More than 80 firms in Singapore have come forward to express interest in taking in 407 migrant workers who were recently abandoned by their employers after being left unpaid for months. The development offers a potential lifeline to hundreds of men who had been stranded without their wages, as efforts to find them new jobs and stable accommodation gather pace across the city state.
According to Mr Ng, the companies that have stepped forward have close to 400 vacancies between them, a figure that roughly matches the number of affected workers. He said in a social media update that the unions are sending in more referrals, and that job placements for the abandoned workers are expected to start as early as next week.
As part of the coordinated response, the workers will be relocated to a single lodging facility by the weekend. Bringing them together under one roof is intended to make it easier to coordinate support, so that assistance, referrals and follow-up can reach the men more efficiently while their employment situation is being resolved.
The push to help the workers comes after more than 100 of them turned up at the Manpower Ministry's Services Centre on Monday seeking help. They form part of a larger group of hundreds of workers who, according to the broadcast, had been left unpaid for months by the employers who had brought them to Singapore to work.
The workers were employed by three firms identified as KPA Engineering, SK Industries and VVR Plant Engineering. The three companies share the same director, described as a Singapore permanent resident from India by the name of Ramu Palani Velu, who is believed to have since left Singapore.
The episode has underscored how dependent migrant workers can be on their employers, not only for their wages but also for their accommodation. With the men left unpaid for months and then abandoned, many were forced to seek help directly from the authorities, prompting the coordinated effort that is now under way to find them work and shelter.
For now, the focus is on matching the 407 workers with the firms that have offered vacancies and moving them into the new lodging facility. With the unions channelling additional referrals and placements due to begin in the coming week, authorities and labour groups are working to turn the offers of help into concrete jobs for those affected.