SINGAPORE: An online user claiming to have seen two elderly individuals working as security at city hall for an NDP rehearsal has sparked an online conversation about suitable jobs for the elderly in Singapore.

An online user took to social media on Sunday (July 23) to share a photo of two individuals donning Aetos Security vests. “These two grannies were seen deployed as security personnel at the recent NDP preview,” the caption read. “Work till you drop dead much?”

The photo was taken from a video shared on a different forum in response to an old conversation about a statement by former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin about some elderly people collecting cardboard as a form of exercise. The statement was made in a Facebook post back in 2015.

The screenshot of the video, which was shared on Facebook recently, got the attention of many Singaporeans.

While some people saw nothing wrong with elderly people showing initiative to keep working, others questioned whether such security personnel jobs are a good fit for the elderly.

“Very common older people working as security guards,” said one.

Another wrote, “I am one of these elderly but won’t get a job that is not suitable for my age. If they are not in financial need, they can join the activities at their cc. If they need to work, get a job that’s less tedious and dangerous. If anything untoward happened, who will take full responsibility?”

Others raised safety concerns about the nature of such jobs, with one sharing, “Seriously I don’t understand why these elderly are willing to take the job. If all is well, good. If not, they will need to be helped instead of the public. If there’s a stampede, the crowd will run over them.”

Still, another netizen wrote, “Aiyah I stay (in) condo…lots of senior citizen lah become the security guard..nothing new…some when I talk with them they all just work part-time to pass time and they really just work for extra income only… but at end of the day (I) still wonder if (there was a) real robbery (and someone wanted) to enter the condo how can they really fight…”

Image: FB screengrab / SG Opposition

One commenter went so far as to say, “Singapore is one of few countries where elderly seniors are seen working in manual labour. Quite embarrassing.”

Many others shared their two cents in the comments section of the post, which has also been circulated by a handful of online users.

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