Rights denied
Singapore employers take advantage of Malaysians in the dark about their entitlement
JOHOR BARU: Back in 2013, as the value of the ringgit weakened further against the Singapore dollar, M. Syukri accepted a job across the Causeway, knowing that it would give him greater spending power compared with his counterparts working in Johor.
To protect his rights as a worker in the republic, he even joined the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for which he had to pay a S$10 (RM30.55) monthly subscription that was deducted from his salary.
“It took me a few hours of commute every day and I wanted to ensure that I was fully protected,” he told theSun yesterday.
For the 33-year-old technician, this was an acknowledgement of the NTUC’s reputation in defending foreign workers against discrimination and injustice.
But unknown to Syukri, and most of the other 300,000-odd Malaysians, there was scant attempt to give them what they were entitled to.
For instance, foreign workers are entitled to full medical benefits but, according to the Singapore Accident Help Centre (SGAHC), most employers do not fulfil this requirement when it comes to their Malaysian employees.
In most cases, Malaysian workers are just not fully aware of their rights, and their Singapore bosses take advantage of that.
SGAHC spokesman and legal adviser Hoh Chin Cha pointed out that under Singapore law, if a foreigner holds a work permit or an S-Pass, his employer is obliged to bear the cost of his upkeep and maintenance.
This includes covering the cost of any medical treatment incurred in Singapore as a result of an accident, whether or not the accident is work-related.
Hoh said some employers do not provide insurance coverage for non-workrelated accidents; nor would they pick up the tab for the mounting cost of treatment.
As a result, most Malaysians choose to discharge themselves from the hospital early to continue their treatment in Johor at a lower cost.
“The high cost of medical care in Singapore usually steer these victims away from getting the required treatment,” Hoh said.
“It is important that these Malaysian workers are informed that they should be able to continue receiving treatment in Singapore if they meet with an accident.”
The SGAHC is working closely with its sister organisation – the Singapore Accident Help Centre (Johor) – to help Malaysians working in Singapore.
Malaysians who require assistance can contact SAHC (Johor) through its Facebook page or call 07-3309193.