Hawker centre patrons harassed & coerced to return trays

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Hawker centre patrons harassed & coerced to return trays[/h]

December 4th, 2012 |

Author: Contributions

Tampines Round Market

Every weekend morning, my family and I would go to Tampines round market (next to Block 139) to have our brunch or breakfast. It has always been a nice family get together and pleasant experience. I’m sure this is for most patrons there too.

Recently, we see a lot of orange T-shirt clad teens and what seemed like Town Council people too moving around the food market in hordes, reminding patrons, even in the middle of our meals, to clear our plates and utensils after we have finished our meals. What happened on this recent Sunday (2 Dec) really crossed the line. Returning utensils to the drop off points may be another one of the many trivial projects this particular million dollar paying civil servant rush to publicize currently to earn his KPI, but when patrons are harassed and coerced to do is seriously a violation of one’s rights and space.

In the middle of our meals, we were disrupted by loud shouting behind us amongst the food queues. An old man in his late 70s was scolding & warning an orange T shirt teen to stop harassing him to return the plates and tray as he has not finished his drinks. The old man was seriously visibly shaking with anger whilst the teen argued back indifferently that there was nothing wrong with his approach. Seeing the old man was in such a situation, I raised my voice loudly and commented that you can encourage people to return their trays but you cannot FORCE THEM! And I ended with WTF is happening to our nation when one now cannot even eat in peace! The old man then slowly staggered away with his tray, not before cussing the teen with, “You No Brains!!”

I have a few questions for those responsible for this new toy exercise:

a) Are patrons at hawker centers to be harassed and followed around to ensure they return their trays & plates, failing which they will be arrested or fined or both?
b) If someone sits at a table of uncleared dishes, is he/she obliged to clear the table too after his/her meal lest risking the harassment of these enforcers?
c) If returning plates and trays and what not are the latest social grace exercise to embrace our city state, then explain to us WHY did NEA increased the cleaning fees by more than doubled for hawker centers, since wouldn’t there be LESS to clean now with everyone “forced” to return their dishes after each meal? Or was it another blatant revenue exercise just like the IRS raising the HDB property tax without logic nor accountability? Are we gonna expect more of blatant dictatorial policies to come in this city state hereon?

Seriously, WTF is happening to our nation? Enough is ENOUGH!
.
Micahel Chan
.
Editor’s note: This letter has also been forwarded to NEA, Tampines Town Council and MP Mah Bow Tan (adviser to the grassroots in Tampines GRC) for comments.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Can someone cue the classic pic of shorty with his hands about the press neh nehs.....

 

[Confuseous]

They designs of the trolleys must have been awarded to the fella with the lowest quote - the spacings between the shelves were so wide (can accommodate more than a 1.25litre PET bottle) that it gets filled up easily, leaving lots of 'air space' unused.

In some hawker centres, the cleaners spend most of their time clearing up the trolleys, leaving the tables unattended.

But, as the PM says, "it could have been worse."

 

[po2wq]

... Returning utensils to the drop off points may be another one of the many trivial projects this particular million dollar paying civil servant rush to publicize currently to earn his KPI, but when patrons are harassed and coerced to do is seriously a violation of one’s rights and space. ...

tis shows ze stoopidity of ah loon n his jin-gang gahmen ...

dey cant even got cow sense 2 implemen a trivial project smoothly ...

 

[Agoraphobic]

I would consider returning of trays at Food Courts a basic human show of consideration and good habit. Things like that should be taught at home, just like cleanliness and non-littering. When it is enforced by State authorities - there is something wrong with the society.

Cheers!

 

[hairylee]

I would consider returning of trays at Food Courts a basic human show of consideration and good habit. Things like that should be taught at home, just like cleanliness and non-littering. When it is enforced by State authorities - there is something wrong with the society.

Cheers!

Yes, it is a society PAP/LKY created.

 

[streetsmart73]

I would consider returning of trays at Food Courts a basic human show of consideration and good habit. Things like that should be taught at home, just like cleanliness and non-littering. When it is enforced by State authorities - there is something wrong with the society.

Cheers!

hi there


1. bro, no offence.
2.what society?
3. just a herd of dafter sheep hoh
4. we do have some here in sbf:p

 

[itchy]

They designs of the trolleys must have been awarded to the fella with the lowest quote - the spacings between the shelves were so wide .......

In some hawker centres, the cleaners spend most of their time clearing up the trolleys, leaving the tables unattended.

But, as the PM says, "it could have been worse."

Good point. I never thought of that. So sud make collapsible spacings.

 

[Bigfuck]

hi there


1. bro, no offence.
2.what society?
3. just a herd of dafter sheep hoh
4. we do have some here in sbf:p

Maybe the orange shirt punks need pounding.

