A film by Lynn Lee & James Leong on the plight of foreign workers in Singapore. The film premiered on Al Jazeera on 18 August 2009.

You can view Part Two here.

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13 Responses to “Migrant Dreams – Singapore has been a nightmare”

  1. Someone needs to remind me again why the FT Policy is contentious?

    I mean how many of us would work for $2 an hour?

  2. As long as the migrant’s country remains poor, this kind of exploitation will not stop.

    Do you think the workers are stupid, such that they paid to be conned?
    Do you think this is the first case happened and unheard by the workers?
    Do you think they are unique in singapore?

  3. Congratulations Lynn and James, I wish that everyone in Singapore could see this film.

  4. Kranberry 19 August 2009

    1) mmm on August 19th, 2009 8.43 am
    “Someone needs to remind me again why the FT Policy is contentious?

    I mean how many of us would work for $2 an hour?”

    Allow me to re-phrase yours for myself:

    how many of us CAN SURVIVE on $2 an hour, even if we are not job-choosey ?

  5. Kranberry 19 August 2009

    What has MOM done about this Ocean Marine workers’ case?

    The fact is their living condition IS appalling.

    1st world singapore, what are you doing about it?

    Has MSM reported on this when even a Foreign media has already done so and with such great details.

    What is 1st world in terms of worker treatment?

  6. Kong Li Tao 19 August 2009

    I am sad to hear from Ismail that “…singapore has no job…” for even low wage workers.

    Sounds like the employment situation is worse than expected?

  7. Shengali 19 August 2009

    I feel that Ismail has leadership qualities and character by standing up for his peers despite him also being affected by the same problem.

  8. send them home

  9. notalone 20 August 2009

    I can do a better job than the Manpower Minister to clamp down on this rampant exploitation, at a fraction of his salary.

    I am serious.

  10. Mayb some MOM or MHA officials are behind some of this businesses. You never know.
    After some many corruption cases in this country, I am not surprised that something is wrong somewhere. Seriously wrong.

  11. Critics: Why are you not helping these sons, local and foreigner alike, of Singapore ?

    MOM: Are you kidding ? These are not my biological kid ! I’m not a MOM-MY to them. I only take care of my own family and especially Godfather who feed me ! So get out of my elite uncaring face !

  12. mice is nice 20 August 2009

    MOM is an arm of the govt, & since our govt is & always has been pro-business they will drag their feet, close 2 eyes on exploitation.

    that is why S’pore always seem like “a work in-progress” without a deadline? roads are often dug up, there is always medium & some construction sites to be seen, the enblock fever not too long ago gave work to larger firms, so on…

    just imagine the amount of work done, & not to mention how much money is saved when a foreign worker is hired to cut cost. the savings go intowho’s pocket?

    i got no solid prove lah, this are my personal observation only. seeing is believing, or not? you all decide loh.

  13. Exploitation of a fellow human being by the rich and powerful regardless whether the victim is poor or rich is an inhuman act. We have laws and regualtions, governing both labour and health issues to protect workers and obviously our ministry is not doing their job. These are signs that super efficient Sinkapore is embarking on a policy that will bring ill repute to the country. When there plenty of cheap labour around, these may not be a problem but the world will not stay forever the same. Although we have a global recession now, the economic tide will turn. That aside, as Sinkaporean we must not allowed wrong doing by exploitative companies to get away from such inhuman acts. Do wahtever we could to help these poor imgrants workers. By the way, this is what a free press will do to bring attention to social injustice. Our ST remained silient.