The plight of domestic helpers in Singapore seems to be a worsening situation, with many more helpers speaking out about dire conditions that they are put in. Earlier today, one domestic helper contacted HOME, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics to share her situation.
According to a Facebook post on HOME’s page, the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) wrote, “A domestic worker contacted us on our helpline as her employer has given her rice in a bin full of insects. We are providing advice and support to her”.
Along with the caption, they also shared a rather chilling video where a bin of rice is seen to be infested with insects.
https://www.facebook.com/migrantworkerssg/videos/1867312260048284/?__xts__[0]=68.ARC6ZcRwn2PoXHoGYF1jGb8IG2Db-tT_3yX8xid4vKxiBYfIVtUiZc3vdZUPFlz8UbvS5PgFVo_ApuAdcjMt9k45mECNCyWNzsB2aynroSYhscpzA3RlBX4rh1leH8akBCwXRcRovtfjEGrZ_-GPbbdnSPHOJrwk1MT7yuYd1Bosnwf7cNDPdKY8V1Lh0RTORxsI3bPT1MNw21eU739U63xTk8BbJAe0CznZ56sipMLKHv1QHBdPU0bLiD2gnuOqydLHdsNilXn0shE1_I0Q69EU3etDGkc4q1JHJz_eU-WrGnv7I5uxi9H7UAbE-ZCwu4cpowzFn79AcZMJvVVx2GCPWwS9Gtt4JKtawabZgjZz1Go&__tn__=-R
Even though the rice was completely infested with insects known as rice weevils, a stored product pest which attacks several crops, including wheat, rice, and maize, many netizens casually advised the helper to simply wash the rice, cook it and eat it. Many also said that the infestation was because the rice was stored for too long and was too old.
TISG has reached out to HOME for comment, but they have yet to respond.
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obbana@theindependent.sg