OF LATE, there seems to be an increase in illegal hawking of food near MRT stations and bus interchanges and in HDB town centres. From their accent and mannerisms, some of these hawkers appear to be from neighbouring countries.

In Serangoon Town Centre near the Marine Parade Town Council office building, there is a regular kueh seller who sits on a stool and plies her trade in the morning. An ice-cream seller comes around with a mobile ice-box all day long. There is also a foreigner selling bottled unprocessed honey some weekends.

Near the entrance of Serangoon MRT station leading to the bus interchange, there is a regular curry-puff seller during the early-morning rush hour, and a team of fruit sellers with a makeshift stall along the passageway in the evening. These fruit sellers cause much inconvenience to commuters as their stall blocks the common passageway.

The situation near the entrance of Aljunied MRT station is no better.

Students and housewives, oblivious to health hazards this hawker food may cause, form the bulk of customers. With the onset of hand, foot and mouth disease, the National Environment Agency should be proactive and act against these hawkers.

While the current increases in prices of basic necessities may be one reason why these people seek alternative livelihoods, we need to be on guard in case this leads to an outbreak of disease in our densely populated nation.

Christopher Teo

This story was first published in The Straits Times on May 10, 2008.