Director who left over 400 Indian, Bangladeshi migrants unpaid returns to Singapore: Minister

An Indian-origin permanent resident, who fled Singapore after allegedly leaving over 400 migrant workers without pay for several months, has returned to the country, a minister announced Sunday.

Ramu Palani Velu, director of three firms - SK Industries, KPA Engineering, and VVR Plant Engineering - had allegedly abandoned the migrant workers, mostly from India and Bangladesh, prompting them to approach the Ministry of Manpower on June 22 to recover their salaries.

Velu has returned to Singapore and his passport has been impounded, Channel News Asia reported, citing Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash.


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Visiting a multi-facility hub where the migrant workers are currently living, Dash said his ministry strictly enforces the Employment Act and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, warning that violators will face action.

The minister said migrant workers who owe salaries should reach out to the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), a joint effort by the Ministry of Manpower, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation, who are helping the workers file their claims directly.

Dash also said the Hindu Endowment and Hindu Advisory Boards and temples have provided goody bags to give the workers some degree of normalcy.

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Earlier, the NTUC and the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC), an NGO, said they will give each worker SGD 200 in cash and vouchers for supermarket shopping for daily expenses, provided the workers are registered members of the NGO or register to become one.

About 20 of the affected workers have already landed jobs in equivalent sectors, said the minister, expecting the vast majority of the remaining workers to be placed within two to three weeks.

He also thanked MWC and the Singapore Contractors Association, a not-for-profit trade association, for coming forward with job opportunities.