How Are Singapore's Migrant Workers Coping With COVID-19 Restrictions, One Year On? | Talking Point

It’s been one year since the deadly COVID-19 virus hit foreign worker dormitories, forcing a lockdown. But months have passed since migrant workers have returned to work. What is dormitory living like for them now? Are they still facing restrictions on their movements? In this episode, host Rai Kannu finds out what life is really like for migrant workers, as they tell him their stories, through their eyes.
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[@nithij9040]

The sensitivity and audacity displayed by Rai Kannu - CNA journalist in doing this piece is commendable. In many places it seemed as though no one could have done the story better than him. He would be remembered for this work.

[@dwichiesa]

We owe them so much. Without them all bto delayed

[@Wroco]

6:55 one his legs were lifted up while he sprayed the sanitizer, that was adorable 🥺

[@Wroco]

but in all seriousness, thank you to the backbone of our society, the immigrant workers who worked tirelessly to build Singapore 🥺

[@mysticcove3392]

Why can't Singaporeans build own city?.

[@chantalmonique2353]

@@mysticcove3392 u think Singaporeans wan to work in construction? 6 days work week? 11 hours or more working hours every day. Sometimes you even have to OT till 4 or 5 am in the morning. Work continuously under hot sun especially during summer period. Salary only 1.4k. Singaporeans only wan 9 to 5 office jobs with high salary and weekends off.

[@mysticcove3392]

@@chantalmonique2353 Hot damned!. All that hard work for S$1,400 a month?. Are you for real?. Where I am construction workers 0 degree 1st year earned US$35.00 per hour. After 8 hours mandatory OT at 2x pay an hour = US$70.00 per hour. Weekend mandatory OT. No excuses from employers we do have EEO Laborers Law here.

[@mysticcove3392]

@Alex Jefferson I'm assuming you're referring to Bangladeshi. In my country you speak that way with BLM/Antifa. Lord have mercy on you!.

[@mysticcove3392]

@Alex Jefferson I'm 100% Native American. Shoshone, Wyoming!. Is people like you polluting our Motherland our Country with racism!. Get over it you're not better than any of us on Mother Earth!.

[@BKLau70]

The invisible backbone of Singapore ...

[@davec4754]

Thanks for caring for the foreign workers and also showing best practise in the dormitories. Keep up the good work and update us frequently to provide positive pressures for the dorm operators to do more for the workers.

[@Voraexoxo]

Back in August last year, i was on stay home notice twice, back to back and it literally drives me insane. I felt so lonely and depressed despite having sufficient food, amenities and entertainment at home. I kept staring at my phone waiting for the shn to be over, was super annoyed with the daily temperature taking and the officers video calling me everyday at random times. I honestly could not imagine how did all these migrant workers mentally survive living with all the restrictions for a whole year. I definitely couldn’t.

[@bchpls24]

no Netflix?

[@AalokChhabria]

It’s sad that they still have to live with so many restrictions after almost one year. While some restrictions are understandable, the worst is that they are not allowed on public transport. That is just outright discrimination (not restriction).

[@lotus108able]

Why different in treatment btw dormitory and heartland HDB..and yet we claim we should pay tribute to them. The irony

[@user-sd4jb2so9p]

Wtf give them proper bed to sleep on smh

[@wisetour4ever]

Too many people in one room

[@Yazooz830]

Thank you all migrant workers for building up Singapore.

[@melvin30957]

Would you please confirm if SPass Holder working in construction but living outside the dormitory like HDB can already take a public transportation?

[@aimeexlingx]

They are humans.. too just like us . It's sad to see them living in such condition.

[@moodisucksdick5154]

All these people do is to complain. They are ungrateful.

[@jesh1075]

Keep it up thank you.

[@MsUnknownblue]

Thank You Rai and CNA Insider for putting this video together and sharing about the situation the migrant workers are going through! I hope to see more lifting of restrictions in the first quarter of this year as mentioned by ACE taskforce!

[@kewsiyehboah6058]

All da Best Righteous People.. In Swahili.. Ubarikiwe - Bless You..

[@tonykumar9727]

I can relate to the guy from 14:30 of feeling mentally depressed 😣

[@tanjs3598]

Probably cause they are in a communal setting with alot of shared facilities and common "touchpoints". I believe these rules will be relaxed once the population is vaccinated. That said, producer/host needs to have more awareness on the situation thou...

[@lynnsim7471]

Thanks to them to build SG 🤍 appreciate the creator for this video.

[@nicktasteless360]

migrant workers have no choice, too much are in SG and they have to live in cramped dormitories. 1 person get infected, the risk of spreading is extremely high and rapid as we had seen before. Very sad they have to live like prisoners but it's also keeping them safe.

[@iw4075]

they were forgotten by the minsters when the pandemic started.... so much for their effort...

[@mollahmohon8413]

It's really very hard 😩

[@lukei6255]

Isn't singapore a one big jail run by family gang?

