THEY were all there, the landlord's representative, the contractor, the electrician. And they all wanted one thing: To be paid.

The person they hoped to get payment from claims to be a wealthy Middle Eastern sheikh with business deals worth billions.

The short, stout middle-aged man runs a company from an office in the City Hall area, and claims to trade in oil, precious minerals and other commodities.

He also claims to have links to Middle Eastern royalty.

When The New Paper visited the office yesterday evening, a representative of his landlord was there, trying to collect rent.

Soon after, she was joined by a contractor who also claimed the man owed him money.

The representative, who declined to be named, said the businessman owed the landlord about $50,000.

She said: 'He was recommended by a reputable agent, so we didn't think this would happen.'

His first cheque for $25,000 went through, but the next two bounced.'

The New Paper reported on Tuesday that the man allegedly did not pay at least four of his employees their salaries for the last month.

It is understood that his bank accounts were closed due to account misconduct.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed that the employees had sought advice from MOM
on Tuesday regarding their salary arrears.

There were also three complaints against the company last year, which have been settled.

The landlord's representative said she had switched off the electricity supply to the office last Friday.

However, the businessman allegedly broke the lock on the fuse box, turned the electricity supply back on and changed the lock over the weekend.

Said the representative: 'At this point, we don't even care if we don't get the rent money back ' we just want him out of the premises.'

According to the representative, tenants are usually responsible for paying utility bills, but this company had not paid since the rental agreement was signed in February.

When the representative again turned the office's electricity off yesterday, the businessman called the police.

Around 5.10pm, he stormed angrily out of his office and, using his handphone, began recording a video of the commotion outside his office. He looked worked up and his hand shook.

He initially seemed obliging when approached by this reporter for an interview, but after a few words with two others, he changed his mind and hurried back to his office.

A well-dressed female employee took down this reporter's contact information, saying the businessman would schedule an interview at a later date.

At this point, the landlord's representative called a locksmith to have four additional locks installed on the fuse box.

She said: 'I have no choice but to do this, so he won't break the locks and turn on the electricity again.'

After about 30 minutes, the businessman came out of the office, accompanied by two tall, burly men. But when he saw The New Paper's photographer, he returned to his office.

Mr Abul Kalam, 44, a Bangladeshi contractor, arrived soon after.

He claimed he was owed $7,500 for renovation work he did at the office in February, including the cost of materials and the wages owed to him and his workers.

'CHEQUE BOUNCED'

He was given a cheque, but it bounced.

Recalled Mr Abul: 'I went to the office on 12 May to get my money back, but he didn't pay.'

He claims the businessman shouted at him and even shoved him against the edge of a door.

He has made a police report and lodged a magistrate's complaint against the businessman.

Mr Abul said he had trusted the man because he had been introduced by a mutual acquaintance, the owner of a restaurant on Serangoon Road.

He said: 'He asked me if I could pay for the materials first, and said he would pay me later. But he never did.'

Mr Abul installed partitions in the office and did some electrical wiring.

He also installed an additional glass door in the corridor.

He said: 'Without the payment, I cannot pay my eight workers. He promised to pay them $60 each every day for their work, and more for overtime.'

Mr Abul waited with the landlord's representative, to see if the businessman would emerge from his office, which was in darkness after the electricity was shut off. From the entrance, several employees were seen walking back and forth inside.

Other tenants on the same floor said they had seen the businessman on many occasions, and he looked every bit like the rich man he claimed to be.

But the landlord's representative said: 'When I met him, he told us many stories.He even said he was related to a prince.'

'But we don't care about these things. If he doesn't pay, we want him out.'

This article was first published in TNP on May 15, 2008

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