'Don't take advantage of him': Man tells TikTokers to stop using ice cream uncle for views

Some content creators are willing to go the extra mile for clout and views, but making use of an elderly hawker to do so? 

Larry Lai, administrator of Facebook group Can Eat! Hawker Food, recently called out some TikTokers for taking advantage of ice cream seller Ng Teak Boon, who is an almost permanent fixture outside Sim Lim Tower, in a post on Wednesday (Nov 2). 

This comes after a number of TikTok videos emerged on that platform with people creating content with him in the background. 

"My appeal to TikTokers, please don't take advantage of him," he implored, describing how some content creators would allegedly use Ng as a "prop" by filming themselves helping him sell ice cream and then posting it on social media. 

Lai shared that he personally went to check Ng's stock at his usual spot over at Jalan Besar and found that his supply of ice cream was "still the same". 

He added that to genuinely help Ng, one should "minimally buy $20 to $30" worth of ice cream from him. 

He also appealed to these TikTokers to stop sticking their labels on his cart.

In his post, Lai also responded to some who asked if Ng is an "illegal hawker", saying that the latter has a valid license and he will soon help him renew his license for next year. 

"His type of license is not issued to new applicants anymore. In Singapore, there are eight of them itinerant hawkers left. If Boon [dies] then there will only be seven of them left in Singapore," explained Lai. 

Itinerant hawkers, also known as travelling hawkers, used to be a common sight in Singapore during the 19th to the mid-20th century and they would peddle food, drinks and sundries along the streets. 

In his post, Lai shared that Ng is well taken care of by a network of friends and volunteers, and that there are arrangements to have a social worker visit him at his home. 

Lai added that he regularly visits Ng and earlier this week, he bought him food and helped him rearrange his stock.

Ng lives alone in an HDB rental flat at Geylang Bahru and Lai had reportedly said that the former's five children do not look after him.

"Here is a 90-year-old man (he is older than his IC age), who is so independent, robust for his age (though he is getting weaker after he was Covid positive) and really manifests the spirit and strength of the Silver Generation," concluded Lai, urging netizens to give Ng business. 

Community initiative Happy People Helping People Community also shared in a Facebook post earlier this year that despite his age, Ng is "still very persistent on selling ice cream". 

"Every day, he cycles his heavy ice cream cart from Beach Road to Sim Lim Towers," they said, adding that his business was badly affected by the pandemic. 

Just last month, Lai and a few friends went to support Ng and help him with his sales. 

In fact, the response was so overwhelming that Ng's ice cream was sold out for the day, to the point where people were worried he would have nothing to sell. 

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melissateo@asiaone.com

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