A Singaporean Member of Parliament (MP), Edward Chia, has recently sparked a debate by claiming that hawker meals in Singapore are still more affordable compared to Kuala Lumpur when considering median income.
In a speech shared on Instagram by @petir.sg, Chia highlighted the cost of hawker food in Singapore in relation to the country’s median monthly income.
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According to Chia, a typical hawker meal in Singapore costs SGD5 (approximately RM16.58), which accounts for just 0.1% of the median monthly income of SGD5,197 (about RM17,230) in 2023.
Chia then compared this with Kuala Lumpur, where the median monthly income is significantly lower at SGD1,901 (around RM6,302.88), and a street food meal costs SGD2.90 (about RM9.62).
“Here, a meal accounts for around 0.26% of the median income, more than twice that of Singapore,” he pointed out.
The MP further emphasized that this comparison illustrated how fortunate Singaporeans are when it comes to managing rising living costs, with other countries having to spend much more.
He also commended Singapore’s hawkers for providing “high-quality, diverse, and delicious” meals at prices far lower than those in other global cities.
“This affordability is Singapore’s unique social compact forged out of a vocation to feed the nation. But it also underscores the financial pressures hawkers face,” he said.
However, his argument didn’t sit well with many netizens, who felt that comparing Singapore with Malaysia didn’t provide a comprehensive view of the broader economic situation in both countries.
One user called yeunhee_hwang commented: “Now, now, comparing food prices only doesn’t give the whole picture, does it? Lets add housing cost, vehicle cost, education debts, property taxes, GST, CPF contributions, other basic necessities. Let’s add ‘em up, then compare it to Malaysia, shall we?
“There is a reason why Singaporeans go across the border to even buy groceries and basic essentials.”
One netizen humorously remarked that Chia’s statement was correct on all points, except for the claim that Singapore’s hawker food was delicious.
“Delicious? I had to rewatch just to make sure,” ahmadzakuanzakaria wrote.
