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NDTV
7 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
2 Indian-Origin Singaporeans Charged With Organizing Illegal Assemblies
Kathmandu: Two Indian-origin Singaporeans were charged on Tuesday for organising illegal public assemblies of foreign workers demanding payments owed to one of them. Rebecca Rubini Ravinthiran, 33, and Vee Derrick Mahendran, 36, were charged with abetting foreign workers to commit offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), Channel News Asia reported. A joint statement by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the police said Ravinthiran was accused of directing 15 foreign workers under her employment to gather outside two construction sites on October 24, 2024, to demand payments owed to her company. No permit was granted for the events, it said. As per the statement, Mahendran aided the offence by going to a construction site to "ensure that the foreign workers complied with the woman's instructions". Ravinthiran faces 17 charges in total while Mahendran has 11, the Channel report said. Two of Ravinthiran's charges are under the Public Order Act, while 15 are under the EFMA. Each of Ravinthiran's charges under the EFMA said she instigated a foreign worker to breach the condition of their work permit, with 15 workers involved. Mahendran's charges comprise two under the Public Order Act and nine under the EFMA. Mahendran is said to have abetted Ravinthiran by helping organise two public assemblies at the two construction sites to publicise the same cause. He allegedly helped in the preparation of the placards the day before, and coordinated with Ravinthiran on the gathering of the workers to hold the placards. Both cases will return to court on June 24. Last October, MOM said on Facebook that it was aware of a social media post regarding several migrant workers holding placards at a worksite. MOM said it engaged the workers involved and found they were not owed salary payments, and did not have any concerns about their well-being. K Shanmugam, then Law and Home Affairs Minister, said MOM was investigating the employer for illegally deploying the workers and abetting them to perform illegal acts under the EFMA. A person convicted of organising a public assembly without a permit can be fined up to SGD 5,000 (USD 3,890). Under the EFMA, a person convicted of abetting a foreign employee to break the terms of his work pass can face up to 12 months in jail, and be fined up to SGD 10,000 (USD 7,780) or both.
Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Straits Times
2 charged over getting foreign workers to hold placards in protest at worksite
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. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
