Municipal authorities requested a freeze on the bank account of the Singaporean owned Melior Vietnam Company in HCM City after their school closed suddenly, leaving students in shock.

Students standing outside of Melior School

HCM City authorities requested the Standard Chartered Bank in Vietnam to freeze the company's assets. The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security was also asked to temporarily prevent Melior Vietnam Company's general director, Cheng Sim Kok from leaving the country.

However, there have been rumours that Cheng Sim Kok is no longer in Vietnam and there is little money in the company's account.

Before, the HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs requested the revocation of the license of the Melior Business School, the Singapore's Education and Research Center Institute, and the Singapore Informatics & Business Management Education Company for violating regulations.

Nguyen Thanh Hiep, head of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affair's Vocational Training Division, said if schools do not protect the interests of students or if they avoid their responsibilities, they will be prosecuted.

The Singaporean Consul General in HCM City denied any responsibility, stating that Singaporean Council for Private Education is responsible only for dealing with domestic private education facilities. This council cannot control private centres located overseas. Melior Business School in Vietnam is not monitored or controlled by any Singaporean agencies.

On November 12, hundreds of students were shocked to see the school closed. Students said the school had collected tuition fee of over USD10,500. However, the building owners said the school still owed rent and so evicted them.