Minggu, 10 Mei 2020

The Big Read: Solving Singapore's foreign workers problem requires serious soul searching, from top to bottom - CNA

SINGAPORE: Mr Syedur Rahman Liton, 34, pines for his wife back home in Dhaka, Bangladesh, as he tries to put on a brave front about possibly contracting COVID-19.

For the past month or so, the lifting supervisor has been isolating himself along with 100 other company workers at a factory-converted dormitory in Senoko Loop, part of a precautionary move to socially distance migrant workers living in similar accommodation from the community at large to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

It is a sacrifice that these foreign workers are making for the rest of Singapore society, experts say. As a result, the country owes migrant workers a debt of gratitude, and possibly, a concrete commitment to change when the pandemic is over. 

The number of COVID-19 cases has risen sharply from the first four infections detected at a foreign worker dormitory (S11 Dormitory at Seletar North Link) on Mar 30 which were part of 879 cases in total at that point in time, to 22,460 as of Saturday (May 9).

Mr Liton has reason to be worried - two of his friends, Asit and Zakir, who live in the larger purpose-built dormitories, have been diagnosed with the disease and hospitalised.

“We all want to go home in good health … My wife miss(es) me more and more,” he said.

When asked about his prospects of remaining in Singapore in the foreseeable future amid the pandemic, Mr Liton said: “I don’t think (I worry) about the future, because I understand the situation.” 

But for the 400,000 migrant workers living in Singapore, their future could remain shrouded in uncertainty for some time. Their livelihoods here will hang in the balance even after COVID-19 has been eradicated in the Republic, experts said.

Amid the crushing impact of the circuit breaker measures and the drastic blow to the construction industry, will Mr Liton’s employer survive the economic drought that has already started? Will he still have a job in post-pandemic Singapore?

The Big Read - foreign workers in Singapore 2
Medical workers attend to a migrant worker outside a factory-converted dormitory in Sungei Kadut, April 28, 2020. (Photo: TODAY / Raj Nadarajan)

While Mr Liton ponders over the future, his host country - Singapore - will also have to reassess its whole relationship with migrant workers like him, especially its “addiction” to cheap migrant labour, and examine whether the lessons learnt from the explosion of COVID-19 cases in the workers’ dormitories could be used to implement meaningful changes. 

In the near- to medium-term, at least, what is likely to happen will be a reduction of migrant workers here as economic conditions worsen, said labour economist Walter Theseira.

“At the same time, having fewer migrant workers means more room to make changes,” said the associate professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

With the renewed national attention on migrant workers, the Government has pledged to raise living standards in dormitories when the battle against COVID-19 is over.

Already, there are some suggestions on what these changes can be, from having more living space per worker, more dormitories to house them, and tightening state regulations. 

Over the years, Singapore’s history with migrant worker accommodation has seen a general apprehension towards housing migrant workers in the residential community.

In 2008, more than 1,400 Serangoon Gardens residents signed a petition against a dormitory situated in their neighbourhood, which they handed to then National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

But beyond the dormitories, there are also wider questions to consider, said the experts. 

Should society start questioning its reliance on low-cost foreign workers? Will the economy be able to cope with increased costs of raised standards? Can people accept migrant workers living in their midst?

For some insights into these issues, we reached out to various stakeholders in the industry of migrant labour, such as dormitory operators, construction firms, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as labour academics and policy researchers. 

Ultimately, nearly all those interviewed said a significant relook at how Singapore accommodates its migrant workforce, both in the literal and figurative sense, is overdue. 

Mr Christopher Gee, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), said: “We can’t go back to the status quo ... We have ridden on our luck for so long and now it has come home to roost.”

THE STATUS QUO

There are about 200,000 migrant workers housed in 43 purpose-built dormitories around Singapore.

These are licensed dormitories housing more than 1,000 workers each and are required to comply with the requirements under the Foreign Employee Dormitory Act (FEDA), such as providing facilities that include sick bays and isolation rooms.

Dormitory operators are also required to draw contingency plans in case of a pandemic, such as providing arrangements for quarantine.

Despite this, around 20 of the purpose-built dormitories - nearly half - flout the FEDA licensing requirement on average each year, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo revealed in Parliament on Monday (May 4). Operators face fines of up to S$50,000 and up to a year in jail for Feda offences.

Another 95,000 workers are housed in the 1,200 factory-converted dormitories; 20,000 in construction temporary quarters; and 85,000 work permit and S Pass holders in the construction sector housed in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, private residential premises and others.

READ: Situation at larger foreign worker dormitories stable, but COVID-19 picture in smaller dorms ‘mixed’: Josephine Teo

READ: Commentary: A home can heal in the time of coronavirus

These are not covered under the FEDA due to their smaller size, though they have to comply with other regulations such as the building and fire safety codes.

Each purpose-built dormitory house anywhere between 1,500 and 25,000 workers. 

By law, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) prescribes a minimum of 4.5 sq m per dorm resident for living space, which includes the sleeping quarters, kitchen, dining and toilet areas. 

Operators have largely kept to these minimum standards, as well as other environmental health guidelines by the National Environment Agency that states that there should be one toilet facility for every 15 residents. 

