Pregnant hawker allegedly ‘forced’ to be at Yishun stall under tenancy agreement, NEA says they declined option to appoint joint operator

Pregnant hawker allegedly ‘forced’ to be physically present at stall under tenancy agreement, sends daily proof

A hawker couple running the Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang stall at 51 Yishun Avenue 11 has voiced their frustration over the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) tenancy agreement clause that states hawkers must “personally manage” their stalls.

This comes despite the couple actively managing the business through a structured system, technology, and a team of staff.

In a Facebook post on 18 Feb, Mr Noorman Mubarak wrote that NEA had allegedly given his wife, who is 40 weeks pregnant, a “warning” that said that they were “violating our tenancy agreement by not being in the stall physically”.

Therefore, he had to “force” his wife to stand at the stall.

Additionally, he said that from then onwards, his wife “will be taking pictures of her being physically at the shop” as proof of her adhering to the tenancy agreement.

Tenancy agreement states ‘must operate stall personally’

While the couple acknowledges this requirement, physically being at the stall daily has become a major challenge for them.

Having run the stall since 2017, the couple initially worked 12 to 18-hour days for four years. Mr Mubarak shared:

I wake up at 3am, my wife comes to the shop at 8am. After lunch, I nap for an hour before going back to the stall until 10pm.

Over time, they implemented standard operating procedures (SOPs) and utilised technology to improve efficiency.

This allowed them to handle administration, research, and development remotely, while their staff handled daily operations.

However, in his post, Mr Mubarak alleged that his wife had been told that physical presence is mandatory, regardless of their management system.

This means Mr Mubarak’s wife is still expected to be at the stall every day, even though she can effectively run it remotely.

“Even after she has given birth, she can manage the shop by giving clear instructions to her staff. But apparently this is not allowed.” Mr Mubarak wrote.

He said that she can “officially assign someone to pretend to manage the shop” but “the truth [is] that my wife is the actual person managing the shop”.

To comply with NEA’s rules, the couple has resorted to documenting and sending photos of the wife’s presence at the stall daily.

Frustrated, Mr Mubarak, who is a third-generation hawker, declared this would mark the end of his journey as a hawker.

I highly discourage Singaporeans or PRs to be hawkers, they want you to remain in the stall until you give up.

He also expressed his disappointment in the system, warning aspiring hawkers that public hawker stalls are not designed for growth and success.

Netizens react to hawker’s plight

Many netizens sympathised with the couple, calling the rules outdated and rigid.

One user commented that authorities were forcing all hawkers into the same mould, applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

He also advised Mr Mubarak to “forget about all the glamorous hawkerpreneur spiel”.

Another netizen pointed out that Singapore prides itself as a first-world country, yet some policies seem to be moving backwards.

NEA says couple declined to appoint joint stall operator

In response to queries from MS News, NEA clarified that their policy of hawker stallholders personally operating their stalls is meant to prevent subletting, which could drive up rental and food prices.

They acknowledged that some hawkers may face challenges balancing personal commitments with business operations.

As such, NEA says that stallholders can choose to appoint a “joint stall operator or a nominee” to operate the stall.

“In the event that the stall has to close temporarily, we also extend support to the stallholder, including through rental rebates,” they added.

Regarding Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, NEA stated that the stall is registered under Mrs Noorman and that Mr Noorman is currently not listed as a stallholder or stall assistant.

NEA explained that their appointed operator for Yishun Park Hawker Centre, Timbre+ Hawkers, had observed that Mrs Noorman had not been operating the stall personally. Therefore, Timbre+ Hawkers reached out to her to “explore appointing a joint operator or stall nominee”.

However, the couple declined.

NEA reiterated that these options remain open to them.

“NEA and our appointed operators are committed to safeguarding our hawker culture and supporting our hawkers,” they said.

Also read: Hawkers will be allowed to hire long-term visit pass holders as assistants from 1 Jan

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Featured image adapted from @Noorman Mubarak on Facebook and Google Maps.