A Singaporean man who evaded his national service (NS) obligations in the 1990s used counterfeit Malaysian passports to enter and exit the country, concealing his identity from authorities.
According to Straits Times, Low Eng Kheng, 60, exploited these fake documents 876 times between 2006 and 2011 at various Singapore checkpoints.
On July 11 (Friday), Low was sentenced to eight months and 18 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to five charges under the Immigration Act.
Court documents, cited by the Singaporean daily, revealed that in the early 1990s, Low fled to Malaysia to avoid fulfilling his duties as an operationally ready national serviceman (NSman). He remained there, allowing his Singapore passport to expire in June 2000.
In 2006, Low wished to visit his ailing mother in Singapore but feared detection for his NS default.
He paid RM45,000 for a fake Malaysian passport bearing his photo but under the name “Chong Poh Yin” with a false birthdate. Between 2008 and 2010, he acquired three more such passports, each costing RM10,000.
Low first used the fraudulent passport to enter Singapore on August 7, 2006. Over the years, he frequently travelled between Singapore and Malaysia using these documents, with his last entry recorded on May 2, 2011. Additionally, he provided false information on disembarkation forms 59 times, misrepresenting his name, birthdate, and birthplace.
The Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) launched an investigation in September 2023 after discovering Low’s multiple identities. The exact trigger for the probe was not disclosed. He was subsequently arrested in August 2024.
Deputy Superintendent Ganeshvaran, an ICA senior prosecution officer, emphasised that Low deliberately fled Singapore to evade NS and later concealed his identity to avoid authorities.
Defence lawyer Thomas Tham argued that Low used the passports solely for work as a driver, not for criminal activities. “He came to Singapore to earn a living for his family,“ Tham stated.
ICA confirmed that since July 2020, biometric clearance systems have been enhanced at checkpoints to detect identity fraud. Iris, facial, and fingerprint scans now ensure accurate traveller authentication. “ICA will take firm action against those using impersonated identities,“ a spokesperson warned.
