“Singapore is my home away from home, and I want her to do better as a country. For that, she has to learn to listen to its people, even migrants. I spoke up because I believe that conditions for migrant workers can improve in Singapore. I love the country and I wanted Singapore to be the example for other countries to follow.” – Zakir Hossain Khokon

A Migrant Worker for 19 Years in Singapore

Zakir Hossain Khokan is a migrant worker and activist who has worked in Singapore for 19 years. He worked on projects like Jewel Changi Singapore, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), South Beach Tower, Enterprise Singapore and the Microsoft Singapore Woodlands Data Centre.

Since he first arrived in Singapore in 2003, Zakir has formed many valuable friendships with both Singaporeans and migrants. Thus, when he learnt that he would have to leave Singapore as his work permit was not renewed, it came as a rude shock to him.

Adverse Record or Ineligibility?

Earlier this year, Zakir was informed by his company’s HR that his work permit had expired and was not renewed due to an alleged “adverse record”. On his company’s advice, he rushed down to the Police Cantonment Complex and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to enquire about the “adverse record”. However, both authorities informed him that there was no “adverse record” in the system.

In 2018, the then Minister of Manpower Josephine Teo stated that a foreign worker would have an adverse record if “if he committed an offence under Singapore laws or was found to have infringed MOM’s regulations“. The Minister also noted that the worker would have a right of appeal.

According to Zakir, a few NGOs and individuals including the former Nominated Member of Parliment Anthea Ong, gathered together to appeal to the Minister for Manpower to review the non-renewal of Zakir’s work permit.

Zakir wrote that MOM had allegedly made an “administrative error” in stating that his work pass was non-renewed due to an “adverse record”. Instead, the non-renewal was on the basis of ineligibility.

Zakir’s Activism

During his time in Singapore, Zakir organised various literary and art activities, such as the Slam Poetry Festival, Migrant Art Festival & Exhibition, Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing Festival, Migrant Book Fair and the International Migrant Literature Festival. He was also the co-editor of various migrant-local anthologies, such as Call and Response 1 and 2.

Zakir observed that, through these activities, many were inspired to become community organisers. The activities paved the way for migrants and locals to bond together over literature, arts and education. Zakir opines that, through these activities, public opinion and the relationship between locals and migrants have shifted.

Because of the situation at that time in the dormitory, Police personnel were on standby nearby as a precautionary measure. They never surrounded the dormitory or engaged workers there. Rather, MOM officers and dormitory personnel engaged the workers to address their concerns. There were no soldiers, let alone armoured vehicles, around. Though Mr Zakir had signed off his post as from the “workers of Westlite Tukang”, he himself had never lived there.

Mr Zakir’s false statements could have incited migrant workers at Westlite Tukang and elswhere, inflamed their emotions and possibly caused incidents of public disorder. Fortunately, the real residents of Westlite Tukang saw that MOM, the employer and the dorm operation were serious about addressing their problems and calmed down.

Media Reports from Tukang Dorm Incident

According to a report from Channel News Asia on the Tukang Dorm Incident, “there was a heavy security presence at the dormitory, with Special Operations Command vehicles and several other armoured police vehicles parked along the road outside”.

The pictures that follow are from CNA:-

Although there may not have been a military presence per se, there was, at least according to CNA, riot police and armoured police deployed.

Journalist Kirsten Han also questioned why POFMA was not used there and then.

https://twitter.com/kixes/status/1539611440000417793

“Working in Singapore is not an entitlement” – MOM

The Ministry of Manpower’s statement stressed that non-residents do not have an automatic right to work in Singapore, and that the ability of a foreigner to work in Singapore is not an entitlement. It also noted that Zakir’s employers did not appeal against the non-renewal of his work permit.

In respect of Zakir’s writings, the Ministry stated that it would draw the line “when public posts are misleading, false or deliberately provocative.”

It ended the statement by asserting that Zakir “over-stayed his welcome.”

“I love Singapore” – Zakir

In an emotional Facebook post, Zakir shared his love for Singapore.

Singapore is my home away from home, and I want her to do better as a country. For that, she has to learn to listen to its people, even migrants. I spoke up because I believe that conditions for migrant workers can improve in Singapore. I love the country and I wanted Singapore to be the example for other countries to follow.