Dozens of Sungei Road market vendors accept government help

SINGAPORE — With two months left till the closure of Sungei Road flea market, 44 vendors have accepted the various assistance options — including employment and financial help, and facilitation of applications for hawker stalls — offered by the authorities.

So far, 23 vendors have applied for hawker stalls, of which 20 have been allocated lock-up stalls at Chinatown Market, North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre, or Upper Cross Street Market.

There are about 200 vendors at the market. Apart from those who have accepted assistance, 70 vendors indicated that they did not need any help, for reasons such as being able to support themselves or find other jobs on their own. 

In a joint press release issued on Friday (May 12) by seven government agencies — including the Ministry of National Development, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) — the authorities said officers had engaged the vendors at the market over four days last month. They then followed up on the various aid schemes that the vendors were interested in via phone calls and house visits. 

Among those who have secured a hawker store, one vendor — who was not identified in the press release — will pay monthly rent of S$200 for a stall at North Bridge Road Market and Food Centre.  

“Although hawker stalls are in high demand in Singapore and are at near full occupancy, we have set aside more than 30 stalls that Sungei Road Hawking Zone users can apply for,” said Ms Adeline Leong, director of NEA’s Food and Environment Hygiene Department. 

Singapore’s oldest and largest flea market, which has been dubbed the Thieves’ Market, can trace it roots back to the 1930s.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, 31 rag-and-bone men were given permits to hawk their wares at the market — located between Jalan Besar and Rochor Canal Road — when the Government carried out a massive programme to resettle street hawkers into purpose-built markets and hawker centres with proper amenities. Of these 31, only 11 permit-holders remain.

In February, the Government announced that the site would be set aside for ground preparation works for future residential development use, and the original permit-holders trading would be invited to set up shop at Golden Mile Food Centre and Chinatown Market.

Speaking in Parliament last month, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said that five of the remaining permit-holders had expressed interest in relocating to hawker centres in the city area. They were offered a waiver of rental in the first year and a 50-per-cent rebate off subsidised rent in the second year.

Apart from the stalls that have been set aside, the vendors can secure stalls through NEA’s monthly tender. The Housing and Development Board will also be putting up five retail shops for bidding next month, and 20 void deck kiosks — meant to be used as mini-marts or convenience stores — for bidding in the next three months.

About 20 vendors are keen on selling their wares at temporary flea markets, and the NEA has identified seven locations near their homes. Already, three vendors have set up booths at these flea markets. In terms of employment assistance from WSG, 41 vendors have taken up the option, and three of them have been given job placement support so far. 

Fifteen vendors have been granted financial assistance through ComCare, and the MSF is partnering the Central Singapore Community Development Council to refer vendors who might need more help to other assistance schemes.

On those who have declined any help, Ms Leong said the authorities “will continue to keep in touch with them, and help them with the various assistance options should they wish to apply for them”. 

The impending closure of the market made the headlines recently when threatening letters and hell notes were sent to Government leaders last month.

A copy of the letter, which expressed anger over the decision to close the market after its last day of operation on July 10, was also sent to a TODAY reporter. Two suspects — an 18-year-old girl and a 53-year-old man — have been arrested and police investigations are ongoing.