Singapore— On the popular ROADS.sg Facebook page on Thursday morning (May 27), a netizen posted two photos of a lorry carrying migrant workers. The door of the vehicle had a lock on the outside.
The first photo was one of the back of the lorry.
But the second photo was a close-up view of the lock on the back door of the lorry.
The poster, only identified as “JJ” on the post, wrote, ”Look carefully at the door handle. There is a ring to ‘lock’ it. If there is an emergency, the poor workers would not be able to exit on their own.”
The safety of the mode of transport for migrant workers has received renewed attention lately, after two separate accidents on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and along Upper Bukit Timah Road within five days in late April.
The accidents resulted in the deaths of two migrant workers. Over two dozen others were hospitalised.
Netizens commenting on the post condemned the practice of ferrying migrant workers in this manner.
More than one commenter compared it to prisoner transport.
Another compared it to Malaysia, where workers are transported on special buses.
Others wondered how the workers could escape in an emergency.
Others commented that the workers are being treated like animals.
In Parliament earlier this month, Dr Amy Khor, the Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Transport, answered questions related to this issue.
She said, “From a road safety perspective, it would be ideal for lorries not to carry any passengers in their rear decks. But there are very significant practical and operational issues — on top of just cost considerations — which is probably why internationally, it is (a common) practice.”
/TISG
Read also: Louder calls to end transporting workers in lorries after 2nd accident in 5 days
Louder calls to end transporting workers in lorries after 2nd accident in 5 days
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