Free legal assistance is now available for migrant workers looking proper legal consultation and representation in court.
The MWC and the Pro Bono Services Office of The Law Society of Singapore have set up a centre that provides free legal counseling services for migrant workers.
'Based on a few incidents, we have realised that many of them are not quite aware of their legal rights and our legal procedures. Whenever they have problems, some of them take matters into their own hands,' said Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) Chairman Yeo Guat Kwang.
The help-centre, launched on 22 September 2013 and strategically located in Geylang next to the Aljunied MRT station, aims to serve a large number of mainland Chinese migrants who live and gather around that area.
Initially, these free legal clinics are scheduled by the MWC staff once a month but would be sensitive enough to adjust to the demand.
'For our Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, this is where we will actually assign a defence counsel to represent them for free in court,' said Lim Tanguy, The Law Society's Director of Pro Bono Services.
MWC staff fluent in the migrant-worker native languages will be present to provide interpretation services for migrant workers who come for free legal advice.
Help channels within the Geylang vicinity also include Healthserve, an NGO specialising in medical care and the Geylang Food Project, a soup kitchen jointly run by MWC and Healthserve.
During the event, Mr Yeo also revealed that the current MWC premises in Rangoon Road will move to Serangoon Road in 2014 to further boost its services in reaching out and helping migrant workers.
Original article written by Nicholas Lee, and can be found in NTUC This Week (27 September 2013)
