Written Answer to PQ on Transport of migrant workers at dormitories

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2344 OF 2023 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 6 NOV 2023
QUESTION NO. 5375 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Ms He Ting Ru

To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry works with the Land Transport Authority on planning for the transport of migrant workers at dormitories; and (b) whether it regulates dormitory operators on monitoring of shuttle transport waiting times and adequacy.

Answer:

1. Dormitory operators are only required by the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act (FEDA) to ensure that migrant workers have access to adequate dedicated transport to their workplaces if they do not walk, cycle or have transport provided by their employers. For non-work travels, migrant workers would usually use public transport. While not required under FEDA, some larger dormitory operators may also supplement this with shuttle services to public transport nodes on their own accord.

2. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not require such dormitory operators to monitor the waiting times of their shuttle services provided on a voluntary basis, but if there are areas not sufficiently served by existing transport services, dormitory residents are advised to inform MOM through the Forward Assurance and Support Team (FAST) on the ground or FWMOMCare mobile app. MOM will work with the Land Transport Authority and the relevant dormitory operators to improve the transport situation accordingly.