Taufu fah seller caught reusing disposable plastic bowls after washing in pail of water

PETALING JAYA: A taufu fah (soy pudding) seller was caught rewashing plastic bowls in a rather unhygienic way at his lorry-stall in Bandar Sunway here.

Facebook user Selva Jai Raam recorded the seller washing a recyclable plastic bowl, which is believed to have been used by another customer, into a pail of water without any soap.

"Uncle, what are you doing? I've thrown the bowl, but I see you picked it up and re-washed it," Selva asked the seller.

Selva also alleged that he witnessed the seller doing this for the second time.

The seller responded that he is washing the bowl and he has done this before.

"There is no oil (on the bowl)," the seller pointed out.

While being confronted by Selva on his action, the seller repeatedly said, "saya berani makan, saya berani jual. (I dare to eat from it, therefore I dare to sell it to others)"

Selva then said, "I don't dare eat this... I will upload this (video) onto Facebook."

Selva uploaded the 80-second video clip on his Facebook account over the weekend, and it has been shared to over 10,000 Facebook users.

The clip has been viewed half a million times, and many Facebook users were disgusted and angered by the seller's action.

Annie Tan pointed out that the taufu fah seller was washing from water in a pail, and not running water.

"How many bowls were washed in a day? And the water contains saliva from many customers!" she added.

Asyikin Amir said it was important to wash the bowls and utensils with soap and running water to ensure cleanliness.

"If washing with running water, it is still okay. Plus must wash with soap to ensure cleanliness. But reusing water repeatedly to wash and without soap, that is not clean," she wrote online.

Dilina Kamaruddin said this video is important in bringing awareness among the public to bring their own cutlery and containers when eating outside. (She was referring to the overuse of disposable plastic containers that has caused pollution.)

Meanwhile, Abraham Joshua Francis alleged that straws are being reused and given to customers at mamak restaurants, Chinese kopitiams, and Malay warung (stalls) across the country.