Tissue paper peddlers still make money - Despite lean times, they say generous S'poreans still buy & donate
January 24, 2009 TIMES may be hard, but Singaporeans have not stopped giving.
EXTRA: Almost everyone who bought packets of tissue paper from Madam Liang Hao gave her more than the dollar she charged for them. --TNP PICTURES: JOANNA HOR
We're talking about our 'uniquely Singapore' tissue paper aunties and uncles, of course.
To a certain extent, they have become a gauge of our 'kindness' meter even though it is misplaced. It is against the law for people to beg or peddle tissue paper. (See other report.)
The tissue uncles and aunties told The New Paper that their takings have not suffered despite the bad times, indicating Singaporeans, in general, are indeed a generous lot, even during hard times.
Take Mr Wong, 63, a tissue uncle for the last two years. He didn't want to give his full name because he is afraid of getting into trouble with the authorities.
He has been sitting quietly in his wheelchair along an MRT underpass every afternoon.
He doesn't yell or call for passers-by to buy his tissue packs. He does not have to.
Mr Wong sells three packets of tissue for $1, but usually, passers-by give more.
Even as The New Paper was speaking with him, a woman walked over to give him $5 before taking only a packet of tissue.
GENEROUS: Tissue peddler Chen Yi Fong (above) gets about $20 daily from her sales.
Said Mr Wong: 'I don't even ask people to buy. They give the money out of their own free will.'
Pointing to the buyer, he added: 'You saw for yourself right?'
This generosity was not exclusive to Mr Wong.
Other tissue paper sellers The New Paper interviewed also cited instances where they received donations from fellow Singaporeans.
An elderly woman, Madam Liang Hao, in her 80s, said she recently received $100 from three strangers while selling tissue paper at an MRT underpass.
Speaking in a mixture of Hokkien and Mandarin, Madam Liang said she needs the money for her medical bills.
She claimed she is plagued by various ailments including kidney problems and diabetes.
The New Paper noticed that almost every passer-by who bought tissue packets from her gave her more than the dollar she charged.
Saying no Many also declined taking all four packets of tissue paper.
A 43-year-old wheelchair-bound man, who declined to be named, sells tissue paper with two other disabled friends.
They work at a welfare organisation in the day and sell tissue in the evenings.
He said: 'Some people take the packs from just one of us, but pay all three of us.'
And not every one gave money.
Tissue paper seller Madam Chen Yi Fong, in her 40s, said she receives food, such as cake and 'kueh', almost every day from a female retailer working at Jurong East bus interchange.
Madam Chen said most tissue aunties and uncles earn about $20 to $30 daily.
The amount has remained constant over the past few years, she said.
But there are problems.
Mr Fransis Muthu, 63, who is wheelchair-bound, claimed he saw a drop in takings when he could no longer sell tissues inside MRT stations.
He said: 'It's very difficult. Now, I get about $20 sometimes. When I sold tissue paper inside, I got $50.'
At times, there are difficult customers.
Madam Chen said recently, a man in his 40s had scolded her for selling four packets of tissue at $1, claiming that another tissue paper seller was selling five packets for the same price.
She said: 'He said that it was unfair. He said that he would bring people over to catch me.'
But Madam Chen said it was the first time she had come across such an incident.
Source: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,190726,00.html?
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Subject: Tissue paper peddlers still make money - Despite lean times, they say generous S'poreans still buy & donate 
Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:37 am