Afraid of CCTV cameras? Worried that the government is spying on you? Scared those omnipresent cameras will find out about your plan to expose the super secret government conspiracy to mind-control everyone with 5G signal towers?
Well, Thye Hin Hoe Medical Centre in Bedok Town Centre is your place to go. Rather than electronic surveillance, the staff take turns standing on a ladder for a bird’s eye view of the shop to keep a lookout for shoplifters.
The tradition, which is now a familiar fixture in the neighbourhood, began when the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) store first relocated from Geylang Serai to its current site more than 30 years ago.
It was adopted because of the relative paucity of CCTVs at the time, according to the shop owner in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao.
Having a staff member on watch gave him greater peace of mind, he added, pointing out that the staff stationed could also answer customers’ queries.
Well, no more searching around the isles for a staff member at their store.
Part Of Heartland Tour Series
This unique practice by the medicine shop led it to be featured on the Rediscover SG Heartlands tour, which focuses on Bedok and the hidden gems in this storied neighbourhood.
Places of interest abound on the agenda, in addition to Thye Hin Hoe, as Lianhe Zaobao reports.
There are also wedding parlours provisioning supplies for traditional Chinese weddings, and Ban Cheong Jewellers, an 80-year-old establishment keeping up with the times by adopting 3D printing techniques.
The tour will also treat visitors to an indulgent hawker meal at Block 216, with stalls famous for their Kway Chap, Prawn Mee, Teochew Kueh, and more.
Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC Tan Kiat How greeted visitors at the scene, noting that the tours appealed both to those who used to live in Bedok but had since relocated, and youths who don’t usually patronise the area.
Chairman of the Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore Kwek Theng Swee, meanwhile, added that these tours serve to bring awareness to the “charisma of these neighbourhoods”, stimulating domestic tourism and consumption.
To many neighbourhood stores badly stricken by COVID-19, this will be a crucial boost.
Previous Runs Include Ang Mo Kio and Bishan
This is not the first time the Rediscover SG Heartlands tour has been conducted. The initiative was launched last November and is planned to include 10 tours, beginning with the historical estates of Ang Mo Kio and Kebun Baru.
The tours, run by local agency City Tours, will take around 3.5 hours each, according to The Straits Times. They entitle participants to a ride on a FunVee open-top sightseeing bus, in addition to live commentary and explanation by the guides.
While a $20 ticket is needed for the tour, at least $20 of vouchers to be spent around the neighbourhood will also be given to the participants to give a further boost to the businesses involved.
That’s five bowls of Hokkien mee to this hungry writer.
The Rediscover SG Heartlands tour will feature Bukit Gombak next in May. For more information, visit their official site (in Chinese) here.
Feature Image: Google Maps (Thye Hin Hoe Medical Store)
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