Foreign workers imprisoned for providing false information
Thu, Apr 23, 2009
AsiaOne
TWENTY-NINE foreign workers were sentenced to two weeks imprisonment for providing false information to officers from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The workers from three companies: San's Marine Engineering, Han's Marine Pte Ltd and K7 Engineering Pte Ltd.
In late Sep 2008, the workers had given statements to Employment Inspectors that they were illegally deployed as construction workers and HDB conservancy cleaners. They also claimed they have not been paid their salaries.
MOM's investigations found their complaints to be unfounded.
The companies had valid work contracts with the shipyards, although there were intermittent periods during which some workers were not deployed to work.
The workers later admitted to furnishing false information to Employment Inspectors in the hope of receiving Special Passes to enable them to continue to remain in Singapore.
"The accused persons cynically abused the investigation process.
"We will not hesitate to prosecute false claimants," said Mr Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division.
The penalty for providing false information to an employment inspector is punishable with a fine of up to $15,000, 12 months' jail or both.
