Background info: Chia Hong Chu ('eat wind house' = bungalow),
Goh Pang
Sek(5-room design - HDB 5-room) and Sah Pang Sek (HDB
3-room).
Maybe this is how the Gahmen (government) should explain
it......
Three friends went to their usual favorite char kway teow stall in
the HDB food centre. They were Chia Hong Chu, Goh Pang Sek and Sah
Pang Sek.
The char kway teow stall was crowded, and there was a long
queue.
"Ah Pui! Three plates, hah!" cried Chia Hong Chu.
"Sure, boss! Coming!"
Within the next 2 minutes, the first plate of char kway teow came
and was ploked in front of Chia Hong Chu. "Where two more?" "Wait
lah! Coming! See long queue!"
Chia Hong Chu tucked in his char kway teow. Half an hour passed,
and the second plate came, ploked in front of Goh Pang Sek. "Where
my?" cried Sah Pang Sek. "Coming lah!" said Ah Pui.
Goh Pang Sek tucked in his plate, and another half an hour passed
before the 3rd plate came, ploked right in front of Sah Pang Sek.
"Wah! Got to wait so long ah!" said Sah Pang Sek. "Don't make
noise, Mr Sah. You get same good char kway teow, best in
Singapore!"
When they have finished eating and chatting, Chia Hong Chu called
out: "Ah Pui! Collect money, ah!"
Ah Pui came over. "Sah Pang Sek, $3. Goh Pang Sek, $5. Chia Hong
Chu,$10."
"Wah! Robbery! I always pay $3. Why $10 now?"
"Ai yah, Chia Hong Chu. You don't read newspapers meae? You don't
watch TV mare? This is gahmen food centre, heavily subsidised rent.
Last time hah, everyone eat my char kway teow subsidised because
cheap rent. Now upgrade. See new clean tables, new chairs, ceiling
fans? Cost money,you know. And we have means test now. Ah Chia, you
live in chia hong chu (holiday bungalow),and you pay full, no
subsidy. $10. You don't like, don't eat here. You eat in hotel in
Orchard Road."
"But I get the same food!"
"No. You get 5 more harms , and you get served first, no need to
wait. 5 harm service1"
"What about me? Why $5 when I pay $3 last time?" cried Mr Goh. "And
I wait half hour!"
"Ah Goh. You also kinna means test. You live in goh pang sek (5
room flat), you wait only 30 minutes, I subsidise 50%. And you get
3 more harms -- 3 harm service."
"Why I wait 1 hour and no extra harm? So damned hungry I can die
waiting ah! And why no extra harm? Not nice with no extra
harm."
"Won't die lah. We give you same good food. No extra harm. No
frills. But you wait. Wait and wait. You get your char kway teow, I
make sure you don't die. You pay only $3. Heavily subsidised --
70%. Because, Ah Sah, you live in sah pang sek (3 room flat)! You
see, we have limited resources. Can only fry so many plates one
night. Only so much manpower. So must ration, lah. Everything goes
up -- petrol, cooking oil, gas, harm, kway teow, light,
labour....And we give better service -- 5 harm service,like Orchard
Road 5 star service."
