THE OFFENCES
Between 2009 and 2019, the three companies submitted 111 false salary declarations to MOM in the course of applying for or renewing work permits and S Passes.
“Haja and Chew carried out the submission of work pass applications and renewals for the three companies,” the ministry said.
“Under Parvis and Jinna’s directions, Haja and Chew inflated the monthly salaries of various foreign employees, which were determined based on the prevailing requirements for a work permit or S Pass to be issued.
“The employees’ declared salaries were credited into their bank accounts. Thereafter, the employees were told to return the difference between their declared monthly salaries and their actual salaries in cash to Haja or Chew.”
By doing this, the companies were able to hire more foreign employees than they would otherwise have qualified for, MOM added.
Between 2015 and 2019, Mini Environment Service also submitted 18 false employment declarations to MOM.
“Under Parvis and Jinna’s directions, Haja and Chew declared Mini Environment Service to be the official employer of the foreign employees named in the declarations,” the ministry said.
“These foreign employees were, however, illegally deployed to work at MES Logistics or Labourtel without valid work passes and undertook different job scopes than what was declared.
“This allowed the companies to circumvent the work pass quotas that were imposed on each of them.”
In March and April 2019, Mini Environment Service made its employees work overtime beyond the permitted limit of 72 hours per month as stipulated under the Employment Act.
The divisional director of MOM’s Foreign Manpower Management Division Adrian Quek said: “The MES Group had failed to protect its employees’ well-being by illegally deploying them and subjecting them to overtime work beyond the legal limit,” he said.
“Furthermore, the group had egregiously circumvented our work pass controls, gaining an unfair commercial advantage over other companies.
“MOM will continue to take firm action against companies that contravene our laws.”
Those found guilty of making a false statement or providing false information in any application or renewal of a work pass face a fine of up to S$20,000, jail of up to two years, or both.
They will also be barred from employing new foreign workers and renewing the permits of existing foreign workers.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, those found guilty of illegal employment can face a fine of between S$5,000 and S$30,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.
Those convicted of offences involving excessive overtime face a fine of up to S$5,000. Repeat offenders may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.