TikToker Teases S'poreans' Panic-Buying By Showing Fully Stocked Grocery Store In KL
Some Singaporeans reportedly came to supermarkets in Johor Bahru to stock up groceries in light of the Wuhan coronavirus.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 11 Feb 2020, 02:59 PM
A video teasing Singaporeans with fully stocked shelves at a grocery store in Kuala Lumpur has gone viral all over the Internet
The 12-second-long TikTok video shows a man dancing in a supermarket with ample grocery goods for shoppers to buy.
"KL so calm," reads a text that appears in the video, "If not enough, come to KL. Don't worry still got stock."
The viral video was posted by a Singaporean TV show director, Tawfik Daud, and it has garnered over 18,000 shares on Facebook since it went live last Saturday, 8 February.
The video is a response to Singaporeans' panic-buy of groceries as the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases continues to increase in the country
Last Friday, 7 February, Singapore's Ministry of Health announced that it had moved its disease outbreak response up a level to 'Orange', reported The Straits Times.
The 'Orange' alert is only a level below code 'Red', which signifies an out-of-control pandemic.
There are a total of 45 cases in Singapore as of today, 11 February - a drastic difference in comparison to Malaysia with only 18 confirmed cases, considering the difference in population density.
Photos of Singaporeans raiding shelves for processed food, rice, and toilet paper in supermarkets are also widely circulating on social media
Some photos show shoppers using step ladders or simply jumping to reach higher shelves.
Others show long queues and completely emptied out shelves.
The phenomenon has led to supermarket operators failing to restock in time, reported The Straits Times.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli assured Singaporeans that there is enough food stock in the country, while sociologist Paulin Straughan condemned Singaporeans' hoarding behaviour, describing it as "irrational".
Some Singaporeans even crossed the Causeway to raid the supermarkets in Johor Bahru
According to China Press, Singaporean cars swamped the carpark of AEON Mall Tebrau City on Saturday, 8 February.
Some shelves were left completely dry, while other aisles had shelves with only a few pieces of goods left.
Some consumers reportedly bought over RM800 worth of groceries and said that they will reduce outdoor activities thereon to avoid the risk of contracting the Wuhan coronavirus.
However, some Singaporeans told the Chinese daily that it is a normal to see Singaporeans coming to Johor Bahru for grocery shopping as there are more options and the prices are more affordable.
