Story by Stephanie Chok / Video edited by Natalie Soh / Pictures by Stephanie Chok & Mykel Yee / Additional reporting by Patrick Chng /
As a nation, we are wired, advanced and wealthy. So surely Singapore can find a better, safer yet financially feasible alternative to transporting humans on the cargo decks of lorries?
to and from their workplaces on the cargo decks of lorries,
exposing them to the risk of severe injury and death should an accident occur
It is illegal in China[1] and banned in Bahrain.[2] It shocks overseas guests,[3] including migrant workers from around the region who endure this mode of transport daily. Shen, a construction worker from China, says, “When I first arrived at Changi Airport, I was so impressed. Then a goods vehicle came to pick us up. I was shocked and felt very ill-at-ease, why is this company sending a goods vehicle to pick us up?” Construction worker, Yash, says that in India, people take buses (though they may not be luxurious) – if employers transported workers in this way, “the police will come after you and beat you up”. Raj, who has previously worked in Saudi Arabia, says, “I never imagined here in Singapore they will transport us this way. In Saudi, you will never see this, it is not allowed”.
The debate about transporting workers in open-deck lorries has been revived since the horrific lorry accident[4] along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) last Tuesday morning. The lorry skidded and crashed into a divider, resulting in 3 workers dead, 14 injured (and 1 driver arrested[5]). Just one day later, there was yet another lorry accident[6], this time involving a 24 foot lorry carrying 40 workers – the lorry crashed into a tree, leaving six workers injured and having to undergo treatment for head injuries.
It is estimated that over 200,000 workers[7] are ferried to and from their worksites daily on the cargo decks of lorries. While not a practice exclusive to foreign workers, male migrant labourers in the construction, marine and landscaping industries form the bulk of the passengers who are transported this way on a daily basis, in the searing heat or pouring rain.
In 2009, it was reported that an average of four workers a week[8] who are transported on lorries never make it to their destination in one piece. A total of 210 passengers[9] transported in this manner were injured or killed in 2008, a disturbing increase from 69 in 2005.
“You just have to trust that you won’t get hurt”: what workers say
Gulzar, an electrical worker from India, says the lorry rides, where workers have no safety belts or anchorage, are dangerous. He once witnessed a co-worker falling off the lorry when it was making a turn. When a lorry jam brakes, men may fall on each other or fly from the back to the front, resulting in bruises and other injuries. Murugan, a construction worker, says “people have been flung out” when there are sudden stops. It is even more dangerous when there is equipment on board, which may fall on workers. Photographs of lorries carrying workers and equipment show men squashed beneath or between stacks of towering furniture, tree trunks, ladders and all manner of machinery. One can only wonder what the impact would be if there was a crash. (In the lorry accident on 22 June 2010, one of the workers who died on the spot was found with a metal rod sticking out of his head.)
Kadal, also from India, says that sometimes the back of the lorry is not latched properly and it opens up. Zhang, a construction worker, says this is especially hazardous when the lorry is speeding and makes a turn. In the meantime, there is nothing for the men to hold on to unless they are seated at the sides – those in the middle have to simply grab on to their co-workers.
Subash, who works in the shipyards, says sometimes drivers fall asleep at the wheel because it is so early in the morning and they do shift work; often the lorry drivers start at 4am and drive non-stop till 10am, so they are fatigued. “When traveling this way,” he says, “you just have to trust that you won’t get hurt, that’s all you can do”.
Meanwhile, things get worse when it rains. Ju, a construction worker, says that when it rains, the workers seated at the four corners will hold up a sheet, or else the men use trash bags to shield themselves. For Kadal and his colleagues, there is no cover, even when it rains – the men are left to their devices. Zhang says the inside of the lorries are often dirty with silt and debris.
When it rains, the men find themselves not only getting drenched by rainwater but their pants soaked by the murky water that fills up the lorry. By the time they arrive at work, they are not just wet but caked in dirt. According to Zhang, there isn’t even a chance to change their clothes – the men have to get straight to work. Shen, also a construction worker, says that when it rains, the handlebars (if any) are slippery and sometimes the lorry may overturn on wet roads. He laments that it is a miserable experience sitting under the pelting rain, especially if one falls ill after. When workers catch a cold as a result, they may or may not be granted sick leave – if they are, they are often not paid for those days they are resting. Zhang says that in all his years of working here, he has never taken medical leave for the flu. If you rest, he says, you won’t get paid and he “cannot afford not to work”.
