SINGAPORE: A dissatisfied diner took to social media to complain after he saw uncleared tables at Taman Jurong Food Centre. To make matters worse, he said another diner told him that clearing the table was unnecessary.
Mr Yi Xiao posted on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on Saturday (April 13) photos of a corner at the food centre where “many patrons walk away after their meals, without clearing the tables.”
He added, “One of the patrons (in senior age) said that patrons who order food from the hot plate stall are not required to clear their tables. Even items like drinks are not cleared by the patrons.”
Mr Yi also wrote that the exception the patron cited is not stated in posters put up by the National Environment Agency (NEA), which oversees food centres.
Addressing the agency, he wrote, “NEA, time to send your enforcement team to Taman Jurong Food Centre.”
In May last year, the NEA and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced that there would be stricter rules for individuals who don’t return their food trays and crockery.
The agencies said that starting from June 1, 2023, at food courts, the following would apply for individuals who fail to return their used trays and crockery:
First-time offenders will receive a written warning, while repeat offenders will be fined or charged in court.
“The stepped-up enforcement on table littering from 1 June onwards aims to ensure that the good efforts of the majority who return their used trays and crockery are not marred by the inconsiderate behaviour of the minority,” reads the joint statement from the NEA and the SFA, which can be found here.
The Independent Singapore has contacted Mr Yi Xiao and the NEA for further comment or updates.
Many commenters agreed with Mr Xi about the need for diners to comply with NEA’s rules about table littering and clear their own tables after eating.
Others, however, expressed some concerns about carrying back hot plates, as this could injure children who may bump into the diners bearing the hot plates.
“There r certain stalls like hot pot, claypot rice etc with heavy pots tht the stall owners would rather handle themselves so of course patrons will leave everything there for the stall owners as they want to be responsible,” one woman pointed out. /TISG