The real motive behind Return Your Tray movement.

[MyMother]

The "return your tray" campaign deserves a closer look. On the surface, it’s presented as an effort to promote social responsibility, cleanliness, and efficiency. But when you dig deeper, the justifications don’t entirely hold up.

For years, elderly Singaporeans have been a familiar sight in hawker centers and food courts, clearing trays and cleaning tables. While some argue they take on these jobs by choice, others question why they’re left with such labor-intensive work, often for a pittance.

Just months before this campaign gained momentum, videos by tourists surfaced on social media, highlighting the stark contrast between Singapore’s elderly workers and retirees in other countries.

While our seniors are slogging away in their twilight years, seniors in China are enjoying retirement, 广场舞, and being cared for by the state. This attention doesn’t paint a flattering picture of Singapore, especially given its reputation as a global city.

Instead of addressing why our elderly are in this situation, unable to retire and neglected by the state. The solution seems to be rolling out a tray-returning initiative.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The timing raises questions about whether this campaign is really about fostering community spirit or simply managing Singapore’s image as a tourist destination.

What’s especially telling is the lack of parallel efforts to address the root causes of elderly poverty. If the real goal were to uplift the community, wouldn’t there be initiatives to improve retirement adequacy or provide meaningful support to seniors? Instead, the focus is on patron behavior, conveniently sidelining the systemic issues that keep elderly Singaporeans in such precarious positions.

It’s easy to dismiss this as a minor change, but the implications go far beyond trays.

 

[MyMother]

Meanwhile what we see are Singaporeans, particularly HWZ's mouth breathers whining about the need to clear their own trays when they already paid for food like it's huge personal sacrifice.

These are the same people who can't be bothered to think deeper about real issues behind the tray movement.

Instead of questioning why elderly Singaporeans are still clearing tables, they complain about the inconvenience of it, completely missing the point.

It's as though the only thing that matter to them is how it affects their personal comfort, never mind the broader societal implications.

This shallow mentality is exactly what keeps us stuck in a cycle of apathy, where real problems are ignored and brushed aside in favor of self serving complaints.

 

[bobby]

Next thing you know….tissues cannot be sold without a licence or permit

 

[MyMother]

Next thing you know….tissues cannot be sold without a licence or permit

If the elderly cleaners made redundant by this policy are not selling tissue paper by now, they should start going to prominent tourist hawker centres like Maxwell and Newton to ply their trade in another way.

After all, they were treated like invisible labor, why not give them a different kind of presence.

 

[k1976]

The "return your tray" campaign deserves a closer look. On the surface, it’s presented as an effort to promote social responsibility, cleanliness, and efficiency. But when you dig deeper, the justifications don’t entirely hold up.

For years, elderly Singaporeans have been a familiar sight in hawker centers and food courts, clearing trays and cleaning tables. While some argue they take on these jobs by choice, others question why they’re left with such labor-intensive work, often for a pittance.

Just months before this campaign gained momentum, videos by tourists surfaced on social media, highlighting the stark contrast between Singapore’s elderly workers and retirees in other countries.

While our seniors are slogging away in their twilight years, seniors in China are enjoying retirement, 广场舞, and being cared for by the state. This attention doesn’t paint a flattering picture of Singapore, especially given its reputation as a global city.

Instead of addressing why our elderly are in this situation, unable to retire and neglected by the state. The solution seems to be rolling out a tray-returning initiative.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The timing raises questions about whether this campaign is really about fostering community spirit or simply managing Singapore’s image as a tourist destination.

What’s especially telling is the lack of parallel efforts to address the root causes of elderly poverty. If the real goal were to uplift the community, wouldn’t there be initiatives to improve retirement adequacy or provide meaningful support to seniors? Instead, the focus is on patron behavior, conveniently sidelining the systemic issues that keep elderly Singaporeans in such precarious positions.

It’s easy to dismiss this as a minor change, but the implications go far beyond trays.

No point as old folks like us seldom get any investment even in our companies

The management rather invest in young upright good prospects people as they feel more secure

 

[Truthspeak]

Once you understand the meaning of government, you should able to tell whatever nonsense they throw at you.

The problem is most sheeple think this non-profit organisation was set up to serve the wellbeing of the common man.

 

[k1976]

Once you understand the meaning of government, you should able to tell whatever nonsense they throw at you.

