A 33-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man will be charged in court on 27 May 2025 for allegedly organising and abetting public assemblies without a permit under the Public Order Act 2009 (“POA”), and for abetting foreign workers to commit offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990 (“EFMA”).
The woman had allegedly instructed 15 foreign workers under her employment to gather outside two construction sites on 24 October 2024 and hold placards to demand for payments owed to her company. At the first construction site along Jalan Satu, the woman had allegedly given four placards to six workers and instructed them to stand outside the construction site with the placards.
At the second construction site along Tengah Garden Walk, the woman had allegedly hired a delivery service to deliver another four placards to nine other foreign workers with similar instructions. The 36-year-old man had allegedly abetted the offence by going to the Tengah Garden Walk construction site to ensure that the foreign workers complied with the woman’s instructions.
The duo and the foreign workers did not have a permit under Section 7 of the POA to carry out these public assemblies. Investigations into the 15 foreign workers for their involvement have concluded and no further action will be taken against them as the Police had ascertained that they were acting under the instructions of their employer and had no intention of breaking the law.
Anyone who commits the offence of organising a public assembly or public procession without a permit, under Section 16(1)(a) of the POA, shall be liable on conviction to a fine of up to $5,000.
The offence of abetting a foreign employee to whom a work pass applies to contravene any condition (other than a regulatory condition) of the work pass under Section 22 and Section 23 of the EFMA, carries an imprisonment term of up to 12 months and a fine of up to $10,000, or to both.
The Police would like to remind the public that organising or taking part in a public assembly without a Police permit in Singapore is illegal and constitutes an offence under the POA.
MINISTRY OF MANPOWER
26 May 2025 @ 8:40 PM