SINGAPORE, June 19 -- A petition calling for food and beverage (F&B) outlets in Singapore to serve free tap water to diners has gained momentum, with more than 900 people signing on since it launched on May 24.

The petition, hosted on Change.org, appeals to the Singapore government to require restaurants that already impose a 10 per cent service charge to offer what petitioners describe as a "basic necessity" without additional cost.

Its creator, Dr Yee Yucai, a consultant with the Internal Medicine department at Singapore General Hospital, said the initiative was sparked by what he sees as a growing trend of restaurants pushing customers to purchase drinks instead of offering free water - despite official efforts to curb sugar intake....