Straits Times, Mar 31, 2011
SINGAPORE reiterated its commitment to stamp out the problem of people smuggling at a regional forum in Bali, Indonesia, yesterday.
'We are committed to continue working closely with our foreign partners in the regional and international arena, such as the Bali Process, to deal with these transnational challenges,' said Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed, in his speech at the fourth Bali Process.
Representatives from 41 countries met to discuss how nations can cooperate to tackle human trafficking, people smuggling and related transnational crimes in the two-day forum that started on Tuesday.
The forum was initiated in 2002 by the Indonesian and Australian governments.
In June last year, Singapore hosted a workshop on the immigration aspects of seaport security. Some 45 officials from 19 Bali Process member countries participated in the event.
Besides taking part in the regional ministerial forum, Singapore regularly shares with other countries information on trends concerning the abuse of travel and identification documents, people smuggling and best practices against trafficking, said Mr Zainul.
He added that laws were in place to prosecute those engaged in human trafficking and those who exploited minors for commercial sex outside the country.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
2 boatmen jailed for Sungei Buloh human smuggling
By Khushwant Singh
Straits Times, Mar 31, 2011
UNDER the cover of darkness, two boatmen deposited five Chinese nationals at Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve. But when their trip back to Johor was foiled by a Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) boat, the Malaysians made a U-turn, beached their boat and dashed into the jungle - as their 'passengers' had done.
Yesterday, Jabil Yusof, 56, and Mohd Zaid Samsudin, 21, were each jailed for four years and eight months for offences relating to the Jan 10 human-smuggling attempt. It was the first time human smugglers had used the nature reserve as an entry point.
Mohd Zaid was ordered to be caned 12 times. Jabil, who is above 50, was spared caning and will serve another six months in jail.
The five women aged between 31 and 53 have been dealt with. All had previous immigration-related offences and had been banned from entering Singapore.
The Malaysians had pleaded guilty on March 3 to one charge of engaging in a human-trafficking business, one charge of entering Singapore unlawfully and two charges of abetting two prohibited immigrants to be smuggled in. Three other charges relating to the other three women were taken into consideration.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Denis Tan told the court there exists 'public disquiet about the serious social and security problems' arising from the presence of illegal immigrants here. He said smuggling syndicates are an important conduit in bringing them in and have to be dealt with severely.
Investigations revealed that a Malaysian known as Botak Ahmad, who ran a human-smuggling business in Johor, had approached the two men separately. Jabil was a fisherman earning about RM40 (S$17) a day. Mohd Zaid was a land surveyor with a daily pay of RM30.
Botak offered them RM150 each for every illegal immigrant smuggled into Singapore. The women are believed to have paid 17,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan (S$3,300 to S$3,900) to a smuggling syndicate in Malaysia.
At 4.30am on Jan 10, the group set out, with Jabil piloting the speedboat, from Lido beach in Johor. The PCG took action when the women landed on Sungei Buloh. Some 50 officers from Jurong Police Division, Special Operations Command and the Gurkha Contingent were deployed. All seven fugitives were caught within five hours.
The punishment for engaging in the business of human smuggling is two to five years' jail and caning. The penalty for conveying prohibited immigrants is a jail term of between six months and two years and caning, while that for unlawful entry is up to six months' jail and caning or a fine of up to $6,000. A minimum of three strokes of the cane is mandatory for each offence.
Straits Times, Mar 31, 2011
UNDER the cover of darkness, two boatmen deposited five Chinese nationals at Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve. But when their trip back to Johor was foiled by a Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) boat, the Malaysians made a U-turn, beached their boat and dashed into the jungle - as their 'passengers' had done.
Yesterday, Jabil Yusof, 56, and Mohd Zaid Samsudin, 21, were each jailed for four years and eight months for offences relating to the Jan 10 human-smuggling attempt. It was the first time human smugglers had used the nature reserve as an entry point.
Mohd Zaid was ordered to be caned 12 times. Jabil, who is above 50, was spared caning and will serve another six months in jail.
The five women aged between 31 and 53 have been dealt with. All had previous immigration-related offences and had been banned from entering Singapore.
The Malaysians had pleaded guilty on March 3 to one charge of engaging in a human-trafficking business, one charge of entering Singapore unlawfully and two charges of abetting two prohibited immigrants to be smuggled in. Three other charges relating to the other three women were taken into consideration.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Denis Tan told the court there exists 'public disquiet about the serious social and security problems' arising from the presence of illegal immigrants here. He said smuggling syndicates are an important conduit in bringing them in and have to be dealt with severely.
Investigations revealed that a Malaysian known as Botak Ahmad, who ran a human-smuggling business in Johor, had approached the two men separately. Jabil was a fisherman earning about RM40 (S$17) a day. Mohd Zaid was a land surveyor with a daily pay of RM30.
Botak offered them RM150 each for every illegal immigrant smuggled into Singapore. The women are believed to have paid 17,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan (S$3,300 to S$3,900) to a smuggling syndicate in Malaysia.
At 4.30am on Jan 10, the group set out, with Jabil piloting the speedboat, from Lido beach in Johor. The PCG took action when the women landed on Sungei Buloh. Some 50 officers from Jurong Police Division, Special Operations Command and the Gurkha Contingent were deployed. All seven fugitives were caught within five hours.
The punishment for engaging in the business of human smuggling is two to five years' jail and caning. The penalty for conveying prohibited immigrants is a jail term of between six months and two years and caning, while that for unlawful entry is up to six months' jail and caning or a fine of up to $6,000. A minimum of three strokes of the cane is mandatory for each offence.
Another private school shuts without warning
Students' fees tied up with The Turning Point; MOE looking into matter
By Jane Ng
Straits Times, Mar 31, 2011
YET another private school has closed down suddenly, leaving its students stranded and with a question mark over the fees they have already paid.
This time, it is The Turning Point Business School at Bestway Building in Tanjong Pagar, which offered degrees from the University of Wales.
The students, enrolled in courses like Master of Science in strategic supply chain management, MBA in Islamic banking and finance, and MBA in risk management, have fees of up to $20,000 each tied up with the school. Its owner, believed to be a Mr Manish Brahmbhatt, has been uncontactable and is believed to have left Singapore, said a former employee.
Its students have complained to the University of Wales and to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education in Britain, a watchdog agency. The QAA had launched a probe into the University of Wales' collaboration with The Turning Point. In January, it sent a team here to meet students and school representatives.
Its spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that the investigation into the university's partnership with The Turning Point will go ahead, and the findings will be out in July.
The Council for Private Education (CPE) - a statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE) overseeing private schools here - would only say it understood that The Turning Point ceased operations last month, and that it was looking into the matter.
A spokesman for the University of Wales confirmed that it had ended its partnership with the Singapore school, and was arranging for the students to transfer to its other partner schools here.
The university's website lists seven schools here offering its degrees, including the Management Development Institute of Singapore and Raffles Education, though they may differ from those offered by The Turning Point.
'The University of Wales' priority is to safeguard the studies of its students. The students concerned have remained on their respective programmes of study, which will be coordinated by a collaborative centre here,' said its spokesman.
The students here could very well have sensed something was up when, after paying for their year-long courses, they attended only a class or two last year - as lessons were often postponed or cancelled. Those who sat examinations got neither the results nor certificates.
A 35-year-old executive in the logistics industry, who wanted to be known only as Mr R. Goh, failed to get a refund on his course fees when the classes kept being postponed. Another student in her 20s, who declined to be named, said she was trying to get her credits transferred as her company had paid her course fees.
The Turning Point was previously registered with the MOE as a private school. In 2009, when the CPE was formed, private schools were required to register with it to be audited so prospective students would have a gauge of their quality.
Schools have up to June to be registered. Since December 2009, a quarter of the 1,000 private schools have done so. The Turning Point put in its application for registration before it closed down.
By Jane Ng
Straits Times, Mar 31, 2011
YET another private school has closed down suddenly, leaving its students stranded and with a question mark over the fees they have already paid.
This time, it is The Turning Point Business School at Bestway Building in Tanjong Pagar, which offered degrees from the University of Wales.
The students, enrolled in courses like Master of Science in strategic supply chain management, MBA in Islamic banking and finance, and MBA in risk management, have fees of up to $20,000 each tied up with the school. Its owner, believed to be a Mr Manish Brahmbhatt, has been uncontactable and is believed to have left Singapore, said a former employee.
Its students have complained to the University of Wales and to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education in Britain, a watchdog agency. The QAA had launched a probe into the University of Wales' collaboration with The Turning Point. In January, it sent a team here to meet students and school representatives.
Its spokesman told The Straits Times yesterday that the investigation into the university's partnership with The Turning Point will go ahead, and the findings will be out in July.
The Council for Private Education (CPE) - a statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE) overseeing private schools here - would only say it understood that The Turning Point ceased operations last month, and that it was looking into the matter.
A spokesman for the University of Wales confirmed that it had ended its partnership with the Singapore school, and was arranging for the students to transfer to its other partner schools here.
The university's website lists seven schools here offering its degrees, including the Management Development Institute of Singapore and Raffles Education, though they may differ from those offered by The Turning Point.
'The University of Wales' priority is to safeguard the studies of its students. The students concerned have remained on their respective programmes of study, which will be coordinated by a collaborative centre here,' said its spokesman.
The students here could very well have sensed something was up when, after paying for their year-long courses, they attended only a class or two last year - as lessons were often postponed or cancelled. Those who sat examinations got neither the results nor certificates.
A 35-year-old executive in the logistics industry, who wanted to be known only as Mr R. Goh, failed to get a refund on his course fees when the classes kept being postponed. Another student in her 20s, who declined to be named, said she was trying to get her credits transferred as her company had paid her course fees.
The Turning Point was previously registered with the MOE as a private school. In 2009, when the CPE was formed, private schools were required to register with it to be audited so prospective students would have a gauge of their quality.
Schools have up to June to be registered. Since December 2009, a quarter of the 1,000 private schools have done so. The Turning Point put in its application for registration before it closed down.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
One dies, another injured in refinery incident
By Jalelah Abu Baker
Straits Times, Mar 30, 2011
ONE foreign worker died and another was injured while carrying out maintenance operations at an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Jurong on Monday.
Indian nationals Dakshinamoorthy Vellaisamy, 34, and Sornakalai Ravichandran, 35, were found unconscious inside an enclosed space filled with nitrogen at the ExxonMobil-owned Singapore Refinery. They were cleaning a part of a lube plant.
The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) occupational safety and health division has instructed ExxonMobil to stop all cleaning operations at the site till safety can be ascertained.
The two specialist technicians were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH), where Mr Vellaisamy died of his injuries later that same evening. He had been supporting his wife and their two young children in India.
Mr Ravichandran, who regained consciousness at about noon yesterday, is under intensive care. His condition is said to be stable.
The father of two young children told The Straits Times that the incident was over in just a few minutes.
Mr Ravichandran said he and his colleague wore oxygen masks into what he described as a catalyst tower, when he realised, belatedly, that the oxygen level had not been set.
He then alerted his colleague, who pressed a button on his walkie-talkie to alert other colleagues. 'After that, I don't remember anything because I fainted,' he said.
Associate Professor Malcolm Mahadevan, head of the emergency medicine department at NUH, said an imbalance between oxygen and nitrogen levels in the air would pose a threat to survival.
'When the brain is deprived of oxygen, the person becomes unconscious, and then vital organs like the heart and kidney will start to get affected,' he said, adding that no two people are affected the same way.
Both men had been working for about five years with Dialog Systems, which was contracted for maintenance works. The works started on March 9, and were scheduled to continue for nine weeks.
A spokesman for the company, which provides specialised technical and consultancy services for upstream oil and gas production, said it is making arrangements to send Mr Vellaisamy's body to India.
In a statement, ExxonMobil said other unrelated maintenance works will continue as usual.
The incident comes just after MOM released figures in January showing that workplace fatalities hit an all-time low last year. There have already been at least three this year, including the latest one.
Singapore Refinery manager Darrin Talley said: 'We are greatly saddened by this tragic event and express our deepest sympathy to the families of those affected in this incident.'
MOM is currently investigating the cause of the incident, and the police are also investigating what they have classified as an unnatural death.
Straits Times, Mar 30, 2011
ONE foreign worker died and another was injured while carrying out maintenance operations at an ExxonMobil oil refinery in Jurong on Monday.
Indian nationals Dakshinamoorthy Vellaisamy, 34, and Sornakalai Ravichandran, 35, were found unconscious inside an enclosed space filled with nitrogen at the ExxonMobil-owned Singapore Refinery. They were cleaning a part of a lube plant.
The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) occupational safety and health division has instructed ExxonMobil to stop all cleaning operations at the site till safety can be ascertained.
The two specialist technicians were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH), where Mr Vellaisamy died of his injuries later that same evening. He had been supporting his wife and their two young children in India.
Mr Ravichandran, who regained consciousness at about noon yesterday, is under intensive care. His condition is said to be stable.
The father of two young children told The Straits Times that the incident was over in just a few minutes.
Mr Ravichandran said he and his colleague wore oxygen masks into what he described as a catalyst tower, when he realised, belatedly, that the oxygen level had not been set.
He then alerted his colleague, who pressed a button on his walkie-talkie to alert other colleagues. 'After that, I don't remember anything because I fainted,' he said.
Associate Professor Malcolm Mahadevan, head of the emergency medicine department at NUH, said an imbalance between oxygen and nitrogen levels in the air would pose a threat to survival.
'When the brain is deprived of oxygen, the person becomes unconscious, and then vital organs like the heart and kidney will start to get affected,' he said, adding that no two people are affected the same way.
Both men had been working for about five years with Dialog Systems, which was contracted for maintenance works. The works started on March 9, and were scheduled to continue for nine weeks.
A spokesman for the company, which provides specialised technical and consultancy services for upstream oil and gas production, said it is making arrangements to send Mr Vellaisamy's body to India.
In a statement, ExxonMobil said other unrelated maintenance works will continue as usual.
The incident comes just after MOM released figures in January showing that workplace fatalities hit an all-time low last year. There have already been at least three this year, including the latest one.
Singapore Refinery manager Darrin Talley said: 'We are greatly saddened by this tragic event and express our deepest sympathy to the families of those affected in this incident.'
MOM is currently investigating the cause of the incident, and the police are also investigating what they have classified as an unnatural death.
Worker dies following Jurong refinery incident
Worker dies following Jurong refinery incident
TODAY, Mar 30, 2011
SINGAPORE - A worker died and another was seriously injured in an incident at the Singapore Refinery in Jurong on Monday night.
ExxonMobil in a statement said the workers were found unconscious at about 7.30pm and were sent to hospital immediately.
One of them, a 34-year-old Indian worker, succumbed to his injuries and died at about 9pm.
The other is in critical condition in hospital.
ExxonMobil said both of them are contractors and had been carrying out maintenance work in an enclosed space filled with nitrogen, when they were discovered to be unconscious.
The company says it is cooperating with the authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, as a result of this incident, all work relating to the turnaround at Jurong Refinery has been suspended.
ExxonMobil said further information will be released as soon as it becomes available.
TODAY, Mar 30, 2011
SINGAPORE - A worker died and another was seriously injured in an incident at the Singapore Refinery in Jurong on Monday night.
ExxonMobil in a statement said the workers were found unconscious at about 7.30pm and were sent to hospital immediately.
One of them, a 34-year-old Indian worker, succumbed to his injuries and died at about 9pm.
The other is in critical condition in hospital.
ExxonMobil said both of them are contractors and had been carrying out maintenance work in an enclosed space filled with nitrogen, when they were discovered to be unconscious.
The company says it is cooperating with the authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.
Meanwhile, as a result of this incident, all work relating to the turnaround at Jurong Refinery has been suspended.
ExxonMobil said further information will be released as soon as it becomes available.
Singapore Must Keep Migrant Population Low - Lee Kuan Yew
The following article was published by Dow Jones on 30 Mar 2011.
Singapore Must Keep Migrant Population Low - Lee Kuan Yew
-By Singapore Bureau; Dow Jones Newswires
30/03/2011
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore must keep its migrant population low and reduce its intake of low-skilled foreign labor so as to preserve its social fabric, the city-state's founding father Lee Kuan Yew said.
"Today, the migrants are only 30% (of the population) and I think we should never allow them to become near 50%. Then they will change us," Lee said in a television interview, aired Monday, with U.S. journalist Charlie Rose.
Lee, who served as Singapore's first prime minister from 1959 to 1990, also denied that migrants are "overwhelming the local population."
When asked if immigration restrictions might be used to keep the number of foreigners low, Lee said: "Yes...Just take in the high-quality people; those with tertiary education."
Singapore, an island state of 5 million people, has long relied on overseas labor, skilled and unskilled, to help fuel economic growth and offset the low birth rates in its aging resident population.
Its heavy reliance on low-skilled foreigners, especially in the construction and service sectors, has made immigration a major political issue ahead of elections that are due in February 2012 but are widely expected to take place this year.
Critics and opposition leaders argue the government's liberal immigration policy has contributed to stagnant wages for residents and rising inflation.
