Man charged with public order, public entertainments and employment offences

A 51-year-old man, Abdus Sattar (“Sattar”), was charged in court on 27 March 2025 with offences under the Public Order Act 2009 (“POA”) and Public Entertainments Act 1958 (“PEA”). At a migrant worker dormitory in Tuas, Lantana Lodge, he allegedly organised a public assembly without a police permit and provided public entertainment without a public entertainment licence.

2. Sattar was also charged under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 (“EFMA”), for allegedly abetting a foreigner to conduct activities as a religious speaker in Singapore without a work pass. At the time of the alleged offences, Sattar was a director at SBM Electrical & Automation Pte. Ltd. (“SBM”).

3. SBM was charged under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act 2015 (“FEDA”) for allegedly failing to maintain an up-to-date record of persons who are not dormitory residents entering and leaving the dormitory, which is a breach of licence conditions.

About the Case

4. On 9 August 2024, Sattar invited two Bangladeshi nationals, Hamza Md Amir @ Amir Hamza (“Amir”) and Ullah Mohammed Neamat (“Ullah”), to a religious public assembly. Sattar allegedly organised the public assembly, which was held at Lantana Lodge at Tech Park Crescent. There, Amir is alleged to have preached to the migrant workers present, and Ullah is alleged to have performed songs to the crowd. These were alleged to have been done without the necessary police permit under the POA and licence under the PEA respectively.

5. Sattar also did not apply for a Miscellaneous Work Pass for Amir to deliver a talk related to religion.

6. As for SBM, the dormitory operator, it had allowed a large number of foreign workers who were not residents of the dormitory to enter the dormitory premises to attend the event without maintaining proper records of their entering and leaving the dormitory.

7. If found guilty by the court, offenders who organise a public assembly in respect of which no permit has been granted may face a fine of up to $5,000 under the POA. Offenders who provide public entertainment without a licence may face a fine of up to $20,000 under the PEA.

8. Under the EFMA, offenders may face a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for a term of up to 2 years, or both.

 9. Dormitory operators who contravene licence conditions under FEDA may face a fine of up to $50,000, or imprisonment for a term of up to 1 year, or both, for each contravention.

Advisory

10. Foreigners who wish to conduct talks in Singapore that are religious, race-related or based on political causes must obtain a Miscellaneous Work Pass. Organising or participating in a public assembly without a permit is an offence under the POA. Any person who provides or assists in providing public entertainment without a valid licence is liable for an offence under the PEA.

11. Under the FEDA, dormitory operators must, for at least one year, keep within the dormitory premises, an up-to-date record of persons who enter the premises if they are neither dormitory residents nor persons employed by the dormitory. From 1 October 2024, dormitory operators are required to apply to MOM for approval for any events that are religious, race-related or based on political causes that will be held within the dormitory premises, at least 30 days before the event.