Stallholder cleans tables with ‘broom’ at Yuhua Hawker Centre, clarifies that it was a new brush

Stallholder apologises for using brush that looks like broom to clean tables at Yuhua Hawker Centre

A stallholder was criticised by some netizens when he was seen cleaning tables and stools with a “broom” at Yuhua Place Market and Hawker Centre.

In a video posted in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on 15 Feb, he vigorously rubbed the bristles of the implement across a table.

Man seen using “broom” to wipe tables at Yuhua Hawker Centre

The man, who was not wearing a uniform, ran the long-handled tool across the table.

He then proceeded to do the same thing to the stools next to the table.

In another video, he wiped the “broom” across the top of another table.

He was also seen in front of a cai fan stall with a broom on the floor next to him, but it was unclear whether it was the same one that he had used.

The original poster (OP) said he recorded the videos at Block 347 Jurong East Ave 1 — the address of Yuhua Place Market and Hawker Centre.

Some netizens criticise him, others see no issue

Netizens’ reactions were mixed, with some saying that brooms were for cleaning the floor, and he should be using a cloth to wipes tables.

However, others did not see an issue as long as he did not use the same broom to clean the floors. Some pointed out that the video did not show him using it to clean the floor.

A few users cited a recent incident where a cleaner was seen using a broom to sweep the bread display shelves at a BreadTalk outlet, with one quipping that he had attended the “same cleaning class”.

‘Broom’ was actually brush bought to clean tables: Yuhua stallholder

In response to queries from 8world News, Yuhua Constituency Street 31 Shop-Proprietors & Hawkers Association chairperson Karney Ngai Ching Kwan confirmed what happened in the video, but said that the man does not work for the centre’s cleaning contractor.

He is in fact a stallholder named Yang Chaochao (transliterated from Mandarin) who runs a cai fan stall with his sister and brother-in-law.

When the association arranged for Mr Yang to clarify matters on Monday (16 Feb), he said that the “broom” seen in the video was actually a long-handled brush that he had just bought.

He had wanted to use it to clear hard-to-remove bird droppings and food scraps, but had purchased the wrong kind of brush.

After cleaning the table with the brush, he had wiped it with a cloth, he added.

He also apologised and admitted that it was inappropriate to use such a brush to clean tables, and he would never do it again.

His sister expressed concern to 8world that the person who recorded the video had posted the footage online without understanding the full picture first — an act that may damage the reputation of their stall and the hawker centre, she said.

NEA advises vendor not to use broom to clean tables

The National Environment Agency (NEA) told the broadcaster in response to queries that it was aware of the video and had contacted the vendor.

The vendor told NEA that he had cleaned the tables and stools “out of goodwill” because he had noticed that they were dirty.

NEA advised him not to use a broom to do so in future, and informed the association to arrange for the affected tables to be cleaned by the cleaning contractor.

Also read: Cleaner uses broom on bread shelves at Eastpoint Mall BreadTalk, netizens horrified

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Featured image adapted from GenuineNectarine4826 via Complaint Singapore on Facebook.