FOREIGN DOMESTIC MAIDS (Psychological evaluation)

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Chiam See Tong -

Mr Chiam See Tong: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he will make it a requirement for all foreign maids to undergo a psychological evaluation before they can be given work permits in view of the reported deaths and other tragedies involving foreign maids.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Question No. 21, Sir.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, currently, all foreign domestic workers must undergo a full medical examination before they are issued with a Work Permit. The medical examination includes a section on the foreign domestic worker's mental history. If the examining doctor feels that the foreign domestic worker is not mentally stable, the foreign domestic worker will not be cleared for employment. The Work Permit Department does, from time to time, reject applications from foreign domestic workers who have a history of mental illness, although the number of such cases is not large. The vast majority of foreign domestic workers are normal healthy persons.

Hence requiring a psychological evaluation may not be effective in preventing tragedies involving foreign domestic workers. Typically, foreign domestic workers, who exhibit abnormal behaviour, do so as a result of work related stresses or news of unpleasant events from home. The reported cases of foreign domestic workers, who were suicidal or who inflicted harm on a member of the employer's household, were normal when they first arrived in Singapore. It is doubtful whether psychological evaluation would have prevented these tragedies.

Foreign domestic workers work and stay with their employers. Hence, employers are responsible for helping the foreign domestic workers to cope and adapt to their new working and living environment. Some foreign domestic workers may need more time to adjust to the new social and cultural environment than others. Employers should therefore be more sensitive to foreign domestic workers' adaptability and not subject them to unnecessary work pressures especially at the beginning of their employment in Singapore. Employers should also show more understanding and concern if they detect that their foreign domestic workers are emotionally upset, especially after receiving letters from home. Generally, employers who treat their foreign domestic workers well and are genuinely concerned with the welfare and interest of their foreign domestic workers are more likely to enjoy a happy and productive relationship with the foreign domestic workers.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, does the Minister see the need to require foreign domestic workers after they have arrived here to also include a psychological evaluation in their subsequent medical examination?

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not feel the need for it because, as I said, if the employer observes that the foreign domestic worker is psychologically unstable or not adjusting well, they would know what to do, ie, make a proper arrangement either to repatriate the person who is not well or who is obviously unfit to work and live in the Singapore environment. The employer has every opportunity to do so already.