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Singapore
The letters sent to Hiap Seng Piling Construction included hell notes, a drawing of a pig's head and instructions to call someone called Steven. (Photo: Wayne Yuen)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
06 Jun 2024 06:00AM (Updated: 06 Jun 2024 07:16AM)
SINGAPORE: When Hiap Seng Piling Construction received the first letter from purported "loan sharks" early this year, the company didn't take it that seriously.
It had previously received such letters when its workers took loans from unlicensed moneylenders, and each time, the issue was quite easily resolved.
In this case the letters, with hell notes enclosed, were addressed to a Bangladeshi safety coordinator in the company, Mr Uddin Sharif, who has denied borrowing any money from loan sharks.
Hiap Seng made a police report, but didn't take any action regarding Mr Sharif at that point.
"We usually just trust (our workers)," said Mr Wayne Yuen, a director at the company.
The harassers then cast the net wider, sending letters to other businesses in the same building.
"They specifically mentioned our company, so the MCST (management corporation) called us out," said Mr Yuen.
Even then, his company chose to go on with life.
The tipping point came when his sister, identified in previous reports as the daughter of Mr Sharif's employer, received a letter at her home address.
"Of course, she got very concerned. How come the people even know her home address? Even her neighbour also received (a letter) ... She got very scared," said Mr Yuen, adding that his sister, who also works for Hiap Seng, has two children.
He believes the harassers saw his sister's car and used it to find her address, because her car plate number was mentioned in the letter.
She made a police report, and the company began thinking about letting go of Mr Sharif.
"Because of a worker we risk our (safety) - I think it's not a good deal," said Mr Yuen.
In a joint statement in early April, the police and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said Mr Yuen's sister was told that police would step up patrols around her home and alert her condominium's security.
"The officer, out of concern for her family’s and her well-being, also advised her generally that harassment would usually stop after the work pass of a foreign worker being harassed had been cancelled, and the worker no longer worked for the employer," the statement said.
While he initially managed to find another job, the potential employer had a change of mind after also receiving a harassing letter, according to We, The Citizens, a newsletter run by activist Kirsten Han.
An April report in the newsletter said Hiap Seng and MOM were the only other parties aware of this new job for Mr Sharif.
Mr Yuen, however, said he didn't know which company Mr Sharif was joining.
Investigations eventually concluded with the authorities finding no evidence that Mr Sharif had borrowed money from unlicensed lenders.
But Mr Sharif remained jobless. His Special Pass was extended twice, and friends of his went to see Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a Meet-The-People Session to appeal for a further extension.
MOM and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) eventually decided not to extend his pass beyond May 31, and Mr Sharif ultimately had to leave a country he had worked in for 16 years.
CNA has attempted to contact Mr Sharif for more information.
Asked if Hiap Seng considered re-hiring Mr Sharif, Mr Yuen said it didn't think of doing so because business has been slow.
He described Mr Sharif as a decent employee who didn't try to get out of work by taking medical leave unnecessarily. Prior to the incident, Mr Sharif had not caused any trouble for Hiap Seng over the four years he worked there.
In the We, The Citizens report, Mr Sharif said his work permit had been renewed at the end of 2023, which he took as a sign that the company was happy with his performance.
Some online commenters have speculated that Hiap Seng could have staged the harassment to find a reason to fire Mr Sharif. To this, Mr Yuen laughed and asked why he would go to such trouble.
"I (could) just give him the termination letter," he said.
He pointed out that Hiap Seng had continuing paying for Mr Sharif's dormitory accommodations and meals for over a month, after he was let go and while investigations took place.
"I believe we already did our best," said Mr Yuen.
The letters, calls and harassment all came to an end after Mr Sharif was fired.
Several friends have since reached out after the spate of news coverage, but Mr Yuen wants nothing more than for things to quieten down - and for the entire episode to come to a "full stop".
Singapore
Hell notes, phoned threats, neighbours dragged in: Employer opens up on migrant worker's 'loan shark' incident
Mr Wayne Yuen, a director at Hiap Seng Piling Construction, says his sister's car plate number was also mentioned. The worker, Mr Uddin Sharif, has maintained that he did not borrow money from loan sharks.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
06 Jun 2024 06:00AM (Updated: 06 Jun 2024 07:16AM)
SINGAPORE: When Hiap Seng Piling Construction received the first letter from purported "loan sharks" early this year, the company didn't take it that seriously.
