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“Why won’t they give me an opportunity?”

Employers discriminate against worker because of dialysis sessions. Andrew Loh.

Published

15 years ago

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13th Death From H1N1:
Singapore’s Health Ministry reported on Tuesday the country’s 13th flu A/H1N1 related death case – a 80-year old Chinese man. (See MOH website)

Andrew Loh

The worst is over for the Singapore economy and the labour market has stabilised, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day Rally speech. (Straits Times)

“Now the eye of the storm has passed…. Our labour situation has stabilised. Unemployment is not too high… Companies – some of them are hiring again, although still not in large numbers. Third quarter should be all right.” (PMO)

The Prime Minister’s reassurance brings little comfort to Nur (not her real name). What she faces is not unemployment through retrenchment but discrimination at the work place. Nur, 28, a single mother with a seven-year old daughter, works as an admin staff in a local company. In the last eight months, she was twice asked to leave her jobs as her employers did not want to extend her contract. Now Nur may again be asked to leave her third job this year.

You see, Nur is a kidney patient. She first discovered she had kidney problems in both her kidneys  in 2005. Since then, she has had to visit the dialysis centre, run by the National Kidney Foundation, three times a week, each time spending four hours in dialysis treatment. She does this in the evenings, after work, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She starts work at 8.30am and finishes at 6pm. In order to be on time for her treatment, she leaves work half an hour earlier, at 5.30pm. It was this which her employers found disagreeable. “They told me that since I cannot be around all the time they cannot extend my contract,” Nur explained, visibly upset. With a four hour treatment, she sometimes ends up reaching home close to midnight, and has little time to spend with her daughter.

She works on a contract basis and has had to endure her contracts not being renewed several times this year, even though her employers did not find her work performance lacking.

Such experiences with employers have led her to lie during job interviews when she looked for new jobs. “If I tell them the truth, they will not hire me,” she says. And even when she is successful in her job applications, she would continue to make up excuses in order to go for her treatment. “I would tell them I need to fetch my daughter from school,” she says. . “I have to work because I need to give [money] to my mother and I have to take care of my daughter,” she adds.

Once, after she had been on the job for two months, she decided to tell her manager the truth – and she ended up losing her job.

So why doesn’t she make arrangements with the centre to start her dialysis later so that she doesn’t have to leave her workplace half an hour early? The problem is that dialysis sessions do not always start on time, Nur explains. For example, during the recent H1N1 outbreak, sessions at the centre were delayed as precautionary measures had to be adhered to. This meant that Nur would end her dialysis much later, almost around midnight.

“It is very tiring, you know?” she says. She explains that already with the travelling to the centre and then onwards to her home, the entire process would take a total of close to six hours. She goes to bed past midnight but has to wake up at 6.30am to prepare to go to work again.

In the last job which she was asked to leave, her employer recruited another person to replace her. To Nur, this showed that it was not because the company needed to cut staff to save cost or that her performance was unsatisfactory, but that the company was discriminating against her because of her medical condition. In fact, several of her former employers had given this as their reasons for not renewing her contract.

In August, her supervisor informed her that the company may not renew her current contract. When she asked if the company was unhappy with her performance, her supervisor said no, but did not elaborate further.

In desperation, Nur went to see her Member of Parliament during his Meet-The-People session. He promised to get back to her but did not. When she visited him a second time, she was told by the MP’s assistants, “Sorry. MP cannot help you.” She was then advised to look for a job herself.

Nur has tried looking for a 9-to-5 job but she has not been successful so far. With the current economic situation, her search is made harder.

Several weeks ago, she approached the Community Development Council (CDC) for help but was told that they were not able to find her a job. The CDC advised her to wait and that she will be informed if it comes across any available jobs for her.

As she shows me the fremitus or thrill embedded in her left arm, above the elbow, a device which makes it easier to locate small veins in patients, Nur explains that she hardly misses work. This is because as a contract worker, she only gets paid when she shows up at the office. “This is why I’ll force myself to go to work even when I’m sick,” she says.

For now, she is at her wits’ end. Nur yearns for stability in her job so that she can better manage her life, and care for her daughter. All she seeks is a fair opportunity from employers and for understanding. “Why won’t they give me an opportunity?” she asks.

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If you’re an employer or knows anyone who may be able to provide Nur a job, please do drop us an email at: [email protected] .

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An estimated 116,600 residents were jobless in June.

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Indonesia

Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after harassment allegations

The Miss Universe Organization severs ties with Indonesia franchise due to harassment claims. Malaysia edition canceled.

Women allege body checks before pageant. Investigation launched. Safety prioritized.

Indonesia winner to compete in November finale. Height requirement controversy.

Published

1 year ago

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14 August 2023

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WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The Miss Universe Organization has cut ties with its Indonesia franchise, it announced days after allegations of sexual harassment, and will cancel an upcoming Malaysia edition.

In the complaint, more than a half dozen women said all 30 finalists for Miss Universe Indonesia were unexpectedly asked to strip for a supposed body check for scars and cellulite two days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta.

