On 21 March, Chee posted this on FB.
(As of 11 Apr, the original post seems to have been taken down with no explanation.)
Heart wrenching story isn't it?
Afterall, we all like to believe the romantic notion that in our golden years, we would all be enjoying our retirement and not working.
And Chee uses Auntie's story as an example of why he wants to get into Parliament.
But guess what... a video pops up of the same lady. And the story from her is quite different from the dire situation that Chee painted in his post.
Video Source: SG HardTruth
So who is telling the truth and who is manipulating the encounter to score political points?
No one is denying that there is poverty or that some of our elderly folks have a hard life.
But in wanting to address these issues, is it correct for Chee to be twisting people's stories for him to rile up emotions and to make a political statement?
Isn't it better to be addressing the poverty problem based on concrete facts?
If Chee, or any other parties for that matter, keeps on twisting and exaggerating such "sob stories" out of proportion, do they really think that such an approach will help those in need?
Or would likely cause more harm when people find out that these "sob stories" are highly exaggerated and become less sympathetic when they come across a genuinely needy case?
People's lives are as varied as there are colors. Just because their lives are hard or impoverished does not necessarily mean it is the fault of the government.
There are many safety nets and schemes put forward by the government to help those people in need. In fact, one of the criticisms I have is that there are too many. So much so that even social workers may not be aware of what help is available.
If Chee was genuine about helping the old lady, what sort of help did Chee offer the old lady? Or did he simply see a opportunity to twist a old lady's circumstances into ammunition against the government?
In case you come across people who need help, please do help them by referring them to the Ministry of Social and Family Development. They have a whole range of services and schemes to help those in need.
If in doubt, simply call their hotline at 1800-222-0000 (Destitute Persons Service, Mon - Sun, 7am - 12 midnight).
Don't just take a picture and post their story on social media. It doesn't help them.
Calling the Ministry and referring them for public assistance does.
Read more here:
SG HardTruths: Why Chee Soon Juan version is so different from the truth? Bukit Batok By-election MustShareNews: Chee Soon Juan Highlights Plight Of Bukit Batok Granny, But Netizen Found Out That Granny Works To Exercise
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