Zhang Xinyan, 40, a PRC director of a cleaning company, Spark N Brite Pte Ltd, has been sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail and fined $2,500 for hiring phantom workers and other offences today.
She lied that she hired 20 workers who received CPF contributions but in reality, there were only 7 actual workers. 13 were phantom workers who did not work for her. This happened between August 2009 and December 2010.
She did so for the purpose of hiring more foreign workers. With every local employed, Zhang could hire 5 foreigners on work permit.
She pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 4 weeks’ jail for this offence.
She was further fined $1,000 for not paying the salary of a foreign worker through GIRO as required under MOM’s guidelines as well as fined $1,500 for failing to keep proper wage records.
The court heard that her company, a business in People’s Park Centre, supplies foreign workers to work as cleaners and workers in food courts.
However, a check with ACRA showed that her business, Spark N Brite, is registered in 4, Mugliston Road, which is also her residential home behind Katong Shopping Centre. The company was incorporated on 13 Apr 2006. She is also the only shareholder of the company with a paid up of $321,000. The business activities of the company are listed as:
- GENERAL CONTRACTORS (NON-BUILDING CONSTRUCTION)
- OTHER INVESTMENT HOLDING COMPANIES
There are 2 directors listed in the company – herself and one Singaporean, Lim Choong Hiang.
A quick check on the Internet showed that there was an NEA officer, “Lim Choong Hiang”, charged with graft in Feb 2004. This person was charged in a district court on 3 counts of corruption for allegedly tipping off an illegal hawker about impending raids around the Woodlands MRT station. In return, he was said to have received a total of $900 from the illegal hawker on three occasions. It is not known if this is the same person currently holding directorship in the PRC woman’s company.
Another ACRA check also revealed that the PRC woman, Zhang, was a director with Semcon Technologies Pte Ltd. This company was involved in doing engineering work and was stuck off in Apr 2011, 2 years ago.
TREmeritus
*Article first appeared on www.TREmeritus.com