Singapore netizens hail SMRT and SBS Transit's Malaysian staff for continuing to work here

For the over 100,000 or so Malaysians travelling to and from Singapore for work, a viral outbreak-induced lockdown in their home country poses a conundrum. 

Do they remain in Malaysia and hunker down quietly at home, possibly enduring two weeks of unpaid leave? Or do they continue earning their household income in Singapore, staying apart from their loved ones until the lockdown blows over? 

It’s a hard sacrifice, but these Malaysians who work in the public transport sector here have decided that the work must continue. After all, they make up a decent chunk of the workforce that keep the buses and trains running in Singapore. 

In an appreciative Facebook post last night (March 17), SBS Transit hailed its Malaysian bus captains and rail staff for agreeing to stay put in Singapore to work. And the Malaysian staff are being put up in pretty snazzy accommodations too — the company has secured temporary lodgings at several hotels ahead for the workers. 

SBS Transit has also assured that its Malaysian bus captains won’t be made to sleep on recliner chairs in bus depots as reported by The Online Citizen yesterday. 

Similarly, the Malaysians who work under SMRT are given the same esteem for their selflessness.

With the national lockdown kicking in this morning, Malaysians are currently barred from travelling abroad, while tourists and visitors are prohibited from entering Malaysia. The lockdown is expected to last through March 31, when Malaysians — including the public transport workers — should be free to return home without undergoing a 14-day self-quarantine. 

Their sacrifice to keep the trains and buses running in Singapore is not lost on Singaporeans, who’ve since flooded Facebook with hundreds of grateful comments and appreciative messages. 

A decent number of bus captains and technicians are Malaysians who commute from Johor to work in Singapore, according to Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan. 

“The public transport operators (SBS Transit, SMRT, Tower Transit Singapore, Go Ahead Singapore), with the assistance of [National Transport Workers’ Union] and [Land Transport Authority], had secured sufficient hotel accommodation for all our Malaysian Bus Captains who wish to continue to work and stay in Singapore,” he assured in a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon. 

“Train and bus service will not be too much affected, though there may be slight degradation of some bus services.” 

ilyas@asiaone.com