Singaporeans offer their homes to Malaysian workers stranded by coronavirus lockdown
- Malaysia implemented a two-week partial lockdown, including a ban on overseas travel, to curb the spread of the Covid-19 disease
- This meant many Malaysian workers who commute to Singapore daily had to find accommodation in the city state
The Malaysian worker was matched to a hostel in Clarke Quay by his employer, who told him he did not have to pay a single cent. “It’s a bit far from my workplace in Jurong East but it’s OK. I’m not choosy,” he said.
Following the report, Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement that 14 workers were picked up from the location later in the night, and taken to a temporary relief centre managed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) at Jurong East, while longer-term housing arrangements were being made.
After the order was imposed, MOM and the Singapore Police Force stepped up patrols around the island to check for workers who did not manage to secure accommodation, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, there was an outpouring of support from Singaporeans for Malaysian workers without a place to stay, with many offering to house the workers in their own homes or provide them with food and blankets.
Among them was Wendy Chiang, who offered two spare rooms in her home for S$5 a day each as rental.