Migrant Workers In Truck With Padlock Raises Safety Concerns In Emergency Times
UPDATE (12 Oct): On Saturday (10 Oct), Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad addressed the issue of the padlocked truck in a Facebook post.
You may refer to the post in full below.
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When Covid-19 hit dormitories in Singapore, there was a great deal of discourse surrounding how migrant workers should be treated in our country
But it seems much can still be done to ensure the safety and comfort of the men who left their homes far away to literally build our country.
On Monday (5 Oct), a netizen shared her thoughts on Facebook after witnessing what appears to be migrant workers sitting at the back of a truck, locked from the outside with a padlock.
She criticised the practice of locking trucks that way, insinuating that it was demeaning to the passengers.
Truck with padlock outside spotted along Rochor Road
On Saturday (3 Oct), a netizen allegedly saw a truck carrying migrant workers along Rochor Road at about 1.55pm.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary on first glance. However, upon closer inspection, she noticed that the truck was padlocked from the outside.
There was no need for truck to be locked from outside
A few days later, the same netizen took to Facebook to share her concerns about locking trucks passengers from the outside.
At first, she only noticed the truck because it seemed almost “cage-like”.
But when she caught sight of the padlock, she questioned why there was a need for it to be locked from the outside.
The netizen continued that she would never want to be anywhere that is padlocked from the outside, let alone a moving vehicle.
Netizens share safety concerns
Reacting to the post, many netizens found the practice extremely dangerous.
In the case of an accident, the men would likely be trapped in the truck, unable to escape.
Some encouraged the person who posted it to report the incident, saying it was the civil thing to do.
By reporting the truck, she might even be saving future lives, he exclaimed.
This netizen remarked that no one deserves to be locked up like that, regardless of the circumstances.
He explained that locking them up this way is “below one’s dignity” as humans are being transported as if they are goods.
MS News has reached out to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for comments on the incident.
Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad addresses the incident
On Saturday (10 Oct), Senior Minister of State for MOM Zaqy Mohamad made a Facebook post addressing the issue.
He says that MOM has been in contact with the company. They explained that the truck’s back doors were faulty. MOM has since advised the company to fix the doors and consider other vehicles to transport workers.
Minister Zaqy Mohamed thanks the netizen who spotted the padlocked truck for her concern over workers’ safety.
Treat migrant workers with respect
Singapore wouldn’t be where she is today without the contributions of migrant workers.
It’s hard to justify treating migrant workers this way. We hope the authorities will look into the case and put in place measures to prevent similar incidents should the need arises.
What are your thoughts on the incident? Share them in the comments below.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