Other hazards of traveling on the back of goods vehicles include backaches from the prolonged bumpy rides on uneven surfaces and exposure to high heat, wind and dust. When asked why workers are sometimes seen rushing to board lorries, Zhang explains that you need to do that in order to get a “good seat” close to the front. If you sit at the back, he says, the wind is so strong you can’t open your eyes and all sorts of debris flies in. (Kadal once got a severe eye infection after particles flew into his eyes and he could not work for two weeks) Meanwhile, if you sit in the centre, there is nothing to hold on to.
Ju explains that this rush – particularly on large worksites – is due to workers anxious not to be left behind if the lorry is full. Waiting for the next ride (or the next) may mean workers, particularly those whose dormitories are situated far away, may not arrive in their dormitories till hours later. Akhtar, a Bangladeshi shipyard worker, says that the limited number of lorries hired by the company for a large number of workers means that he and his colleagues may sometimes not return to their far-flung dormitory till 10pm at night. After cooking their dinner, washing up, showering and doing their laundry, they will head to bed past midnight. Early morning lorry rides suffer from a different problem – Akhtar must wake up at 4am to be in time for a 5am lorry ride that drops him off at the shipyard by 6am, although work only begins at 7.30am. Another construction worker, Devraj, is dropped off at his worksite at 5.30am, while work only begins at 8am. This may explain the sight of sleep-deprived workers dozing off in lorries, dangerous as this practice may seem.
Almost all the workers I spoke with complained about speeding, which seriously jeopardizes their safety. Ju says his company’s drivers “don’t care if there is a red light” and sometimes speed off without first checking that all the workers are seated properly or have boarded the lorry. According to Ju, the drivers are paid per trip, so their imperative is to hurry. They tend to drive very early in the morning, to lessen the chances of being caught by authorities. Zhang explains that sometimes drivers rush because they have many different work sites to get to so they need to make multiple trips and ensure workers are not late. The perils of speeding are compounded by overcrowding. Raj says he has seen lorries that are meant to seat 13 hold up to 19 men; those with a capacity of 23 may cram in 30.
Many of the workers express surprise that they are transported in this manner in Singapore. Says Murugan, “I didn’t expect it when I first came, I thought we would be transported by bus. The first time I had to travel by lorry, I felt quite shocked and embarrassed”. Ju and Zhang express similar sentiments, recalling – like Shen – their ‘welcome ride’ from Changi Airport when they first arrived. “It was so unexpected,” says Zhang, “to see a goods vehicle crammed full with all these men squeezed among their luggage and have to climb inside”. In China, says Zhang, there isn’t this form of transport for people. Ju adds, “In China, this is definitely not allowed and people will get fined for transporting workers like this”.
When asked if they have raised the hazards of this form of transport with their bosses, Gulzar shakes his head and says, “You cannot tell the company these things. If you say this, you will have lots of problems”. Zhang widens his eyes at this question. “Of course not! No one else has mentioned it so how could you dare bring it up? My boss will tell me, If others can take it, why can’t you? Do you think you are better than them?” Meanwhile, Murugan says that yes, he has complained about this, but the boss said, “If you are not happy, go back to India”. Kadal, similarly, has requested for the lorry to be covered. He was told, “No, if you want you can take the bus. If you cannot take this, don’t work, go back to India”. Shrugs Kadal, ‘What to do? We have to work”.
Do safety measures make it safe?
