Police investigating nine men over alleged illegal public assembly outside industrial building in Singapore

SINGAPORE, Oct 19 — Nine men are assisting in investigations for allegedly protesting outside a light industrial building in Ang Mo Kio yesterday (October 18) afternoon, the police said.

The men, aged between 28 and 54, allegedly blocked the entrance and exit of the NCS Hub Building at Ang Mo Kio Street 62, while holding up signs demanding their salaries, the police said in response to queries.

The police did not state whether the men were foreign workers.

Photos posted on social media showed workers holding up signs printed in English and Mandarin that said “Shanghai Chong Kee”, a construction firm in Singapore, and “pay back the debt”.

They stood on the road in front of a stationary lorry with the contact number and address of another construction firm, Zhengda Corporation, printed on it.

The police said they received a call for assistance at 1.50pm.

“Upon the police’s arrival, officers engaged the men to stop their activities and they complied,” the police said.

The men are assisting the police in investigations over allegedly participating in a public assembly without a permit, the police added.

At about 5.45pm yesterday, TODAY saw one of the workers walking out of the NCS Hub Building before boarding a lorry and leaving.

The worker, who did not give his name, said he was employed by Zhengda Corporation and that he and his colleagues had held up signs for about 20 minutes until the police arrived and told them to stop.

A bystander, who worked at the building, said he saw police officers and two police vehicles stopped outside in the afternoon but did not think much of it.

“Then in the office, my colleague showed me the video (of the alleged protest) and I was shocked,” said the bystander, who declined to give his name.

Mediation officers from the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) were also seen outside the building when TODAY was there.

MoM and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) are assisting the workers, the ministry said on Tuesday in response to TODAY's queries.

“The workers have been assured of the help by MoM and TADM, and have returned calmly to their dormitories,” it said in a brief statement.

TODAY has reached out to Zhengda Corporation and Shanghai Chong Kee for comment.

Under the Public Order Act, taking part in a public assembly without a permit carries a fine of up to S$3,000 (RM14,151). ― TODAY