Singapore fintech body sidesteps questions on why it supports ferrying workers by lorry

SINGAPORE: The Singapore FinTech Association on Friday (Aug 4) said worker safety was a "complex issue", when asked to respond to criticism over signing a joint statement supporting the practice of transporting workers on the back of lorries.

“Ensuring the safety of workers across Singapore is paramount. This is a complex issue that requires a long-term solution driven by collective effort across both public and business sectors," said a spokesperson for the association.

It did not answer questions from CNA, including on how it came to sign the statement, whether its members were consulted and whether members had related interests in the issue.

The association says on its website that its goal is to promote engagement in the financial technology ecosystem through events, membership programmes and knowledge sharing. It has more than 800 corporate members and more than 1,000 industry professionals in its network.

It was among 25 business groups that issued the statement on Tuesday. They include the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Singapore Contractors Association Limited.

After the statement was published, the business associations and the fintech body drew significant flak online.

A widely shared post by Ms Tasha Enright asked the fintech association to "kindly explain why you have taken a position against banning lorries to transport foreign workers due to a total disregard for their safety and lives - a labour issue you have no skin in the game for".

Former association member Zheng Huifen posted on the LinkedIn networking platform that she was "shocked and saddened" by its signing of the statement.

She said she had resigned her membership in protest, and wrote that she would not renew it unless the association rescinded its signature or provided "a good justification for this action".

When contacted by CNA, Ms Zheng said: "I completely disagree with the practice of ferrying people on lorries, which is a dehumanising and discriminatory practice which treats people like mere tools without regard for their safety or dignity, and I can not be a member of an association which actively supports such activity.

"Even more so when I don't see how the fintech sector is directly affected by a proposed ban of this practice, which seems to show that the (Singapore FinTech Association) is not in compliance with its mandate of representing Singapore's fintech sector."

The fast-growing fintech sector mainly deals with using technology to support and enable banking and financial services.

The issue has been controversial for many years, resurfacing in public discourse each time workers are injured by traffic accidents while sitting in the back of lorries.

Another accident in July had led to activists calling once again for a ban on the practice. On Jul 24, more than 40 groups, businesses and individuals urged the government to provide a timeline towards banning the practice.

The Tuesday statement was a response to this, with businesses claiming that limited infrastructure and economic realities meant that it was necessary to continue to transport workers on lorries.

The issue was debated again in parliament on Wednesday, with Member of Parliament Louis Ng and other MPs raising questions about the safety of workers transported by lorries.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said the government has introduced a suite of safety measures for workers, such as requiring lorries to be installed with a canopy. The number of fatalities and injuries has fallen over the years, she added.

"The government recognises that it is not ideal for workers to be transported on lorries," she said. "But we also understand the genuine concerns of businesses."