SINGAPORE — A Singapore-based food and beverage (F&B) group has clarified that it was not firing Malaysian workers who chose to stay behind in their country following its nationwide lockdown.

This was after parts of the firm’s employment contract dated March 16 was put up on Twitter. Malaysia’s lockdown was announced at around 10pm on March 16, and would last from March 18 to 31.  

Among other things, the employment contract from the Creative Eateries group — which owns brands such as Siam Kitchen, Eat At Taipei and Suki-ya — stated that employees who were unable to travel to Singapore due to the border controls would have their employment terminated immediately and their work permits cancelled.

However, when contacted on Thursday (March 19), Mrs Bernadette Giam, director of corporate affairs and human resources at Creative Eateries, maintained that the firm had no intention of firing its workers who decided to remain in Malaysia — despite the clause in the contract.

She said that the contract was meant to provide workers with a “time frame for decision making”.

“(This is) so we will not end up in a situation which a lot of companies and workers are in right now,” she said, referring to the mad scramble to find accommodations for Malaysian staff members. “They never had this discussion (with each other) and Malaysia implemented border controls overnight.” 

Earlier, Mrs Giam told TODAY her company had anticipated that some border control measures would be put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19, after the Singapore Government announced on Sunday that people entering Singapore with recent travel history to countries in Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), among other places, would be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice.

She said that employees who commute daily from Malaysia were given two weeks to source for suitable accommodation in Singapore so as to “prepare them for such an eventuality (of a border closure)”, and a majority of them had already made alternative arrangements in Singapore before the lockdown was announced.

She added that "shortly after" the outbreak reached Singapore, the company "pro-actively engaged and (has) continued to regularly communicate" with its Malaysian employees, to "determine if it would be in their interests and those of the company to source for temporary accommodation in Singapore as part of our business continuity plan".

"Creative Eateries was intent on being vigilant should border control be implemented," said Mrs Giam, who stressed that the company has not terminated any of its Malaysian workers.

For its workers who are in Malaysia right now, the company will hold their positions open if they intend to return to Singapore, she said.

TODAY has reached out to the employee who was given the contract but she has yet to respond. TODAY understands that she is a friend of the Twitter user who had put up parts of the contract on social media.

Replying to TODAY’s queries, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower said that the ministry, along with its tripartite partners, have advised businesses to consider alternative work arrangements for their employees in light of the travel restrictions.

These could include allowing their workers to work remotely and, if that is not possible, requiring their staff members to take no-pay leave.

“Employers may assess and decide to hire local replacement workers instead. They should then terminate the incumbent’s services in accordance with contractual commitments,” the spokesperson added.