Police called after crowd turns up at Grab office

As Singapore enters its circuit breaker period, some people are trying to put food on the table as a GrabFood rider. But it seems that more than a few people had the same idea.

Police were called after a crowd turned up at the Grab Driver Centre (GDC) at Sin Ming today (April 8) to collect their GrabFood delivery gear.

Photos and clips of the melee showed a group of men gathering outside the GDC as a line of police officers blocked off the entrance.

While several police officers tried to direct the crowd, some began to complain that they had been waiting "for every long".

A man was also caught on camera shouting Hokkien expletives.

As part of the circuit breaker measures which kicked in on April 7, members of the public should only leave the house for essential matters.

Those who work in companies providing essential services such as food delivery are also permitted to leave the house.

However, safe distancing should be practised at all times. Those who flout safe distancing rules face fines of up to $10,000 and a jail term of up to six months.

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In response to AsiaOne's queries, a Grab spokesperson said that the crowd was made up of Grab drivers who had signed up to do food and parcel deliveries.

The applicants turned up at the GDC to collect their GrabFood delivery gear but some were turned away in line with the latest circuit breaker measures and to "ensure the safety of all".

They will be able to apply for an appointment slot to collect their delivery gear soon, Grab said.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to assure our partners and the wider community that we take all necessary precautions to look after their safety and wellbeing."

kimberlylim@asiaone.com