Singapore director allegedly fails to pay wages worth more than $432,000: reports

A director in Singapore is facing 24 charges under the state's Employment Act for allegedly failing to pay the wages of more than 100 employees, according to reports.

The Straits Times reported that Sim Ling Zhen, who is the director of 35 companies, allegedly owed 103 employees' wages worth more than $432,000.

According to the report, these employees belong to three companies, namely Yanxi, Royal Cuisine Group, and Healthy Meals Catering, that the government said had ceased operations at the end of 2022.

The Straits Times's verification, however, found that the three companies are still live as of May 15 after checking their Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority.

Assistance to affected employees have been ongoing, according to the report, with 112 former employees of the three firms assisted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) in their salary claims.

The TADM also assisted 46 eligible employees in getting financial assistance under the Short-Term Relief Fund and Migrant Workers' Assistance Fund.

Sim is the wife of the owner of Sakura Buffet, an organisation that recently got its licence revoked over food safety. Sakura Buffet supplies food to a dozen of web-based businesses, according to Channel News Asia. This includes 10 companies where Sim is listed as director.

Sim has already been charged in February last year and is expected to be come back in court on June 6, The Straits Times reported.