CII-IBF leads SG$159,000 donation for migrant workers
A CII-IBF survey in April revealed that the Indian Companies here remain resolute and confident in Singapore and appreciate the Government’s proactive steps taken on the economic side.
The companies, led by heavyweights operating here for decades, have shown solidarity with the government and people of Singapore.
The survey findings were shared during a webinar by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Business Forum (IBF) representing companies in Singapore on 22 June 2020 when a donation of SG$159,000 was presented to support the COVID-19 hit migrant workers.
Addressing the webinar, Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, stressed the need for strengthening Singapore’s social compact and safety nets.
She also invited members of CII-IBF to take part in the SG Together initiatives especially SG Jobs United given their focus and expertise across the sectors.
IBF members can also come on board as “Digital Ambassadors” to help boost the digitization efforts of the government by creating more jobs conducting traineeships etc.
Rajah thanked corporate constituents for coming together to help in time of need as she received an e-cheque of SGD159,000 for the migrant workers facing hardship especially caused by the pandemic.
Jawed Ashraf, High Commissioner of India to Singapore applauded the Indian companies in for coming forward always to fulfill their social responsibility and for their commitment to sustain and create jobs, and support digitalisation, in Singapore.
“I am delighted that Indian companies based in Singapore, operating through CII-IBF, have come together to contribute to the Migrant Workers Assistance Fund.
“This is a gesture of gratitude to Singapore for the support that the Government and people of Singapore have given to businesses in Singapore and the exemplary manner in which they have looked after the welfare of migrant workers during the pandemic,” said the envoy.
An estimated 9,000 Indian companies operate out of Singapore into the Asian Pacific markets, with some having global headquarters and the others with traditional links going back to more than 70 years.
The SG$159,000 donation to the Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund (MWAF) is channelized through the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC), a government-supported NGO. The migrant workers, largely from India and South Asia, have been majorly impacted due to Covid19, facing financial difficulties, said the CII-IBF in a joint statement.
MWC Chairman Yeo Guat Kwang, Chairman, Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) “We greatly appreciate CII Singapore and IBF for their efforts to raise funds to help the migrant workers’ community in Singapore.
“As a champion for fair employment and the well-being of our migrant brothers and sisters in Singapore, we are happy to see the various sectors in our community coming together to show care and concern to our migrant workers’ community, and standing by them during this battle against the Covid-19 virus.”
“It is indeed heartening – Indian corporates contributed wholeheartedly, to the Singapore community, in which we live and work, during this crisis, while the parent organisations are still faced with significant challenges back home,” commended K V Rao Chairman of CII IBF & Resident Director (ASEAN), Tata Sons Pte Ltd. Fiinews.com
CII-IBF said it is working with the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA), which is facilitating and promoting donations for the workers’ cause. This contribution forms part of a larger corpus that SINDA is facilitating.
“Covid-19 has brought a lot of uncertainties to individuals and organisations around the world. Albeit it has created distances physically, but brought us closer emotionally,” said Kishore Kumar Poludasu, Country Head of the State Bank of India in Singapore.
“We are happy to be of some help to our worker’s community in Singapore during these tough times. We also take this opportunity to thank and appreciate efforts put in by CII in co-ordinating for the noble cause.” As rightly said, “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world”; we therefore appeal everyone to play their part in restoring faith in humanity during this unprecedented crisis,” he said. fiinews.com