Lee, who holds the official title of minister mentor in Singapore's cabinet, is still influential in the city-state, and his advice is widely sought globally.
Singapore Must Keep Migrant Population Low - Lee Kuan Yew
-By Singapore Bureau; Dow Jones Newswires
30/03/2011
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore must keep its migrant population low and reduce its intake of low-skilled foreign labor so as to preserve its social fabric, the city-state's founding father Lee Kuan Yew said.
"Today, the migrants are only 30% (of the population) and I think we should never allow them to become near 50%. Then they will change us," Lee said in a television interview, aired Monday, with U.S. journalist Charlie Rose.
Lee, who served as Singapore's first prime minister from 1959 to 1990, also denied that migrants are "overwhelming the local population."
When asked if immigration restrictions might be used to keep the number of foreigners low, Lee said: "Yes...Just take in the high-quality people; those with tertiary education."
Singapore, an island state of 5 million people, has long relied on overseas labor, skilled and unskilled, to help fuel economic growth and offset the low birth rates in its aging resident population.
Its heavy reliance on low-skilled foreigners, especially in the construction and service sectors, has made immigration a major political issue ahead of elections that are due in February 2012 but are widely expected to take place this year.
Critics and opposition leaders argue the government's liberal immigration policy has contributed to stagnant wages for residents and rising inflation.
Lee, who holds the official title of minister mentor in Singapore's cabinet, is still influential in the city-state, and his advice is widely sought globally.
Monday, March 28, 2011
He's in the army...but she has the backpack
Photo posted on Net triggers debate about 'soft' and 'spoilt' youth
By Jessica Lim
Straits Times, Mar 28, 2011
Photo caption: Most netizens who saw this photo were critical of the soldier. But there were some who gave him the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that he might have been injured. -- PHOTO: STOMP
A PHOTOGRAPH being circulated online has sparked a heated debate about whether Gen Y soldiers are too pampered.
In it, a young man, dressed head-to-toe in army fatigues, is captured with a woman carrying what is presumably his backpack.
The photo was posted on The Straits Times' online portal Stomp at about noon yesterday.
Responding to a Straits Times query, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said 'the SAF takes a serious view of the conduct of its servicemen in public'. She added that the SAF will investigate and take appropriate action.
The photo had attracted more than 180 comments on Stomp as of press time. A posting on Stomp typically attracts about 50 comments.
It was soon posted on social networking site Facebook and online forums like hardwarezone.com.sg, which attracted more than 300 comments on it. It is not known where or who the image originated from. Its authenticity also could not be verified.
Nonetheless, netizens were quick to offer their thoughts. Most were critical of the soldier, calling him 'spoilt' and 'lazy'. One even said images like these 'tarnished the image of Singapore'.
Yet there were others who gave the youth the benefit of the doubt, saying a shoulder injury could have prompted the need for help from the person whom they assumed was a maid.
NSmen and full-time national servicemen (NSFs) The Straits Times spoke to also had varied comments.
Mr Erik Elzinger, 27, a marine engineer who completed his army stint in 2006, said: 'Your bag is your own responsibility. In war, the maid will not carry it for you.'
Others like 38-year-old Nicholas Seet, a father of two, felt that the photo was a social commentary on children in Singapore.
'Kids these days are so spoilt,' he said. The maid does everything for them, and they grow up with a distorted sense of reality,' said the supply chain manager who did his national service back in 1992.
'The whole idea of national service is to groom boys to become men. And here, a maid is carrying the bag. It's priceless,' he said.
Army officer Bryan Cai, 20, said the soldier did not display traits taught and encouraged in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Said the signals officer: 'When I train my men, I try to instil in them values like independence and responsibility.'
Mr Ho Shu Huang, a defence analyst at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noted that the context of the photo was not clear.
He said that some people might claim that soldiers are getting soft.
'It is very tempting to make a mountain out of a molehill, but we shouldn't do that,' he added. 'But... the SAF is a cross-section of society. It is no secret that many households have domestic helpers now, and their role is becoming increasingly expansive. Children are becoming more reliant on maids, and it may be second nature for them to have someone carry their bags for them.'
By Jessica Lim
Straits Times, Mar 28, 2011
Photo caption: Most netizens who saw this photo were critical of the soldier. But there were some who gave him the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that he might have been injured. -- PHOTO: STOMPA PHOTOGRAPH being circulated online has sparked a heated debate about whether Gen Y soldiers are too pampered.
In it, a young man, dressed head-to-toe in army fatigues, is captured with a woman carrying what is presumably his backpack.
The photo was posted on The Straits Times' online portal Stomp at about noon yesterday.
Responding to a Straits Times query, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said 'the SAF takes a serious view of the conduct of its servicemen in public'. She added that the SAF will investigate and take appropriate action.
The photo had attracted more than 180 comments on Stomp as of press time. A posting on Stomp typically attracts about 50 comments.
It was soon posted on social networking site Facebook and online forums like hardwarezone.com.sg, which attracted more than 300 comments on it. It is not known where or who the image originated from. Its authenticity also could not be verified.
Nonetheless, netizens were quick to offer their thoughts. Most were critical of the soldier, calling him 'spoilt' and 'lazy'. One even said images like these 'tarnished the image of Singapore'.
Yet there were others who gave the youth the benefit of the doubt, saying a shoulder injury could have prompted the need for help from the person whom they assumed was a maid.
NSmen and full-time national servicemen (NSFs) The Straits Times spoke to also had varied comments.
Mr Erik Elzinger, 27, a marine engineer who completed his army stint in 2006, said: 'Your bag is your own responsibility. In war, the maid will not carry it for you.'
Others like 38-year-old Nicholas Seet, a father of two, felt that the photo was a social commentary on children in Singapore.
'Kids these days are so spoilt,' he said. The maid does everything for them, and they grow up with a distorted sense of reality,' said the supply chain manager who did his national service back in 1992.
'The whole idea of national service is to groom boys to become men. And here, a maid is carrying the bag. It's priceless,' he said.
Army officer Bryan Cai, 20, said the soldier did not display traits taught and encouraged in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Said the signals officer: 'When I train my men, I try to instil in them values like independence and responsibility.'
Mr Ho Shu Huang, a defence analyst at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noted that the context of the photo was not clear.
He said that some people might claim that soldiers are getting soft.
'It is very tempting to make a mountain out of a molehill, but we shouldn't do that,' he added. 'But... the SAF is a cross-section of society. It is no secret that many households have domestic helpers now, and their role is becoming increasingly expansive. Children are becoming more reliant on maids, and it may be second nature for them to have someone carry their bags for them.'
Maids using time here to carve out better future
Some learn to start businesses, others acquire skills which can land white-collar jobs at home
By Amanda Tan
Straits Times, Mar 28, 2011
Photo caption: Ms Veronica Gamez, executive director of micro business school Aidha, conducting a class for maids. While many know how to make items like dresses, she says, they need to learn marketing and how to sell their products. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
IN HER first seven years working as a domestic helper, Filipina Mhel Muel did not save a cent.
Half her monthly salary of about $500 was spent on living expenses - her phone bill, food and shopping. The other half went to her relatives back home.
That has now changed. The 37-year-old, who is helping to support four relatives, has learnt to use her cash better - after attending courses in money management and investment.
After taking up the courses - which cost her about $500 over two years - in 2008, she learnt how to cut back on her expenditure and within a month had saved the $70 needed to buy and rear a pig back home.
That pig has now turned into a cash cow. Every year, thanks to help from a male pig from the same village, it gives birth to up to 26 piglets. Each piglet is then sold for around $60. The money easily meets her relatives' expenses for two months.
'In the past I didn't really care about saving but now I've learnt to invest for the future. I've even bought myself health insurance back home so that if anything were to happen to me, my family wouldn't be burdened,' said Ms Muel, who can now even boast savings of $4,000.
Like her, thousands of domestic workers in Singapore are flocking to training centres every week to learn skills to help them when they stop working here.
While courses in cooking and household skills were popular among maids about two years ago, industry players and maid agencies say it is the professional courses - in money management, cosmetology, music, nursing aid and entrepreneurship - that are gaining traction now.
The Straits Times spoke to eight such training centres - most are non-profit and charge between $80 and $350 for course materials - and found a sizeable increase in enrolment for such courses.
The Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Skills Training, which offers a course in saving, has seen its enrolment increase from 577 in 2009 to 1,696 last year.
At Aidha, a micro business school offering certification courses in business and finance, where Ms Muel studied about two years ago, enrolment has jumped 20 per cent in the last three years.
And at the School of Indonesia in Siglap, about 200 domestic helpers are taking long-distance degree courses with the Open University in Jakarta, said Indonesian Embassy spokesman Fahmi Aris.
Mr Fahmi said the increase could have resulted from the embassy's efforts to advertise and facilitate enrolment in such courses since 2009.
'These helpers expect a better future when they go back home. For example, they work here for about six years, collect capital and knowledge, and when they return home, can apply these skills to society - and apply for white-collar jobs,' Mr Aris said.
As the profile of domestic workers here changes - industry experts say they are now more literate and have more years of education - so do the dreams and ambitions they harbour.
Most students pay for the courses themselves. Classes are usually held on Sundays, and they are presented with certificates issued by the training centre upon graduation.
Ms Veronica Gamez, executive director of Aidha, said: 'I realise that many of them already know how to cook and make dresses, but they need to know how to do marketing and sell these products back home.'
Meanwhile, domestic helper Shirly Caboto, 47, will be able to put her newly acquired nursing aid skills to use in a Chicago nursing home this September.
'Learning new skills gives me more job opportunities. In some places, they want to see that you have some form of certification and experience,' she said.
The Filipina recently completed her course at the Holy Family Filipino Group Skills Training Programme, which includes a three-month stint at a local nursing home.
Ms Shirley Ng, president of the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), said the trend is also facilitated by employers who are now more willing to let their maids attend upgrading courses.
'When maids come here more educated, they also have bigger ambitions. They don't just aspire to be maids. Employers also facilitate this by being supportive of such courses to upgrade them. It also shows they have big hearts,' she said.
By Amanda Tan
Straits Times, Mar 28, 2011
Photo caption: Ms Veronica Gamez, executive director of micro business school Aidha, conducting a class for maids. While many know how to make items like dresses, she says, they need to learn marketing and how to sell their products. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOWIN HER first seven years working as a domestic helper, Filipina Mhel Muel did not save a cent.
Half her monthly salary of about $500 was spent on living expenses - her phone bill, food and shopping. The other half went to her relatives back home.
That has now changed. The 37-year-old, who is helping to support four relatives, has learnt to use her cash better - after attending courses in money management and investment.
After taking up the courses - which cost her about $500 over two years - in 2008, she learnt how to cut back on her expenditure and within a month had saved the $70 needed to buy and rear a pig back home.
That pig has now turned into a cash cow. Every year, thanks to help from a male pig from the same village, it gives birth to up to 26 piglets. Each piglet is then sold for around $60. The money easily meets her relatives' expenses for two months.
'In the past I didn't really care about saving but now I've learnt to invest for the future. I've even bought myself health insurance back home so that if anything were to happen to me, my family wouldn't be burdened,' said Ms Muel, who can now even boast savings of $4,000.
Like her, thousands of domestic workers in Singapore are flocking to training centres every week to learn skills to help them when they stop working here.
While courses in cooking and household skills were popular among maids about two years ago, industry players and maid agencies say it is the professional courses - in money management, cosmetology, music, nursing aid and entrepreneurship - that are gaining traction now.
The Straits Times spoke to eight such training centres - most are non-profit and charge between $80 and $350 for course materials - and found a sizeable increase in enrolment for such courses.
The Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Skills Training, which offers a course in saving, has seen its enrolment increase from 577 in 2009 to 1,696 last year.
At Aidha, a micro business school offering certification courses in business and finance, where Ms Muel studied about two years ago, enrolment has jumped 20 per cent in the last three years.
And at the School of Indonesia in Siglap, about 200 domestic helpers are taking long-distance degree courses with the Open University in Jakarta, said Indonesian Embassy spokesman Fahmi Aris.
Mr Fahmi said the increase could have resulted from the embassy's efforts to advertise and facilitate enrolment in such courses since 2009.
'These helpers expect a better future when they go back home. For example, they work here for about six years, collect capital and knowledge, and when they return home, can apply these skills to society - and apply for white-collar jobs,' Mr Aris said.
As the profile of domestic workers here changes - industry experts say they are now more literate and have more years of education - so do the dreams and ambitions they harbour.
Most students pay for the courses themselves. Classes are usually held on Sundays, and they are presented with certificates issued by the training centre upon graduation.
Ms Veronica Gamez, executive director of Aidha, said: 'I realise that many of them already know how to cook and make dresses, but they need to know how to do marketing and sell these products back home.'
Meanwhile, domestic helper Shirly Caboto, 47, will be able to put her newly acquired nursing aid skills to use in a Chicago nursing home this September.
'Learning new skills gives me more job opportunities. In some places, they want to see that you have some form of certification and experience,' she said.
The Filipina recently completed her course at the Holy Family Filipino Group Skills Training Programme, which includes a three-month stint at a local nursing home.
Ms Shirley Ng, president of the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore), said the trend is also facilitated by employers who are now more willing to let their maids attend upgrading courses.
'When maids come here more educated, they also have bigger ambitions. They don't just aspire to be maids. Employers also facilitate this by being supportive of such courses to upgrade them. It also shows they have big hearts,' she said.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Where Have S'pore's Indonesian Maids Gone?
Radha Basu - Straits Times Indonesia | March 27, 2011
(Republished on The Jakarta Globe)
It makes for an unlikely dream factory. At a whitewashed house on the outskirts of Jakarta, 120 Indonesian women are striving to fulfill a cherished migrant ambition.
They are training to be maids and to look after other people's homes in affluent parts of the region. It is often their only ticket out of penury.
Singapore has long been a coveted destination. But its allure is fading fast.
Ask how many want to work in Taiwan and 66 hands promptly shoot skywards. Another 39 favor Hong Kong, but only 15 cite Singapore as their dream destination.
Why is that, you ask. Singapore is safe, clean and so close to home. Why do they not want to work there?
"Money not enough, Ma'am," the women intone in unison. "Taiwan, Hong Kong got higher salary."
The labor squeeze that has long been a by-product of globalization and booming Asian economies seems to have reached the lower strata of the job market. Women, even from desperately poor backgrounds, can afford to be a bit choosier these days, as maid recruiters in Indonesia are finding out.
This group of women is being trained by Sejahtera Eka Pratama (SEP), an employment agency in Bekasi, near Jakarta.
A similar story is playing out in Pangkalan, a sleepy West Java hamlet about 250km away. Of the 5,000 families living there, at least 4,000 have a son or a daughter working in a low-paying job overseas. The hamlet's dirt roads are accessible only via motorbike.
Sukarma Mahmud, 50, a village recruiter who supplies Indonesian employment agencies with women willing to work as domestic labor overseas, is doing his rounds.
He is making his pitch to Kesih Suta, 23, as she sits on a mat in her parents' two-room home. She returned to her village last December after seven years away working as a maid in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
"You will earn more than you did for sure," he promises the petite woman whose last pay was around $320 per month. "You may even get four days off a month."
But Kesih, the eldest child of an odd-job worker and a farmer, looks unconvinced. "I can earn even more in Taiwan,' she says in Bahasa.
Sukarma changes tack. "You help me and I help you," he cajoles.
"You pay me something then?" she counters, as her two younger siblings - both under 10 - play nearby. "My parents could use the money.
Would 2 million rupiah (S$290) be enough, he asks.
'I'll think about it,' she smiles. 'No promises.'
Low pay, high qualifications
Indonesia is Singapore's biggest supplier of foreign domestic workers, with at least 90,000 of its citizens working in the Republic.
But a number of factors are taking the gloss off Singapore as a destination, as The Straits Times discovered during a recent visit to training centers and kampungs near Jakarta.
Interviews with 10 Jakarta-based employment agencies and dozens of women who have worked or plan to work as maids overseas found that low pay, high eligibility criteria and the surge in demand from Taiwan, where the women can earn twice what they can here, are undermining Singapore's appeal.
The relatively low wages that Singaporean employers pay for domestic help compared with rates in Hong Kong or Taiwan are by far the biggest disincentive.
An Indonesian maid with no experience who comes to Singapore gets around S$380 a month, though some recruiters are trying to increase that to S$450, with at least one day off.
With wage levels left strictly to market forces and individual employers and maids to determine, some earn even less. Some agencies in Indonesia still recruit maids for S$350 a month or less. Some of these operators are unlicensed.
In Hong Kong, where minimum wage laws are in place, a maid earns at least HK$3,580 (S$581), with at least one day off a week. Unlike in Singapore, domestic workers there are also covered by employment laws and entitled to all public holidays off plus paid annual leave.
Maids in Taiwan can command at least NT$15,840 ($678), with four days off a month. They are also paid extra for working on days off.
Malaysia used to be at the bottom of the table when it came to paying Indonesian maids, but the Jakarta government banned its maids from working there last year after a rise in alleged cases of abuse. Maids in the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the Middle East still receive S$350, or less, but the employers absorb all recruitment costs, unlike in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also, typically, better-off Middle Eastern households employ a few maids each, so the individual workload is lighter.
