An elderly man has reportedly been asking diners for money in a Marsiling hawker centre, hitting them when they refuse to do so.
According to staff in the area, he frequently gets into quarrels with customers as a result of his behaviour.
Local authorities have been unable to resolve the issue thus far.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, a reader, Mr Xu, said the man started frequenting the hawker centre at Block 20, Marsiling Lane last year.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
He would harass customers, begging for money to buy food by sitting next to or opposite them.
In most instances, he would ask for S$2 from the diners.
Mr Xu added that he had a similar encounter with the man last year, whereby he asked him for money.
Refusing to give him any, Mr Xu accused the man of being too dependent on others.
“[He] was immediately unhappy and started to blame me for not paying him. I quarrelled with him afterwards,” Mr Xu said.
Staff at the hawker centre also told Shin Min Daily News that they had seen the man ask customers for money.
Lina, an employee at a stall, said that he lived nearby and was thus familiar with residents in the area.
She further recalled seeing him argue with customers on numerous occasions.
“He would sit directly at other people’s tables and beg for money, which often made customers unhappy and caused quarrels,” she said.
Another beverage stall owner said that while some diners refused to give in to his demands, they would ask him what food he wanted.
Mr Tang, a cleaner at the centre, said that the man had a temper and would curse at others if he didn’t receive the money.
“We have all been scolded by him,” he said, adding that on one instance, the man had gotten into a quarrel with a customer for refusing to give him money.
The situation had then escalated with him picking up a tray and throwing it at the diner who retaliated by hitting him with plates as well.
Previously, another dispute between him and a customer resulted in police being alerted to the scene.
However, they took no further action.
Other customers said they had seen the man before but usually kept their distance.
The Federation of Merchants’ Associations Singapore said they were aware of the issue, with a spokesperson telling Shin Min Daily News that they were unable to resolve it.
He said that while the man did harass customers, he did not disrupt the business of hawkers in the area.
Customers would also keep returning to patronise the stalls despite his presence.
Considering his age and the fact that he had not broken any laws, the association has been unable to proceed further.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
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