When I was a young boy, I asked Teck Soon in class to explain the meaning of "Wu hua" (probably Hokkien) that he used in a sentence during our conversation. He used the word on a bountiful looking bag of crackers that he spent 20 cents on in the tuck shop. I gathered the meaning of that term from his loose definition as "worthwhile" or "worth it."
Well, as you know it, Singapore is a money faced society. So we kids have to learn money things from young. Some of us sell crafts for a pittance at a young age. There will be that chap in class who lend people money and charge a healthy interest rate that goondu kids who have not figure out what is "chopping carrot head" will fall for. Then we have classic terms like "No money, no talk" or later when we grow older, "No money, no honey." Our lives revolve around money throughout.
So when I received an email with these figures, I couldn't resist looking out for what was considered, "Wu hua." Not only do I still talk like a Singaporean but I still think a lot like one ..... unfortunately. So I saw Singapore on the Top 10 of a list. Not bad. Some Singaporeans are so proud of being on top of some lists, any list. However, this isn't a list you really want to top when you are looking for a good deal.
That is because lower down there was another list that showed us what we are receiving for what we are paying for. Not on the list.... oops!
If I still know Teck Soon today, he may be jabbing the list with his finger, sticky from his lollipop residue and declaring, "Germany and New Zealand wu hua!"
Singapore leh? Bei qii, bei pee, bo dua liap nee.