70-year-old uncle seen picking & eating leftover food in Chinatown hawker; says it’s alright, he’s used to it

An elderly man in his 70s who was seen eating leftover food at People’s Park Hawker Centre told Gilbert Goh that it is alright to eat the leftovers of others as he was used to it.

Local activist Gilbert Goh was making his rounds in the area when he spotted the elderly man. The man was going through the tray return area for uneaten food and drinks he could consume.

 

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When Mr Goh spoke to him, the uncle said that he did not find the act dirty as he would pick food that was unfinished, as opposed to half-eaten bites or morsels.

The elderly man also told Mr Goh that he would often eat off the tray return counter. While Mr Goh was unsure of the uncle’s name, or even if the man was homeless, he added that the man was likely in his 70s.

Mr Goh and other volunteers maintain a free food outlet at one of the Muslim stalls there to provide meals to about twenty people per day. Each week they give $300 to the stallholders for the provision of free meals to the poor and homeless residing there.

Mr Goh added that despite the free Malay food that was being given out, the uncle seemed to prefer to eat Chinese food.

He noted that the elderly man seemed resigned and says that he would try to pick the best food out of all that was left on the tray return counters.

Mr Goh gave the elderly man some cash after talking to him. /TISG