‘Singaporean aunty thinks I’m a domestic helper’ — Malaysian exec in SG asks, if people who look like her can only work as a maid and ‘can’t get a better job, is it?’

SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA: A Malaysian woman working as an executive in Singapore shared her story of how a trip to a laundromat turned into an awkward lesson about first impressions after a local repeatedly assumed she was a domestic helper washing clothes for her employer.

In a video posted on TikTok and Instagram on July 11, the woman, who identified herself as Syuk Kibum on those platforms, said an elderly woman struck up a friendly conversation while she waited for her laundry. The chat, however, took an unexpected turn when the passerby kept asking if the clothes belonged to her “boss.”

The Malaysian woman explained that she had corrected the misunderstanding more than once and that the laundry was her own. Even then, she said the stranger continued asking if she was washing her employer’s clothes before she realised the Singaporean woman had mistaken her for a maid.

She questioned why her appearance led to that conclusion

The young woman then said she understood why the elderly woman may have made that assumption, joking that she indeed looked like a domestic helper.

Nevertheless, she questioned whether the same conclusion would have been reached if she had been Chinese or White (Caucasian). She said the encounter left her frustrated because it suggested that someone who looked like her couldn’t hold a professional job.

“Then I get it… she (aunty) thinks that I’m a domestic helper. I know that I look like a domestic helper, lah, okay, but… if I’m Chinese or if I’m White, do you think she will say that?” she asked, adding, “You think people who look like [me] can only work as a domestic helper, meh? We cannot get a good job, is it? We are not educated, is it?”

Explaining her background, the Malaysian woman said she works in Singapore as an executive. She also pointed to her personal achievements, including buying a motorcycle in cash outright in Singapore and owning several homes in Malaysia, to challenge what she saw as an unfair stereotype or “profiling, judging, and downgrading” behaviour against her.

The incident highlighted how first impressions can mislead

Her video framed the encounter as an example of people making snap judgments based on appearance rather than getting to know someone first.

The story has since prompted online discussion about unconscious bias and how everyday assumptions can affect people, even in ordinary conversations.

Singapore relies on many foreign workers across different industries, from domestic work to finance, technology and management. Thus, the woman’s experience resonated with viewers, who said that appearance alone shouldn’t be used to infer a person’s occupation.

Looking beyond first impressions by asking instead of assuming

The exchange lasted only a few minutes, but the woman said it stayed with her because she felt she had been judged before saying much about herself.

Most people don’t intend to offend when making casual conversation. Even so, innocent assumptions about someone’s job or background can make others feel they don’t belong. Taking a moment to ask instead of assuming is a small habit that can make everyday interactions more empathetic and respectful.

Original quotes have been edited for brevity and clarity