Singapore Economy Forces Burmese Home

By SAW YAN NAING

Hundreds of Burmese migrant workers in Singapore have returned home due to the impact of the economic downturn, according to Burmese workers.

A Burmese staffer at the Singapore airport said many migrant workers are returning to Burma because of the fall off in business, while others are not able to find a job, including engineers and technicians.

Some employers also have reduced monthly salaries while others have given employees long-term leave. Some employers have warned they may have to close down their companies, said the source.

On Monday, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said Singapore exports fell 15 percent to 13.4 billion Singapore dollars compared to the same period last year as consumer demand from European countries and the US forced cutbacks, said an Associated Press report.

Exports fell 7.4 percent in October from the previous month, the report said.
The export down turn was led by non-electronic goods, which decreased 16 percent in October. Also, electronic goods, including disk drives, chips and telecommunications equipment, fell 15 percent, said the report.
An analyst with Citigroup, Kit Wei Zheng, was quoted as saying, “We maintain our view that the global slowdown will continue to drag the Singapore economy into a recession in the next 6 to12 months.”
Citigroup itself will likely cut an estimated 300 jobs in Singapore, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

The cut is a part of the layoff of 52,000 employees by early 2009 with the aim of helping the US bank’s global recovery plan, said the report. There are an estimated 9,000 Citigroup employees in Singapore.

Burmese sources in Singapore said Burmese employees who work in bank companies and construction sites are the most affected by the current downturn.

Some Burmese job seekers have returned home without getting a job while others are holding on in Singapore in the hope of finding work.

A Burmese engineer said, “It is impossible to get a job in Singapore now. I want to tell people in Burma not to come here at this time to try to find a job.”

Despite the economic downturn, some Burmese migrants continue to arrive in search of work.

Moe Oo, a Burmese technician, said, “One of my friends borrowed money with double repayment, and another one pawned his home and garden to come here. Both of them haven’t found a job yet, and they’ll have to return Burma soon.”

There are an estimated 40,000 Burmese migrant workers in Singapore.