We all know hoarding daily essentials is bad; it caused me to watch my favorite Netflix shows without potato chips for two days.
But hoarding surgical masks is even worse, because masks are needed by people who are sick.
Which is why the authorities have stepped in to stop the profiteering of surgical masks: if any business is found guilty of profiteering during this crisis, they’ll use the Price Control Act on them.
In fact, they’ve taken action since 30 January 2020, and suffice to say, businesses that had tried to profiteer immediately lowered the price of their masks.
But what if it’s not a business, but a person?
Or specifically, a person in black selling masks with his car?
Guy Allegedly Sold Masks From His Car in Jurong West at $40 Per Box
According to a Facebook user, a man is spotted selling masks at Jurong West Blk 505 Market & Food Centre.
He allegedly opened up his car boot and just sell direct from there, at a price of $1 per mask or $40 per box.
Just so you know, the price of a mask in Watson is about $0.25 per piece.
It’s, of course, illegal to just anyhowly stand behind your car to sell anything. If it’s legal, I’d have already sold all my Pokemon cards.
Here’s what’s written:
This kind of people who hoard mask is already bad enough and still sell at $1 per piece, $40/ box illegally. Please reflect on yourself. Don’t 趁火打劫. Please be more considerate and give those people who really need it a chance to purchase mask. For instance people working in the front line.
Of course you can argue that he might have bought the masks overseas, or he might spent years sewing these masks with his own delicate hands.
Here’s the thing:
Surgical Masks Are Short in Demand Worldwide
The WHO chief has come out to say that the supply of surgical masks is now “insufficient”, and it’s due to “widespread inappropriate use of PPE outside patient care.”
In simple English, it refers to exactly what the man’s doing lah: profiteering through the masks.
So if you happen to see the budding entrepreneur in Jurong West, do yourself and the world a favour: report him to NEA by calling 1800-CALL-NEA (1800 225 5632).
Then just stand one side and watch how you’ve contributed to this fight against the nCoV.
