SINGAPORE: Tampines Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng defended his team of volunteers, especially 82-year-old Aunty Jenny, after a man unhappy with his free haircut made a scene and behaved disrespectfully towards her.
Mr Baey, who had not been present during the incident, wrote in a Dec 4 (Wednesday) social media post that this type of behaviour would not be tolerated when volunteers offer free services. He added that he had asked the person in charge of events to turn disrespectful people away.
“If you are not confident of or comfortable with the expertise or quality of service, do not come and queue up for the free service. Do not berate my volunteers,” he wrote.
Mr Baey explained that he had not been around at the team’s monthly free haircut service on Nov 24 as he had been en route to an official overseas trip.
The man who had behaved badly had been one of 57 people served by eight volunteer hairdressers but was not one of those who regularly availed of the services.
The man, unhappy with the service, claimed that his hair had not been cut to the same length on each side and told the volunteer in charge that the cut was “ugly.”
The man then proceeded to “make a scene,” accusing the volunteers of not doing a good job and adding that the organisers should have “scrutinised” the hairdressers better.
He also confronted “Aunty Jenny,” the volunteer who cut his hair, telling her that “she should retire and not give such lousy service.”
The MP added that he was glad that the man was told off not only by the other hairdressers but also by some of the residents.
The volunteer in charge later had another hairdresser trim the man’s hair, wrote Mr Baey, explaining that his team has been performing these services over the past ten years, with five to 10 volunteer hairdressers trimming the hair of 50 to 60 residents.
Aunty Jenny, he said, is “a strong believer of giving back and a very regular volunteer” who even brings snacks for fellow volunteers.
Mr Baey appealed to those who show up for a free haircut and nail trimming to respect those who offer their pro bono services. He reminded everyone that the volunteers spend Sunday afternoons away from their families for the welfare of the community.
“Not everyone is a professional or full-time hairdresser/nail technician, but they all have at least the basic skills/experience and most importantly, the heart to serve,” he wrote, adding that no one has ever complained since the services were started in 2014./ TISG