After years of debate and a spate of accidents last year[10], the Land Transport Authority announced new safety measures in August 2009[11] regarding the transport of workers on lorries. To be phased in over three years, the measures include height restrictions, the installation of side railings and canopies and doubling the minimum deck space per seated worker. At the time, there were questions over why it should take three years to implement these measures, and the accidents last week have renewed calls to expedite this process.[12]
But let’s get one thing straight: there is no such thing as “safe travel” on the cargo decks of lorries. While certain control measures – observing speed limits, installing railings, not sitting on unsteady platforms – may mitigate risks, it is still an inherently unsafe practice because these are spaces not designed to carry human passengers. As Dr Joseph Thambiah,[13] head of National University Hospital’s orthopaedic trauma division, has pointed out, “The absence of restraints or seat belts means that those sitting on the cargo deck could still injure themselves if they were flung against each other or thrown to the back of the lorry”. A Business Times commentatory[14] has said of these measures: “While enhancing safety, [they] still do nothing about the fact that commuting unbelted in the back of an open-top truck is simply a fatality waiting to happen”.
John Gee, President of Transient Workers Count Too, advocates that “transporting workers in buses should still be the ultimate goal”.[15] Workers from India and China have also mentioned that this is how workers back in their home country are also transported – and Singapore is recognized as a well-resourced city with advanced infrastructure.
In general, there is little disagreement that this mode of transport for workers is undignified and unsafe. The calls to enforce stringent safety regulations and educate as well as punish those who violate them are mostly uncontroversial. It gets contentious only when discussion turns to banning this practice – essentially, a problem of dollars and cents. This is especially so for situations where small or medium-sized companies may be ferrying workers and equipment together at the back of their lorries, and traveling to and from multiple sites in one day. However, as has been pointed out, the government “readily forked out $35 million”[16] towards a five year plan for minibuses to be equipped with seat belts; this was following the death of an eight-year-old boy who was flung out of a school van. This new ruling was in place less than six months after the boy’s death following a public outcry.[17] In the meantime, Jolovan Wham, from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics,[18] pointed out that “[the] cost of hiring buses can be significantly reduced if employers sign collective agreements with transport companies offering bus services.”
The workers I spoke with generally rejected “cost-effectiveness” as a sufficient reason to compromise their safety. Kadal insists companies should pay for workers to be transported on buses, where they will be seated safely and sheltered from the rain. If there are accidents, asks Kadal, the employer may look after immediate medical costs, but what about long-term injuries? It was also pointed out that workers transported safely in buses will be happier and more productive. Ju acknowledges it may be cheaper to ferry workers in lorries rather than buses, but says if the company truly cared about safety they would. However, in his experience, workers’ safety is his company’s lowest priority – “where they can save, they will save”. As Gulzar emphasizes, this practice is so pervasive, “the government must take action, we individuals cannot do anything”. Murugan, meanwhile, states it plainly: “We are talking about the cost of a human life – saving money should not be the consideration”.
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Photographs were taken from an overhead bridge in Toa Payoh overlooking the PIE during the evening rush hour on 24 June 2010, two days after a horrific lorry accident killed 3 men and injured 14 others.
*All the names of workers interviewed in this report have been changed*
Further reading: Humans Not Cargo
References:
1) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/matching-up-to-first-world-safety.html
2) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/05/ferrying-workers-safely.html
3) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/lorries-are-designed-to-carry-goods-not.html
4) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/3-dead-in-pie-accident.html
5) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/driver-in-fatal-lorry-crash-arrested.html
6) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/safety-calls-grow-after-2nd-accident.html
7) http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=2174
8) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/05/ferrying-workers-safely.html
9) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-safety-regulations-for-transporting.html
10) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/05/four-workers-killed-as-lorry-crashes.html
11) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/safety-measures-for-worker-transport-in.html
12) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-safety-rules-should-kick-in-sooner.html
13) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-safety-regulations-for-transporting.html
14) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/foreign-lives-not-worth-much.html
15) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-safety-regulations-for-transporting.html
16) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/foreign-lives-not-worth-much.html
17) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2009/05/ferrying-workers-safely.html
18) http://humansnotcargo.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-price-worker-life.html
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It just shows our govt has little respect for human lives. They just want cheap labour from foreign workers. In fact ‘free labour’ since many are cheated by employers and went home empty handed. MOM, traffic police….all sleeping on their job.
Shows more depth and insight than a year of ST articles. Kudos to the reporters.