[@picxofyy3351]

😞😔😔

[@ricebowl79]

Kindness is not limited to nationality.

[@bingchas4359]

Singaporeans already can go out jalan jalan, why are they still so restricted? I hope the new measures implented are actually true, can there be a follow up by cna insider?

[@jethrolee107]

The hell is this ? At 2 mins 46 secs in, he says over 150,000 workers infected. CNA lists 59,821 confirmed cases so far. Where did he get his inflated statistics from?

[@nstravelvlogs2486]

MOM has put in their website. According to WHO reporting standards Singapore has 59k. www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2020/1214-measures-to-contain-the-covid-19-outbreak-in-migrant-worker-dormitories

[@jethrolee107]

@@nstravelvlogs2486 Thanks for clarifying that for me =D Thanks

[@sakihichannelforbrokersaig9251]

It's true.

[@singaporesingapore1031]

Plz open Singapore can go out side

[@andon83]

How about migrant expatriate CECA.

[@markstevens6682]

Over 150k tested positive, what are the stats as to how many actually got sick, how many had to be hospitalized, how many went to ICU,how many fatalities, ..... anyone know?

[@ganeshdumpeta9219]

Every worker feeling lonely

[@leewn2319]

Staying in dormitories is a matter of Employer & Employee private employment contract agreement. There are migrant workers who jointly rent flats, but that will be more costly. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the central communal kitchens are shut off. Workers will need to purchase catered from the dormitory’s canteen. The Authorities in Sg had reviewed dormitory layout and issued regulations to dormitories owners and operators to improve the conditions.

[@Laurent388]

Lepak holiday over… time to work

[@beverleylumb8048]

So the answer is don't stay in dormitory but they do because its cheaper

[@limwilson4906]

Their dormitory consider good already. They are migrant workers., not tourist. Don't expect too much.

[@singaporesingapore1031]

Why Singaporean can go anyway in Singapore

[@sairamdoosa2874]

Boss when we can go outside community places when open lock down for dormitorys out side community they no have rules they can meet family, friends can go outside anywhere for dormitory give 3 hrs only RC we no have time to talking with friends, r family numbers in this 3 hrs dormitory to RC walking go Time 15 minutes coming time 15 minutes some more 2/ half hours we buy some vegetables r personals things buy we follow Q lines this so take time but we follow rules in Rc places they no outside food eating, no drinks boss when open lock down for dormitorys workers when we can go community places 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@wandererj4437]

Still better than many Australian hostels😄

[@jrukawa11]

Talk as much as you can

[@leehyunsong7001]

Sg gov: ok i will build a nicer prison so the workers will be happy Cna: wow impressive

[@sallyselman8464]

cortland ,NY is a safe place for economic migrants and are wanted ! no ICE , safe schools , bien venidos !!

[@qyu...976]

We appreciate very much to this migrant workers. At the same time they too should appreciate our Sgp the people and the Gov't. Its too much and over load people for this tiny Island. By looking at the Dormitory and the appartment the gov't have done it very well. Don't complain Sgp like a jail. Its happening around the world cause of this Covid19. Im here in europe too Shopping mall, Cafe, Restaurant have been closing since Nov 2020😁😁

[@nilam8808]

Most foreigners including Malaysians become PRs to profit from currency exchange rate. They are good time weather enjoyers.

[@martinjohnson4796]

4:07 You thought your whatsapp web was on

[@fcuksingapoor1033]

IF TOMY N V. GINA LIVNG ON PRAYER, BANG LAH... LIVING IN MULTI STOREY (SHOE 👠 BOXES) HUMIDITY JAIL 🏬

[@medialcanthus9681]

Would it be better than going back to their home country? Are they paid while on lockdown? Is it prison or paid rest?

[@noproblematallmate]

paid rest

[@saiganesh7502]

Dont talk too much. U may never know how the workers actually feel until u put yourself in their shoes

[@CTcCaster]

@@wyattearp88 classic whataboutism. Its like saying kids in africa have is much worse therefore I cannot feel miserable

[@medialcanthus9681]

@@saiganesh7502it's never ever nice to be in a not nice position. The only consolation to oneself is that there could be a worse option.

[@PraveenSerpico]

They aren’t complaining and obviously going with the flow. This was a report on their living conditions which are clearly still restrictive. Try and show some empathy instead of engaging in comparative conditions. All of us are a product of our circumstances, like how you are fortunate to be more privileged.

[@Yeehaayoo]

please make those who have been vaccinated can leave home to their country...🙏🙏🙏

[@nilam8808]

Highly or lowly educated, your true worth is revealed in these restrictive times. Many people breaking down when isolated in a room or sole occupant in a house. Lowly educated people may have an excuse. But many people inspte of their high education, have become complain champions. They find it hard to tackle a 14/21 days confinement. They have brains to pass paper exam only.

