T
Taigong Wang
Guest
Maids jailed for making false claims
Posted: 01 February 2011 1710 hrs
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SINGAPORE: Two foreign maids were jailed on Tuesday for two weeks after pleading guilty to making false declarations to inspectors from the Manpower Ministry (MOM).
Both falsely declared that they were made to work illegally by their employers.
One of the maids, 27-year-old,Burhati, an Indonesian, had alleged that she was sent to work at a residence other than that of her employer's.
Investigations found this to be untrue.
The other was 30-year-old Macaya Glesie Enriquez from the Philippines.
She told MOM officers in August that she was sent to work at her employer's business.
Enriquez admitted later that she had never worked at the premises as a cleaner and that she lied in her statement because she missed her children and wanted to return to the Philippines.
She had thought that by giving a false statement to the employment inspector, she would be able to return to the Philippines sooner.
Both maids pleaded guilty and were sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment.
MOM said five foreign domestic workers were convicted of false declaration.
Divisional Director of the Foreign Manpower Management Division Aw Kum Cheong said giving false statements to MOM would not be condoned.
He said the two maids have not only caused their employers much distress, but also wasted precious public resources.
Mr Aw said the prosecutions on Tuesday serve as a warning to foreign domestic workers that they would have to bear the consequences of making false claims.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, anyone who makes a statement or furnishes any information that is false to the controller or employment inspector are liable to a fine not exceeding S$15,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both.
-CNA/wk
