BE TOLERANT WITH FOREIGN WORKERS, S’POREANS TOLD
0 Comments | BERNAMA; Malaysian National News Agency, Nov 19, 2006
from BERNAMA The Malaysian National News Agency SINGAPORE, Nov 19 (Bernama) — The Singapore government has asked its citizens to be more tolerant with foreign workers as more of them are expected to arrive over the next few years to cater to the manpower needs of the island state’s booming construction sector
The republic already has about 420,000 work permit holders who live in the city state, excluding maids, and as many as 50,000 more are expected in the next five years to work in major construction projects such as the multi-billion dollar casino resort and a host of other projects ranging from office towers to shopping malls
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan called for understanding from Singaporeans who might be concerned over the presence of a big number of immigrant workers in their midst
“If they commit crime, the police will take care of it, in the same way when a Singaporean commits a crime. But to automatically assume they are going to be a nuisance or commit crimes, I think that’s not fair,” he said in a report published by The Straits Times
The Government will also be releasing more land for construction of dormitories to house the foreigners, preferably away from housing estates
“But it’s not easy to do so,” said Mah, citing limited land available for such purpose
He said foreign workers deserved a decent life and their employers should house them in purpose-built dormitories with recreational facilities
“When they come here, you cannot expect them to live in a slum or in some corner somewhere,” he said
Most construction workers in Singapore are from China and India but from November next year they will no longer be allowed to rent flats in the Housing Development Board (HDB) estates — a move The Straits Times believed was in response to complaints from HDB dwellers
From then on, HDB flat owners will be allowed to rent out their flats only to foreign workers from Malaysia
Jackson Sawatan Copyright 2006 Bernama