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May 19, 2026

KF Seetoh urges PM Wong to save Singapore hawker culture beyond words amid hawker struggles

Singapore hawker culture advocate KF Seetoh urged Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong to take stronger action to preserve Singapore’s hawker culture, arguing that current support relies too much on branding and rhetoric instead of meaningful policy reform. In a Facebook post, Seetoh questioned whether the government fully understood the pressures faced by hawkers struggling with rising costs and restrictive management rules. His comments followed a video on Wong’s YouTube channel featuring veteran hawker Roger Wong Hien Lai of Lai Xing Prawn Noodle at Marsiling Lane Food Centre. The article noted that Roger had previously studied Maritime at SP and worked for Maersk Line before returning to take over the family hawker business after his mother suffered a serious injury. The article also highlighted concerns about the future of hawker culture, with Roger’s daughter expressing fears that traditional hawker centres and markets could eventually disappear amid changing lifestyles and modern retail developments.

[The Online Citizen]
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