Two Singaporean men, Daniel Wong Yew Meng, 40 and Ong Tze Meng, 33 have been sentenced on 25 July 2017 for abetting Chinese nationals to be in possession of forged immigration endorsements and documents. Ong also abetted one of the Chinese nationals to make false statements in her disembarkation forms. Wong was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and a fine of $16,000, in default eight weeks’ imprisonment while Ong was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of $8,000, in default four weeks’ imprisonment.

 
Daniel Wong Yew Meng   

  Ong Tze Meng     

   
2.     On 22 August 2016, officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at Changi Airport arrested 36-year-old Chinese national, Wang Fang when she was seeking departure immigration clearance. Two forged Singapore immigration endorsements were found in her passport and she was unable to prove that her stay in Singapore was lawful. She was also found to be in possession of a forged ‘Application of Extension of Short Term Visit Pass’ document. Investigations revealed that she had obtained the forged immigration endorsements and document through Wong and Ong sometime in July 2016 for a total of $8,500.

3.     Following the arrest of Wang Fang, ICA officers proceeded to her place of stay and arrested two other female Chinese nationals, 27-year-old Tian Tian and 28-year-old Wang Juanjuan, after establishing them to be overstayers. Both Tian Tian and Juanjuan were also in possession of forged Singapore immigration endorsements and documents. They had paid Wong $8,500 each for the forged Singapore immigration endorsements and documents.

4.     In a separate enforcement blitz on 23 August 2016, ICA officers arrested two female Chinese nationals, 25-year-old Ao Chunju and 38-year-old Zhou Min, after establishing them to be overstayers. Ao was found to be in possession of forged Singapore immigration endorsements and documents. Investigations revealed that Ao had paid a total of $8,500 to Wong sometime in July 2016 for the forged immigration endorsements and documents. Investigations also revealed that Ao was acquainted with Ong, and the latter had abetted Ao to falsely declare in her disembarkation forms that she would be staying at his residential address.

5.     Wong and Ong were subsequently arrested by ICA officers on 24 August 2016 and 2 September 2016 respectively. Separately, a 37-year-old female Chinese national, Wu Xiaomei was arrested by ICA on 24 November 2016 for harbouring Wang Fang, Tian Tian and Juanjuan.

6.     Further investigations also established that a 32-year-old female Chinese national, Xiao Suqiong who had earlier surrendered to ICA on 30 March 2016, had obtained forged Singapore immigration endorsements and documents through Ong for $5,000. Xiao was an overstayer. The seven female Chinese nationals including Xiao, had been convicted and served their sentences.

7.     The ICA takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum of three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, or a jail term of up to six months, or both. The penalties for possessing or abetting the possession of forged, unlawfully altered or irregular entry or re-entry permit, pass, Singapore visa or certificate are a jail term of up to 12 months, a fine of up to $4,000 or both.

8.     Homeowners are advised to exercise due diligence in checking the status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their status in Singapore is legal. Those who wish to rent their premises to foreigners are required to conduct the three due diligence checks:
(a) Check his/her original immigration/work pass;
(b) Cross check the particulars on his/her pass against the particulars on his/her original passport; and
(c) Verify the validity of his/her pass by checking with the issuing authority.

9.     If the homeowner is found guilty of recklessly (i.e. carrying out only one of the three due diligence checks) or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, he may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than six months and not more than two years and a fine not exceeding $6,000. If a homeowner is found guilty of negligently (i.e. carrying out only two of the three due diligence checks) harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants, he may be sentenced to a fine not exceeding $6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both.

IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
25 JULY 2017