Construction firm illegally houses migrant workers in Paya Lebar warehouse, MOM investigating

A construction firm was found to have illegally housed its migrant workers in a warehouse located in Paya Lebar.

A whistleblower, surnamed Xu, told Shin Min Daily News that workers had been sleeping on metal frames stacked about two storeys high inside the warehouse.

Xu shared that the building management had already informed the firm to stop the practice, but the company allegedly failed to comply.

He also said that workers were cooking and doing laundry inside the warehouse.

More than 10 employees

According to Xu, the construction company moved into the premises about a year ago and has been housing more than 10 employees in the warehouse.

Shin Min reporters who visited the site found that the company occupied one unit as an office and another as a warehouse.

While the office was closed, the warehouse’s metal gate was wide open, though the space appeared empty.

A video provided by Xu showed that workers had arranged tables, chairs, and cabinets in an open area on the second-floor metal frame of the warehouse.

One employee was also seen sleeping inside, using only a piece of cloth as a makeshift curtain.

Dormitory was hot and stuffy: Firm owner

The company's owner, He Zhirong (transliteration), told Shin Min the company had leased a dormitory in Punggol, but the workers often end late, causing them not to find parking spaces.

They are then forced to park illegally, he claimed, causing them to incur parking fines.

"I have six or seven lorries, and before, I would receive tickets two or three days a week, which added up to a considerable sum. The authorities suggested providing a bus to transport all the employees back at once, but their work hours are irregular, making it difficult to implement," he said.

He added that the dormitory is very stuffy, so the workers did not want to sleep there.

Now that they can no longer stay overnight in the warehouse, he said that two migrant workers who have worked for him as drivers for several years have chosen to resign.

He also revealed that applications for other dormitories he had submitted have been pending for a long time.

He added that after receiving notification from the authorities, he immediately instructed his employees to stop staying overnight or cooking in the warehouse.

MOM investigating

In response to Mothership's queries, spokespersons for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and JTC, which manages the industrial estate, said they received feedback about an unauthorised dormitory on premises occupied by Lian Hup Seng Construction & Tentage Pte Ltd on Dec. 31, 2025.

Inspections conducted on Jan. 2 and 5, 2026, found evidence of occupancy on the premises, which constitutes a breach of JTC’s tenancy conditions and MOM’s migrant worker housing requirements under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), they said.

Following the inspections, the firm was instructed to relocate the affected migrant workers to approved accommodation immediately to ensure workers’ safety and well-being.

The company was also required to remove any unauthorised structures for housing the workers.

"The government takes a serious view of unapproved accommodation, as these arrangements can compromise the safety, health, and well-being of migrant workers. This contravenes employers’ housing obligations under the EFMA and breaches the tenancy conditions of the premises," they said.

Investigations are ongoing, and appropriate enforcement action will be taken against the errant parties, they added.

Under the EFMA, employers who fail to provide acceptable accommodation for their migrant workers can face a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.

JTC's tenants that are found in breach of the terms and conditions stated in their tenancy agreements are required to rectify the situation or may face tenancy actions, including non-renewal or termination of their tenancy.

Top photos from Shin Min Daily News