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Viewing cable 06SINGAPORE1144, AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER FOR MANPOWER

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06SINGAPORE1144 2006-04-10 09:22 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Singapore
VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGP #1144 1000922
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 100922Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9505
UNCLAS SINGAPORE 001144 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL ELAB MARR ECON PHUM KCRM SN
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER FOR MANPOWER 
AND SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE NG ENG HEN 
 
 
1. Summary. Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for 
Defence Ng Eng Hen expressed his satisfaction with the 
deepening bilateral ties between the U.S. and Singapore, and 
highlighted our excellent military cooperation in a March 22 
courtesy call with Ambassador Herbold.  Minister Ng also 
discussed the challenges of managing an aging domestic 
workforce and a growing foreign labor pool, including the 
need to improve protections for foreign maids. End Summary. 
 
Bilateral Defense Cooperation 
----------------------------- 
 
2.  Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Defence Ng 
Eng Hen told Ambassador Herbold on March 22 that he highly 
valued the close relationship between the United States and 
Singapore, noting that we see eye-to-eye on many issues and 
cooperate very well on defense issues in particular.  He 
stated that Singapore greatly appreciates the United States' 
actions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and said that Singapore 
was glad to contribute to those efforts in "some small way." 
 
3.  Ambassador Herbold thanked Singapore for its support in 
Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that our close defense 
relationship has been helpful in other ways as well.  She 
thanked Minister Ng for Singapore's deployment of helicopters 
to support the Katrina rescue and recovery effort, and 
pointed to the good work the United States and Singapore had 
done cooperating on tsunami relief.  Ng responded that, for 
the Singaporean officers in Texas, it had seemed "natural" to 
become involved in the Katrina relief efforts, and they were 
"honored and thrilled" to make an important contribution.  He 
noted that both Katrina and the tsunami gave Singapore troops 
the opportunity to work closely with U.S. troops in a real 
operation, which is invaluable experience. 
 
Labor Issues 
------------ 
 
4. The Ambassador inquired about Singapore's recent efforts 
at job redesign and retraining aimed at helping older and 
lower-skilled workers stay in the workforce.  Ng said that 
"job redesign" was a worthwhile attempt, but ultimately it 
would not solve the structural unemployment problem. 
Singaporeans cannot compete with Vietnamese or Chinese 
workers, so Singapore cannot over-rely on labor-intensive 
industries.  The GOS therefore is concentrating on educating 
and training its workforce for service and high-tech 
industries, and will continue to rely on foreign talent to 
fill in the gaps.  The Ambassador remarked that Singapore's 
management of its foreign worker population certainly did 
reduce illegal immigration.  Ng agreed, but noted that 
Singapore's "draconian" regulations make it unpopular.  For 
example, European countries have pushed Singapore to grant 
citizenship to anyone who works here for over five years -- 
something Singapore, as a country of four million surrounded 
by a billion poor, low-wage workers, "absolutely could not 
do," he said. 
 
5.  At the same time, however, Singapore has taken a hard 
line on abuse and exploitation: if an employer mistreats his 
workers, he will be punished, Ng said.  Singapore could do 
better in some areas such as housing and safety for foreign 
workers, he conceded.  While the GOS currently sets health 
and safety standards for housing, he said, the Ministry of 
Manpower (MOM) ultimately wants all foreign workers to live 
in dormitories with good boarding and recreational 
facilities.  The Ambassador asked about treatment of maids, 
which continues to receive press attention.  Ng argued that 
Singapore does not need a new law to deal with abuse of 
domestic workers -- maids need to better understand their 
rights under existing law and how to seek redress by going to 
the authorities.  Hence, the GOS has concentrated on public 
outreach and education to make maids aware of their rights 
and the resources available to them.  Ng acknowledged that 
Singapore is not up to the standards of other developed 
countries, and said it would introduce still more protection. 
 He did not think Singapore has very large numbers of 
unreported abuse cases. 
 
6.  Ng said that the government had decided that legislating 
a rest day for maids would not be productive.  First, the 
Singapore government is loath to interfere with individuals 
entering into private contracts, Ng said.  Second, the 
government believes that the current public debate on the 
issue is forcing people to realize for themselves that a day 
off is necessary, and that encouraging this process will 
ultimately be more effective than passing a 
difficult-to-enforce law. 
 
HERBOLD