News – Page 32

25 09, 2014

Singaporean ship manning agent accused in Filipino court of trafficking in persons

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:01+08:00September 25th, 2014|News, News Flash|

A former director of a ship manning agency has been charged in a Filipino court with human trafficking and illegal recruitment, the Sunday Times reported on 21 September 2014. However, he appears to be still in Singapore, and there is no extradition treaty between Singapore and the Philippines. Victor Lim, formerly of Step Up Marine

15 09, 2014

Overhauling Singapore’s migrant labour system – an alternative plan

alex2019-08-30T16:33:02+08:00September 15th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, Our Stand|

By Alex Au Many stories on the website of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) tell of the abuses inflicted on migrant workers in Singapore. TWC2 holds the view that the regulatory system governing the recruitment and control of foreign labour lies at the root of these abuses. Fortunately, many employers refrain from taking full advantage

14 09, 2014

Myanmar imposes temporary ban on maids to Singapore

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:02+08:00September 14th, 2014|News, News Flash|

In a move with little warning, the government of Myanmar (Burma) has imposed a five-month ban on its citizens coming to Singapore for domestic work. This was reported in the Straits Times (13 September 2014). The ban was reportedly due to concerns over ill-treatment and abuse, the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF) said. An official

11 09, 2014

MOM’s ‘rebuttal’ actually lends support to many points we made

alex2019-08-30T16:33:02+08:00September 11th, 2014|News, Our Stand|

By TWC2 vice-president Alex Au On Friday 29 August 2014, the Ministry of Manpower said that my letter published in the Straits Times forum 25 August 2014 (Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant workers) "paints an inaccurate picture". MOM's reply was published in the newspaper on Friday 29 August. The headline of MOM's letter

10 09, 2014

About 70,000 workers live on construction sites

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:03+08:00September 10th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, News, News Flash, Our Stand|

Manpower minister Tan Chuan-jin told parliament through a written reply that about 70,000 workers (presumably male construction workers) live in temporary housing located at construction sites. Most foreign workers live in purpose-built dormitories but around 20 per cent - or 70,000 - live on construction sites. The figures were released on Tuesday in a written

7 09, 2014

Lebanese court rules that employer must return domestic worker’s passport

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:03+08:00September 7th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News|

With permission from The Legal Agenda, TWC2 is pleased to reproduce an article from their English website discussing an important court ruling, recently announced in Beirut, Lebanon. The ruling discusses major issues: challenging the widespread practice of withholding passports the problematic nature of the sponsorship system violation of fundamental right to freedom of movement debunk the

29 08, 2014

The challenge of labour trafficking

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 29th, 2014|Articles, Facts, research, analysis, Media Coverage, News, Our Stand|

On 27 August 2014, The Straits Times published an opinion article by John Gee, immediate past president of TWC2, which the paper titled 'Ensuring better protection for migrant workers'. Here, John has revised the article slightly, elaborating on some points at the same time. By John Gee At the end of this year, Singapore seems

28 08, 2014

Foreign workers riot in Malaysia over medical care, salaries and mistreatment

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 28th, 2014|Media Coverage, News, News Flash|

Alleged mistreatment by employers have led to riots in Malaysia by foreign workers, various news sources are reporting. Most serious was what happened on Tuesday night (26 August 2014) in the Malaysian state of Johor. As reported by Malaysian newspaper The Star: Some 800 workers of a factory here set fire to the building Tuesday

28 08, 2014

Maid climbed out on 36th floor after abuse

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:04+08:00August 28th, 2014|News, News Flash|

Tay Li Nah, 39, an employer of a domestic worker, was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment after pleading guilty to kicking Saedatun Fandilah repeatedly on her buttocks, thighs and abdomen at about 12.30am on 5 Feb 2013. This was reported in the Straits Times, 27 August 2014. Five hours later, Saedatun, in a bid to escape, removed

25 08, 2014

Straits Times forum: Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant workers

webmaster2019-08-30T16:33:05+08:00August 25th, 2014|Media Coverage, News, Our Stand, Press Releases|

Further to the feature on poor accommodation for foreign workers in the Straits Times 19 August 2014 mentioned earlier in Cost implications of government policies crucial to question fo foreign worker accommodation, TWC2 vice-president Alex Au's letter to the Forum editor was published on Monday 25 August 2014: Salary non-payment a big issue for migrant