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16 Months' Jail and $35,000 Fine for Night Club Boss

Foreign manpower

Convicted of illegally importing foreign workers, collecting kickbacks and instigating another to make false declarations to MOM

  1. Out of the 39 charges1, 11 charges were for obtaining work passes for foreign workers without the intention of employing them and subsequently not providing them with actual employment (“illegal importation of labour”), 16 charges were for collecting monies from the foreign workers as a consideration for their employment (“kickbacks”), 8 charges were for instigating another person to submit false information to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to apply for work passes, and another 4 charges were for making false declarations to MOM to obtain work passes. The Prosecution proceeded with 3 charges of illegal importation of labour, 4 charges of receiving kickbacks and 3 charges of instigating another person to submit false information to the MOM.

    Case Details
  2. Lim solicited payments of between $460 and $10,000 from each of the 16 foreign workers as a condition of their employment by Club De Colors Pte Ltd or Club GMT Pte Ltd. He gained profits amounting to $97,550.
  3. Lim also obtained work passes for 11 foreign workers and they were told to find their own employment in Singapore. One foreign worker was subsequently arrested by the Police for vice activities.
  4. Furthermore, Lim instigated a 33-year-old Singaporean, Sim Chee Kiang (沈志强), who is the sole proprietor of Club GMT Pte Ltd, to furnish false information to the Controller of Work Passes in the application for foreign workers. Lim submitted the application forms containing false information to MOM. Separately, action will be taken against Sim.

    MOM Takes Tough Stand against EFMA Offences
  5. Commenting on the case, Mr Kevin Teoh (张庆兴) Divisional Director of MOM’s Foreign Manpower Management Division (人力部外来人力管理署署长) said, “This is a serious case of abusing the work pass system. The circumstances of this case are aggravating – there was no work for the workers, monies were collected, and in some cases, thousands of dollars were handed over. Mr Lim also abetted another company in the furnishing of false information to the Ministry. MOM takes a serious view of such offences and will take stern action.

    MOM Advisory
  6. MOM takes a serious view of employers who bring in foreign workers without intending to provide work for them. Offenders face a mandatory 6-month jail term, up to two years, and a fine of up to $6,000 for each worker issued with a work pass. Caning may be imposed when six or more workers are involved. Offences of making false declarations, furnishing false information and collecting kickbacks also attract heavy financial penalties and in some cases, offenders may be jailed.
  7. 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 mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

1 Schedule of Offences is attached to this press release.