Singapore—The recent unrest migrant workers’ dormitory earlier this month that prompted the deployment of riot police to the dorm shocked many Singaporeans. But moved three women to act.
Dismayed about the poor quality of food and inadequate medical help when some residents had tested positive for Covid, they circulated an appeal on social media for food and other supplies to help the workers.
The workers had alleged that meals they were servied contained insects, worms, hair and pieces of newspaper. According to a post on the Chinese messaging and chat platform Weixin on Oct 12, hundreds of healthy workers were trapped inside the dorm together with others who might have been infected with Covid-19.
The incident and the complaints so moved a Madam Hu and two of friends, all in their thirties, that they felt they simply had to do something to help the workers, said an article in Singapore Ink.
The day after reports of riot police responding to an alert at the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory in Jurong, a woman identified by Singapore Ink as Madam Hu, and two friends, set up a WeChat group and appealed for help for the workers living in the dormitory.
Much to their surprise, more than 300 people responded and donated $10,000 worth of food and other supplies, including apples, masks, hand sanitizers, and medicine, and these were sent to the workers right away.
The donations were expected to help more than 2,000 workers at the dorm.
Interestingly, Singapore Ink added that Madam Hu had said most of the participants in the WeChat group are “new migrants from China, full-time mothers, or workers from China here on employment passes”.
She “emphasied that they are not wealthy, but seeing their fellow countrymen in need, motivated them to do something to help,” the report added.
Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party plan to take up the issue on Nov 1.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC), Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC), and Aljunied GRC MPs Gerald Giam, Leon Perera, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap and WP chief Pritam Singh, will pose questions in Parliament about the incident that warranted the deployment of riot police.
“How we treat each and every member of our society reflects who we are as a people,” wrote Ms He in a Facebook post on Sunday (Oct 24).
“It’s worrying to hear about the reports coming out of Westlite Jalan Tukang dormitory, particularly allegations about deplorable living conditions. It is crucial that we treat the situation with care and compassion, whilst rectifying the errors made,” she added. /TISG
Read also: WP MPs take up migrant workers’ issues, to ask questions about Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory incident https://theindependent.sg/wp-mps-take-up-migrant-workers-issues-to-ask-questions-about-westlite-jalan-tukang-dormitory-incident/