No work pass holders here have been found sleeping rough on the streets, contrary to articles in the media on homeless Malaysian workers in Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has said.
Following a Nov 22 New Straits Times (NST) report, titled Homeless Malaysians In Singapore, MOM said it engaged an interviewee who was quoted claiming that more than 100 Malaysians were homeless in Singapore as they could not afford rent for a room or a bed.
MOM said it engaged Mr Shahruddin Haeal Helmy Mohd Noh on Nov 23 and Nov 27 to obtain information about his claim in order to provide assistance to these workers.
The NST, a Malaysian newspaper, said hundreds of Malaysians "had to live like vagrants following the Covid-19 pandemic which saw the closure of the Malaysia-Singapore border".
But Mr Shahruddin could not provide information such as specific names and contact details of the homeless Malaysian workers he claimed to have encountered, MOM said yesterday.
"He admitted that he never spoke directly to any of these workers and cannot confirm if they were indeed homeless," it said. "He did not know of any Malaysian worker who does not have a place to stay and also stated that he did not tell the reporter from NST that 'over 100 Malaysians there had become homeless'."
Officers who are part of the Singapore Government's inter-agency task force that conducts routine checks across the island also visited various locations islandwide late into the night on Nov 26, including places listed by Mr Shahruddin, but did not find any work pass holders sleeping on the street, the ministry added.
Persons found sleeping in the open, including work pass holders, are rendered help, said MOM.
Their employer will be asked to provide lodging immediately, and if they cannot do so the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) will house them in the interim, it said.
"MOM has also established links with various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to refer any work pass holders found sleeping rough," it added. "In the past few months, MOM has not received any referrals from the NGOs."
The Straits Times reported yesterday that the 21 temporary shelters for the homeless here are mostly full, with about 100 people on the wait list.
One reason for the current shortage of shelter space is increased demand, including from those who can no longer make the daily commute between Singapore, where they work, and their homes in Johor Baru or Batam due to travel restrictions, said a spokesman for charity Homeless Hearts of Singapore.
Employers here are obliged to ensure that their foreign employees have proper accommodation during their stay in Singapore, said the ministry.
Members of the public who know of any work pass holders facing accommodation issues should refer them to MOM or the MWC's 24-hour hotline on 6536-2692 for further assistance.
