Myanmar FDW Abuse Shows Lacking Protection For FDWs

Myanmar foreign domestic worker (FDW) Ms Piang Ngaih Don, 24, was hired by Singaporean employers Gaiyathiri Murugayan, 40, the wife of a police officer Kevin Chelvam, 41, for less than a year in 2015. Unfortunately, Ms Piang met an early demise, when her employers on Tuesday, 23 February, admitted to starving, torturing and ultimately killing her. This case highlighted a lack of protection for FDWs working in Singapore, as there were multiple opportunities to prevent this unfortunate outcome.

While regrettable, there were numerous occasions where the doctors and employment agent (EA) spoke to her, but both parties had failed to pick up any signs of distress that could have saved her life. Additionally, the employers refused the EA’s offer to replace Ms Piang multiple times. The cumulation of these events thus led to her unfortunate demise, as Ms Piang weighed only 24kg when she passed in 2015, losing 38% of her body weight after arriving in Singapore for just over a year.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issued a statement on 24 February, Wednesday, stating that more must be done to protect these FDWs, and MOM had ensured that a full insurance payout was made to the next-of-kin, consisting of the full death benefit, repatriation cost and a special gratuity payment.

In light of these events, MOM will be intensifying efforts to reach out to and interview all new FDWs about their well-being, and also engage healthcare providers to see how it can support them to identify cases of possible abuse.

However, MOM and the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) have reiterated that more must be done to protect FDWs. Urging for the community-at-large to be proactive in supporting and caring for our FDWs, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo had stated, “There’s no place for FDW abuse in Singapore. Let’s put an end to it.”

Home also urged medical professionals who detect domestic and migrant worker patients showing signs of abuse to proactively take measures to flag them to the authorities, medical social workers, or groups that assist migrant workers.

Members of the public who may be aware of any ill-treatment of FDWs, or FDWs facing employment or other issues can reach out to CDE or the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (Fast) for help.

FDWs can also call the MOM helpline at 1800-339-5505 to speak to an MOM officer.

 

 

Read more at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/case-of-myanmar-maid-who-was-abused-and-killed-appalling-josephine-teo