Jurong Dorm Riot — Videos of riot police deployed at a migrant workers’ dormitory at Jurong circulated on social media on Wednesday afternoon (Oct 13). Crowds were also seen gathering outside the dorm.
Shortly before 1 pm, the Singapore Police Force received a call for assistance from Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory at Jurong.
Jurong Dorm Riot under MOM investigation
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is now investigating complaints concerning the dormitory. These complaints are said to involve Covid-19 breaches including no access for workers’ to obtain medical help as well as the alleged poor quality of catered food.
CNA reports that officers from the ministry’s Forward Assurance and Support Teams (FAST) were sent to the dorm to look into the workers’ living situation.
The complaints first surfaced on Chinese messaging and chat platform Weixin on Tuesday (Oct 12) alleging that hundreds of Chinese guest workers were trapped inside the dorm with those who tested positive for Covid remaining together with those who were negative instead of being sent to recover in isolation at a facility, among other complaints.
CNA quotes a spokesperson from MOM as saying, “preliminary investigations found that there were indeed some delays in conveyancing workers who tested positive for COVID-19 from their rooms to a care or recovery facility to recover.”
MOM added that it would move workers who needed medical assistance to healthcare facilities, and that the roommates of those who tested positive could go back to work after testing negative on antigen rapid tests.
The Ministry also said that the complaints regarding the quality of food have been forwarded to the caterer.
Furthermore, the employer of the workers at the dorm is now engaging with the workers regarding other issues and concerns they may have.
“We also seek feedback from workers through the existing channels, such as through our Fast officers on-ground or through the dormitory operator,” The Straits Times quotes MOM as saying. /TISG