Each room can house between 12 and 20 workers, and the beds are often double-decked.

OPERATORS: DORMS NOT BUILT FOR A PANDEMIC

While the purpose-built dormitories have met the needs of the workers during “normal times”, dorm operators said these large facilities were not built nor regulated to cater for a pandemic of such a scale.

A spokesperson from Mini Environment Service (MES), which oversees operations at Jurong Penjuru Dorm 1, Jurong Penjuru Dorm 2, Blue Stars Dorm and The Leo, added that a dormitory “by nature is dense”. 

“The older specifications and designs of a dormitory were based on a functional approach and pandemic management was not a consideration in the design and use,” the spokesperson added.

Managing Director of S11 Dormitories Johnathan Cheah said that the dormitories under his charge - S11 Dormitory @ Punggol and Changi Lodge II - are organised to accommodate residents who fall ill with infectious diseases such as chicken pox, measles and mumps.   

“(The dormitories) were not designed to accommodate the large number (of infected cases) expected during a pandemic,” he said.

As of Friday, S11 Dormitory @ Punggol is Singapore’s biggest infection cluster, with 2,535 cases. 

When asked how the living space each worker has is allotted, the dorm operators said that this is largely up to the specifications of the authorities. 

Mr Cheah said that S11 Dormitory @ Punggol was “built to the authorities' specifications for dormitories” when constructed in 2015.   

Agreeing, the MES spokesperson said: “We don’t get to decide on the living space. This is set by the authorities and the dormitories are built to specifications.” 

HELP FROM AUTHORITIES

As infections in dorm clusters began to rise early last month, an inter-agency task force was set up on Apr 7 to provide support to foreign workers and dormitory employers. 

With help from the authorities, operators have been able to lower occupancy rates within the dormitories. 

Mr Kong Chee Min, the chief executive officer of Centurion Corporation, who is in charge of ASPRI-Westlite Papan, Westlite Juniper, Westlite Mandai, Westlite Toh Guan and Westlite Woodlands, said that the leased tenancy of these dorms averaged 95 per cent or higher, while the actual residency was around 85 per cent. 

The Big Read - foreign workers in Singapore 3
General view of Westlite Dormitory in Toh Guan, April 30, 2020. (Photo: TODAY / Raj Nadarajan)

Thanks to the “concerted decamping efforts supported by multiple parties nationally” in the wake of the pandemic, occupancy has been brought down to about 65 to 70 per cent on average. 

“On average, there are now about five or six persons living in an eight-bed apartment, and eight to nine persons in a 12-bed apartment,” said Mr Kong. 

Likewise, the operator at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol has been “working very closely” with the authorities to curb the spread of the virus. 

For example, the residents are required to stay in their assigned rooms and cannot come into contact with the other residents in different levels and blocks. 

This measure is part of a three-pronged strategy announced by Manpower Minister Teo on Apr 14. 

FUTURE HOPES FOR DORMS

The operators hope that the next couple of years will bring improvements to the conditions and living standards within the dormitories. 

“A review of standards for dormitory operations can only be good for the foreign worker community as it will help to raise quality levels across the industry,” said Mr Kong. 

Agreeing, the MES spokesperson said that the ability to “tear down” the dormitories with older specifications and update them will “benefit all stakeholders”.

The issues which the operators would like to address include the long-standing conundrum of safe distancing.  

“If we are to prepare for future pandemic situations, the density of the dorm population needs to be addressed and employers need to set aside higher budgets for rentals, for instance,” said Mr Cheah of S11 Dormitories. 

Beyond deciding where to house the workers, employers also play a “major role” in regulating the way employees use the premises, operators say.

Mr Kong said: “We do see employers who rent 12-bed apartment units, then choose to house only 10 or less workers in the apartment.”

EMPLOYERS: "OUR HANDS ARE TIED"

While migrant workers are covered by Singapore’s main labour law, the Employment Act, employers of migrant workers also generally assume a greater responsibility for their welfare, including food accommodation and healthcare, than if they had hired a local resident to do the same job.

But while employers in the construction sector agree that changes to how migrant workers are housed are needed, several said the influence they have on their workers’ living conditions is limited. 

It is largely not up to the employers to dictate the density or the living conditions within the dormitories, but for the operators to decide and the authorities to regulate, they claimed.  

Mr Johnny Lim, executive director of Teambuild Engineering & Construction, noted that purpose-built dormitories are often densely populated due to the shortage of land and “concerns that these dormitories are in too close proximity to residential areas”.

Mr Chew Char Choon, senior project manager of a real estate construction firm, said: “As a contractor or dorm operator, we just take instructions from (the authorities) ... It is up to the Government, how they would like to control.” 

READ: COVID-19: Crowding, emotional health of migrant workers at dormitories concern employers

While maximum room capacity and space for each worker may be set by the operators with prevailing regulations in mind, some employers may choose to house their workers in more spacious environs - but at a cost. 

Mr Nelson Tee, managing director of CHH Construction System, has been housing his 39 workers in three dormitory rooms that can hold a total of 48 workers.  

He pays S$369 per worker monthly for their accommodation when he could have been paying S$300 had he housed them to full capacity, and has been doing so before the pandemic. 

