Wiping table not required but don't leave litter behind, says NEA after man argues with its officers

Diners are not required to wipe the tables after use, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) after a video of a man arguing with two NEA enforcement officers over cleaning his table went viral recently.

NEA added that litter should also not be left behind.

The 95-second video was posted by a TikTok user named khuranasahib_pb04 on Friday (Oct 13).

In the video, an unseen man can be heard asking: "You're saying to me if I dirty the table, I'm supposed to wipe the table?" 

An NEA enforcement officer replied: "Clean your table."

It then became an argument over the words "wipe" and "clean".

The TikTok user wrote in the caption: "Please tell me someone now it's my duty to wipe the table also as per your officer they told me to wipe table also."

@khuranasahib_pb04 Please tell me someone now its my duty to wipe the table also as per your officer they told me to wipe table also @National Environmental Agency#CapCut #fyp #singapore ♬ original sound - Pankaj

On Tuesday morning, NEA posted a statement on Facebook: "We are aware of a video circulating online between an NEA enforcement officer and a diner outside Tekka Market and Hawker Centre.

"The diner had been issued a warning for not clearing his glass and drink can when he left the table.

"While diners are not required to wipe the tables after use, we would like to remind diners that no one should leave behind any litter on or around the tables. These include tissues, wet wipes, drink cans, shells, and bones.

"We encourage diners to keep the table clean as a gesture of courtesy to the next diner."

The agency also shared a link to information about the Clean Tables Campaign.

Accidental spillage of drink or gravy on the table is not an offence.