Comparative Analysis:

Memorandum

To: Centre for Social Responsibility (C4SR), Singapore Management University (SMU)

From: Sarah Lee, SMU Undergraduate Student

Date: 15 February 2021

Subject: Recommended article for SMU conversation on helping children from low-income

families

I have analysed the articles written by Teo (2016) and Toh (2016), concluding that Teo offers

a more coherent argument and specific examples to qualify her piece, placing it in favour

over Toh’s piece for stimulating conversation among SMU students.

Teo’s arguments are presented succinctly and flow logically, allowing the reader to follow

her train of thought easily throughout the article. Teo (2016) deconstructs the parochial

predisposition to the notion that low-income parents intentionally make bad choices which

jeopardise their children’s future. She does this by laying bare the underlying presumption

that low-income parents have the same liberty of choice as well-to-do parents, which does not

reflect reality (Teo, 2016). Teo (2016) also ends off with an appeal to the readers’ emotions

by highlighting that we should care for low-income families not because we are in a better

position, but simply because ultimately we are all humans and they are no less deserving of a

sense of dignity. Her integration of ethos, pathos and logos makes the argument a compelling

one, opening up room for critical discourse. Hence, it would be ideal for C4SR’s purpose of

encouraging dialogue on society’s approach towards helping children in low-income families

through the alternative perspectives presented.

On the contrary, while Toh’s exposition appears to be more relevant to C4SR’s focus on

children in low-income families based on his title, his argument is actually disjointed without

a clear focus on deeper interrogation. Toh (2016) started off proving that intervention from

the government has helped to lift the poverty line in Singapore, but placing this at the

beginning obfuscates his overarching narrative that inequality remains a pertinent issue

needing to be addressed. In addition, Toh commits multiple logical fallacies throughout the

piece. His article is peppered with sweeping generalisations without supporting evidence,

which brings the credibility of his arguments into question. A case in point is his conjecture

that government efforts to supplement parents’ income in low-income households are futile

because some parents persistently make poor choices, without providing citation of research

showing the cause-effect relationship between the two. Toh also dangles a red herring at the

end, raising the question of how the costs of his suggested initiatives should be footed, but

going on to distract the reader by saying that costs would be even higher if the problem is left

unaddressed. Another thing to note is that Toh’s suggestions to lift children of low-income

families out of poverty are difficult to implement through student projects under C4SR, and

more importantly, they are not backed up by research. For instance, he claims that affordable

boarding facilities for secondary students can offer a more conducive environment and

support network for low-income children (Toh, 2016) without citing any empirical data.

While the inherently problematic nature of Toh’s article can serve as material for further

discussion, the lack of coherence hinders its ability to kickstart the conversation. Hence, I

persist that Teo’s article is more suitable for C4SR’s use.

Teo’s examples are current, relevant to her thesis and authoritative as an associate professor

in sociology at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) with her research focused on

poverty and inequality (NTU, 2017). As a subject matter expert, she shares her interactions

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with residents on the ground at Housing Board rental flats over the three years preceding the

publishing date of her article (Teo, 2016). Teo also contextualises her examples to her

arguments. For instance, the story of Jen’s mother enunciates Teo’s (2016) point that low-

income parents may not have an equal availability of choices and that both parents’ and

children’s well-beings are intertwined. Teo’s skilful use of examples elevates her piece.

Conversely, Toh is an assistant news editor with The Straits Times and does not hold the

same authority as Teo. The bulk of his anecdotal examples were referenced from another

article (Toh & Tai, 2016) which only interviewed six low-income households receiving social

assistance. One cannot possibly claim that this sample is representative of all low-income

households in Singapore. Some of Toh’s examples are also irrelevant to his points. For

instance, Toh’s (2016) anecdote sharing how his family successfully broke out of poverty

through his parents' hard work contradicts his thesis to focus on children instead of parents in

low-income families. Teo’s examples lack the integration to support his arguments.

There are many community efforts addressing income inequality in Singapore. However, a

critical deconstruction of existing notions and stereotypes deeply embedded in our society is

lacking, some angles of which Teo’s article surfaces to the readers. This makes it more

favourable for C4SR’s purposes of initiating dialogue because it can get students thinking

critically.

(799 words)

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References

Nanyang Technological University. (2017, March 30). School of Social Sciences Faculty and

Staff: Teo Yeo Yenn. Retrieved February 18, 2021, from

http://www.sss.ntu.edu.sg/Programmes/sociology/facultystaff/Pages/Teo-You-Yenn.aspx

Teo, Y. Y. (2016, March 10). Why low-income parents may make 'poor choices'. The Straits

Times. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/why-low-

income-parents-may-make-poor-choices

Toh, Y. C. (2016, March 3). Lifting families out of poverty: Focus on the children. The

Straits Times. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/lifting-families-out-of-poverty-focus-on-the-children

Toh, Y. C., & Tai, J. (2016, February 28). The faces behind the aid figures. The Straits

Times. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-faces-

behind-the-aid-figures