While Singapore employers generally pay less than those in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the eligibility criteria are the highest.
A worker has to be at least 23 years old and have at least eight years' education to come here. Taiwan and Hong Kong only require domestic workers to be 21 or over. There are no official education criteria, though maids generally have at least primary-level education.
Nurfaizi Suwandi, chairman of Apjati, the Indonesian Manpower Services Association, says: "Twenty-three-year-olds might find it hard to want to work in Singapore for S$380 or S$400, when 21-year-olds are getting close to S$700 in Taiwan."
The body has 330 members, making it Indonesia's largest association for employment agencies.
"The 19- and 20-year-olds who want to come and work in Singapore don't stand a chance."
A few years ago, domestic workers fresh from their villages initially went to Malaysia or Singapore to gain experience, before moving on to higher-paid jobs elsewhere. As Singapore provided an important training ground, it seemed fair that maids were paid less, say agents.
For instance, when Titin Kartini, 26, the eldest of three children of penniless West Java farmers, decided to work overseas a decade ago, she chose Singapore. She earned S$230 a month and worked for a family with three young children.
She had no days off and was not allowed to go out on her own, but she did not mind. "I just focused on learning how to cook and clean, and I also picked up Mandarin," she says. "All I wanted was to move to Hong Kong."
She did so in 2004, and worked there until 2008 for around S$600 a month.
Titin has spent the past three years teaching English at a village school, but is now keen to be off again, this time to Taiwan. "I have always had good employers, but I really want to earn more," says the articulate and confident woman, who can cook for up to 30 people at a time.
Taiwan is attractive not just for the $700 salary.
Unlike in Hong Kong, where she says she was forced to take four days off a month by law - and in doing so spending precious money - she says Taiwan allows her to work on her days off.
By working three Sundays a month, she can earn an additional $70, she calculates.
Opportunities elsewhere
But experienced workers like Titin are not the only ones flocking to Taiwan and Hong Kong these days, says Charles Butar Butar, who heads SEP. Increasingly, even Indonesians with limited or no experience also prefer to start out there.
His agency now supplies around 120 maids to Taiwan and 100 to Hong Kong every month, up from around 80 and 50, respectively, five years ago. There has been a corresponding decrease in supply to Singapore, with only 20 or so of his maids headed here, down from 100 five years ago.
Said Butar Butar: "The Indonesians are increasingly seen to be more obedient and willing to fit into the Chinese culture. And Taiwan and Hong Kong employers don't mind if they have little or no experience."
The Singapore market is getting hit by another factor as well - a depleting supply of Filipino domestic workers, who have long been the Indonesians' rivals in the region.
"For some reason, Filipinas are not coming in the numbers they used to be," says the agency boss. "Indonesians are taking their place."
Filipino maids are increasingly turning down Singapore jobs unless they are paid a Philippine government-stipulated minimum salary of US$400 ($506). This has led to a surge in demand for Indonesians here.
The Philippine Embassy in Singapore confirms that the supply of Filipina domestic workers in the region has been falling in recent years.
More of them prefer to work as retail assistants and factory workers, or go further afield for higher-paying jobs as domestic workers in Canada, Spain and Italy or factory workers in Taiwan, its labor attache Rodolfo Sabulao told The Straits Times.
Indonesians, too, are navigating hitherto unexplored fields, points out Nurfaizi. They are finding jobs on cruise ships in the United States and Europe, and - through a government-to-government program - as health-care workers in Japan.
Even bribes do not work
In a region flush with opportunity, it is small wonder then that many young women in Indonesian villages are reluctant to come to Singapore.
After failing to convince Kesih, Sukarma, the village recruiter, drops in on Zubaidah Nono Suoyana, 27, a former factory worker now planning to work overseas as a maid.
Zubaidah has two young children, including a month-old son, and her husband's pay as an odd-job laborer is not enough for the family. She says she heard on the radio that girls willing to go to Singapore stand to gain an advance payment of 4 million rupiah.
As she has no experience as a maid - a stint in Saudi Arabia was aborted last year when her employer sent her home within a month - Zubaidah initially agrees to work for anything above $350 a month.
But the moment she learns that she might have to live on only $20 a month - or possibly even $10 - for up to nine months while she pays off the recruitment costs, she lets out a small shriek. "I won't even be able to breathe on that money. No way I could survive."
She says her Saudi employer's wife sent her back because she believed her husband was paying her too much attention.
"In Saudi Arabia, there were no deductions," she says. "How do maids survive in Singapore for so long with so little money?"
As he leaves her home, Sukarma claims that he increasingly has to pay maids and their families up to 5 million rupiah to coax them to even consider Singapore.
Recruiters emphasize that the supply of maids from Indonesia has not dried up. But there is a definite crunch in the supply of quality maids.
Says recruitment agent Rudy Hart: "There will always be some who want to go, but their quality is in question." He knows of women who take the "ang pow" money and come to Singapore, only to find that the work is too hard for them. "They then run away and return home," he says. "The agents try to chase them for refunds, but often they don't get any."
Dreaded English test
Singapore's supply is further depleted by the exacting entrance requirements, say Indonesian agents. In April 2005, Singapore introduced a compulsory test in English for all maids that radically changed the game, says Butar Butar.
With better-educated women generally gunning for higher-paying jobs in Hong Kong and Taiwan or other professions elsewhere - and Malaysia out of bounds due to the Indonesian government ban - Singapore is increasingly becoming the place for those who cannot really go anywhere else.
Even if they have completed the mandatory eight years of schooling that Singapore requires, they hardly know any English, points out Antony Rais, who teaches English at Sumber Kencana Sejahtera, a large employment agency on the outskirts of Jakarta.
Although statistics from Singapore's Ministry of Manpower show that nearly 95 per cent of all domestic workers pass the test, Indonesian agents say the number for Indonesians is lower.
Says Mr Hart: "The 95 per cent includes Filipinos, who probably find the test easy." In his agency, which supplies around 50 girls to Singapore every month, about a third fail the test.
In Butar Butar's agency, the pass rate sometimes falls even lower. "Just last week, I sent nine girls to Singapore and six returned after failing the test," he says.
One sultry afternoon earlier this month, Antony coached a class of 40.
The women prepare for the class by memorizing the answers to 400 questions similar to those found in the Singapore test, with a Bahasa-English dictionary at their side.
The questions are framed in such a way that the women learn not only the basics of English, but also information directly relevant to their work as domestic workers. They also learn about their rights.
"Where in Singapore can you work?" asks Mr Antony, first in English and then in Bahasa. "Only in my employer's house," choruses the class, picking the correct answer from the list of four options.
Later, they learn what a "three-in-one" coffee mix is, how Indonesian helpers should be given at least one day off a month when they work in Singapore and how they can call their agent, embassy or a hotline run by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) if they are not paid.
But learning by rote in a group setting is not always effective. As the class progresses, some play with their pencils or stare at the corridor outside, lost in thought.
Tough employers
While novices are eager to work in Singapore, some returnees are reluctant to go back.
Many narrate stories of how Singaporeans can be tough employers, unlike those in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Many rue what they call their lack of freedom.
From June 2009, when Siti Nurjanah Surjono left Jakarta to go to Singapore to work, till October last year, her parents did not hear from her even once.
Then, on Hari Raya last year, she called her mother. "It was like she came back from the dead," recounts her mother, Julekha Sutana, 45.
Nurjanah, 24, claims that from the time she began working for a family of five adults in Jurong, she was not allowed to leave her employer's home on her own, or even to make a phone call. Her primary duty was to look after the ailing matriarch of the family. She also claims that both she and the elderly woman were not given enough to eat.
Shortly after her first phone call home - 16 months later - the elderly woman died. Nurjanah was returned to the agency and asked to be sent back home.
Meanwhile, her sister Marfuah Surjono, 27, spent eight years working for two families in Hong Kong without incident. She was given enough food, had regular days off and the keys to the house. "My employers even took me to Ocean Park," she beams, referring to a theme park.
Marfuah, who now works as a Cantonese teacher to trainee maids, says she frequently shares her story - and that of her sister's - with prospective maids: "They need to be informed about the risks before they can make choices."
But Singapore still retains its attraction for one group of women who would work here again in a heartbeat - maids who have had fair employers and enjoyed their stints in the Lion City.
Siti Sopiah, 28, a farmer's wife with a one-year-old son worked for the same Bukit Timah family - a married couple, their son and the child's elderly grandmother - for seven years.
She said her employers were concerned about her well-being, frequently asking her if she was happy. They also bought her clothes and gave her generous ang pows during Chinese New Year.
When she left - she says she wanted to "take a rest and get married" - they gave her four gold chains. "All my time there, I only received kindness," she says. "And I tried to pay it back by working hard."
She is now training to return to Singapore. "It's clean, safe and the people are kind," she adds.
The best part, she says, is that her agency is negotiating a salary of at least S$450. "I am really looking forward to going back."
(Republished on The Jakarta Globe)
It makes for an unlikely dream factory. At a whitewashed house on the outskirts of Jakarta, 120 Indonesian women are striving to fulfill a cherished migrant ambition.
They are training to be maids and to look after other people's homes in affluent parts of the region. It is often their only ticket out of penury.
Singapore has long been a coveted destination. But its allure is fading fast.
Ask how many want to work in Taiwan and 66 hands promptly shoot skywards. Another 39 favor Hong Kong, but only 15 cite Singapore as their dream destination.
Why is that, you ask. Singapore is safe, clean and so close to home. Why do they not want to work there?
"Money not enough, Ma'am," the women intone in unison. "Taiwan, Hong Kong got higher salary."
The labor squeeze that has long been a by-product of globalization and booming Asian economies seems to have reached the lower strata of the job market. Women, even from desperately poor backgrounds, can afford to be a bit choosier these days, as maid recruiters in Indonesia are finding out.
This group of women is being trained by Sejahtera Eka Pratama (SEP), an employment agency in Bekasi, near Jakarta.
A similar story is playing out in Pangkalan, a sleepy West Java hamlet about 250km away. Of the 5,000 families living there, at least 4,000 have a son or a daughter working in a low-paying job overseas. The hamlet's dirt roads are accessible only via motorbike.
Sukarma Mahmud, 50, a village recruiter who supplies Indonesian employment agencies with women willing to work as domestic labor overseas, is doing his rounds.
He is making his pitch to Kesih Suta, 23, as she sits on a mat in her parents' two-room home. She returned to her village last December after seven years away working as a maid in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
"You will earn more than you did for sure," he promises the petite woman whose last pay was around $320 per month. "You may even get four days off a month."
But Kesih, the eldest child of an odd-job worker and a farmer, looks unconvinced. "I can earn even more in Taiwan,' she says in Bahasa.
Sukarma changes tack. "You help me and I help you," he cajoles.
"You pay me something then?" she counters, as her two younger siblings - both under 10 - play nearby. "My parents could use the money.
Would 2 million rupiah (S$290) be enough, he asks.
'I'll think about it,' she smiles. 'No promises.'
Low pay, high qualifications
Indonesia is Singapore's biggest supplier of foreign domestic workers, with at least 90,000 of its citizens working in the Republic.
But a number of factors are taking the gloss off Singapore as a destination, as The Straits Times discovered during a recent visit to training centers and kampungs near Jakarta.
Interviews with 10 Jakarta-based employment agencies and dozens of women who have worked or plan to work as maids overseas found that low pay, high eligibility criteria and the surge in demand from Taiwan, where the women can earn twice what they can here, are undermining Singapore's appeal.
The relatively low wages that Singaporean employers pay for domestic help compared with rates in Hong Kong or Taiwan are by far the biggest disincentive.
An Indonesian maid with no experience who comes to Singapore gets around S$380 a month, though some recruiters are trying to increase that to S$450, with at least one day off.
With wage levels left strictly to market forces and individual employers and maids to determine, some earn even less. Some agencies in Indonesia still recruit maids for S$350 a month or less. Some of these operators are unlicensed.
In Hong Kong, where minimum wage laws are in place, a maid earns at least HK$3,580 (S$581), with at least one day off a week. Unlike in Singapore, domestic workers there are also covered by employment laws and entitled to all public holidays off plus paid annual leave.
Maids in Taiwan can command at least NT$15,840 ($678), with four days off a month. They are also paid extra for working on days off.
Malaysia used to be at the bottom of the table when it came to paying Indonesian maids, but the Jakarta government banned its maids from working there last year after a rise in alleged cases of abuse. Maids in the United Arab Emirates and other countries in the Middle East still receive S$350, or less, but the employers absorb all recruitment costs, unlike in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also, typically, better-off Middle Eastern households employ a few maids each, so the individual workload is lighter.
While Singapore employers generally pay less than those in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the eligibility criteria are the highest.
A worker has to be at least 23 years old and have at least eight years' education to come here. Taiwan and Hong Kong only require domestic workers to be 21 or over. There are no official education criteria, though maids generally have at least primary-level education.
Nurfaizi Suwandi, chairman of Apjati, the Indonesian Manpower Services Association, says: "Twenty-three-year-olds might find it hard to want to work in Singapore for S$380 or S$400, when 21-year-olds are getting close to S$700 in Taiwan."
The body has 330 members, making it Indonesia's largest association for employment agencies.
"The 19- and 20-year-olds who want to come and work in Singapore don't stand a chance."
A few years ago, domestic workers fresh from their villages initially went to Malaysia or Singapore to gain experience, before moving on to higher-paid jobs elsewhere. As Singapore provided an important training ground, it seemed fair that maids were paid less, say agents.
For instance, when Titin Kartini, 26, the eldest of three children of penniless West Java farmers, decided to work overseas a decade ago, she chose Singapore. She earned S$230 a month and worked for a family with three young children.
She had no days off and was not allowed to go out on her own, but she did not mind. "I just focused on learning how to cook and clean, and I also picked up Mandarin," she says. "All I wanted was to move to Hong Kong."
She did so in 2004, and worked there until 2008 for around S$600 a month.
Titin has spent the past three years teaching English at a village school, but is now keen to be off again, this time to Taiwan. "I have always had good employers, but I really want to earn more," says the articulate and confident woman, who can cook for up to 30 people at a time.
Taiwan is attractive not just for the $700 salary.
Unlike in Hong Kong, where she says she was forced to take four days off a month by law - and in doing so spending precious money - she says Taiwan allows her to work on her days off.
By working three Sundays a month, she can earn an additional $70, she calculates.
Opportunities elsewhere
But experienced workers like Titin are not the only ones flocking to Taiwan and Hong Kong these days, says Charles Butar Butar, who heads SEP. Increasingly, even Indonesians with limited or no experience also prefer to start out there.
His agency now supplies around 120 maids to Taiwan and 100 to Hong Kong every month, up from around 80 and 50, respectively, five years ago. There has been a corresponding decrease in supply to Singapore, with only 20 or so of his maids headed here, down from 100 five years ago.
Said Butar Butar: "The Indonesians are increasingly seen to be more obedient and willing to fit into the Chinese culture. And Taiwan and Hong Kong employers don't mind if they have little or no experience."
The Singapore market is getting hit by another factor as well - a depleting supply of Filipino domestic workers, who have long been the Indonesians' rivals in the region.
"For some reason, Filipinas are not coming in the numbers they used to be," says the agency boss. "Indonesians are taking their place."
Filipino maids are increasingly turning down Singapore jobs unless they are paid a Philippine government-stipulated minimum salary of US$400 ($506). This has led to a surge in demand for Indonesians here.
The Philippine Embassy in Singapore confirms that the supply of Filipina domestic workers in the region has been falling in recent years.
More of them prefer to work as retail assistants and factory workers, or go further afield for higher-paying jobs as domestic workers in Canada, Spain and Italy or factory workers in Taiwan, its labor attache Rodolfo Sabulao told The Straits Times.
Indonesians, too, are navigating hitherto unexplored fields, points out Nurfaizi. They are finding jobs on cruise ships in the United States and Europe, and - through a government-to-government program - as health-care workers in Japan.
Even bribes do not work
In a region flush with opportunity, it is small wonder then that many young women in Indonesian villages are reluctant to come to Singapore.
After failing to convince Kesih, Sukarma, the village recruiter, drops in on Zubaidah Nono Suoyana, 27, a former factory worker now planning to work overseas as a maid.
Zubaidah has two young children, including a month-old son, and her husband's pay as an odd-job laborer is not enough for the family. She says she heard on the radio that girls willing to go to Singapore stand to gain an advance payment of 4 million rupiah.
As she has no experience as a maid - a stint in Saudi Arabia was aborted last year when her employer sent her home within a month - Zubaidah initially agrees to work for anything above $350 a month.
But the moment she learns that she might have to live on only $20 a month - or possibly even $10 - for up to nine months while she pays off the recruitment costs, she lets out a small shriek. "I won't even be able to breathe on that money. No way I could survive."
She says her Saudi employer's wife sent her back because she believed her husband was paying her too much attention.
"In Saudi Arabia, there were no deductions," she says. "How do maids survive in Singapore for so long with so little money?"
As he leaves her home, Sukarma claims that he increasingly has to pay maids and their families up to 5 million rupiah to coax them to even consider Singapore.
