A woman posted a video on the Singapore Incidents Facebook page on Tuesday (Apr 26) of a shouting match at a food centre after a hawker reportedly got angry when diners sat at the table he had reserved for himself.
The incident is said to have occurred at North Bridge Market and Food Center in North Bridge Road near the Lavender MRT station. Ms Summer Fung called the man an “Abusive Vegetarian Stall Hawker” in her post. “The hawker ‘choped’ two tables permanently for his own use and when patrons sit at the table, he hurls abusive and vulgar Hokkien expletives (at them),” she wrote.
For the uninitiated, to chope means to reserve a seat or place at a table.
Ms Fung followed her first statement by asking whether hawkers should be allowed to reserve and ‘chope’ tables for their own use, especially since the pandemic made social distancing necessary, which means fewer seats were available.
“Should he also control himself and not loudly scold Hokkien expletives in public places like hawker centers?” she asked, adding, “Its very bad for our children and also visitors to Singapore.”
Many commenters seemed to agree with Ms Fung.
One said that the hawker “behaved like a hooligan”.
A number of commenters urged her to report the hawker to the NEA (the National Environment Agency), as they can do something about it.
Others, however, sympathised with the hawker and said that the woman who got into a shouting match with him was in the wrong as well.
“Everyone chope seats in hawker centre. Hawkers are humans too, they just need a table to rest,” wrote one netizen.
/TISG