A Bangladeshi worker, who was apparently harassed by loan sharks, has to leave Singapore by May 31, 2024.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a joint statement late on May 30 night that they will not be granting an extension of Md Sharif Uddin's current Special Pass beyond the last day of May 2024, having reviewed an appeal.
What statement said
The late night MOM-ICA joint statement before the Friday deadline for Sharif, 46, to leave Singapore, acknowledged the appeal made on the migrant worker's behalf by a resident of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC during a Meet-the-People’s session on May 29.
The joint statement pointed to an earlier joint Singapore Police Force and MOM statement on May 28 that said Sharif was told on May 23 that he was no longer required to remain in Singapore as the police investigations had ended.
This was after Sharif, as well as his former and potential employers, were supposedly harassed by moneylenders, and police have not found any evidence to suggest that the migrant worker had borrowed from unlicensed moneylenders and "have exhausted all leads to identify the alleged harasser".
Work permit terminated on Apr. 11
The earlier SPF-MOM statement also said Sharif had been given sufficient time since the termination of his work permit on Apr. 11 to seek employment under the Temporary Job Scheme (TJS), even while SPF’s investigations into the unlicensed moneylenders harassment reports were ongoing at that time.
MOM and the Migrant Workers’ Centre had linked Sharif up with employment agencies to support his job search under the TJS.
Upon Sharif’s request on May 9, MOM also provided him with an email confirmation of his TJS eligibility on May 13.
The TJS short-term employment scheme is for foreigners who are required to remain in Singapore for investigation or prosecution purposes.
Turned down job offers
"We understand that Sharif had turned down job offers, including working as a packer and a hotel cleaner," the latest MOM-ICA statement said.
The earlier SPF-MOM statement revealed that Sharif had expressed his preference to be a safety coordinator in the construction industry, but he was unable to secure such offers.
The statement had said: "As police investigations into the case have concluded, and Sharif has not found new employment, he has to leave Singapore."
Special pass extended twice
Sharif’s special pass was originally due to expire on May 24, but in view of his request for additional time to make departure arrangements, it was extended to May 27, the MOM-ICA also said.
The authorities had then granted a further extension to May 31, given the circumstances of his case.
The statement said: "Should Sharif wish to return to Singapore for work in the future, he will have to apply afresh for a work permit based on the prevailing criteria."
Sharif is the first migrant worker to win the Singapore Book Award for Best Non-Fiction Title.
What happened
In April, MOM and the police said they would investigate Sharif’s case.
This was after Sharif said in a video that he lost his job after telling his employer to alert the police about illegal moneylenders who were harassing him over an alleged unpaid loan, which he said he did not take up in the first place.
The video was posted by migrant worker welfare groups on social media.
Sharif has denied borrowing any money and said he was given one month’s notice, with his last day of employment stated in the termination notice as Apr. 12.
Some 800 people supported Sharif by signing an online petition seeking to let the father of two remain in Singapore after his case went public.
His former employer had paid for his accommodation and meals during the investigation period, said police in their earlier statement.
Sharif's work permit was terminated by his former employer on Apr. 11.
He was then issued a special pass to facilitate his stay in Singapore to assist the authorities looking into the case.
An Instagram post on May 30 claimed that Sharif's appeal was lodged on his behalf by two of his friends with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a Meet-The-People session.
"Sharif's dormitory at Old Choa Chu Kang Road is quite close to the PM's ward," the Instagram post said.
