A Resident’s Committee (RC) in Macpherson has
apologised for charging Singaporean citizens three times more than
new citizens for tickets to a community event on Thursday (Aug
3).
In addition, the RC will be making a full refund to all
participants.
Singaporeans had to pay S$3 for a ticket and new
citizens S$1 for the event that took place last Sunday (July 30),
which included dance performances and lunch.
The Macpherson Zone B RC was criticised by residents
and netizens, after a poster of the event showing the difference in
ticket prices were shared online.
The RC explained that, through offering cheaper
tickets, it wanted to encourage new citizens to join community
events. It said in a Facebook post: “We thought that a lower ticket
price will encourage more new citizens to come forward. In doing
so, we have neglected the feelings of the majority of our
residents.”
Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling, who oversees the
MacPherson ward, said she was upset when she found out about the
episode on Wednesday.
She said: “We have counselled the RC and tightened the
internal vetting process. The RC had no ill intention but, still,
it was a mistake that should not have happened.”
Describing the incident as a “lesson for the RC”, Ms
Tin added: “I have asked them to right the wrong by refunding all
the participants of this event”.
The RC also said in its post that it “never harboured
any intent of discriminating fellow citizens”.
It clarified that the decision to have different ticket
prices “was a once-off decision by our committee” and “definitely
not a policy of the MacPherson grassroots”.
In its apology, the RC said the “episode is an honest
error in judgement on our part”.
“We are truly humbled by this and thank everyone for
pointing out how we had erred. We have learnt from this episode,”
it said.
todayonline