Background Story: 

MP BAEY & HIS CONTROVERSIAL $2.50 NASI PADANG DISH

PAP MP BAEY YAM KENG CLEARS THE AIR OVER THE $2.50 NASI PADANG ISSUE

Wow! I am totally amazed how a seemingly innoncious post about buying food from the same stall as Baey Yam Keng would result in my post being featured with TRS as a "Caption This" post, and then subsequently led to people (including Mr Baey) asking me about my experience. This led to a further post made by Mr Baey today (17 December 2013) in a column that he helm with MyPaper, a SPH news tabloid that is available free at most MRT Stations on Weekdays morning (if I am not wrong). 

Thereafter, I was then approached by Lianhe Wanbao (1 day after the incident) and then by Straits Times this afternoon regarding about the saga. They wanted to know more about this matter. They wanted to know what I ordered, they wanted to confirm that I had eaten at the stall, and Straits Times wants to know my full name, occupation and my personal information.

The Beginning

Prior to Mr Baey's facebook post on his Nasi Padang, I had patronized this coffeeshop to eat their Nasi Padang once. I decided to go and eat the Nasi Padang while surfing Facebook on my phone, and was thinking to myself: Wah, so heng ar, I want to go buy Nasi Padang, MP also go there. Nevertheless, I saw the ingredients that Mr Baey had ordered and proceeded to order the same. The "attendant" (I prefer to call them assistants) took my order of Chicken Drumstick and Egg and gave me some sambal chilli. I asked the assistant how much and was told that it cost $6.00. Well, Nasi Padang ma, this kind of pricing is usually the 'standard pricing', so I never question much and paid and enjoy my meal, oh, not before asking for some curry gravy on my rice. It was in the evening that I found out Mr Baey paid $2.50 for his meal (without citing that there were discount or he bought a set meal) and I shared his post with my comments.

The Questions

Mr Baey then asked me a few questions on my shared post and confirmed that I did not exactly ordered the same dishes that he had. However, he also commented that for the food that I ordered, it was considered to be pricey. I was further questioned by a few people regarding about the food that I ordered, and some people proceeded to call me a "liar". However, what they had felt to realise was the crux throughout the whole matter: How can someone who orders lesser food actually pay more than someone who ordered more?

I was however more baffled when I received a private message on my Facebook from a reporter using the Lianhe Wanbao FB Page. Identifying him/herself as a reporter from the news agency, he did not leave his name or his designation, but just a mobile number for me to contact him/her. After seeing my non-reception towards his/her request, the reporter just kept quiet without any reply.

I then wrote a post and tagged Mr Baey over this matter saying that there is nothing political about this matter, but rather a feedback on difference in pricing. Now, I have heard about how many Nasi Padang stalls charged the food that is ordered differently and there is hardly a uniform price that is being charged. A similar plate of Nasi Padang can be charged $5 to my friend, but $5.50 - $6.00 to me. But $3.50 difference? Unheard of. Nevertheless, I decided to keep a low profile of this matter not wanting to stir up any emotion. It does not benefit anybody and I believe that the newspapers have more important things to report.

The Ordeal

I thought that the matter probably died down since people are now more interested in other topics like "The Little India Riots" and PM Lee's "KPKB" remarks. However, I was wrong. I saw Mr Baey's FB Post and realized that he had went back and made a "second visit" to the same Nasi Padang store. Mr Baey now clarified that the store attendant had given him a discount for the meal that he had bought and that "I (Baey) had given $10 and received back change of $7". Mr Baey went on to tell readers of MyPaper that he had calculated that the Bandung, being a cordial drink, cost 50 cents. At this moment, I stopped and wondered, food + drink = $3.00. Wow, I am paying double without drink and lesser ingredients. But still, I read on.

Mr Baey then spoke about Mr KK and how he felt that "he (I) had ordered other dishes and therefore the price discrepency." The fact was that Mr KK probably did not know that I had ordered lesser food for higher prices. Well, I cannot fault him if the philosophy of his business is order more and pay less. Mr Baey then showed any photo of his Nasi Padang (which he elaborated as 1 mutton, 1 egg and 1 vegetable) that was ordered on Sunday, which cost him $3.70. I remembered that Mr KK had told a reporter from Shin Min Daily that 1 meat + 1 vegetable cost around $3.50, so did Mr Baey got another 'discounted' meal? Did the $3.70 also includes a drink?

This was ironic considering that Mr Baey had wrote that he would pay the full price of food that he orders, even if a discount was given to him. Mr Baey had also mentioned at the beginning of the article that he had frequently eat at hawker centres. He probably would know the price better than me, considering the fair amount of food that he had photographed and uploaded on his Instagram and Facebook.

I was right. Netizens started speaking up and many confirmed that their Nasi Padang never cost below $4 with a meat inside. One netizen even commented that "3 pieces of Mutton already cost me around $3, bigger piece minimum charge $4.". I am thinking: Did Mr KK sabotage you Mr Baey?

The Purpose

At the end of the day, I just wish to clarify that my initial post was raised up as a question to Mr Baey about the difference in pricing. I was being nice in saying that I had ordered the same food so as not to make the stallowner looked bad. However, no thanks to the people who had raised doubts about this event, I have to stand up and say: Look, you guys are right. I did not order the same food as Mr Baey. In fact, I ordered lesser ingredients and Bandung was not part of my meal. I also wanted Mr Baey to know that not many people have heard of $2.50 Nasi Padang consisting of 1 meat and 2 vegetables (not even $3.70 if you are ordering mutton).

The Lesson

It is perfectly alright to accept discounts from stall holders who appreciate the work that you had put in to them. However, I feel that Mr Baey should be more sensitive towards replying when asked by a netizen the cost of his rice. A simple reply like "I am not sure. I was charged $3 for my meal but I guess it should be more" would be better than estimating the price of a Bandung (50 cents???) and saying that the cost of the Nasi Padang is $2.50.

Mr KK would be organizing a "charity event" on 21 and 22 Decemeber 2013 during lunch hours for 'up to 100 customers'. He will be rolling out the $2.50 set meal and donating all proceeds to charity. Will he be offering the same dishes that Mr Baey had ordered and paid $2.50 for, or will it be different dishes that he is selling for the set meal. Will Mr KK be also nice enough to offer a $3.00 set meal in which a Bandung will be throw in as well, for good measures?

The Doubt

Mr KK had claimed that as an opening promotion, he had offered Senior Citizens and Students a value price of $2.50 for a meal. However, they had failed to clarify the kind of ingredients that were available for the promotion (e.g. only chicken dish and no mutton else top up etc.) and if drinks were included part of the package. In addition, Mr KK had also failed to address the discrepency in charging of food by his attendant. If the attendant can charge Mr Baey 'a discounted price', and then levied a $6 charge on my chicken and egg Padang, why is it that price labels are not displayed on his items to prevent misunderstanding?

The Usage of this Note

I am writing this note strictly in my own capacity and this article, or part thereof, shall not be used by any media that is owned, associated, affiliated or linked with SPH, Mediacorp and or its partners. I am however, not limiting any Facebook friends, friends of friends on Facebook or Social Media (not MSM) to reproduce this note, or any material within, that I have written.My dear reporters who are working for a MSM, you have more important news to report than this small fracas, that even Mr Baey himself had chosen to ignore. So what rights do you have to get yourself invovled.

By stating this clause very clearly, it also means that any reproduction of this note would leave me with no alternatives but to seek compensation from the relevant media company. Well, "investigation fees" is also money.

To all my friends, enjoy your storm in the tea cup.

Fernando Fonseca

*Article first appeared on his FB page here.