“I book them for three rooms so I can spread them out,” he said.

MORE SPACE WILL COME AT A COST

Should new guidelines cause housing to be more costly, not all contractors may be able to stomach this, the employers said. This is especially if they have long-term projects underway, some of which can last four to five years. 

Mr Chew said that should dormitories charge higher rates per worker, it would “not be fair to ongoing contracts, which are tendered based on old pricing”. 

“When the new guidelines come in… it will affect (employers’) cashflow.” 

At the end of the day, some employers think it boils down to who would be willing to shoulder and split the extra costs. 

Mr Akbar Kader, managing director of Nan Guan Construction, said that he would like to see a “symbiotic arrangement” between the employer, dormitory operators, and the authorities, such that the extra costs are fairly distributed among them.  

He added that a maximum rental charge would also make future operators more mindful during the tendering process - when they bid for the price of land on which to build their dormitories.   

Exorbitant bids will be fewer if operators “know that they would have to provide specified facilities and meet operational requirements, and charge no more than what has been stipulated as the (maximum) price for rental of a bed space”, he said. 

If all the above is carried out, “the increment in cost (to the consumers) over the time they own the property will be very minute”, said Mr Akbar.  

Some employers think that consumers should also see beyond the economic cost of the product and be mindful of the workers’ efforts that go behind it.

Mr Kenneth Loo, executive director of Straits Construction Singapore, said that most Singaporeans are not aware of the workers’ hard work, and the tough living conditions they have to put up with.

“How much people are willing to pay depends on the economy (rather than the workers’ living conditions),” he said. “For example, when you buy a piece of clothing, do you think of where it comes from? No, right?” 

The Big Read - foreign workers in Singapore 4
An empty room at Westlite Papan dormitory on Apr 21, 2020, after workers in essential services were moved out. (Photo: TODAY / Nuria Ling)

A PUSH TOWARDS AUTOMATION

Over the years, some employers have also turned to technology to help reduce their reliance on foreign labour. 

For example, Mr Lim from Teambuild Engineering & Construction said the firm focuses on prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC), whereby entire rooms are first prefinished and fitted out in factories with the use of automation and machinery, before being transported on-site for assembly. 

These new construction methods “effectively transferred major portions of the work previously carried out on the construction sites into the factories”, he said.

However, there is a limit to automation. Unless technological advancement allows machines to “function like tradesmen” and be available, accessible and affordable, “construction will remain a labour-intensive industry”, Mr Lim said. 

While both dorm operators and employers say their hands are tied when it comes to housing, commentaries over the past several weeks have jointly blamed the inadequacies by both parties for the outbreak.

Experts say the time will come for a review to identify where the lapses are.

Assoc Prof Theseira said: “Employers and operators are quite a diverse group. Some appear to have neglected their responsibilities, others have simply been overwhelmed, and others still have discharged their responsibilities well. We really need some time to identify who did well and who didn't, and hold those who failed to account.”

GOVERNMENT: ROLE AS REGULATOR

As the authorities hunker down to mitigate the viral spread, the Government is also looking into new housing arrangements for migrant workers who have recovered from COVID-19 through a pipeline of short, medium and long-term plans, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.

Mr Wong co-chairs the multi-ministry task force leading Singapore’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

While details of these plans are not yet known, several suggestions have been raised, most notably, to increase the minimum standard for living space specified in FEDA.

After all, it is too much to expect private operators and employers to do so on their own, said Mr Alex Au, vice-president of migrant worker rights group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2).

“Employers and dorm operators have to watch their bottom lines. They are not welfare services. If the legal standards are low - which we feel they are currently - they would be foolish as profit-making enterprises to over-provide and drive up their own costs. 

“That's what the Government is for - to ensure socially-conscious minimum standards, but to do so in an across-the-board way so that a level-playing field for all businesses is maintained,” he said.

Mr Au called for a doubling of the living space per occupant to 9 square metres - equivalent to 10 workers living in a four-room HDB flat.

Assoc Prof Theseira, a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), said a proper study is needed to determine what construes a reasonable standard for living space. 

“If we come up with one set of standards for living for Singaporeans in a similar situation, for example, a long-term hostel, dormitory, or army camp residents, it would be quite unjust to apply a lower standard to migrant workers just because they are migrant workers,” he said.

The Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) also urged for changes to the FEDA to include all migrant worker housing facilities regardless of their size or type, stripping away the 1,000-bed threshold which allows the law to kick in. 

Said MWC chairman and former Member of Parliament Yeo Guat Kwang: “This is something MWC has been calling for since the enactment of FEDA, on the evidence that the majority of the sub-par housing facilities we see and investigate in the course of work continue to come from factory-converted, or smaller dormitory facilities.”

Other suggestions from MWC include a minimum dormitory staff to residents ratio, so as to ensure that operators have sufficient manpower to carry out crucial work such as cleaning, operations support and security. 

More open green space should also be part of the dormitory requirements, which would allow for recreation and communal activities.

Labour economist Kelvin Seah from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences said that these plans should include strategies to raise the hygiene standard in dormitories.

