2 charged over getting foreign workers to hold placards in protest at worksite
SINGAPORE – Two Singaporeans were charged on May 27 after they allegedly got foreign workers to hold placards at a construction site and demand outstanding payment owed to a company.
Rebecca Rubini Ravinthiran, 33, who was a director at the aggrieved company Apex Engineering, was handed a total of 17 charges, while Vee Derrick Mahendran, 36, was handed 11 charges.
Ravinthiran was handed two charges over organising a public assembly without a permit, while Mahendran was given two charges for abetting her alleged offences.
Ravinthiran 's 15 other charges and Mahendran 's nine other charges were for instigating various foreign employees to break a condition in their work passes.
According to charge sheets, Ravinthiran had allegedly organised two public assemblies at about 11am and 11.30am on Oct 24, 2024, to demand that Apex Engineering be paid the outstanding payment.
She allegedly did so by instructing six workers from Apex Engineering to gather at a construction site at Jalan Satu and hold placards, and nine workers to do the same at a construction site at Tengah Garden Walk.
Mahendran had allegedly aided in the preparation of placards publicising the cause the day before and coordinating with her on the gathering of workers to hold placards on the day itself.
He had also allegedly supervised the group of workers at Tengah Garden Walk on Oct 24, 2024, by updating Ravinthiran on his observations, and conveying her instructions to the group.
The pair will return to court on June 24 for a further mention of their case.
In a joint statement on May 26, the police and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said no further action will be taken against the workers as the police have ascertained that they were acting under the instructions of their employer, and had no intention of breaking the law.
Those found guilty of organising a public assembly or procession without a permit can be fined up to $5,000.
Anyone convicted of abetting a foreign employee to break the terms of his work pass may face a jail term of up to 12 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
In a Facebook post in October 2024, MOM said it was aware of a social media post regarding several migrant workers holding placards at a worksite.
The ministry said it engaged the workers who shared they were not owed salary payments, and did not have any concerns about their well-being.
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Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
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How a million dollars changed his life Mr Leong describes the sudden wealth in his early 20s as 'a stepping stone for you to do whatever you want'. It changed the course of his life, although the journey started on a muted note. During the Chinese New Year holidays, the Singapore Pools office was closed, so he had to wait three days to collect his $1 million winnings. 'Honestly, I kept questioning whether it was real. I worried about losing the ticket or getting into an accident,' he recalls. When the office reopened, he went to the main branch with his girlfriend and her father, expecting a long and complicated process. He was surprised when all he had to do was take a queue number before he was handed a cheque. After cashing the cheque, he gave half the winnings to his girlfriend (now wife). Both gave part of the money to their parents. The son of a taxi driver and an office administrator, Mr Leong says he did not know how to manage the money. 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More on this topic $200k jackpot: US man wins lottery 3 times in a year with same set of numbers Society also wins Since its inception, Singapore Pools has operated as a not-for-profit organisation. In 2024, it reported a record turnover of $12.2 billion. 'Many people tend to see Singapore Pools only in terms of our products and services,' says Mr Chin. 'But what they may not realise is that if we didn't exist, much of that gambling activity would move to illegal platforms, and the $12 billion in revenue would leave our economy and flow overseas.' He adds that by operating legally, Singapore Pools ensures that the money stays within the country, ultimately benefiting Singaporean society and its people. For every dollar placed as a bet, the organisation pays a 22 cent betting duty to the Government. 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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
With just 1 tap, this doctor lost his Telegram account to cyber criminals
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Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
Australia grants asylum to former HK lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Ted Hui
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