KUCHING: Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan says he will meet with officials from Singapore to discuss its ruling that bars native males from Sabah and Sarawak below 35 from working in the republic.
But prior to that Mawan said he would first talk with the various Sarawakian associations in Johor Bahru to know the real situation before leading a team to Singapore to seek a solution to the banning issue.
“I would like to hear their (Singapore) side of the story; what had gone wrong and see whether we could find a situation. We appeal to the Singapore government to be more sympathetic to this young group of people who are not guilty of any wrongdoing,” Mawan, who is also Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party president, told a press conference during a media appreciation night here Tuesday.
He estimated that about one third of some 30,000 to 40,000 people of Dayak origin living in Johor Bahru were working in Singapore.
Mawan also advised those affected by the ban to come back home and apply their skills at industries within Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
“People in the 35 and below bracket are strong people who can work hard and be more productive. It is most unfortunate that they are now banned from working in Singapore. My advice to them is that they should bring their skills to work in SCORE. I am sure they can find jobs here.”
Mawan hoped that this incident would serve as a lesson to Sarawakians working abroad to be more disciplined, respectful and adapt to the foreign environment. He said that Singapore, being a strict nation, was not to blame for the ruling as it was looking in the best interest of its people.
Although the ruling that native males from Sabah and Sarawak 35 years and below are barred from working in Singapore has not been made official by Singapore’s Manpower Ministry, all work permit applications by native men from Sarawak and Sabah below the age of 35 have been automatically rejected.
It is understood that several high profile murders involving Sarawakians and Sabahans at Ang Mo Kio Avenue, Kallang and Geylang in recent years have contributed towards the implementation of the new ruling.