A Singapore mother says a stranger on an MRT train tried to feed her 17-month-old son a half-eaten pau without asking her first.
The incident happened on the night of 11 September while 30-year-old Yanti was travelling with her children from Jurong East to Bukit Gombak. She later posted a video about the encounter on TikTok on 12 September.
According to Yanti, the man sat on the floor beside her son’s pram and began eating a bun.
Things took an unexpected turn when she looked back towards her toddler.
Mum Says Pau Was Already Near Her Son’s Mouth
Yanti said she had been speaking to her other son, who was sitting beside her, when she briefly looked away from the 17-month-old.
When she turned back, she said the man’s pau was already close to the toddler’s mouth and her son appeared ready to take a bite.
She immediately shouted and pulled the child away.
The video shared online was recorded after the alleged attempt. It shows the man sitting on the train floor near the child’s pram while holding and eating the bun. It does not show the moment when he allegedly offered the food to the toddler.
Yanti said the man appeared surprised by her reaction and subsequently shook his head.
She then turned the pram away from him and repeatedly told her son not to take the food.
She Was Concerned About Hygiene and Whether the Food Was Halal
Besides not wanting a stranger to feed her child without permission, Yanti said she was concerned that the pau had already been partially eaten.
She also did not know what was inside it or whether it was halal. Yanti told Mothership that her family is Muslim and that she is careful about what her children eat.
She said she generally has no problem with strangers being friendly or affectionate towards her children, but felt that giving a child unknown food without first obtaining a parent’s consent crossed a boundary.
Yanti did not confront the man as her family was already nearing their stop. She also told Mothership that she did not report the incident to SMRT or station staff.
Eating on MRT Trains Is Also Prohibited
Separate from the mother’s concerns about her child, eating on an MRT train is itself prohibited.
Regulation 14 of Singapore’s Rapid Transit Systems Regulations states that a person must not consume or attempt to consume food or drinks on railway premises, except in places specifically designated for that purpose.
The regulations list a maximum penalty of S$500 for consuming food or drinks on railway premises.
