IREFER to the letter "So well educated, widely travelled and still no eating etiquette" (my paper, June 6).

For a country that prides itself as being advanced, it is indeed very shameful to have the extremely bad eating etiquette as described by the letter writer.

This bad habit must be stopped. I would like to suggest that patrons at all hawker centres and food courts be asked to clear the table (or their section of the table) after finishing their meal.

They should return the trays, crockery and cutlery to conveniently located collection points manned by the cleaners.

I recall that this was done with success at the Scotts Picnic food court at the former Scotts Shopping Centre many years ago.

The practice of clearing the tables ourselves would have many benefits.

For one thing, it would inculcate better eating etiquette. Also, it would make our hawker centres and food courts cleaner.

As it is now, leftover food and food scraps on hawker centre tables often attract birds which can be unhygienic.
Moreover, it would encourage a caring society, as the act of leaving a clean table for the next person is an act of care and consideration itself.

It is also not very nice to see the cleaners, often old enough to be our grandmother or grandfather, clearing the mess left by the diners.

Last but not least, it would help in the better allocation of manpower and hence shorter wait for a clean table - the cleaners would be able to wipe the tables faster, instead of having to make multiple trips to return the crockery and cutlery.

It is high time that we diners get our act together, because the present situation is totally disgraceful.

Mr Ho Keng Soon

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