FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS (Extension of business onto pavements)

Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for the Environment whether the prohibition by his Ministry of a food establishment in a Housing and Development Board estate from extending business on to the five-foot way and the warning given to the proprietor of the risk of being prosecuted if the notice is ignored will apply to all food establishments in Singapore or only to those in HDB estates.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment (Mr Chor Yeok Eng) (for the Minister for the Environment): ( In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the prohibition against extending business on to the five-foot way applies to all food establishments in Singapore.

Serving food on the five-foot way or other open areas will cause public health problems. For example, littering of food scraps on the five-foot way causes breeding of flies and rats, and water pollution.

In recent years, in order to maintain a high standard of hygiene, the Ministry of the Environment has been taking action to resite street hawkers into markets and food centres. We therefore cannot permit eating houses to extend their businesses on to five-foot ways.

Furthermore, serving of food in the open causes obstruction and inconvenience to passers-by.

Mr Ho See Beng (Khe Bong): Sir, if the food establishment extends its business outside its premises but not on to the five-foot way, will the Ministry still object to it?

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): Yes.

Mr Ho See Beng: Sir, is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are food establishments in Orchard Road which extend their business outside their premises? Could he tell us why these food establishments have not been issued with warning notices?

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): Sir, this depends on whether the place belongs to the public or to private establishments.

Mr Ho See Beng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I thought the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said in his reply that any food establishment which extends its business outside its premises will be warned. Now he says it depends on whether it is a private or a public establishment. I know that MacDonald's hamburger restaurant is carrying on business outside its premises, and that empty space is a public place. Why is it that no action has been taken against them?

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): Sir, at present, the most that we could do is to give warnings. But, in future, when we take appropriate action against them, we will take all these complaints into consideration.

Mr Ho See Beng: ( In Mandarin): Sir, I am asking whether the Ministry has issued warning notices to them.

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): I do not have the information with me, and so I cannot say whether we have issued them with warning notices. But when we implement our regulations, of course, they will come to our notice.

Mr Ho See Beng: ( In Mandarin): I would like to ask whether he is aware that they are doing business there in a public place?

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): Whether or not they are doing business there, our staff will have to carry out an investigation. We cannot just issue notices to all and sundry.

Mr Ho See Beng: They are doing business under the nose of the Ministry!

Mr Chor Yeok Eng: ( In Mandarin): Sir, I have already told the Member that we will be paying attention to all these complaints and take any appropriate action under the relevant regulations, when necessary.