[@nilam8808]

If a person has agreed to the scope of job and it's salary, that's all to it. We don't owe them anything more. Exceptions are the mannerisms in which these jobs are executed. Then as a society, we show appreciation to their joyous, peaceful contribution which money cannot buy. Some netizens comment that we OWE foreign workers. This makes readers and foreign workers think we Singaporean owe foreign workers. Misguided thinking.

[@chillipowder0169]

Without them we wouldn't even have an infrastructure. They have no choice but to come here and work tough jobs, sending the money back to their families. And there are people like you trying to say that we shouldn't be trying to help them because they "agreed to the scope of the job."

[@deegee1228]

Then why don’t you go back home? Lol soo much complaining hahahah

[@abdulrahman1308]

Singapore under report covid-19 infection figures?

[@RonLarhz]

Lol. No. Jail have no hp and no privacy. No beds etc.

[@singaporesingapore1031]

Foreign worker can't go if Singapore government do like this plz send back all workers in on country

[@leannesmith5818]

They have shelter , food and work what's the problem, a lot of people gave lost their jobs and businesses have shut down all over the world

[@raymond2704]

Migrant workers shouldn't expect so much because they are provided with decent living and working conditions. There's no way they can be allowed to go out as before as long as Covid19 is around. So be grateful, otherwise, they can choose to return to their countries if they can't cope

[@boyan619]

Fws still want to KPKB about recreation time only 3 hrs as for inmates in prison recreation time only 1 hr never kpkb

[@ohenghwa9549]

If they are not happy just leave the country. Try other places. Maybe Malaysia suit them

[@ML-yu5ij]

Are you referring to "they" as in keyboard warriors like you?

[@nilam8808]

CNA is just a mouthpiece for people to complain. CNA producers need to have matured and street smart brains. Learn to see and probe deeper aspects involved. Many foreign workers countries are full of street smart people, they have jostled with mean characters fighting for a space to live. Singaporeans don't have to fight to death for a job. Simply upgrade through courses. Foreigners in their country have to use various tactics to reserve their rice bowl. Now these foreigners in Singapore are getting use to comfortable living and mostly out of habit don't like to follow safety protocols.

[@nilam8808]

Do you know what life is in prison? 1 NO HANDPHONE USE. 2. Workers in domintory can shop at domintory minimart, prisoners can't. 3. They can frequent other shops, prisoners can't 4. You can choose to cook or eat the free food provided by MOM, employer. Prisoners cannot choose, eat only that is given Those under quarantine orders have to stay in their rooms. This is to prevent infection. Most of workers staying in domtories don't observe and follow social responsibilities. In one large room at least six workers are staying. 1. Mostly don't wear mask when they are outside their rooms. 2. When outside, they prefer to remove their masks when talking. Yes they do their jobs but in the current disease epidemic, everyone has to observe and follow all preventive protocols. Foreign worker domitory is a place of large community in thousands. Do they remind their colleagues when they don't wear their masks properly? No. They are more focused in chatting and complaining. I appreciate your contribution to Singapore economy. You are also paid for it. But if you find Singapore law in this covid 19 epidemic is too restrictive, then please dear foreign workers can go back to your countries. Safety is most important, not your work contribution.

[@edc6774]

Politically correct: Ooooh, so sad for these migrant backbone of Singapore workers. We need to help them and give them more human rights. Politically incorrect: The British have somewhat made a bloody mess of it from the beginning by forcing 3 different ethnics to live in a small space and where the majority totally has no interest in interbreeding due to skin color and other imported middle eastern ideologies. And most of these so called “Bangla” boys, are currently stressed out because they are deprived from having short-term sexual escapades with Female Pinoys , Indonesians and other nannies and maids. Backbone of SG? Didn’t they get paid for their labour. My take on this: if Singapore is so bad, you should move and not play the victim role. Instead, go back to your hometown and blame your parents who had probably enjoyable intercourse without thinking about the consequences of putting you on this planet. This channel seems to be very left marxist as most nowadays. Time for some new thoughts and media.

[@colinagun2133]

Don't like Singapore treat you because covid 19, gets out from the country's

[@dipdip4322]

Tf??

[@PraveenSerpico]

Are you high on meth?

[@teslabullsingapore8656]

@@PraveenSerpico I think high coz spelling also sala already hehe

[@usucktoo]

Dont worry. One day they will all leave and I would love to see Singapore pay billions for a simple building to be built. Heartless bastard

[@mysticcove3392]

Are your ancestors orang semang?. If not you have 0 authority to tell others to get out of Singapore!.

[@moodisucksdick5154]

Nobody forced them to come to Singapore. If these Indian and Bangla workers are not happy, they are free to leave. Nobody is stopping them. So they should stop whining and complaining.

[@fcuksingapoor1033]

IF TOMY N V. GINA LIVNG ON PRAYER, BANG LAH... LIVING IN MULTI STOREY (SHOE 👠 BOXES) HUMIDITY JAIL 🏬