“For instance, the plan may want to prescribe the regularity in which toilets, kitchens, and rooms would be cleaned, and the sanctions which dorm operators or employers may face if they fail to comply,” said the senior lecturer.

But these suggestions would likely lead to substantially higher costs of housing migrant workers, added Dr Seah. 

DBS bank analyst Ling Lee Keng, who frequently reports on the commercial performance of the purpose-built workers accommodation sector, said that a more stringent law could result in a cutback in the supply of beds.

“That could benefit the dormitory operators that are able to meet the higher operating requirements - bigger rooms and better facilities would naturally lead to higher cost per bed,” said the analyst, who had previously predicted that raised standards could lead to a consolidation in the industry.

A MORE DIRECT ROLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT

Aside from regulations, could the Government also play a more active role in dormitory management?

Speaking at an IPS webinar on Wednesday, Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, who is the co-director of Global Health at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS, noted the existence of two separate “mental models” that the authorities had for migrant workers and for the larger Singapore community.

The policy response was guided by these mental models, that although migrant workers are part of the community, there are separate paradigms for the two groups, he said.

READ: COVID-19: 'Not true' Singapore has reduced testing among migrant workers, says Gan Kim Yong

Employers of migrant workers assume the responsibility for the workers’ welfare, including healthcare, accommodation and food. Assoc Prof Lim said this is evident from the onset of the pandemic when the MOM asked dormitory operators to step up hygiene measures and issued advisories to employers.

“As it became clear that employers were overwhelmed in terms of safe distancing and (providing) face masks, everything fell apart and the Government had to step in. To their credit, the Government mentally pivoted away from this mental model … quickly,” he said, noting the speedy establishment of community care and recovery facilities to house affected workers.

Several observers had mixed feelings about the Government playing a more direct role in day-to-day dormitory management. Such services are best provided by the private market, said Dr Seah.

But the Government could also take a leaf from the book for public transport operators which do not own the buses and trains, or from how the management of state-owned buildings are tendered out to commercial service providers.

Assoc Prof Theseira said: “Having dormitories owned by the Government, and then managed on a competitive basis by private companies accountable both to workers and the Government, may be an interesting model to consider.”

TWEAKING SINGAPORE'S ECONOMIC MODEL

A more fundamental question would be whether Singapore should continue to rely heavily on low-cost migrant workers, said experts.

In Singapore, past crises have historically led to a rethinking of the Republic’s social compact - the combined series of unprecedented crises such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, the SARS outbreak in 2003 and the global financial crisis of 2008 required national responses that “threw our planning out of gear” and necessitated the 2013 Population White Paper, said then Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

With Singapore now facing what has been touted as  “a crisis of a generation”, some, like Assoc Prof Theseira and fellow NMP Anthea Ong, have called for a committee of inquiry into the foreign worker dormitory outbreak to work out the structural changes that Singapore sorely needs.

In his reply to the NMPs’ call, Minister Wong told Parliament on Monday that the Government will review its overall response to the pandemic comprehensively in order to learn and improve.

Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat has also set up an Emerging Stronger Task Force, which is tasked with making recommendations on how to reimagine Singapore’s economic strategies.

One silver lining, from a policymaking perspective, is that the current worries about Singapore’s overreliance on migrant workers are aligned with the Government’s goal of raising the productivity of the resident workforce.

This dates back to 2012, when then Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the easy availability of foreign labour will reduce the incentives for companies to raise productivity. 

Since then, Singapore has taken steps to progressively reduce this reliance, such as tightening the foreign worker dependency ratio ceilings, said Dr Seah.

“There is scope to reduce this reliance even further. By encouraging companies to rely less on foreign labour in their production processes, we can in fact nudge them to adopt smarter and less costly methods of production,” he added.

Associate Professor Kenneth Paul Tan, from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said he hopes the review on dormitories, when it comes, will take in diverse voices from civil society in policy discussions.

“And I hope, most of all, that we have deeper discussions with a view to minimising our dependency on low-waged migrant workers, investing in productivity-enhancing technology, redesigning essential jobs to overcome unnecessary stigma, and designing more generous social safety nets for the many who will have difficulty integrating into a new and more resilient economic society.”

PEOPLE: SOCIETY’S APPETITE FOR CHANGE

IPS’ Mr Gee said that this traditional mindset of relying on lower-skilled and low-wage labour has created a “category of residents who have limited rights as a non-permanent resident foreigner and are treated differently”.

If Singapore decides that in a post-pandemic world, it needs to elevate their living standards to a decent level that Singaporeans can accept for themselves, then another question will be what level would Singaporeans be comfortable with, said Mr Gee. 

“The same level as the lowest-paid Singaporean household? Or lesser? We have to negotiate and discuss this,” he said.

And then, there is also the matter of cost that society needs to bear.

READ: MOM says working to improve conditions for S11 Dormitory, Westlite Toh Guan residents

Last month, amid the outbreak in the dormitories, Mrs Teo said that each time MOM attempts to raise the standard of living in these premises, it would face objections from employers due to the added costs that come with the move.

“Nevertheless, I hope the COVID-19 episode demonstrates to the employers and wider public that raising standards at worker dormitories is not only the right thing to do but also in our own interests. We should be willing to accept the higher costs that come with higher standards,” she said. 

