I thought I'd jump on this one because I have first-hand knowledge of the bumbaclots that waste money in the Middle East, having lived and worked in Qatar and travelled to Dubai regularly for work. A place where you can't move for Ferraris, Lambos and angry people thinking they're superior and treating workers (especially Nepalese and Indian), like sub-human nothings that you can just shout at. (That's not just locals: that's terrible white expats, too. In fact, I'd say the racism white expatriates exhibit is the most prevalent).
Someone has spent $9 million dollars (33 million dirhams) on a private number plate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, it isn't an Emirate, like you may presume, but an Indian businessman called Balwinder Sahani, reports Gulf News. This makes it far worse for me.
Now I'm not saying the guy that bought this plate is
definitely a terrible person, I'm just saying that he almost definitely is. While
his fellow countrymen earn so little, this exuberance of wealth must be a
slap in the face for the blue collar workers in the city.
Shoshana Kadem.
Credit: Sayed Shiraz A Zaidi
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The Dubai-based businessman bought the number plate D5 at the Roads and Transport Authority's auction last on Saturday.
Sahani, also known as Abu Sabah, owns RSG International, a property management company with interests in the region, as well as the US and India.
He said: "I like collecting unique number plates and I am proud to have got this number. I like number nine and D5 adds up to nine, so I went for it," said Sahani
"I have collected 10 number plates so far and I am looking forward to having more. It's a passion. This number will go to one of my Rolls Royces."
Cheap as chips. Supplied
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Look, if you have the money, you can buy what you like. But it's indicative of the region, and of the culture prevalent in that part of the Middle East, that material things are supposed to mean you're a somebody. Sure, people with money all over the world are stupid enough to spend this on the number plate, but it's the ridiculous notion that this is somehow a kind of status symbol in this region that's most worrying, while construction workers slave away in 48-degree heat and get paid around £200 a month if they're lucky. The fact that Sahani is complicit in this show of opulence makes it all the harder to swallow.
I'm not bitter he's flashing his money around. Although Dubai is not as bad as other wealthy parts of the Middle East, I spent my time with taxi drivers who couldn't afford deodorant, with people crying and begging me for money because they can't leave the city and see their family, with people that have next to nothing.
Similar dick-wanging takes place at Katara Cultural Village Amphitheatre in Doha, Qatar, every year, but the proceeds of that go to charity, so some good comes out of it while number plate buyers can massage their ego.
Main image credit: whenonearth.net
Featured Image Credit:Topics: World News, Money, Dubai, Cars