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Background for Public Dialogue

The recent strike by foreign SMRT drivers due to unfair, discriminatory wages and working conditions prove that we cannot be overly reliant on foreign workers for essential services. (Over 20 percent of SMRT's pool of drivers are reportedly from the People's Republic of China.) But an Occasional Paper released by the National Talent and Population Division on 12 November 2012 projected that an aging population will mean that over 30 per cent of healthcare workers (currently 26 per cent) in Singapore will be foreigners in time to come. SingHealth, the country's largest public healthcare cluster, recognises the risks and has recently said that it will be reviewing its business contingency plans in the wake of this strike.

The following is an open letter to the SMRT Board of Directors by the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), on the recent SMRT strike. In her letter to the media, Ms Bridget Tan, the CEO and founder of HOME, said:

"The stand of HOME is clear - we are of the position that SMRT is responsible for the 'illegal' action taken by the Chinese bus drivers. We uphold the principle of 'equal pay for equal work' and we are against anti-labour and discriminatory practices. The State should take these circumstances as mitigatory reasons for the release of the workers so charged for an illegal strike action."

By Benjamin Loh

One dad’s fight for fair treatment for his son who was bullied and molested.

Frustration. Anger. Helplessness.

These were the feelings evident when I interviewed Mr. Ong together with  his 12-year-old son, Darren. It didn’t take too long for me to realize that on the surface, Darren behaves just like any typical 12-year-old boys out there – fidgety, wide-eyed and full of curiosity for what the world can offer.

Yet about four months ago, on 23 July 2012 to be precise, his life took an unfortunate twist and he has been left in an emotional state of limbo since then.

Darren was attending a remedial class at Lakeside Primary School in preparation for his PSLE then. Victor, one of his classmates, acted upon a challenge among his friends and went over to Darren to grab his genitals, not just once but twice. Darren for the most part was left shocked and could not react.

Press release by FORUM-ASIA:

Singapore: Punitive action against bus drivers on strike condemned

(Bangkok, 5 December 2012): Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemned the detention and prosecution by the Singapore authorities against the bus drivers who went on strike over a wage dispute on 26 and 27 November 2012. The Bangkok-based regional human rights organisation, representing 47 NGOs in 16 countries across Asia, further called for their immediate release and for all charges against them to be dropped.

The five bus drivers, all of whom are Chinese nationals, have been charged under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act in relation to a strike on 26-27 November 2012 involving over 170 Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) bus drivers that is deemed illegal by the authorities. One of the five, Bao Feng Shan, pleaded guilty to charges under Section 9(1) of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act for his involvement in the strike and was sentenced to 6 weeks in prison. He was not legally represented in remand or in court. Meanwhile, four others have been charged under Section 10(a) of the same Act, for allegedly instigating and inciting other bus drivers to participate in the strike. They are still in remand and are expected to appear in court on 6 December 2012. One from among the group has been charged with a further count of incitement for posting a notice on a website to call other workers to strike.