by Desmond Ng

EARN good money as an illegal worker, then surrender, suffer jail and caning, and go home better off.

This is the game plan of China national Ah Yong, 39.

He has been lying low here for the last eight years and taking any illegal work that comes his way.

So far, Ah Yong has earned over $80,000 here.

But he has had enough.

He didn't want to reveal his full name. But he said he is mentally prepared to surrender to the authorities soon.

Ah Yong knows that surrender will mean up to six months behind bars with at least three strokes of the cane for the offence of overstaying.

But he has had enough of hiding from the authorities, of pining for his kin in China and of the harsh existence of an overstayer.

Said Ah Yong in Mandarin: "I have had it with running and hiding.

"Though I have been lucky not to have been caught so far, I don't want to live like this any more. I miss my family and I miss home."

This change of heart has partly to do with the death of his friend ? another overstayer who had spent 12 years here apart from his family.

He died while under remand after having surrendered to the authorities.

These men are part of an invisible workforce that live underground in Singapore.

About 4,800 overstayers were arrested by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) last year.

Before he left China, Ah Yong, a Fujian native, was earning $200 a month as an odd-job labourer. He was supporting his wife, 31, daughter, 10 and son, 9.

He said: "It was a stressful time. We couldn't save much money with my low pay. And I had to think about sending my children to school and supporting my parents too."

Lured by the prospect of higher pay, Ah Yong, who has only a secondary two-level education, decided to take a risk by coming here to work illegally.

He paid about 20,800 yuan ($5,400) to finance his trip here, with half that amount borrowed from relatives and friends.

That sum went towards paying for his air ticket and agent fees.

He came here on a social visit pass.

Ah Yong didn't apply for a work permit because he didn't meet the education requirements here, which is at least a high school education.

He began as an apprentice learning the ropes.

"The hours were long and I was trying to adapt to the culture here. I was homesick and missed my country," he said.

He did electrical works for construction projects, earning about $1,000 a month ? five times what he used to earn in China.

He remitted about half that amount back home every month while keeping the rest for his living expenses here.

About $100 went towards his monthly rent, another $100 for transport, about $30 for telephone bills and the rest for his meals.

"I can't really save much, so I try to spend as little as possible. I usually cook breakfast and dinner at home because it's cheaper. For lunch, I eat out because I'm at the construction site," he said.

Meat is a luxury

Home-cooked meals usually consist of a large portion of rice with a vegetable dish and soup. Meat dishes are reserved for rare occasions when he feels like splurging.

Home here is a two-room HDB flat which he shares with about 15 people ? usually from the same province. They split the costs of the ingredients for shared meals.

Said Ah Yong: "Those from the same province stay together because our eating habits and lifestyles are similar.

"And we do get along better and we will take care of each other like brothers."

He said he has moved about 10 times in eight years, usually to avoid the authorities.

He gets work mainly through referrals from friends. He works at small sites where no one asks for his work permits, he said.

He starts work around 8am and is usually done by about 7pm.

But work can be irregular because without a work permit, construction sites that are more strict are off-limits.

He has gone without a job for about seven months. That was five years ago when the construction industry was in the doldrums.

He didn't surrender to the authorities then because his debt was not fully paid up yet.

Ah Yong said he survived on his meagre savings and on money borrowed from friends. He was also sick during that period, which meant he wasn't able to work even if he wanted to.

That was when another pitfall of living underground hit him ? he couldn't go to the doctor when he was ill.

He needs to show his work permit if he turns up at a hospital or clinic for medical consultation.

"So, we have to self-medicate and take care of ourselves if we're sick. This means going to the pharmacy to buy over-the-counter tablets," he said. "I know of some friends whose health has really deteriorated over the years while working here."

Once he had a stroke of luck, when he struck 4-D and won $1,000.

He also credits luck for evading the long arm of the law.

He said he reduces the risk of capture by not staying out late and keeping out of trouble.

Even EZ-Link cards and prepaid SIM cards need to be registered by someone with an identity card or a work permit. He got a friend to register on his behalf.

Ah Yong had a close shave this year when asked for his work permit at a construction site. "I just told the officer that I left my work permit at home. It was such a close call," he said.

His rewards for all his years of working here are a gold-ring, a Titus-branded watch and a handphone.

Each of these items cost less than $200.

Today, he earns about $1,600 a month, as he is now a supervisor who takes care of about 20 to 40 workers.

He said he had managed to pay off his debts in his fifth year here but claimed his savings consist of only a few hundred dollars now.

While his family back home are living comfortably on his income, he regrets not being there to watch his kids grow up.

"I've had enough. I don't want to run any more. If something happens to me, my children will never know their father," he mumbled, trying to hold back his tears.

Another overstayer, who wanted to be known only as Mr Chen, has been here for five years without the proper papers.

The 36-year-old is married with a daughter, 15, and son, 9. His wife is also 36.

Said Mr Chen in Mandarin: "Yes, the pay is good but it is tiring hiding from the law and not being able to see our families for years.

"Once I have earned enough, I will give myself up."

This article was first published in The New Paper on August 18, 2008.