Company director charged with taking kickbacks from foreign workers
A company director has been charged with multiple employment offences, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement yesterday.
A total of 66 charges have been levied against Chen Shiqi, a 54-year-old director of San Tong Engineering, the statement said.
These include collecting kickbacks from foreign workers employed by the company, making false declaration of salaries during the work pass application process, illegally employing foreign workers, and failing to pay salaries to employees.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb 4.
The ministry said investigations against Chen were prompted by complaints to MOM lodged by foreign workers of the company in relation to salary disputes.
Checks showed that Chen allegedly demanded money from foreign employees for them to be considered for jobs at San Tong Engineering.
He is also accused of employing foreign workers illegally after their work permits had been revoked.
Those found guilty of employing a foreign worker without a valid work pass can be fined between $5,000 and $30,000, jailed for up to a year, or both.
Making a false statement or providing false information in any application or renewal of a work pass also carries with it a fine of up to $20,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both.
Receiving money in connection with the employment of a foreign employee is punishable with a fine of up to $30,000, jail of up to two years, or both.
An employer who fails to pay his workers' salary can be fined between $3,000 and $15,000, jailed up to six months, or both.
The MOM urged members of the public who have information on cases of employment violations to report to the ministry via its website or call 6438-5122.
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