I refer to the case of a pest control technician who was jailed for five weeks for flouting Covid-19 rules. He had been sick but continued to work, as he did not want to forfeit a $100 monthly work incentive (Man who didn't want to lose $100 work incentive jailed for refusing sick leave, Covid-19 swab test, Jan 18).

It is right that he was punished for breaking the law. But perhaps he should not have been belittled by being described as having broken the law for a reason that was "not urgent".

A. Rahim M. Taha has two children to care for.

It comes down to this: When you make $1,500 per month with two children to feed, an extra $100 is not small change. It is enough even to be seen as a large sum to someone who is desperate.

In the context of food, $100 could get you 41 loaves of bread, 17 trays of 30 eggs, three tins of Milo or 33 five-serving packets of instant noodles.

When you don't have much, any of the above would go a long way.

So, when a person wonders why the poor make bad decisions, we should ask ourselves if our own cognitive skills would function just as well if we were bogged down by the constant worry of having enough money for food, rent, bills, insurance or mortgage every single month.

Gail Lisa Nur Ng

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-reasons-why-people-make-bad-decisions-at-times-and-break-rules