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It is not about just providing food

Published

14 years ago

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Jia Ye

We call them Special Pass holders – workers who, incurring large debts to pay for their agents’ fees in hopes of securing a work-permit job in Singapore for their families back home, have run into employment disputes. For most of these men who come to the Cuff Road Project (TCRP), home would be Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.

For all of them, their employment problems have left them homeless and jobless. Every weekday and night, as well as at noon on Sunday, the men take their meals at either Sutha’s at Cuff Road or Isthana at Rowell Rd. They may be transient both as workers and as diners at the restaurant – they leave once their cases are settled – but during their difficult sojourn, no matter how brief or long, TCRP goes beyond providing meals to them.

Take Alamgir, for instance. He did not say much the first few days after we first met at Sutha’s and even after, preferred to talk in softer tones. Two of Alamgir’s fingers on his left hand had been sliced open while aligning metal sheets for ship-building. The company’s doctor grafted the gaping wounds with flesh from the side of his palm and gave him a single day’s medical leave for the injury. His foreman insisted he showed up for work promptly for “standby duty”.

Alamgir told me he tried explaining to his employer that he couldn’t go to work because his hand simply hurt too much but his foreman insisted he showed up for “standby duty”.

He went to see another doctor at a polyclinic, bearing the medical costs himself and in the hopes of getting a more comprehensive assessment. The doctor, however, pressed him for a letter from his employer, which Alamgir was sure he would not receive. On top of this, “house manager many many shouting at me”, Alamgir said. So he took matters into his own hands. After his colleagues had left for their worksite at 5.30am one morning, Alamgir packed a few shirts along with his documents and left. He headed straight for a lawyer and later, showed up at Cuff Road. He told me he wouldn’t have known what to do had the TCRP not been there for him.

I learnt more about Alamgir’s story over the weeks during my volunteer sessions at dinner. Before coming to Singapore, Alamgir ran a business brokering poultry farmers in his village in Bangladesh. A flu epidemic wiped out a large number of chickens, along with his business. “Many many chicken all die, so I thinking I come Singapore good,” he said to me. “Agent say Singapore job many money can earn. I know hard work but no problem. I can do hard job.”

Borrowing the equivalent of SGD$5000 from his brother in law, his family managed to put together the SGD$10, 000 for his agent’s fees that would secure him a job in Singapore. He is far from fully repaying his debt and as a result, family ties are strained. His previous six day work week brought in $600 – $700 a month, depending on whether there was overtime work available. About $200 would go back to paying his employer for his dorm bed and electricity bills. He would send another $200 home every month and the remainder paid for his food. His four-year old son, Akash – meaning “Sky” – needed the money. His face lights up whenever he talks about Akash. But Alamgir would always always end any conversation about Akash by saying, “My son many many miss me. He always asking, ‘When you come, Aba?’”.

My mum came to Sutha’s one night and Alamgir took to her immediately. He asks me about her health every other day and sent her a well-wishing text message on her birthday.

While Alamgir, like many other clients of TCRP, already had an established social network, it was at the restaurant that he got to know more Bangladeshis in his situation. They, along with other volunteers, became his support during this difficult time. He told me it was dinnertime he looked forward to the most each day – he knew that at 6.30pm everyday, he could sit down to dinner amongst familiar, friendly faces.

I launched a photo exhibit in conjunction with Singapore’s National Day last year. I had originally wanted to just take their photos as a going away present for them and also to create a sort of pictorial archive of the men who come to Sutha’s restaurant on Cuff Road for dinner. Talking to some friends who encouraged me to put up a public viewing of the pictures, I thought why not – these are people so integral to Singapore’s growth and their stories should be told and not only to people in academia.

The stories and pictures in the exhibit were in part fieldnotes for my PhD dissertation as well as a more informal yet intimate look into the experiences and lives of Singapore’s homeless male migrant workers. Their employment problems are complex and often long-drawn out. While the exhibit did not – indeed, could not – show the depth and breadth of just how complicated their difficulties are, I did, however, want to highlight the precariousness and the contradictions of their lives as a result of our current political-economy – a capitalist system that they work for but a system that has ultimately marginalized them. We cannot deny there is a class system in place here. But I wanted also to create a space where we could understand a little bit more about these migrants beyond the sort of political-economy discourse. I wanted a space where we could see them as individuals and not just a statistic or a case-study.

I thank them for allowing me to share their photos and stories. I thank them for teaching me about resilience and patience in the face of adversity. I am truly learning a lot about them and learning a lot from them. Donobaad! This is why The Cuff Road Meals programme is meaningful to me – it is not about just providing food. Crucial as that is for the individuals who truly need it, it is also a friendly social space for them and for a volunteer like me, a space where we can trespass those gaps – those pervasive, salient class barriers – and get to know people whose lives are so different, yet not so far removed from our own.

———

Jia Ye is a volunteer with TWC2 and a PhD candidate at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

———

To donate to TCRP, please make cheques payable to “Transient Workers Count Too” and write “The Cuff Road Project” at the back of the cheque.

TWC2’s postal address is:

Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2)

5001 Beach Road

Golden Mile Complex

#06-27, Singapore 199588

Please also visit the following website to donate online as well as for more information on TWC2 and its endeavors:

http://www.twc2.org.sg/site/

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Indonesia

Miss Universe cuts ties with Indonesia chapter after harassment allegations

The Miss Universe Organization severs ties with Indonesia franchise due to harassment claims. Malaysia edition canceled.

Women allege body checks before pageant. Investigation launched. Safety prioritized.

Indonesia winner to compete in November finale. Height requirement controversy.

