Time bomb waiting to explode on both sides of Causeway

YOURSAY 'When you have economic inequality and deep-seated social alienation experienced by the guest workers, it will only take a small spark for riots to occur.'

Singapore hit by rare outbreak of rioting

Reefa: This is not unexpected given the harsh treatment by Singaporean employers towards their foreign workers. Plus the level of anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobia in Singaporean society are rather high.

Funny that those who were previously migrants themselves in Singapore, are now using anti-migrant rhetoric.

Malaysia could also be drawn to the same path if our anti-migrant rhetoric is not toned down and treatment of migrant workers not improved.

Onyourtoes: It is a time bomb waiting to explode on both sides of the Causeway. We want prosperity and we excessively leverage on others. Soon we must pay the full cost.

Armchair Newspaper: When you have economic inequality (as indicated by the Gini ratio) and deep-seated social alienation perceived and experienced by the growing guest workers, it will only take a small spark for this and other unrest to occur.

Malaysia has and is experiencing this, as are other economies like Hong Kong which rely on foreign workers in low-paying jobs.

Apolitical Observer: This must be the last straw that breaks the camel's back. The workers are badly treated, lowly paid with almost no social recognition.

They were brought into Singapore just to make the capitalists rich. One noble thing the government can do is to drop all charges and send all of them back.

Indian and Bangladeshi workers are the most obedient of workforces. For them to riot in this manner, there must be issue after issue building up in them just waiting to explode. The fatal accident was the proverbial last straw that caused the explosion.

Ex-Wfw: For sure those workers maybe under pressure to earn a living in Singapore because of the high cost of living there; but they are never bullied by uniformed gangs based on all kinds of pretexts just to get them to pay protection money as it happens here so regularly.

For sure the government of Singapore will act severely just like what they did against the Chinese bus drivers, they don't look at the skin. They just follow the laws.

It may appear like a time bomb but they are in control as rules and the sincere application of them are their only guidelines.

Lim Chong Leong: Treatment of foreign workers in the domestic and the construction sectors are pretty indecent and inhumane.

The fact that the police can refer to the people who rioted as "subjects" and not as persons, show that these people are not treated as humans but just part of the labour force, with little or no compassion.

This unspoken caste system in the little rich island is like a plugged-up boiling kettle waiting to explode and yesterday was only a little prelude of greater things to come.

Saddened: I am certain there will be a clampdown on the migrant workers in Singapore. They have lost their freedom to live in a peaceful and caring country. Don't worry, they can move to the nearest neighbour, Malaysia. We welcome them with open arms.

Debater: Yes, over-dependence of cheap foreign labour only benefits the few upper class towkays. Minimum wages and more automation is the answer.

SpongeBob: Create a system that will reduce our dependence on foreign workers. Give more opportunities to Orang Asli - something similar to Felda-like plantation sectors.

Train them in construction and service sectors or even eco-tourism. They are great workers. I personally have seen their work culture in our current economic system.

CiViC: We can expect the Malaysian government to boast how peaceful we are; even Singapore has problems while Malaysia is "peaceful". Expect the home minister to pat himself on the back and the premier to congratulate him.

Samuel Ng: Mr Home Minister, do walk around from Central Market to Puduraya and the adjacent areas like Jalan Silang-Jalan Petaling on a Sunday and see for yourself the high probability of such an incident occurring in Kuala Lumpur. Have the police drawn out a contingency plan when it happens?

Fernz: These foreign workers are conned into coming to Singapore where they are criminally exploited. They can't save anything from what they receive. It defeats the purpose of being in Singapore.

Being trapped with no money to return home, it's only a matter of time before things blow up. It doesn't matter where you work in the world as long as you can save something every month.

The problem begins when you can't save, get into debt and feel trapped with no money to return home.

That's a time bomb situation waiting to blow up. Drinking is a way of forgetting one's woes. Singapore is an exploitative culture. Even their own people refuse to work and would rather do something on their own.

Cogito Ergo Sum: The difference is that in Malaysia, all non-Umno members are migrants.

But our 'pentandang' are far more docile and even have accepted the open discriminatory practices by the authorities - except when they start demanding equal treatment and basic rights to practise matters guaranteed in the federal constitution.

Spinnot: Can Malaysian police contain a riot by foreigners in Sabah? They outnumber the locals there.

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