Pope Francis on Thursday urged political leaders in Singapore, a leading global financial hub, to seek fair wages for the country’s million-plus lower-paid foreign workers.
In likely the last major speech of an ambitious 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania, the 87-year-old pontiff singled out concern for Singapore’s rapidly ageing population and its migrant workforce, primarily centred in the construction and domestic services industries.
“I hope that special attention will be paid to the poor and the elderly … as well as to protecting the dignity of migrant workers,” said the pope, in an address to about 1,000 politicians and civil and religious leaders at the National University of Singapore.
“These workers contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage,” he said.
There were 1.1 million foreigners on work permits in Singapore who earned less than S$3,000 ($2,300) per month as at December 2023, including 286,300 domestic workers and 441,100 workers in the construction, shipyard and process sectors, government data shows.
Many of the migrant workers come from nearby countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Bangladesh and India.
Francis’ speech came after private meetings with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the country’s parliament building, where the pope was greeted with a formal honour guard and the playing of the Vatican anthem.
He was also presented with a white orchid plant, a new hybrid that was named in his honour. (Reuters)
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