Recruiters emphasize that the supply of maids from Indonesia has not dried up. But there is a definite crunch in the supply of quality maids.
Says recruitment agent Rudy Hart: "There will always be some who want to go, but their quality is in question." He knows of women who take the "ang pow" money and come to Singapore, only to find that the work is too hard for them. "They then run away and return home," he says. "The agents try to chase them for refunds, but often they don't get any."
Dreaded English test
Singapore's supply is further depleted by the exacting entrance requirements, say Indonesian agents. In April 2005, Singapore introduced a compulsory test in English for all maids that radically changed the game, says Butar Butar.
With better-educated women generally gunning for higher-paying jobs in Hong Kong and Taiwan or other professions elsewhere - and Malaysia out of bounds due to the Indonesian government ban - Singapore is increasingly becoming the place for those who cannot really go anywhere else.
Even if they have completed the mandatory eight years of schooling that Singapore requires, they hardly know any English, points out Antony Rais, who teaches English at Sumber Kencana Sejahtera, a large employment agency on the outskirts of Jakarta.
Although statistics from Singapore's Ministry of Manpower show that nearly 95 per cent of all domestic workers pass the test, Indonesian agents say the number for Indonesians is lower.
Says Mr Hart: "The 95 per cent includes Filipinos, who probably find the test easy." In his agency, which supplies around 50 girls to Singapore every month, about a third fail the test.
In Butar Butar's agency, the pass rate sometimes falls even lower. "Just last week, I sent nine girls to Singapore and six returned after failing the test," he says.
One sultry afternoon earlier this month, Antony coached a class of 40.
The women prepare for the class by memorizing the answers to 400 questions similar to those found in the Singapore test, with a Bahasa-English dictionary at their side.
The questions are framed in such a way that the women learn not only the basics of English, but also information directly relevant to their work as domestic workers. They also learn about their rights.
"Where in Singapore can you work?" asks Mr Antony, first in English and then in Bahasa. "Only in my employer's house," choruses the class, picking the correct answer from the list of four options.
Later, they learn what a "three-in-one" coffee mix is, how Indonesian helpers should be given at least one day off a month when they work in Singapore and how they can call their agent, embassy or a hotline run by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) if they are not paid.
But learning by rote in a group setting is not always effective. As the class progresses, some play with their pencils or stare at the corridor outside, lost in thought.
Tough employers
While novices are eager to work in Singapore, some returnees are reluctant to go back.
Many narrate stories of how Singaporeans can be tough employers, unlike those in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Many rue what they call their lack of freedom.
From June 2009, when Siti Nurjanah Surjono left Jakarta to go to Singapore to work, till October last year, her parents did not hear from her even once.
Then, on Hari Raya last year, she called her mother. "It was like she came back from the dead," recounts her mother, Julekha Sutana, 45.
Nurjanah, 24, claims that from the time she began working for a family of five adults in Jurong, she was not allowed to leave her employer's home on her own, or even to make a phone call. Her primary duty was to look after the ailing matriarch of the family. She also claims that both she and the elderly woman were not given enough to eat.
Shortly after her first phone call home - 16 months later - the elderly woman died. Nurjanah was returned to the agency and asked to be sent back home.
Meanwhile, her sister Marfuah Surjono, 27, spent eight years working for two families in Hong Kong without incident. She was given enough food, had regular days off and the keys to the house. "My employers even took me to Ocean Park," she beams, referring to a theme park.
Marfuah, who now works as a Cantonese teacher to trainee maids, says she frequently shares her story - and that of her sister's - with prospective maids: "They need to be informed about the risks before they can make choices."
But Singapore still retains its attraction for one group of women who would work here again in a heartbeat - maids who have had fair employers and enjoyed their stints in the Lion City.
Siti Sopiah, 28, a farmer's wife with a one-year-old son worked for the same Bukit Timah family - a married couple, their son and the child's elderly grandmother - for seven years.
She said her employers were concerned about her well-being, frequently asking her if she was happy. They also bought her clothes and gave her generous ang pows during Chinese New Year.
When she left - she says she wanted to "take a rest and get married" - they gave her four gold chains. "All my time there, I only received kindness," she says. "And I tried to pay it back by working hard."
She is now training to return to Singapore. "It's clean, safe and the people are kind," she adds.
The best part, she says, is that her agency is negotiating a salary of at least S$450. "I am really looking forward to going back."
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Jail and caning for plumber who molested maid
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 26 March 2011.
Jail and caning for plumber who molested maid
By ELENA CHONG
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
A PLUMBER asked his Indonesian maid to serve him dinner in his bedroom, and when she did so, he molested her.
He pleaded guilty to the offence committed in his home on Sept 30, 2009, and was yesterday jailed two years and ordered to be given five strokes of the cane.
He is not named because it may identify the 24-year-old maid, on whose name a gag order is in force.
The court heard that when his food was brought in by the maid, who had been working for the family for about 1-1/2 years, he locked the bedroom door. He grasped her hands and when she tried to move away, he pushed her to the floor, climbed atop her and lifted her T-shirt and brassiere. She struggled, but could not break free; when she tried to shout, he used his hand to cover her mouth.
He stopped only when someone knocked on the door. The maid took the chance to run into an adjoining room and lock herself inside.
District Judge Eddy Tham, who took a similar charge into consideration, noted that the aggravating factors in the case were that the accused had got away with molesting the maid two weeks before this and had been emboldened enough to lure her into his room; there had also been direct contact with her private parts and she had been subjected to trauma and fear.
The man could have been jailed up to three years, fined, caned or meted any combination of these punishments.
Jail and caning for plumber who molested maid
By ELENA CHONG
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
A PLUMBER asked his Indonesian maid to serve him dinner in his bedroom, and when she did so, he molested her.
He pleaded guilty to the offence committed in his home on Sept 30, 2009, and was yesterday jailed two years and ordered to be given five strokes of the cane.
He is not named because it may identify the 24-year-old maid, on whose name a gag order is in force.
The court heard that when his food was brought in by the maid, who had been working for the family for about 1-1/2 years, he locked the bedroom door. He grasped her hands and when she tried to move away, he pushed her to the floor, climbed atop her and lifted her T-shirt and brassiere. She struggled, but could not break free; when she tried to shout, he used his hand to cover her mouth.
He stopped only when someone knocked on the door. The maid took the chance to run into an adjoining room and lock herself inside.
District Judge Eddy Tham, who took a similar charge into consideration, noted that the aggravating factors in the case were that the accused had got away with molesting the maid two weeks before this and had been emboldened enough to lure her into his room; there had also been direct contact with her private parts and she had been subjected to trauma and fear.
The man could have been jailed up to three years, fined, caned or meted any combination of these punishments.
Easier to bring in foreign-trained docs
Easing of rules on supervision helps address shortage
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
Photo caption: Registrar Chua Ying Ying, 32, and supervising medical officer Rakesh Kumar, 26 from India, at SGH. From this year, registrars in public hospitals can supervise doctors in their first or second year of practice here. -- ST PHOTO: RAJ NADARAJAN
THE critical shortage of doctors here in the last few years has led to massive recruitment of foreign-trained doctors - and a headache in terms of supervision.
Singapore requires all such doctors, no matter how experienced or qualified, to undergo a few years of supervision so they are 'broken into' practising under local conditions.
But with more than half the new doctors employed coming from overseas since 2005, getting enough senior doctors to oversee them has become a challenge.
On top of this, fresh graduates are being minted by both the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. These new doctors also need to undergo a period of supervision.
The two schools added 315 newly-graduated doctors to the pool of supervisees last year, up from 238 six years ago.
The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has now made changes to the supervisory requirements to make it easier for hospitals to bring in foreign-trained doctors.
It now allows registrars, or trainee specialists, to help with the supervising. From this year, registrars at public hospitals can supervise doctors in their first or second year of practice here.
Secondly, the supervisor-to-supervisee ratio has been relaxed to allow consultants to take more newbies under their wing - in some cases, as much as 50 per cent more.
A third change to the rules lies in putting capable foreign-trained doctors on a fast track, so they can operate independently sooner. The initial period of more intensive supervision, for example, has been halved to six months for them.
Taking more new and foreign-trained doctors through their maiden years faster is an objective that has taken on fresh urgency, given that two more public hospitals and at least one private one will open this decade.
The numbers show the step-up in pace of recruitment of foreign-trained doctors to plug the severe shortage of doctors here:
In the three years from 2007 to 2009, the number of doctors increased by 1,392 to more than 8,300. This is a huge jump over the 639 new doctors registered in the three years from 2004 to 2006.
Half the 1,392 were trained overseas.
The supervisor-to-supervisee ratio set by the SMC, the body that registers doctors here, has sometimes been a road-block in recent years.
Clinical Associate Professor Lim Tock Han, the assistant chief executive officer for education in the National Healthcare Group, said: 'Sometimes, we've got a position, but we can't hire a good foreign-trained doctor because we don't have enough supervisors.'
As at the end of last year, 1,257 foreign-trained doctors needed supervision, compared to just 482 in December 2004.
Asked about the changes, a spokesman for the SMC said the council believed it was time to make the changes, given the growing pool of foreign-trained doctors.
Most doctors The Straits Times spoke to welcomed the changes and did not think it would affect the quality of training these doctors get.
Associate Professor Ng Kee Chong of KK Women's and Children's Hospital and Professor Ng Han Seong of Singapore General Hospital, for example, said having a larger pool of supervisors will give them more time with each supervisee.
Singapore is not alone in having trouble finding enough qualified doctors to supervise their less-experienced colleagues. Australia has warned its foreign medical students graduating next year that they may be unable to land internships.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has been quick to lay out a welcome mat for them to intern here.
The relaxed rules on supervision will pave the way for this.
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
Photo caption: Registrar Chua Ying Ying, 32, and supervising medical officer Rakesh Kumar, 26 from India, at SGH. From this year, registrars in public hospitals can supervise doctors in their first or second year of practice here. -- ST PHOTO: RAJ NADARAJANTHE critical shortage of doctors here in the last few years has led to massive recruitment of foreign-trained doctors - and a headache in terms of supervision.
Singapore requires all such doctors, no matter how experienced or qualified, to undergo a few years of supervision so they are 'broken into' practising under local conditions.
But with more than half the new doctors employed coming from overseas since 2005, getting enough senior doctors to oversee them has become a challenge.
On top of this, fresh graduates are being minted by both the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School. These new doctors also need to undergo a period of supervision.
The two schools added 315 newly-graduated doctors to the pool of supervisees last year, up from 238 six years ago.
The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has now made changes to the supervisory requirements to make it easier for hospitals to bring in foreign-trained doctors.
It now allows registrars, or trainee specialists, to help with the supervising. From this year, registrars at public hospitals can supervise doctors in their first or second year of practice here.
Secondly, the supervisor-to-supervisee ratio has been relaxed to allow consultants to take more newbies under their wing - in some cases, as much as 50 per cent more.
A third change to the rules lies in putting capable foreign-trained doctors on a fast track, so they can operate independently sooner. The initial period of more intensive supervision, for example, has been halved to six months for them.
Taking more new and foreign-trained doctors through their maiden years faster is an objective that has taken on fresh urgency, given that two more public hospitals and at least one private one will open this decade.
The numbers show the step-up in pace of recruitment of foreign-trained doctors to plug the severe shortage of doctors here:
In the three years from 2007 to 2009, the number of doctors increased by 1,392 to more than 8,300. This is a huge jump over the 639 new doctors registered in the three years from 2004 to 2006.
Half the 1,392 were trained overseas.
The supervisor-to-supervisee ratio set by the SMC, the body that registers doctors here, has sometimes been a road-block in recent years.
Clinical Associate Professor Lim Tock Han, the assistant chief executive officer for education in the National Healthcare Group, said: 'Sometimes, we've got a position, but we can't hire a good foreign-trained doctor because we don't have enough supervisors.'
As at the end of last year, 1,257 foreign-trained doctors needed supervision, compared to just 482 in December 2004.
Asked about the changes, a spokesman for the SMC said the council believed it was time to make the changes, given the growing pool of foreign-trained doctors.
Most doctors The Straits Times spoke to welcomed the changes and did not think it would affect the quality of training these doctors get.
Associate Professor Ng Kee Chong of KK Women's and Children's Hospital and Professor Ng Han Seong of Singapore General Hospital, for example, said having a larger pool of supervisors will give them more time with each supervisee.
Singapore is not alone in having trouble finding enough qualified doctors to supervise their less-experienced colleagues. Australia has warned its foreign medical students graduating next year that they may be unable to land internships.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has been quick to lay out a welcome mat for them to intern here.
The relaxed rules on supervision will pave the way for this.
Maid who abused child jailed 33 months
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 26 March 2011.
Maid who abused child jailed 33 months
By Elena Chong & Elizabeth Soh
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
Photo caption: Desi Kurnia could have been jailed for up to four years on each of the eight charges of ill-treating the child. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
HARROWING footage of a teenage Indonesian maid shaking, slapping, kicking and dropping her employer's one-year-old daughter was played in court yesterday.
Desi Kurnia, 17, was sentenced to 33 months in jail after pleading guilty to eight charges of ill-treating the child.
She was 16 when she committed the offences at her employer's home in the east, over a period of five days in late November and December 2009. Her age was originally given as 25.
The victim has made a full recovery.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Woon Kwong said Desi, a transfer maid, had been told specifically not to discipline the child, now aged two.
Yet, the victim's grandmother noticed that Desi had hit the baby.
So in November 2009, while Desi was staying with the grandmother, the parents installed several CCTV cameras in the flat to allow them to monitor Desi's work and behaviour without her knowledge.
On Dec 6 that year, the victim's mother observed that Desi had reacted rudely when instructed to do housework.
Feeling suspicious, the parents viewed the CCTV footage and were shocked to see the abuses that Desi had inflicted on their child. Desi had denied disciplining the victim at any time. A police report was lodged.
DPP Wong said that on Nov 30 that year, after hearing the victim cry in the bedroom, Desi had forcefully pushed the child onto the mattress, slapped her repeatedly on the buttocks and arms, and scolded her. Desi had also shaken the child violently.
Desi then closed the door. Shortly afterwards, she returned to the bedroom and gave the victim a strong shove, causing the child to fall backwards onto the mattress and cry.
That afternoon, while lifting the victim to wash her buttocks, Desi hit the crying baby several times on the back of her head. After the wash, Desi continued to hit the child on the back of her head and later placed her on the mattress in the living room. When the child started crying again, Desi gave her a hard hit across the head.
On Dec 1 that year, Desi forcefully slapped the victim multiple times, and hit her body with a bolster, causing her to cry.
The next day, when the baby crawled towards Desi in the kitchen, the maid gave her a kick, causing her to fall and cry. Desi refused to tend to the baby even though she was in obvious discomfort and pain.
Between Dec 3 and 4, Desi used a pillow to smother the child's face. Desi also grabbed her by the arm and dragged her from the kitchen to the living room.
Community Court Judge Ng Peng Hong agreed with the DPP that Desi's acts were callous, cruel and wicked.
DPP Wong had urged the court to impose a stiff jail term to send a clear signal that such conduct would not be tolerated.
When interviewed, the father said his daughter had suffered no permanent injuries and had recovered completely.
The child is now being cared for by his parents as he and his wife have to work.
Desi could have been fined up to $4,000 and/or jailed for up to four years on each charge.
She is considering an appeal.
Maid who abused child jailed 33 months
By Elena Chong & Elizabeth Soh
Straits Times, Mar 26, 2011
Photo caption: Desi Kurnia could have been jailed for up to four years on each of the eight charges of ill-treating the child. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOWHARROWING footage of a teenage Indonesian maid shaking, slapping, kicking and dropping her employer's one-year-old daughter was played in court yesterday.
Desi Kurnia, 17, was sentenced to 33 months in jail after pleading guilty to eight charges of ill-treating the child.
She was 16 when she committed the offences at her employer's home in the east, over a period of five days in late November and December 2009. Her age was originally given as 25.
The victim has made a full recovery.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Woon Kwong said Desi, a transfer maid, had been told specifically not to discipline the child, now aged two.
Yet, the victim's grandmother noticed that Desi had hit the baby.
So in November 2009, while Desi was staying with the grandmother, the parents installed several CCTV cameras in the flat to allow them to monitor Desi's work and behaviour without her knowledge.
On Dec 6 that year, the victim's mother observed that Desi had reacted rudely when instructed to do housework.
Feeling suspicious, the parents viewed the CCTV footage and were shocked to see the abuses that Desi had inflicted on their child. Desi had denied disciplining the victim at any time. A police report was lodged.
DPP Wong said that on Nov 30 that year, after hearing the victim cry in the bedroom, Desi had forcefully pushed the child onto the mattress, slapped her repeatedly on the buttocks and arms, and scolded her. Desi had also shaken the child violently.
Desi then closed the door. Shortly afterwards, she returned to the bedroom and gave the victim a strong shove, causing the child to fall backwards onto the mattress and cry.
That afternoon, while lifting the victim to wash her buttocks, Desi hit the crying baby several times on the back of her head. After the wash, Desi continued to hit the child on the back of her head and later placed her on the mattress in the living room. When the child started crying again, Desi gave her a hard hit across the head.
