Ministry seeks residents' understanding on workers'
dorm
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry has said the
location of temporary dormitories is limited by the available
choices of vacant state buildings.
It tries to avoid housing foreign workers in residential areas and
seeks residents' understanding and support if some dormitories are
located near their homes.
The ministry said this in response to Channel NewsAsia's query
after residents of Serangoon Gardens expressed unhappiness that a
vacant school in the estate may be converted into a foreign
workers' dormitory.
Since last week, a petition has been making the rounds in the quiet
neighbourhood. So far, over 500 residents in the private estate
have signed the petition.
They are against turning the vacant school building on Burghley
Drive into a temporary dormitory to house about 1,500 foreign
workers and plan to raise this issue with their MPs on Wednesday
during a dialogue session.
If approval is given and the plan goes ahead, the dormitory is
likely to be a self-contained community, with shops and other
social amenities. Authorities said this would minimise the impact
on the neighbourhood.
However, residents are unlikely to be convinced, many of whom live
just across the road. Traffic congestion and security are among
their concerns.
One resident said: "Most of my neighbours are very old and they
live alone. So security is a big issue if they house it
here."
Another resident said: "It would be a disaster here. Thousand-over
workers, can you imagine?"
Residents are hopeful that the authorities will take heed of their
views.
MP for Aljunied GRC, Lim Hwee Hua, said: "I'm not surprised by the
reaction, and I think the concerns raised are valid. What I'll do
is look at the feedback, add my own views as an MP looking after
the area."
Mrs Lim added: "The social issues are a little trickier. Obviously,
you can't expect the foreign workers to be just confined to the
site itself. So if they're housed there, they'll be coming out onto
the park space, and mixing with the residents.
"This is not a problem by itself, but I think the residents are
thinking of the social aspects, such as whether there'll be the
wrong kind of relationships formed between the domestic helpers and
them. These are harder to address but they are concerns we should
listen to."
The authorities said they are still reviewing the suitability of
the site and no decision has been made yet. -
CNA/vm
why dont the ministry built the dorm at the pulau ubin or
offshore island?
In HK and taiwan, fishermen from china forbidden to step into
the mainland and confine to dormitory boundaries only.
they are here to work and earn money. it shouldnt come at the
expense of singaporeans own comfort zone.
the ministries shouldnt pass their own problem to most
singaporeans after they get the levvy tax.
i dont think by making foreign workers staying in our
neighbourhood wil enhance the "national development "experience if
our life!!