CROWDED TRAINS: SMRT’s CEO says: “People can board the trains – it is whether they choose to.” (Sunday Times, 27 June 2010).
CROWDED LORRY: “People can board the lorry – it is whether they choose to.” ????
Uniquely Singapore!
to cut the stories long…nang boti nang..kwee boti kwee
transport of workers with unsecured tools is liked mountin a bayonet withOUT the scath on…to make them squeeze amon our clean workers smrt cabins is also a nono…in the olden days where foreign workers was HAPPY..finished worked..sleep on site..machiam machiam kampon campin days…than the bloominscholars with their smart ars h ideas..we cannot hav that..its DEGRADIN..
@Tau: That’s not hard when SPH is chaired by Tony Tan, ex-DPM, and MICA has final say over the appointment of all management shareholders. Insight and depth come only with editorial freedom. And editorial freedom is not something that has ever been seen in a SPH office.
The disregard for human lives is an economic one. When a society worships the almighty dollar, you cannot expect a for-profit company to take the initiative and spend money to improve the safety of their workers when the relevant legislation is not there to alter their cost considerations in favour of that.
I suggest you take action. Yes, commenting on an anonymous forum, throwing out witty bon mots – that is a form of action. And that is better than silently acquiescing to the status quo, as the vast majority do. One other way is to write your MP, and let them know there is concern among their voters about this issue.
Alter the cost-considerations of your MPs. If they don’t believe that there is any benefit for them in raising the issue where it can be heard, they won’t do it – why rock the boat? We have to rock their boat for them.
Do it the Lim Swee Say way. Cheaper Better Faster.
Ofcos, if you die your business.
Lets throw this group of PAPies’ elites especially the 2 Lims (LSS & RL)onto the back of the lorry & transport them to & fro their offices and see how they feel.
In Hong Kong it is an offend to transport human on lorry, not like S’pore where the Ministers claimed we are the 1st world country,time to change…shame shame.
if the vehicles kept only to the left lane, kept at their speed limit of 60kmh, it is very difficult to encounter such accidents.
today, how many of such vehicles have you seen outside the left lane?
how many did you see above 60kmh?
yesterday, how many did you see?
since the government needs revenue, if the traffic police fines all these vehicles for all these offences, how much revenue would they generate?
The Manpower and Transport Ministers must take responsibility and address this problem. They must say sorry and compensate the dead and injured workers.
PAP is unable to spot problems before they occur. They are blinded by money and power.
The answer to the title question is simple:
the property developers are close friends with the gahmen and they want to make as much profit as possible regardless of any human lives. That is why the gahmen haven’t intervened yet!
It’s pathetic and sickening. These workers contribute to CPF as well. Coercion, Punishment & Fear
So sickening to read:
In 2009, it was reported that an average of four workers a week[8] who are transported on lorries never make it to their destination in one piece. A total of 210 passengers[9] transported in this manner were injured or killed in 2008, a disturbing increase from 69 in 2005.
When it rains, the men find themselves not only getting drenched by rainwater but their pants soaked by the murky water that fills up the lorry.
It’s mainly the drivers being not up to standard. They should be made to go through more stringent training before being allowed to drive in SG. As long as the speed limit of 60/70km/h is respected and the lorry is not overloaded, it’s fine. Problem comes when they start to drive lorry like F1 while under heavy load. Sure flip.
Applause for TOC for this excellent article.
ST “journalists” should be ashamed of themselves. They are paid to do the job that they never did!!!
Workers should raise this issue with ILO.
when we sick-a-poorean are treated like digit to slogged day and night to feed the millionaire papaya monkeys! these foreign workers to them are dirt cheap slaves and can be replace anytime. So they heck care! more die, just import again as there are many who are just dying to come here!
first of all,why all the foreigners driving?is it that can’t employ drivers locally or again it’s the ‘cheap’ facto
first of all,why all the foreigners driving?is it that can’t employ drivers locally or again it’s the ‘cheap’ factor?
We felt it was best to talk to the workers themselves. This is because so far, all we’ve heard from are Ministers, MPs, businessman, “experts”, etc.
