However, the grave mistake that Singapore has made is the fact that it overlooked the potential transmission within communities of 1.3 million migrant workers. Singapore’s migrant workers, mostly from India, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries, are generally seen as the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in the country. Amnesty International issued a warning on April 6 about possible mass infection among migrant workers in quarantine and urged for more attention and better treatment, without discrimination. Also, there have been reports of the spread of dengue, rubella and Zika among migrant workers in recent years. Racial conflicts once caused Singapore to split from Malaysia in 1965, and it will significantly continue to hamper Singapore society at least in the foreseeable future.

Source: Manila Times May 07, 2020 16:18 UTC