CNA’s “Don’t call us poor” documentary gives unprecedented insight into lives of S’pore’s low-income

On May 6, 2019, CNA re-published “Don’t call us poor”, a docu-series that first aired in 2015.

Since that time, the first episode has racked up over 374,000 views and counting. The episode is now #6 on YouTube’s trending list.

Revolving around the lives of five families who live in Bukit Merah, access is given by each episode in the social assistance they receive as well as their day-to-day struggles.

Overarching sentiments of pity and blame

There were some who believed that these families were responsible for their own situation, while netizens were sympathetic towards the plight of those families:

Image via YouTube
Image via Hardwarezone
If you are poor, you should not have children

Some even went so far as to burst these parents despite lacking the financing for having children, as lots of the families featured had two or more children, with one family even having seven.

Image via YouTube
Image via YouTube
Image via YouTube
Image via YouTube
Stereotypical welfare dependents

1 couple, in particular, stood out to netizens.

In the docu-series, Hong Chuan Chuan is pregnant and lives in a rental flat with her husband Sky Quek and their two daughters.

Both Hong and Quek work at a KFC outlet and bring home a combined income of $1,000 per month.

In addition to the lack of money, their marriage is also fraught with abuse, as Quek has an explosive temper that leads to him lashing out at Hong physically.

A few netizens expressed anger for not getting jobs, along with Quek’s mindset:

Image via YouTube
Image via Reddit
Poverty is a vicious cycle

A couple of users felt that Hong and Quek behaved the way they did because of the lack of financial literacy, along with a kind of mentality.

Image via YouTube

After all, research has shown that being in poverty impairs one’s ability to make good decisions:

Image via Reddit
Change is possible

Eventually, Quek showed signs of wanting to change for the better when he chose to attend anger management courses with a counsellor for his children’s sake:

The dialogue that is applicable starts from 21:50, but rsquo & here;s a transcript of this conversation:

Interviewer: Do you consider whether your children will be caused by your actions to…

Quek: Live in fear? Yes. This ’s why I say they are the reason I have decided to change. I m not changing for myself – what for? I m in this way. It’s after I saw the way my family responded their expressions, to me … That’s when I felt that in the long run, it s not good for their mental health. Just imagine someone you are so near – your father, he’s like a whip. You don ’ t understand what his temper calm and peaceful, or is like – stormy each morning? Or will there be a tsunami? Growing up in that type of environment isn’t healthy.

More assistance, less judgment

While some may feel that Quek or another couples could do better in handling poverty, others increased concepts of compassion and charity.

Image via YouTube
Image via YouTube
Image via YouTube

Their argument is that if poverty is a combination of both systemic defects and failings that are personal, society must strive to be less judgmental and more useful about the bad think and behave.

After all, a society is only as strong as its weakest link.

You can watch all 5 episodes of “Don’t call us poor” here.

Best image courtesy of CNA

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