The son-in-law of a woman spotted begging for money in Joo Chiat before buying a lottery ticket has spoken out in her defence.
He issued a statement addressing the incident, saying that the comments about the woman “deeply distressed” her.
The son-in-law is now urging the public to recognise the “nuances” of the situation.
In addition, he posited that the woman could have been using her own funds to buy the lottery tickets.
As such, he hopes the public will avoid sensationalising the story and urged people to be compassionate instead.
The son-in-law submitted his statement to the @sgfollowsall Instagram page, which was published on Wednesday (25 Oct).
He began by saying that it was “essential to provide a comprehensive statement that delves deeper into the matter”.
The statement then explained that a man felt the woman had misled him when he spotted her buying the lottery after he gave her money when she claimed to be hungry.
This prompted him to take to the Complaint Singapore Facebook page to express his frustration.
The son-in-law noted that there were comments saying that the money was an act of kindness.
They also remarked that she had every right to use it as she deemed fit.
In addition, some netizens advised the man not to publicly shame the woman, seeing that he included photos of her in his post.
Source: Complaint Singapore on Facebook
However, there was also “verbal assault and turmoil”, which has affected her family members as well.
Because of this, the son-in-law urged the public to “consider the nuances of the situation” and avoid sensationalising it.
“Propagating unfounded claims about her family and entangling them in this scenario is not a constructive approach,” he wrote.
Next, he highlighted that Singapore Pools is an “inclusive establishment” that is open to anyone wishing to purchase lottery tickets.
The money that the man gave the woman was “motivated by goodwill”. Hence, it was unnecessary to draw attention to her visit to Singapore Pools.
The images likely showed the woman using her own money to buy a lottery ticket, the son-in-law stated.
Source: @sgfollowsall on Instagram
He believes that “engaging in defamation serves no purpose”, and could be “especially cruel” to an elderly person.
Even if the woman had asked for money, she did it without the use of threats or force.
“The money was given out of goodwill and it should be regarded as a compassionate gesture.”
Finally, the son-in-law hopes for this incident to be a reminder to be empathetic and respectful in their interactions with fellow community members.
He encourages the public to be understanding and compassionate instead of passing further judgment or causing more distress.
This is especially so should they face intricate situations involving the vulnerable.
“Our community thrives when we support one another with kindness and empathy, promoting a culture of compassion and forbearance while discouraging media shaming and cyberbullying.”
Furthermore, the son-in-law shared that “the matter is being mediated by the respective parties involved”.
“Our family is actively addressing this situation, and we appreciate the concern and understanding from the community,” he said. “We hope that, in the spirit of empathy and unity, we can collectively work towards a resolution that benefits all parties.”
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Featured image adapted from Complaint Singapore on Facebook and @sgfollowsall on Instagram.
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