COMMENT | Poverty is not a choice, it is painful

COMMENT | When I talk about poverty within my social circle, I often hear two sets of opinions. The first suggests people remain poor because they are lazy.

The other suggests that poor people have been given too many handouts, hence have no reason to improve their living conditions.

I disagree with both opinions. I believe it is unfair to form judgements when we do not live their lives.

I currently live in a kampung (village) where many plots of land have been cleared to make way for housing aid programmes for the asnaf (underprivileged). Over a few months, I have seen many things I never saw when I was living in the city.

I see big families living in a small one-bedroom house. I see old couples living alone in a house too small to cater for their needs. I see working-age children who are struggling to make ends meet, moving in with their parents into these charity houses, and sharing any available spaces.

I often see them dumpster diving through our neighbourhood garbage bins, looking for...