SINGAPORE: Entrepreneur and restaurateur Michael Lu took to Facebook on Friday (June 20), calling the circulating free tap water petition of Singapore General Hospital consultant Dr Yee Yucai a “personal dining gripe dressed up as social justice”. He noted that while it sounds like a plea for public health at first, it starts to look less like advocacy when you scratch the surface.
In change.org, Dr Yee urged the Singapore government to mandate that dine-in food and beverage (F&B) outlets provide free-flow tap water to all customers at no additional cost.
Dr Yee stated, “We believe it is time to reverse this practice. In a country where tap water is clean, safe, and abundantly available, it is unjustified to restrict access to tap water—especially in establishments that already impose a 10% service charge.”
He also suggested that in doing so, it will discourage Singaporeans from consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and lower single-use plastic waste. As of Saturday (June 22), 3,155 have signed the petition.
According to Mr Lu, Dr Yee’s position suggests a worrying lack of understanding of how restaurants actually operate. “They are not public service providers. They are private businesses that pay market-rate rent, absorb rising utility bills, and navigate the ever-increasing cost of labour and ingredients,” he said.
“To imply that charging for drinks is some sort of unethical profit grab is naïve. Beverage upselling is not a sinister ploy—it’s basic business. The same kind practised in every industry, including healthcare,” he added.
Mr Lu also said that Dr Yee’s attempt in linking his petition to national sugar reduction efforts was “truly bewildering” and “disingenuous” at worst.
“What exactly is he proposing? That restaurants should be penalised for selling drinks because someone, somewhere, might consume sugar? Should we now legislate the number of teaspoons in a teh tarik?”
AsiaOne reported that in an interview with Dr Yee, he said a recent visit to a S$60-per-person buffet with his family was what “broke the camel’s back” for him, as they were not served water and were charged an extra S$5 for free-flow beverages instead.
In response to this, Mr Lu noted that service charges at restaurants are not “magic phrases” that entitle customers to demand water, condiments, or a complimentary shoulder rub, but exist to support service staff, not to subsidise one’s dining preferences.
“Dining out is a luxury, not a right. And if a customer dislikes a restaurant’s policies, they are welcome—encouraged, even, to take their business elsewhere. That’s how consumer choice works,” he said.
“To escalate a S$5 beverage decision into a matter for legislation is not just petty—it’s a waste of public discourse,” he added.
After Dr Yee’s call for free water at F&B outlets circulated online, F&B business owner Keola Ho started a petition on change.org on Friday (June 20), noting that while he offers free water as a gesture of goodwill and respect to his patrons—especially when they are kind to his staff—it is his choice as a business owner.
He said, “Choosing where to dine is a personal decision, and it shouldn’t involve blaming water as a factor in one’s health. Because we all buy bubble tea. #bobaguzzlers4lyf”
A similar move to make water free at eateries was made in 2021 by Member of Parliament Christopher de Souza. However, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) Grace Fu argued that while Singapore’s tap water is safe for drinking, it is not free, as F&B establishments have to pay for the water. /TISG