Seat "choping" has really created a serious discussion recently, with several key complainers taking it to the forum of The Straits Times. 

Just within the last week of August, there were an impressive six letters from members of public with regard to this matter.

Among these letters, there were suggestions to impose fines for doing this this as well as prescribing what should not be used to reserve seats.

Triggered by In response to these letters on Sep.2, National Environment Agency (NEA)'s Director of Hawker Centres Division Ivy Ong has written hey, another letter, to highlight a set of "house rules" posted at two hawker centres — Our Tampines Hub hawker centre and Tiong Bahru Market —which includes "Don't Chope Seats" and "Share the Table".

Here's how the rules are presented in a wall mural at Our Tampines Hub:

The house rules are a constant reminder to hawker centres patrons to be considerate to others, and patrons are encouraged to observe these rules.

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Here’s the text of Ong's letter:

We thank the writers for their letters (Don't put up with choping, by Ms Inderjit Kaur, Aug 26; Encourage table sharing, not confrontation, by Dr Michael Loh Toon Seng, Aug 28; Time for the authorities to step in, by Mr Lawrence Loh Kiah Muan, Aug 28; Let's put stop to 'chope' mentality, by Mr Jeff Tan Hong Liak, Forum Online, Aug 29; Govt shouldn't intervene in everything, by Mr Francis Cheng, Aug 31; and Good to be able to 'chope' seats in a crowded food court, by Mr Tan Kia Yong, Aug 31).

We agree with the writers who raised the point that graciousness and civic-mindedness can help address the practice of seat reservation and encourage the sharing of tables at food outlets.

For hawker centres, the National Environment Agency (NEA) does not have any restrictions against patrons who reserve seats.

However, patrons should always exercise consideration for others when dining at hawker centres and sharing the facilities.

For example, one could politely ask if it is possible to share a table, and not reserve seats beforehand or unnecessarily.