Jalelah Abu Baker Channel NewsAsia 11 Oct 17;
SINGAPORE: Turn your nose up at dirty hawker centres but unwilling to do your part to keep the place clean? That may just be the attitude of some Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, according to a survey on how people perceive cleanliness in public places here.
The survey, conducted by academics Dr Mathew Mathews and Professor Paulin Straughan, is the first of its kind, done with funds from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
A total of 2,000 people were polled recently and here are five takeaways from the survey:
1. Public venues after major events are the dirtiest
The survey found that people were the least satisfied with cleanliness at public venues after major events such as concerts, marathons and the National Day Parade.
Only 59 per cent of respondents expressed satisfaction with the state of these public venues after events.
2. Hawker centres and coffeeshops aren't clean enough
Only 69 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the cleanliness of these eating places. Their biggest pet peeve was leftover food on tables.
But, most people also won't clean up after themselves. Only 35 per cent of respondents cleared up their own food utensils at hawker centres. Food courts on the other hand were seen as cleaner, with 87 per cent of respondents indicating that they were satisfied.
3. You're likely to have seen someone littering or spitting on the ground
A large majority (90 per cent) said they have seen someone littering. However, less than half of them reminded a family member not to litter when they noticed them doing so.
A similarly large proportion of respondents, 87 per cent, said they have seen someone spitting on the ground. Many also said they have seen someone not picking up pet poo. About one in four of the respondents also said they have seen someone urinating or defecating in public.
4. No eating signs on public transport have probably been effective
LRT and MRT stations came in the most satisfactory, according to the survey, with 97 per cent of the respondents saying they were happy with the cleanliness levels at these stations. Bus interchanges came in a close second - 94 per cent of respondents were satisfied.
5. Singapore is a clean city
Despite low satisfaction in some areas, the majority of respondents (94 per cent) agreed that Singapore is a clean city, due to the work of efficient cleaners.
If you think the hawker centre is not clean enough, you are not alone
Jalelah Abu Baker Channel NewsAsia 11 Oct 17;
SINGAPORE: Are you unhappy with the cleanliness at the hawker centre you go to for lunch? If you are, you could be part of 30 per cent of Singapore residents who feel the same way.
According to a public cleanliness satisfaction survey, fewer residents (69 per cent of respondents) were satisfied with hawker centre and coffee shop cleanliness compared to other areas like MRT stations, HDB void decks and commuter paths.
The biggest pet peeve residents had was leftover food on the table, said Dr Mathew Mathews, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, at a media briefing on the survey results held at the Singapore Management University (SMU) on Wednesday (Oct 11).
Visitors to these eateries were generally dissatisfied with cleaning services, with just over half of the 2,000 respondents satisfied with the thoroughness and frequency of cleaning.
At the same time, only a minority (35 per cent) cleared their own food utensils at hawker centres most of the time or all the time.
"If everybody starts clearing it up, then that will not be an issue and we will be more satisfied with cleanliness at hawker centres. It's really a reality check, that we aspire for some things but maybe we are not really part of the solution," said Dr Mathews.
Air-conditioned food courts fared better, with 87 per cent of respondents satisfied with cleanliness there.
Dr Mathews conducted the survey with SMU sociology professor Paulin Straughan with funds from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
Respondents, who were hand-delivered questionnaires that were later collected, were satisfied overall with the cleanliness of public places in Singapore.
Transport spaces like roads, bus stops and MRT stations got the biggest nod, with 93 per cent of those surveyed indicating satisfaction, while public spaces after events like concerts, marathons and the National Day Parade came in last with 59 per cent of those surveyed satisfied.
Source: CNA/nc
