Two months ago, I was having lunch with a friend at the Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre, and saw a diner at the next table puffing away at his cigarette.

I asked him not to smoke, as I assumed that it was against the law to do so there.

However, he told me that smoking was permitted in the smoking corner where he was seated.

My friend and I got up and changed tables.

It was stated in Parliament recently that there are 21 hawker centres and about 560 eateries with smoking corners here.

As the National Environment Agency keeps track of the number of hawker centres and eateries that have smoking corners, I suggest that it publish the list of these places on its website.

Non-smokers pay for food to nourish their bodies, not to have their lungs polluted by toxic second-hand smoke.

At the moment, diners are often unaware that there is a smoking corner nearby until they smell the second-hand smoke.

Non-smokers should be able know which eateries have smoking corners, so that they can avoid them to safeguard their health.

Liu I-Chun