SINGAPORE: A dormitory operator who locked 20 migrant workers in their room after a close contact of theirs tested positive for COVID-19 has been given a "stern warning", said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Friday (Apr 24).
The operator of Joylicious dormitory in Tuas will also not be allowed to hire new foreign workers, pending police investigations, the ministry added.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe matter came to light on Tuesday after migrant workers rights group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) said on its Facebook page that it received a "distress call" from workers in the dormitory.
In response to CNA's queries, MOM said it acted after seeing the Facebook post and was not notified of the incident before that.
“MOM immediately deployed our inspectors to the site. On arrival, MOM officers found that the 20 workers were no longer confined in their room but had been relocated to a warehouse with attached toilet,” said a spokesperson.
[h=3]READ: NGOs launch initiatives to help migrant workers amid COVID-19 outbreak[/h] AdvertisementAdvertisementInvestigations revealed that on Apr 20, the dormitory operator had confined the workers in their room, to prevent them from moving around after a close contact was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, the spokesperson added. The workers were moved to the warehouse the following day.
“The dormitory operator was advised that it is unacceptable to forcibly confine the workers to their room. The operator was given a stern warning by MOM and will be unable to hire new foreign workers, pending police investigations," said the ministry.
"Members of public are urged to alert MOM when they come across such incidents so that we can quickly respond to take care of the wellbeing of the workers."
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