It had previously received such letters when its workers took loans from unlicensed moneylenders, and each time, the issue was quite easily resolved.
In this case the letters, with hell notes enclosed, were addressed to a Bangladeshi safety coordinator in the company, Mr Uddin Sharif, who has denied borrowing any money from loan sharks.
Hiap Seng made a police report, but didn't take any action regarding Mr Sharif at that point.
"We usually just trust (our workers)," said Mr Wayne Yuen, a director at the company.
MOM 'did not advise' employer to fire migrant worker harassed by loan sharks; he can remain in Singapore amid police probe
Hiap Seng kept the police updated as more letters - over 10 in total - arrived, and when threatening calls were made to the company.The harassers then cast the net wider, sending letters to other businesses in the same building.
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Scroll to continue with content"They specifically mentioned our company, so the MCST (management corporation) called us out," said Mr Yuen.
Even then, his company chose to go on with life.
The tipping point came when his sister, identified in previous reports as the daughter of Mr Sharif's employer, received a letter at her home address.
"Of course, she got very concerned. How come the people even know her home address? Even her neighbour also received (a letter) ... She got very scared," said Mr Yuen, adding that his sister, who also works for Hiap Seng, has two children.
He believes the harassers saw his sister's car and used it to find her address, because her car plate number was mentioned in the letter.
She made a police report, and the company began thinking about letting go of Mr Sharif.
"Because of a worker we risk our (safety) - I think it's not a good deal," said Mr Yuen.
In a joint statement in early April, the police and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said Mr Yuen's sister was told that police would step up patrols around her home and alert her condominium's security.
"The officer, out of concern for her family’s and her well-being, also advised her generally that harassment would usually stop after the work pass of a foreign worker being harassed had been cancelled, and the worker no longer worked for the employer," the statement said.
POTENTIAL EMPLOYER ALSO HARASSED
On Mar 11, Hiap Seng issued Mr Sharif a termination letter. He stayed on in Singapore on a Special Pass to assist with investigations.Advertisement
Scroll to continue with contentWhile he initially managed to find another job, the potential employer had a change of mind after also receiving a harassing letter, according to We, The Citizens, a newsletter run by activist Kirsten Han.
An April report in the newsletter said Hiap Seng and MOM were the only other parties aware of this new job for Mr Sharif.
Mr Yuen, however, said he didn't know which company Mr Sharif was joining.
Investigations eventually concluded with the authorities finding no evidence that Mr Sharif had borrowed money from unlicensed lenders.
But Mr Sharif remained jobless. His Special Pass was extended twice, and friends of his went to see Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a Meet-The-People Session to appeal for a further extension.
MOM and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) eventually decided not to extend his pass beyond May 31, and Mr Sharif ultimately had to leave a country he had worked in for 16 years.
Special pass of migrant worker fired over 'loan shark' harassment not extended further after last-ditch appeal fails
In a statement, the authorities said they understood "that Mr Sharif had turned down job offers including working as a packer and a hotel cleaner".CNA has attempted to contact Mr Sharif for more information.
Asked if Hiap Seng considered re-hiring Mr Sharif, Mr Yuen said it didn't think of doing so because business has been slow.
He described Mr Sharif as a decent employee who didn't try to get out of work by taking medical leave unnecessarily. Prior to the incident, Mr Sharif had not caused any trouble for Hiap Seng over the four years he worked there.
In the We, The Citizens report, Mr Sharif said his work permit had been renewed at the end of 2023, which he took as a sign that the company was happy with his performance.
Some online commenters have speculated that Hiap Seng could have staged the harassment to find a reason to fire Mr Sharif. To this, Mr Yuen laughed and asked why he would go to such trouble.
"I (could) just give him the termination letter," he said.
He pointed out that Hiap Seng had continuing paying for Mr Sharif's dormitory accommodations and meals for over a month, after he was let go and while investigations took place.
"I believe we already did our best," said Mr Yuen.
The letters, calls and harassment all came to an end after Mr Sharif was fired.
Several friends have since reached out after the spate of news coverage, but Mr Yuen wants nothing more than for things to quieten down - and for the entire episode to come to a "full stop".
