Why NEA has to act against illegal hawkers

THE National Environment Agency (NEA) thanks Mr Lim Chye Hai ("Give illegal hawkers a chance to make honest living"; Jan 2), Mr Heng Cho Choon ("Help, not hinder, attempts to earn a living"; Monday) and Mr Francis Cheng ("Soft stance on illegal hawking will send wrong signals"; Monday) for their suggestions on dealing with illegal hawkers.

Illegal hawking is a risk to public health and causes public disamenities. Consequently, since the 1960s, street hawkers have been relocated to purpose-built hawker centres with proper facilities and adequate supervision. All hawkers and their assistants are trained to prepare food safely.

Any Singaporean who wishes to embark on a hawking career may rent a hawker stall from the NEA. There are monthly tender exercises, and successful bids have been as low as $1 in some centres.

The NEA has to take action against illegal hawkers, including foreigners, who circumvent our laws, to protect public health and safety.

Local illegal hawkers in genuine financial difficulties are referred to social service agencies, voluntary welfare organisations and self-help groups. In the long run, such individuals will be better off seeking employment or getting a proper stall in a hawker centre to make a living.

They can approach Singapore Workforce Development Agency career centres located islandwide for career and training advice and services to enhance their job search skills and employability. They can also register with the Jobs Bank to search for jobs.

The NEA also provides assistance with the hawker stall application process if they wish to apply.

We remind members of the public not to buy food from illegal hawkers as the source and preparation of the food are suspect. They may provide feedback to our 24-hour NEA Call Centre on 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255-632).

Tony Teo
Director, Environmental Public Health Operations
National Environment Agency
ST Forum, 10 Jan 2015

Post by The Straits Times.

Give illegal hawkers a chance to make honest living

I SYMPATHISE with the food hawkers who continue to ply their trade despite being fined ("Complaints rising against illegal food hawkers"; Tuesday).

Are there any statistics to show how many people have suffered food poisoning after consuming food from unlicensed hawkers?

If the authorities feel that these hawkers' food is not prepared in accordance with proper hygiene procedures or has not undergone quality control checks, perhaps they could send these hawkers for food hygiene courses or do random quality checks on their food.

I propose that the National Environment Agency give such Singaporean hawkers a chance to make an honest living, by giving them a licence to peddle their wares, just like how some seniors are allowed to sell ice cream along Orchard Road and in parks.

I believe some unlicensed hawkers are truly unable to find jobs, for various reasons. It is good that they do not steal or peddle drugs.

I admire their strong determination and perseverance in wanting to make a living on their own, instead of depending on government assistance and handouts.

Instead of playing a cat and mouse game, why not legalise their trade in a way that is acceptable to the public?

Allocating designated spots for them to ply their trade will make routine checks easier.

The smell of fresh and piping hot chestnuts sold by street hawkers reminds me of my childhood days, when my father would buy roasted chestnuts from these hawkers.

They will continue to add colour to our Singapore culture.

Lim Chye Hai
ST Forum, 2 Jan 2015

Help, not hinder, attempts to earn a living

I SECOND Mr Lim Chye Hai's call to give unlicensed hawkers a chance to make a living by giving them a licence to ply their trade ("Give illegal hawkers a chance to make honest living"; last Friday).

It is not uncommon to see unlicensed hawkers selling curry puffs, roasted chestnuts and tissue paper near our MRT stations.

I once spoke to a woman selling curry puffs. She was a divorcee and said she had to do this to survive as she had three children in school. She believed that food preparation was what she was good at.

Instead of imposing a fine, why not send such people for the food hygiene course which licensed hawkers attend?

Illegal hawking is a social problem. Let us not make the lives of these unlicensed hawkers more difficult, but do something to help them stand on their own two feet and gain some self-respect.

The National Parks Board and National Environment Agency should collaborate to convert these illegal hawkers into licensed food sellers.

Tea kiosks could be built in our parks and leased to them to sell cakes, curry puffs and drinks.

The poor among us need help from the Government, not more obstacles in their struggle for survival.

Heng Cho Choon
ST Forum, 5 Jan 2015

Soft stance on illegal hawking will send wrong signals

MR LIM Chye Hai asked if there are any statistics to show how many people have suffered food poisoning after consuming food from unlicensed hawkers ("Give illegal hawkers a chance to make honest living"; last Friday).

If the National Environment Agency (NEA) relied on statistics before taking action, it may be too late.

Unlicensed hawkers are elusive and their business is mobile. If people suffer food poisoning, how can they seek redress?

How can the NEA conduct site investigations if there are no fixed stalls or locations?

If the NEA takes the trouble to send these hawkers for hygiene courses or conduct quality checks, will it not send the wrong signals that the authorities are encouraging their actions?

There is also a concern as to how these hawkers, some of whom belong to foreign syndicates, will affect our environment.

They are less concerned about cleanliness and littering, assuming that someone would clean up later. They also obstruct the flow of pedestrian traffic.

Although we should temper the law with sympathy, the Government must also consider the livelihood of licensed hawkers, as their businesses will be affected by the cheaper food and items sold by illegal vendors.

It is not a level playing field as the illegal vendors do not have to pay rentals, utilities and service and conservancy charges.

It is too simplistic to believe that these unlicensed hawkers are so disadvantaged that they are forced to peddle illegally.

There are proper ways for them to make a living, such as to apply to the NEA or town councils for a licence to set up stalls at pasar malams.

Allowing them to take the easy way out will open a Pandora's box of domestic problems.

Francis Cheng
ST Forum, 5 Jan 2015

Complaints rising against illegal food hawkers
By Olivia Ho, The Straits Times, 30 Dec 2014

Illegal hawking appears to be on the rise here, with more complaints against unlicensed sellers of snacks from roasted chestnuts to curry puffs.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) received more than 3,300 reports from members of the public about illegal food hawkers from January to November this year, up from 2,600 for the whole of last year.

The agency has also caught more illegal hawkers this year. It apprehended 600 of them this year, up from 550 last year.

Unlicensed hawkers usually set up in busy locations such as outside MRT stations and bus interchanges. Their wares include curry puffs, fruits, roasted chestnuts and otah.

An NEA spokesman advised members of the public not to buy food from illegal hawkers.

"Illegally sold food items such as curry puffs may not have been prepared in accordance with proper hygiene procedures or undergone quality control checks," said the spokesman.

Curry puffs were the most common food items sold, featuring in more than a third of the reports.

Those caught hawking illegally may have their goods and items seized and be fined $300, $400 and $500 for the first, second and third offences respectively.

For the fourth and subsequent offences, they will be prosecuted in court.

A roasted chestnut seller, who wanted to be known only as Mr Low, told The Straits Times in Mandarin that in the past five years, he has had about 10 carts confiscated by the NEA.

When he could not afford the fines, he said, he had to spend a few days in jail. He claimed to have done about a month of jail time in total so far. But he persists in his trade as he feels he has scant job prospects elsewhere.

Said the 50-year-old, who has secondary school education: "What company will hire me at this age, and with my qualifications?

"We know selling this food is against the law, but I don't know what else to do for a living."