SINGAPORE – Metrocon Holdings chairman Alvin Lim Yee Hong has resigned after being charged with allegedly allowing an unlicensed foreign worker dormitory to operate, the Catalist-listed company said on Nov 2.
The construction engineering company, formerly known as Hatten Land, also disclosed that Lim and another director had not informed its board or sponsor about earlier dealings with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regarding the matter, including interviews conducted during investigations.
The case concerns LBD Engineering, Metrocon’s controlling shareholder, where Lim also serves as general manager. Neither Metrocon nor any of its subsidiaries has been charged.
LBD faces one charge for operating a foreign employee dormitory at 58A Sungei Kadut Loop without a valid licence between July 2025 and January 2026.
Lim faces a separate charge alleging that he knew LBD did not have a valid licence, but allowed it to continue operating the premises as a dormitory.
The first court hearing took place on Oct 29, with lawyers attending on behalf of Lim and LBD. The next hearing is scheduled for Dec 17.
Lim intends to contest the charge, is seeking legal advice, and has told the company that he needs to devote substantial time and resources to personal matters arising from the case, leading to his resignation as non-executive and non-independent chairman effective Oct 29.
However, Lim has indicated that he wishes to be considered for reappointment to the board after proceedings conclude.
Metrocon said any return would be subject to the nominating committee’s assessment and applicable regulatory requirements.
In its Nov 2 announcement, Metrocon set out the sequence of events based on information Lim provided to the board on Oct 29.
Its statement said MOM had inspected the Sungei Kadut dormitory on Jan 6, and informed LBD by e-mail the next day that the company was operating the premises without a licence under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act.
LBD was then directed to relocate all occupants by Jan 9, which it complied with.
On Aug 5, MOM requested that Lim attend an interview on Oct 2, after which Lim was released on bail.
Metrocon’s non-executive and non-independent director Charlotte Tay Tingyin was also interviewed by MOM on Aug 7 to assist with investigations arising from the January inspection.
Tay had served as an LBD director from Dec 17, 2025, to Feb 13, 2026. She subsequently acted as Lim’s bailor on Oct 2.
The board said it understood from Tay that she was only assisting with investigations, had not been charged and had received no further contact from MOM since Oct 2.
Explaining why the board and sponsor were not informed earlier, Metrocon said Lim and Tay did not consider the inspection and interviews to give rise to disclosure obligations because they concerned LBD rather than the listed group.
They therefore “inadvertently omitted” to notify the board and sponsor, the company said.
Apart from Lim and Tay, no other Metrocon director or key management personnel had been ordered or asked to assist with MOM’s investigations, according to the announcement.
The chairman’s position will remain vacant while the nominating committee identifies and evaluates a suitable candidate. In the interim, board meetings will be chaired by lead independent director Sim Mong Keang or a director elected by those present.
The board said it does not expect the recent developments to have a material impact on the group’s operations or financial performance for the year ending Dec 31.
Lim confirmed that the charge did not restrict LBD from continuing its construction business and that its projects were proceeding in the ordinary course. Meanwhile, Metrocon’s business transactions with LBD remained ongoing and unaffected, the announcement said.
Metrocon listed on Catalist in September via a $28 million reverse takeover (RTO) of embattled Hatten Land, a Malaysia property developer whose shares had been suspended from trading since August 2024, when it entered judicial management.
Under the proposed terms, the acquisition was to be paid for through about 107.7 million new shares issued at 26 cents each to LBD. It now holds about 64% of Metrocon after purchasing additional shares following the RTO.
Shares of Metrocon were down almost 15% at 20 cents at noon on Nov 2.
