MOM apologises to Jade Rasif for saying her account of maid's Covid-19 scare was 'inaccurate'

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has apologised to former DJ Jade Rasif for saying that her account of her domestic worker's Covid-19 scare was “inaccurate”.

In a Facebook post on Saturday night (May 22), MOM said it was retracting its point about Ms Rasif’s account and redacting the word “inaccurate” from its post last Monday. 

“We note that the use of the word ‘inaccurate’ and one of the points in our 17 May FB post could have portrayed Ms Rasif to be providing an inaccurate account on the Quarantine Order investigation,” the ministry said in its post.

“She shared with us that this had affected her negatively. We would like to extend our apologies to her for this.”

Ms Rasif’s posts on Instagram and Facebook last Sunday detailed how her domestic helper had been discharged on her third day of stay-home notice (SHN), only to test positive for Covid-19 two weeks later on April 30. 

She had raised concerns about whether it was safe for her domestic worker to be released early from SHN, and questioned why she herself had not been put under quarantine.

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MOM had initially disputed Ms Rasif’s claim that police officers had called her saying she was under investigation for breaching a quarantine order. The ministry had also said she could not be under investigation as she was never issued a quarantine order.

Ms Rasif then posted Instagram stories last Thursday with screenshots and audio recordings of communications between her and MOM that appeared to contradict parts of MOM’s May 17 statement.

She included a recording of a phone call in which a man, whom Ms Rasif said was MOM “management”, can be heard laughing after Ms Rasif raises concerns about the ministry’s statement.

MOM’s post on Saturday said: “We understand that the police have since clarified with Ms Rasif on the purpose of their calls, and that she is not being investigated for any breach of quarantine orders.”

The ministry also retracted its claim that it had reached out to Ms Rasif’s family on a complaint made against an ambulance driver, whom Ms Rasif alleged had texted her an expletive.

It also said it had called Ms Rasif and discussed the way its officers had handled a call with her last Tuesday.

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In its Facebook post last Monday, MOM explained that Ms Rasif’s domestic worker was assessed to be a recovered Covid-19 patient and no longer infectious. She was discharged from isolation on May 9.

Ms Rasif, who is a healthcare worker, told The Straits Times: “I feel vindicated... I’m very satisfied with the apology, and their statement. I’m very happy that MOM is actually looking into things and looking to tighten (its processes). 

"I can (now) move on with my life, hopefully in peace. I have never called out the Government, and I have no intention of doing so going forward."

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.