Inspections on Licensed Caterers Providing Food for Migrant Workers

15 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has carried out inspections on licensed caterers providing food for migrant workers to ensure that food is prepared within four hours of the workers' lunch and dinner times; (b) if not, whether SFA will consider carrying out such inspections; and (c) if yes, how many inspections are carried out in 2023 and 2024.

The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Koh Poh Koon) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Sir, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) conducts inspections on all licensed food caterers to ensure adherence to food safety requirements. As part of inspections, SFA will ensure that all catered food bear a timestamp that indicates the date and time by which the food should be consumed. From January 2023 to September 2024, SFA has conducted around 3,600 inspections on licensed food caterers.

Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I just want to ask this. I think we know that many of the workers have their lunch at about noon. That means the food can be prepared, the earliest time is 8.00 am. But we also know that by 8.00 am, many of these workers are already at the worksite or on the way to the worksite. This is not even counting the time it takes to deliver the food. By working backwards, we will know that the reality on the ground is that many workers are every day eating food beyond this four-hour rule that we have. Could I ask whether SFA can look into this and address this problem on the ground?

Dr Koh Poh Koon: Thank you, Sir. I understand the Member's concern. But I think what he is describing is a problem more of logistics and arrangements between perhaps the company and the deployment of workers. It is not really an issue of when the food is prepared or when the caterer delivers the food. But it is the coordination between the timing of when the food needs to be consumed, which is between the operator on the ground and the workers or the company. So, it is something that the company needs to communicate to the caterer about, on when they want the food delivered. Otherwise, the kitchen would not know when the worker is going to consume the food. They will just deliver the food as ordered.

So, it is more of a coordination issue, not something that can be easily solved with a particular policy per se, because there are different archetypes of worksites, different company lunch timings and different staggered shifts for workers to eat. There are so many combinations. It is important that companies on the ground, for the welfare of the workers, communicate with the caterer on when they want the food delivered so that it will be consumed in a timely manner.

But if there are specific instances of worksites or workers who feel that the arrangement has been inadequate, they could approach our Assurance, Care and Engagement, or ACE, officers so that we can perhaps facilitate the conversation, and more coordination can be done between the provider and the consumer.

Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Ng. Last supplementary question.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Just one last point. This is a rule from SFA that the food should be consumed within four hours. In fact, I know that many of the food is actually prepared at about 4.00 am. So, by the time it is delivered and when the workers are on the lorry, actually the food has already passed the four-hour mark. So, it is our rule and I am just wondering whether SFA can now work with MOM to make sure that this rule is actually enforced.

Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, I think it will be far better if there are specific examples of such occurrences to raise to our attention so that we can take a more targeted approach, because I cannot imagine that this is pervasive across all worksites. To minimise the effort that is needed and to be more targeted, it will be better if non-government organisations or perhaps particular worker groups that have such concerns, raise it so that we can take up the conversations with the particular stakeholders and coordinate the actions better.