SINGAPORE – Migrant workers living in dormitories in Singapore are now assured of hygienic food from caterers, after the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) ordered errant dormitory operators to take remedial actions following an exclusive report by The Straits Times on food left unattended outside dorms.

Some caterers had previously left food packets in boxes outside the dorms – sometimes even at nearby fields – leaving them exposed to the elements, according to the report on April 10, 2023. As a result, some food had turned bad by the time migrant workers returned from work several hours later.

But the situation has improved, workers in four dorms told ST recently. The dorms were among the 10 found by ST to have unattended food packets previously.

Outside the four dorms in Senoko Way, Kranji Road and Admiralty Road West, food boxes – once a common sight at nearby fields and walkways – are gone.

At Cochrane Lodge 1 in Admiralty, food delivered by caterers is now placed on metal shelves, located under a shelter next to a food stall. A sign next to the shelves says: “Only licensed caterers will be allowed to place their food here.”

Workers in the other three dorms – Cochrane Lodge 2 in Admiralty, Poh Wah dormitory in Senoko Way and Kranji Lodge 1 – told ST that catered food is now placed inside the premises.

Trailer loader Karrupiah Ranggam, who has been working in Singapore for 17 years, said many migrant workers welcomed the new food delivery and distribution point at Cochrane Lodge 1.

“(Previously) we faced rain, snakes and rats when collecting our food from boxes at a field across the dorm,” said Mr Karrupiah, 41, who is from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

“It is now safer to collect food inside the dorm, thanks to MOM.”

He added that many migrant workers pay between $120 and $130 a month for daily breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by outside caterers as this is cheaper than the food prepared by dorm operators.

For construction labourer Alagapan Suthakaran, the new system at Cochrane Lodge 2 is more hygienic and convenient.

“There is no direct sunlight or rain on the food... So the food does not spoil easily,” said the Indian national in his 20s who has worked here for six years.

“In the past, when we finished work late at night, it was a challenge to look for our food box in the dark.”

For the exclusive report, ST visited 25 dorms across Singapore over a 13-day stretch, and found metal and plastic boxes containing packets of food outside 10 dorms. It was a practice that may have started when Covid-19 restrictions were in effect, and there was limited access to workers’ residences.

Third-party vendors hired by caterers, including unregistered providers, had also left bags of cooked food unattended and exposed outside the boxes. Some food packets had been opened, possibly by animals.

In an e-mail reply on Jan 11, 2024, MOM said it “has taken enforcement action against the errant dormitory operators who failed to ensure that food delivered to their residents was protected from contamination”.

Without elaborating on the number of errant operators, a spokesman said: “The dormitory operators have taken remedial action by setting up proper food storage areas within the dormitory premises.

“MOM would like to remind all dormitory operators of their responsibility under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act to put in place measures that protect catered food from contamination until it is collected by dormitory residents for consumption.”

The subject of safe catered food for migrant workers was debated in Parliament, with Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng raising a few queries on April 21, 2023.

Mr Ng had asked Manpower Minister Tan See Leng how many dorm operators were investigated for allowing packed food for migrant workers to be left unattended in the open, and how many of them were dealt with in the last five years.

Dr Tan said at the time that while MOM had not received complaints that resulted in enforcement actions in the last five years, its inspectors had encountered food storage and drop-off points that fell short of the ministry’s expectations.

“Dormitory operators took immediate action to make the needed improvements, and no enforcement action was needed,” he said.

Referring to cases that were reported by the media, Dr Tan said then that MOM would take the necessary enforcement actions if there were serious breaches of regulations that require dorm operators to ensure their residents’ access to safe catered food.

The Dormitory Association Singapore Limited (DASL) said dorm operators are committed to implementing measures for proper storage of catered food.

A DASL spokesman told ST: “Measures include the installation of secure and organised shelves to facilitate proper ventilation of catered food, and a system where (dorm) residents can collect their meals in an orderly manner.”

He said the food packets from approved or licensed caterers, either arranged by employers or the migrant workers, come with labels stating the timeframe for consumption.

Mr Michael Lim, acting director of Migrant Workers Segment at the National Trades Union Congress, acknowledged that migrant workers play a crucial role in building Singapore, often undertaking physically demanding jobs.

“Proper storage maintains the quality and nutritional value of the food, ensuring that migrant workers receive adequate nutrition for their well-being and productivity,” Mr Lim said.

“It also demonstrates respect for the dignity of migrant workers and their basic needs, contributing to a positive living environment while allowing them to perform their duties effectively.”