Critical Analysis of Domestic Worker Condition in Malaysia and Singapore: Ameliorated Economic Condition vs. Gateway to Modern Slavery or Servitude

Abstract: Some Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore have been experiencing economic growth which, in its turn have been stimulating migrant workers, mainly un-skilled, to migrate into those countries. The present paper tries to examine the human rights violations of domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore which are occurring in the form of modern servitude or servitude. Moreover, the paper also tries to elaborate the working conditions of foreign domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore. The present paper is using human rights coupled with intersectionality theories in order to examine whether enacted migration policies in Malaysia and Singapore in relation to migrant workers, though migration policies imposed to domestic workers are aimed to fulfill the national interests, can be regarded as a form of modern slavery or servitude . The present thesis is a case study which is examined by elaborating numerous literatures regarding the working conditions of foreign domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore. The factual conditions of domestic workers in Malaysia and Singapore, namely the conditions and policies concerning the limitation of several rights of domestic workers will be described and analyzed under the human rights coupled with intersectionality perspectives.