KF Seetoh questions Fei Siong SEHC’s 53-page lease, criticises fees, CCTV terms, and liability waiver

SINGAPORE: Veteran food critic and hawker culture advocate KF Seetoh has renewed his criticism of the Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) model. In a Facebook post on 12 September 2025, he highlighted the lease agreement of Fei Siong Social Enterprise, describing it as excessive, one-sided, and unfair to hawkers. According to Seetoh, the Fei Siong SEHC contract runs to 53 pages and is filled with covenants and legal phrasing. He summarised the document as “53 pages of hawker pays for everything and waive Fei Siong of anything whatsoever”.

Comparison with Timbre Group’s model

Seetoh acknowledged the agreement did not include terms he previously called “exploitative”, such as the Timbre Group model. That arrangement requires hawkers to pay 15% of a stall’s gross turnover, capped at S$2,550 or subject to a minimum base of S$1,750 for rental of the stall. However, he said Fei Siong’s terms were problematic in other ways.

Mandatory point-of-sale system

One clause allegedly obliges hawkers to use Fei Siong’s point-of-sale (POS) system. A screenshot shared by Seetoh showed a S$150 monthly fee for POS charges. He questioned the purpose of this system, arguing it primarily enabled operators to impose additional costs on tenants.

Concerns over hidden surveillance

Seetoh also criticised terms allowing landlords to install hidden cameras to compute or record gross sales receipts. He noted that hawkers would be required to pay for installation of these cameras. The agreement further reserves the landlord’s right to terminate a hawker’s tenancy at will, with decisions deemed final.

Fees and penalties questioned

In his post, Seetoh drew attention to a clause imposing an 8.5% charge for late payment. He likened the practice to that of “loan companies” rather than a socially-conscious initiative. Additionally, he highlighted compulsory S$3 meals, questioning why all patrons, regardless of income, should be entitled to them. Another screenshot shared by Seetoh showed a “No Liability on Landlord and Indemnity” clause. This stipulates that the landlord is not liable for costs, losses, damage, injury, or even death suffered by tenants. Seetoh said this effectively leaves hawkers bearing almost all risks, while landlords are shielded from liability.

Seetoh presses for overhaul of SEHC contracts amid rising disputes over fees, free meals, and surveillance

This latest post adds to Seetoh’s sustained critique of the SEHC framework. Last month, he raised concerns about free meal schemes, storage charges, and penalties at other centres. At Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, he cited clauses obliging hawkers to provide up to 60 free meals a month under two initiatives. He stressed that the use of the word “shall” made such clauses binding. Seetoh also revealed screenshots showing a S$70 monthly “Backyard Cluster” fee for storage. While Canopy Hawkers Group denied charging hawkers for basket use, Seetoh insisted only permanent cabinet storage should attract fees, not temporary arrangements.

Disputes with Timbre Group

At Yishun Park SEHC, operated by Timbre Group, Seetoh criticised the rental model and other costs. He alleged hawkers face gas prices up to 50% higher than at NEA-managed centres. Concerns were also raised over CCTV installations within stalls and penalties for alleged breaches. Timbre defended its system, stating the rent model shares risk, CCTV aids safety, and fines are imposed only after repeated warnings. Seetoh has urged the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to reform the SEHC framework. He proposed either an overhaul of existing contracts or the establishment of an independent body of experts and hawker representatives to design a fairer system. Without such reform, he warned, the burden on hawkers could undermine Singapore’s hawker culture.