The Ministry of Commerce warned Chinese citizens Sunday to avoid seeking employment in Singapore via illegal channels.

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said there had been cases of violations of the rights and interests of Chinese workers who worked as "free laborers" in Singapore on contracts they signed with employers or labor agents there. It didn't give specific examples.

Such a process of seeking employment is illegal in Singapore, the ministry said.

The ministry urged citizens to go through standard procedures with firms that are authorized to employ foreign nationals in Singapore.

Singapore is facing increasing pressure from unemployment, with a jobless rate rising to a five-year high of 4.8 percent in the first quarter.

The manufacturing sector has been hardest-hit by collapsing exports, with a loss of 19,900 jobs in the first quarter.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2009)