On Dec 1 that year, Desi forcefully slapped the victim multiple times, and hit her body with a bolster, causing her to cry.
The next day, when the baby crawled towards Desi in the kitchen, the maid gave her a kick, causing her to fall and cry. Desi refused to tend to the baby even though she was in obvious discomfort and pain.
Between Dec 3 and 4, Desi used a pillow to smother the child's face. Desi also grabbed her by the arm and dragged her from the kitchen to the living room.
Community Court Judge Ng Peng Hong agreed with the DPP that Desi's acts were callous, cruel and wicked.
DPP Wong had urged the court to impose a stiff jail term to send a clear signal that such conduct would not be tolerated.
When interviewed, the father said his daughter had suffered no permanent injuries and had recovered completely.
The child is now being cared for by his parents as he and his wife have to work.
Desi could have been fined up to $4,000 and/or jailed for up to four years on each charge.
She is considering an appeal.
Man jailed for molesting maid
The following article was published in TODAY on 26 March 2011.
Man jailed for molesting maid
by Shaffiq Alkhatib
TODAY, Mar 26, 2011
A 44-year-old plumber was given the maximum two years' jail for molesting his former Indonesian maid.
The stocky, fair-complexioned man will also receive five strokes of the cane. He, who pleaded guilty to one count of molest on Tuesday, admitted that he had outraged the maid's modesty in his Simei flat on Sep 30, 2009.
MediaCorp is not naming him to protect her identity.
He had asked the maid to bring his dinner into a bedroom and when she complied, he locked the door before pushing her down.
The plumber then pinned the 24-year-old woman to the floor and molested her.
Her ordeal only stopped when somebody knocked on the door. The maid bolted out and locked herself inside another room.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Zu Zhao said the maid is now working for another family in Singapore.
The man had been fined $2,000 in 2001 for insulting another woman's modesty.
Before handing out the sentence, District Judge Eddy Tham said the defendent had not learnt his lesson.
He originally faced two charges of molest but one of them was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Man jailed for molesting maid
by Shaffiq Alkhatib
TODAY, Mar 26, 2011
A 44-year-old plumber was given the maximum two years' jail for molesting his former Indonesian maid.
The stocky, fair-complexioned man will also receive five strokes of the cane. He, who pleaded guilty to one count of molest on Tuesday, admitted that he had outraged the maid's modesty in his Simei flat on Sep 30, 2009.
MediaCorp is not naming him to protect her identity.
He had asked the maid to bring his dinner into a bedroom and when she complied, he locked the door before pushing her down.
The plumber then pinned the 24-year-old woman to the floor and molested her.
Her ordeal only stopped when somebody knocked on the door. The maid bolted out and locked herself inside another room.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Zu Zhao said the maid is now working for another family in Singapore.
The man had been fined $2,000 in 2001 for insulting another woman's modesty.
Before handing out the sentence, District Judge Eddy Tham said the defendent had not learnt his lesson.
He originally faced two charges of molest but one of them was taken into consideration during sentencing.
33 months jail for maid who abused child
The following article was published in TODAY on 26 March 2011.
33 months jail for maid who abused child
By SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB
TODAY, Mar 26, 2011
SINGAPORE - A 17-year-old Indonesian maid has been sentenced to 33 months' jail for abusing her ex-employer's daughter who was then only a year old.
The maid is not named to protect the girl's identity.
The maid, who ill-treated the toddler in a Bedok Reservoir Road flat in November and December 2009, pleaded guilty to eight of 19 child abuse charges.
Within a space of just five days, the teenager kicked the girl and slapped her several times. She also dragged the child by the hand across the living room before dropping her onto a mattress.
The abuse caused the girl to suffer injuries, including bruises to her legs.
On Friday, the court was shown video clips of the maid committing the offence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Woon Kwong said that the girl's parents had installed several closed-circuit cameras inside their flat without the maid's knowledge.
That is because the toddler's grandmother had complained that the maid was lazy and had hit the girl even though she was told not to do so.
The girl's parents viewed the CCTV footage captured on December 6 and were shocked to learn of their daughter's ordeal.
The maid, who is represented by lawyer Loo Eng Teck, will be appealing against the sentence.
33 months jail for maid who abused child
By SHAFFIQ ALKHATIB
TODAY, Mar 26, 2011
SINGAPORE - A 17-year-old Indonesian maid has been sentenced to 33 months' jail for abusing her ex-employer's daughter who was then only a year old.
The maid is not named to protect the girl's identity.
The maid, who ill-treated the toddler in a Bedok Reservoir Road flat in November and December 2009, pleaded guilty to eight of 19 child abuse charges.
Within a space of just five days, the teenager kicked the girl and slapped her several times. She also dragged the child by the hand across the living room before dropping her onto a mattress.
The abuse caused the girl to suffer injuries, including bruises to her legs.
On Friday, the court was shown video clips of the maid committing the offence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Woon Kwong said that the girl's parents had installed several closed-circuit cameras inside their flat without the maid's knowledge.
That is because the toddler's grandmother had complained that the maid was lazy and had hit the girl even though she was told not to do so.
The girl's parents viewed the CCTV footage captured on December 6 and were shocked to learn of their daughter's ordeal.
The maid, who is represented by lawyer Loo Eng Teck, will be appealing against the sentence.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Good for foreigners, tough on employers
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 24 March 2011.
Good for foreigners, tough on employers
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
By MELISSA KOK
Photo caption: Chinese S-pass holders Shirley Li (left) and Cindy Bao work at Metro at City Square Mall. Retailers like Metro say they have to bear the higher costs of hiring foreign workers as it is hard to get Singaporeans to take up positions such as shop floor sales assistants. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
AS A retail sales executive, Ms Cindy Bao, 24, is on her feet 7 1/2 hours a day, six days a week, including weekends.
But Ms Bao, a Xi'an native who holds a degree in international economics and trade from Xi'an International University, does not mind.
The S-Pass holder has been working at department store Metro at City Square Mall for slightly over a year now, manning the shop floor at the toys and menswear sections, and doing administrative paperwork occasionally.
'It's very satisfying, I'm learning a lot. And I'm still young, standing the whole day is not a big deal,' said Ms Bao, who earns a basic salary of $1,800 a month - about $800 more than what she reckons she could earn in a similar position back in China.
She is not too worried about recent measures which may make it less attractive for employers to hire S-Pass holders like her, but said: 'I hope my employer acknowledges my ability, and offers to renew my contract.'
Her colleague Shirley Li, 31, who is from Sichuan, said: 'It's good news for us. A higher basic salary means we can cover our living costs and have more to set aside for savings.'
They may be right not to lose sleep over the recent changes.
The face of the retail sector, which hires a good number of S-Pass holders, is not about to change despite the higher costs of employing foreigners.
Retailers like Metro say they just have to bite the bullet and bear the higher costs of hiring foreign workers.
Mr Edward Tan, Metro's human resource and operations director, said: 'It's not that we want to take in more foreigners but there are no locals coming in.
'It's the shift work and having to face customers... not many Singaporeans will want to work such jobs.'
About 25 per cent of Metro's total workforce are foreigners, of which 5 per cent are S-Pass holders from China and the Philippines, all of whom work on the shop floor.
The rest are work permit holders, semi- and unskilled foreigners who earn less than $1,800 a month.
Singaporeans working with Metro make up the other 75 per cent of its employees, with older workers who have stayed with the company for more than 10 years forming the bulk.
It is difficult to attract younger locals in their 20s, and those who join tend not to stay for long, said Mr Tan.
The service sector accounts for 96 per cent of the 115,900 new jobs created last year.
To fill these positions, it is not uncommon for retailers to turn to foreigners such as Filipinos and Chinese nationals.
In the service sector, foreigners can form up to 50 per cent of a company's total staff strength.
When companies hit the quota for hiring work permit holders, some fork out slightly more to hire S-Pass holders.
Raising the salary threshold for S-Pass holders from $1,800 to $2,000 will affect this group of retailers in particular, said Ms Lau Chuen Wei, executive director of the Singapore Retailers Association.
The average salary for a shop floor sales assistant ranges between $1,200 and $1,400.
'If a retailer can afford to pay $1,800 for a foreign S-Pass holder, wouldn't he also be able to afford to pay that same rate for a local worker?' Ms Lau pointed out.
'The fact remains - it is very difficult to find locals who are willing to take on the job of shop floor sales assistants.'
With the tight labour market, it has also become difficult to get locals to fill positions such as administrative executives and cashiers, and junior sales posts, said Ms Kiran Kaur, regional human resource director for retail giant Courts.
About 10 per cent of Courts' employees are S-Pass holders.
A higher salary or more flexible working schedule would help sweeten the deal, say Singaporeans in the retail sector.
Ms Adlin Hamzah, 29, who just started working at fashion boutique Trove at the Esplanade, said: 'I like that my job lets me meet a lot of people from different backgrounds.'
She added: 'Most retail staff work six days a week, so maybe if it's a five-day work week, more people will want to do the job.'
Good for foreigners, tough on employers
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
By MELISSA KOK
Photo caption: Chinese S-pass holders Shirley Li (left) and Cindy Bao work at Metro at City Square Mall. Retailers like Metro say they have to bear the higher costs of hiring foreign workers as it is hard to get Singaporeans to take up positions such as shop floor sales assistants. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIMAS A retail sales executive, Ms Cindy Bao, 24, is on her feet 7 1/2 hours a day, six days a week, including weekends.
But Ms Bao, a Xi'an native who holds a degree in international economics and trade from Xi'an International University, does not mind.
The S-Pass holder has been working at department store Metro at City Square Mall for slightly over a year now, manning the shop floor at the toys and menswear sections, and doing administrative paperwork occasionally.
'It's very satisfying, I'm learning a lot. And I'm still young, standing the whole day is not a big deal,' said Ms Bao, who earns a basic salary of $1,800 a month - about $800 more than what she reckons she could earn in a similar position back in China.
She is not too worried about recent measures which may make it less attractive for employers to hire S-Pass holders like her, but said: 'I hope my employer acknowledges my ability, and offers to renew my contract.'
Her colleague Shirley Li, 31, who is from Sichuan, said: 'It's good news for us. A higher basic salary means we can cover our living costs and have more to set aside for savings.'
They may be right not to lose sleep over the recent changes.
The face of the retail sector, which hires a good number of S-Pass holders, is not about to change despite the higher costs of employing foreigners.
Retailers like Metro say they just have to bite the bullet and bear the higher costs of hiring foreign workers.
Mr Edward Tan, Metro's human resource and operations director, said: 'It's not that we want to take in more foreigners but there are no locals coming in.
'It's the shift work and having to face customers... not many Singaporeans will want to work such jobs.'
About 25 per cent of Metro's total workforce are foreigners, of which 5 per cent are S-Pass holders from China and the Philippines, all of whom work on the shop floor.
The rest are work permit holders, semi- and unskilled foreigners who earn less than $1,800 a month.
Singaporeans working with Metro make up the other 75 per cent of its employees, with older workers who have stayed with the company for more than 10 years forming the bulk.
It is difficult to attract younger locals in their 20s, and those who join tend not to stay for long, said Mr Tan.
The service sector accounts for 96 per cent of the 115,900 new jobs created last year.
To fill these positions, it is not uncommon for retailers to turn to foreigners such as Filipinos and Chinese nationals.
In the service sector, foreigners can form up to 50 per cent of a company's total staff strength.
When companies hit the quota for hiring work permit holders, some fork out slightly more to hire S-Pass holders.
Raising the salary threshold for S-Pass holders from $1,800 to $2,000 will affect this group of retailers in particular, said Ms Lau Chuen Wei, executive director of the Singapore Retailers Association.
The average salary for a shop floor sales assistant ranges between $1,200 and $1,400.
'If a retailer can afford to pay $1,800 for a foreign S-Pass holder, wouldn't he also be able to afford to pay that same rate for a local worker?' Ms Lau pointed out.
'The fact remains - it is very difficult to find locals who are willing to take on the job of shop floor sales assistants.'
With the tight labour market, it has also become difficult to get locals to fill positions such as administrative executives and cashiers, and junior sales posts, said Ms Kiran Kaur, regional human resource director for retail giant Courts.
About 10 per cent of Courts' employees are S-Pass holders.
A higher salary or more flexible working schedule would help sweeten the deal, say Singaporeans in the retail sector.
Ms Adlin Hamzah, 29, who just started working at fashion boutique Trove at the Esplanade, said: 'I like that my job lets me meet a lot of people from different backgrounds.'
She added: 'Most retail staff work six days a week, so maybe if it's a five-day work week, more people will want to do the job.'
S-Pass change: A better deal for S'poreans?
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 24 March 2011.
S-Pass change: A better deal for S'poreans?
They hope tougher criterion for foreigners will level playing field
By Melissa Kok
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
Photo caption: Receptionist Jacinta Balan, 28, feels the changes to the S-Pass requirements and foreign worker levies will raise the competitiveness of local workers. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
WAREHOUSE coordinator Jeyaveerasingam Preman has dreams to 'upgrade' to a job which pays him more.
The 30-year-old Singaporean, who has a diploma in information technology from a private school here, currently earns up to $1,600 a month.
He wants to become a warehouse supervisor eventually, but feels that it may be tough because of competition from foreigners who can be hired for less money.
With the Government's recent move to tighten the qualifying criterion for the S-Pass - a work pass for mid-tier skilled foreigners who earn between $1,800 and $2,500 a month - Singaporeans like Mr Preman hope they will stand a stronger chance of landing better jobs in future.
S-Pass holders, who hold jobs in sectors like retail, construction and health care, are seen by some to be in direct competition with local workers. Their salary range is comparable to the median monthly income of Singapore residents, which stands at $2,500.
But employers and experts say it remains to be seen if Singaporeans are willing to take up or stay long in positions filled by S-Pass holders, now that the economy is near full employment.
From July 1, the qualifying salary threshold for S-Pass applicants will be raised from $1,800 to $2,000 to keep pace with salaries of local workers, which have gone up over the years, Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong announced in Parliament earlier this month.
The higher salary threshold is also aimed at encouraging employers to be more selective, and hire foreigners who are better-qualified and can better contribute to the Government's drive to boost productivity.
It could also go some way in deterring companies from using the S-Pass to gain access to more foreign workers if they have reached the quota for hiring work permit holders, who earn less than $1,800 a month.
Firms employing existing S-Pass holders will have a one-time renewal of up to two years to meet the new criterion.
The move comes on the back of a rise in foreign worker levy rates. Employers can expect to fork out an average of $240 more a month in levy for each S-Pass holder between now and July 2013.
For example, an employer who currently pays $1,950 a month for an S-Pass holder, which includes a $150 foreign worker levy, may have to pay $2,180 a month to hire the same S-Pass holder in July. This is to meet the new $2,000 minimum salary and $180 in foreign worker levy.
Said Mr Preman: 'Now, they've increased the foreign worker levy, so there are more opportunities for Singaporeans. If you compare the CPF contribution for Singaporeans with the levy the employer has to pay, it will be about the same.'
Foreigners and their employers do not have to make CPF contributions unless the workers are permanent residents.
Experts say the measures signal that the Government is serious about easing Singapore's dependence on foreign workers, not just at the bottom rungs of the job spectrum but also at the higher levels.
Since the S-Pass was introduced in 2004, the number of holders has grown from about 44,000 in 2007 to 98,000 as of the end of last year - as companies were allowed to employ more of these workers.
Asked if the move to tweak the S-Pass criterion should have come earlier, SIM University (UniSIM) labour economist Randolph Tan said that in hindsight, he believed the tweaking 'could have been done more decisively, at least last year'.
However, he pointed out that 'the demand from employers for the Government to facilitate the supply could not have been easily ignored in our business-oriented environment'.
Analysts say it was high time to revise the qualifying income for S-Pass holders, which had not been adjusted since 2004.
With the adjustment, the Singaporean worker could expect to be more competitive when it comes to remuneration, as companies may raise wages of existing staff to be on a par with what foreigners are getting, they pointed out.
Singapore Management University economist Hoon Hian Teck said tightening the criteria helps to restrict the inflow of moderately skilled foreigners, and thus avoids putting further downward pressure on the salaries of middle-skilled Singaporean workers.
It is good news to Singaporeans like Ms Jacinta Balan, 28, who feels the changes will level the playing field. 'When we want that job and ask for higher pay, they would rather hire a foreigner who is willing to take it for a lower salary,' said the receptionist.
But S-Pass holder Wang Wenxiong, 38, who works as an HR manager and earns $3,800 a month, feels the changes will not do much to push employers to hire locals. 'The $200 increase in salary threshold is not much, and they still need skilled workers after all,' he said.
But the changes may add to the burden of companies in sectors heavily dependent on S-Pass holders, and which are already struggling to find Singaporeans to fill semi-skilled jobs.
In fact, some employers say they will bite the bullet and hire foreigners at higher wages, as Singaporeans may not be readily available.
National University of Singapore economist Tilak Abeysinghe said that in the short run, the wage pressure is upwards because the economy is almost at full employment, and substitution of workers from one skill category to another is not easy because training takes time.
