Uncle draws flak for demanding a woman give up her priority seat on the MRT

SINGAPORE: An uncle has drawn flak online after he allegedly “pointed” at a woman sitting in a priority seat and demanded that she give it up.

The incident was shared by a commuter who witnessed it on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Wednesday (Sep 3). 

In her post, the commuter stressed that no one should feel pressured to give up a seat solely because another passenger is older. 

She also reminded others that priority seats are not “legally reserved” and are meant only as a courtesy for the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, or anyone with mobility challenges, which is why offering them should always remain a voluntary choice.

“People can offer their seat willingly, not by force,” she wrote. “Don’t expect a seat just because you are older. My parents also stand when no seats are available. Rude uncle.”

Alongside her post, she also uploaded a photo of the uncle, whose face was covered to keep him anonymous.

“The least you can do is not to take photos of him and post them up here.”

Her post quickly sparked a heated discussion online. Many netizens sided with her, saying that offering your seat should come from goodwill, not entitlement. 

Some also pointed out that just because someone looks younger or fitter, it doesn’t mean they aren’t tired or struggling themselves. 

Meanwhile, others felt that demanding a seat only makes people less likely to give one up. One netizen wrote, “I won’t give up my seat if the requestor is rude and feeling entitled. There is no such law. Only graciousness, and it’s up to the individuals whether or not they want to give up their seat. Sometimes they may need it more than those in need.”

Another commented, “In life if you need help, talk nicely, and your request may be granted. Don’t behave like you are ENTITLED.”

Still, despite the criticism, some chose to give the uncle the benefit of the doubt. One netizen suggested that he might have been “unwell.”

Another netizen agreed, writing, “Yes, some elderly do look healthy. But they may have weak leg joints (knee, ankle, etc.) that are unnoticeable, but they still need to go out to run errands, to earn a living, to hospital appointments, etc. In 10, 20, or 30 years down the road, who knows? We may be like them too. The least you can do is not to take photos of him and post them up here.”

In other news, a jobseeker shared her frustration online after a hiring manager told her she had “talked too much” during the job interview.

Posting on the r/singaporejobs forum on Tuesday (Sept 2), she explained that although she had progressed to the second round, the manager later called to advise her to “tone it down” for the next stage.

Read more: Jobseeker baffled after hiring manager says she ‘talked too much’ during interview, asks: ‘Isn’t it expected to explain our answers?’