 

[Balls2U]

Can someone cue the classic pic of shorty with his hands about the press neh nehs.....

As requested :

 

[laksaboy]

Someone should tell Vivian Balakrishnan to wake up his fucking bloody idea.

The only time we return our trays (and utensils) is at a SAF cookhouse.

As civilians, we don't want to do that shit again.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

PAP way of solving problems.......enact a law to make it illeegal to not return trays.......more money from fines also.

 

[sleaguepunter]

luckily i stay hougang, so dont have this sort of nonsense.

luckily for the orange shirt man, if he harass me, limpeh will pour whatever i am eating on his head.

 

[Sideswipe]

the orange shirts approach are wrong. they must have disturb and piss off people who are having their meals... i wouldn't return the plates if i believe i was being harassed to return it. maybe a quick line by the orange shirt - "pls return the tray" is ok.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Dun return trays consider as civil disobedience bo?

 

[numero uno]

Someone should tell Vivian Balakrishnan to wake up his fucking bloody idea.

The only time we return our trays (and utensils) is at a SAF cookhouse.

As civilians, we don't want to do that shit again.

ultimate stupid idea.
it's all a farce. it 's done for the wrong reason. when I was living in USA , NZ and australia for a while I return my food trays as it is the norm there since eons ago and right thing to do. Nobody force you and no stupid campaign. In sinkieland, the garmen have years to inculcate the habit but they just could NOT be bothered until the foodcourts towkays(most aligned to pappzies)started pressuring the garmen to start a national campaign for them to lower costs and employ less manpower. When has a private minor issue in a private business setting of a foodcourt has to do with national policy or campaign???you tell me. when since has not returning food tray be construed as rude? if it is , then they would next start to tell us to clean tables and wash up the dishes and utensils for them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Faark them these food court towkays, This is not a nattional issue. any foodcourt taht tell you to return trays, I would tell them to fark off and boycott them forever.
If people urinate in lifts in private condos lifts, do you think the garmen would interfere and impose fine and install cameras in private condos? they would tell condo management that it is your own problem. so what so different for food courts in shopping complexes??
it has nothing to do with courtesy or manners. there are far more important things like roadside manners, cursing, spitting and littering, etc. Basically it has also to do with the current overcrowding issue in sinkieland and everywhere is dirty, smelly and overcrowded. it just got worse past few years and why should we help the these people solve a problem they created in the first place. If they want us to return the trays they better pay us. since the society and garmen is going to the dogs and everything is equated to $ and cts, why not demand the foodcourt pay us for doing their job and saving them a bundle. Courtesy my @ss. I eat and I spit(on the table) and i leave. that's it. It's has absolutely nothing to do with courtesy but my disgust with foodcourts towkays and people behind it. anyway there is no law against leaving food trays behind. It would be a world class joke if they pass a law
to any idiot who harass me while I am eating can expect a fark off remark from me . It is extremely rude and vulgar to interrupt, harass or remind otehr people while they are enjoying their meals. this is becoming a joke. I say boycott returning the trays. Its the foodcourt owners problems not ours. they make millions and expect us to save even more for them? this has nothing to do with courtesy or manners. there are thousands of otehr things more inmportant than this stupid returning trays idea

 

[sleaguepunter]

Dun return trays consider as civil disobedience bo?

then just return the empty tray while leave everything else on the table.

technically, already follow the rule since return empty tray.

 

[yinyang]

returning of trays at Food Courts a basic human show of consideration and good habit. ...just like cleanliness and non-littering. When it is enforced by State authorities - there is something wrong with the society.

Yo, better to inculcate good habits, civic conciousness over state "enforcement" -latter may give cause to over zealousness and misunderstandings (aggro like replay here).

Just noticed that trays/trolley spots (in west coast hawker centre) are grotty areas without running tap water and proper disposal containers. Oh well, still evolving

 

[Narong Wongwan]

then just return the empty tray while leave everything else on the table.

technically, already follow the rule since return empty tray.

hehe....reminds me of army time.....as trainees kena scolded because one overzealous RSM complained we did not empty the leftovers properly.......next day he found leftovers stuck on the ceiling.....all kena confined and NCO standby at rubbish point after that.....

 

[sleaguepunter]

hehe....reminds me of army time.....as trainees kena scolded because one overzealous RSM complained we did not empty the leftovers properly.......next day he found leftovers stuck on the ceiling.....all kena confined and NCO standby at rubbish point after that.....

personally, i think the tray is just an extra item that not needed. why need a tray when only buying a plate of chicken rice? just put the small dish of chilli & the fork spoon on the rice plate and carry by one hand make more sense. if i one person, i dun use tray no matter what i buy. only use the damned tray when buying for family.

yah lor.. no tray how? will kenna harass or not?

saf tray different lor, metal and have compartments. phrased out by 2000.