In yet another example of the Ministry of Manpower releasing data in dribs and drabs, Kevin Teoh, the divisional director of MOM’s Foreign Manpower Management Division told the Committee of Inquiry looking into the Little India riots:
Mr Teoh also clarified that of the 1.1 million foreign non-domestic workers in Singapore, about 330,000 were employment pass and S-pass holders earning at least $3,300 and $2,200 respectively. Of the remaining 770,000 work permit holders – who earn less than $2,200 a month – about 370,000 are Malaysians.
— Straits Times, 19 March 2014, MOM: Workers told of rights even before coming here, by Lim Yan Liang
MOM’s website provides some data about the numbers of foreign work pass holders as at December 2013. Those figures are:
Employment Pass holders: 175,100
S-Pass holders: 160,900
Work Permit holders: 985,600, of which,
Domestic workers: 214,500
By subtraction, non-domestic workers: 771,100
MOM’s webpage also states that of the 771,100 non-domestic work permit holders, 319,100 are in construction. By subtraction, 452,000 are in sectors other than construction, such as marine, process manufacturing, landscaping, cleaning and services.
With Kevin Teoh’s latest disclosure that there are about 370,000 Malaysian work permit holders, this indicates that there are about 400,000 work permit holders (non-domestic) from other countries such as India, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, etc. MOM does not provide any breakdown on its website.