To these migrant workers, Singapore is their second home

Contributing in their own ways, each feels a special connection to this country

- Wong Yang

When Mr Rayhan Md Abu first saw the blueprints for Jewel Changi Airport in 2017, he could not believe his eyes.

An indoor waterfall? A large glass dome? A five-storey indoor garden? The Bangladeshi worker, who had just joined a construction firm working on the project, wondered if a building could truly look so spectacular.

But over two years spent toiling 11 to 12 hours a day, six days a week, at the site, Mr Rayhan saw those plans slowly taking shape as a mammoth retail complex.

When Jewel Changi Airport opened to much fanfare in 2019, he was struck by immense awe and satisfaction. Six years on, those feelings remain.

Said Mr Rayhan, who had performed electrical works at the site: "I am proud that I helped to build something so beautiful.

"When I saw all the lights we installed come on for the first time, it was a very good feeling."

Mr Rayhan, 29, is one of over a million migrant work permit and S Pass holders who have left their home countries to work in Singapore.

These migrant workers play a crucial role in building and maintaining Singapore's infrastructure and caring for families, the elderly and those who are ill.

After years here, many of them have also come to consider Singapore their second home, even as they support their families back home.

The recent rescue of a woman from a sinkhole by seven workers brought the contributions of migrant workers here to the fore. It has also sparked conversations about their welfare and safety.

Mr Rayhan, who is currently a supervisor for an underground substation project, said: "Every construction site needs migrant workers. We are helping to build Singapore, and helping it to develop and progress."