It was announced that peddlers, who are usually old folks, must pay S$120 a year to acquire a license to sell tissue paper, or else, they shall be deemed illegal.

A spokesperson, Mai Tee Siew, said: “By allowing only tissue packets that are sold by licensed peddlers to be used for choping tables will help these tissue sellers recoup their losses of paying for a license.”

“This will also help more peddlers to be licensed, as it is now more attractive to hold a license because there will be more demand for authorised tissue packets from the public.”

“It is a win-win situation for all.”

Licensed tissue packets will also come in two categories: Cat A tissue packets for reserving tables for two with a holding period of 15 minutes and Cat B tissue packets for reserving tables for four with a holding period of 30 minutes.

Diners are advised to mix and match the various categories of tissue packets used for choping if they are eating in odd number groups of three, five and seven.

Anyone caught violating or tampering with the tissue packets may be jailed for up to seven years and fined S$500,000.