The voice of those who face the risks themselves were left out of the discussion.
We hope therefore the authorities will read this article and take the workers’ views into consideration.
They, more than anyone else, are the ones whose lives are at risk – daily.
Why are employers reluctant to use bus instead of goods vehicle to transport workers? Are they really heartless people?
There is more to than meets the eye.
Firstly Singapore is a small country and land is scarce. Owning a vehicle is not the same as in India or China. It is really expensive here. The cost of a bus plus the extra expenses are by no mean cheap.
The solution must come from the top, that is the government. They have to decide whether we should make ferrying workers to and fro with covered transport as feasible as possible.
If the cost of running a bus can be low and the maintenance of these vehicle are within the reach of most companies, then the possibility of a safer mode of transport for the workers can be mooted. Incentives given to private entrepreneur to run a transportation service to provide safe transportation to workers can be the first step the government could do to help these people. The next step of course is legislation where unsecured vehicles are used for such transportation will become illegal.
The media plays an important role by educating the society against the current form of open unsecured vehicles to ferry workers.
Lastly the citizens have to give feed back and report any abuse of the rules to the authority to make the whole thing works.
ST “journalists” should be ashamed of themselves. They are paid to do the job that they never did!!!
On the contrary, they are hired to do a specific job which IMHO they do very well. It’s just not the job we think they’re supposed to be doing.
Govt is the main user for cheap slave.
The authority must review the policy of issuing driving licence to foreign workers. There are so many of them driving company’s lorry conveying their fellow workers between their dormitory, work place and in between project sites.
Some of these foreign workers cum drivers are seen to hog lanes (talking over the phone on the move, others are speeding and overtaking dangerously.
It is amazing how a company can save on salary to employ local drivers by putting numerous lives behind the truck with these foreign workers doubling up as drivers.
This is simply embarrassing to see people being exploited in that manner. Really a shame.
theonlinecitizen 28 June 2010
We felt it was best to talk to the workers themselves. This is because so far, all we’ve heard from are Ministers, MPs, businessman, “experts”, etc.
The voice of those who face the risks themselves were left out of the discussion.
………………
in the ole days..my belated pop was onLEE employed as a driver cum tools jarga(serious 1s..no bluff) his job was simple..ferried the workers to worksite jargaed whatever tools not bein used..normallee moi belated beluv pop used to eat snake..after droppin the workers..he would charbot to the nearest associations in geylard no no not called chickens..butt to hav a games or 2 roun in mahjon…he never had any accidents for he know what is his capability as a driver..those were the days..nowadays? even a local semiretired man co$t money..that is also considered unnessary expen$e$…
Road safety of transporting workers is a negative externality that businesses do not want to cover. This is a distortion in the market and rules should be drawn up to correct this.
Although many Singaporeans may not welcome these foreign workers here, this in-depth article has certainly highlighted the plight of this group of labourers.
Firstly,most if not all of these workers have paid a hefty sum (est.S$6,000 agent fee) to work here;which means the bulk of the first year income goes to servicing the debt back home. Accommodation and poor meals,coupled with uncertain job stability further add
to their list of woes.
The lack of safety in transportation (and
sometimes at worksites)would mean life risks; not to mention the inhuman treatment depriving them of dignity.
Considering the above,one would wonder why our self-proclaimed “First World” government has not yet legislate some
rules or measures to ensure industrial safety and decency for these workers.
Economic growth (or GDP) is not just about being “Cheaper,Faster and Better”,
it should be more about regarding the human factor (the worker) as a respectable economic contributor.
Highly paid employers who treat
them as digits or slaves while putting their lives at risk is most despicable.
Maybe this is another attribute of our”First World” status-exploitation of “Third World” fellow human beings.
The Garment’s obsession with GDP growth means social and individual morality have to be sacrificed on the altar of economic progress.That is exactly also the rationale for establishing 2 gambling dens here.Tourists can gamble until bankrupt for all the Garment care.We just want the tourist dollar.
It is the same attitude towards these foreign workers whom the Garment knows it needs(on the cheap) to boost our GDP.
This Garment has lost the moral authority to run the nation.
