Malaysian cross-border workers welcome insurance scheme covering commute to Singapore

JOHOR BAHRU – The upcoming insurance scheme for Malaysians working in Singapore will provide much-needed protection for those who cross the border to get to their workplaces.

Cleaner Mohamad Haizat Mazlan, 23, said he rides his motorcycle across the Causeway daily and described the journey as both stressful and risky.

“It takes about an hour each way, and honestly, there has never been any protection once I leave my workplace. Accidents can happen on the road, especially on a motorcycle,” he said. “If something goes wrong while commuting, we usually have to bear the cost ourselves,” he added.

“Knowing that the government is looking out for us would give me peace of mind because it would provide much-needed protection beyond working hours.”

Mr K. Prabakaran, 35, an information technology engineer, also welcomed the initiative.

“Actually, this is very beneficial as most of us travel by bike and the road conditions and surroundings make the journey risky,” said Mr Prabakaran, who has been working in Singapore for more than five years and commutes across the border daily.

“I have heard that there are some insurance policies that offer limited coverage, but if this new scheme can be enabled with a small additional payment for overseas travel, it would be very helpful for policyholders,” he added.

“The situation on the road is getting worse nowadays, so I strongly agree that this scheme should be implemented.”

Safety engineer Hadif Shahril, 26, said he fully supports the insurance scheme.

“Some Singaporean companies do not take responsibility for incidents that occur outside the workplace,” he said. “It can be inconvenient for us who travel every day, as anything could happen on the road,” he added.

“Having this scheme would be extremely helpful, especially in providing financial protection and ensuring our safety.”

Ms Sophie Tan, 57, a creative stylist who takes the bus from the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex daily, also voiced her support, citing her more than 25 years of experience working in Singapore.

“I have witnessed many accidents involving Malaysian workers during my career,” she said. “I also saw a girl collapse while walking inside the CIQ complex at BSI,” she added.

“Just imagine the medical expenses they’d have to bear if there was no insurance coverage.”

Ms Tan said her current employer provides insurance coverage for employees. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK