MOM firm in eradicating companies with illegal practices
- Lianhe Zaobao, 17 May 2010
We refer to the Editor's Note to the letter "Grateful to kind-hearted Singaporeans" (12 May 2010), asking MOM to investigate further into the case involving Ms Zhao Yan Rui's complaint against her Employment Agency (EA).
2. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is currently investigating into Ms Zhao's case. MOM does not condone acts by employment agencies that are detrimental to the interests of the workers who use the agencies' services. If an employment agency is found to be in breach of any of the Employment Agency Act, Rules or Licensing Conditions, MOM will not hesitate to take action against the agency involved, including revoking the licence and forfeiting the security deposit. In 2009, MOM took action against 174 employment agencies, and 11 EA licences were revoked with a total of $150,000 in security deposits forfeited.
3. Anyone with specific information on employment agencies who acted against the interest of their clients can contact MOM at (65) 6438 5122 or email mom_fmmd@mom.gov.sg. All information will be kept strictly confidential.
Grateful to kind-hearted Singaporeans
- Lianhe Zaobao, 12 May 2010
The Chinese national, Ms Zhao Yan Rui, wrote to ZB to thank MOM and Police for the efficient service and help rendered to her when her S Pass was terminated by her company without any valid reason after barely two months of employment. Her EA had told her to buy her own plane ticket to return home and to wait for its representative to return her the agency fees at the airport. She never boarded her flight as the EA representative failed to show up on. She was determined to recover her agency fees.
As this was not a criminal case, the police advised her to seek help from MOM. After her complaint letter to ZB was published, MOM got in touch with her shortly and enquired about her case. Her EA then contacted her and returned the agency fees. She is now back in China and conveys her heartfelt gratitude to the many Singaporeans who have helped her, including MOM and SPF.
Zaobao Editor's Note
– Lianhe Zaobao, 12 May 2010
More than a week ago, when I received Ms Zhao Yan Rui's complaint, the first thought in my mind was, "Not another foreign worker who’s been cheated again."
In recent years, there have been many reports of foreign workers who were cheated by unscrupulous employment agents. Reader Zhao is considered to be one of the more fortunate ones, because through the media, she has related her plight through the media and MOM intervened. I believe it was this pressure that prompted her agent to return the agency fees and buy her a plane ticket, hoping to settle the matter.
Even though Reader Zhao has returned to China and successfully recovered her agency fees, I hope MOM can make use of the information provided by her to do an in-depth investigation, and take perpetrators to task.
After all, "fortunate" ones like her are quite rare as many foreign workers usually fell into dire straits after being cheated.