Published

1 year ago

on

14 August 2023

By

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The Miss Universe Organization has cut ties with its Indonesia franchise, it announced days after allegations of sexual harassment, and will cancel an upcoming Malaysia edition.

In the complaint, more than a half dozen women said all 30 finalists for Miss Universe Indonesia were unexpectedly asked to strip for a supposed body check for scars and cellulite two days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta.

Their lawyer said Tuesday that five of the women had their pictures taken.

“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” the US-based Miss Universe Organization posted Saturday night on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter.

It said that it had “decided to terminate the relationship with its current franchise in Indonesia, PT Capella Swastika Karya, and its National Director, Poppy Capella.”

It thanked the contestants for their bravery in coming forward and added that “providing a safe place for women” was the organization’s priority.

Jakarta police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said Tuesday that an investigation into the women’s complaint has been launched.

The Indonesia franchise also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia, where there will no longer be a competition this year, according to the New York-based parent organizer.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Indonesia franchise director Capella denied involvement in any body checks.

“I, as the National Director and as the owner of the Miss Universe Indonesia license, was not involved at all and have never known, ordered, requested or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organizing Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking,” she wrote.

She added that she is against “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”

The Jakarta competition was held from 29 July to 3 August to choose Indonesia’s representative to the 2023 Miss Universe contest, and was won by Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld.

Miss Universe said it would make arrangements for her to compete in the finale, scheduled for November in El Salvador.

This year’s Indonesia pageant also came under fire for announcing a “significant change in this (year’s) competition guidelines” with the elimination of its minimum height requirement after it had crowned a winner.

In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said it wanted to “make it extremely clear that there are no measurements such as height, weight, or body dimensions required to join a Miss Universe pageant worldwide.”

— AFP

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Malaysia

A Perodua service centre in Kuantan, Malaysia went viral for its strict dress code, Perodua responds

A dress code for vehicle servicing? A Malaysian car brand’s service centre dress code signage has puzzled netizens, raising queries about the need for attire rules during a routine service.

The manufacturer responded with an official statement after a flurry of comments, seeking to clarify and apologize.

Published

1 year ago

on

10 August 2023

By

MALAYSIA: A dress code signage positioned at a service centre belonging to a prominent Malaysian car brand has sparked bewilderment among Malaysian netizens, who question the necessity of adhering to attire guidelines for a simple vehicle servicing.

The signage explicitly delineates clothing items that are deemed unsuitable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, abbreviated pants, and distressed jeans.

The car manufacturer swiftly found itself flooded with comments from both inquisitive and irked Malaysian netizens. This surge in online activity prompted the company to issue an official statement aimed at clarifying the situation and extending an apology.

In a post that gained significant traction on the social media platform, politician Quek Tai Seong of Pahang State, Malaysia, shared an image to Facebook on Monday (7 Aug).

The image showcased a dress code sign prominently displayed at a Perodua Service Centre in Kuantan. Within the post, Quek posed the question: “Is this dress code applicable nationwide, or is it specific to this branch?”

The signage reads, “All customers dealing with Perodua Service Kuantan 1, Semambu, are requested to dress modestly and appropriately.”

Adding visual clarity to these guidelines, the sign features illustrative graphics that explicitly outline clothing items deemed unacceptable, including sleeveless tops, short skirts, short pants, and ripped jeans.

Delineating the specifics of the dress code, the signage stipulates that male visitors are expected to don shirts accompanied by neckties, opt for long pants, and wear closed shoes.

Conversely, female visitors are advised to don long-sleeved shirts, full-length skirts, and closed-toe footwear.

Perodua’s dress code sparks online uproar

Following the rapid spread of the post, Perodua’s official Facebook page found itself inundated with comments from both intrigued and frustrated Malaysian netizens, all seeking clarifications about the newly surfaced dress code policy.

Amidst the flurry of comments, numerous incensed netizens posed pointed questions such as, “What is the rationale behind the introduction of such regulations by the management? We demand an explanation.”

Another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing against the necessity of the rule and urging Perodua to take inspiration from the practices of other 4S (Sales, Service, Spare Parts, and Survey) automotive dealerships.

A concerned Facebook user chimed in, advocating for a more lenient stance, asserting that attempting to dictate customers’ clothing choices might not be in the company’s best interest.

Someone also commented in an angry tone, “Oi what is this? Going there for car service, not interview or working, right.”

As the discourse unfolded, it became evident that while some inquiries carried genuine weight, others chose to inject humor into the situation, playfully remarking, “If I wanted to buy a Myvi, I should buy or rent a formal attire first.”

“I sell economy rice at a hawker centre, I have never worn a long sleeve shirt and a tie… I guess I will not buy a Perodua car then.”

“I guess they will not serve those who wear short pants.”

Perodua addresses dress code controversy

As reported by Chinese media outlet Sin Chew Daily News, the manager of Kuantan’s Perodua Service Centre had acknowledged that the images on the dress code signage were misleading.

In response, the manager divulged that discussions had transpired with the head office, leading to the prompt removal of the signage to prevent any further misconceptions.

The manager clarifies, “We do encourage visitors to adhere to the dress etiquette, but we won’t go to the extent of restricting their choice of attire.”

He also revealed that currently, no complaints have been directly received from the public.

However, feedback from certain customers was relayed through Perodua’s agents.

Perodua also released an official statement by chief operating officer JK Rozman Jaffar on Wednesday (9 Aug) regarding the dress code on their official Facebook page.

The statement stated the dress code etiquette is not aligned with their official guidelines and they are currently conducting an official investigation on the matter followed by corrective measures to avoid the same incident from happening.

Perodua also extends its apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

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