Source: Madam Ho Ching

The head of Temasek Holdings Singapore investment company, Ho Ching shared on Facebook yesterday (5 March) a photo of a public notice in foreign country indicating that the store has run out of toilet paper and will be restocked by “3/01/25020”, the post was purported to be a “funny post” and some netizens sarcastically commented that hoarding toilet paper is “xia suay”.

The photo showed a public notice that was put up by Costco store to inform its customers that toilet papers are out of stock and will be restocked by “3/01/25020”. Costco also apologized for the inconvenience.

It was initially posted by an online user from a foreign country, Jessica McCollum, who wrote “Now look what y’all have done! Costco is out of toilet paper for the next 23,000 years.

Although she did not specifically mention which Costco store has put up the public notice, apparently the threat of COVID-19 virus has sparked a wave of panic buying in other countries – especially in Australia – resulting in items including toilet paper to be out of stock across the country.

On the other hand, Madam Ho Ching – who is also the spouse of the Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – shared the user’s post and simply just captioned it with laughter.

While some netizens seemed to be amused with the post, other commenters sarcastically indicated that those who hoarded the toilet papers were “idiots” and “xia suay”.

Ironically, the “xia suay” comments seem relatable to the Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing’s remark on the behavior of some Singaporeans who stockpiled essential items over the fears of the virus outbreak as “xia suay” or “disgraceful”.

“We embarrass ourselves, disgraceful, we disgrace ourselves,” Mr Chan said during his meeting with a group of local business leaders organized by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) last February.

Mr Chan noted his incredulity of Singaporeans panic buying not only food but also things like toilet paper and claimed that people were doing that here because they’ve seen that people in Hong Kong were also stockpiling toilet paper.

He lamented, “No paper, water also can. So why do we behave so idiotically?”

Panic buying in Australia amid fears of the COVID-19 virus outbreak

Meanwhile, on 3 March, Daily Mail reported about the situation in Australia which showed Costco shoppers have been stockpiling huge packs of toilet paper and some even took as many as 200 rolls of toilet paper amid fears of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Daily Mail highlighted that the panic buying came after Australia’s Chief Medical Adviser warned on 24 February that the nation’s strategy no longer includes trying to stop the spread of the virus.

“Pasta, tinned food, bottled water, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer have been the most in-demand items at supermarkets across the nation – and plenty of stores aren’t able to keep up with demand,” Daily Mail reported.

This also happens in the United States (US). On 4 March, Metro reported that shoppers in the US have begun to hoard items amid the COVID-19 virus outbreak, a shopper in Massachusetts US photographed a shop there and said that toilet paper stocks were running low while ‘all the bleach was gone too’.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Gov’t says will maintain 2/3 “S’porean core” in economy – but numbers raise questions

A “two-thirds Singaporean core in the economy”, that is what Manpower Minister,…

Four additional cases of COVID-19 infection confirmed by MOH; All cases traceable

As of 18 February 2020, 12 pm, the Ministry of Health (MOH)…

没上过大专 回顾“海南鸡饭”创始人如何鼎立传奇

环境及水源部高级政务部长许连碹周一(11日)宣布,环境局、精深技能发展局与淡马锡理工学院合作,为理工学院和工艺教育学院的毕业生,推出为期12个月的“小贩攻读专业文凭深造课程”,着手学习经营摊贩。 该计划获得热烈响应,为此当局将在两年内把培训名额从现有100名增至300名,而加入培育新手小贩摊位也增至80名。 而该计划也会征求有经验的小贩成为“师傅”,手把手教导学生经营摊贩,而“师傅们”每月可获得500元至1千元的培训津贴。 此外,当局也会预算安排摊位和15个月的补贴租金,为有抱负的新手小贩提供支持。不仅如此,许连碹也表示小贩也会获得数码化方面的支持。 许连碹表示,随着逐步认同小贩文化和价值,设立小贩也被视为是进入餐饮业的大门,也能吸引有意在餐饮领域创业者投身小贩事业。 “海南鸡饭”的创业经历 值得关注的是,我国大部分小贩在经营小贩生意前,未有参加过任何结构性专业课程。事实上,一些年长小贩教育水平也不高,甚至有些不曾上学。那他们又如何在没有上过大专、课程下,一步步走向成功的? 提到新加坡想到的食物,一定是闻名四海的海南鸡饭。根据国家图书管理局资料显示,海南鸡饭最早是由王义元开始在新加坡售卖,再由我国“瑞记”餐厅老板,同时亦是其徒弟莫履瑞在50至60年代发扬光大。 之所以会称之为海南鸡饭,还要源自中国海南“文昌鸡”,而身为海南琼海市的王义元,为了学煮海南鸡饭,曾前往文昌县文成镇的“毓葵鸡饭店”请教养鸡及烫鸡技术。 1936年,王义元从海南远赴南洋,来到新加坡后,他发现新加坡境内有许多海南人,且大部分都来自文昌县,也许是为了解决思想之情,于是决定开始在当地买起鸡饭。 每天早上,他会提前先把饭煮好,弄成鸡饭团,并将白斩鸡煮了切片,方便客人街上吃,再手提两个竹箩在街上沿街叫卖。 随着生意逐渐叫好,王义元也开始在海南二街开始租咖啡店,把生意做大。然而,由于屋主换人,他被迫搬到了海南一街继续营业,并持续到退休,并在50年代在陈笃生医院逝世。…

First time that Ng Eng Hen apologised for training deaths of servicemen

“I am deeply sorry for the loss of four precious NSmen (national…