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The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (May 20) pursued nine claims in the Small Claims Tribunal, totaling some $108,000 on behalf of 17 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

The defendants were Sunlink Limited, Hop Hei Engineering Company Limited, Lai Kwok Ming & Au Din Har, Ellen trading as Tommy Lai & Co., Law Sing Fai trading as Kuen Lee Metal Works Factory, Central Crown Limited, Million Force Service Limited, Mekong River Vietnam Restaurant Limited, Blessfield Development Limited trading as Hung Fook Seafood Restaurant and Pacific Ace Employment Agency Limited.

In two separate cases at Kwun Tong Magistracy earlier, Sunlink Limited pleaded guilty to six and three counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $21,000 and $10,000 respectively. Hop Hei Engineering Company Limited also pleaded guilty earlier to seven counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $13,000. Besides, Blessfield Development Limited trading as Hung Fook Seafood Restaurant pleaded guilty earlier to three counts of failing to enroll three employees in a MPF scheme and was fined $15,000.

At today's hearing, Law Sing Fai trading as Kuen Lee Metal Works Factory and Million Force Service Limited did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sum of $9,698.66 and $3,487.45 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

The other defendants, namely, Sunlink Limited, Hop Hei Engineering Company Limited, Lai Kwok Ming & Au Din Har, Ellen trading as Tommy Lai & Co., Central Crown Limited, Mekong River Vietnam Restaurant Limited, Blessfield Development Limited trading as Hung Fook Seafood Restaurant and Pacific Ace Employment Agency Limited did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sum of $44,696.78, $29,405.68, $10,460.51, $4,736.78, $2,539.06, $2,021.48 and $1,385.94 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The court further awarded payments of $330, $450, $290, $220, $450, $300, $240, $250 and $410 as costs in respect of the claims.

End/Tuesday, May 20, 2003

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