In this fundamental re-think of the role migrant workers play in Singapore’s prosperity, TWC2’s Mr Au urged the authorities to also look beyond living standards in dormitories, such as long-standing issues on the recruitment fees that migrant workers bear and the non-payment of salaries.

Assoc Prof Theseira said: “Fundamentally, the current structure is low-cost, and as a result, generally Singaporeans benefit in the narrow sense that we pay lower prices for anything produced by foreign workers.”

“Either our costs would go up, meaning more taxation, or standards would fall, meaning more potholes, uncleared fallen trees, et cetera, without so many low-cost workers. 

“That means that we have collectively contributed to current conditions for foreign workers, because we have found these low costs and high standards of service too compelling to raise too many questions about their treatment and the market structure,” he added.

SINGAPORE ATTITUDES TOWARDS MIGRANT WORKERS

So, are Singaporeans willing to pay for the higher costs that will inevitably arise from offering migrant workers a better deal? The jury is still out, based on past experience, according to the experts interviewed. 

The empirical evidence suggests that the mindset of Singaporeans towards migrant workers has not changed, despite an outpouring of sympathy whenever a major incident occurred.

At the IPS webinar, MWC executive director Bernard Menon lamented that despite past events such as the SMRT bus driver strike in 2012 and the Little India riot the following year, the momentum arising from the online discourses on worker welfare would eventually peter out.

“We have a lot of people coming up and saying ‘you should improve this, you should improve that’,” said Mr Menon.

“But unfortunately, though you can obviously tell that there’s been a gradual increase over time of interest and concern … this has lagged behind the expectations I’ve had during these crises.” 

Most recently, in December last year, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women jointly published a detailed study into society attitudes towards migrant labour in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. 

The study included both work permit holders working in the construction industry and foreign domestic workers as part of their report.

It found that overall support for migrant workers had decreased in the past nine years, when a similar study was conducted in 2010. 

“Knowledge regarding migrant workers across the four countries remains low, and discriminatory attitudes prevail with significant numbers of members of the public in migrant destination countries stating that migrant workers should not enjoy equal working conditions with nationals,” the report stated.

The study found that 36 per cent of the 1,005 Singapore respondents believed migrant workers should not receive the same work conditions as local workers, or be entitled to join a union. 

Around 40 per cent said migrant workers who end up exploited only have themselves to blame, a majority - 60 per cent - disagree that migrant workers should receive the same pay and benefits as nationals, and 53 per cent said migrant workers threaten the country’s culture and heritage.

Nevertheless, a majority of the Singaporean respondents (58 per cent) recognised that migrant workers had a net positive effect on Singapore’s national economy.

A ROUND OF SOUL-SEARCHING

With the pandemic forcing Singapore - as a collective - to pay the price for years of apparent neglect, commentators said that after COVID-19 is eliminated, Singapore needs to openly embark on some serious soul-searching.

For a start, the society’s mindset and attitude towards migrant workers need to “undergo a sea change”, said Associate Professor Eugene Tan from the Singapore Management University.

“SG United must include migrant workers from the get-go ... We cannot, as a society, seek to harness the benefits of their being here and yet not prepare to bear the costs of their being in our midst. We cannot continue to have the gains privatised but the costs socialised in our migrant worker policy,” the law don said.

As Singapore figures out its next steps for migrant workers, the workers are also trying to figure out theirs as they mill around in their rooms within the various dormitories dotting Singapore keeping a distance from everyone else.

The Big Read - foreign workers in Singapore 5
Mr Syedur Rahman Liton and his friend Asit at a poetry event in Singapore in 2017. Photo: Syedur Rahman Liton.

Having spent more than a decade working in Singapore, Mr Liton is keenly aware of the value of social inclusion. Like his friends Asit and Zakir, Mr Liton is a poet, who often pens his thoughts about crises and conflicts around the world, and attends poetry events with Singaporeans such as those organised by Sing Lit Station and local Bengali publication Bangla Kanthar.

Isolated in his company dormitory now, he spends the idle days reading the news online, watching movies, and making video calls to his wife and family back home, he said.

On Apr 17, he wrote in Bengali: “The whole world drowned in darkness today / Every person surrounded by death, disorder and the virus / Humanity is counting down the hours of waiting / For when the end comes - A new dawn.”

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9zaW5nYXBvcmUvY29yb25hdmlydXMtY292aWQtMTktZm9yZWlnbi13b3JrZXJzLWJpZy1yZWFkLWRvcm1pdG9yaWVzLTEyNzE4ODgw0gEA?oc=5

2020-05-10 22:29:46Z
CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9zaW5nYXBvcmUvY29yb25hdmlydXMtY292aWQtMTktZm9yZWlnbi13b3JrZXJzLWJpZy1yZWFkLWRvcm1pdG9yaWVzLTEyNzE4ODgw0gEA

COVID-19: Britain unveils phased plan to exit lockdown - CNA

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday (May 10) announced a phased plan to ease a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, with schools and shops to begin opening from June 1 - as long as infection rates stay low.

In a televised address, Johnson also announced plans to introduce quarantine for people arriving in Britain by air to prevent new infections from abroad.

