Committee of Supply – Head P (Ministry of Home Affairs)

Madam, the home front landscape has changed and continues to do so. It evolves each day. Traditional crimes – the Penal Code type of offences, property and drug-related offences – have come down. Over the last few years, the crime rates have been encouraging, hitting an all-time low in recent years, whereas drug-related offences or arrest have gone up. We continue to muster resources to combat acute problems, like gambling, unlicensed moneylending and loansharking. These crimes do not just have a single victim. The people around the alleged debtor often suffer the consequences of the harassment of the loansharks and scare tactics which are employed by these people. In fact, it is intended for the innocent people around the alleged debtor to also suffer these inconveniences and threats. It is a menace to society. Those who are caught are dealt with severely, using strong deterrent punishments. This is entirely necessary to reflect society's abhorrence of these crimes.

But we cannot assume that this landscape represents the universe of threats which Singaporeans face today. For one, the cyber threat is growing. Online gambling and vice activities have been on the rise. Syndicates are getting bigger, better organised, sometimes not even located within Singapore. They are more difficult to track, and often target the vulnerable groups like the youths and elderly. Other less traditional offences but no less serious or insidious are online harassment actions. This is often anonymous and cowardly attack on the person's reputation and can often do cause serious damage.

A victim's recourse is presently limited. And even if the perpetrator is caught, which in the nature of the Internet, it is difficult enough. The damage

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would inevitably have already been done.

Madam, the Government should make it easier for victims of these harassments to seek recourse, even if on interim basis. There must be a way in which damaging articles and publications be forced to be taken down, before it becomes viral on the Internet. And in which point in time, it is often too late. Victims must also have the tools to track the source and author of the offending publications through the Internet service providers. These measures are necessary to ensure that there is a fair prospect of apprehending the often unknown cowardly persons.

As Mr Hri Kumar noted earlier, there is also a recently growing trend in community disputes. This is when neighbours get into disagreement. These issues often revolve around encroachment, sometimes of space for quiet enjoyment. Mr Kumar gave some examples and there are others like high rise littering of old racks, newspapers, leftover foods or cigarette butts. At other times, the complaint is about the inconsiderate neighbour who generates too much noise at an unearthly hour. These are less serious than hardcore crimes, but no less difficult to resolve. Some of these community disputes in fact could give raise or lead to more serious ones. Sometimes, it is a minor scuffle, sometimes it is a more serious one. Sometimes racial or religious sentiments could be invoked in these disputes which threaten neighbourliness, and sometimes even our social fabric and harmony.

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair]

In these disputes, most of the time, all that is needed is a little intervention and mediation by an authority figure. I will speak more about this when we talk about Community Policing because I think it is a feature that can be embedded into the concept of system of COPS. I hope that the MHA could also look into this. Just like my colleague Mr Seng Han Thong has mentioned earlier, I do think what I have sketched out is only a fraction of what the MHA covers. It is also, as Mr Seng said, an "all mountain, all sea" Ministry. In that respect, I do ask the Deputy Prime Minister to outline its priorities for the year 2013 in the face of these changing challenges.

Sir, in the presentation by Mr Albert Chua, the permanent representative of Singapore to the UN on 27 June 2012, he mentioned that the threat of terrorism in Southeast Asia remained serious. He

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specifically highlighted the spread of radical ideology and also said there were increasing dangers of self-radicalisation. I would like the Minister to provide an update on the regional terrorism situation and also what steps the MHA is taking to deal with this threat.

Sir, counter-terrorism measures encompass a multi-disciplinary approach, that is, defence, internal and border controls, infrastructure security, total defence, medical readiness, resilient transportation system and even psychological preparedness. Singapore has been proactive in all these areas and even at the international and regional grouping levels.

We also have a good model in our Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), which was formed when handling the JI issue. It has since been expanded, contributing also through its educational and advisory role. In fact, the RRG is often quoted as an example by many academics involved in the discipline of counter-terrorism.

With the increase in the level of sophistication, technology and connectivity of terrorist and terrorist-related activities, how do our current preparedness strategies and plans measure up? What and how are the current threats different compared to the last decade?

Paramedics form an essential core group of personnel who run the Emergency Ambulance Services (EAS). They are equipped with life-saving skills, critical for times of emergencies. Their job scope is challenging. With the ageing population and increased numbers with chronic illnesses developing complications, the number of ambulance calls and the utilisation rate is only going up. We will need to recruit more young paramedics with clear progression in their career paths and also development. For the existing paramedics, self-development, continuing education and career tracks must be

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amenable and also favourable to them.

Will the Level 4 Paramedic Specialist Training be re-commenced soon? And if so, is there a time line? There is certainly a need for these highly trained paramedics to handle more complex, multi-faceted medical cases that we are going to continue to see.

Sir, there has been much debate in this House in the recent past on the potential population growth that Singapore is going to see in the coming years. The debate brought with it mixed views. Whatever those views may be, we must constantly remind ourselves that we must do what is in the best interest of Singaporeans. To this end, I have a suggestion.

Our airport is an iconic pride of Singaporeans. In 2012 alone, Changi Airport won close to 30 awards. At Changi Airport, we have automated gantries at the immigration clearance check-points. These gantries can be used by Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass Holders. It is my suggestion that we have gantries or automated clearance lanes specific to Singapore Citizens only. This will also be in line with the practice of many other countries that have special lanes of immigration clearance specifically for the use of their citizens only.

Sir, we have a Community Policing System in place, at least the roll-out since last May. The full roll-out across the island will continue over the next three to five years. It takes time because we need officers to be well-trained in their position and something like 450 new positions have to be filled. Once they are filled, this will allow the Police to methodologically plan and deploy the resources for new crime strike force and other components of the reorganised Neighbourhood Police Centres.

