SINGAPORE – The former operations manager of a conservancy has been found guilty of illegally collecting kickbacks of S$396,440 (approx. US$296,000) in total from migrant workers under his supervision. The defendant was sentenced to 24 weeks of jailtime, the Ministry of Manpower announced.

Singapore prohibits collecting kickbacks or bribes from migrant workers to combat corruption and protect vulnerable populations. Such practices exploit workers, undermine fair labour standards, and contribute to a culture of bribery, which the government actively seeks to eliminate to maintain integrity and fairness in its labour market.

Ho Chiak Hock Derrick, 55, a former employee of Lian Cheng Contracting, purportedly violated Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) after taking kickbacks from at least 57 migrant workers between 2014 and 2020. The bribes reportedly ranged from S$1,500 to $15,500 and were taken on multiple occasions under the guise of work permit renewal and continued employment with Lian Cheng.

The management of Lian Cheng, however, was unaware of the illegal transactions taking place. The accused acted on his own accord, MoM said.

Ho was said to have received bribes directly or through a co-worker identified as Rakibul and three migrant workers, namely Shamim, Dhar Newton and Ahamed Rana, who served as area supervisors or site managers. After receiving a warning, the three migrant workers are now prohibited from working in Singapore.

A total of 61 charges under the EFMA were filed against Ho, out of which he pleaded guilty to 20, “with the remaining 41 charges taken into consideration for the purposes of sentencing,” MoM said.

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One of Singapore's largest cases of kickbacks

The Manpower Ministry urges the public, particularly vulnerable sectors such as migrant workers, to come forward if they suspect they are being forced to pay kickbacks in exchange for employment. The government agency vowed to go after companies engaging in illegal activities against workers.

“This is one of the largest cases of kickbacks investigated by MoM to date,” said Adrian Quek, divisional director at MoM.

“We take a serious view of employers demanding payments from workers as a condition of employment, which is reprehensible and illegal. MoM will continue to take firm action against errant individuals and companies, including barring them from applying for or renewing work passes.”

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How Singapore enforces its prohibition on kickbacks

Because certain industries – such as construction, manufacturing, and services – often feature power imbalances that facilitate the collection of illegal payments, they are reportedly more prone to instances of kickback. The construction sector, for example, employs a significant number of migrant workers and has reported numerous cases of employers demanding kickbacks for job placements and work permit renewals.

For this reason, Singapore enforces its prohibition on kickbacks with help from the Manpower Ministry, which reportedly receives over 900 reports of negotiated bribery in the form of kickbacks each year. MoM investigates these reports and prosecutes about 100 cases annually.

Those found guilty of collecting kickbacks could face up to two years in prison and fines.