Asia Tonight - Thu 24 Jul 2025
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Top stories of the day with 'live' reports and interviews to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in one of the most dynamic regions of the world.
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CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
45:03 Min
About the show: Top stories of the day with 'live' reports and interviews to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in one of the most dynamic regions of the world. Daily at 8pm (SIN / HK)
Independent Singapore
7 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘My mum dumps our pets when she's bored with them' — Daughter says she's accused of being unfilial for refusing to let her mum move in with her and her cats
SINGAPORE: When a woman says her cats are like her children, it's usually metaphorical. But for one Singaporean woman, it's a literal deal-breaker — even if it means being branded as an unfilial child by her own mother. 'My mum is one of those older generation who treat pets like toys,' the daughter wrote. 'They can be discarded anytime once she gets bored with them.' The confession, first sent to SGWhispers and later posted to Facebook, sparked waves of empathy, applause, and a few raised eyebrows — not because the woman doesn't love her mother, but because she loves her cats even more. 'My cats are my children…' She recounted a childhood peppered with animals. 'When my siblings and I were young, we had several pets,' she said. 'But they were eventually given away after a short period — either because the novelty wore off or one of us got injured due to a lack of proper knowledge on how to play with animals.' Now grown up and child-free by choice, the woman proudly shares her home with several feline companions she calls her 'children.' But her lifestyle choices continue to clash with her mother's expectations. 'My mum keeps pestering me to have human kids instead,' the daughter expressed her frustration. Mum says pets are a waste of money… Her mother, now living alone, has dropped hints that she'd like to move in with her daughter eventually. But the daughter isn't exactly rolling out the red carpet — especially not one with paw prints on it. The reason is that her mum still thinks pets are a waste of money and has even suggested that the daughter give the cats away. During a house renovation, the daughter had to also pay to board her cats somewhere else because she didn't trust her mother to care for them, and with good reason. 'She (my mum) joked that she would 'accidentally' leave the door open and let the cats run away,' the daughter wrote. 'I believe she'll do something to my cats — pretend to forget to close the gate or cause harm by 'accident'.' 'Mum calls me a disappointment and an unfilial child, but all I want is to protect my cats…' Despite her mum never officially asking to move in, the daughter says she's made up her mind: 'I am extremely unwilling and hesitant to have her move in.' And here's the kicker: because of this decision, her mother has labelled her a 'disappointment' and accused her of being unfilial — that classic dagger of Asian guilt trip many Singaporeans know all too well. But as the daughter sees it, she's not being unfilial — she's being protective. 'My cats' freedom is non-negotiable…' To make matters more complicated, her siblings aren't viable options either. Some have bad blood with their mum. Others have kids and no extra space. That leaves her — the cat-loving, boundary-setting daughter — as the only potential lifeline. 'They (the cats) are used to having the freedom to roam the entire house. I don't wish to cage them up just to accommodate someone who doesn't respect them,' she exclaimed. Her cats' freedom is non-negotiable. And if choosing them means she gets called unfilial, so be it. 'Your house, your rules…' In the comments section, sympathy poured in for the woman and her cats. 'Your house, your rules,' one person wrote. 'She has the option of a nursing home. Your cats depend on you.' Another was more poetic: 'It's easy to invite a deity, but difficult to send one away. Don't let a passive-aggressive housemate become a full-blown domestic deity.' There were even Chinese proverbs thrown into the mix: 'A mountain cannot have two tigers. Don't let the second tiger in.' But the main consensus is that boundaries matter. Even when it's your mum. One follower of the FB page summed it up bluntly: 'Do not let your mother move in, or your cats will be at risk.' Others offered practical solutions: hire a helper, house her nearby, visit often — just don't live together under one roof. Especially not with 'accidental' open doors looming in the future. 'To your cats, you're their whole world…' This saga isn't just about cats versus mums. It's about autonomy, trauma, boundaries, and the price of being labelled unfilial when you're simply protecting your peace — and your pets. As one commenter pointed out: 'If someone doesn't respect your boundary, you do not need to let them in — even if it's your parents.' Or, as another said with a fur-midable mic drop: 'To your cats, you're their whole world. Don't give up their world for someone who sees them as disposable.' The daughter, meanwhile, has made her choice clear — and it meows loudly: ' I am definitely not willing to give my cats away just so my mum can move in with me. ' In other news, while one woman was defending her cats from her mum here, another Singaporean woman was busy manifesting her purrr-fect man, with a wish list that reads like a Build-A-Bae order form. Her ideal hubby had to be 'not too tall,' have 'some facial hair,' 'never shave his legs' (because that's 'oddly manly'), and be 'fiercely loyal, funny, kind, honest, and quick to respond at first call.' Also: 'He must be cute.' Facebook commenters weren't about to let that one slide. One even snarked, 'SPCA has 🐕 available for adoption. Pay them a visit.' You can read the full story over here: SG woman who describes her ideal hubby as having 'facial hair, fiercely loyal, responsive at first call, and cute' gets advice to 'visit SPCA as they have one available'
