http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_355288.html
Jailed for 'phantom staff'
By Carolyn Quek
Sulaiman Abdullah was jailed for six months yesterday for lying about the number of Singaporeans he had hired, in order to employ foreign workers. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
A TAMPINES restaurant owner became the first employer to be jailed for falsely declaring the number of local workers he had, in order to hire foreign workers.
Sulaiman Abdullah was jailed for six months by District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan, who heeded the prosecution's call for a deterrent sentence.
The 56-year-old, also known as Tommy Goh Beng Hock, admitted two weeks ago that he misled the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) when he applied for the work permits of foreign workers between June 2007 and October last year.
In order to hire foreigners at his popular Restu Muslim Seafood Restaurant, he lied that he had more Singaporean employees than he actually did.
He paid Central Provident Fund contributions for five 'phantom workers'. Four were former employees and at least one had never worked at the restaurant.
He made 10 applications for foreign work permits.
Employers are allowed to hire foreigners only after meeting a certain quota of Singaporean employees.
Sulaiman pleaded guilty to five charges and five others were taken into consideration when he was sentenced.
Pleading for leniency yesterday, he said that he had tried hard in the past to recruit Singaporeans.
Besides advertising, he had also opened his doors to those with financial difficulties, ex-drug addicts or people with no place to stay.
Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
Jailed for 'phantom staff'
By Carolyn Quek
Sulaiman Abdullah was jailed for six months yesterday for lying about the number of Singaporeans he had hired, in order to employ foreign workers. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
A TAMPINES restaurant owner became the first employer to be jailed for falsely declaring the number of local workers he had, in order to hire foreign workers.
Sulaiman Abdullah was jailed for six months by District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan, who heeded the prosecution's call for a deterrent sentence.
The 56-year-old, also known as Tommy Goh Beng Hock, admitted two weeks ago that he misled the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) when he applied for the work permits of foreign workers between June 2007 and October last year.
In order to hire foreigners at his popular Restu Muslim Seafood Restaurant, he lied that he had more Singaporean employees than he actually did.
He paid Central Provident Fund contributions for five 'phantom workers'. Four were former employees and at least one had never worked at the restaurant.
He made 10 applications for foreign work permits.
Employers are allowed to hire foreigners only after meeting a certain quota of Singaporean employees.
Sulaiman pleaded guilty to five charges and five others were taken into consideration when he was sentenced.
Pleading for leniency yesterday, he said that he had tried hard in the past to recruit Singaporeans.
Besides advertising, he had also opened his doors to those with financial difficulties, ex-drug addicts or people with no place to stay.
Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
