How Compliant Singaporeans Have Become!
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I feel rather sad after reading this article in littlespeck.com
Golden Village
An unsurprising blow
That its Hong Kong partner pulled out somehow doesn't shock me. Here's why. By Seah Chiang Nee.
May 24, 2005
Just before a recent day-show at a Junction 8 Cineplex a spectacle unfolded that grabbed the patrons as much as the movie. The episode revealed how compliant Singaporeans have become.
Just before the show started, a lady usher, in black uniform, walked among the audience row after row, checking if anyone had brought in food 'illegally' not sold by Golden Village itself. When found, confiscation.
There was a sign that proclaimed bringing in food from outside is forbidden, so it is not a legalisic issue, but an ethical one. Does it make good business?
Golden Village Cinema is the only movie chain among four in Singapore that practices this 'trade protectionism'.
The reason for it is obvious.
The foodstuffs - ranging from coke to potato chips, hotdogs to chocolates - sell for up to twice the prices outside.
They will chase most patrons to nearby shops and that's what many patrons are doing. Whenever possible, they put them inside their pockets or handbags and bring them in, which is what every practical person would do.
So how is Singapore's biggest movie chain, owned now by Australia's 'Village Roadshow' conglomerate (with Hong Kong's Golden Screen), going to enforce its protectionism?
At Junction 8 at least (probably elsewhere too), it is sending hordes of black-uniformed ushers to check on patrons. I pity these girls. they're made to do an extremely despicable chore.
They swoop down on patrons row after row just before the movie starts and confiscated the 'illegal' food, issued a number for the hapless owner to reclaim after the show.
I've witnessed several incidents and if there was a crowd, they usually produced quite a rich haul. I was surprised how meekly Singaporeans surrendered their food without protest.
More surprising was the deafening silence the whole thing had produced. Only in one case I heard someone yelled at an usher for acting like the Gestapo, and she quickly scurried away.
Many people kept going back to suffer this ignonimity.
Imagine what would happen if this had happened in Australia. There would certainly have been an angry reaction from the people, or a sit-in or even violence from a few hot-heads.
Before these searches, there was already one incident at the Bishan 8 cineplex in which the police had to be called in when the staff-workers refused to let in two elderly gentlemen who refused to surrender a packet of snacks from outside.
On the strength of the ticket they bought, they insisted on watching the film. 'Not if you bring that in," insisted a Golden Village representative.
It wasn't something you'd expect to see in the 21st Century.
This Australian-owned chain is insisting on practicing trade protectionism when Singapore (and Australia) on the road of free trade pacts.
No other cinema houses are following suit.
So when I read about the Hong Kong partner's (a subsidiary of Golden Harvest) reasons for its pullout, I wasn't too surprised.
In a writ to Hong Kong courts, Golden Screen singled out Managing-Director Kenneth Tan for criticism for unacceptable tactics.
It said Tan went ahead with the May 1, 2005 cinema ticket hikes even after the board of directors had voted unanimously NOT to go with the price hike.
Another accusation was an alleged wrongful dismissal of a senior marketing executive.
I do not know if Tan can or cannot defend against the charges, but any one who can have its staff search customers like potential criminals, well.. -
Singaporeans are not very thick skin.
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fark GV go shaw to watch movie next time
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Simple.... I'll vote with my wallet.
I watch most movies at Shaw Tower and Cathay Cineleisure anyway. I guess from now on, it'll be ALL movies.
Goodbye, Golden Village.
Hello, Shaw and Cathay. -
i went gv watch and we tabao alot of shit inside. but we open em after movie start.
no way they gonna spot check during movie play and if they do, ill complain like shit before promising them ill keep it myself. if they do confiscate, fark em.. wad can i do seriously. 
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cathay better la, that time i go toilet at causeway den i forgot to bring ticket, the lady see me oso never ask to see my tix and force me to explain myself. their policy not so strict.Originally posted by fudgester:Simple.... I'll vote with my wallet.
I watch most movies at Shaw Tower and Cathay Cineleisure anyway. I guess from now on, it'll be ALL movies.
Goodbye, Golden Village.
Hello, Shaw and Cathay.
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That's why many of us buy pirated dvds or download and watch in the comfort of home with whatever food we want to eat. Fuck golden village!
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What if i don't want to open my bag to let them check?
Do they have the power to do so? -
den they will fark u upside down.Originally posted by M©+square:What if i don't want to open my bag to let them check?
Do they have the power to do so?
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How?Originally posted by Ito_^:den they will fark u upside down.
Lemme try this weekend.
*Calls kopiosatu to create havoc*
Actually can let them lan lan one lah.
Singaporeans!!! Can the deviants pls stand up?!!!
Pls listen to me and stand up....otherwise i'll fark you.
The topic title speaks for itself. SAD. -
Ya its dumb. Once i went to GV tampines with a box of corn flakes, a bottle of milk, and a metal bowl. The attendent refused entry, insisting that i leave my groceries at the entrance!
I was pretty pissed at that and asked to see a manager. To her credit, she saw how absurd the situation was and let me in.
sigh...this types of thing only happen in Singapore. Have you ever seen cinemas eject disruptive kids from the cinema? I have never seen that in SIngapore. Yet, they are sending users to confiscate unauthorized food. Shows that they do not care about customers at all.