The tight labour market could also mean that Singaporeans may job-hop even if they take up such positions. In comparison, S-Pass holders tend to stay in their jobs because their salaries are higher compared to what they get back home, employers say.
An example is the aerospace sector, which is facing a shortage in mid-skilled workers to do technical jobs such as aircraft maintenance and repair work.
Mr Charles Chong, president of the Association of Aerospace Industries of Singapore, said costs will inevitably go up. He blamed it on a lack of opportunities for Singaporean students trained in aerospace skills to further their studies at the tertiary level.
'If you look at the number of locals entering aerospace training programmes, there are sufficient numbers, but only a smaller proportion remain in the industry,' said Mr Chong.
Even with an offer of a higher salary, Singaporeans may not bite as the working conditions that come with the job may not appeal to them, said Mr Andrew Khng, president of the Singapore Contractors Association.
'We've always had an open door policy; priority given to locals. It's unfortunate that locals are not streaming into this industry. But work cannot stop, cannot be held up; we have contractual obligations to fulfil,' he said.
Some firms, like Royal Plaza on Scotts, said they would look to tap on other sources, such as mature workers and women who want to get back into the workforce.
Noting that the long-term effects of the upcoming changes will be the most significant, Dr Tan of UniSim said: 'The real value of the policy shift is to prepare businesses for interruptions in the supply of foreign manpower that are beyond Singapore's control.'
Additional reporting by Jessica Lim and Amanda Tan
Scheme for mid-tier skilled foreigners
THE S-Pass was introduced in 2004 for mid-tier skilled foreigners earning between $1,800 and $2,500. It was intended to help firms facing a shortfall in mid-skilled local staff.
The quota for S-Pass holders a firm can hire has been raised from just 5 per cent to 25 per cent of staff strength now. The number of S-Pass holders has seen a corresponding rise from about 44,000 in 2007 to 98,000 as at the end of last year. They make up about 9 per cent of the 1.1 million foreigners employed here.
Applicants should earn $1,800 and above, and hold a degree, diploma or technical certificate. They can work in any industry, and are not subject to limitations by country of origin. The pass is usually valid for two years.
S-Pass change: A better deal for S'poreans?
They hope tougher criterion for foreigners will level playing field
By Melissa Kok
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
Photo caption: Receptionist Jacinta Balan, 28, feels the changes to the S-Pass requirements and foreign worker levies will raise the competitiveness of local workers. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIMWAREHOUSE coordinator Jeyaveerasingam Preman has dreams to 'upgrade' to a job which pays him more.
The 30-year-old Singaporean, who has a diploma in information technology from a private school here, currently earns up to $1,600 a month.
He wants to become a warehouse supervisor eventually, but feels that it may be tough because of competition from foreigners who can be hired for less money.
With the Government's recent move to tighten the qualifying criterion for the S-Pass - a work pass for mid-tier skilled foreigners who earn between $1,800 and $2,500 a month - Singaporeans like Mr Preman hope they will stand a stronger chance of landing better jobs in future.
S-Pass holders, who hold jobs in sectors like retail, construction and health care, are seen by some to be in direct competition with local workers. Their salary range is comparable to the median monthly income of Singapore residents, which stands at $2,500.
But employers and experts say it remains to be seen if Singaporeans are willing to take up or stay long in positions filled by S-Pass holders, now that the economy is near full employment.
From July 1, the qualifying salary threshold for S-Pass applicants will be raised from $1,800 to $2,000 to keep pace with salaries of local workers, which have gone up over the years, Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong announced in Parliament earlier this month.
The higher salary threshold is also aimed at encouraging employers to be more selective, and hire foreigners who are better-qualified and can better contribute to the Government's drive to boost productivity.
It could also go some way in deterring companies from using the S-Pass to gain access to more foreign workers if they have reached the quota for hiring work permit holders, who earn less than $1,800 a month.
Firms employing existing S-Pass holders will have a one-time renewal of up to two years to meet the new criterion.
The move comes on the back of a rise in foreign worker levy rates. Employers can expect to fork out an average of $240 more a month in levy for each S-Pass holder between now and July 2013.
For example, an employer who currently pays $1,950 a month for an S-Pass holder, which includes a $150 foreign worker levy, may have to pay $2,180 a month to hire the same S-Pass holder in July. This is to meet the new $2,000 minimum salary and $180 in foreign worker levy.
Said Mr Preman: 'Now, they've increased the foreign worker levy, so there are more opportunities for Singaporeans. If you compare the CPF contribution for Singaporeans with the levy the employer has to pay, it will be about the same.'
Foreigners and their employers do not have to make CPF contributions unless the workers are permanent residents.
Experts say the measures signal that the Government is serious about easing Singapore's dependence on foreign workers, not just at the bottom rungs of the job spectrum but also at the higher levels.
Since the S-Pass was introduced in 2004, the number of holders has grown from about 44,000 in 2007 to 98,000 as of the end of last year - as companies were allowed to employ more of these workers.
Asked if the move to tweak the S-Pass criterion should have come earlier, SIM University (UniSIM) labour economist Randolph Tan said that in hindsight, he believed the tweaking 'could have been done more decisively, at least last year'.
However, he pointed out that 'the demand from employers for the Government to facilitate the supply could not have been easily ignored in our business-oriented environment'.
Analysts say it was high time to revise the qualifying income for S-Pass holders, which had not been adjusted since 2004.
With the adjustment, the Singaporean worker could expect to be more competitive when it comes to remuneration, as companies may raise wages of existing staff to be on a par with what foreigners are getting, they pointed out.
Singapore Management University economist Hoon Hian Teck said tightening the criteria helps to restrict the inflow of moderately skilled foreigners, and thus avoids putting further downward pressure on the salaries of middle-skilled Singaporean workers.
It is good news to Singaporeans like Ms Jacinta Balan, 28, who feels the changes will level the playing field. 'When we want that job and ask for higher pay, they would rather hire a foreigner who is willing to take it for a lower salary,' said the receptionist.
But S-Pass holder Wang Wenxiong, 38, who works as an HR manager and earns $3,800 a month, feels the changes will not do much to push employers to hire locals. 'The $200 increase in salary threshold is not much, and they still need skilled workers after all,' he said.
But the changes may add to the burden of companies in sectors heavily dependent on S-Pass holders, and which are already struggling to find Singaporeans to fill semi-skilled jobs.
In fact, some employers say they will bite the bullet and hire foreigners at higher wages, as Singaporeans may not be readily available.
National University of Singapore economist Tilak Abeysinghe said that in the short run, the wage pressure is upwards because the economy is almost at full employment, and substitution of workers from one skill category to another is not easy because training takes time.
The tight labour market could also mean that Singaporeans may job-hop even if they take up such positions. In comparison, S-Pass holders tend to stay in their jobs because their salaries are higher compared to what they get back home, employers say.
An example is the aerospace sector, which is facing a shortage in mid-skilled workers to do technical jobs such as aircraft maintenance and repair work.
Mr Charles Chong, president of the Association of Aerospace Industries of Singapore, said costs will inevitably go up. He blamed it on a lack of opportunities for Singaporean students trained in aerospace skills to further their studies at the tertiary level.
'If you look at the number of locals entering aerospace training programmes, there are sufficient numbers, but only a smaller proportion remain in the industry,' said Mr Chong.
Even with an offer of a higher salary, Singaporeans may not bite as the working conditions that come with the job may not appeal to them, said Mr Andrew Khng, president of the Singapore Contractors Association.
'We've always had an open door policy; priority given to locals. It's unfortunate that locals are not streaming into this industry. But work cannot stop, cannot be held up; we have contractual obligations to fulfil,' he said.
Some firms, like Royal Plaza on Scotts, said they would look to tap on other sources, such as mature workers and women who want to get back into the workforce.
Noting that the long-term effects of the upcoming changes will be the most significant, Dr Tan of UniSim said: 'The real value of the policy shift is to prepare businesses for interruptions in the supply of foreign manpower that are beyond Singapore's control.'
Additional reporting by Jessica Lim and Amanda Tan
Scheme for mid-tier skilled foreigners
THE S-Pass was introduced in 2004 for mid-tier skilled foreigners earning between $1,800 and $2,500. It was intended to help firms facing a shortfall in mid-skilled local staff.
The quota for S-Pass holders a firm can hire has been raised from just 5 per cent to 25 per cent of staff strength now. The number of S-Pass holders has seen a corresponding rise from about 44,000 in 2007 to 98,000 as at the end of last year. They make up about 9 per cent of the 1.1 million foreigners employed here.
Applicants should earn $1,800 and above, and hold a degree, diploma or technical certificate. They can work in any industry, and are not subject to limitations by country of origin. The pass is usually valid for two years.
Woman snipped maid's hair for using wrong scissors
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 24 March 2011.
Woman snipped maid's hair for using wrong scissors
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
By ELENA CHONG
Photo caption: Poon Wen Mei, 31, was angry when the maid used kitchen scissors instead of sewing scissors to trim her pants.
A WOMAN flew off the handle upon learning that her Indonesian maid had used a pair of kitchen scissors instead of sewing scissors to trim her pair of pants.
Poon Wen Mei, 31, was so angry during the incident in February last year that she yanked her maid Sunarwati by the hair and lopped off a portion of it.
Two days after the incident, which took place in Poon's home at Upper East Coast Road, an official from the Indonesian Embassy went to the police. Ms Sunarwati, 26, was given two days of medical leave.
Yesterday, Poon, a single, unemployed mother of two, was jailed six weeks for causing hurt. Another charge of maid abuse was considered. She had pleaded guilty.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Amardeep Singh told the court that Ms Sunarwati began working for Poon in December 2009.
The maid told police she had been beaten a number of times, but could not remember the dates and times of the assaults.
Poon also faced two other criminal charges, for cheating and shop theft.
By switching the price tags on two hot water bottles and a pair of scissors to lower ones, she hoodwinked a cashier at BHG Parco Bugis Junction into believing that the items cost $8.30 instead of $104.70.
For that, District Judge Eddy Tham handed down a sentence of a day in jail - to run consecutively with her other jail term - and fined her $500.
For stealing $321 worth of items from the FairPrice supermarket in Tampines Mall on Feb 22 this year, she was sentenced to another day in jail and fined $1,000. This jail term will run concurrently with her other one.
Lawyer Pratap Kishan said his client, diagnosed as depressive, was fastidious about cleanliness and was furious the maid had at first lied that she used sewing scissors to trim the pants.
The kitchen scissors were meant for cutting up food for her children.
Poon could have been jailed up to three years and/or fined up to $7,500 for causing hurt to the maid.
For cheating, she could have been jailed up to three years and/or fined, and for theft, up to seven years and/or fined.
Woman snipped maid's hair for using wrong scissors
Straits Times, Mar 24, 2011
By ELENA CHONG
Photo caption: Poon Wen Mei, 31, was angry when the maid used kitchen scissors instead of sewing scissors to trim her pants.A WOMAN flew off the handle upon learning that her Indonesian maid had used a pair of kitchen scissors instead of sewing scissors to trim her pair of pants.
Poon Wen Mei, 31, was so angry during the incident in February last year that she yanked her maid Sunarwati by the hair and lopped off a portion of it.
Two days after the incident, which took place in Poon's home at Upper East Coast Road, an official from the Indonesian Embassy went to the police. Ms Sunarwati, 26, was given two days of medical leave.
Yesterday, Poon, a single, unemployed mother of two, was jailed six weeks for causing hurt. Another charge of maid abuse was considered. She had pleaded guilty.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Amardeep Singh told the court that Ms Sunarwati began working for Poon in December 2009.
The maid told police she had been beaten a number of times, but could not remember the dates and times of the assaults.
Poon also faced two other criminal charges, for cheating and shop theft.
By switching the price tags on two hot water bottles and a pair of scissors to lower ones, she hoodwinked a cashier at BHG Parco Bugis Junction into believing that the items cost $8.30 instead of $104.70.
For that, District Judge Eddy Tham handed down a sentence of a day in jail - to run consecutively with her other jail term - and fined her $500.
For stealing $321 worth of items from the FairPrice supermarket in Tampines Mall on Feb 22 this year, she was sentenced to another day in jail and fined $1,000. This jail term will run concurrently with her other one.
Lawyer Pratap Kishan said his client, diagnosed as depressive, was fastidious about cleanliness and was furious the maid had at first lied that she used sewing scissors to trim the pants.
The kitchen scissors were meant for cutting up food for her children.
Poon could have been jailed up to three years and/or fined up to $7,500 for causing hurt to the maid.
For cheating, she could have been jailed up to three years and/or fined, and for theft, up to seven years and/or fined.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Five areas to improve protection of foreign brides
The following letter was published in the Straits Times forum on 23 March 2011.
Five areas to improve protection of foreign brides
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 23, 2011
AS A social worker who has worked with foreign brides, I suggest the following measures to better protect them and their children ('Bride and gloom'; last Saturday).
- Legal aid: Besides expanding legal assistance, the police, who are usually the first to respond to a report of domestic violence, should be more proactive in protecting the rights of these women. These women are often afraid to initiate legal action when they are asked to do so.
- Immigration rules: Some brides are on social visit passes and need to return regularly to their home countries because of immigration rules, leaving their children behind. The separation affects family ties and is a financial strain.
The immigration authorities should find a way to help those children who are not citizens as they are not born in Singapore. Adjustment becomes a major difficulty as they grow older. Some husbands may also threaten to revoke their wives' social or long-term passes, which further deters an abused wife from seeking help.
- Housing: Abused wives who leave their matrimonial homes are often housed in shelters with their children. This is not a long-term answer. They should be provided with subsidised housing.
- Matchmaking agencies: Women are sometimes matched with men who are able to pay the agency fees, but cannot afford to provide for a family financially, or worse, are already married. The Government should consider closing these loopholes.
- Embassies: These should warn their citizens that marrying a Singaporean does not guarantee permanent residence or citizenship.
Solving the plight of abused foreign brides cannot be left to the families or social workers. It requires the concerted involvement of government agencies, welfare groups and embassies.
Jen Goh (Ms)
Five areas to improve protection of foreign brides
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 23, 2011
AS A social worker who has worked with foreign brides, I suggest the following measures to better protect them and their children ('Bride and gloom'; last Saturday).
- Legal aid: Besides expanding legal assistance, the police, who are usually the first to respond to a report of domestic violence, should be more proactive in protecting the rights of these women. These women are often afraid to initiate legal action when they are asked to do so.
- Immigration rules: Some brides are on social visit passes and need to return regularly to their home countries because of immigration rules, leaving their children behind. The separation affects family ties and is a financial strain.
The immigration authorities should find a way to help those children who are not citizens as they are not born in Singapore. Adjustment becomes a major difficulty as they grow older. Some husbands may also threaten to revoke their wives' social or long-term passes, which further deters an abused wife from seeking help.
- Housing: Abused wives who leave their matrimonial homes are often housed in shelters with their children. This is not a long-term answer. They should be provided with subsidised housing.
- Matchmaking agencies: Women are sometimes matched with men who are able to pay the agency fees, but cannot afford to provide for a family financially, or worse, are already married. The Government should consider closing these loopholes.
- Embassies: These should warn their citizens that marrying a Singaporean does not guarantee permanent residence or citizenship.
Solving the plight of abused foreign brides cannot be left to the families or social workers. It requires the concerted involvement of government agencies, welfare groups and embassies.
Jen Goh (Ms)
Damaged safety harnesses a worry
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 23 March 2011.
Damaged safety harnesses a worry
Found at about 600 sites last year, this may be why falls are No. 1 killer in workplace
By Jermyn Chow
Straits Times, Mar 23, 2011
ONE worker knew how to wear a safety harness when working at heights - but his protective gear was made of frayed raffia string.
Another had his harness on, but could not identify the right structures to secure it to.
These cases, which were discovered by safety officials, may explain why falling from heights is the No. 1 cause of deaths on worksites.
Falls killed 18 workers last year. Although lower than the 22 cases in 2009, the figure still made up a third of the 55 worksite deaths last year.
And damaged or modified safety harnesses have become a growing concern for safety officials.
'The safety harness is the last line of defence, so it should be the strongest safety net,' said Mr Suresh Navaratnam, director of policy, information and corporate services at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Of the 3,000 worksites inspected last year, Mr Navaratnam estimated that 20 per cent had safety harnesses that were in 'poor condition'.
The worrying trend was revealed yesterday, as workplace safety officials briefed more than 600 supervisors and managers at a seminar on ways to prevent falls at worksites. The same old lapses uncovered during inspections in previous years also kept cropping up. They were:
- No barriers or railings to prevent falls;
- Unsafe scaffolding;
- No proper walkways, or ladders that were not secured.
The lapses were so serious at 86 worksites that MOM, which conducted the checks, ordered all work to be stopped. This was up from 79 stop-work orders issued in 2009.
To eliminate such risks, the ministry wants to ensure that at least half of Singapore's 5,500 worksites implement fall-prevention plans within the next three months. So far, plans are 'on track', said Mr Navaratnam. Half of the 3,000 worksites inspected last year already have plans in place to prevent workers from falling.
