SINGAPORE – A sales director of a company took instructions from her then employer to forge documents in order to cheat a programme partner of the Workforce Singapore (WSG) agency – a statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower.
According to court documents, Chew Chui Shien helped Haden Hee Lic-Kai cheat the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) into disbursing $14,400 in grants to food products company Hanguk Kitchen.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Theong Li Han told the court on Feb 24 that the full sum has since been “clawed back”.
“A strong stance must be taken in cheating cases where the victim is a government department or agency, so as to safeguard our national resources,” the DPP added.
On Feb 24, Chew, 53, was sentenced to five months’ jail after she pleaded guilty to two charges – cheating involving $8,400, and forgery.
Four other charges – including a second cheating charge involving another $6,000 – were considered during her sentencing.
At the time of the offences, Hee, 45, was the sole director and shareholder of Hanguk Kitchen.
His case is pending.
DPP Theong said that WSG oversees and promotes the development, competitiveness and employability of Singapore’s workforce.
The statutory board also works with partners such as e2i to administer professional conversion programmes (PCPs).
Such initiatives are career conversion programmes for professionals, managers, executives and technicians making mid-career switches to help them convert their skills and move into new jobs.
Court documents stated that the “Place-and-Train” PCP is one such initiative.
