Ong Ye Kung Celebrates Opening of New Hawker Centre, Says ‘Sembawang Is Now Part of the Story’

SINGAPORE — Health Minister Ong Ye Kung expressed his excitement over the opening of the Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre in Sembawang over the weekend, marking the first hawker centre in the area in 30 years. The centre officially opened on Dec 17 after a three-year delay caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Hawker centres are an institution in Singapore. They are part of our heritage and our future. I am really happy that Sembawang is now part of the story,” Mr. Ong, who has represented the Sembawang Central division of Sembawang GRC since 2015, wrote in a Facebook post.

Ong was joined by fellow Sembawang MPs Vikram Nair, Lim Wee Kiak, Poh Li San, and Mariam Jaafar at the opening. To mark the occasion, Ong shared, they “had to ‘tarik’ a hot flask of coffee” together.

Mr. Ong highlighted the diverse food offerings at the new hawker centre, which range from traditional hawker fare to international dishes, including Korean, Mexican, and Middle Eastern cuisines. He also praised the design of the centre, calling it “green and airy,” and noted that it is “one of the most pleasant hawker centre environments I have experienced.”

He also met several young hawker entrepreneurs, many of whom are starting out in the industry for the first time. The Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre also includes new features, such as calorie counts on menus and an electronic system for donating meals to less fortunate members of the community, Ong shared.

However, the new hawker centre has drawn attention for the high cost of biodegradable takeaway containers, which hawkers are required to use. According to Shin Min Daily News, some customers have walked away after learning that the additional charge for takeaway containers could be as high as $0.80, with vendors charging between $0.20 and $0.80.

Despite this, comments on Mr. Ong’s post were generally positive, with many netizens praising the new hawker centre and its offerings, though a few also provided helpful suggestions for improvement.

/TISG