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Foreign workers and public transport

The decision to build a foreign dormitory in Serangoon Gardens has met with controvery, has raised the hackles of the residents who are living at close range to the proposed dormitory, and bring to the fore the issue of how the policy of housing the thousands of foreign workers in our tiny island can be further tweaked.

The government ultimately gave the green light to build the dormitory but not without taking into considerations the feedback of the residents living near to the dormitory.

This year, I have witnessed a majority of the jostling weekend jumble of passengers in the MRT trains being made up of a large number of foreigners, in particular the China and India foreign workers.

When I saw many of these foreigner workers occupying the seats of the trains while local Singaporeans stand, I could observe some of the Singaporeans who stood inside the trains, staring indignantly at these workers. My gut feelings told me that some of these Singaporeans were thinking why these foreign workers are entitled to sit inside OUR trains while they, the true-born Singaporeans have to stand.

Time to change perceptions of some Singaporeans towards the foreign workers now to alleviate their covert prejudice towards these foreign workers who also contributed to our society.
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