRC

*********************ooOoo*************************

The hardworking Mayor replied that same night.

Monday, January 23, 2006 11:18:53 PM

Dear Ms. Goh,

Thank you for writing to me.

I have sent your feedback on to CASE for their attention, and has requested CASE to get in touch with you with regard to this case of alleged over-charging. I have also copied the referral email to Dr. Lily Neo, the MP overseeing the Kreta Ayer area for her information.

May I wish you and family a Happy, Healthy and Fulfilling New Year.

With best regards.

Heng Chee How

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How do these MPs fare when dealing with complaints from the public?

Hear the complaints.

........... to be continued.....