PUBLISHED ONNovember 03, 2025 9:36 AMBYKristy ChuaRats are wanted at Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre — and a big bounty is on their heads.
Shin Min Daily News received a tip-off from a member of the public that while dining at the food centre, she spotted a huge rat on the eaves of the building, which frightened her so much into leaving.
"It was so huge and really scary - I immediately lost my appetite," she recounted.
On a visit to the food centre on Oct 31, food vendors told Shin Min reporters that there was a rat problem in the area, and it has been affecting their operations.
One stall owner shared that the rats mostly appear at night, particularly before and after the stalls close, crawling along the overhead beams.
Another stall owner remarked that rat droppings could sometimes be found on the beams, making cleaning more time-consuming.
To ensure hygiene and food safety, the vendors said they would cover their food or store it in refrigerators.
To combat the rat problem altogether, the Clementi Town Shop Owners' Association implemented a rat-catching initiative, in which vendors who successfully catch rats will be eligible to receive a cash bonus based on the size of the rat.
Xu Chongyu, honorary president of the association, told Shin Min that this was intended to encourage vendors to join hands in improving the hygiene of the hawker centre.
The primary point was not to serve as a monetary bonus for catching rats, but to unify the vendors through a common cause.
"You can make money just by catching a rat. The bigger the rat, the more valuable it is. The highest record thus far is $100," said the 66-year-old.
Photos provided by the association show vendors posing with their cash prizes and the rats they caught - one received about $18 for a basket of baby rats, while another bagged $100 for catching a hefty rat weighing one kilogram.
Now, the rewards for rat catching have been adjusted, with the maximum reward for each large rat at $50.
Besides stall vendors, members of the public can join in on the pest-control efforts and receive the cash bonuses too.
The rat catching initiative was reportedly implemented three years ago and has seen great success due to participants' enthusiasm.
In July this year, 15 rats were caught, with cash prizes totalling to $305. In August, 27 rats were captured, amounting to $520.
Most recently in October, 21 rats were reportedly caught, cashing out to $240.
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