SINGAPORE: Singapore’s foreign worker policies are shifting towards “quality rather than quantity” but the country still welcomes foreign talent, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Sep 8).  

Mr Chan, who was speaking at a virtual forum organised by Standard Chartered, noted that there has been much talk on the issue of foreigners in Singapore, but said that this scrutiny is not unique to Singapore. 

“Every country facing economic slowdown in (a) recession will have elements questioning the balance between locals and foreigners in the job market,” Mr Chan said.

Singapore will continue to bring in foreign talent “in a calibrated manner” to create opportunities for Singaporeans, he added.

“Let me be clear. We want the world’s best and brightest to be with Team Singapore – to augment our skills and capabilities, competing on our side rather than against us, and ultimately, to benefit Singaporeans, not to substitute or to hurt them.”

READ: Business owners in F&B, retail and construction raise concerns about rise in S Pass qualifying salary

TACKLING DISCRIMINATORY HIRING PRACTICES 

Singapore announced last month that it is raising the qualifying salary for Employment Passes and S Passes for the second time this year.

The minimum qualifying salary for new Employment Passes, which are for foreign professionals, managers and executives, has been raised by S$600 to S$4,500. The salary criteria is higher for applicants in the financial services sector.

For S Passes, which are for mid-skilled employees, the salary threshold will be raised by S$100 to S$2,500 from October.

S Pass jobs will also be subject to the Fair Consideration Framework advertising requirement from October, requiring employers to post a job advertisement for at least 28 days.

READ: Minimum qualifying salary to rise by S$600 for Employment Passes and S$100 for S Passes, higher requirement for financial services

On Tuesday, Mr Chan said that Singapore’ foreign worker policies are moving towards quality instead of quantity, but it is not a sign that the country is turning away foreign talent. Rather, it shows that Singapore is serious about discriminatory hiring practices, he said.

“All businesses, regardless of size and nationality, will have to play our part in building up the Singaporean workforce, and giving Singaporeans a fair shot at the same job opportunities,” he said. 

“And we will also like to encourage all our companies to have a diverse workforce, and not overly rely on any particular source of labour from any particular foreign country,” he added. “This is just part of good business continuity practices, and it will also help us in our social integration.” 

“And that is how we will continue to keep Singapore relevant, as the preferred hub for Singapore companies and international companies.” 

FUTURE OF SINGAPORE AS A GLOBAL HUB

Delivering the keynote address for the forum, titled Singapore – the global hub and gateway to ASEAN, Mr Chan talked about how COVID-19 has changed the way companies do business, and whether there is still a need for regional and global “hubs”.

“In a more fragmented global economy, there will like not just be a single hub, but a series of key nodes in a larger network with other nodes that must be able to connect seamlessly with one other,” said Mr Chan.

“For Singapore, we aim to be one of these critical nodes in the global system, even if the world is heading to bifurcation or fragmentation.”

The country must not see itself as just a “gateway” – serving as a location to trade through – but as a “critical node” for businesses as Singapore adds value to their supply chain, Mr Chan said.

Investors choose Singapore because of qualities such as a stable government, clear rule of law and transport connectivity, he said, adding that authorities will work closely with companies to develop their businesses in a “long-term and sustainable manner”.

READ: Union leader urges tougher measures to tackle hiring bias, including EP quotas and ending tax breaks

READ: Singapore economy expected to contract 6% this year as private-sector economists downgrade forecasts: MAS survey

More than 750 foreign companies have set up their regional headquarters in Singapore, Mr Chan pointed out, including Japanese construction firm Kajima Corporation which broke ground last month for its first overseas research centre in Changi Business Park.

“We will continue to make Singapore the preferred hub for companies to connect and do business with Asia and the rest of the world,” Mr Chan said, adding that one way to do this is to remain open to foreign talent.

Singapore will also continue to invest in transportation infrastructure and trade networks, train its workers and pursue “new frontiers of growth” like biomedical sciences and agri-food technology.

“Our hub status was established through sheer hard work and determination of our people, by providing a conducive platform for businesses to fulfil their regional and global ambitions,” Mr Chan said.

“We do not take this for granted. We know the competition is stiff. If we do not adapt to the changing nature of how businesses operate, we will be easily bypassed.”

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SINGAPORE: Something has “gone wrong in the chain of events” that will have to be looked at, in the case of an Indonesian maid who was acquitted of stealing from the Changi Airport Group (CAG) chairman’s family, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Ms Parti Liyani, 46, was sentenced to more than two years’ jail in March 2019 after being found guilty of four charges of stealing about S$34,000 worth of items from CAG chairman Liew Mun Leong’s family. She had her convictions overturned in the High Court last Friday, after her appeal was allowed.

In his judgment, Justice Chan Seng Onn raised several reasons for Ms Parti’s acquittal, including the “existence of an improper motive” by the Liew family, the break in chain of custody of evidence, and issues with the way the police had handled the case.

