Safety and Security in Areas Close to Foreign Worker Dormitories

Foreign workers complement our local workforce and contribute to our economy. The vast majority of foreign workers is law-abiding and come to Singapore to earn an honest living and support their families back home. The Government understands Singaporeans' concerns over potential disamenities and possible impact on safety and security where there are large congregations of foreign workers, especially near residential estates. There is an inter-agency effort underway to address this issue, with the implementation of various measures to address these concerns. They include providing for workers recreational needs, stepping up the presence of uniformed officers, involving foreign workers themselves in crime prevention, and educating foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms.

First, we require dormitory operators to provide social and recreational amenities within dormitories. We also set aside land near clusters of dormitories for recreation centres for foreign workers. One such centre is the Singapore Contractor Association Ltd (SCAL) Recreation Centre at Soon Lee Road in Jurong. These facilities cater to the workers' recreational and social needs outside of work.

Second, the Government deploys Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers in areas with high concentrations of foreign workers. These officers conduct foot patrols in foreign worker congregation areas to assuage residents' security concerns, help detect and deter crime, enforce against anti-social behaviour, such as spitting and littering, and improve the safety and security of residents living in housing estates close to foreign worker dormitories. Since October 2012, CCTVs were also deployed at 20 foreign worker congregation hotspots to complement the patrols, as a pilot to test the effectiveness of CCTVs in managing congregations.

Third, we involve foreign workers in crime prevention through the Foreign Workers Ambassador Programme. Reliable foreign workers are identified and trained on crime prevention, so that they can share this knowledge with fellow workers. This programme has been implemented in various foreign worker dormitories and was also recently implemented in Nee Soon, where the ambassadors assist to mediate disputes which arise amongst workers, to maintain peace and order in the dormitories. Some foreign workers also volunteer with the Citizens-on-Patrol (COP) groups to spread crime-prevention messages within the foreign worker community. For example, the Toh Guan Patriots is a group of 30 foreign worker volunteers who assist in relaying crime

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prevention messages and advice against anti-social behaviour to other foreign workers in their neighbourhood.

Fourth, the Government educates foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms through regular roadshows and training courses.

The Government will continue to work together with all stakeholders in the community to maintain safety and security, and reduce any social disamenities that may arise in housing estates located near to foreign worker dormitories.