Over the last couple of months, a wave of opinions has emerged over the uniquely Singaporean culture of chope-ing. You know, the act of reserving seats and tables at food courts by tossing various small paraphernalia — tissue paper packets, umbrellas, business cards, dignity — onto spots that you’ve waited long for.
Custom it may be, but the national habit received some serious scrutiny following the viral case of a couple who verbally and physically abused an elderly man over a chope-ed table. The incident sparked a debate that unfolded mainly on The Straits Times’ forum section, where contributors sent in arguments for and against the continued existence of chope-ing. One particularly hardline individual even suggested imposing thousand-dollar fines on greedy folks who chope more seats than what they actually need.
Anyway, it seems the director of the National Environment Agency’s Hawker Centers Division has heard the outcry loud and clear. In a letter published on ST Forum (where else could it be), Ivy Ong assured that they don’t have any plans to install restrictions or enforce any measures against chope-loving patrons; but they strongly encourage the sharing of tables nonetheless.
They’ve even introduced a set of “house rules” at two hawker centers — Our Tampines Hub and Tiong Bahru Market — with prominent notices that discourage chope-ing. Again, no enforcing of rules here, just regular old visual reminders.
“We will continue to encourage patrons at these hawker centers to observe these house rules, and extend the same messages to our other hawker centers where possible,” she wrote.
In other words, chope-ing’s not outlawed. Yet.
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