If there’s one thing that all Singaporeans love, it’s food festivals.
But there’s usually one exception.
Food festivals held without a permit.
But that’s what happened last September at Wisma Geylang Serai.
An illegal “Geylang Serai Food Festival” was held back then.
Just yesterday (28 June), the man responsible for the bazaar was found guilty of illegally operating the fair.
He was fined $1,000.
30 Food Stalls Did Not Have Licenses
In a media release issued by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) yesterday (28 June), SFA shared that officers found that a man named Saifullizan Bin Shaik Osman had been illegally operating the fair on 9 September last year.
An inspection found that 30 food stalls did not have licenses.
“The fair had commenced operations on 7 September 2022 without a valid temporary fair permit,” SFA added.
The Mall Still Promoted the Bazaar
Back in September 2022, Wisma Geylang Serai promoted the bazaar on its Facebook page.
The post, which stated that the bazaar was originally supposed to run until 11 September 2023, revealed that the Geylang Serai Cultural Precinct and the Business Indonesia-Singapore Association were in support of the event.
It was also shared via social media that the organiser of the bazaar was Adex International.
Those Running Temporary Fairs Need to Obtain a Permit
In SFA’s media release, the authority also pointed out that the Environmental Public Health Act requires those running temporary fairs to obtain a permit for the entire duration of the fair.
“This allows SFA to ensure that fair operators have complied with measures to ensure food safety,” SFA explained.
Operators should submit their applications at least two weeks before the start of the fair.
Apart from that, food and beverage stalls at these fairs should also hold licenses from SFA.
Those operating these stalls should have passed the Food Safety Course Level 1.
“SFA will take enforcement action against temporary fair operators who do not adhere to regulations,” the agency warned.
First-time offenders may be fined up to $10,000, while repeat offenders may face a maximum fine of $20,000, a jail term of up to three months, or both.
Not the First Illegal Food Bazaar in Singapore
And it seems like it isn’t the first time an illegal food bazaar has been held in Singapore.
In April last year, a fair called Fiesta Ramadan 2022 was found to be held at E!Hub@Downtown East.
The fair’s organisers did not obtain a permit before the fair, which began on 9 April 2022.
When the authorities issued a warning to the organisers on 11 April to stop the fair, they continued to operate it until 12 April.
SFA ended up suspending the management company’s operations by the end of 12 April.
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