A former domestic worker from India, Ms. Alka, who was acquitted of a false declaration charge in July, has been permanently barred from employment in Singapore. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issued her a stern warning in August for breaching her work pass conditions, specifically for failing to reside at her employer’s registered address as required by her work permit.
Ms. Alka, 44, who had lived and worked in Singapore for the past decade, was repatriated on August 16. In an interview with *The Straits Times* from Delhi, she expressed her devastation over the ban, which she said dashed her hopes of returning to work in Singapore, where her family resides. She had recently married in Singapore on August 5, before her repatriation.
The ban came as a shock to Ms. Alka, as she had just won a legal victory in July when she was acquitted by the High Court of a charge of making a false declaration on her work pass application. She had pleaded guilty to working as a sales assistant without a valid work pass in 2018 and was fined $4,500. However, she was also charged with making a false declaration in her work pass application in 2017, when she listed Mr. Anil Tripathi as her employer while allegedly not intending to work as a domestic helper for him.
During the appeal, her lawyer, Mr. Sarbrinder Singh, argued that Ms. Alka had worked for Mr. Anil in an informal capacity, cooking for him three to four times a week. High Court Justice Aedit Abdullah ruled that the definition of employment was broad enough to cover occasional tasks like cooking, even if performed without pay, and found the evidence insufficient to support the charge.
Despite the acquittal, MOM cited the breach of her work permit conditions and issued the employment ban. The ministry’s spokesperson confirmed that Ms. Alka will not be allowed to return to Singapore for future employment, though she had requested to stay and apply for a new work pass.
In response to the case, Mr. Singh called for a review of the migrant domestic worker application process, suggesting clearer guidelines to ensure applicants fully understand the seriousness of the declaration. MOM has stated that they are continuously reviewing legislation and processes and will make any necessary adjustments after consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Source: The Straits Times