It’s all about the shoes
Malaysians like it black and the Singaporeans want it white.
JOHOR BARU: How do you want your shoes?
Black, say Malaysians. White, say the Singaporeans who have been coming here to buy white school shoes that are being sold cheaply as Malaysians are opting for black ones.
Checks by The Star at several locations showed that some shops even offered white shoes for free upon any purchase of black shoes.
The situation came about as Malaysian parents have been getting black shoes for their school-going children although the Education Ministry’s ruling on black shoes will not be enforced until 2021.
This leaves the white shoes for the Singaporeans as schools in the island republic still prefer the white ones.
A shoe store here has been focusing on clearing out its stock of white shoes.
“The price for white shoes is at RM5 a pair, RM9 for two pairs and is offered for free if the customers bought black school shoes,” said Bata store manager Burhanuddin Khalid at a shopping mall on Saturday.
Parkson floor executive Siti Aishah Kamaruddin said that 90% of their sales came from Malaysian customers who needed black shoes.
“We have prepared earlier supplies of black shoes even though some of our Singaporean customers, and students who attend religious school, still use white shoes.
“The supply for white shoes is a bit limited since customers now want black shoes,” she added.
Al-Iksan Megastore Johor store captain Noorhana Sabbit said that 40% of their customers were Singaporeans who came looking for shoes for their children.
“They usually buy more than a
We are trying to sell off all our white shoes. We don’t restock them anymore. Whatever we have left, we sell it at prices as low as RM15 a pair. S.P. Cheah
pair of shoes,” she said.
In KUALA LUMPUR, one garment outlet near Pudu LRT station is offering white shoes that were priced as low as RM3 a pair.
Although black shoes are more expensive, many parents are still getting them for their children.
“I don’t see the point in buying white shoes if they are going to wear black shoes in 2021.
“Usually, I would buy shoes a size bigger for my kids so that they can wear it for two years or hopefully, three years,” said housewife Wong Mei Li, 35.
The mother of two girls welcomed the black shoe ruling.
“It’s good because when my children dirty their shoes, it won’t look that obvious,” she said.
In GEORGE TOWN, most parents are also already opting to buy black shoes for their school-going children.
Businessman Mohd Faizul Osman, 42, said he decided to buy black shoes for his son as it would reduce the hassle of his boy having to wash his shoes every week.
“Although it is still not compulsory next year, I feel it is best for my son to wear it. And we think black is tidier than white,” he said.
The black shoes, he said, came in a wide range of prices and quality.
He said this would give more options for parents, depending on their budget.
Another parent, R. Thiagaraj, 47, said he found the prices of black school shoes in Penang to be quite reasonable.
“It does depend on the brand that you choose. Of course, it will be a bit more expensive if you buy the branded ones,” said the workshop manager.
Shoe store supervisor S.P. Cheah, 62, said there had been an increase in the sale of black shoes.
This could be due to the many promotions, he said.
He said the sale of white shoes had dropped since the government announced the black shoe ruling in October 2018.
“We are trying to sell off all our white shoes. We don’t restock them anymore.
“Whatever we have left, we sell it at prices as low as RM15 a pair,” he said.