Almost seven weeks after a nationwide stay-at-home order was put in place, more than 31,800 have died during the outbreak in Britain - the worst toll in Europe and second only to the United States.

Johnson, who himself spent a week in hospital with COVID-19, said the measures had come "at a colossal cost to our way of life" but said it would be "madness" to squander the progress by moving too soon.

"This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week," the 55-year-old said, but unveiled a "conditional plan" to ease the measures in England in the months ahead.

READ: UK minister warns no big changes to virus lockdown

Starting this week, he said the government would be "actively encouraging" people to return to work where they could not do so from home, for example in manufacturing or construction.

Unlimited outdoor exercise would be allowed from Wednesday, with sports such as golf, tennis and fishing permitted as long as they only involved members of the same household.

In the second phase, Johnson said nurseries and children up to the age of 11 could start to return to school from Jun 1 at the earliest, and some non-essential shops could reopen.

By July, "we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places" that could enforce social distancing, for example cafes in parks.

However, officials warned that pubs were not likely to reopen for months, while older school children were unlikely to see any return to classes until September.

Infection rates will also be closely monitored under a new alert system, which will build upon existing moves to ramp up testing and contact tracing.

"If there are outbreaks, if there are problems, we will not hesitate to put on the brakes," Johnson said.

"We have been through the initial peak, but it is coming down the mountain that is often more dangerous."

MIXED MESSAGES

Johnson has been criticised for failing to take the outbreak seriously enough at the start, still shaking hands with people in early March and delaying the imposition of a lockdown.

READ: UK PM Johnson under fire over handling of coronavirus crisis

But there are growing demands from his own MPs to get the economy moving again, particularly after the Bank of England predicted a 14 per cent slump in British GDP this year.

Johnson paved the way for his phased plan by issuing new public advice, replacing the old "stay home, save lives" slogan in favour of advice to "stay alert".

But it drew criticism from devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are responsible for the lockdowns in their nations.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in particular warned infection rates in her country remained too high to ease up even a little on the confinement advice.

"We mustn't squander progress by easing up too soon, or by sending mixed messages," she told reporters.

"Let me be very blunt about the consequences if we were to do that - people will die unnecessarily."

QUARANTINE PLANS

Johnson did not give any detail about the quarantine plan, but officials suggested that it could be introduced in the coming weeks and would last 14 days.

While initially proposed for people arriving from abroad by plane, it could be extended to ports and train stations.

Johnson's office said France would be exempt from the quarantine, after Paris excluded Britain from its own similar plans, while media reports suggest there will also be a waiver for Ireland.

READ: Britain won't quarantine travellers from France at this stage

Airlines UK, the trade body for UK-registered carriers, had previously warned such a measure would "effectively kill international travel to and from the UK".

But officials say that if infection rates fall within Britain, stopping new cases from abroad will be an important tool.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC9jb3ZpZC0xOS1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1icml0YWluLXVudmVpbHMtcGhhc2VkLXBsYW4tZXhpdC1sb2NrZG93bi0xMjcxOTg2ONIBAA?oc=5

2020-05-10 19:20:22Z
52780773906203

Riot police chase Hong Kong Mother's Day protesters - CNA

HONG KONG: Riot police chased protesters through Hong Kong shopping malls on Sunday (May 10) as activists launched Mother's Day flash mob rallies calling for independence and the city's unpopular leader to resign.

The city was convulsed by seven straight months of often-violent protests last year with millions hitting the streets.

Mass arrests and the coronavirus pandemic ushered in a period of enforced calm.

But with the finance hub successfully tackling its outbreak small protests have bubbled up once more in the last fortnight.

READ: Pro-Beijing lawmakers, democrats clash in Hong Kong legislature

Small flashmob demonstrations broke out in at least eight malls throughout Sunday afternoon prompting riot police to rush in and disperse heckling crowds of activists and shoppers.

At least three arrests were made while groups of officers conducted multiple stop and searches.

Live broadcasts also showed police issuing HK$2,000 (US$260) on the spot fines to those allegedly breaching emergency anti-virus measures banning more than eight people gathering in public.

Hong Kong celebrates the American Mother's Day and protester chat groups had pushed the occasion to focus on chief executive Carrie Lam, a Beijing loyalist appointee.

At the start of last year's protests, Lam likened herself to an exasperated mother - and protesting Hong Kongers to demanding children - in comments that only poured oil on the fire of public anger at the time.

Authorities banned an application for a Mother's Day march so small groups of masked protesters instead played cat and mouse with police in different shopping centres, a tactic used frequently last year.

"This is just a warm-up, our protest movement needs to start again," a university student who gave his name as "B" told AFP.

"It's a sign that the movement is coming back to life, we all need to wake up now."

Lam, who has been staunchly backed by Beijing, has record low approval ratings.

She has resisted calls for universal suffrage or an independent inquiry into the police's handling of the protests.

READ: China says Hong Kong will never be calm unless violent protesters removed

In the New Year, she vowed to heal the divisions coursing through Hong Kong but her administration has offered little in the way of reconciliation or a political solution.

Arrests and prosecutions have continued apace while Beijing's offices in the city sparked a constitutional row last month by announcing a greater say in how Hong Kong is run.

