... More than 40 organisations and individuals, including migrant worker welfare groups, are asking the Government for a timeline to ban the use of lorries for ferrying workers and to make it compulsory for vehicles transporting people to have passenger seats and seat belts.

This renewed push for safer transport for these workers comes after 37 people – including migrant workers – were injured in two accidents involving lorries …

The statement … was co-signed by groups and individuals such as the Covid-19 Migrant Support Coalition, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, and former Nominated MPs Anthea Ong and Kok Heng Luen.

“While we appreciate efforts from the Government to improve the safety of workers during transportation, these recent tragic incidents have highlighted the continued grave risks posed by transporting migrant workers on lorries,” said the statement…

The groups called on the Ministry of Transport to remove the exception in the Road Traffic Act that allows for workers to be transported in lorries…

Under the Act, passengers cannot travel in the back of lorries unless those being ferried are employed by the vehicle owner or hirer…