READ: Timeline: How a maid was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family

Speaking at the sidelines of a grassroots event, Mr Shanmugam said: “The (High Court) judge’s comments, we take them very seriously. Something has gone wrong in the chain of events. We have to look at that, and deal with what went wrong.”

On Sunday, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said Justice Chan’s findings “raise questions that warrant further investigations”, while the Ministry of Manpower said it was in consultation with the AGC as to whether “further action, if any, ought to be taken”. 

The police also said it was looking into “several observations” that were raised in the High Court judgment.

“At this point, we shouldn’t prejudge which part of the process went wrong. That’s why reviews are being conducted,” the minister said, adding that people should wait for the outcome of the reviews.

READ: CAG chairman’s wife cautioned, son given advisory in 2018 after maid complained about illegal deployment: MOM

“In the process, we should not be defensive. It should not be a witch hunt,” he added.

“We have to find out what happened, why it happened and then deal with it. And be accountable. That’s the best way to build trust in public, in the system. To come out in public and say what steps we have taken once the reviews are done.”

READ: Judge’s findings ‘raise questions’ that warrant further investigations after maid acquitted of stealing from CAG chairman’s family: AGC

“JUSTICE HAS BEEN DELIVERED”

When asked about a “status gap” between the two parties and how it might have affected the case, Mr Shanmugam said the case was “not between a very prominent business person and a foreign domestic worker”.

“She was charged in a criminal case based on a complaint by the business person. 

“The (High Court) judge’s judgment goes through the facts very carefully. It sets out what the break in the chain of evidence is, and in that way, it is good to see that justice is both blind and that justice has been delivered,” he said.

“I would say, my own view is, looking at the (High Court) judge’s judgment, it is good to see justice delivered,” he added.

READ: Maid acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family hid her ordeal from her family

He added that Mr Anil Balchandani, the lawyer who took Ms Parti’s case pro-bono, had done a “thorough and good job” of picking up on the “various inconsistencies” in the evidence. 

“That’s a lawyer’s job. To be thorough, to be clear, to put forward everything fairly to the court. Based on what I’ve heard, I think he ought to be commended, he’s done a good job,” the minister said.

SINGAPORE: The Indonesian maid who was acquitted of theft charges after being accused of stealing from her former employer – the Changi Airport Group (CAG) chairman – has been cleared of her last remaining charge in the State Courts on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Accompanied by supporters and her pro-bono lawyer Anil Balchandani of Red Lion Circle, 46-year-old Parti Liyani was given a discharge amounting to an acquittal of her fifth charge.

The charge was under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order & Nuisance) Act, accusing her of having items that she was suspected to have obtained fraudulently.

These include a ValueMax pawnshop ticket, several EZ-Link cards, branded bags and wallets, along with watches and jewellery.

The items were purportedly found on her at the airport in early December 2016, when she returned to Singapore to look for work after the Liew family fired her in October.

READ: Maid acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family hid her ordeal from her family

The penalties for such an offence are a jail term of up to a year and a fine of up to S$3,000.

Mr Balchandani asked for all the items in the charge to be returned to Ms Parti, and for fingerprints, photos and any information about Ms Parti to be removed from the criminal registry.
 
The prosecutor said he would take the discussion on the return of the items “offline”, while District Judge Eddy Tham did not allow the second application as he said he was unsure what the basis of it was.

“I believe all the consequences of acquittal (are) followed through,” said the judge. 

Ms Parti and Mr Balchandani declined comment after the hearing. A spokesperson for HOME said Ms Parti plans to go home to Indonesia once she completes any administrative matters.

Ms Parti had been sentenced in March last year to two years and two months’ jail, after a lower court judge convicted her of four counts of theft.

She had contested the charges in a trial that saw Mr Liew Mun Leong, chairman of both CAG and Surbana Jurong, take the witness stand along with his son Mr Karl Liew.

After an appeal process over several months, Mr Balchandani, her lawyer, secured an acquittal in the High Court, with Justice Chan Seng Onn overturning all four convictions on Sep 4.

THE ACQUITTAL

Justice Chan noted the existence of an “improper motive by members of the Liew family for mounting the allegations” against Ms Parti and a break in the chain of custody of evidence.

Ms Parti had threatened to lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) after her employment was terminated suddenly in October 2016. 

She had allegedly been asked to clean Mr Karl Liew’s home and office several times on top of her employer’s home, which are contraventions of MOM regulations.

READ: Timeline: How a maid was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family

Ms Parti worked for the family for nine years and had a “cordial relationship” with them, but had disputes with Mr Karl Liew over household chores, said Justice Chan.

He preferred Ms Parti’s evidence over Mr Karl Liew’s, saying Mr Liew’s testimony was “questionable” and shows “a lack of credibility”.

Mr Liew Mun Leong testified that he decided to fire Ms Parti in October 2016 after discovering that items had gone missing in the house over the years and that he suspected Ms Parti of theft.

When Mr Karl Liew gave Ms Parti the termination notice, Ms Parti asked for the reason, but was not given one. She allegedly accused him of being a very bad person and said God would punish him, but Mr Karl Liew gave her two hours to pack her things.

