PUBLISHED ONSeptember 22, 2024 5:58 AMByCandice CaiUnhappy after talking to his boss allegedly over wages owed, a chicken rice stall employee took things into his own hands, at one point grabbing a chopper from the stall.
The incident which happened on Sept 20 at about 7.50pm involved two men, the cook and the co-owner of Millennium Hainan Chicken Rice stall, reported Shin Min Daily News. The stall is located within the food centre at Block 90 Whampoa Drive.
According to the boss' wife who spoke to Shin Min, the altercation happened after a discussion over the cook's payment went south.
"They spoke in Hokkien which I don't understand. But later on, I heard that the cook was not happy with the amount discussed," said the woman, surnamed Luo.
Based on CCTV footage captured by the stall and seen by Shin Min, the two men were seen seated at a table in front of the stall when the cook suddenly stood up and waved his fists at the other man.
He then took a swipe at the other and the two men engaged in a brawl, reported Shin Min.
Shortly after, the cook was seen heading to the stall and dashed out with a chopper. Sensing danger, the boss was believed to have fled the hawker centre by this time, reported Shin Min.
The cook returned to the stall after losing sight of the other party.
According to a clip published on Shin Min's Facebook page, several people had attempted to intervene as the fight escalated, including Luo.
Another bystander wearing white was also seen coming in between the two men to try and stop the brawl when it began.
After the cook grabbed the chopper, a female cleaner at the hawker centre was seen in the clip approaching him in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
Speaking to him with hands clasped, she knelt on the ground and kowtowed to him, presumably in a bid to get him to calm down.
Luo, 40, told Shin Min that she and her husband called the police and waited for them to arrive before they returned to the stall. But by then, the cook was nowhere to be seen.
She added that the cook had only worked for 14 days before this and had resigned on the 19th, with his last day on the 20th. And while the stall has been in business for 10 years, her husband only became a partner within the last four months.
Luo believed the cook had wanted to include the three days that the hawker centre was closed for cleaning into his wages. "But my husband said it would be considered his leave entitlement only if he'd worked for a full month," said Luo.
The police told AsiaOne that two men aged 54 and 62 involved in the incident were arrested for affray.
The older man is also being investigated for criminal intimidation. Police investigations are ongoing.
Online, however, several netizens lauded the female cleaner for her efforts in trying to calm down the agitated cook.
"She saw the chopper yet she's brave enough to kneel down and beg him to put it down," said one who expressed admiration.
Wrote another: "The auntie is too kind-hearted. We really must thank her, if not the consequences would be unimaginable."
candicecai@asiaone.com
