Time for a clean-up at Sim Lim Square

With the Jover Chew saga denting the already weak image of Sim Lim Square, it is no surprise that tour guides are cautious about recommending the place to foreigners ("Sim Lim Square: Business plummets despite plunge in number of complaints" and "Tourists told to 'be careful or avoid going to mall'"; both published on Dec 6).

For several years, the issue was not attended to, the result of which is the shopping complex gaining notoriety.

Now is the time to clean up the problems faced by the mall.

With the opening of the Rochor MRT station close to Sim Lim Square, the authorities should make the mall a good shopping destination for electronic goods, both for locals and foreigners.

Though government intervention and regulation are required, the shop owners at Sim Lim Square must also take the initiative to regulate themselves, to salvage their image and boost their business.

Errant shop owners should be dealt with sternly when detected, without waiting for ugly incidents to take place and be highlighted by the media.

Constant monitoring is the only cure. We cannot be complacent and continue to allow the image of our nation to be sullied by unscrupulous businessmen.

N. Nagesh

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 14, 2015, with the headline Time for a clean-up at Sim Lim Square. Subscribe