CORONAVIRUS | Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has urged Putrajaya to look into the welfare of Malaysians in Singapore as the number of Covid-19 cases in the city-state spikes.
Kok (below) said many Malaysians are hesitant to return to Malaysia for fear that they would be unable to re-enter Singapore, putting them in a Catch-22 situation.
"With the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases in Singapore over the last few days where it reached a record jump of 1,426 cases in the last 24 hours (April 20), it has caused much anxiety among Malaysians there, especially the blue-collar workers in the non-essential businesses which were ordered to shut down.
"Sadly, thousands of these workers are in dire straits, being stranded in Singapore without any income and proper accommodation.
"Since the Malaysian government ordered them to remain on the island for two more weeks from April 7, the onus is on the Malaysian federal authorities to help them out pending their return.
"The Malaysian government has a moral and legal obligation to ensure their well-being at all times," she said in a statement.
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had urged Malaysians to remain in Singapore.
For those who still want to return, they must be tested in Singapore and produce a letter to show that they are negative for Covid-19 or they must be quarantined for 14 days.
"I appeal to the Singapore government, as the host country, to make reasonable provisions to facilitate providing free Covid-19 swab-tests for these workers so that those found negative could be issued with a certificate confirming their eligibility to enter Malaysia, in line with the legal requirement for returning Malaysians.
"It is undeniable that Malaysian workers have contributed in no small way to the present success of Singapore. They have contributed to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) in a big way as well,” said Kok.
"I, therefore appeal, yet again, to the Singapore government to consider granting them the same benefits as those enjoyed by Singaporeans during the pandemic.
"This, if implemented, would be a great relief to the thousands of workers caught up in this pandemic without any social safety net," she added.
Singapore went into a partial lockdown, dubbed a "circuit breaker" on April 7.
The city-state reported 1,426 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, bringing the total to 8,014 cases. - Mkini
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