A 35-year-old Chinese national was fined S$10,000 on January 2 after he was caught illegally working as a food delivery rider in Singapore for nearly two years. The accused, Zheng Zongren, used his friend’s personal details to sign up for a food delivery platform and earned S$40,000 over 20 months, delivering food across the city-state.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Zheng explained in his court mitigation that he took up the work to cover his mother’s medical bills.
Unlawful Use of Friend’s Details
Zheng, who was employed as a metalworking machine setter-operator on a work permit at an engineering company, initially attempted to sign up for a food delivery account using his own details. However, his application was rejected, as the platform only allows Singaporean citizens and permanent residents to register.
Undeterred, Zheng resorted to using his friend’s personal particulars to create an account on foodpanda, a popular food delivery service, sometime before early August 2021. He continued to operate under this fraudulent registration for nearly two years, earning an average of S$2,000 per month.
Working Beyond Official Hours
Despite knowing that food delivery work was not permitted under his work permit, Zheng delivered food during his free time. His schedule was intense: on weekdays, he worked as a rider from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and on weekends, he delivered food for even longer hours—from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
Zheng continued his illegal food delivery work until April 7, 2023, when he was caught during a routine police check. Investigations by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that Zheng had been using his friend’s registered account and personal bank account details for direct deposits.
Court Proceedings
Zheng faced a charge under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act for contravening employment regulations. During sentencing, he requested permission to remain in Singapore to continue working, but the prosecution argued for a fine of between S$10,000 and S$12,000. Ultimately, the court imposed a S$10,000 fine.
This case highlights the strict regulations governing foreign workers in Singapore, particularly regarding the restrictions on food delivery work, which is limited to citizens and permanent residents.
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