Last week i was watching a movie at the local cinema here in England and i had the pleasure of seeing an usher escort a bunch of snotty and disruptive kids from the cinema! warmed by chilly heart right up! -
No need to grumble about this, this is what I do to get around their No Outside Food and Drinks policy:
>> I use those backpacks with a drink bladder inside with drinking tube tucked out of sight. Inside the bladder is loaded with my favorite beer!
>> Inside this special backpack are also my favorite chips by Lays.
Note: empty contents of Lays chips into a softer kind of plastic bag so it makes no noise when you start eating after lights go out.
Buy one of these backpacks and keep in car, so just before a movie, buy your drinks and food and load it up and carry it in like a normal hand luggage.
Make sure the drinking tube is not exposed and visible to usher. -
Good one! I have a blackhawk hydration pack myself but never thought of using it this way!Originally posted by ShutterBug:No need to grumble about this, this is what I do to get around their No Outside Food and Drinks policy:
>> I use those backpacks with a drink bladder inside with drinking tube tucked out of sight. Inside the bladder is loaded with my favorite beer!
>> Inside this special backpack are also my favorite chips by Lays.
Note: empty contents of Lays chips into a softer kind of plastic bag so it makes no noise when you start eating after lights go out.
Buy one of these backpacks and keep in car, so just before a movie, buy your drinks and food and load it up and carry it in like a normal hand luggage.
Make sure the drinking tube is not exposed and visible to usher. -
The question is .. is it legal?
If the contract on the ticket is for the entry to the cinema and that there is no food allowed in the cinema, then fine.
However, if it is GV food only, then it is protectionist. Why are you "forced" to take GV food.
Further they CANNOT DO search. Hell they do not have any search warrant and/or law enforcement officers.
There is no sign outside the cinema even to state the terms and conditions of getting in.
CASE should look into this... -
think they did hav a sign, no outside food allowedOriginally posted by diggo:The question is .. is it legal?
If the contract on the ticket is for the entry to the cinema and that there is no food allowed in the cinema, then fine.
However, if it is GV food only, then it is protectionist. Why are you "forced" to take GV food.
Further they CANNOT DO search. Hell they do not have any search warrant and/or law enforcement officers.
There is no sign outside the cinema even to state the terms and conditions of getting in.
CASE should look into this... -
Precisely what i questioned.Originally posted by shinta:think they did hav a sign, no outside food allowed
Do they have the power to conduct the search?
No smoking allowed too. Do i leave my ciggy pack outside the theatre?
Doesn't make sense why we should compile without resisting. -
Just tell the Manager that this is discrimination and you will write a letter to CASE.If not, just scold the bloody fellow and tell him that if he does not return your food, you will call the cops for intimidation.Originally posted by diggo:The question is .. is it legal?
If the contract on the ticket is for the entry to the cinema and that there is no food allowed in the cinema, then fine.
However, if it is GV food only, then it is protectionist. Why are you "forced" to take GV food.
Further they CANNOT DO search. Hell they do not have any search warrant and/or law enforcement officers.
There is no sign outside the cinema even to state the terms and conditions of getting in.
CASE should look into this...
Sometimes calling their bluff works. -
Imagine one day when EVERYBODY going to the cinema purposely brings in some kind of food and intentionally allows the cinema to hold it for them.
Once the movie is over, everybody goes to the cinema staff and starts claiming back the foodstuffs, thereby causing long queues and total chaos.
Once that happens, perhaps the cinema operator would consider letting the patrons bring their foodstuffs into the cinema. -
ppl are generally not well ediucated about their personal rights here and therefore, simply comply with authority thinking that they can get into trouble if they did not.
If in angmoh country, the kids are educated since day one of their rights, therefore, doing this same thing to them, they would propably kick the manager out of his office.
But then, seriously we see all these conflict of interest at the top levels of our 'great big companies' in singapore... but no one in sg dare to make a beep.
sg had never been a democratic country. sometimes I feel that we still live in stone age for some things... -
why not u organise sth like this?Originally posted by charlize:Imagine one day when EVERYBODY going to the cinema purposely brings in some kind of food and intentionally allows the cinema to hold it for them.
Once the movie is over, everybody goes to the cinema staff and starts claiming back the foodstuffs, thereby causing long queues and total chaos.
Once that happens, perhaps the cinema operator would consider letting the patrons bring their foodstuffs into the cinema. -
I don't watch movies.Originally posted by shinta:why not u organise sth like this? -
I only watch a movie like once every 2 mths or so. It's getting too ex and like u said, GV is starting to act like Getsapo police or something.
I mean popcorn for $4?! Gimme a break, siah. I rather starve than spend $4 on a small box of popcorn. -
wonder wat they'll do if i just pour the cup of drinks bought outside on the floor?
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DEny entry into theatre.Originally posted by margarita:wonder wat they'll do if i just pour the cup of drinks bought outside on the floor?
Do it like an accident and ask for refund. -
In the US they are trying to pass a law that states that movie theatres have to indicate the actual time movies start instead of making customers sit through 20 minutes or more of commercials and trailers. Think they'll ever do that here? I guess not!