Construction sector caught by surprise after stay-home notice

The decision to place foreign workers in the construction sector on stay-home notices (SHNs) took the industry by surprise when it was announced on Saturday night.

That night, employers in the construction industry across Singapore were caught unawares by the announcement from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) that all work-permit holders and S Pass holders in the construction industry were to be placed on mandatory SHNs, from today until May 4.

Singapore Contractors Association (Scal) president Ng Yek Meng said the industry found out about the SHNs only through the media at around 9.30pm on Saturday. "Contractors (had) only Sunday to prepare for the SHN, and most employers are scrambling to make the necessary arrangements, such as providing meals for their workers,"he said.

However, aside from the additional costs of providing meals to workers during the SHN, Mr Ng noted there was no impact on construction progress as most projects had already been stopped when the nationwide circuit breaker measures were implemented on April 7.

"On the whole, Scal supports stricter measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 so that the construction sector can restart works on May 5," he said.

Others were more vocal.

Mr David Yong, general manager of Allied MFG, which makes products from metal fabrication such as electrical boxes, said his firm has been allowed to continue operations during the circuit breaker as it falls under essential services.

He said half of his company's workforce - 17 or 18 workers - comes from the construction sector and will be affected by the new measures. This also cuts his firm's output by 60 per cent, with potentially $300,000 lost in the month of April.

"Instead of doing this, the Government should have tested all the construction workers for Covid-19 at an early stage," he said.

Mr Yong added that he will check with MOM today whether his workers can apply for other work.

Executive director of migrant worker support group Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics Catherine James said imposing the SHN was a huge logistical exercise "which some employers may not even be prepared for".

"The well-being of thousands of workers and their access to fundamental needs of food and shelter are dependent on the flawless execution of these measures," she said.

Founder Dipa Swaminathan of social initiative ItsRainingRaincoats acknowledged that it was a "rapidly evolving" situation, with their capacity to help "stretched out".

Meanwhile, some residents who live near the iconic "diamond" Housing Board blocks in Taman Jurong told The Straits Times they were concerned that the blocks are now being used to house healthy foreign workers in essential services. The move is part of efforts to thin out the number of people staying at the existing worker dormitories, which are facing a rising number of cases.

Mr Desmond Wee, 43, who works in construction, said measures to prepare the blocks for their new role have made it slightly inconvenient to access the ground-floor shops.

When ST visited the blocks - 63 to 66 Yung Kuang Road - yesterday, they were ring-fenced, with checkpoints at each of the ground floor entrances. Signs along the perimeter said "business as usual", with arrows to indicate how to enter the fenced-up area to patronise shops.

"I am also a bit afraid if (the workers) may carry the virus. But it is not up to me to say what should be done," said Mr Wee, who lives with his wife and two children at Lake Life condominium, opposite the diamond blocks.

Secondary school student Harini Sudhgaran, 15, whose relatives used to live in the blocks, said it can be "quite scary" as the coronavirus may not show symptoms for several days and can still be spread in that time.

But others were less concerned.

A resident who wanted to be known only as Mr Neran, 23, said the Government had already taken the proper precautions.

"There is nothing to be worried about. But of course some will be worried about anything, even if they are just walking past," he said. He has lived in Block 166A Yung Kuang Road, directly across the road from the blocks, for over 10 years.

Madam Oh Beng Hui, 62, an administrative assistant, said she was not worried despite living a stone's throw away.

"It doesn't bother me at all. They mind their own business, and they don't disturb us. They should have a decent place to stay, they are human beings like us," said Madam Oh, who has lived in the area since 2016.