Plans to pass a law banning insulting China's national anthem sparked scuffles in the city's legislature on Friday.

Top Beijing officials have suggested opposition lawmakers who blocked the bill with filibustering could be prosecuted and have also called for a new anti-sedition law to be passed.

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiXmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy93b3JsZC9ob25nLWtvbmctcHJvdGVzdHMtbW90aGVycy1kYXktcmlvdC1wb2xpY2UtMTI3MTkyOTTSAQA?oc=5

2020-05-10 11:49:57Z
52780776683831

China reports 14 new infections, northeast city returns to partial lockdown - South China Morning Post

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

  1. China reports 14 new infections, northeast city returns to partial lockdown  South China Morning Post
  2. China reports first coronavirus case in Wuhan since April 3, partly closes city near North Korea  The Straits Times
  3. China to reform disease prevention system  TODAYonline
  4. China reports first coronavirus case in Wuhan since April 3 among 14 new infections  Yahoo Singapore News
  5. China admits coronavirus exposed 'shortcomings' in healthcare system  The Straits Times
  6. View Full coverage on Google News

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNjbXAuY29tL25ld3MvY2hpbmEvc29jaWV0eS9hcnRpY2xlLzMwODM3MDgvY29yb25hdmlydXMtY2hpbmEtcmVwb3J0cy0xNC1uZXctaW5mZWN0aW9ucy1ub3J0aGVhc3QtY2l0edIBcmh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLnNjbXAuY29tL25ld3MvY2hpbmEvc29jaWV0eS9hcnRpY2xlLzMwODM3MDgvY29yb25hdmlydXMtY2hpbmEtcmVwb3J0cy0xNC1uZXctaW5mZWN0aW9ucy1ub3J0aGVhc3QtY2l0eQ?oc=5

2020-05-10 09:33:48Z
52780775952806

Malaysia's conditional movement control order extended for another four weeks to June 9 - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday (May 10) extended the country's conditional stay-at-home order by another four weeks, to June 9.

The Prime Minister said that although new Covid-19 cases are lower now than at the start of the movement curbs, the fight is not yet over.

“Even though we have achieved positive developments in the war against Covid-19, we haven’t fully succeeded yet,” he warned, adding that most Malaysians want the government to take the necessary steps to fight the spread of the virus. 

“Therefore, based on advice from the Health Ministry and the National Security Council, I wish to announce that the conditional movement control order that runs until May 12 ... will remain in force until 9 June.”

Malaysia first imposed movement curbs on March 18, as coronavirus cases began to rise sharply. Schools and non-essential businesses were shut, and people were confined to their homes except to buy food, essential items or to seek medical treatment.

These controls were eased on May 4, allowing most businesses to reopen and people to travel for work. Schools however remain shut and large social gatherings are still banned. Travel between Malaysia's 13 states is barred except for work purposes, and the country's borders remain shut to tourists.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin said the country's annual mass exodus to hometowns, or "balik kampung", ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilftri celebrations in two weeks' time will not be allowed, nor will large open houses. Similar restrictions on travel and large gatherings apply to other upcoming festivals  including Gawai and Kaamaatan, which are widely celebrated in east Malaysia. 

However, he said, small gatherings for the upcoming festive celebrations, up a maximum of 20 people, are allowed. He reminded people to take the necessary precautions during such events, by practising social distancing measures and using face masks and hand sanitisers.

He said that guidelines for when houses of worship can be reopened are also being discussed.

A total of 6.64 million, or 43.6 per cent of Malaysians have returned to work since controls were eased last Monday, and more are expected to do so in the coming weeks, the Prime Minister said.

“Do not be careless ... As more people go back to work, the risk of infection is higher. The coming weeks are critical,” he said adding that the government will not hesitate to impose lockdowns in areas experiencing a spike in coronavirus cases.

“So please abide by the government SOP. Avoid crowded places. Practice social distancing. Wear masks. Always wash your hands or use hand sanitiser. And only go out when necessary,” he said, referring to standard operating procedures for lowering the risk of infection.

Malaysian health authorities said last week the country is in a “recovery phase”, as the number of new daily cases have mostly come down to double digits in the last three weeks. This is a marked improvement from the triple digits recorded in mid-March and the first two weeks of April.

It reported 67 new cases on Sunday, bringing the tally to 6,656. The death toll remained at 108, with no new deaths reported. The country’s recovery rate for the disease stands at 75.5 per cent of confirmed cases.

Related Stories: 

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMigAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdHJhaXRzdGltZXMuY29tL2FzaWEvc2UtYXNpYS9tYWxheXNpYXMtY29uZGl0aW9uYWwtbW92ZW1lbnQtY29udHJvbC1vcmRlci1leHRlbmRlZC1mb3ItYW5vdGhlci1mb3VyLXdlZWtzLXRvLWp1bmUtOdIBAA?oc=5

2020-05-10 08:00:49Z
52780775226459

South Korea President Moon warns of coronavirus second wave as cases rebound - The Straits Times

SEOUL (REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) - South Korea warned of a second wave of the new coronavirus on Sunday (May 10) as infections rebounded to a one-month high, just as the authorities were starting to ease some pandemic restrictions.

