From afar, these clusters of houses almost look claustrophobic. A palpable sense of loss washed over these individuals who aggregated in Singapore to pursue a higher quality of life. The white walls, now washed out, conveyed the humble stories of past vitality while the rows of homogeneous bunk-beds resembled something of a prison structure. Privacy is an expression that does not possess any connotation beyond these barriers; For every pathway you stroll is etched with the physiques of all generations.
Over one million migrant workers in Singapore comprise around 38% of the regional labor force. They come to the city-state from less wealthy countries, such as Bangladesh, the Philippines or India, in search of work that would allow their families to have a better quality of life. While women usually find employment as domestic workers, migrant men construct Singapore's famous landmarks, and a glance around the street shows a broad portion of the work they have constructed, which does not compensate for the meager wages of around 800sdg they earn and the countless treacherous hours of back-breaking work they have to endure.
While the world has been distraught by a global pandemic, many communities have been impacted, especially Migrants. These workers face deplorable conditions in unsanitary dorms and often express how they feel isolated and discriminated against in their host country. This article aims to uncover the conditions they face and show how negligence towards these communities has severely damaged their mental health. It provides a voice for the voiceless in hopes that changes can be made to improve the inhumane conditions they face and racist remarks directed towards them.
"they are uncivilized and they make singapore unsafe. They are also dirty and inconsiderate."
The covid outbreak in Singapore hit severely with measurements taken proactively to combat the spread of the virus. One of these measures was lockdown, which isolated individuals to their households and aimed to stop the socialization of individuals which would then prevent the spread of the virus. Migrant workers have mainly lived in dormitories where rows of metal bunkbeds crowded a small room that lacked in air conditioning. Many have their belongings hanging off the side of their bed as storage was an issue with the number of people occupying a room.
Following the first lockdown in Singapore, inadequate housing for isolation heavily impacted many migrants. "It’s like being in jail," one worker told CNA about his living conditions. Videos shared by migrant workers on social media platforms showed the few possessions they have crowding their congested dormitory while items of clothing were hung up to create make-shift curtains for privacy. The workers were confined to their rooms even during meal times; footage from press coverage showed that the kitchens and dining spaces were cordoned off.
Photo Posted by NYT that depicts the cramped dormitories. The metal bunk beds have no mattresses making it a hard and uncomfortable sleeping situation for many.
According to the Straits Times, a newly opened dormitory in Jurong depicted a scene of neglect as workers were living in crowded conditions with insufficient access to healthcare. Anonymous sources have stated in the article that the dormitory management did not help them comply with Covid-19 regulations. Left to their own limited devices, many went as far as sleeping in the hallway to "self-isolate".
According to a study by YALE-NUS, restricted movement in dormitories augmented levels of stress and depression. The research surveyed 1011 male migrant workers and documented their health over a while. They uncovered a trend in mental health deterioration during isolation periods, with fears about losing their job. Furthermore, in June 2020, workers were graded on a twenty-one-item depression, anxiety, and stress test. Migrants confined to their dorm because of covid-19 yielded a median result of 8 and 6 for symptoms of stress and depression. Juxtaposing that, migrants under a minute amount of restrictions produced a median score of 2 for anxiety and depression. This research shows the absence of compassion and awareness for Migrant's mental health during the height of Covid-19.
According to a BBC article, migrants have been denied access to socializing with the general public. In an interview they conducted, a worker stated that they are only allowed to go out at certain times to certain places. He went on to say how it impacts his health when he sees the public mingling while he is restricted to his dormitory. This is the voice of 1 out of 300,000 individuals facing the same scenario. Summarising this information, it is plausible to see that the isolation and restrictions forced upon migrants due to the pandemic have caused a negative shift in their mental health. According to a study, 60% of Singaporeans believe that migrants do not deserve the same pay and benefits as locals. This level of discrimination will never allow these workers to fully integrate into society and feel part of the local community.
Financial Burdens and Subsequent the Strain On Mental Health
Another paramount issue is the immense loans these workers have to take out to work abroad. According to a news platform, Nikkei, Migrant workers frequently borrow large amounts of money at excessive interest rates to pay their recruiters who brought them to Singapore. They borrow as much as 8000 dollars to work in Singapore hower earn a meager 10% of that per month as salary. They come here with aspirations to provide a better quality of life for their family, but most of the modest several hundred dollars they earn each month they use to repay their debt. In an interview with The Financial Times, Sagar, a worker from Bangladesh, said that he was still paying off the debt he’d incurred when he first came to Singapore 14 years ago. With Covid-19 halting workplace practices, financial responsibilities and worries were among the top concerns on workers’ minds.
According to an article by Reuters, Singapore has “waived foreign work levis” to ensure that companies have enough funds to sufficiently pay migrant workers their monthly salary. Furthermore, Singapore has also been attempting to help these workers find jobs in quarantine after they have been laid off to ensure a smooth transition so that the workers do not have to travel back to their home country unemployed. This raises the question of the alck of job security in these sectors, especially during covid-19 where many businesses are suffering under huge financial strains. The article further elaborated on how many workers felt embarrassed or shameful about their conditions causing them to isolate themselves from family members overseas and thus creating a decline in their overall mental health.
The financial burden overpowering them combined with unfit living conditions leaves many feeling secluded in a country that has a population of 5.4 million. While mental health is a topic that is still slowly being integrated and accepted into society, it is vital to bring attention to how a lack of attention to migrants' mental health can lead to distressing situations. While Singapore has acknowledged and acted upon some issues that these workers face such as increasing their job security, there is still much to be done to integrate these people who are the building blocks of Singapore into the Singaporean community.
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