SINGAPORE: Netizens have criticised a TikTok user after they questioned why a foreign domestic worker had the time to post videos online, with many calling the remark disrespectful and reflective of outdated attitudes towards helpers.
The helper, who has been active on TikTok for the past few weeks, regularly posts short videos showing what she eats while working in Singapore. The clips are simple and often feature her having a modest meal, accompanied by captions such as “What I eat as a helper/maid here in Singapore.”
Most of the videos initially drew little attention. However, one comment sparked a wave of backlash.
“Even maids all doing TikTok. How come ah [y’all] got time to do TikTok??!” the user wrote.
The helper responded directly, defending herself and clarifying that she was not doing anything wrong.
“I harm no one. I don’t think I’m doing any violation here in SG by just doing TikTok. I don’t think I’m breaking any MOM rules. I’m just showing what I eat as a HELPER/MAID,” she said.
Screenshots shared, backlash follows
The helper later took a screenshot of the exchange and shared it on her Instagram and TikTok accounts. The posts circulated quickly and prompted many netizens to criticise the original commenter.
Several questioned why helpers are often scrutinised for doing the same things that Singaporeans do daily, such as posting food videos or scrolling social media.
“I don’t understand why helpers can’t post on TikTok. They are still humans who are making a living,” one netizen commented.
“Why ah? A maid is not a human being, is it? Maids are helpers, not slaves. Literally, you are paying for their service,” another said.
“They’re just jealous. You’re getting more attention than them. Just do you,” a third remarked.
“That’s just some Singaporeans’ kiasu spirit. ‘How dare the maid have a life other than dying working for her employer?’ Just ignore them, most Singaporeans commenting online are failures as human beings,” a fourth added.
Some users also noted that there are no Ministry of Manpower (MOM) rules preventing foreign domestic workers from using platforms like TikTok. “As long as any person posting a video of themselves isn’t doing anything illegal or putting others in harm’s way, there’s nothing wrong with it. They are human too, after all,” one netizen wrote.
Discussion spills onto Reddit
The screenshot was later shared on a local Reddit forum, where it received more than 1,300 upvotes and 130 comments.
While many continued to criticise the TikTok user, the thread also opened up broader conversations about how some foreign domestic workers are treated in Singapore.
One Reddit user claimed to have witnessed a troubling incident at a food court.
“I was at a food court, and I saw a family feeding their FDW a spoonful of rice on a plate. That was it. She was scrawny as well. I was sick to my stomach watching that. In SG, dogs are treated better than FDW.”
Another shared an account of harsh working conditions faced by a helper they had encountered.
“I helped out a maid yesterday. She cannot go to sleep unless she washes her hair every day. She got punished one time when she couldn’t do it because it was 2:30 a.m. after finishing her work. All the laundry must be done by hand, no machine. 10 minutes for meals. There are always good and bad, but employers can abuse more than a maid can do. Maids are not slaves; it’s just an occupation like others.”
In other news, a jobseeker’s Reddit post describing a “suspicious” job offer from a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) has sparked discussion online after she revealed that a potential employer planned to split her salary across two separate companies, allegedly for quota purposes.
Posting on the r/askSingapore forum to seek advice, she asked, “How common is this? Has anyone else encountered this before, and will it affect my future job?”
