Committee of Supply 2024 debate, Day 4: Mariam Jaafar on sustaining Singapore's hawker culture
Singapore’s hawker culture is a “national treasure”, providing affordable and well-loved hawker fare, said MP Mariam Jaafar. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Mar 4), she pointed out that with an ageing population, rising costs and manpower shortages, there have been concerns over its sustainability. She noted that the National Environment Agency has implemented programmes and initiatives to support and encourage companies to join the trade, but anecdotally, the failure rate of new stalls has been quite high. Many young hawkerpreneurs serve more “atas” fare such as gourmet pasta and gourmet burgers that caters to the tastes of the more affluent, she added. She wanted to know what more the Government can do to ensure that the hawker trade can attract and retain Singaporeans while ensuring good low-cost options are available.
Singapore’s hawker culture is a “national treasure”, providing affordable and well-loved hawker fare, said MP Mariam Jaafar. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Mar 4), she pointed out that with an ageing population, rising costs and manpower shortages, there have been concerns over its sustainability. She noted that the National Environment Agency has implemented programmes and initiatives to support and encourage companies to join the trade, but anecdotally, the failure rate of new stalls has been quite high. Many young hawkerpreneurs serve more “atas” fare such as gourmet pasta and gourmet burgers that caters to the tastes of the more affluent, she added. She wanted to know what more the Government can do to ensure that the hawker trade can attract and retain Singaporeans while ensuring good low-cost options are available.
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