WP MP Louis Chua: Hawkers should not have to shoulder the burden of providing S’poreans with cheap meals

SINGAPORE: In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Oct 29), Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (WP MP) Louis Chua (Sengkang) praised a recent article in CNA. It looked into meals at hawker centres and coffee shops that are low in price but are not nutritious, being carbohydrate-heavy but lacking in protein and vegetables.

He began his post by asking who should bear the cost of hawker meals that are both cheap and nutritious.

“Great piece out by the CNA TODAY team, looking into the issue of budget meals and sampling 40 different meals in the process!” wrote Mr Chua, noting that while numerous budget offerings are supposed to be full meals, they have smaller sizes with less protein, based on his own experience as well as feedback shared with him.

The MP took particular exception to one of the budget meals included in the CNA piece, a dish of mashed potatoes at Yishun Park Hawker Centre that costs S$3.50, calling it “quite a shocker.”

He also pointed out that the CNA report is similar to a question he has filed in Parliament regarding ensuring the quality and nutritional value of meals provided to Singapore’s students.

“It is important that budget meals do not come at the expense of nutrition – especially if the Government wishes to continue to champion healthier living and eating habits,” he wrote, adding that because many hawkers are sole proprietors, they “should not have the Herculean task of shouldering the burden of providing Singaporeans with ‘cheap’ meals,” an issue he has brought up in 2024 as well as this year.

Last month, he asked if the distribution of the responsibility for providing budget meals to people with low income between Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) operators, their stallholders, consumers, and the Government can be reviewed.

“WDYT? Should budget meals be nutritionally balanced? Who should bear the burden of providing such meals?” asked Mr Chua.

S$3.50 Budget Meal scheme

The Housing & Development Board (HDB) requires all coffee shops to offer budget meals by 2026, where meals are to cost only S$3.50 and drinks S$1.20. Coffee shops that sign new leases are required to offer at least four budget meals and two budget drinks.

The meals cannot be snack-sized and must be offered in at least two different stalls. One meal must be rice-based, and another must be halal. Diners may find offerings on the BudgetMealGoWhere website.

Netizens who commented on Mr Chua’s post thanked him for raising the matter.

“This is indeed one issue where I believe that we can do better than policies which (in my opinion) push the burden of providing low-cost – but also low quality – meals to hawkers,” one wrote. /TISG

Read also: Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre operator to remove clause requiring stallholders to provide free meals