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Orh luak dragged into politics

This article is more than 12 months old

Is the 2015 General Election shaping up to be a war fought in the hawker centres?

Barely a week after Ms Sylvia Lim of the Workers' Party (WP) posted a snap of herself enjoying an oyster omelette at Fengshan Market and Food Centre on Instagram, it seems as if People's Action Party's (PAP) Charles Chong has aimed a light dig back at the opposition party's chairman.

The current Joo Chiat MP, who will be contesting in Punggol East at the upcoming election after his constituency was subsumed under Marine Parade GRC, posted a photo of himself on Facebook saying that the omelette in WP-held Aljunied tastes better.

 

The Oyster Omelette (orh neng*) tastes better in Aljunied.*Thanks to those who pointed out that it is actually orh...

Posted by Charles Chong on Tuesday, 18 August 2015

It would have been a perfect riposte to highlight the PAP's intent to win back Aljunied – except Mr Chong initially mixed up the dialect name for the dish, calling it orh luak when he was having orh neng instead.

He later corrected the post and thanked those who had pointed out his error.

Ms Lim's Instagram post became a centre of attention after she described her meal as the "heavenly" taste of Fengshan accompanied with the hashtag #reasonstowin.

 

The taste of Fengshan - heavenly! #reasonstowin

A photo posted by Sylvia Lim (@sylvialim65) on Aug 12, 2015 at 4:12am PDT

It drew a rasping response from Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who questioned WP's motives for eyeing Fengshan amid questions over their handling of the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council's finances.

He said: "Now we see the chairman of the town council saying that Fengshan SMC looks quite delicious. What's going to happen? You're going to swallow up Fengshan? For what purpose? To serve the residents of Fengshan? Or is Fengshan delicious because you want to add it to the pot? And help the town council with the deficit?"

Following the row, The New Paper visited Fengshan Centre to speak to the hawkers behind the famous stall at 85 Bedok North St 4 to find out what makes this particular taste of Fengshan so special.

Politics aside, we want your opinion to settle this question once and for all – where in Singapore can you find the best oyster omelette?

Tell us in the poll below!

Singapore ElectionsCharles ChongfoodhawkerPeople's Action PartyWorkers' PartySylvia LimTeo Chee Hean