Section 55B
Prohibition of immigration offender entering or remaining at work place
(1)
No occupier of a work place who has control of access to the work place shall permit any immigration offender to enter or remain at the work place.
(2)
Where an immigration offender is found at a work place, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the occupier of the work place —
(a)
had control of access to the work place;
(b)
had permitted the immigration offender to enter or remain at the work place; and
(c)
had knowledge that he is an immigration offender.
(3)
The presumptions provided for in subsection (2)(b) and (c) shall not be rebutted unless the defendant proves that he had exercised due diligence to prevent the immigration offender from entering or remaining at the work place.
(4)
For the purposes of subsection (3), a defendant shall not be presumed to have exercised due diligence unless he had taken all reasonable measures to prevent any immigration offender from entering or remaining at the work place, including all the measures prescribed under subsection (5) in respect of the work place.
(5)
For the purposes of subsection (4), the Minister may, by notification published in the Gazette, prescribe the measures that are required to be taken by the occupier of a work place.
(6)
Any person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $6,000 and not more than $12,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or both for each immigration offender found at the work place and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine of not less than $12,000 and not
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more than $24,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years and or both for each immigration offender found at the work place.
(7)
In this section —
“construction works” means construction, reconstruction, maintenance, repair, alteration, or demolition of any building, harbour, dock, pier, canal, sewer, drain, well, telegraphic or telephonic installation, electrical undertaking, gasworks, waterworks or other work of construction, as well as the preparation for or laying the foundation of any such work or structure;
“occupier”, in relation to a work place, means the principal contractor who undertakes any construction works at the work place and includes such other person as the Minister may, by notification published in the Gazette, specify to be the occupier of the work place;
“principal contractor” means a person who has entered into a contract with an owner, developer or lessee of a property or his agent for the purpose of carrying out any construction works on the property;
“work place” means any place or premises where any construction works are being carried out and includes —
(a)
all the land within the vicinity of the work place which are owned by the person for whom the construction works are being carried out and to which the principal contractor has control of access;
(b)
any canteen, sleeping quarters, office and other structures or buildings erected on the work place; and
(c)
such other place or premises as the Minister may, by notification published in the Gazette, specify to be a work place.