5 recent infamous incidents at Sim Lim Square

A man standing at the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) complaints kiosk for shoppers at Sim Lim Square. -- PHOTO: ST FILE
A man standing at the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) complaints kiosk for shoppers at Sim Lim Square. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - In a bid to save its reputation, Sim Lim Square, a go-to place for electronic gadgets also known for the dubious sales tactics of some of its shops, has issued an unusual "appeal for urgent help" on Monday.

In particular, its management has appealed to the authorities to "take a tough stand against the recalcitrant retailers", saying it has been "disappointed with the apparent lack of measures which the authorities are able to take against these incorrigible retailers".

The appeal comes after the mall at Rochor Canal was criticised in recent weeks after a spate of media reports about cheating and overcharging involving shops there.

Here are five recent incidents that had happened at the shopping centre:


Malaysian diver blamed iPhone dispute for poor performance

Mr Ooi Tze Liang, a 20-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medallist from Malaysia, was overcharged by more than $2,000 for two iPhone 6s at Sim Lim Square.

His coaches had expected him to perform well at the Singapore Fina Diving Grand Prix 2014 finals last month, but he came in fifth in the men's 3m springboard. They said the iPhone dispute had led to his poor showing.

Date reported: Oct 2014


Shopping trip led to injury

A customer claimed that a salesman had pushed him roughly after he had asked to exchange a product, resulting in a hand injury. The salesman denied this and said that the customer had lost his balance and fell.

Date reported: July 2014


Shop theft led to violent brawl

A man turned violent when he was confronted by a store assistant for theft. He took off his T-shirt and attacked an onlooker before others joined into the fight. When the police arrived, they arrested the man for theft and three others for rioting.

Date reported: June 2014


Retailers swiped extra charges on credit cards

Extra amounts were charged to customers' credit cards under the guise of transaction fees or taxes.

Date reported: May 2013


Shops tampered with signboards and names to hide bad reputation

Sim Lim Square's management had put up lists of recalcitrant shops in the mall to warn shoppers about them, but these stores either shrunk their names on their signboards or removed them completely. Other dubious tactics included changing their name, renovating the shopfront or moving away.

Date reported: April 2013

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