Coronavirus: Malaysian workers in Singapore in a quandary after being told to go on unpaid leave
- Many Malaysians have been asked to take unpaid leave during Singapore’s partial lockdown and are unable to apply for part-time jobs by law
- They are hesitant to return to Malaysia for fear that they will be unable to go back to Singapore and are waiting for the circuit breaker to end
Leo’s employers asked her to take a month of unpaid leave, and the 27-year-old administrative assistant found herself in a fix.
Up until the MCO took effect, the Johor resident used to shuttle across the Causeway daily.
Leo earns about S$1,400 (US$983) a month from her current job.
“My friends are also on unpaid leave, so I’m not sure who I can borrow money from,” she added.
Like Leo, many Malaysians who have chosen to remain in Singapore to work during the MCO have found themselves caught in a quandary. Most have been asked to take unpaid leave during the circuit breaker and are unable to take on part-time jobs by law.
Many are waiting for the government to announce its plans after the circuit breaker ends on May 4 before deciding on their next steps.
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Foong, who works for a furniture trading company in Singapore, finds it expensive to live in the city state without drawing a salary.
“I do feel sad being separated from my baby boy but if I go back to Malaysia now, the earliest I can return to Singapore is probably in July. This is also subjected to the (Ministry of Manpower’s) approval,” she said.
Chaston Tan, 32, who works as an assistant manager for a western food chain in the Lion City, said he was asked to take unpaid leave after his boss decided to close all outlets during the circuit breaker.
The Johor resident and father-of-one had rented a room in Sembawang right before Malaysia’s MCO.
“I don’t know what to do this month. I cannot work, I cannot go back. I’m worried about money and my family, since my wife had also lost her job a month back,” said Tan.
From March 12, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) made it mandatory for companies to tell them of cost-saving measures, especially if their employees’ monthly salaries are affected. TODAY has reached out to MOM for comments.
When contacted by TODAY, the Ministry of Health (MOH) referred to its earlier statement from April 6 and maintained that swab tests are only performed “when clinically indicated”, for patients and their close contacts.
Currently, there is still no requirement in place by the government of Singapore for foreigners exiting the republic to be swabbed on non-clinical grounds.
TODAY also spoke to some businesses that had to ask their staff to go on unpaid leave.
The owner of beverage chain TIGATIGA, 39, who wants to be known only as Tan, said he had to put one of two Malaysian staff on unpaid leave to sustain his businesses.
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Two out of his three restaurants located at Orchard and Science Park are temporarily closed in this period due to poor business.
“I had to ask one of my workers to exhaust his annual leave and take no pay leave. He did not mind since he is staying with a relative and does not have to pay rent. I will keep his work permit for now, but we have to compromise,” said Tan.
“For (small medium enterprise) to survive, we need to keep the cost low. I’m trying my best to keep all employees with whatever resources I have. Cash flow is very important,” he added.
His local staff continues to be paid partially, with the help of the Jobs Support Scheme.
Similarly, the owner of Le Noir Bar and Lounge, Mark Brimblecombe, 53, said that since most of his Malaysian workers live in Johor, he decided to send them home on the eve of the lockdown and put them on unpaid leave.
“I’m keeping their work permits open, but I cannot guarantee what would happen next,” he said.
When the F&B industry rebounds, he reckons that he would give job priority to Singaporeans since many locals would likely be looking for jobs.
“With the foreign worker levy, the costs of hiring Singaporeans and Malaysians are not too different,” he said.
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James Chang, Lazada’s chief executive, said 500 staff were recently hired to bolster RedMart’s (the grocery arm of Lazada) warehouse and delivery operations. Among these new workers, 150 of them are Malaysians who were retrenched by their previous employers.
“With the increasing reliance on online groceries, we will continue to find ways to meet the demand, and welcome any company willing to partner with us to reach out,” added Chang.
Similarly, Ray Chou, who is the country head for Ninja Van Singapore, said that the company is looking to hire more staff.
“We have also been working with government agencies to reach out to and hire some Malaysian staff who have been laid off during this period and are stuck in Singapore due to the movement restrictions between Singapore and Malaysia,” said Chou.
According to him, companies from different sectors such as ride-hailing, catering and tourism-related sectors have been approaching Ninja Van to provide temporary job placements for their staff during this period.
