Dormitory food: Zaqy Mohamad assures things are better

If you’ve been keeping up with online posts about the ongoing situation concerning Singapore’s migrant labourers, you might have noticed some chatter about the allegedly substandard quality of food they’ve been receiving in quarantine. 

Images of food packets have been circulating on social media, accompanied by captions that allege that the recipients were not satisfied with the quality of their meals. 

With a significant portion of the workforce Muslim, it’s taken on a more perturbing note right now during Ramadan, when the workers have to make do with whatever they’re served to break their fast and fill themselves up before dawn. 

Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, however, has since tried to allay the concerns in a Facebook post yesterday (April 29), assuring members of the public that the situation is progressively improving. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/zaqym/posts/1482453998602478[/embed]

Acknowledging all the feedback sent to him over the issue, Zaqy mentioned that there had been teething issues in the beginning as the Multi-Ministry Taskforce have to serve over 10 million catered meals to all workers residing in 43 purpose-built dormitories across the island. 

“We’re talking about 200,000 workers from at least half a dozen nationalities, he remarked. “It’s like catering for the whole of Ang Mo Kio GRC.” 

The teething issues he mentioned could refer to some of the alleged complaints by migrant workers shared on social media. Non-governmental organisation (NGO) HOME posted on Facebook on Monday (April 27) that the food served to workers at S11 and North Lodge dormitories was said to be “inadequate and unpalatable”, with some reporting half-cooked, watery food with unpleasant smells. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/migrantworkerssg/posts/3442693045744093[/embed]

”We have been receiving regular complaints and feedback from workers of all nationalities at several [of] the dormitories about the quality of their food: it is often undercooked, tastes bad and isn't fresh, with some falling sick after eating them,” wrote HOME. 

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (April 28) social activist Kokila Annamalai shared images purportedly taken by migrant workers residing at temporary dormitories in Redhill. Their pictures showcase meals that appeared to be hastily put together, with bits of dried-up meat, vegetables and raw chilli placed on top of rice. 

Kokila also stated that some of the workers missed their pre-dawn meal due to being served spoilt food. 

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/kokila.annamalai/posts/10163870045490085[/embed]

Zaqy assured that “things have gotten better, and are continuing to improve”. 

“Over the last three weeks, the Taskforce has been working round-the-clock to ensure that the workers have proper food that suit their dietary and taste preferences, delivered in a timely fashion,” he explained. 

Meanwhile, 34 caterers are constantly adjusting the meals with feedback from workers, with help from employers and 10 like-minded NGOs with hundreds of volunteers.

Images he shared in the post show that workers have been satisfied with the food they were getting. 

Zaqy’s words have been backed up by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam, who maintained that the food quality issue has been dealt with by Manpower Minister Josephine Teo. 

"But don't get me wrong, we are delivering several hundred thousand meals, three times a day for the workers. Majority of them tell us that the food quality is good,” Shanmugam added. 

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“I’m not going to say to you therefore every single packet is good, or every single person is happy — not possible.” 

The minister also cautioned bad actors from intentionally re-circulating old photos of food packets or photos of food being thrown away in other countries, asserting that action will be taken against those deliberately spreading falsehoods. 

Meanwhile, Zaqy urged those with feedback on migrant workers’ food quality to flag the issues directly with Forward Assurance and Support Team (FAST) personnel posted at all dormitories so that solutions could be rendered quicker. 

“We do not want to send our officers on a wild goose chase when the time taken could have been better spent in meeting the workers’ needs,” he added.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

ilyas@asiaone.com