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Construction company faced 80 charges for housing offences

Foreign manpower
60 foreign workers lived in rodent-infested quarters

  1. Kay Lim Construction & Trading Pte. Ltd. (“the accused company”) was prosecuted in the State Courts on 14 March 2017 for housing its foreign workers (FWs) in accommodation with unhygienic living conditions, abetting nine other companies in housing their FWs in the same unacceptable workers’ quarters, and failing to update the housing address of the FWs in the Online Foreign Worker Address Service (OFWAS). 

  2. The accused company faced a total of 801 charges under Section 22(1)(a) and Section 22(1)(a) read with Section 23(1) of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (“EFMA”).

    Case Details
  3. Investigations revealed that the accused company had housed 60 FWs, comprising its own FWs and FWs from nine other companies, in a construction site temporary quarters located at Commonwealth Avenue/Ghim Moh Link. The quarters were rat infested. 
  4. Between March 2014 and September 2015, the accused company also failed to update the accommodation addresses of 20 other FWs who were staying at the construction site temporary quarters located at Ang Mo Kio Street 44, in the Online Foreign Worker Address Service (OFWAS)2.
  5. MOM has since ordered the accused company to improve the hygiene and living conditions of all their existing construction site temporary quarters. The accused company has complied with the order. 
  6. The case has been adjourned to 18 April 2017 for a further mention in Court 23 at 9.30 am.

    Employers Must Provide FW Accommodation that Meets Statutory Requirements 
  7. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations, employers are required to provide acceptable accommodation for their FWs that comply with the various statutory requirements, and update the latest addresses of their FWs in OFWAS within five days of the change in their residential address.
  8. Employers who contravene any of the conditions of the work pass will be guilty of an offence under the EFMA. If convicted, offenders can be fined up to $10,000 and /or imprisoned up to 12 months, for each offence.

    MOM’s Advisory
  9. Foreign workers who have issues with their housing conditions should bring the matter to the attention of their employer. If their employers fail to make improvements to the living conditions, workers could seek advice and assistance from the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) at 6536 2692 or report the matter to MOM at 6438 5122. 
  10. Members of the public can also play a part by informing the authorities of persons or employers who contravene the EFMA, or refer FWs in distress to MOM at 6438 5122 or e-mail mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

FOOTNOTE

  1. 30 charges for housing foreign workers in poor accommodation, 30 charges for abetting other companies to house their workers in poor accommodation, and 20 charges for failing to update OFWAS.
  2. OFWAS is an online system that enables employers to update the addresses of their foreign workers with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). All employers of Work Permit (WP) holders are required to provide the residential addresses of their WP holders to MOM prior to issuance or renewal of their WP and subsequently any change in their address within five days.