Their lawyer said Tuesday that five of the women had their pictures taken.

“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” the US-based Miss Universe Organization posted Saturday night on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

It said that it had “decided to terminate the relationship with its current franchise in Indonesia, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and its National Director, Poppy Capella.”

It thanked the contestants for their bravery in coming forward and added that “providing a safe place for women” was the organization’s priority.

Jakarta police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Tuesday that an investigation into the women’s complaint has been launched.

The Indonesia franchise also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia, where there will no longer be a competition this year, according to the New York-based parent organizer.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Indonesia franchise director Capella denied involvement in any body checks.

“I, as the National Director and as the owner of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking,” she wrote.

She added that she is against “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”

The Jakarta competition was held from 29 July to 3 August to choose Indonesia’s representative to the 2023 Miss Universe contest, and was won by Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.

Miss Universe said it would make arrangements for her to compete in the finale, scheduled for November in El Salvador.

This year’s Indonesia pageant also came under fire for announcing a “significant change in this (year’s) competition guidelines” with the elimination of its minimum height requirement after it had crowned a winner.

In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said it wanted to “make it extremely clear that there are no measurements such as height, weight, or body dimensions required to join a Miss Universe pageant worldwide.”

— AFP

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Malaysia

A Perodua service centre in Kuantan, Malaysia went viral for its strict dress code, Perodua responds

A dress code for vehicle servicing? A Malaysian car brand’s service centre dress code signage has puzzled netizens, raising queries about the need for attire rules during a routine service.

The manufacturer responded with an official statement after a flurry of comments, seeking to clarify and apologize.

Published

1 year ago

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10 August 2023

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MALAYSIA: A dress code signage positioned at a service centre belonging to a prominent Malaysian car brand has sparked bewilderment among Malaysian netizens, who question the necessity of adhering to attire guidelines for a simple vehicle servicing.

The signage explicitly delineates clothing items that are deemed unsuitable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, abbreviated pants, and distressed jeans.

The car manufacturer swiftly found itself flooded with comments from both inquisitive and irked Malaysian netizens. This surge in online activity prompted the company to issue an official statement aimed at clarifying the situation and extending an apology.

In a post that gained significant traction on the social media platform, politician Quek Tai Seong of Pahang State, Malaysia, shared an image to Facebook on Monday (7 Aug).

The image showcased a dress code sign prominently displayed at a Perodua Service Centre in Kuantan. Within the post, Quek posed the question: “Is this dress code applicable nationwide, or is it specific to this branch?”

The signage reads, “All customers dealing with Perodua Service Kuantan 1, Semambu, are requested to dress modestly and appropriately.”

Adding visual clarity to these guidelines, the sign features illustrative graphics that explicitly outline clothing items deemed unacceptable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, short pants, and ripped jeans.

Delineating the specifics of the dress code, the signage stipulates that male visitors are expected to don shirts accompanied by neckties, opt for long pants, and wear closed shoes.

Conversely, female visitors are advised to don long-sleeved shirts, full-length skirts, and closed-toe footwear.

Perodua’s dress code sparks online uproar

Following the rapid spread of the post, Perodua’s official Facebook page found itself inundated with comments from both intrigued and frustrated Malaysian netizens, all seeking clarifications about the newly surfaced dress code policy.

Amidst the flurry of comments, numerous incensed netizens posed pointed questions such as, “What is the rationale behind the introduction of such regulations by the management? We demand an explanation.”

Another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing against the necessity of the rule and urging Perodua to take inspiration from the practices of other 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Survey) automotive dealerships.

A concerned Facebook user chimed in, advocating for a more lenient stance, asserting that attempting to dictate customers’ clothing choices might not be in the company’s best interest.

Someone also commented in an angry tone, “Oi what is this? Going there for car service, not interview or working, right.”

As the discourse unfolded, it became evident that while some inquiries carried genuine weight, others chose to inject humor into the situation, playfully remarking, “If I wanted to buy a Myvi, I should buy or rent a formal attire first.”

“I sell economy rice at a hawker centre, I have never worn a long sleeve shirt and a tie… I guess I will not buy a Perodua car then.”

“I guess they will not serve those who wear short pants.”

Perodua addresses dress code controversy

As reported by Chinese media outlet Sin Chew Daily News, the manager of Kuantan’s Perodua Service Centre had acknowledged that the images on the dress code signage were misleading.

In response, the manager divulged that discussions had transpired with the head office, leading to the prompt removal of the signage to prevent any further misconceptions.

The manager clarifies, “We do encourage visitors to adhere to the dress etiquette, but we won’t go to the extent of restricting their choice of attire.”

He also revealed that currently, no complaints have been directly received from the public.

However, feedback from certain customers was relayed through Perodua’s agents.

Perodua also released an official statement by chief operating officer JK Rozman Jaffar on Wednesday (9 Aug) regarding the dress code on their official Facebook page.

The statement stated the dress code etiquette is not aligned with their official guidelines and they are currently conducting an official investigation on the matter followed by corrective measures to avoid the same incident from happening.

Perodua also extends its apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

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