View attachment 212208


The problem is most sheeple think this non-profit organisation was set up to serve the wellbeing of the common man.

They have specialised national team all over internets and mass media

 

[laksaboy]

Out of sight, out of mind.

Exactly the same for shoving SimplyGo down most public transport commuters' throats. After numerous fare 'revisions' or 'adjustments', it's better to not see the fares being deducted. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[laksaboy]

My original stance is this: a hawker centre is not an army camp cookhouse, a prison cookhouse or a school canteen. There is no reason to enforce 'social responsibility'.

But a totalitarian regime will do whatever it pleases. Look at the Turf Club, that bit of equestrian heritage inherited from the Brits, snuffed out to make room to build more crap.

 

[tobelightlight]

That time i was having my meal at a coffeeshop. I was finishing my meal and intend to return the tray and plate. I saw a male table cleaner or clearer near my table doing nothing and i passed the tray to him for him to clear instead of me going the way to the tray station.

The cleaner/clearer then signal me or direct me to to the tray station implying me to return the tray myself. So i put the tray on the table and walk out. He kept looking at me after that. Then keep looking, the tray and plates are still on the table.


Whether the return tray policy work or not, it is up to the people who decide to comply to it or not. ( even using fine as a fear tactic) If you do not like the tray return policy, then leave the fucking tray on the table and walk out. Do not comply to it at all and the policy will lose its power.

Have sinkies not learn from the pandemic yet? If you dun comply to the vaccine mandate, the mandate will lose its power, and you will be kept alive for standing up for yourself. ( even though, you will lose your job, cannot travel and lose access to malls and restaurants.)

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Dun care about what broader implications about the movement.
Whatever the fuck pap wants to push or implement just do the opposite. Won’t go wrong there.
Do not return tray. Treat it as a form of civil disobedience.

 

[bobby]

What a load of crap….this is what you get when you donch dare vote in opposition and give the gahmen complete mandate to do what they want

The tray return law in Singapore has been discussed in parliament in the form of oral replies to parliamentary questions. Dr. Amy Khor, the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, has responded to questions about the tray and crockery return rate (TCRR).


The tray return law in Singapore is intended to promote good hygiene and social responsibility. The law requires diners to return their used trays and crockery at hawker centers, coffeeshops, and food courts. The law has been in place since September 1, 2021 for hawker centers and January 1, 2022 for coffeeshops and food courts.


The law's enforcement includes:

• Written warnings: First-time offenders are issued a written warning.
  
• Fines: Repeat offenders are issued fines or charged in court. The composition fine for second-time offenders is $300, and the first conviction court fine can be up to $2,000.
  
• Exemptions: Enforcement action is not taken against people who are unable to return their trays due to frailty or physical disability. Cleaners will help clear trays for diners who are dining alone and have no assistance.

 

[tobelightlight]

The law's enforcement includes:

• Written warnings: First-time offenders are issued a written warning.
• Fines: Repeat offenders are issued fines or charged in court. The composition fine for second-time offenders is $300, and the first conviction court fine can be up to $2,000.
• Exemptions: Enforcement action is not taken against people who are unable to return their trays due to frailty or physical disability. Cleaners will help clear trays for diners who are dining alone and have no assistance.

I have been refusing to return tray a number of times and nothing happen to me, same as refusing to take the vaccine and nothing happen to me, even though i cannot get into the malls and restaurants.

 

[tobelightlight]

Have sinkies not learn from the pandemic yet? If you dun comply to the vaccine mandate, the mandate will lose its power, and you will be kept alive for standing up for yourself. ( even though, you will lose your job, cannot travel and lose access to malls and restaurants.)

 

[MyMother]

Dun care about what broader implications about the movement.
Whatever the fuck pap wants to push or implement just do the opposite. Won’t go wrong there.
Do not return tray. Treat it as a form of civil disobedience.

I get the frustration, and I can understand why you feel compelled to do the opposite of what the government pushes for, as a form of civil disobedience.

It’s one way to send a message, especially when everything seems to be designed to control behavior rather than genuinely solve problems.

But while that might feel like a form of resistance, I think it risks becoming a counterproductive gesture if it’s not paired with clear alternatives or demands.

Civil disobedience for the sake of it might feel empowering, but it can also get lost in the noise if people don’t see what the end goal is.