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3 days ago
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63 Laksa: $2.80 bowls of Sungei Road-style laksa at Ghim Moh Road Market
All the way to Ghim Moh just for laksa? I was not entirely convinced that our in-house TikTok maestro, Rachel was being serious. The name 63 Laksa did ring a bell, though. I've had friends rave about the stall's signature dish for at least a couple of months and it has been in the news for its extremely affordable S$2.80 laksa bowls. The latter part especially intrigued me and questions flew through my head. Was it really possible to get quality ingredients and put enough effort into every serving for that price? Did Rachel just need a hand model for her viral TikToks? The answers lay waiting at Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre. Kelly Ng, 51, who runs 63 Laksa uses a recipe that dates back to the 1960s and was originally his grandfather's. That recipe was based on the famous laksa stall on Sungei Road (that's still around at Jalan Besar, in case you are wondering) which spawned a number of copycats, leading to what is now known as the 'Sungei Road-style' laksa. What does set it apart to an extent is that Kelly uses a gas stove for all the cooking. It's a deliberate decision to move away from the mess and smokiness of charcoal. 63 Laksa is only open for breakfast and lunch (8am to 2pm) and there is apparently a queue at both mealtimes. Our plan to beat the lunch crowd by heading there at 11am worked out perfectly— there were just 5 people ahead of us. What I tried at 63 Laksa Rachel and I ordered one small bowl of Laksa (S$2.80) each, as well as two (large) pieces of Mackerel Otah (S$1.40). I did a double take when my bowl arrived. Where were the chopsticks? All we had been given were a spoon each. Peering into my bowl, I unravelled the mystery. The noodles were cut up into spoon-friendly pieces! If nothing else, that one trick will save you (or likely your Mum) the time that would otherwise have been spent trying to get rid of little yellow laksa soup stain dots from your clothes. The bowl was filled virtually to the brim with laksa that was a wonderfully appetising pale yellow colour (incidentally, almost exactly the same shade as the tabletops). There was also fishcake and a dollop of sambal. A pleasant coconut milk fragrance wafted from the steaming bowl. Nanyang Spice: $6 earthworm laksa tucked away in Sim Lim Square draws attention? I became a fan with my first mouthful. Kelly's laksa goes easy on the salt and the well-handled seasoning went hand-in-hand with the intensity of dried shrimp. The fishcake is nothing to write home about, but gives the dish some essential bite. Rachel ordered cockles with hers and I stole one from under her very eyes. Meh, still not a fan of cockles. One of things I liked about the laksa here was that it was light, and not packed with the creamy heaviness that will give you a food coma. I was able to go back home after and begin on my first draft of this article right away. (Seth, are you reading this?) Despite abandoning the thicker (and perhaps more substantial) approach to laksa, the dish is not wanting in terms of flavour. With the otah as a side, I felt that I had a complete meal with a range of tastes and textures. Final thoughts There's little doubt that a large part of the appeal of 63 Laksa is the economy factor— it's really difficult to find a S$2.50 meal anywhere, even at a hawker stall. While it may not seem like much to many of us, it probably does make a difference to the residents of the surrounding housing estates. That said, while I did find the small bowl filling, most other people would find it a tad too small to be a full meal. It may be more accurate to describe 63 Laksa as the place for the S$4.80 laksa bowl (the larger option) as that would be what most people looking for breakfast or lunch would settle on. On the other hand, if you have little kids in tow, this is the perfect place to introduce them to laksa. The petite bowls aside, you can also ask for bowls to be less spicy to develop your kids' appreciation for this mainstay of Singaporean hawker dishes. Ghim Moh Road Market & Food Centre is home to several stalls that have received nods from international publications. I am happy to say that 63 Laksa easily makes the cut for me. Expected damage: S$2.80 – S$4.80 10 best laksa spots in SG for an irresistible meal [2024 update] The post 63 Laksa: $2.80 bowls of Sungei Road-style laksa at Ghim Moh Road Market appeared first on
Online Citizen
03-08-2025
- Online Citizen
BBC report: Heroic sinkhole rescue sparks renewed scrutiny of migrant workers' rights in Singapore
