‘It’s Hard Work Being a Hawker’ — WP’s Nicole Seah Highlights Rising Costs Faced by Hawkers

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party Youth Wing president Nicole Seah, who has been active in East Coast GRC for several years, expressed her appreciation for hawkers in a Facebook post on Saturday (Feb 18). She mentioned how visiting the Fengshan hawker centre “always feels like home” and shared her experience of engaging with the local community there.

Seah, along with WP leader Kenneth Foo and a team of volunteers, has visited the hawker centre at Block 85, Bedok North Street 4, three times in the past two weeks. During their visits, they interacted with residents and stallholders, with Seah noting how the atmosphere felt like a “Kampong” due to the warmth and welcoming nature of the people.

In her post, Seah highlighted the hard work that hawkers put in, often starting their day as early as 4-5 am to prepare for business. She also acknowledged the challenges hawkers face, particularly in dealing with the rising costs of raw materials while maintaining affordable prices for their customers.

The issue of rising hawker prices recently gained attention when a viral Reddit thread discussed the financial struggles hawkers face. One user, whose aunt runs a Cai Png stall, explained how the profit margins for food stalls have become extremely slim, with many struggling to make ends meet due to increasing rental and ingredient costs.

Seah’s reflections emphasized the dedication and resilience of hawkers, who continue to provide affordable food despite these challenges.