Organisers halt sale of pork products at Woodlands Ramadan Bazaar
The organisers have taken corrective steps to stop the sale of pork, confirmed by the Marsiling Constituency Office.
SINGAPORE — Some stalls at the Bazar Raya Utara, a Ramadan bazaar in Woodlands were found selling pork products last weekend (25 and 26 March), the Marsiling Constituency Office has said.
The non-compliance was reported by concerned members of the public and promptly investigated by the organisers.
In a Facebook post on Monday (27 March), the Marsiling Constituency Office confirmed that the organisers have engaged with the operator and have taken immediate corrective steps to stop the sale of pork.
They also assured residents and patrons of the bazaar that they will do their utmost to "provide as best as a Ramadan experience" as they can, with performances on the weekends and halal/Muslim-owned and non-halal stalls to cater to all residents.
The Bazar Raya Utara, located beside Causeway Point, is running from now till 19 April and opens from 10am to 10pm.
According to a Berita Harian report, more than 80 per cent of the food stalls sell halal food and drinks, and about 10,000 visitors are expected to visit the bazaar daily during the month of Ramadan.
Pork sales cause stir among residents
The discovery of pork being sold at the bazaar has caused concern among residents, as consuming pork is strictly forbidden in Islam.
Some netizens said the incident has highlighted the need for strict adherence to halal food standards, especially during the month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and break their fast with halal food.
Facebook user 'Slim Shaa', who also visited the bazaar, commented, "Quite a number of them... one of the stalls sells pork sticks; it was located right in the middle of the bazaar instead of at one corner... there are some no pork no lard and no halal stalls too."
The organisers have apologised for any inconvenience and concerns caused and have stated that they will prevent "future recurrence" of such incidents.
Other bazaar in area divided into two stretches, one to sell non-halal food
This was not the only Ramadan bazaar in the Woodlands area that was observed selling pork products.
A resident, who wished to be identified only as Lisa, told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Tuesday (28 March) about her surprise at finding a pork-selling stall in the middle of the Sembawang West Bazaar Ramadan, which is across from Admiralty MRT station.
According to Lisa, she visited the bazaar last weekend and came across a Thai stall selling skewered meat. She claimed to have been "100 per cent sure" that the skewers contained pork and was "shocked" to find such a stall in the midst of the Ramadan bazaar.
"It was a pork skewer. I was even asking my boyfriend why it was there at a Ramadan bazaar," she shared.
When contacted, Adex International, the event's organiser, told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Tuesday that the Sembawang West Bazaar Ramadan is divided into two stretches, one selling halal food and the other non-halal.
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