No extra points for grassroots volunteers: ICA

 
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) says that foreigners who volunteer with grassroots organisations do not get extra points in their application for permanent residency or citizenship.
While the ICA did not refer specifically to the case of Chinese national and Singapore permanent resident, Mr Yang Yin, it was revealed in recent weeks that the latter was a volunteer with the Jalan Kayu grassroots in Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Mr Yang is currently under investigation by the ICA for possible infringements in his PR application.
Mr Yang is believed to have been granted his permanent residency in or sometime after 2011.
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Intan Azura Mokhtar, had confirmed last week that Mr Yang was a member of the grassroots but that he was “only an ordinary member” who “did not hold a key position”.
It later emerged that Mr Yang was a member of the Jalan Kayu Integration and Naturalisation Champions (INC) committee.
However, Dr Intan insisted on Friday that she considered all grassroots volunteers as “grassroots leaders”, giving rise to further questions if she was accurate in believing this to be so. (See here.)
Separately, the Office of Public Guardian (OPG) has revealed that it filed a report with the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) last wednesday over “possible financial abuse” by Mr Yang.
Mr Yang had been granted the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) by Mdm Chung in 2012 which gave him control over her assets which is reported to be worth between $40m to $50m.
Two months after he was given the LPA by Mdm Chung, Mr Yang boasted on Chinese social media website, Weibo: “Let my cash vault grow towards $50 million!”
The CAD report was made on the same day that Mr Yang was arrested by the police for alleged criminal breach of trust.
He is also currently facing a legal battle with the niece of Mdm Chung to revoke his LPA.
On Thursday, Mdm Chung herself filed an application with the OPG to withdraw the LPA as well. The OPG says it is looking into the application.
Mr Yang is also facing another police report filed by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) which says that Mr Yang had falsely claimed to have been a director with them.