“It’s not over until it’s over,” President Moon Jae-in told the nation, saying a new cluster shows the virus can spread widely at any time, and warning of a second wave late this year. 

The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 34 new infections, the highest since April 9, after a small outbreak emerged around a slew of nightclubs, prompting the authorities to temporarily close all nightly entertainment facilities around the capital. 

The death toll remained at 256. 

Battling the first major coronavirus outbreak outside China, South Korea brought infections of the virus, and the disease Covid-19 that it causes, down drastically through widespread testing, aggressive contact tracing and tracking apps.

The response has helped Asia’s fourth-largest economy come to grips with the pandemic without extensive the lockdowns seen elsewhere. 

The daily tally of new infections had hovered around 10 or less in recent weeks, with no or very few domestic cases over the past 10 days. 

The fresh outbreak comes just as the government was easing some social distancing restrictions and moving to fully reopen schools and businesses, in a transition from intensive social distancing to “distancing in daily life.”

"We must never lower our guard regarding epidemic prevention,” Moon said in a televised speech marking the third anniversary of his inauguration. “We are in a prolonged war. I ask everyone to comply with safety precautions and rules until the situation is over even after resuming daily lives.”

He said the KCDC will get greater power as part of the long-term fight and be renamed the Disease Control and Prevention Administration to reflect its enhanced position, while the authorities beef up local expertise.

The resurgence is driven by an outbreak centred around a handful of Seoul nightclubs, which a man in his late 20s had visited before testing positive last week. 

At least 24 out of the 26 new domestically transmitted infections were traced to that man, bringing the infections related to the case to 54, the KCDC said.

The KCDC said officials are tracking down about 1,900 people who have gone to the clubs, which could be increased to 7,000, asking anyone who was there last week to self-isolate for 14 days and be tested. 

“This case is once again showing a rapid spread of the virus as well as high infectiousness,” KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing. “We’re in a battle against time to head off additional transmissions in the local communities.”

The infection rate is highest for those who visited King Club in Itaewon on May 2, she said, adding that more than 30 per cent of the confirmed patients are asymptomatic. 

“Healthy teenagers and adults normally fully recover without showing much symptoms, but to senior citizens and those with underlying diseases, it can be fatal,” Jeong told reporters on Sunday. “We’d like to remind everyone to think of the impact this can have on the people with weaker immune systems.” 

Gyeonggi Province, located in the outskirts of Seoul city, ordered those who visited certain clubs in Itaewon and Gangnam between April 29 and May 6 to self-isolate and avoid any person-to-person contact.

Governor Lee Jae-myung also announced a ban on all “group meetings” at entertainment facilities, including clubs and karaoke bars.

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun pledged to mobilise all available resources to contain a further spread of the virus.

Related Stories: 

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiemh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9lYXN0LWFzaWEvc291dGgta29yZWEtcmVwb3J0cy0zNC1uZXctY29yb25hdmlydXMtY2FzZXMtaGlnaGVzdC1pbi1hLW1vbnRoLWFtaWQtbmlnaHRjbHVi0gEA?oc=5

2020-05-10 07:20:07Z
52780772959981

Sabtu, 09 Mei 2020

Malaysia's movement control order to be extended further until Jun 9, says PM Muhyiddin - CNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s movement control order (MCO) will be extended for a further month until Jun 9, its fourth extension since it was enforced on Mar 18, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said. 

In a special address on Sunday (May 10), the prime minister said even though the country saw many positive developments in its fight against COVID-19, the efforts have not fully succeeded. The MCO was originally scheduled to end on Tuesday.

"Based on public opinion, I realised that people want the government to continue to take the necessary steps to fight against the epidemic. 

"Therefore, on the advice of the Ministry of Health and the National Security Council, I would like to announce that the conditional MCO, which was enforced until May 12, will be extended until Jun 9, which is another four more weeks," he said. 

The MCO, which took effect since Mar 18 to rein in the spread of COVID-19, has previously been extended three times, each for two weeks.

Under the partial lockdown, non-essential businesses and schools were shut while domestic and international travel was prohibited. 

There are signs that the restrictions have successfully brought down the number of new infections in Malaysia. From the initial three-digit hike, new cases slowed to mostly two-digit increase beginning mid-April. 

As of Saturday, the country reported a total of 6,589 cases and 108 deaths. Close to 75 per cent of the patients have recovered. 

To mitigate the economic impact, Putrajaya rolled out three economic stimulus packages worth RM260 billion (US$60 billion).

Mr Muhyiddin said earlier in his Labour Day address that total losses due to the COVID-19 curbs were estimated at RM63 billion.

The government has eased some COVID-19 curbs by allowing the majority of economic sectors to resume their operations beginning May 4 under a “conditional MCO”, in a move welcomed by industry players.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

Let's block ads! (Why?)


https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL21hbGF5c2lhLWNvdmlkLTE5LW11aHlpZGRpbi1tb3ZlbWVudC1jb250cm9sLW9yZGVyLWp1bi05LWV4dGVuZC0xMjcxODczONIBAA?oc=5

2020-05-10 06:27:52Z
52780775226459