News of spread of covid-19 among the workers within their dormitory left many in fear and desperation. As Singapore fights its way to become virus free as the number of new infection are dropping below 20 per day, the virus is ravaging all across the migrant workers dormitories. The number of new infection among the migrant workers reached 12,000.
The shockingly large infection among the migrant workers compare to relatively low infection among the civilian population raises few questions about how the authorities handle the situation with differing results. Local population were given face mask, hand sanitizers at their workplaces whereas such measures were significantly missing among the white collar foreign workers.
The government response of Singapore in the early stages of the pandemic were lauded by WHO and our epidemiology bodies but on 18th March onwards the number of new infection were soaring as mostly migrant workers from Bangladesh and India bore the brunt of it.
Thousands of new infections are being reported on daily basis due to congested dormitories where most of these helpless workers are confined to. Medical assistance are being provided by the authorities but some feels like they are being neglected as only those are seriously ill are taken to the hospitals. An worker who wanted to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions from his employer, told via phone that the living conditions are not suitable because congestion and also not being able to obtain adequate medications for other existing ailments.
The plight of the south Asian workers in the hard labor sector in Singapore highlights the negligence and substandard living conditions to the marginalized workers. Along the high rise skyscrapers, picturesque manicured streets, dazzling bright lights exist another face of the garden city state. The manual laborers the backbone of the city builders, so often overlooked by the local population although migrant workers make up one-third of the labor force of the country. The risks of contraction of the novel Corona virus or Covid-19 among the migrant workers are exacerbated by the fact of overcrowded dormitories, limited health care facilities, lack of appropriate personal protective equipment and in general poor nutrition due to lower wages. Discrimination of foreigners were always an existing problem around the but now more than ever, the kind of xenophobic feeling are very harsh reality for the migrant workers. A local Chinese Broadsheet, Lianhe Zaobao published letter from a reader who blatantly blamed the migrant workers for the outbreaks. The reader went on to say those people were from "backward countries" who lack basic hygiene and are "dirty people" such sentiments are nothing new as most workers had faced public discriminations at various public places more so in public transports. Workers commuting after work are often full of perspiration, dirt and smelly due to their work conditions are regularly met with shunned eye by the public who had share the same mode transportation. Receiving hostile looks is much better compared to those piled into lorries like sardines.
Critics cited complacency from authorities from their early success which they were largely focused on keeping the infection number low while to some extent overlooked the possibility of outbreak in those overcrowded dormitories. Authorities kept vigil of on its citizens and distributed surgical masks, hand sanitizers and reusable masks to only Singaporean families. Such early actions clearly "Reflects the deliberate invisibilization of foreign worker; the whole machinery of state operates as though they don't exist " said a workers rights group.
Most of the volunteers providing subsidized health care for the migrant workers through nonprofit organizations were anxious as early as February as the impeding virus might have severe risks in the overcrowded living conditions. The changes in regulation ended the volunteers serving the needs of those in need as doctors and nurses had to attend their respective jobs and leaving the vacuum of services by 90%.
When the first wave of Coronavirus hit Singapore, the government distributed face masks to all is citizens and permanent residents, except to the 3 lakh migrant workers from South Asia, the dark skin laborers . While Singapore introduced a social distancing regime called the Circuit-Breaker for all its residents, the only people exempt from this were these migrant workers, who were still going to work, shoulder to shoulder , on the back of a van or micro-bus. The government did this to ensure that the country's construction industry does not shut down, the collateral damage of capitalism . The only step the government took was to instruct the employers of the densely populated dormitories of these workers, to notch up the cleaning activities.
This is the true picture of this rising economies of Asia, with their shiny new towers and fast cars running on the street, their mindset still has not left middle ages, where human rights or equality has no place. And now that disease has only spread among these migrant population, they have locked them down in their dormitories far away from the blue blooded Singaporeans.
Fortunately countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada etc does not allow such separate system for its workers, and no ghettos are allowed to grow in their cities and everyone can feel protected by the government irrespective of their nationality.
Spokesman for the ministry of man power responded with news release, issued April 14th, saying authorities are working to "reduce the number of workers in the dormitories and also implement a medical support plan at all dormitories". Workers in the essential services had been moved out of the dormitories, the ministry said . Meanwhile officials are trying to make arrangements to other alternative accommodations. "Our immediate priority for the workers in the dormitories is to help them stay healthy and minimize the number of infection," said Josephine Teo, Singapore's minister of manpower.
The prime minister Lee Hsien Loong acknowledged the sharp rise of infection among the migrants is overwhelming compare to its total infection cases. " we will care for you like we care for Singaporeans, we will look after your health, welfare and your livelihood," Prime minister pledged. Singapore's government took initiatives to look after the workers welfare is commendable compared to neighboring Malaysia where there are next to nothing about the livelihood of the migrant workers.
Malaysian migrant workers may not have experienced the infection but they are most affected by it compared to Singapore’s counterparts . Foreign workers in Malaysia are being left to forge for themselves as most companies they worked for told them to take unpaid leaves.
Although Singapore's migrant workers were overlooked initially, the employing companies were to be blamed for their negligence and relative exploitation by providing meagre amenities and poor diet. Since the rapid outbreak, the government authorities begun their own initiative by sending more Health care workers, providing better food and medicines and also made sure the workers are getting paid while being in quarantine.
As of 5th of May, Total case of infection is 19,410, which vast majority is among is among the Bangladeshi and Indian migrant workers and 18 deaths
According to Dr. Sallie Yea of La Trobe University, an expert of socio-economy who has done research work on the living conditions of migrant workers in Singapore. What she just stated, is beggers belief to be the least. Seems like Singapore has come up with a system alike Indian Caste system within its society. Modern day apartheid to right before our eyes in the most turbulent times in modern history.