Straits Times 5th March 2012: Weekly rest day for maids to become mandatory from 2013

I got a shock when I read this article.

I'm like, wait a minute…

Isn't that standard practice?

Aren't maids human beings too?

We need our government to remind us of their humanity?

Then, guess what? Someone wrote a letter, asking the government to consider the consequences.

I've no issue with a healthy debate. Often, even the least popular views have some logic and truth to them. Before carrying on, you should read what he wrote here: Think through weekly day-off policy for maids

You done? Ok, good.

Let's summarise what he said, shall we?

• Singaporeans can't take care of kids/elderly for 1 day of the weak, doing so is an unbearable burden
• Maids should not insist on having a day off.
• Maids are incapable of sexual discipline
• Maids are incapable of savings
• Maids can get rowdy in large groups

Holy shit.

Freaking racist biases and stereotypes. You know, I would laughing my ass off if this came from like 'The Noose' or something. 

Oh, and, talk about the risks of promiscuity, extramarital affairs and unintended pregnancies in one day. What about 7 days? And we earn much more too. And have more free time too. So I guess us Singaporeans are at least 7x more risky.

Am I saying that he doesn't have a point? No. He does have a point, but let's view it with the right perspective: Having a maid is a luxury that if you can afford, great! It sure as hell isn't a life or death neccecity. All the families that have children, the sick and the elderly that can't afford or don't want to have maids must be dying slow and painful deaths.

Honestly, if we put what we Singaporeans complain about and expect our government to do beside beside the bullshit that some of these maids are going through, they'd put us to shame.

My family's had a couple of maids when I was much younger. One of them brought guys home. Another stole some jewellery. The last one was actually ok, but was a-little-bit weird as she would put on make-up at night and stare at herself (on hindsight, her way of dreaming to be like a princess while coping with her poverty?)

What can I say. If we were this lucky with Toto and 4D eh?

Even then, no one in my family ever thought that we should treat them like legally paid slaves. Yes, we pay for them to provide a service, but at the end of the day, they are like us, human, and yes, flawed.

Who are we to say otherwise?

Who are WE to say otherwise.

We, Singaporeans who can't help ourselves without the government.

Shit, it seems like we're so helpless we can't even spend 1/7 of our time doing the dishes and taking care of what's important to us.