Second-hand book seller
I have working in Singapore since 2000, after I finish my twelfth [equivalent to a polytechnic diploma] in Tamil Nadu. I study accounting, but now all forget ready [laughs]. In 1975, my grandfather set up this bookstore in the shop house along Bras Basah road with my father and my uncle [Yusuf]. Last time, whole Bras Brasah road only bookshop. Popular [the local bookstore] last time was also there. But in 1980, the government want to cancel [i.e demolish] the shop house, so that’s why now you see don’t have any bookshops on Bras Basah Road. But because all people here, move here from Bras Basah road, that’s why this building called Bras Basah Complex.
After I finish my twelfth, my parents want me to join them in Singapore. But, I am in love with a girl in my village so I decide take another diploma in Web Technology so I can continue stay in Tamil Nadu. I thinking to propose to her in few months, then we can marry and come to Singapore. But before I can start the diploma, she break-up with me because her parents don’t allow us to get married. Her family Muslim and mine also. Her parents know we quite serious, but they are against love marriage, so they tell her to break up with me. I don’t know why they let us dating if no marriage but I cannot do anything. At that time, my life was very bad. I cancel my diploma course and just stay in my room. I think I never eat for one week [laughs]. Because I so sad, my father and grandfather, all force me to come to Singapore so I can change my mind. Since I doing nothing, my family all here, and I think I need some change also, so I say okay.
When I first come here, I can speak English little bit only because we only learn English from 10th standard [equivalent to Secondary 4 in Singapore]. Even now my English not so good, but at I am improving. When I first come here, I not scared, nothing different because all my family here. I just stand and watch what they do, how they do and learn some English first. All people here bring lists or title of the book they want, like that lady just now, so I just need to read, talk, and find the books. I don’t know how also I can remember where all books are, maybe because I everyday see this books, it go into my brain [laughs].
Last time, business very good because we are the largest bookstore in Singapore, no MPH, no Popular, no competition. Season time [for instance, before the start of national examinations or before the start of the annual school-term] a lot of people come, I cannot sit down also. We also have a lot of bulk customers, they buying the books from us and sell in US. They make a lot of profit because the academic books in Singapore cheap, and then they can sell in US expensive. That time the profit is SGD$5000 to SGD$10 000 per day! But then around 2004, I think, the government put new regulation: cannot order more than 10 textbooks. Only if got letter from school telling we need more than 10 books, then can. So after the new regulation, a lot of publisher not trusting us so they take back all their books and don’t want to sell new books to us also. So, we got no books to sell here. And before that, my uncle is taking all the profit, and buying the shop upstairs. He say he want to expand our shop, but actually he want to separate. Only when the shop almost ready, he tell my father and grandfather he want to separate. I think he think business so good, why he should share the profits with us? But Yusuf, got good luck, he escape. He can still buy new books from publisher and make good business. But he also want to copy us and start doing second-hand books. Last time, some people coming here to sell some books, and we take it, so we have about one row of second-hand books. Because we have no new books to sell, we try to buy some more second hand books. Otherwise, no books, we have to close this shop already. I don’t know how, but slowly slowly by God’s grace, people coming to sell old books. That’s how my shop now selling second-hand books.
About 3 years ago, I take over, from my father. He need to take rest in India because his health is not good. Since then, business drop already but I don’t tell my father because his health is not good and his dream for me is to make my life in Singapore. I think a little bit drop because now people reading e-books and torrents but number one, is because 3 years ago, my uncle open another shop on the first floor. First floor, first priority. This is not like Raffles City [a mall nearby], people walking around and then they see something cheap so they go inside. People are coming here, buying whatever book they want and then they quickly go. Nobody want to spend long time in this shopping center because, it is so old, no aircon and got nothing much to look at also. But we cannot go out of this building, because most of the Singaporeans know, second-hand bookstores means Bras Basah. Actually, the shop downstairs we suppose to be getting, but we don’t have enough advance for 3 months rental. We cannot get loan also. My father ask Yusuf but he don’t want to give us any money. In the end, he take the shop. Now I’m realizing it is a big mistake for us. I don’t know why my uncle doing this to us. But I am not really angry with him because I know, in Singapore money is very important. He has big family, so he need more money. My books are all cheaper than his. But people thinking all shops, same price so they just come first floor and buy. That’s why since he set up his new shop, my business drop.
This job is very stressful for me now. Everyday, I come here, only working for payment. Need to pay landlord, pay my house, wah, so difficult. Even if I go out also, I still thinking about my business. Cannot even enjoy properly. I open my wallet to buy something, straightaway start thinking if I can buy or not. I don’t want to be a millionaire, I only need little bit money but this business, not enough money. So I know we cannot stay in Singapore for long time, that’s why I thinking to set up a new business in India. Some business in the world always growing, like food, clothes, I want to do like that. Now, I and my childhood friend, he is working in Dubai, we thinking, what business is good to start in India. If the business is good, stable, means I okay.
This shop is very important to my father. Because of this shop, he become a citizen, and we can earn good money. He want me to keep this shop, and have family here. I know business drop but I know I can improve this business. Maybe we have a smaller shop in this building, only keep the academic books, and then all the storybooks I can sell online. Primary and secondary books people still coming to buy because school booklists got so many things, uniform lah, sometimes science things [laboratory apparatus], whole thing cost around $300, so people come here to buy to reduce the book cost. Also, last time, maybe 5-6 years ago, we bring some storybooks and children’s books from China and India and sell here and the sales was very good. Because children’s books nobody bring to sell here, I don’t know why, but still people always looking for children’s books, so that is another plan. This business is not dead yet, still can profit, especially if rental lower, but I know that I need to go back to India soon because I have family here. That’s why I need to make plan to start another business in India.
Singapore is very good. Government especially, they treat all, Chinese, Malay, Indian, all same. Which other country do that? Singapore safest country in the world, good education, very clean also. But, Singapore is very very expensive, always in the top 3 most expensive countries. So, if you have money, and no family, Singapore is very good. Actually, last time when I working for my father, I have no family, no commitments, I just get salary and enjoy my life. Last time, I always telling my friends, no way I am coming back to India. I don’t like India, all people so corrupt and the pollution is so bad. Job also little money. I don’t want to go back India, but I have to go back in 4-5 years time because I am a PR. The government give my father citizenship, I think around 1992 because he working here, so after that he apply PR for me and my brother. I got my PR in 1997 when I was still studying in India. Last time, PR, citizenship all easy, they don’t check CPF, not like now. My brother quickly change to citizen and he and my father keep telling me to apply for citizenship. But I never care. Now, I make it too late. Only, now when my wife [from Tamil Nadu, on a Long-term Visit pass] expecting only, I apply because I want my child get good education in Singapore. This is my father’s dream also. But I was rejected. My wife also rejected from PR. Now my child cannot be a citizen, even if he born here. Don’t know if he can get PR also. Now, they see how rich you are. That’s why all other rich Indians, they all get citizen, but I work here, live here, for 15 years, no citizen.
What to do? My fate is like this. In Singapore, if you don’t have much money, especially if you PR or worse, foreigner, cannot live for one day also. Citizen and PR so much difference in cost for everything. My wife under foreigner now, so I definitely cannot afford 3 of us live here. But, I telling you, if your business good, your pay good, even if you are foreigner or PR, you can still live here with your family. That’s why I tell my friends from my hometown who want to come here and work, just come for a while, work and enjoy. But Singapore cannot be our home, we cannot have our family here. Hometown, for us, always India.
Singapore, 2015