Jun 17, 2010
Fined over unlicensed agent
<!-- by line --> By Khushwant Singh, Court Reporter
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<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> THE owner of a cleaning firm became the first employer to be fined for engaging an unlicensed employment agency. Fong Kok Wai, 51, pleaded guilty on Thursday to abetting Tan Siah Lik to source and recruit foreign cleaners and was fined $2,000. The district court heard that Fong allowed Tan to hire workers from China last October despite knowing that his friend had no licence from Commissioner for Lavour to operate as an employment agent.
Fong also gave his SingPass password and other details to Tan to apply online for work passes for the selected workers and to arrange for their medical checkups and appointments at MOM. In a separate case, Tay Kheng Hin, 50, the sole proprietor of another cleaning firm, told the court he did not know that the employment agent he used in 2007 and 2008 had no licence. Arrangements will now be made for his trial. The maximum fine for the offence is $5,000.
