A great majority of Singaporeans received their S$600 Solidarity Payment each from the government on Apr. 14.

The timely cash payment, initially scheduled to be disbursed at a later date, was brought forward, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat as part of the Solidarity Budget on Apr. 6.

In response to the payout, Singapore Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh took to Facebook on the day the money was in the bank, to call on his fellow Singaporeans to donate the S$600 if they do not need the money.

Appeals for those who don't need it to donate

In a video message, Koh recognised that many Singaporeans need the payout to help tide them through the Covid-19 crisis.

He appealed to Singaporeans who do not need the money to consider donating the money to a charity or non-governmental organisation (NGO) that they care about.

He shared that he is planning to donate his S$600 to a non-governmental organisation for foreign workers.

In a reply to a Facebook comment, Koh highlighted HOME (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics), HealthServe, and TWC2 (Transient Workers Count Too).

His full message is below:

"Fellow Singaporeans, on the 14th of April, the government will be sending each of us a check for the sum of S$600. Many people in Singapore need this to help them go through this great criss.

But for those of us who don't need the money, I want to make an appeal to donate this money to a charity or non-governmental organisation that's close to your heart.

I know what I'm going to do with the money. I will donate my S$600 to one of the NGOs helping our foreign workers.

Thank you very much."

You can see his Facebook post here:

The way Singapore treats foreign workers is "Third World"

Koh previously took to Facebook on Apr. 6 to express his thoughts about the number of Covid-19 cases linked to clusters at dormitories housing foreign workers.

He also criticised the transporting of foreign workers in flatbed lorries and dormitory conditions.

"The way Singapore treats its foreign workers is not First World but Third World," he wrote, calling the dormitories "a time bomb waiting to explode".

He added:

"Singapore should treat this as a wake up call to treat our indispensable foreign workers like a First World country should and not in the disgraceful way in which they are treated now."

You can see his full post here:

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Top photos via Facebook / Tommy Koh and courtesy of HealthServe.