🏆 The Two Sides of Singapore, As Seen By A Food Delivery Rider

Extract from Author

Yesterday, I had a delivery to Ardmore Park. I was about to key in the unit number at the intercom, when the security guard started yelling at me from the back, “Use the other door!”

Sometimes I think these guards see themselves as a barrier between the riff-raff and their diamond-encrusted residents who are valuable and precious and fragile all at once.

Judges’ Comments

When a 30-something’s business dries up because of the pandemic, he switches from his white-collar world to being a food deliveryman. Riding a bicycle to HDB rental blocks and plush condominiums with their tight security, closed doors and separate lifts for delivery people, Yusof Abdul Hamid sees two different worlds in Singapore. He shares his remarkable story and pictures of the class divide with Yeo Boon Ping.

Written by
Yeo Boon Ping,
Rice Media

Photographed by
Yusuf Abdol Hamid,
Vamos Photography

Wednesday,
19 May 2020

Story of the Month, Winner

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Boon Ping’s Reflection

What is your personal takeaway from your SOAP story?
There is value in telling the stories of ordinary individuals going about their everyday life.

Now that your story has been published for some time, do you have any reflections to share post-publishing?
I feel privileged that, in my line of work, people have been willing to speak to me so openly about their experiences. I never know how readers will respond to any story, so it was also a relief that most people could empathise with most of these stories.

What did you hope to convey to readers through this story?
The importance of breaking out of our bubbles and seeing beyond our socioeconomic class.

How do you feel for being recognised for your work?
Writing, itself, is a privilege, but this award reminds me that the greater privilege is being able to learn about, and share, the stories from people's lives.

Yusuf’s Reflection

What is your personal takeaway from your SOAP story?
I'm mostly surprised how much conversation the story generated across society, and it gave me encouragement that people are concerned about ideas like inequality and inequity.

Now that your story has been published for some time, do you have any reflections to share post-publishing?
I shared my experience with Boon Ping while I was actively riding for Grab, but the response I've gotten has caused me to re-evaluate my observations. I don't believe in a dichotomy of bad/good when it comes to the wealthy and poor, just that it's a bad look for society when the visual gap between rich and poor is so vast.

What did you hope to convey to readers through this story?
Mostly, I wanted people to know that there's a human face and story behind all the services that we deal with - especially when it comes to the gig economy and micro-services like deliveries.

How do you feel for being recognised for your work?
It's mostly encouraging that there is a platform that's curating these stories of the pandemic. Everybody has a good story to tell.