As I walk into Changi Airport today at about 7 a.m, I saw many workers of old age either cleaning or moving the trolleys around.
I was reminded of an incident back when I was in year one in NUS. I went for lunch with my project groupmates in Utown. Three of them to be exact. All of them are foreign students.
We all went to get our meals separately. I was the first to be back at the table followed by two others. We asked each other where the 4th person went. We waited for a few minutes and she was still nowhere in sight.
Soon I walked around and I saw her helping an old lady clearing up tables. She was trying to help the lady pick up cups and rubbish from some of the tables, making the old cleaner lady discomforted.
I asked my friend what she was doing and she said that she felt bad seeing the old lady working so hard. Where she came from, no elderly has to work that hard.
That moment hit me hard. The fact that elderly workers are so common in foodcourts, malls and our airport, we sometimes forget to ask if its right to keep them working till that ripe old age.
Can’t we as a developed country think of ways to give our elderly the peace of mind and rest they deserve after serving the country and its economy over four or five decades? I’m sure if our leaders put their mind to it, innovative policies can be formulated to help our elderly, here in singapore.
Can you imagine your parents at the age of 70 having to work 8 hours a day clearing and cleaning at a foodcourt?
Just food for thought.
Source: Syakir Hashim