But there are no plans yet to make fall-prevention schemes compulsory by law. Mr Navaratnam explained that his ministry does not want to be 'prescriptive'. Instead it wants to get the 'buy-in' from the industry and worksite bosses.
'If you use the stick continuously, people will just respond to the stick and not learn,' said Mr Navaratnam.
The MOM will be working with the industry-led Workplace Safety and Health Council to implement other moves to eliminate worksite hazards and falls. They include conducting safety checks on more than 1,500 smaller worksites to spot less serious safety lapses such as poor housekeeping and faulty equipment.
Worksites with lapses will be given two weeks to plug the gaps before being inspected again.
Supervisors who have been trained by an MOM-accredited consultant to spot and eliminate safety hazards, as well as assess safety procedures, will also get regular safety updates and guidelines on how to keep the workplace safe.
So far more than 1,200 supervisors, who set standards for worksite safety and enforce safety measures, have been trained.
Damaged safety harnesses a worry
Found at about 600 sites last year, this may be why falls are No. 1 killer in workplace
By Jermyn Chow
Straits Times, Mar 23, 2011
ONE worker knew how to wear a safety harness when working at heights - but his protective gear was made of frayed raffia string.
Another had his harness on, but could not identify the right structures to secure it to.
These cases, which were discovered by safety officials, may explain why falling from heights is the No. 1 cause of deaths on worksites.
Falls killed 18 workers last year. Although lower than the 22 cases in 2009, the figure still made up a third of the 55 worksite deaths last year.
And damaged or modified safety harnesses have become a growing concern for safety officials.
'The safety harness is the last line of defence, so it should be the strongest safety net,' said Mr Suresh Navaratnam, director of policy, information and corporate services at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Of the 3,000 worksites inspected last year, Mr Navaratnam estimated that 20 per cent had safety harnesses that were in 'poor condition'.
The worrying trend was revealed yesterday, as workplace safety officials briefed more than 600 supervisors and managers at a seminar on ways to prevent falls at worksites. The same old lapses uncovered during inspections in previous years also kept cropping up. They were:
- No barriers or railings to prevent falls;
- Unsafe scaffolding;
- No proper walkways, or ladders that were not secured.
The lapses were so serious at 86 worksites that MOM, which conducted the checks, ordered all work to be stopped. This was up from 79 stop-work orders issued in 2009.
To eliminate such risks, the ministry wants to ensure that at least half of Singapore's 5,500 worksites implement fall-prevention plans within the next three months. So far, plans are 'on track', said Mr Navaratnam. Half of the 3,000 worksites inspected last year already have plans in place to prevent workers from falling.
But there are no plans yet to make fall-prevention schemes compulsory by law. Mr Navaratnam explained that his ministry does not want to be 'prescriptive'. Instead it wants to get the 'buy-in' from the industry and worksite bosses.
'If you use the stick continuously, people will just respond to the stick and not learn,' said Mr Navaratnam.
The MOM will be working with the industry-led Workplace Safety and Health Council to implement other moves to eliminate worksite hazards and falls. They include conducting safety checks on more than 1,500 smaller worksites to spot less serious safety lapses such as poor housekeeping and faulty equipment.
Worksites with lapses will be given two weeks to plug the gaps before being inspected again.
Supervisors who have been trained by an MOM-accredited consultant to spot and eliminate safety hazards, as well as assess safety procedures, will also get regular safety updates and guidelines on how to keep the workplace safe.
So far more than 1,200 supervisors, who set standards for worksite safety and enforce safety measures, have been trained.
Overstayer tries to exit in truck
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 23 March 2011.
Overstayer tries to exit in truck
By JENNANI DURAI
Straits Times, Mar 23, 2011
AN OVERSTAYER from China trying to sneak out of Singapore through the Woodlands Checkpoint was rooted out of his hiding place on board a refrigerated truck on Sunday.
The 30-year-old was found by immigration officials behind stacks of empty plastic crates in the refrigerated area of the vehicle, a coconut-delivery truck.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said preliminary investigations have revealed that the 42-year-old Malaysian driver of the truck had been promised $500 to take the Chinese national out of the country.
The pair have been arrested and are under investigation.
ICA officers, noticing that the driver seemed nervous as he made his way through the checkpoint at around 6.45pm on Sunday, stopped the truck for a search.
The fugitive, when found, told the officers he had decided to leave Singapore after having had no luck landing a job here.
The Malaysia-registered truck has been detained and is liable to be forfeited.
Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The penalties for illegal departure are a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
Overstayer tries to exit in truck
By JENNANI DURAI
Straits Times, Mar 23, 2011
AN OVERSTAYER from China trying to sneak out of Singapore through the Woodlands Checkpoint was rooted out of his hiding place on board a refrigerated truck on Sunday.
The 30-year-old was found by immigration officials behind stacks of empty plastic crates in the refrigerated area of the vehicle, a coconut-delivery truck.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said preliminary investigations have revealed that the 42-year-old Malaysian driver of the truck had been promised $500 to take the Chinese national out of the country.
The pair have been arrested and are under investigation.
ICA officers, noticing that the driver seemed nervous as he made his way through the checkpoint at around 6.45pm on Sunday, stopped the truck for a search.
The fugitive, when found, told the officers he had decided to leave Singapore after having had no luck landing a job here.
The Malaysia-registered truck has been detained and is liable to be forfeited.
Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months and a minimum of three strokes of the cane.
The penalties for illegal departure are a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.
Monday, March 21, 2011
More expats offered local pay packages
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 21 March 2011.
More expats offered local pay packages
Firms mindful of costs despite recovery; some try to hire locals first
By Amanda Tan
Straits Times, Mar 21, 2011
EVEN before American Michael Fung, 45, moved to Singapore last month to take up a new job at an American multinational corporation, he had already contacted a relocation services firm here.
He needed help to look for housing and a school for his children, aged 12 and 15.
The only relocation assistance he received from his company was a one-month stay at a hotel here. But the compliance manager said he was not surprised. 'I did my research and spoke to other expat friends and I found out that's the trend now as companies are trying to save some money,' he said.
Expatriates like him used to enjoy the full benefits of a premium expatriate package, which included perks such as allowances for housing, schooling and club memberships.
But increasingly, scores of foreign employees here are now seeing their plump expat packages being trimmed down, a trend that became more common in Singapore and countries in the region during the 2009 global economic crisis.
A survey of 200 companies that year, conducted by HR consultancy ECA International, showed that 21 per cent of the expatriate employees in Singapore accepted local terms.
Another HR consultancy, ORC Worldwide, polled 36 multinational companies here and found that two-thirds offered 'local plus' packages - local pay, but with some perks such as partial housing or education allowances.
While experts could not put an exact figure on the number of expatriates here on local packages now, they said that the number has definitely increased.
Ms Deborah Sawyer, managing partner at executive search firm Odgers Berndtson Singapore, estimates that 80 per cent of middle-management staff, or those earning about $120,000 to $150,000 annually, are on local or local-plus terms.
And even as the economy recovers from the downturn, expat packages have not made a return, especially for middle-management staff. Those who moved here in recent years are also likely to have been offered local terms from the outset.
Companies are very cost-conscious despite the economic recovery, said Ms Peony Lim, director of sales and marketing, engineering and supply at recruitment agency Robert Walters.
'For mid-management positions, there is still a reluctance to offer a full expat package,' she said.
KPMG Singapore is one company which does not offer expat packages. But the company provides 'generous relocation benefits and support' for foreigners, said Mr Stephen Tjoa, the HR partner there.
'We hire and reward employees based on their capabilities, performance and the value they bring to the table regardless of where they come from,' he said.
In fact, some companies are now pruning expat packages to try and hire locals first, said Mr Josh Goh, assistant director of corporate services at The GMP Group, a recruitment agency.
'The Singapore workforce is increasingly educated - this means locals are now better qualified and equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience,' he said.
'Singapore's diversification into newer and niche industries has also helped to create the opportunity for locals to take on such leadership positions.'
With the qualifying salary for Employment Pass holders set to go up by as much as $1,000 from July 1, companies here may think harder before they hire foreigners to fill positions.
Despite the cutbacks, Singapore remains an attractive destination for expats, industry experts and foreigners said. Singapore's infrastructure, environment and safety are big pull factors for expats, said Mr Goh.
'This has made it easier for companies to attract expats to take up a position in Singapore without having to offer the extra allowances,' he added.
More expats offered local pay packages
Firms mindful of costs despite recovery; some try to hire locals first
By Amanda Tan
Straits Times, Mar 21, 2011
EVEN before American Michael Fung, 45, moved to Singapore last month to take up a new job at an American multinational corporation, he had already contacted a relocation services firm here.
He needed help to look for housing and a school for his children, aged 12 and 15.
The only relocation assistance he received from his company was a one-month stay at a hotel here. But the compliance manager said he was not surprised. 'I did my research and spoke to other expat friends and I found out that's the trend now as companies are trying to save some money,' he said.
Expatriates like him used to enjoy the full benefits of a premium expatriate package, which included perks such as allowances for housing, schooling and club memberships.
But increasingly, scores of foreign employees here are now seeing their plump expat packages being trimmed down, a trend that became more common in Singapore and countries in the region during the 2009 global economic crisis.
A survey of 200 companies that year, conducted by HR consultancy ECA International, showed that 21 per cent of the expatriate employees in Singapore accepted local terms.
Another HR consultancy, ORC Worldwide, polled 36 multinational companies here and found that two-thirds offered 'local plus' packages - local pay, but with some perks such as partial housing or education allowances.
While experts could not put an exact figure on the number of expatriates here on local packages now, they said that the number has definitely increased.
Ms Deborah Sawyer, managing partner at executive search firm Odgers Berndtson Singapore, estimates that 80 per cent of middle-management staff, or those earning about $120,000 to $150,000 annually, are on local or local-plus terms.
And even as the economy recovers from the downturn, expat packages have not made a return, especially for middle-management staff. Those who moved here in recent years are also likely to have been offered local terms from the outset.
Companies are very cost-conscious despite the economic recovery, said Ms Peony Lim, director of sales and marketing, engineering and supply at recruitment agency Robert Walters.
'For mid-management positions, there is still a reluctance to offer a full expat package,' she said.
KPMG Singapore is one company which does not offer expat packages. But the company provides 'generous relocation benefits and support' for foreigners, said Mr Stephen Tjoa, the HR partner there.
'We hire and reward employees based on their capabilities, performance and the value they bring to the table regardless of where they come from,' he said.
In fact, some companies are now pruning expat packages to try and hire locals first, said Mr Josh Goh, assistant director of corporate services at The GMP Group, a recruitment agency.
'The Singapore workforce is increasingly educated - this means locals are now better qualified and equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience,' he said.
'Singapore's diversification into newer and niche industries has also helped to create the opportunity for locals to take on such leadership positions.'
With the qualifying salary for Employment Pass holders set to go up by as much as $1,000 from July 1, companies here may think harder before they hire foreigners to fill positions.
Despite the cutbacks, Singapore remains an attractive destination for expats, industry experts and foreigners said. Singapore's infrastructure, environment and safety are big pull factors for expats, said Mr Goh.
'This has made it easier for companies to attract expats to take up a position in Singapore without having to offer the extra allowances,' he added.
Don't stereotype maid agencies
The following letter was published in the Straits Times forum on 21 March 2011.
Don't stereotype maid agencies
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 21, 2011
I READ with much disappointment the letter by Ms Myrna Thomas ("Hold agencies liable for maid failures too"; March 12).
I can empathise with her predicament after going through no less than five maid agencies in the past year. However, she is stereotyping maid agencies.
By randomly choosing maid agencies, she is bound to pick five rotten apples from the barrel of good ones. To make an informed choice, she needs to put in some effort to look for the reputable ones. After selecting a responsible agent, she should go through its terms and conditions and decide whether they are acceptable to her.
Maids are unrepresented in Singapore. They do not have the privilege to select employers or dictate their terms except for experienced maids who have at least finished a two-year term in Singapore.
It is not fair to hold maid agencies accountable for unreasonable or abusive employers as well.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is to be commended for the amended employment agency regulatory framework which comes into effect from April l. It will enhance professionalism in the maid industry, weed out unlicensed and errant agents and safeguard the welfare of maids. Some of the requirements have addressed the concerns of Ms Thomas.
Alice Cheah (Ms)
Managing Director
Caregivers Centre
Don't stereotype maid agencies
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 21, 2011
I READ with much disappointment the letter by Ms Myrna Thomas ("Hold agencies liable for maid failures too"; March 12).
I can empathise with her predicament after going through no less than five maid agencies in the past year. However, she is stereotyping maid agencies.
By randomly choosing maid agencies, she is bound to pick five rotten apples from the barrel of good ones. To make an informed choice, she needs to put in some effort to look for the reputable ones. After selecting a responsible agent, she should go through its terms and conditions and decide whether they are acceptable to her.
Maids are unrepresented in Singapore. They do not have the privilege to select employers or dictate their terms except for experienced maids who have at least finished a two-year term in Singapore.
It is not fair to hold maid agencies accountable for unreasonable or abusive employers as well.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is to be commended for the amended employment agency regulatory framework which comes into effect from April l. It will enhance professionalism in the maid industry, weed out unlicensed and errant agents and safeguard the welfare of maids. Some of the requirements have addressed the concerns of Ms Thomas.
Alice Cheah (Ms)
Managing Director
Caregivers Centre
Saturday, March 19, 2011
New framework to ensure standards of maid agencies
The following letter was published in the Straits Times forum on 19 March 2011.
New framework to ensure standards of maid agencies
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 19, 2011
WE REFER to the letter by Ms Myrna Thomas ('Hold agencies liable for maid failures too'; March12).
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) amended the employment agency regulatory framework in January to enhance the accountability of all stakeholders in the industry.
Under the new framework, which comes into effect from April 1, MOM will impose minimum service standards, governing relations between agency and employer, across all employment agencies. With this extension, agencies will abide by a common set of service standards, which includes being explicit about the agency's dispute resolution mechanism.
Agencies that place maids will also have to use a standard service agreement that will require the former to be clear about their policies with regard to replacements and refunds, among other things.
To help employers make a better informed decision before engaging an agency, MOM has also enhanced its online Employment Agency Directory (http://mom.gov.sg/eadirectory) to provide useful information on the profile and track record of agencies. The directory makes available the entry test passing rate as well as the retention rate of maids placed by agencies.
MOM will also be introducing a standard biodata template for agencies later this year to provide information on prospective maids. Agencies are also required to provide the prospective employer with the employment history of the maid.
We urge employers to make use of these tools in their search for a suitable agency and maid. Employers may also wish to subscribe to MOM's free six-monthly electronic newsletter, InFocus, to be kept updated on new policies pertaining to maids ( www.mom.gov.sg/signup_infocus )
Farah Abdul Rahim (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Manpower
New framework to ensure standards of maid agencies
Straits Times, Forum, Mar 19, 2011
WE REFER to the letter by Ms Myrna Thomas ('Hold agencies liable for maid failures too'; March12).
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) amended the employment agency regulatory framework in January to enhance the accountability of all stakeholders in the industry.
Under the new framework, which comes into effect from April 1, MOM will impose minimum service standards, governing relations between agency and employer, across all employment agencies. With this extension, agencies will abide by a common set of service standards, which includes being explicit about the agency's dispute resolution mechanism.
Agencies that place maids will also have to use a standard service agreement that will require the former to be clear about their policies with regard to replacements and refunds, among other things.
To help employers make a better informed decision before engaging an agency, MOM has also enhanced its online Employment Agency Directory (http://mom.gov.sg/eadirectory) to provide useful information on the profile and track record of agencies. The directory makes available the entry test passing rate as well as the retention rate of maids placed by agencies.
MOM will also be introducing a standard biodata template for agencies later this year to provide information on prospective maids. Agencies are also required to provide the prospective employer with the employment history of the maid.
We urge employers to make use of these tools in their search for a suitable agency and maid. Employers may also wish to subscribe to MOM's free six-monthly electronic newsletter, InFocus, to be kept updated on new policies pertaining to maids ( www.mom.gov.sg/signup_infocus )
Farah Abdul Rahim (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Manpower
Friday, March 18, 2011
Construction firms to share tips on reducing fatalities
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 18 March 2011.
Construction firms to share tips on reducing fatalities
By Daryl Chin
Straits Times, Mar 18, 2011
LEADING contractors and developers are to visit one another's sites in a bid to reduce workplace deaths in the construction sector.
They will recommend best practices on areas such as working at heights as part of a scheme called the Safety and Health Active Review programme.
For example, large firms such as Tiong Seng Contractors will be able to give tips on using reusable barricades to prevent falls. The firm, which has 10 ongoing projects, has had no deaths on its sites in the past two years.
Its director, Mr Pek Lian Guan, said he looks forward to such visits, pointing out that 'there is always room for improvement'.
This initiative will involve 19 developers and contractors, including government agencies like the Housing Board. Collectively, they account for more than half of the construction projects here.
It was one of two initiatives rolled out on Wednesday by the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC). The other is aimed at improving risk management in building design. Selected employees from the 19 contractors and developers will be sent on a design and safety course which will teach them how to minimise risks in designing, building and maintaining new projects.
