‘Flirting while working?’: Singapore woman alleges maid ignored child at bus stop

SINGAPORE: A woman has claimed on social media that she witnessed a domestic helper neglecting a young child at a bus stop because she was distracted and “flirting” on her phone.

Posting in the Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper Facebook group on Thursday (Dec 11), the woman said the child was standing dangerously close to the edge of the bus stop while buses were approaching, and alleged that the helper was more focused on her phone conversation than on the child’s safety.

Clearly upset, she said she could not ignore what she was seeing and decided to step in.

She claimed she reprimanded the helper on the spot and even questioned the child directly, asking, “Your auntie never holds your hand?” According to her, the helper only reacted after being scolded, quickly grabbing the child’s hand. 

Not wanting to see the same negligence, she warned other helpers, “Please don’t flirt during work hours. Want to work? Then do your job properly.”

“Do your job responsibly when handling kids.”

Instead of receiving support, the woman’s post triggered a wave of backlash.

Eagle-eyed netizens were quick to point out that the photo attached to the post showed the domestic helper holding the child’s hand, with no phone visible.

One said, “I cannot see any problem with this photo. She is holding the kid she is taking care of, and she doesn’t have any phone in her hand and doesn’t have a headset. Are you sure, madam, that she’s talking to a man? How did you know? Posting this picture of others without their permission is a disrespectful act.”

Another commented, “What are you talking about? She’s not holding her phone!!!”

A third added, “Auntie, where is the phone? Think you have eye problems lah, or if you’re not happy in your life and with yourself, just be quiet and pray. Don’t disturb other people. I know that maids work hard, and you took a picture and posted it here. You’re not using your small brain.”

Still, despite the criticism she received, there were some users who came to her defence. One commenter explained, “Maybe she already confronted the helper; that’s why you don’t see her holding the phone. She’s carrying the kid instead. This isn’t being nosy, it’s about the child’s safety. Do your job responsibly when handling kids.”

Another wrote, “Good to expose this kind of helpers! No need to show evidence, just keep sending this kind of information! It will be helpful to the pay masters! I’ve already seen many who do this near preschools.”

In response to the criticism, the woman later edited her post, saying, “To those who commented, thank you. Obviously, I was the one who told her off.  Do you think I have the time to take a photo when I see a child in danger instead of doing what is right? Please use your brain, people. And obviously my bus came, and I took the bus, and this is where I took this photo.”

In other news, a manager has turned to the internet for advice after a workplace lunch arrangement spiralled into an HR issue, when a Malay employee complained that she felt excluded because her four Chinese colleagues regularly went for meals without her.

Posting on the r/askSingapore Reddit forum on Monday (Dec 15), the manager said he had more or less tried everything within reason to deal with the situation.

Read more: ‘They don’t want to eat Malay food’: Manager says Malay employee went to HR after Chinese colleagues kept having lunch without her