All items filed under News
Manpower minister signals tightening of S Passes
After a 12.5 percent increase in the number of S Pass holders from December 2011 to June 2012 [see earlier story], the government is looking at doing more to control the inflow. The Straits Times reported Acting Manpower minister Tan Chuan-jin saying that "We should have an update on this
Letter in Straits Times: Foreign workers’ medical dilemma
A letter by TWC2 exco member Debbie Fordyce was published in the Straits Times 25 October 2012. She highlights the quite common problem of the government creating a bias against workers in favour of employers. Straits Times, 25 October 2012, Print Forum Foreign workers' medical dilemma Foreign workers often find
Archive of TWC2 newsletters
Clicking the header "Archive" immediately above this paragraph will lead you to a list of newsletters published by TWC2 over the years, highlighting the important issues of the time.
Employer jailed and given nine strokes of the cane for molesting domestic helper
Ng Kheng Teck, 43, a father of two, was sentenced to three years' jail and nine strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to two of four charges of molesting a domestic worker from Indonesia who was working in his household in January 2011. Ng had also abused his position
Employment agency fined $5,000 for overcharging workers
The Straits Times reported on 4 October 2012 that an employment agency has been fined $5,000 for overcharging two foreign workers. The news report did not name the agency. The workers involved were a man and a woman -- countries of origin not stated -- who worked in the manufacturing
Domestic worker investigated for giving false information
A 24-year-old domestic worker is being investigated by the police for giving false information, reported the Straits Times Breaking news, 8 October 2012. The brief report, short on details, mentioned that she had lied to her employer that there had been a man trespassing into the property. Following that, the
“I hope to see my family”, says dying father
The New Paper carried, on Saturday, 29 September 2012, the story of the emergency airlift home for Amin Late Abu Taher that took place two days earlier. This story is now archived on the AsiaOne site. Link. ----- "I hope to see my family" The New Paper, 29 September 2012,
Parliament approves amendments to EFMA
Parliament passed amendments to the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) on 11 September 2012. There is no indication from press reports of any further changes to the bill first read at the beginning of August. See TWC2's Our Stand Statement on the amendments. As reported by the Straits Times,
“Fewer than 60 cases per year” not insured; 14 Wica prosecutions over 5 years
The Ministry of Manpower says only one percent of work injury claimants find themselves facing employers who did not have work injury insurance. Straits Times, Thurs, 30 Aug 2012. It also concedes that the vast majority of cases in which employers did not have work injury insurance were not prosecuted.
‘All investigations are conducted expeditiously’, says MOM, but no answer to question on average time taken to close a case
Straits Times reader Alex Tang, in a letter published by the newspaper in its print Forum (16 August 2012) asked a number of questions about workers placed on Special Passes because of "cheating" by employers. Queries on special-pass foreigners There are many foreigners who are holding special passes because they