A 68-year-old fish seller at a Clementi wet market was fined S$2,000 after she was found to have harassed a pork stall owner by telling a customer to buy pork from another stall. The woman, identified as Xu Zhenji (transliteration), was operating a fish stall at Block 448 Clementi Avenue 3 when the incidents happened. She faced three charges under the Protection from Harassment Act and pleaded guilty to one charge, while the remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. She was fined on 18 September 2026 and was allowed to pay the fine by instalments.
Dispute Started Over Shared Stall Space
The dispute between Xu and the pork stall owner reportedly began in 2024 over the use of shared spaces around their stalls.
Following the disagreement, Xu repeatedly made remarks about the pork stall that could be heard by customers who were intending to buy from the stall owner. The pork stall owner later applied for an expedited order to stop Xu from making insulting remarks about his stall in front of his customers.
The court granted the expedited order on 8 August 2024. A Personal Protection Order (PPO) was later granted to the pork stall owner on 24 February 2025, and Xu was ordered to pay S$2,000 in costs to him.
Told Customer Neighbouring Stall Was Better
Despite the protection order, Xu was accused of continuing to make remarks about the pork stall.
On 18 November 2025, Xu saw a female customer standing at the pork stall and told her that the pork sold at the neighbouring stall was better. She then suggested that the customer buy from that stall instead. The pork stall owner said he felt the remarks affected his business and amounted to harassment. Xu was also accused of making remarks on 12 January 2025 and 25 February 2026 that the pork stall was selling frozen pork rather than fresh pork. These incidents were considered breaches of the protection order. Xu had previously told the court that she did not fight with the stall owner or damage any property, and that she had only said the pork sold there was frozen.
Stall Assistant Said Conflict Had Stopped
According to Shin Min Daily News, a visit to the pork stall found a CCTV camera installed outside the stall.
An assistant at the stall said both stalls had operated at the location for around six or seven years and had initially coexisted peacefully.
The assistant said the two businesses were not direct competitors, as one sold meat while the other sold fish. The assistant also claimed that Xu had repeatedly told customers that the pork stall was selling frozen meat at fresh pork prices. When approached for comment, Xu declined to discuss the case and said she respected the court’s decision.
