Singapore, as Jolene mentions and writer Catherine Lim has argued, is a fiercely patriarchal society, headed by the patriarch-in-chief Lee Kuan Yew. Jolene continues:
I suspect that for many Singaporean women, abusiveness towards FDWs is also connected to fear and anxiety about our own place in society. Patriarchal attitudes simultaneously devaluing and gendering care work and domestic work are well-ensconced in Singapore, but the prevalence of foreign domestic workers staves off, to some degree, arguments about the role of Singaporean women in private and public spheres, by replacing the grossly undervalued labour Singaporean women would have been expected to do with grossly undervalued labour that foreign women are made to do. The hierarchy and unfairness remain in place; we’ve just changed the demographic on whom the worst burdens fall. Which is, of course, from a humanitarian perspective, little change at all.
Singapore is still governed by a colonial mentality and, like in every good colonial society, upstanding women are scandalised by the possibility (real or imagined) that dark-skinned domestics will seduce their men.
Thus maid agencies in Singapore ensure that their workers are de-sexualised, using the classic tool for the ritual humiliation of women: forced hair cutting. Maids are obliged to cut their hair short and wear boyish shorts and t-shirts to reduce the likelihood that they will tempt their male bosses into indiscretion.
To reiterate what I said at the start of this post, there’s nothing wrong with people hiring maids or with women from poorer countries who are willing to do this sort of work. But it seems bizarre in the extreme that so many Singaporeans are happy to let someone who they distrust so much look after their kids and effectively run their household. It is a classic colonial paradox, where the imperial masters are totally reliant on the native population yet deeply suspicious of them, partly because they know how badly they are treated.
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Read the rest of the article on Asian Correspondent
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i see that there is a problem with fly-by-night or low quality companies bringing in poorly trained domestic workers. This is evidenced in the rate of change of workers who did not meet home employer’s requirements when they complain to the maid agencies :
personal experience:
1. maid suppose to take care of baby in the night slept better than the babies who were unattended.
2. maids who do not know how to cook.
3. maids who do not speak much or understand much of our language. This can be dangerous if not inconvenient to employers.
The problem is these maid agencies. The maids are innocent gals from 3rd worlds or farm areas.
1. maid suppose to take care of baby in the night slept better than the babies who were unattended.
[Are you referring to the day-shift maid or night-shift maid? If it's the night-shift maid (who I assume would have rested adequately in the day time), then I think she ought to be reprimanded. If there's only 1 maid, then I assume she must be very tired after working ALL DAY.]
2. maids who do not know how to cook.
[Hire a chef or a cook then. Most people can't cook despite training, IMHO.]
3. maids who do not speak much or understand much of our language. This can be dangerous if not inconvenient to employers.
[College educated help are the best way to go really. Most college educated Filipinos speak better English than Singaporeans and can tutor the kids.]
A rather amusing article IMO. I’m just a bit disappointed that there is a lack of male-bashing on the part of Jolene Tan.
I’m also surprised that nobody bothered to point out the dehumanisation of migrant labour is a problem that is present in most countries and not just solely Singapore.
Bemused: Pointing out that it happens in other countries is a simply deflection worthy of a politician. The fact that it happens in other countries is hardly justification or an excuse for why it happens in “civilised” Singapore.
Is it any wonder that filial piety is lacking and the law has to be amended to allow aged parents to sue their children for support when those very same children were not raised by their parents but rather a hired domestic worker who was treated such.
Singapore is a very, very cruel society for the under-class, be they domestic helpers, construction workers or menial labourers.
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We do not make the slightest attempt to understand anyone we deem to be below us in stature, and this is the saddest part of a typical Singaporean. Where did we get such characteristics from, I wonder?
blame the gov, not the woman or the domestic workers.
please, the blame rest on our ministers.
eaglefly: Why? Does the Govt. and the mInisters tell you how to treat fellow human beings?
Or is it rather that Singaporeans see those with darker skin as “less than them”?
These days, the opposition parties have finally come to realise that most Singaporeans do not support them. Hence, they are now turning to foreign domestic maids for support. However, these politicians from the opposition parties are not aware that foreign domestic maids do not have voting rights in Singapore.
whoever here or which foreign domestic maids complaint..please go home be unemployed! PERIOD!!!
or else why would 1 forgo 1 1 year salaries just to come to singapoor to be a househelper? if i were to go to cebu and start shoutin..lookin for househelpers..i would hav got a long long Q awaitin..its whether i want to abuse or assist them in my humble capacity as a tourist..
by the way..next week i am goin to cebu AGAIN….
I recently met a FDW who narrated the story of a neighbouring FDW here in Singapore who’s kept as a virtual Slave and Prisoner – she has no days off, she’s not allowed to use the phone nor own a mobile phone, she’s not allowed to go outside except to pick-up the kids from the school bus. All on the threat of deportation and in collusion with the Maid agency.
This, in modern day Singapore. Can you imagine?
The reports of FDW abuse that we read in the newspapers every now and then is only the tip of the iceberg – there are many who face abuse by our local Singapore friends and colleagues whom we imagine to be perfectly normal people but who are in fact closet neanderthals.
Singaporeans are regarded as resources to be utilised; to ameliorate potential disaffection at being treated as ore, or timbre, Singaporeans are offered the chance to exercise utilitarian privilege over foreign domestic workers.
In Singapore, when they talk about ‘human resource’, it’s less of ‘human’ and more of ‘resource’.
It’s not just maids and labourers. Blue collar, white collar, lawyers, accountants, salesmen, engineers, admin, logistics…everyone is reduced to a resource and your sole worth is based on how productive you are.
the author is spot on on her observations. Please see my blog about life in Singapore as a Maid. http://www.maidinsingapore.net
i worked 17hrs a day for over 420days without a break. was sexually harassed, not allowed out of the house and had limited contact with family (once a month for 15mins) and no contact with anyone outside of my employers family :(
in reply to Andrew Chen you are correct what you hear is just the tip of the iceberg. I am a maid and started a blog on my experiences here. Long hours, no rest, sexual harassment, bad agencies etc..
It’s sad