A lok lok stall owner recently sparked debate online after asking whether he could charge customers RM0.20 for every bamboo skewer they break after eating.
The question was posted in a Facebook legal advice group called “法律与你同行” , where the stall owner sought clarification from netizens. The post has since been deleted.
Customers broke our lok lok skewers after eating. If we ask them to pay a damage fee of RM0.20 per stick, would that be unreasonable?” in the post, he wrote.
However, instead of receiving straightforward legal advice, the question quickly triggered concerns among netizens about whether the skewers were being reused.
Netizens question hygiene practices
Many commenters questioned the intention behind the charge, with some asking whether the bamboo sticks were meant to be reused.
Are these skewers reusable?” one netizen asked, while another warned that such a practice could potentially attract penalties from health authorities if found to violate hygiene standards.
Some users even joked that the post served as a “reminder” for them to break skewers in the future to ensure they are not reused.
Others went further by asking the stall owner to reveal the location of the stall, saying they wanted to avoid patronising the stall altogether.
One netizen explains legal perspective
Amid the criticism, one commenter attempted to answer the stall owner’s question from a legal and business perspective.
The commenter explained that charging customers RM0.20 per skewer for intentional damage may not necessarily be unreasonable.
From a legal standpoint, if a customer deliberately damages a business’s property, the business has the right to request compensation.
Even though the value of a single skewer is small, a customer who intentionally breaks them after eating could technically be asked to cover the cost.
However, the commenter noted that the amount charged must remain reasonable and proportional to the actual loss.
