Bukit Batok residents apologise to neighbour downstairs for hanging pork belly out to dry & soiling laundry

Won't do it again.

Belmont Lay | January 17, 2023, 01:26 PM

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The residents who hung out slabs of pork belly to dry on the clothes drying rack at Block 536 Bukit Batok Street 52, resulting in the sauce from the meat staining the laundry belonging to neighbours below, have apologised.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the residents who hung out the meat as part of preparing it to be cooked, went to the unit below to personally apologise.

The Shin Min reporter visited the block on Sunday night and found that the occupants of the unit involved had already brought the pork back into the house.

One of the women in the household that hung out the meat, who wanted to be known as Shui Shui, explained that her mother had wanted to take advantage of sun on Sunday to air dry the slabs of pork belly.

They were making homemade pork belly for the Lunar New Year to have a taste of their hometown flavours, she explained.

Shui Shui said: "My mother saw the sun was shining brightly, so she marinated some pork belly and put it outside to dry. We didn't know we couldn't do this, so we took it off as soon as we were told."

She added that she was deeply sorry for causing trouble to her neighbors, and said she had no intention of offending them.

They attempted to apologise to the affected household on Sunday, but no one was home.

But when the Shin Min reporter spoke to the occupants of the household affected, they said they accepted the apology and will not pursue the matter further.

Shui Shui added: "The neighbor has accepted my apology and I promise not to do it again."

Shui Shui also said that she was affected by the comments made online about her family.

She cried as she was interviewed and said she was worried about the safety of her child.

She said: "We are really sorry, we won't dare to do such a thing again in the future. We only wish for this matter to rest."

Shin Min also reported that Shui Shui and her mother are not aware of the local customs.

Town council response

In response to Mothership's queries, Chua Chu Kang Town Council said: "We have spoken to and advised the resident to remove the pork belly from the drying racks. She had done so yesterday upon the feedback of the affected neighbour. She informed us that it was the first time she had hung pork belly on the clothes drying rack."

"We would like to take this opportunity to remind all residents to use the clothes drying rack appropriately and considerately."

"We seek the cooperation of residents to practice good neighbourliness. Together, we can keep our estate clean and pleasant for all."

Background

The resident whose laundry was soiled by the sauce from the pork belly took to Facebook to complain on Sunday, Jan. 15, the day of the incident.

He said he had checked on his clothes at 9am that day and found his freshly-washed laundry stained by a brown liquid, which was from slabs of pork belly hung out to dry at the clothes drying rack by the kitchen window.

Tan said: "The pork is still dripping with soy sauce. My freshly washed clothes are all stained and have to be washed again. The bamboo poles are also covered with soy sauce."

He told Mothership previously that it was his first time encountering such a thing in around 14 years of living there.

Top photo via Bob Tan & Shin Min Daily News