Independent Singapore
21 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Maid says, 'Employers who take our phones away affect us deeply, as it's the only way we stay connected to our loved ones back home'
'I want to speak up for many of us who stay silent,' the post began, polite but firm. 'We may be domestic workers, but we are also human beings — with feelings, families, dreams, and the same need for respect and dignity as anyone else.' At the heart of the post was a simple plea: 'Limiting our phone use or taking our phones away affects us deeply.' For many helpers, their phones aren't just devices — they're their only connection to the families they left behind in search of better lives. 'It gives us peace and comfort to simply talk to our families or have a moment for ourselves,' she wrote. 'Trust and respect should be the foundation between employer and helper.' And yet — as the comments section quickly revealed — trust, in this case, is a battlefield. 'When trust is given, it's burned, literally!' One employer recounted a TikTok-fuelled disaster of flaming proportions. 'She would keep sleeping even while cooking,' the group member wrote. 'Burnt the food, burnt the pan, and even the backsplash. I had to change the whole kitchen backsplash!' The employer had also tried to be generous: 'Raised her salary from S$650 to S$900 in 3 months. Gave her freedom. What did I get in return? TikTok live till 5 am and sneaking out for prostitution.' Another employer's comment sounded more like the plot of a hidden camera sitcom — only it wasn't funny. 'I went to the toilet to pee, taking off my pants, and there it was — my helper doing a group video call in the toilet. Camera facing me. A whole group of helpers saw me half-naked.' The phone was promptly confiscated. 'You tell me — how to trust?' 'Phone use during working hours is dangerous, especially when it involves babies or the elderly…' One employer gently chimed in: 'We understand the need to stay connected to family. But excessive or distracted phone use during working hours is dangerous, especially when it involves babies or the elderly.' Another employer echoed the point: 'We don't ban phones. We just ask for them to be used during breaks, not while the baby's bathing or when cooking.' Still, not everyone was in the mood for diplomacy. 'Aiya. Don't come and BS! What 'trust' la?' one employer snapped. 'One hand feeding baby, one hand doing video call? How to trust?' 'Even in an office, there are rules. When you're paid to do a job, TikTok isn't part of the job scope…' The debate boiled down to one question: Is limiting phone use a necessary rule or a dehumanising punishment? A helper who commented in support of the original post said, 'I listen to YouTube and chat with family while working. I use Bluetooth, so no distractions. I still do my chores.' Another added, 'I fetch the kids to school. I don't bring my phone. I'm not addicted. Not all helpers abuse phone usage.' But employers weren't buying the 'not all helpers' defence. 'You want trust/freedom? Earn it!' one said. 'Even in an office, there are rules. When you're paid to do a job, TikTok isn't part of the job scope.' One employer even cited the TikTok app itself as Exhibit A: 'Go on TikTok Live. Out of 20 streams, 17 are helpers. Majority, not minority.' 'Yes, there are bad apples, but there are many responsible helpers too…' Buried under the angry exchanges and bad experiences was a quiet, thoughtful comment from a long-time employer: 'I've never imposed strict rules. My helper uses her phone during lunch and at night. If she abuses it, we'll talk. It's about balance.' Another said, 'Yes, there are bad apples, but there are many responsible helpers too. Let's not forget, some of us also had to work hard to gain our bosses' trust. Helpers deserve the same opportunity.' And perhaps that's the point. Respect and trust go both ways. No one is entitled to it, but everyone can earn it. 'A voice for all helpers…' 'Please be kind. Please lead with empathy. A little freedom means so much to us. No hate, just love,' the original post writer wrote out her final plea. While employers are clearly not looking to be extras in TikTok skits or surprise cameos in toilet video calls, maybe there's room for nuance: a phone-free kitchen, sure — but with a phone-available heart. Because sometimes, all someone needs after a hard day's work… is just to hear their child's or family's voice. In other news, one helper took the conversation a step further, flipping the narrative with this question: 'Dear employer, how do you just lie on the sofa every day holding your mobile phone? Do you realise that servants are also human and feel tired?' Fair play or double standards? You decide. Read the full story over here: Maid asks, 'Dear employer, how do you just lie on the sofa every day holding your mobile phone? Do you realize that servants are also human and feel tired?'
