Ch 8 News' report on M'sians working in S'pore will make you question your comfortable life

While we are toasty in bed, these people are already on their way to work.

Mandy How | May 05, 2017, 04:35 PM

Despite the risk of accidents and robberies, about 40,000 motorists commute daily from Johor to Singapore in order to make a living.

Some even wake up around 3 a.m to cross the Causeway to avoid jams, and reach Singapore before dawn.

Most of them take a quick nap on the floors of Old Woodlands Town Centre or drink some tea at a coffee shop before starting their work day.

This was according to Channel 8 News which did a feature on the realities of everyday life Malaysian workers face when they cross the Causeway daily for work.

You can watch the video here:

Here are some snippets shared by the Malaysian workers on the realities of their lives that we've translated:

Mr Huang, 58. Crane operator.

Mr Huang wakes up at 2 a.m. He reaches Singapore around 4 a.m and has some tea in a coffee shop before taking a quick nap.

When asked about why he doesn't work in Malaysia instead, he replies, referring to the currency exchange, "The ratio is 1:3. You can't earn this much in Malaysia."

 

Chen Chang Xin, 22. Technician. 

He identifies himself as "马劳" (Ma Lao: a term which literally translates into "Malaysian labour").

He says while the term does not sound nice, he lives with the stigma to earn a living. In his own words: "There is no choice, you have to lower yourself."

"You need at least 2,000 to 3,000 to survive in KL. Malaysia doesn't pay that well. And if you have a girlfriend that's another expense," he laughs.

 

Hong Tian Fu, 37. Airport Manager.

Hong has been working here for more than a decade in Singapore. When asked why he maintains the routine of traveling in and out of Singapore daily, he said that every day was the same to him, but he hopes to provide a better life for his family and watch his children grow up.

 

Chen Xiang Hai, 28. Beverage Factory Worker.

He tries his best to stay away from large vehicles like lorries and buses (to avoid accidents).

 

Zhen Zhi Yong, 56. Mechanic.

He wishes to strike Toto so he doesn't have to travel back and forth anymore. It's dangerous and the salary isn't that high, either - the cost of living is getting higher in Malaysia.

He also shares that he was "lucky" because there were one or two attempted robberies on him that didn't succeed.

 

Zhang Jian Rong, 56. Construction Worker.

[On accidents] "It's better to not watch the news and pretend nothing happened. I'll just ride my motorcycle a little slower. It's better to be late than to never show up at all. Think of your home, your children and wife."

You can read the full Channel 8 News report here.

 

Here's an article you should check out next:

We cycled through 700 years of Singapore history just to write this article

 

Top image screen shot from Channel 8 News

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