Kickbacks: Town council reviewing cleaning firm's compliance

Ang Mo Kio Town Council said it is reviewing the compliance of a cleaning services firm after finding out that its director was involved in receiving kickbacks from 18 migrant workers.

- Samuel Devaraj

Loo Kim Huat, 68, the director and group head of conservancy at WIS Holdings, which manages Weishen Industrial Services, was on July 24 fined $90,000 and ordered to pay a penalty of $42,000 by a district court for his role in the scheme, which resulted in the collection of $112,400 in kickbacks from the workers.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) told The Straits Times on July 29 that the 18 workers involved in the case were conservancy workers for Ang Mo Kio Town Council.

In response to queries, a spokesperson for Ang Mo Kio Town Council said it was not aware of the employment arrangement involving the workers in 2020 until MOM issued a public statement on the case after Loo's sentencing.

Weishen Industrial Services is a term contractor engaged in one of the town council's seven divisions.