A photo of a domestic helper who was sitting at the walkway outside of a restaurant, presumably while her employers have a meal has gone viral.

The photo, shared by a 38-year old netizen who wished to be anonymous, was taken outside a Chinese restaurant. The photographer watched the couple and their helper arrive together, and the domestic helper sit outside while the couple had their meal inside the restaurant.

While it is unclear as to whether she was sitting there by choice, or if she was asked to wait while her employers finish a meal, should she have not been given the option to have a seat inside the restaurant?

The photographer griped, “Whether the domestic helper wanted to sit outside or the employers asked her to, the employers shouldn’t let her sit on the pavement outside under the hot sun. It isn’t that difficult to get her a chair to sit under shelter”.

He also added that, “These domestic helpers came from far away to earn a living, and to put food on their families’ table. But that’s not the way to treat her as she’s just an ordinary human being like everyone of us”.

The photo was taken at a restaurant in Hougang.

The photographer also added that the domestic helper could have been a Muslim, not wanting to sit at an establishment that served pork, but he said that she could have at least been provided with a stool.

Many netizens asked why he did not take a picture of her employers, but he explained that his intentions were not to shame them, just to bring awareness and the overall better treatment of domestic helpers.

Others also expressed their extreme distaste at her employers.

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obbana@theindependent.sg