A dispute between a chicken rice hawker and former local actor Huang Yiliang at Circuit Road Hawker Centre has attracted public attention after allegations surfaced that the ex-actor verbally insulted his neighbouring stallholder during a heated argument.
The disagreement reportedly took place about two to three weeks ago, but footage of the confrontation only began circulating online on May 6. According to reports, the woman operating the chicken rice stall claimed Huang stormed into her stall unexpectedly while she was attending to a customer.
She alleged that Huang called her a “chicken” in Mandarin, a slang term commonly interpreted as referring to a prostitute. The hawker said the remark deeply upset her as she is a married woman with a family.
Speaking to Chinese evening daily Shin Min Daily News, the hawker explained that she was shocked by the confrontation and even experienced chest discomfort afterwards. She said she quickly called her son over during the incident, after which Huang allegedly retreated back to his own seafood stall.
Hawker Says Remarks Damaged Her Reputation
The woman also claimed Huang made remarks about a group of male patrons who regularly sit near her stall. According to her account, Huang allegedly implied the men were her admirers before making the insulting comment.
She has since demanded a public apology from the former actor, saying the alleged remarks harmed her dignity and reputation within the hawker centre community.
The ex-actor only recently opened his seafood stall at the hawker centre in February 2026. Despite the controversy, several neighbouring hawkers reportedly described Huang as friendly and approachable in their daily interactions.
When approached by reporters, Huang denied insulting the woman. He repeatedly said “No, no” when asked whether he had called her names.
He also argued that the short viral clip circulating online did not capture the full context of the altercation, including events leading up to and after the exchange. Huang added that both parties were generally outspoken individuals and insisted there had not previously been issues between them.
CCTV Installed Following Viral Incident
Following the dispute, the chicken rice hawker reportedly installed a CCTV camera at her stall to record any future incidents. She explained that she now avoids interacting with Huang altogether and prefers remaining inside her stall whenever possible.
According to Shin Min, another tense moment occurred on May 7 when the hawker allegedly asked Huang to apologise while he was walking past the stall area with friends. Huang reportedly ignored her request and continued walking away, leading the woman to shout after him.
The incident has sparked widespread discussion online, especially as hawker centres remain important social and community spaces in Singapore. Public disputes between stallholders can quickly draw attention on social media platforms, particularly when well-known personalities are involved.
The situation also highlights growing concerns over workplace tensions in Singapore’s competitive food and beverage sector, where long working hours, rising operating costs and customer pressures can sometimes lead to conflicts between neighbouring businesses.
At the time of reporting, no police involvement or legal action had been announced by either party.