Is the Geylang Serai bazaar losing its cultural identity with more stalls selling "hipster food"? How can it retain its flavour as a Ramadan bazaar?

The bazaar could be segregated into two sections: traditional and modern, and allow separate bids for the sites so that demand and supply still plays its role. Traditionalists can have what they want and the young can have their choice too.

Dave Kwan

What you should ask is what the rental for the stalls are and whether traditional food stalls can afford it and make a profit.

Barry Smyth

Reduce rent. Ultimately, rents add to the operating costs, resulting in vendors selling higher-priced hipster food to cover costs.

Chia Wenjie

Even the decorations do not reflect traditional local culture. Where are the iconic shapes of the ketupat, the traditional Malay kampung roofs, the geometric patterns of the kain songket, and the sparklers? Those are part of our cultural heritage, and have been replaced by generic paisley and nondescript patterns that are more Middle Eastern than Asian.

Zulkarnain Hassan

What is "cultural identity" and why do we assume it is changeless?

Ruizhi Choo

I guess their main target is the young. They are the ones who are willing to spend on such food.

Siti Nor'aini A. S.

The demographics of those who attend the event is a factor. The younger people of today aren't afraid of trying new things like "dragon's breath" or "rainbow bagel", unlike older visitors who desire more traditional food, like keropok lekor and lemang.

Marcus Tan

How can we put a stop to foreign domestic workers borrowing from moneylenders?

The only way is to pass a law that moneylenders or banks can claim the loan amount back from only the worker. So if any foreign domestic worker borrows a huge sum and cannot pay back, it will mean a bad debt for the lender.

Su Swee Ho

Make it illegal for work permit holders to borrow from moneylenders.

James Wang

Provide maids a ready avenue to borrow from the bank where their salary is deposited. Loan repayment can be auto-deducted.

Lee Soh Geok

The Government must put a stop to illegal moneylending and have a law to say no domestic helpers are allowed to borrow money.

Jordan Low