In a media release by Ministry of Manpower on Thursday (July 21), The Executive Director of local fashion house, Yen’s Studio Pte Ltd, Yen Ser Ming, was sentenced to a fine for $72,000 in default 18 months imprisonment and the company was barred from hiring any foreign employees.
Ms Yen, who is now 61-year-old, pleaded guilty to 9 charges. She submitted a falsely declaration relating to the company’s foreign employees’ salaries in a work pass application. She also abetted the submission of the same false declarations to MOM in their subsequent renewal applications.
There are another 18 charges were taken into consideration.
In an extensive investigation, it was revealed that Yen had falsely declared the salaries of nine foreign employees to meet the minimum standard of the MOM to apply and renew S Passes between December 2010 and June 2013. Yen also falsely declared the salaries to renew S Passes of the same nine foreign employees in between October 2013 and October 2015. She also applied for two additional employees using the false declaration during the period of time.
The employees were paid through GIRO. They received the salaries of between $1,800 and $2,600 monthly. But they were asked to return the money to the company amounts of between $500 and $1,300 in cash.
Yen provided false information to the Controller of Work Passes. There were 27 S Pass applications (11 new applications and 16 renewal applications) were approved and the Passes were issued to the foreign employees.
Mr Kandhavel Periyasamy, Director of Employment Inspectorate of MOM’s Foreign Manpower Management Division, said, “Falsifying salary information to mislead the Ministry to grant S Passes and Employment Passes is a serious offence. We will take stern action against persons or companies, including barring them from applying for new work passes and renewing their existing work passes.”
According to MOM, a total of 58 employers have been convicted for false declaration of salary offenses. Companies must make accurate, complete, and truthful declarations to the Controller in their work pass applications. The making of false declarations to the Controller is a serious offence. Upon conviction, employers can be fined up to $20,000 per charge and/or jailed for up to two years under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA). They will also be barred from employing new foreign workers and renewing their permits of their existing foreign workers.
MOM also asked any members of the public who know of persons or employers who contravene the EFMA should report the matter to MOM at Tel: (65) 6438 5122 or email [email protected]. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
