SINGAPORE – Several workers from VVR Plant Engineering are now alerting the authorities to claims of unpaid wages – the third firm linked to a permanent resident company director who is said to have left Singapore.
Islam Md Rafiul, a 20-year-old Bangladeshi national, said he has not been paid for three months.
Speaking to The Straits Times at Tuas View Dormitory on June 24, Islam said he moved to Singapore about six months ago and was hired by the general contractor company located in Pandan Loop and paid $800 a month.
He added: “I sent home about $500 to $600 to my family. The last three months, I did not receive my salary and could not send money back to Bangladesh.
“I’m supporting my family, and I’m afraid to let my family know what happened.”
Islam was among some 400 migrant workers at Tuas View Dormitory who met NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, representatives from the Migrant Workers’ Centre and Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash.
The workers, many of whom are employed by KPA Engineering, a company that provides air-con maintenance services, and its related firm SK Industries, had raised issues concerning unpaid wages and their living arrangements.
Ng said the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and tripartite partners are working to contact the employers involved in the case.
VVR Plant Engineering, SK Industries and KPA Engineering have one common director – Indian national Ramu Palani Velu.
Checks on corporate intelligence platform Sayari show that Ramu is a director of seven companies here. The firms are listed as providing air-con, plumbing and building services.
ST on June 23 visited his registered address in a private estate in Hillview and learnt that the unit has been rented out to foreigners for the past two years. It is currently being rented out to a doctor.
A security guard at the condominium said several creditors have been turning up at the estate in recent months with claims of unpaid loans and defaults on payments.
They were refused access to the condominium unit leased by the doctor.
Ramu previously registered his businesses to a flat in Marine Crescent, where a lawyer’s letter addressed to him was placed at the front door.
ST has made multiple attempts to contact Ramu on the phone, at his homes and at the addresses where his firms were located, but he has not responded.
Ramu took over VVR Plant Engineering, formerly called VMD Integrated, in 2025.
The company was previously owned by Indian nationals Ravi Victor and Ravi Vijayarani, and their Singaporean son, Ravi Martin Abraham.
Martin, 23, told ST that the family was introduced to Ramu by a third party.
“Even my father is not sure who Ramu is. We had a family crisis and needed to sell the company. My father’s friend introduced Ramu,” said Martin, who was speaking from his flat in Clementi.
“When we were selling the company to him, he said he didn’t need the workers. We had 15 to 20 workers then.
“I’m not sure how much my dad sold the company (for), but it was not for a lot of money.”
The family had been looking to sell the company, which was valued for having access to work permits for the specialised process sector.
Such permits allow for process construction and maintenance works at locations such as Jurong Island.
Martin said: “It is not easy to obtain the permit for new companies, so we thought he bought our family business for that reason.”
He added that they have not been in contact with Ramu.
Checks by ST showed the permanent resident started his first business in 2014 – KPA Engineering. It was last recorded as having $1 million in capital.
Sundaramoorthy Komathy served as a company director with Ramu between 2016 and 2018. After he left, Krishnamurthy Sundaramoorthy became a director in 2020.
He remains an active director. Both Indian nationals had registered the same address in the business listing – an apartment in Hillview. ST visited the unit and found a tenant who said he has been renting the unit for two years.
Sam (not his real name), who was hired by KPA Engineering, said the workers knew Ramu as the big boss but the day-to-day operations were handled by an Indian national named Moorthy.
“We have been trying to contact Moorthy, but he has not responded,” added Sam.
In 2019, Ramu incorporated Comfort Air Engineering, formerly called Velmurugan Trading, with a registered capital of $100,000. He is the sole director.
He then registered SK Industries with $200,000 in capital in 2023 as sole director, with Sundaramoorthy Komathy as a shareholder.
In 2025, Ramu registered three companies in one day. They are KMS Integrated, GM Integrated and HVS Industries. He is the sole director.
KMS was registered with $100,000 in capital, and GM and HVS had $10,000 each.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has indicated that it is investigating KPA Engineering and SK Industries for possible breaches.
ST has contacted MOM to check if other companies linked to the firms are being investigated, and the total number of migrant workers employed by the seven companies linked to Ramu.
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Additional reporting by Jemima Ryan and Emily Koh