Red Dot United (RDU) has issued a strong statement criticising Nee Soon Town Council and Member of Parliament Louis Ng over their failure to detect and prevent a six-year-long kickback scheme involving estate cleaners in Nee Soon East.
The scheme saw 57 migrant workers coerced into paying nearly S$400,000 in illegal kickbacks to their manager, Derrick Ho, who was recently sentenced to 24 weeks in jail.
RDU described the situation as “utterly unacceptable,” questioning how such large-scale exploitation could persist undetected for so long. The statement highlighted that the case only came to light in 2020 following an anonymous complaint, despite the workers being employed within the constituency under the town council’s purview.
Concerns over oversight and accountability
RDU acknowledged that Nee Soon Town Council did not directly employ the workers, but it pointed to significant gaps in oversight of estate contractors. The party warned that, while there was no evidence that the kickbacks inflated contract costs, such practices could have affected worker retention and estate maintenance, potentially impacting service quality for residents.
“The systemic failure to detect and prevent this exploitation points to a troubling lack of oversight,” RDU said, calling for a review of how contracts are monitored and managed.
The party also criticised People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Louis Ng, who built his reputation as an advocate for migrant workers. “If there was indeed deep engagement with these workers, as claimed, how did such abuses go unnoticed?” RDU asked.
RDU’s recommendations for reform
To address the failures and restore public trust, RDU urged Nee Soon Town Council and Louis Ng to take the following actions:
- Conduct an independent audit: Commission a full, independent review of all contractors under Nee Soon Town Council to determine whether similar exploitative practices are happening elsewhere.
- Strengthen safeguards: Publicly outline the safeguards currently in place—or those that should be implemented—to prevent such abuses in the future.
- Enhance whistleblower protections: Implement stronger protections so that workers can report abuses without fear of retaliation or deportation.
- Ensure accountability: Identify and hold responsible any individuals or processes within the town council that contributed to the failure to detect the exploitation.
RDU emphasised that governance must be rooted in accountability, stating that championing migrant worker rights in Parliament means little if such abuses are allowed to happen under one’s watch. “Words must be matched by action, and oversight must be rigorous and transparent,” the statement read.
A call for justice and reform
Ravi Philemon, RDU’s Secretary-General, stressed the importance of non-partisan action, stating: “This is not a partisan issue—it is a matter of justice. The workers who keep our estates clean deserve far better.”
RDU also highlighted that the scandal has broader implications for public trust and good governance. The party called for greater scrutiny in how public funds are managed, ensuring that corruption and exploitation have no place in estate management.
“We envision a fairer Singapore, where every individual, regardless of whether they are local or foreign, is treated with dignity and respect,” the statement said. RDU warned that if proactive steps are not taken to detect and eliminate such exploitative practices, public trust in town councils and estate management will erode further.
RDU concluded by urging Nee Soon Town Council and Louis Ng to seize the opportunity to demonstrate genuine accountability and enact meaningful reforms to prevent future exploitation.