Thanks for this article. It was an eye-opener for me. While the practice felt somewhat unsafe to myself, I had relied on the fact that it was common and had previously assumed that the necessary safety issues had been considered and taken care of.
So, it surprised me that such practices are banned in most other countries. Do we have any traffic accident statistics involving these vehicles (ie. how many die or suffer serious injuries whenever a vehicle of this nature gets involved in an accident)? That way we can use actual empirical evidence to argue our case that these practices are inherently unsafe.
It is not only exploitation of the foreign cheap laborers but downright bullying and discrimination as well. Why is this problem confined to the China and Indian workers only?
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We have ten of thousands of Malaysian workers in Singapore, yet these are daily transported to and from work in proper buses, some of which are Malaysian registered while others are Singapore registered. Why is the Malaysian worker treated better than those from further away our shores?
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It is time indeed that we treat all workers the same, whether their home country is near or far away. We cannot allow this bullying, exploitation and discrimination to continue. We have to value each human life with the same value, whether near or far, rich or poor, black or yellow or white etc.
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This government in Singapore cannot seem to get the basics right these days, and we the people really need to take a good hard look at ourselves and see whether we are just as guilty as they ones we have voted to serve us. If we are, then it is time we start to put things right to ensure that regain the humanity that we once had but is now lost.
The rising cost in singapore has got to do with this. companies are already paying the ERPs, etc, to provide better transport to workers will only push the cost of business up, and the cost will be passed to the consumers, and consumers will have again to Pay And Pay even more. life will only be even harder in singapore.
lorry too risky; bus too expensive; taxi.
To the GOV, LTA, MOM and all businesses and owners running any business, ” HUMAN BEINGS WHO WORKS FOR OTHERS ” are,
1)PIGS,
2)SLAVES,
3)ANIMALS
4)THRASH and what else.
The equation is simple. When the employers get ‘squeezed’, the workers get ‘strangled’. But, of course, there are employers who would go all out to ‘strangle’ indiscriminately. The solution to the plight of these workers is the legislation of rules and laws; insurance coverage, deterrent measures, etc. But, how far and willing, is the gov prepared to go? The biggest obstacle is that there might be a conflict of interest.
These workers have come a long way. They had a role in giving Singapore the MBS and RWS, that’s why Singapore continues to break record, month after month, on the number of visitors. Have a heart, give them their basic needs of safety.
Singapore is not fulfilling her potential as a nation because of this 100% monetary driven leadership from PAP.
We will never be first world under this regime.
There are many more things to talk about these workers. A lot of them still live in inhumane conditions, bedbugs, lice, ticks infested housing.
When people are “tricked” to some to Singapore, promised lots of money, and end up in lots of debt, I call this “Human trafficking.”
Besides the laborers, there are also the prostitutes, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese…
Clearly, there are double standards, and not all humans are equal in Singapore. Even foreign workers have their own segments too. Laws here are worst than the 3rd world, with no regard to human lives.
The mode of transport is not the issue. Tranporting workers by lorries and pickups is safe provided the drivers abide by the speed limit and drive carefully. It is not the case now. Lorries and pick-ups transporting workers speed like crazy all over Spore especially along expressways. Most of these drivers are FWs and I guess, they don’t even know our traffic rules and regulations. The way these drivers speed, workers transported in buses will also be killed if there are involved in accidents when speeding is the main cause. Installing lorries/pick-ups with more safety features is just a ‘fire-fighting’ solution. It will not solve the problem if these drivers are allowed to continue to speed and drive recklessly. Nid the problem of speeding and reckless driving and half the problem will be solved. Insurance companies can also play a part by imposing high premiums drivers/companies who lorries/pick-ups are involved in serious accidents, etc. A long term solution must be found, otherwise more workers will be killed/injured on our roads.
at least they have free transport..we locals are treated like sardines everyday and still have to pay the service provider to treat us as sardines.
whoever wins the election, i hope they improve the Security of public transport.
This is technically achievable.
Nothing rocket science.
This is a good opportunity to showcase better can be done.
Winner can have many quick wins and show he can perform better.
