Singapore’s iconic street food is well-known the world over, cited by no less a figure than US president Barack Obama during Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s recent visit to Washington.

But behind the scenes, many people don’t see the sweat and toil that goes into making that delicious plate of chicken rice or char kway teow. Hawkers often have to spend long hours preparing and cooking their food in tough working conditions.

That is why Tiger Beer is continuing its Uncage Street Food Movement by inviting Singaporeans to celebrate and preserve the island city’s unique street food culture, and express their appreciation for the tireless hawkers who make it all possible.

On Wednesday (Sep 14), diners at two Bukit Panjang coffeeshops were treated to a free dinner by the local beer brand. Residents were given $5 meal vouchers which they could then use on that evening to buy a meal from any stall at Kim San Leng Food Court or Zheng Chun Yuan, at Block 259 Bukit Panjang Ring Road.

Mr Lim Wei Ren, 21, told AsiaOne that he was pleasantly surprised when he received the vouchers as he had not heard about the initiative beforehand.

“I’m very happy because my meal is paid,” he said laughing. “But more seriously, I think the campaign is a meaningful one as it focuses on street food and spreads awareness about the difficulties hawkers face.”

The undergraduate, who counts carrot cake as his favourite local dish, said hawkers are still important and valuable in Singapore.

“I eat street food quite often. Living costs in Singapore can be quite high, so the reasonable prices for hawker food definitely helps Singaporeans and students like me,” he pointed out.

Another patron at the coffeeshop was Ms Sabrina Tan, 35. She lives in the block just above the two coffeeshops, and had heard from her mother that Tiger Beer was giving out food vouchers.

“I think it is a very nice gesture. Being a hawker is tough, and the uncles and aunties work so hard every day so it is great that they are being recognised in this campaign,” she said.

Speaking to AsiaOne while waiting for her takeaway food from the zi char stall, the finance manager said she enjoyed hawker food for its authentic taste.

“It’s like comfort food. Nowadays there are so many restaurants and cafes around, but I still prefer going back to places like this because this is the closest we get to home-cooked food,” she said.

Since the vouchers could be used for takeaway food as well, Tiger Beer provided the stall owners with items such as takeaway paper and boxes to help ease their workflow.

Mr Andy Hoon, 36, CEO of Kim San Leng, said that street food in Singapore has a long history and proud tradition.

Mr Hoon has been in the food and beverage business for 16 years, following in the footsteps of his father, Mr Hoon Thing Leong, who founded the Kim San Leng chain of food centres in Singapore.

However, he has observed that there are fewer and fewer next-generation hawkers taking over the business from their parents.

“Singapore is a young country, but our food is undoubtedly something that we are all proud of. I really hope the tradition of tasty, reasonably-priced street food in Singapore is something that we will be able to hold on to in the future,” he said.

This initiative is the first of four weekly giveaways where diners can enjoy a free dinner on Tiger Beer. Upcoming events will be held at select coffeeshops around Singapore which will be announced on Tiger Beer’s Facebook page.

Singaporeans are encouraged to play their part by snapping photos of their favourite street food experiences and sharing it on their social media platforms with ‘thank you’ messages using the movement’s hashtag: #uncagestreetfood.

Singaporeans can also contribute to the Tiger Beer Street Food Support Fund, in which part of the profits from purchases of Tiger Beer will be channeled to Singapore’s hawkers.

The local brew is launching the support fund for the first time as a way of encouraging aspiring hawkers to join the profession, and preserve Singapore’s street food heritage. It is open to hawkers who have set up a cooked food stall in a hawker centre or coffeeshop within the last three months, or are thinking about entering the trade for the first time.

The new hawkers will receive up to $10,000 in funding via reimbursements, which can be used to offset any business costs except rentals. Up to 30 eligible applicants will be selected.

Applications run till Nov 15, and the recipients will be announced in January next year.

This story is part of a collaboration between AsiaOne and Tiger Beer’s #uncagestreetfood movement.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

spanaech@sph.com.sg

A man who pushed his girlfriend’s one-year-old son off a bed with so much force that the baby broke his skull was yesterday sentenced to 61/2 years’ jail and six strokes of the cane.

The infant had bleeding in his brain but miraculously survived the ordeal on March 25 last year – after emergency surgery. Now aged three, the boy is in foster care and undergoing rehabilitative therapy.

His tormentor, Franklie Tan Guang Wei, 26, pleaded guilty earlier this month to one charge of causing grievous hurt and three out of four charges of ill-treating a child.

District Judge Hamidah Ibrahim said a deterrent sentence was needed to signal society’s disapproval and reprobation of Tan’s conduct.

“The most glaring and obvious aggravating factor is the fact that these acts of abuse were committed against a defenceless and vulnerable child… His only crime was the fact that he cried, a natural thing for him to do at his age, and could not be consoled, which (Tan) found frustrating,” she said.

The boy was born in mid-2013, after his father lost contact with his mother, who is now 25. In August 2014, she got into a relationship with Tan, who did odd jobs and last worked at a mobile phone shop. The next month, the infant’s behaviour changed.

“(He) appeared to be fearful of males and started having nightmares in his sleep,” Assistant Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok said.

Two nannies who looked after him also found bruises on his body.

“When (the mother) was questioned, she denied that (he) had been abused and claimed that there were ‘spirits’ in the flat,” Mr Kok added.

In November 2014, the mother got pregnant with Tan’s child and moved in with Tan and his mother.

On Nov 8, the baby’s cries woke the couple. Tan slapped him once, leaving finger marks on his cheek and bruising near his ear.

Three days after the incident, a nanny took photos of the bruises and swelling. She made a police report about the injuries on Nov 19 and the Child Protective Service was informed. The baby was then put under the nannies’ care, and the mother and Tan were allowed only weekly supervised access. Tan’s grandparents later took over from the nannies in taking care of the baby in February last year, with the couple granted supervised access again.

But on March 8 last year, Tan’s grandfather left the infant at Tan’s flat. That night, frustrated with his cries, Tan threw the baby at his mother, who was about 2m away. The infant fell against her body.

Later, Tan and the mother were allowed to spend the nights with him. But on the morning of March 25, angered by the baby’s cries, Tan hit his buttocks twice, causing a bruise.

After the mother went to work, leaving the infant alone with Tan, the baby vomited on the bed. Angry, Tan forcefully pushed him off the bed with his right arm.

The infant landed face-up on the floor about 2m away and vomited. Tan took him to the toilet to shower but did not check the water temperature first, scalding his upper back.

Later, Tan noticed that the baby was in a daze and semi-conscious. He was also vomiting repeatedly. Tan told the mother, who went home to find the infant weak and very pale. They took him to hospital.

The mother has been charged with two counts of permitting Tan to ill-treat the baby. Her trial is scheduled to begin next Monday.

Defence lawyer Gino Hardial Singh submitted a psychiatric report that said Tan has persistent depressive disorder, poor emotion regulation and low intelligence.

Tan could have been jailed for up to 10 years, fined and caned for causing grievous hurt. For child abuse, he could have been fined $4,000 and jailed for four years per charge.

amirh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 20, 2016.
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