Stomper claims neighbour is using helper to assist with food stall, MOM responds
A Geylang resident has raised concerns after allegedly seeing a domestic helper being used to prepare food for her employer's hawker stall.
Stomper D told Stomp that his neighbour owns a stall at a hawker centre. He alleged that the helper has been assisting with food preparation at the home for years.
He shared videos recorded about two months apart showing the helper handling and arranging crates of bananas along the common corridor outside the unit. He also shared photos taken recently that appear to show the helper transporting prepared food from the flat to the stall.
"She puts the prepared food into black plastic bags and moves them using a shopping trolley as a disguise," said the Stomper. "You can see the prepared food in the trolley basket."
He alleged that large crates of fruits regularly occupy the common corridor, reducing the available walkway to less than the required 1.2m width.
He believes this situation violates multiple regulations, including using domestic helpers for business work, food safety regulations and keeping the common corridor clear for safety.
"She already has to handle household chores and take care of a child," the Stomper said. "On top of that, she has to carry heavy crates of fruits, prepare food and even deliver it to the stall every other day.
"This has been going on for years."
According to MOM's website, migrant domestic workers must not work for their employer's business and must only perform household chores at the employer's residential address.
The Stomper said he previously reported the matter but claimed that the helper has continued to be deployed in a more 'discreet' manner after the report.
"I'm not sure what penalty was given, but it's obvious that it's not working," he added.
"This isn't about neighbour disputes. It's about some hawkers misusing the system and taking advantage of domestic helpers in a way that's very difficult to catch."
In response to a Stomp query, MOM said it has investigated the case.
"The migrant domestic worker in the footage was seen to be arranging some goods left at the common area outside her employer's residence," a spokesperson said.
"However, the claims that she was working for her employer's business were not established."
The ministry added that it has reached out to the complainant to clarify the situation.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) told Stomp it had inspected the food establishment and did not detect any food safety lapses.
"Additionally, it was verified that the food operator's domestic helper helped to sort fruits to be delivered to the food establishment," SFA said.
"Food preparation was then done at the food establishment by the operator."
Click through the gallery for more photos.
