A Singaporean bazaar operator who hired 19 Indonesians without proper work passes last year has been sentenced to a fine of $72,o00 on Tuesday (June 27).
From June 1 to Sept 16 last year, 40-year-old Sao Wei Loon recruited the 19 social visit pass holders as F&B stall assistants at three pasar malams (night markets) in Geylang Serai, Tampines and Toa Payoh. The duration of their illegal employment ranged from three days to over three weeks.
Convicted of eight out of the 19 charges, Sao pleaded guilty and will serve the default sentence of six months in jail, in lieu of the fine. Over the last two years, some 109 employers were convicted of illegal employment offences, according to the Ministry of Manpower. The authority added that it conducts inspections from time to time, and works with other agencies to remind bazaar operators to abide by regulatory requirements.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers cannot hire foreign workers without first securing a valid work pass for them. Those who defy the law can be fined up to $30,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both. They will also be banned from hiring foreign employees.
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