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I was actually quite happy to wait until the fervour dampens before going to get my share of the SG50 notes. Then, a reader posted this on my FB wall:
OMG! Like this also can? Are the folders made of some precious metals? Is our country's budget in such a bad shape that we could not produce more folders? Must we get the President to unlock our national reserves to do this?
Anyway, not to take any chances, I took leave from work and went to a shopping mall where I knew I could find a few of the banks which are doing the exchange of notes.
I went to UOB. "Sorry, sir, we are out of the folders."
I went to DBS. "Sorry, sir, we are out of the folders."
I went to Citibank and got quite an experience.
Bank officer (and let's just refer to him as "BO" for the sake of economy and not because he was giving off some repulsive aroma): "Are you a CitiGold member?"
AK: No. I just want to change some SG50 notes and get the folders.
BO: Are you a Citibank savings account holder?
AK: No. I have a Citibank credit card though.
BO: Sorry, you must have at least a Citibank savings account to exchange for the SG50 notes.
AK: ....... (OMG! KNS! Simi LJ?!)
If I wasn't in such a rush to go to HSBC to try my luck next, I would have given the BO a piece of my mind!
I did a piece for my imaginary GE rally in the last blog post. This time, it is a piece for my imaginary speech in Hong Lim Park:
"The SG50 notes (and the folders) are produced by our country and Singaporeans have priority to get these. The SG50 notes (and the folders) are not owned by Citibank! They are here because of taxpayers' money!
"What do they mean I couldn't get the SG50 notes at their branches because of some house rules they came up with? I just had to produce my IC and they should allow me to get the SG50 notes!
"No wonder people call them "Shittybank". That's it lah. I am cancelling my Citibank credit card. They can stuff the card up their XXX where the Sun doesn't shine.
"If they tidak kamwan to do this, don't. Otherwise, make sure to do it in the right spirit and that is to serve all Singaporeans equally and whole heartedly.
"Simi Shittygold customer or Shittybank savings account customer then can be eligible. Pui! Just because of what happened today, I will never ever be a Shittygold customer!"
Crossing fingers, I went to HSBC. "Sir, please fill up this form and join the queue. Folders are still available."
Wah! WAH! WAAAAH! Happy like don't know what!
I saw people who were already holding two folders in their hands in the queue in front of me. So, it is true that some people just keep rejoining the queues. Alamak!
Then, I heard the teller advising one such person that as it was her second time collecting the folders, she would not be getting the folders the third time. Good on you, HSBC!
After today's experience, HSBC has been upgraded a couple of notches in "AK's Bank Ranking Table". Citibank has been downgraded to a level so low in a chasm that we would need a searchlight to see even a hint of them. DBS and UOB, ok lah, since this is SG50, I "pang chance" the two of you.
Hey, you say simi? Simi nepotism?
So, if you are a Singaporean, don't think you have plenty of time to get the folders. Go and do the Singaporean thing now.
 |
| 30 minutes in the queue to get these at HSBC. |
I just got this SMS from a friend a while ago:
Go and queue now. Now, I tell you. Now! Otherwise, you will have 50 years to repent.
Related post:
Could long queues for SG50 notes have been avoided?
Bloggy Award
17 comments:
Hi Ak,
Love this post! I think it's one of your funniest, more emotional and creative post! Hope to read more of such posts because it really cracked me up!:)
Shame on you, shitty bank... Way to go, HSBC!
Hi Jes,
Yikes! I hope I wouldn't have to go through so much stress to produce blog posts like this, actually. -.-"
However, if something good came out of this, I am glad. So, you are welcome. ;)
From my FB wall:
Latest news:
UOB teller seen queueing at HSBC for SG50 notes exchange... gasp emoticon...
Haha.. That's a funny post.. Cheers..
With regards to the downturn, hmmm... Wat do you think is the most undervalued or high margin of safety stock you recommend to add now?
Hi Clement,
Really? It is? I am glad you enjoyed it. :D
I cannot quite make out the rest of your comment, I am afraid. I need to get my eyes checked again. Growing old and all that. You know lah. ;p
Hi AK..
Pardon my bad English.. lol.. Nothing got to do with your eyes.. Haha..
I always appreciate your advise and comments on stocks..
Hmmm.. Which stock you recommend that we should bargain hunt now? Since price had fallen quite a little?
Thanks.
Har?? Queue so long? 50 is 50 leh? Value investing meh? Har? Can make how much? Emotional buy or value investing?
Hi Clement,
There is really something wrong with my eyesight. Cham. You have to pardon me. -.-"
Hi Apex,
Nope. I don't think this is value investing at all. Who said it is? Who? Who?
To me, I am just taking what is my entitlement as a Singaporean. It is not about money making. :)
AK, sometimes, just let it go. No point getting angry over $50. Not their fault.
Hi Apex,
You are missing the point here. It is not about $50 or $100 or $1000. It is a matter of principle.
Too many people saying "let it go" allows such things to continue happening.
AK a man of principle. Apex chin chai luan luan lai
I am just thinking within myself; if so happen you are a Shifty Gold customer, and were arranged to another "priority" queue at that instance, what will be the title & content of this blog post....
Hi Kent,
The title would have stayed the same but the content would definitely be different. ;)
The bit about Citibank would probably have been something like:
"If you happen to be a CitiGold member or if you have a Citibank savings account, then, you are in luck because they are reserving the folders for their clients! Although we might question the fairness of such a practice as the SG50 notes and folders should rightfully be made available to all Singaporeans, as a CitiGold member, I seized the advantage."
Some of us have advantages in life. We shouldn't apologise for having advantages in life but we should speak up for the disadvantaged. ;)
Bro Ak, glad that you understand why so many pax Q now. Not for the SG50 notes but the wrongly printed folders 😄 I just walked in Toa Payoh OCBC this evening before dinner to exchange another $500 cash to spend 😁 No need to be their Shitty members!
Hi Freddy,
Thanks for the heads up. Much appreciated. ;)
I guess we would all get another chance to get the folders. This time, it would be without the spelling error. :D
So, thanks to the error, we might have more folders than initially planned by the MAS. ;p
Two thumbs up!
An additional six million folders will be printed to meet "overwhelming demand" from Singaporeans for both the SG50 commemorative notes and folders, the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced in a press release on Thursday (Sep 3).
MAS said two folders will be available for every Singaporean household from the middle of November this year. They will be able to get the folders without having to obtain the SG50 notes at the banks.
Folders will continue to be available at banks for those who exchange the required number of notes, MAS added.
Source:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/mas-to-print-6-million/2097890.html
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