Buying in bulk being accused as hoarders; netizens said “establish the fact before making accusation”

The photos of a couple who carried egg trays in bulk and spilled several trays of eggs went viral recently, gaining the attention of many netizens.

It was reported that the couple had been accused by netizens of being “hoarders” when they saw the video of the couple carrying a large number of egg trays in their trolley and mocked them for getting karma when the man dropped his eggs on the floor.

Soon after, a few clarifications have emerged to elucidate the actual situation of this couple.

According to Goodyfeed, the actual situation was posted by a Facebook user, saying that the couple got the eggs from the suppliers because they needed the eggs to cook for children in schools as a preparation for the new school term.

Following this, Mothership also reported that Facebook user Bernice Ong also spoke up for the couple and shared the truth from her friends, which is said to be the couple’s child.

She wrote in her post,

“Background from my friend: Fake news just reached my door step. My parents couldn’t get eggs yesterday because everywhere were sold out by hoarders and finally found a supplier who could sold them eggs in time for new school term to open. Now they have been branded as hoarders when they need the eggs for their business in the school. Can i ask you guys to help me spread the *truth*? I am filing a police report and gonna do the same to the POFMA office while also highlighting to FB that these are false news.”

A report filed to the police and POFMA office over the falsehoods being accused to the couple

At the same time, the boyfriend of the couple’s daughter, Daryl Gay has filed a report with the police and POFMA office over the falsehoods spread about the couple, according to Mothership.

While explaining the nature of business carried out by the couple, Mr Gay rebuked netizens and “keyboard warriors” for “sensationalising” the story and making judgement without thinking.

Speaking on the regrettable incident, Mr Gay described the people who just watched the eggs fall without offering help as a “disgusting act”, and even more “despicable” for those who spread falsehoods online.

Netizens sympathise towards the incident of the couple, with few having faced the “same accusations” by others for hoarding

Many netizens penned their thoughts in the Facebook page of Goodyfeed, slamming the people who like to jump into conclusion without knowing the truth rather than to “establish the fact before making accusation”. Some even shared their own experiences of being judged for “hoarding”.

One netizen expressed that COVID-19 has sparked panic among the public, where people will consider buying a large number of items as “hoarding” and people who fainted on the streets will be considered as patient infected with COVID-19.

On top of expressing sympathy, some netizens also condemned “keyboard warriors” for mocking the people, adding that they have so much free time to snap a picture of the incident but did not offer any help during the scene.

Some netizens commented that society’s empathy and conscience have been taken over by social media, likening it to “cyberbullying” and people thinking that there is “no need to be responsible” for what they say. Netizens also pointed out that the people who spread falsehoods based on their own presumptions will only reflect how “shallow” they really are.

On the other hand, there are a few netizens who suggested that to prevent such an unfortunate incident, the stall owners or the schools should have asked for the suppliers to deliver the items to the schools instead of requiring the stall owners to buy it themselves.

Instead of being labelled wrongly, one netizen said that the couple deserves recognition. He described them as “great people” for suffering in silence all this while.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Ng Sze Kuan observed a similar “complain pattern” that occurred in society nowadays. He remarked, “Buy too many eggs people complain. Now people complain about not knowing the truth and taking picture. Now not helping also complain. And now I am complaining for people who are complaining. After this people will be complaining about me complaining.”