SABAHAN SUFFERED IN SINGAPORE?

By: DAP MEDIA

THE Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament paid a visit to the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore on the 6th of May afternoon. Together with the MP was the Sabah DAP Vice chairman Edward Ewol Mujie.

The purpose of the visit to the High Commission was to obtain further information and details on the various difficulties and hardship faced by the many thousands of Sabahan and Sarawakian working in Singapore.

These issues were brought up during the visits made by the MP and his colleagues to the interior and rural areas in Sabah, and they were also being informed by the natives of Sarawak during their recent election campaign in Miri concerning the various difficulties and problems faced by their friends, children and relatives.

To welcome the KK MP was the Head of the Consular Section of the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore Mooi Poh Kong. He appreciated the visit of the KK MP to research into the various hardships faced by the workers who originated from East Malaysia.

He informed the MP that a special department known as the ‘Labor Department’ under the High commissioner in Singapore was set up in year 2008 to deal specially with the business of Malaysian laborers working in Singapore.

The duties of this department involved many aspects like taking care of the well being, welfare, tackling the workers’ work and personal problems. The department deals directly with the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regarding the Malaysian laborers having problems with their work pass, passport, their work place and dwellings, and in many other aspects.

MP Hiew asked whether the department knew about the cases of East Malaysian laborers having various problems working in Singapore which had been brought up and highlighted by the various media.

Mooi replied that it is very true that East Malaysian laborers coming to work in Singapore had in the past met with much difficulties and problems, but after the department came into operation three years ago, the situation has improved to almost few cases in a year now.

During 2008, there were more than 400 cases came to the attention of the Labor Department and these were attended to. In 2009, some 200 to 300 cases were being dealt with, and the figure reduced sharply during the year 2010.

From the beginning of 2011 until now, there was only one case due to the expiry of the laborer’s work pass in Singapore and the department had to arrange for his return to Malaysia. This was done through the corporation with the MOM and the Labor Department of the Commission.

He also highlighted that many laborers working in Singapore do not have a complete and traceable home address in Sabah or Sarawak. In times of need, they couldn’t contact the family immediately. In the case of emergency like accidental death or sickness, it is hopeless to get in touch with their families.

Edward Mujie suggested to Mooi that in cases involving an unsure address in a remote kampong in Sabah, he can always get in touch with the District Officer of the district concerned.

Hiew suggested the Labor Department of the High Commission is to keep some form of a record on the laborers working in Singapore, especially for those who came from East Malaysia.

On the other hand, the many employment agencies recruiting laborers to work in Singapore must be properly licensed by the authorities, and work strictly to rules because they are also being monitored by the department. It is known that many of the East Malaysian workers have been cheated and ill treated by some irresponsible agents.

Their work conditions were not as what had been promised, especially the wages and the way of payment and deduction. Some were not having any job on arrival and stranded without place to stay and without food. They have to seek help from the High Commission, and they were given meal sponsored by the welfare fund of the high commission staffs.

For some poor factory workers, their sleeping arrangement is real bad, whereby they have to take turn to sleep using the same bed with others in a cramp room based on shift schedules.

Hiew said he is glad that the situation is not getting worst, but he urges the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore to provide more help and assistance for the poor Sabahan and Sarawakian working in Singapore, this is because these people are poor and many are not well educated coming from the rural districts.

Furthermore these poor people should not be exploited and make used of, especially they are young and innocent.