Dormitory operator charged over poor living conditions for foreign workers

KT&T Engineers and Constructors faces more than 20 charges under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act for alleged failures to comply with its licensing conditions. The company, part of the KT&T Group of Companies, was accused of providing substandard living conditions at its foreign worker dormitory located at 31 Sungei Kadut Avenue.

The charges detail multiple alleged failures to maintain the dormitory in January or February 2025. These include faulty urinals, a broken squatting pan, holes in walls and a corroded ceiling in communal toilets. Residents also reportedly faced broken floor tiles, exposed wiring cables, dangling metal poles, damaged lighting, and a broken cubicle partition.

Further accusations involve a loose ceiling fan, inadequate electricity access in one room, and a lack of guardrails on upper bunk beds, which are required to be of sturdy material for residents' basic rest. A faulty ladder on a bunk bed and a metal cabinet with a defective lock, preventing residents from securing personal belongings, were also cited. Additionally, the company is accused of failing to provide a mechanical fan in an isolation room and lacking shower curtains in a communal toilet.

The company is represented by Mr Alvin Chang Jit Hua from M & A Law. The case was adjourned to July for a further mention. If convicted, KT&T Engineers and Constructors could face up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to S$50,000 (US$38,964), or both for each charge of failing to comply with its operating license conditions.