Proposal for Oversight of Tattoo Retailers

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether there is any link between body tattoos and identification with criminal gangs; (b) how many tattoo shops have opened over the past five years; and (c) whether the Ministry will regulate the industry and impose a minimum age for any person who wants to put a tattoo on his/her body.

Mdm Speaker, while some people apply body tattoos to show their affiliations to unlawful gangs, many others do so for reasons that are non-gang related, such as for beauty, fashion and self-expression. There is no indication from the Police that applying body tattoos lead individuals to join gangs.

Given the many valid reasons why people choose to apply body tattoos, it may not be feasible to regulate the tattoo industry. The Ministry of Home Affairs also does not track the number of tattoo shops in Singapore.

Nonetheless, the Police will continue to take a tough enforcement stance against unlawful gangs.

Mdm Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for answering the question. One reason I asked the question is that I have a few residents who have asked about the impact of minors having tattoos early on, and the effect of them attending schools, because of specific regulations in schools if the tattoos are visible. My supplementary question is whether there will be plans to have laws to make sure that parental consent is needed for minors, especially those aged 14 and below. Currently, for minors aged 14 and below, there is no need for parental consent for having tattoos. There are some repercussions and cascading effects for the students, especially in terms of schools.

I thank the Member for his concern. It is not regulated per se, but under common law, if an invasive procedure were to be carried out, and some of these involve the use of tattooing machines, then there are requirements to obtain appropriate consent from a person, who is competent, to give that consent. This is already existing common law.

Having said that, beyond just the common law and the Police, there is also the role of the family and the schools in helping young people find their identity, including on issues, such as applying of body tattoos which become permanent features on the body.