She packed her items in big boxes in a rush, intending to have them couriered to Indonesia, before she returned to her home country.

While she was gone, the Liew family checked the boxes and found items that they alleged belonged to them, before lodging a police report.

The family was told by Investigating Officer Tang Ru Long that they were free to use the items that were found in the boxes, save for discarding the items.

The investigating officer said the items, which were the subject of the charges, were not personally seized or taken into custody as he did not wish to result in the “de-victimising” of the family.

AGENCIES’ RESPONSES

After the acquittal, several agencies issued statements on the case, with the Attorney-General’s Chambers saying they would study the judgment to assess if any further action should be taken.

READ: Judge’s findings ‘raise questions’ that warrant further investigations after maid acquitted of stealing from CAG chairman’s family: AGC

The police also said they noted the High Court judgment and are looking into “several observations” about the police investigations in the case.

MOM said on Sunday that Ms Parti had made a report in October 2017 of illegal deployment by Mr Liew Mun Leong’s wife to Mr Karl Liew’s residence between September 2016 and October 2016, and to his office around 2012 and 2013.

After investigating the complaint, the ministry found that Mrs Liew had deployed Ms Parti to Mr Karl Liew’s house and office on different occasions, and issued a caution to Mrs Liew and an advisory to Mr Karl Liew.

MOM added that it was in consultation with the AGC as to whether “further action, if any, ought to be taken”. 

“THERE ARE MANY MORE PARTI LIYANIS”

In a statement on his law firm’s website, Mr Balchandani said his firm would like to thank “all well-wishers for their concern expressed regarding Ms Parti Liyani’s acquittal”.

“A lot has been said regarding counsel’s participation at the trial and at the appeal. Red Lion Circle wishes to state that counsel for Parti Liyani only played a very small part in her acquittal,” he wrote.

He also acknowledged the work done by non-government organisations who help foreign domestic workers and others in distress.

“A lawyer may be recognised for and defined by a victory, but never forgets those found guilty due to his ineptitude. There have been and will be many more losses that will define counsel’s career, but the cause will continue because of the hope provided by the NGOs.

“There are many more Parti Liyanis who languish in shelters and our prisons (whose) attention we, as a nation, should turn to. HOME (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics) deserves more or almost all the credit regarding Parti Liyani’s acquittal,” he wrote.

SINGAPORE: People should not “prejudge” what went wrong, in the case of an Indonesian maid who was acquitted of stealing about S$34,000 worth of items from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong’s family, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Ms Parti Liyani, 46, was sentenced to more than two years’ jail in March 2019 after being found guilty of four charges of theft. Those convictions were overturned in the High Court last Friday. 

In his judgment, Justice Chan Seng Onn raised several reasons for Ms Parti’s acquittal, including the “existence of an improper motive” by the Liew family, the break in chain of custody of evidence, and issues with the way the police had handled the case.

READ: Timeline: How a maid was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family

Speaking at the sidelines of a grassroots event, Mr Shanmugam said: “The (High Court) judge’s comments, we take them very seriously. Something has gone wrong in the chain of events. We have to look at that, and deal with what went wrong.”

On Sunday, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said Justice Chan’s findings “raise questions that warrant further investigations”, while the Ministry of Manpower said it was in consultation with the AGC as to whether “further action, if any, ought to be taken”. 

The police also said it was looking into “several observations” that were raised in the High Court judgment.

“At this point, we shouldn’t prejudge which part of the process went wrong. That’s why reviews are being conducted,” the minister said, adding that people should wait for the outcome of the reviews.

READ: CAG chairman’s wife cautioned, son given advisory in 2018 after maid complained about illegal deployment: MOM

“In the process, we should not be defensive. It should not be a witch hunt,” he added.

“We have to find out what happened, why it happened and then deal with it. And be accountable. That’s the best way to build trust in public, in the system. To come out in public and say what steps we have taken once the reviews are done.”

READ: Judge’s findings ‘raise questions’ that warrant further investigations after maid acquitted of stealing from CAG chairman’s family: AGC

“JUSTICE HAS BEEN DELIVERED”

When asked about a “status gap” between the two parties and how it might have affected the case, Mr Shanmugam said the case was “not between a very prominent business person and a foreign domestic worker”.

“She was charged in a criminal case based on a complaint by the business person. 

“The (High Court) judge’s judgment goes through the facts very carefully. It sets out what the break in the chain of evidence is, and in that way, it is good to see that justice is both blind and that justice has been delivered,” he said.

“I would say, my own view is, looking at the (High Court) judge’s judgment, it is good to see justice delivered,” he added.

READ: Maid acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman’s family hid her ordeal from her family

He added that Mr Anil Balchandani, the lawyer who took Ms Parti’s case pro-bono, had done a “thorough and good job” of picking up on the “various inconsistencies” in the evidence. 

“That’s a lawyer’s job. To be thorough, to be clear, to put forward everything fairly to the court. Based on what I’ve heard, I think he ought to be commended, he’s done a good job,” the minister said.