Would you buy tissue from an elderly woman who reportedly has a maid?
Tissue sellers are a common sight at MRT and bus interchanges, but there seems to be more of them around Bedok MRT station - a claim that first surfaced in a post on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu on Sunday (Feb 19).
The netizen claimed that the tissue sellers set up their "stalls" every morning and block pathways around the area, even likening the situation to that of "begging".
And it looks like he is right, according t0 a check by Chinese news outlet 8world News on Monday (20 Feb).
First spotted were three people peddling tissues at 8am; followed by an elderly woman who is hunchback who appeared at around noon.
Several members of the public were seen offering her money too.
When interviewed by 8world, a passer-by who gave the elderly woman money said: "She asked me if I could give her money. I saw that she is a poor old person, so I decided to give her money."
She added that she would have given the woman $50 if she had more money on her, and that she would have offered her that amount regardless of whether she was telling the truth.
Others interviewed by the news outlet claimed the elderly lady could earn up to $300 in a day. One even reported that she has a son and a daughter, and a helper to care for her.
Wen approached by 8world, the elderly woman said: "Can you give me the money? I am in my 80s and live alone."
She refused to answer further questions raised about her living conditions.
Another tissue seller - an amputee who claimed to have worked in a coffee shop previously - interviewed by 8world agreed that there has been an increase in the number of tissue sellers in the area.
He said that there were as many as seven, including himself, on the weekends.
It was also reported that a 32-year-old man was among those who sold tissues.
Speaking to 8world, the father of the young man said his son had low IQ, and was selling tissues because he could not find any other job.
It is understood that none of those interviewed by 8world have sought assistance from relevant authorities.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development offers assistance for those in need, including ComCare Short-To-Medium-Term Assistance and ComCare Long-Term Assistance.
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