Bangladeshi migrant worker, Zakir Hossain, found himself ineligible for a work permit renewal after 19 years in Singapore and took his grievances to social media again (garnering support of the well-known crowd of the hollow left-wing do-gooders like Kirsten Han et al) that he was targeted for rejection by the MOM.But I don't quite understand why he's upset.
Didn't he write to the minister not to call him and fellow workers "brothers"? Didn't he say they were all just "work slaves"?Well, time to pop the champagne open, then, because his time in chains is now up and he can pack his bags to leave home to his family in Bangladesh! That should be a feel good story!Why aren't the headlines reading: "Man lamenting two decades of slavery in Singapore soon to reunite with family in his home country!
"If Singapore is so bad then why has he kept renewing his permits? Why has he stayed in the "oppressive" city-state for nearly two decades? And why is he complaining that his pass was not renewed this time?
If anything, this shows that Singapore has been too good to Mr. Hossain.It was so good, in fact, that he has forgotten who and where he was. He felt he could fly ever higher, until he got too close to the sun and ended like the mythical Icarus - in a swift, painful collapse.Singapore has been more than hospitable to him. Over the years he has engaged in and organized activities among migrants and was able to pursue his passion for poetry, which even landed him awards for his work.Unfortunately, because of his successful streak he has clearly started believing he was not only subject to the rules but that he could also write them.No.Don't get me wrong, I understand some of the grievances vented during the pandemic. Yes, dorms are not hotels and they clearly were not designed to sufficiently isolate people in case of massive disease outbreaks.But it is also clear that the government wasn't able to just create such facilities for roughly 300,000 people out of thin air. That's twice the population of Ang Mo Kio, for crying out loud.Like everywhere in the world there was some degree of chaos, because it isn't really possible to be prepared for a global pandemic. However, it is also undeniable that to the extent that it was possible, all migrant workers were tested, provided medical care and vaccination. And that Singapore's handling of the virus is among the absolute best in the world.If you don't like it then no hard feelings, feel free to leave and find a better place somewhere else.Nobody is keeping you. Bon voyage.
