The point of subcontracting is to contain cost so they can be laid off quickly if the business side is not performing. Otherwise these contractors wouldn't even have their jobs which is basically the replacement jobs of employees cut in US and UK and then mass hired from contractors in India into Singapore. If they just went to the market and hired, I would think it is difficult to hire 3000 people from a foreign country in 2 years time rather than from a contracting firm. Just my opinion, but I wouldn't really know this.