SOCIAL media has the power to create a community where everyone can help one another, and there have been times when struggling individuals have received support from kind strangers.
Unfortunately, on the other hand, there are people who have seemingly exploited that same generosity and kindness.
A post on Threads highlighted the issue after a Malaysian individual was exposed for allegedly begging online for donations in order to pay off their debts.
A screenshot of the post showed a loan statement amounting to RM4,707, which was due on January 4, this year.
According to the screenshot, the individual allegedly asked for contributions as low as RM1 to help settle the debt.
“Our society is really something else. You take on debt and then go around asking people for donations to pay it off?
“Must be nice, huh. In that case, I might as well start asking for donations too. Try putting in some effort! I myself juggle five or six different jobs because I know I have responsibilities to take care of,” read the caption on the Threads post.
Netizens shared similar frustrations towards the individual, suggesting that they should work for the money instead of asking others to pay off their debt.
“Because there are people who give the money – you can accumulate this much debt, then you should be able to pay for it. It’s so frustrating that there are many who enable these beggars,” commented one user.
“If they are so desperate, put more effort into it, like: ‘I have a lot of debts to settle. Please, if there’s anyone who wants to use my services in exchange for wages, please hire me,’” said another.
As online fundraising becomes more common, this incident serves as a reminder of the fine line between genuine need and perceived entitlement in the eyes of the public.
