SG fintech body criticized for stance about lorry ban on transporting workers

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The Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) is facing criticism after raising concerns about the move to ban lorries transporting foreign workers in Singapore.

The call for a ban came after an accident hospitalized 26 people in July this year. This follows several accidents over the past few years, including the deaths of two workers in 2021.

SFA is one of 25 business groups in Singapore that signed a joint statement earlier this week. They warned that “operational complexities” and worse traffic jams would arise if moving workers in lorries were to be barred. The group said, however, that it is committed to working with the Singapore government to help bolster worker safety.

SFA is a cross-industry, non-profit initiative intended to promote collaboration among members in the fintech ecosystem.

Tasha Enright, a mentor at online community platform Tech For She, questioned SFA’s decision in a LinkedIn post, saying that the organization has “no clear connection to the policy.”

However, a spokesperson from SFA told Tech in Asia that the safety of Singapore’s workers is still a top priority. “This is a complex issue that requires a long-term solution driven by collective effort across both public and business sectors,” the person added.

Huifen Zheng, a veteran in the financial industry, said she has resigned from SFA in protest.

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