๐๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐
In late June, around 400 migrant workers employed by KPA Engineering and SK Industries reported going without pay for at least two months.
The Singapore Ministry of Manpower has since launched investigations into possible breaches of employment law.
NTUC Singapore, through the Migrant Workers' Centre, responded quickly by providing emergency financial assistance and identifying new employment opportunities with 40 companies offering around 150 vacancies.
It would be apt for us to take care of them, because Singapore is no longer the only attractive destination for migrant workers anymore.
Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the Gulf states are all competing for labour from many of the same source countries. Workers today are increasingly informed about the opportunities available to them.
They compare salaries, working conditions, legal protections and how workers are treated before deciding where to go.
Information also travels remarkably quickly.
Within days, a case in Tuas or Jurong can become common knowledge in Dhaka, Chennai or Chittagong.
๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.
That would leave Singapore facing an uncomfortable reality: who do the work?
Someone must still build our HDB flats, maintain our MRT lines, repair our roads, clean our estates, work in our shipyards and support many of the industries that keep the country functioning.
Our physical infrastructure depends on a stable and willing migrant workforce.
This is why reputation should be viewed as a form of economic infrastructure. We often speak about efficient ports, political stability and a trusted legal system as reasons businesses invest in Singapore. The same principle applies to labour.
๐๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐.
When MOM investigates errant employers or when NTUC steps in to provide immediate support and job matching, they are not only protecting vulnerable workers. They are protecting the reliability of systems that every Singaporean depends on.
The KPA Engineering case will eventually be resolved. We have established legal and dispute mechanisms, such that the many NGOs can do little but point them there.
The workers may find new employers, unpaid salaries may be recovered, and those responsible may be held accountable.
But the larger challenge remains. Singapore is competing not only for investments and businesses, but also for the people who build, maintain and support the nation.
Our competitive advantage cannot rest solely on wages. It must also rest on trust.
They are long-term investments in Singapore's resilience and competitiveness. If we lose the trust of the workers who build and maintain this country, we lose far more than labour.
We risk weakening one of the foundations upon which Singapore's economy is built.