Delays in sending dorm workers to care facilities due to lack of resources

There were delays in sending workers from the Westlite Jalan Tukang Dormitory to the appropriate care facilities due to inadequate resourcing, the chief of the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) division set up to care for migrant workers has said.

- David Sun, Tay Hong Yi and Kok Yufeng

The unexpected spike in Covid-19 cases in the Jurong dormitory in recent days that led to the delay was due to “a mandatory routine mass testing exercise by an employer on their workforce residing at the dormitory”, said MOM Assurance, Care and Engagement (Ace) group chief Tung Yui Fai yesterday.

However, migrant worker advocacy groups here said the issues being faced at the Westlite Jalan Tukang dorm are not unique, with other dorm operators struggling with changing regulations and communication gaps.

The majority of the workers staying at Jalan Tukang are not vaccinated, Mr Tung noted during a visit to the dormitory. An estimated 500 of the 2,000 workers living at the 3,420-bed dorm have reportedly tested positive for the virus. About 1,400 of the workers are from Sembcorp Marine.

MOM did not say why Jalan Tukang has such a sizeable unvaccinated population, when more than 90 per cent of all dormitory residents in Singapore have been fully vaccinated since August.

Mr Tung’s visit came two days after the situation culminated in a confrontation between workers and management on Wednesday about delays in isolation of Covid-19 cases and poor quality food that saw the riot police called in. There were raised voices but no violence, and armoured officers left the scene that same afternoon.

Mr Tung said that the issues raised by the dorm’s residents are being progressively resolved together with the dorm operator and employer. Sembcorp Marine has since apologised to its workers, and said it will continue to engage them by arranging for additional interactions.