Seven migrant workers who rescued a woman from a sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road on 26 July 2025 have drawn fresh attention to the conditions these workers face in Singapore. According to BBC journalist Kelly Ng's report published on 1 August 2025, the dramatic rescue has renewed calls for reforms addressing systemic issues that have lingered for decades. When a 3m deep sinkhole swallowed a black Mazda, the men acted without hesitation. Construction site foreman Suppiah Pitchai Udaiyappan told reporters, 'I was scared, but every feeling was that this woman must be rescued first.' Video footage of the rescue quickly spread online, earning the workers praise as heroes. Singaporeans commended the swift actions of the workers, highlighting the danger posed by the unstable terrain. Videos also showed workers erecting barricades around the sinkhole shortly after the car was pulled out. Yet many advocates argue such praise often masks the difficult realities they endure daily. Call to ban lorry transport for migrant workers Singapore's rapid economic growth is built on migrant workers, with around 1.17 million labourers from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and other lower-income nations. They fill low-wage, labour-intensive roles shunned by Singaporeans, working mainly in construction, shipyards, and manufacturing. Advocacy groups note that many earn as little as S$300 a month and live in crowded dormitories far from residential areas. One of the most criticised practices is transporting workers in the back of open flat-bed trucks. Although Singapore prohibits people from riding in cargo areas generally, an exception exists for workers employed by the truck owners. Sometimes, up to 12 workers are packed into trucks without seatbelts, leading to frequent accidents. Tragic consequences of lorry transport In April 2021, two foreign workers died and more than a dozen were injured in a collision involving such trucks. Last year alone, at least four migrant workers died and over 400 were injured in similar accidents. Despite repeated debates and public outcry, Singapore has not banned the transport of migrant workers in lorries. The government argues that small businesses cannot easily switch to alternative transport without risking closures and delays. During February 2025 parliamentary sitting, then-Senior Minister of State for Transport Khor defended the practice, citing bus driver shortages and logistical challenges. Authorities have instead encouraged safer practices, such as using buses where possible and installing speed limiters on lorries. However, advocacy groups maintain that these measures fall short and continue to push for a complete ban. Rights group Workers Make Possible (WMP) suggests that the levies collected from foreign workers could subsidise safer transport options. 'Other migrant-reliant nations like the UAE and Bahrain have outlawed this practice,' said Suraendher Kumarr, a member of the group. Activists argue that Singapore's current approach prioritises employers' needs over basic safety. Public gestures called 'tokenism' Earlier this week, Singapore's manpower ministry presented commemorative coins to the seven rescuers. A ministry spokesman described their actions as 'a very good example of how migrant workers help society in general.' However, WMP's Kumarr countered that no amount of symbolic appreciation should overshadow the exploitative economic structures in place. Many online commenters echoed this, calling for the men to receive financial rewards or even permanent residency. The migrant rights group Its Raining Raincoats announced that S$72,000 has been raised from 1,639 donors for the rescuers. AKM Mohsin, who runs an activity centre for Bangladeshi workers, said: 'So many times, we have seen how migrant workers risk their lives to rescue citizens, including children, but their own human rights are constantly violated.' Longstanding struggle for permanent change During the Covid pandemic in 2020, cramped dormitories became hotbeds for the virus, revealing unsafe living conditions that activists had warned about for years. Although authorities pledged improvements, many issues persist, including the lack of a minimum wage and insufficient protections for whistleblowers. Work permit holders like Udaiyappan, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, remain ineligible for permanent residency. They must also seek government approval to marry Singaporeans. Some Singaporeans still see migrant workers as separate and inferior, say advocates. In 2008, a plan to build a migrant dormitory in Serangoon Gardens met fierce resistance from residents, who petitioned against its construction. Authorities reduced its size and built a separate access road to placate residents' concerns. Calls for meaningful reform Despite persistent inequalities, some initiatives aim to bridge divides. Mohsin's centre provides migrant workers space to write, dance, and perform, while local volunteers help publish and translate their works. Yet these efforts remain small compared to the larger systemic issues. Alex Au, vice president of advocacy group Transient Workers Count Too, said: 'We basically see them as a different class of people. Servants are supposed to leap to the aid of their masters.' Rights groups continue to push for a living wage, safer transport, and residency pathways to better recognise migrant workers' vital contributions. As Singapore's economy thrives on their labour, advocates argue that the country must ensure these workers share the security and dignity they help build.