Efforts to improve safety are being stepped up after the Workplace Safety and Health report found that there was a high number of deaths in the construction sector last year.
While workplace deaths across all sectors fell from 70 in 2009 to a record low of 55 last year, those in the construction industry showed no signs of letting up.
The 32 deaths in the industry accounted for more than half of the fatalities last year, up from 31 in 2009.
Construction demand increased by 14 per cent to $25.7 billion last year on the back of a resurgent economy, and the value of construction contracts could hit $28 billion this year.
Mr Jackson Yap, chairman of the WSHC construction committee, said he hopes these new initiatives will exert a positive influence on smaller sub- contractors.
Referring to the 19 firms, he said: 'One of the key things is to help translate some of the good practices they have and see how they can help the rest of the industry.'
Overall workplace injuries across all sectors dropped from 10,834 in 2009 to 10,319 last year. The fall has led to higher productivity. There was a 20 per cent reduction in man-days lost due to work accidents last year.
Construction firms to share tips on reducing fatalities
By Daryl Chin
Straits Times, Mar 18, 2011
LEADING contractors and developers are to visit one another's sites in a bid to reduce workplace deaths in the construction sector.
They will recommend best practices on areas such as working at heights as part of a scheme called the Safety and Health Active Review programme.
For example, large firms such as Tiong Seng Contractors will be able to give tips on using reusable barricades to prevent falls. The firm, which has 10 ongoing projects, has had no deaths on its sites in the past two years.
Its director, Mr Pek Lian Guan, said he looks forward to such visits, pointing out that 'there is always room for improvement'.
This initiative will involve 19 developers and contractors, including government agencies like the Housing Board. Collectively, they account for more than half of the construction projects here.
It was one of two initiatives rolled out on Wednesday by the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC). The other is aimed at improving risk management in building design. Selected employees from the 19 contractors and developers will be sent on a design and safety course which will teach them how to minimise risks in designing, building and maintaining new projects.
Efforts to improve safety are being stepped up after the Workplace Safety and Health report found that there was a high number of deaths in the construction sector last year.
While workplace deaths across all sectors fell from 70 in 2009 to a record low of 55 last year, those in the construction industry showed no signs of letting up.
The 32 deaths in the industry accounted for more than half of the fatalities last year, up from 31 in 2009.
Construction demand increased by 14 per cent to $25.7 billion last year on the back of a resurgent economy, and the value of construction contracts could hit $28 billion this year.
Mr Jackson Yap, chairman of the WSHC construction committee, said he hopes these new initiatives will exert a positive influence on smaller sub- contractors.
Referring to the 19 firms, he said: 'One of the key things is to help translate some of the good practices they have and see how they can help the rest of the industry.'
Overall workplace injuries across all sectors dropped from 10,834 in 2009 to 10,319 last year. The fall has led to higher productivity. There was a 20 per cent reduction in man-days lost due to work accidents last year.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Workplace deaths in construction sector 'still high last year'
The following article was published in TODAY on 17 March 2011.
Workplace deaths in construction sector 'still high last year'
by Dylan Loh
TODAY, Mar 17, 2011
SINGAPORE - While the number of workplace deaths last year have fallen, the number of deaths in the construction sector remained high - with 32 last year, one more than in 2009.
According to statistics from a Workplace Safety and Health Council report which was released yesterday, the deaths in the construction sector make up 58 per cent of the total number of workplace deaths, which has fallen from 70 in 2009 to 55 last year.
Among all the sectors, construction was the only one where the number of deaths did not fall.
The number of deaths in the sector, in fact, has "stagnated in the past few years" amid improvements shown in other sectors, the report noted.
It added: "This calls for serious action to be taken by construction leaders to improve management of safety at worksites."
The council had, in 2008, gathered leading developers and contractors which pledged to reduce fatalities.
The 19 companies which came onboard put in place plans that resulted in a drop in fatalities in their firms, from 13 in 2009 to seven last year.
These companies will embark on two new initiatives this year, including spearheading a peer review group to share best practices for work-from-height or crane activities.
The firms will also incorporate the Design for Safety (DfS) programme in their new projects.
Later this year, the council will introduce the DfS Mark - a recognition scheme for developers who have adopted DfS and will be awarded on project basis upon assessment. Details for the scheme are being finalised.
Mr Jackson Yap, who chairs the council's construction and landscape committee, said it was the smaller companies that remained "uncoverted". Said Mr Yap: "So the bigger companies can lead the way - that would help to bring the smaller companies along."
Workplace deaths in construction sector 'still high last year'
by Dylan Loh
TODAY, Mar 17, 2011
SINGAPORE - While the number of workplace deaths last year have fallen, the number of deaths in the construction sector remained high - with 32 last year, one more than in 2009.
According to statistics from a Workplace Safety and Health Council report which was released yesterday, the deaths in the construction sector make up 58 per cent of the total number of workplace deaths, which has fallen from 70 in 2009 to 55 last year.
Among all the sectors, construction was the only one where the number of deaths did not fall.
The number of deaths in the sector, in fact, has "stagnated in the past few years" amid improvements shown in other sectors, the report noted.
It added: "This calls for serious action to be taken by construction leaders to improve management of safety at worksites."
The council had, in 2008, gathered leading developers and contractors which pledged to reduce fatalities.
The 19 companies which came onboard put in place plans that resulted in a drop in fatalities in their firms, from 13 in 2009 to seven last year.
These companies will embark on two new initiatives this year, including spearheading a peer review group to share best practices for work-from-height or crane activities.
The firms will also incorporate the Design for Safety (DfS) programme in their new projects.
Later this year, the council will introduce the DfS Mark - a recognition scheme for developers who have adopted DfS and will be awarded on project basis upon assessment. Details for the scheme are being finalised.
Mr Jackson Yap, who chairs the council's construction and landscape committee, said it was the smaller companies that remained "uncoverted". Said Mr Yap: "So the bigger companies can lead the way - that would help to bring the smaller companies along."
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
'Don't bank on low cost foreign labour'
Firms have to change business model: SM Goh
By Leong Weng Kam, Senior Correspondent
Straits Times, Mar 16, 2011
Photo caption: Mr Goh showing his support as SCCCI president Teo Siong Seng holds up the folder containing all the signatures of the 56th council members at the installation ceremony yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
THE days of companies relying on a cheap and plentiful supply of foreign workers to boost their output and bottom lines are over, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong made plain to businessmen yesterday.
That model of doing business is no longer sustainable, he said at the installation ceremony of the 56th council of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI).
He noted that while prospects for economic growth remain bright, 'we will have to make the effort to achieve it. This growth is not going to be handed to us on a silver platter'.
'We will have to cut down on our reliance on cheap foreign labour and pay higher foreign worker levy. We have to make changes to the way we grow our economy and our businesses - in particular, our productivity,' he said.
He is not the first minister, nor is this the first time he has spoken of the Government's determination to get companies to reduce dependency on foreign workers and to increase productivity instead.
Noting the national drive to raise productivity by 2 per cent to 3 per cent every year and the increased funding available to companies, he said they had 'more incentives than ever to improve their productivity levels by restructuring their operations and upgrading the skills of their workers'.
'In the past, they could rely on cheap and plentiful foreign workers to boost their output and bottom lines. But this model is not sustainable.
'That is why we have raised the foreign worker levy across all industries and provided incentives for businesses to raise their productivity - a carrot and stick approach... Some people believe the foreign worker levy will be reversed if the economy slows down. But don't bank on it.'
On average, the incremental rise in levy rates for most work permit holders will go up from this year to July 2013 by between $60 and $200, on top of increases already announced in last year's Budget.
At the ceremony, Mr Goh witnessed the swearing-in of Pacific International Lines' managing director Teo Siong Seng for a second two-year term as president and 55 other council members.
Mr Teo, speaking at the ceremony at the SCCCI's Hill Street headquarters, said he would encourage members, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to make good use of the government funds to boost their overall productivity.
In his speech, Mr Goh noted the chamber dispensed with the clan-based representation system, and that the age limit for those serving on the council has now been capped at 70: 'I am glad to see SCCCI is actively renewing itself and carrying out succession planing.'
Of those elected, 10 are new faces. They include Mr Lim Hock Chee, 50, managing director of the Sheng Siong supermarket chain; Mr Ang Kiam Meng, 48, general manager of the Jumbo seafood restaurants group; and Mr Tang Kin Fei, 59, group president of Sembcorp Industries.
The SCCCI also elected its first new immigrant, developer Zhong Sheng Jian, 53, chairman and chief executive of Yanlord Land, as a vice-president.
Mr Thomas Chua, chairman of Teckwah Industrial Corporation, and Mr Tan Cheng Gay, chairman and chief executive officer of EnGro Corporation, were re-elected.
Responding to Mr Goh's reminder on foreign workers, Mr Lim and Mr Ang said they would have to swallow the bitter medicine for now.
'I agree we must make changes to our old ways of doing business to improve productivity, perhaps using more automation in our operations,' said Mr Lim. His group has 500 to 600 foreign workers out of a total workforce of 2,300 in 22 of its supermarkets, stores and offices.
Added Mr Ang: 'I don't think I can replace foreign workers with local ones immediately, so I hope more of them will become permanent residents or even citizens.' Foreign workers make up 40 per cent of his group's 600 staff in 11 restaurants.
By Leong Weng Kam, Senior Correspondent
Straits Times, Mar 16, 2011
Photo caption: Mr Goh showing his support as SCCCI president Teo Siong Seng holds up the folder containing all the signatures of the 56th council members at the installation ceremony yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIATHE days of companies relying on a cheap and plentiful supply of foreign workers to boost their output and bottom lines are over, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong made plain to businessmen yesterday.
That model of doing business is no longer sustainable, he said at the installation ceremony of the 56th council of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI).
He noted that while prospects for economic growth remain bright, 'we will have to make the effort to achieve it. This growth is not going to be handed to us on a silver platter'.
'We will have to cut down on our reliance on cheap foreign labour and pay higher foreign worker levy. We have to make changes to the way we grow our economy and our businesses - in particular, our productivity,' he said.
He is not the first minister, nor is this the first time he has spoken of the Government's determination to get companies to reduce dependency on foreign workers and to increase productivity instead.
Noting the national drive to raise productivity by 2 per cent to 3 per cent every year and the increased funding available to companies, he said they had 'more incentives than ever to improve their productivity levels by restructuring their operations and upgrading the skills of their workers'.
'In the past, they could rely on cheap and plentiful foreign workers to boost their output and bottom lines. But this model is not sustainable.
'That is why we have raised the foreign worker levy across all industries and provided incentives for businesses to raise their productivity - a carrot and stick approach... Some people believe the foreign worker levy will be reversed if the economy slows down. But don't bank on it.'
On average, the incremental rise in levy rates for most work permit holders will go up from this year to July 2013 by between $60 and $200, on top of increases already announced in last year's Budget.
At the ceremony, Mr Goh witnessed the swearing-in of Pacific International Lines' managing director Teo Siong Seng for a second two-year term as president and 55 other council members.
Mr Teo, speaking at the ceremony at the SCCCI's Hill Street headquarters, said he would encourage members, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to make good use of the government funds to boost their overall productivity.
In his speech, Mr Goh noted the chamber dispensed with the clan-based representation system, and that the age limit for those serving on the council has now been capped at 70: 'I am glad to see SCCCI is actively renewing itself and carrying out succession planing.'
Of those elected, 10 are new faces. They include Mr Lim Hock Chee, 50, managing director of the Sheng Siong supermarket chain; Mr Ang Kiam Meng, 48, general manager of the Jumbo seafood restaurants group; and Mr Tang Kin Fei, 59, group president of Sembcorp Industries.
The SCCCI also elected its first new immigrant, developer Zhong Sheng Jian, 53, chairman and chief executive of Yanlord Land, as a vice-president.
Mr Thomas Chua, chairman of Teckwah Industrial Corporation, and Mr Tan Cheng Gay, chairman and chief executive officer of EnGro Corporation, were re-elected.
Responding to Mr Goh's reminder on foreign workers, Mr Lim and Mr Ang said they would have to swallow the bitter medicine for now.
'I agree we must make changes to our old ways of doing business to improve productivity, perhaps using more automation in our operations,' said Mr Lim. His group has 500 to 600 foreign workers out of a total workforce of 2,300 in 22 of its supermarkets, stores and offices.
Added Mr Ang: 'I don't think I can replace foreign workers with local ones immediately, so I hope more of them will become permanent residents or even citizens.' Foreign workers make up 40 per cent of his group's 600 staff in 11 restaurants.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Lorry drivers caught breaking safety rules
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 15 March 2011.
Lorry drivers caught breaking safety rules
By ROYSTON SIM
Straits Times, Mar 15, 2011
Photo caption: All light lorries must have canopies and higher side railings installed if they are used to transport workers under a new rule which took effect on Feb 1. -- ST FILE PHOTO
ALMOST two light lorries a day on average were found to be flouting rules ensuring passenger safety last month.
Since Feb 1, all light lorries used to transport workers must be fitted with canopies and higher side railings.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), 47 lorries - without canopies - and another five - without higher side railings - were flagged down last month.
Lorry owners caught for non-compliance can be charged in court and face a fine of up to $1,000 or a maximum jail term of three months for a first offence. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $2,000 or jail of up to six months.
The Government brought forward the deadline for enhanced safety standards from September next year to last month, following two accidents last June which killed three workers and injured 54.
Lorry drivers also face stiffer punishments since Feb 1 for offences such as failing to fill up their front seats first and carrying excess workers.
Mr Andrew Khng, president of the Singapore Contractors Association, said it has repeatedly reminded its 2,000 members about the new rules.
'I can't say much about other industries; maybe there are some unaware that regulations have kicked in,' he added.
Workshops said they are inundated with work so that firms can comply with the rules.
Mr Nicholas Neo, sales manager for Ng Wah Hong Enterprises, said it has jobs all the way to May. It outfits about 15 lorries a day, with work lasting till 11pm daily, including weekends and public holidays.
'We should be quite busy for the entire year, because after we are done with the light lorries, we'll have to retrofit the heavy ones,' he said.
Heavy lorries have until Aug 1 to fit canopies and side railings if used to ferry workers.
Mr Neo said his workshop was collecting advance orders to prevent a logjam of bookings closer to the deadline.
Installing a canopy and side railings costs about $1,600 and $2,400 for light and heavy lorries respectively. Costs are borne by the owners.
On another aspect of road safety - ensuring lorries ferrying workers keep to the speed limit of 60kmh - an LTA spokesman said the authority and Traffic Police are studying the use of technologies and devices to enforce the rule.
She added that the LTA, to drive home the safety message, has distributed stickers, flyers and posters in several languages to lorry drivers and foreign-worker dormitories.
She added: 'We are also working closely with the Ministry of Manpower to educate the employers as well as workers at the dormitories.'
Lorry drivers caught breaking safety rules
By ROYSTON SIM
Straits Times, Mar 15, 2011
Photo caption: All light lorries must have canopies and higher side railings installed if they are used to transport workers under a new rule which took effect on Feb 1. -- ST FILE PHOTOALMOST two light lorries a day on average were found to be flouting rules ensuring passenger safety last month.
Since Feb 1, all light lorries used to transport workers must be fitted with canopies and higher side railings.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), 47 lorries - without canopies - and another five - without higher side railings - were flagged down last month.
Lorry owners caught for non-compliance can be charged in court and face a fine of up to $1,000 or a maximum jail term of three months for a first offence. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to $2,000 or jail of up to six months.
The Government brought forward the deadline for enhanced safety standards from September next year to last month, following two accidents last June which killed three workers and injured 54.
Lorry drivers also face stiffer punishments since Feb 1 for offences such as failing to fill up their front seats first and carrying excess workers.
Mr Andrew Khng, president of the Singapore Contractors Association, said it has repeatedly reminded its 2,000 members about the new rules.
'I can't say much about other industries; maybe there are some unaware that regulations have kicked in,' he added.
Workshops said they are inundated with work so that firms can comply with the rules.
Mr Nicholas Neo, sales manager for Ng Wah Hong Enterprises, said it has jobs all the way to May. It outfits about 15 lorries a day, with work lasting till 11pm daily, including weekends and public holidays.
'We should be quite busy for the entire year, because after we are done with the light lorries, we'll have to retrofit the heavy ones,' he said.
Heavy lorries have until Aug 1 to fit canopies and side railings if used to ferry workers.
Mr Neo said his workshop was collecting advance orders to prevent a logjam of bookings closer to the deadline.
Installing a canopy and side railings costs about $1,600 and $2,400 for light and heavy lorries respectively. Costs are borne by the owners.
On another aspect of road safety - ensuring lorries ferrying workers keep to the speed limit of 60kmh - an LTA spokesman said the authority and Traffic Police are studying the use of technologies and devices to enforce the rule.
She added that the LTA, to drive home the safety message, has distributed stickers, flyers and posters in several languages to lorry drivers and foreign-worker dormitories.
She added: 'We are also working closely with the Ministry of Manpower to educate the employers as well as workers at the dormitories.'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)