These are the FOREIGNERS,the guest-workers,we should be thankful and grateful for they really “do the work that singaporeans doon’t want to do or cannot do.”
Not the other kind of SO-CALLED FTs ,who by underhand methods,steal the jobs that singaporeans want and can do better.
Yet,how often do we see the govt or the employers or NTUC leaders so much as to spare a little concern for these benefactors that help build our homes and do all kinds of tasks that singaporeans shy away from doing?
Yes,and the domestic helpers too.
Some even positively contributing in terms of rending our old folks home-care and our young,child-care and who CARES?
How many have slogged in our homes so that our womenfolks can also join the workforce and how many years some of them have contributed in this manner day in and day out and yet,cannot even qualify for a humble PR.
But,hey,look at those low-productivity FTs who even before any significant contribution to this nation,are freely granted PRs abd even citizenships.
Time to show gratitude and time to pay back and time to chide at those lame FTs who single-handedly brought us down from our high-ranking in worldwide productivity surveys and yet,have the cheeks to enjoin the govt to call us daft.
Why don’t we put up a petition to LTA or whoever is responsible to make them realise this is inhumane?
Society changes for the better normally from the ground up, or has LTA or whoever in charge actually gave a “NO, this is acceptable” sort of reply?
LTA should ban transportation of workers by lorries and trucks. When I was in France decades ago and worked as a casual grape picker, I was transported from accommodation to vineyard in nice BMWs. Shame on us, a first world nation.
During the coming National Day celebration. PAP MPs should sit behind on a lorry and go one round the parade square to thank all the foreign workers for building the Sentosa and Marina gambling dens and saving our tourism industry.
The Tourism Minister can do a bungee jump from the Marina IR roof top garden, and Mah Bow Tan can do it at The Pinnacle. Vivian Bala can do Bar Top and Pole dancing with his China Talents.
teo soh lung
When I was in France decades ago and worked as a casual grape picker, I was transported from accommodation to vineyard in nice BMWs.
………..
you loss me..while i was pickin grapes in france..my farmer don’t allow me to sit in bmws simply because bmws are germans..no real frenchman would be caught drivin a bmws..you don’t watched TAXI the movies much @ all..would you?
instead..they let me sleep in the barn..if its winters..they let their daughter to keep me warmth as well..if is ill cold..even the kind farmer would also send in his fat wife to sleep together..off course without a doubt..the french farmer would prefer i sleep with him in his nice cushion warm bed..minus his fat wife who still sleep in the barn with his daughter…
Soh Lung, we are not a first world nation. Not by far.
The govt are heartless hypocrites, working in collusion with businesses.
ONLINE CITIZEN: QUOTE – We felt it was best to talk to the workers themselves. This is because so far, all we’ve heard from are Ministers, MPs, businessman, “experts”, etc.
The voice of those who face the risks themselves were left out of the discussion.
We hope therefore the authorities will read this article and take the workers’ views into consideration. UNQUOTE.
Well done, Online Citizen! But guess what? They do the same for en bloc law. MinLaw talk to everybody but the condo owners who face en bloc prospects.
A lot of cross-talk when you listen carefully –
MND says:
“Endearing Home”, “Ageing in place”.
MinLaw says:
“En bloc – Minority die-die-must-evict when Majority die-die-must-sell”.
The Pariah, http://www.singaporeenbloc.blogspot.com
They, more than anyone else, are the ones whose lives are at risk – daily.
Our government is still unable to grasp the concept of a First World Country. It is not just about shiny buildings and the GDP but an advanced society, economically, morally and spiritually.
The U.S were barbaric in its infant days but they later abolished the slave trade and has evolved into a humane society since.
We, on the other hand, seems to be moving backwards. When we were a third world country, goods vehicles were not allowed to ferry passengers at the back. We changed that rule to facilitate economic growth at the expense of human safety. This, to me, is not the way of a first world country.
Shame on us. Singapore.
how many lorries did you see yesterday on the roads carrying many workers but travelling not in the slow lanes but in the fast ones, at inappropriate speeds?
It is why rest of ppl don’t respect singaporean