Singapore couple called out for only giving helper a tiny bedspace in the home office in their 4-room BTO 

SINGAPORE: A local couple was recently called out on social media after their tone-deaf post about how they made room for their helper in their HDB flat.

As it turns out, they only gave her about 1/3 of the space in the room that the husband used as an office, giving her a bed and then placing a divider that separated her space from the office.

While to them it was “a little corner she can call her own,” netizens commenting on the post had other ideas.

Photos of the helper’s space were posted on the couple’s Instagram account, and they also posted videos about it on YouTube. 

However, perhaps due to the backlash, the accounts have been set to private, but screenshots are still up on Reddit and X.

“We thought our 4-room BTO was too small for a helper. Here’s how we made it work,” the text overlay on one photo reads, showing the couple in the office that they transformed into a 1/3 helper’s room.

In it, the couple sits in front of the man’s two-screen computer set-up, while behind them is a white divider.

Behind the divider, they “successfully squeezed in a single bed,” they added. A photo showed a bed between the wall and the divider, with room for practically nothing else.

The couple added a divider for the helper’s privacy because “everyone needs a little space to hide sometimes.”

On X, a screenshot from the account showed that the couple had gotten the helper a light that clipped to the headboard of the bed.

“Also got her a mini light to use. I didn’t want something that will take up floor space, so this one works as well,” the couple wrote.

X screengrab/ goreng pisang

Netizens commenting on Reddit and X did not hold back their feelings.

“This is not the flex they think it is LOL,” wrote one.

“How do they think it’s ok to post this?? Is this rage baiting or are they that ignorant to think that privacy is a luxury and not a necessity for helpers???” added another.

A Reddit user wrote, “‘How we made it work’ for the helper makes it sound like the helper's an extra piece of furniture they needed to find space for in their home. Insane that they thought this was a good idea to post.”

“They need to move that computer desk to their own bedroom or living room and give up their own space instead of taking it from her. Is she supposed to change in the bathroom every time? Where does she keep clothes?” asked a user on X. /TISG

Read also: Singaporean questions why some families expect helpers to be ‘24/7 super-robots’