I wonder if we could leverage on this scheme to deal with another aspect of community disputes, which I mentioned earlier, between neighbours. I think this scheme could be used where some people could be deputised to handle and mediate such community disputes. These will be people who will be trained in mediation, dispute resolution and be given some powers to make orders with

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which could be enforced in the usual way through the courts.

These people would be chosen from a pool of community and respected grassroots leaders and perhaps people who themselves live in the area concerned. They would be a little like the village head controls of old whom residents look up to and respect and whose words of advice in the first instance would often be paid heed. I think in the majority of these cases, that is what is needed to resolve tensions between two warring neighbours. And I wonder whether the Deputy Prime Minister could comment on that.

Sir, policing models worldwide are evolving. Most countries start off with traditional, reactive models, which focus on solving crimes after they occur and responding to calls for assistance. As countries develop, there is increasing evolution towards proactive models which focus on crime prevention.

There is a wide body of research from developed countries on the effectiveness of different policing strategies in crime reduction. For instance, evidence from the United States generally shows that community policing in and of itself is not effective in crime reduction, though it is useful in promoting good relations with the public. On the other hand, there is clear evidence that problem-oriented policing and hot spot policing show strong results in crime reduction.

The general thrust of the research is that successful policing strategies combine two elements – focus on specific problems, and diverse approaches which involve not just law enforcement but other stakeholders. For instance, if a neighbourhood has a high incidence of housebreaking, successful responses typically involve the police focusing on the problem area and working with the local housing authorities, citizens and the local councils to approach the problem from many fronts.

In Singapore, our policing models have gone through several milestones. Community policing was introduced in the 1980s via the Neighbourhood Police Post system, which was then replaced by the Neighbourhood Police Centre model around the year 2000. After more than 10 years of the NPC model, we now have the recently unveiled Community Policing System (COPS).

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It has been publicly stated that the reason for the change to COPS was to adjust to new population trends and to devolve more authority to the local units. I would like Government to clarify whether the decision was based on any evidence of what has or has not worked in Singapore or in other countries; in other words, to what extent was the decision evidence-based?

Thank you, Chairman. Singapore continues to enjoy a stable environment of low crime rate. The crime rate per 100,000 is about 581, the lowest we have had in the last 29 years. By many accounts and the types of crime committed in Singapore, many reported a drop. For instance, although loan shark harassment still remains a concern and there are still reported incidences of such harassment, the numbers have come down.

As the Police says, "Low crime doesn't mean no crime". The Police attributed this drop in the crime rate to greater participation from the community and public vigilance. I would attribute this to some form of community policing system. I am happy to say that Clementi Constituency was part of a pilot programme named Delta COPS and a roll-out of the COPs initiatives at West Coast Division recently.

Can the Minister give an early assessment on how the new COPS model has performed thus far, and how have residents taken up with COPS?

Mr Chairman, sometime in November 2012, it was reported that a director of a real estate firm was charged for illegal money-lending activities. The potential customer took loans from the director with high interest chargeable and the loan to be returned after the sale of his flat. This dealing seems innocuous enough and logical given that the seller is due to be paid after selling his flat. However, this example reflects a more serious issue. We would be on a slippery road if we allowed such deals and illegal contravention of the Moneylending Act to go through as one of the modus operandi of loan sharks.

In addition, many netizens had posted online of unsavoury propositions of offer of easy money. The sender would then get nasty and harassed non-stop if the recipient questioned how his number and personal details were availed

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to the sender of such services.

In the first six months of 2012, there were more than 1,000 cases of illegal money-lending activities reported. Although loan shark harassment activities were reportedly down by about 25%, this aspect is still a scourge.

Harassment by unlicensed moneylenders has been a problem of concern to many residents in recent years. Can the Minister provide an update on the unlicensed moneylending harassment situation last year? How is his Ministry tackling this issue?

Mr Chairman, although Singapore has a fairly low crime rate, there is still a cause for concern especially with youth crimes. As recent as in February 2013, four boys were arrested for loan shark harassment activities including setting homes on fire and locking the gates. These youth were as young as 15 and average no more than 16 years old. They were attracted to these illegal activities by the short-term attraction of money without a thought for their future and the consequences of their actions and on others.

In 2011, there were a total of 336 youth arrested for illegal moneylending harassment cases. What is the situation like in 2012? What can be done to prevent the malaise from worsening?

Mr Chairman, loan shark harassment is a clear and present danger to many innocent victims and their families who live in constant fear daily and not knowing when the nightmare will end. Even though the Singapore Police Force has taken a zero tolerance approach towards loan shark harassment, loan shark activities still pose a significant threat in some neighbourhoods.

I would like to ask the Minister if any new approaches will be adopted to clamp down on these activities and harassment cases. I understand that there is a national CCTV roll- out plan – how successful have CCTVs played in identifying the individuals involved? What tougher measures will be taken against those caught harassing borrowers or their neighbours who live in constant fear every single day of their lives?

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Mr Chairman, I am also concerned about the involvement of youths in loan shark activities. There were recent reports on youths who were arrested for suspected involvement in loan shark activities. I would like to know how many youths have been arrested for involvement in loan shark activities over the past three years. What steps are taken to educate youths on the dangers of being involved in such activities? What other deterrent measures can be taken to reduce the involvement of youths in such activities?

Mr Chairman, following up from last year's or, perhaps, last few years' COS, the vice situation in the Geylang area continues to make its presence felt even into the upper lorongs. This, of course creates a multitude of social disamenities related to noise, littering, illegal parking, traffic congestion, immoral influences of the flesh trade as well as safety and security challenges. It also continues to be a "cat and mouse" game between the authorities, the operators and street walkers. Vigorous community as well as multi-disciplinary agencies efforts have not effected a sustainable positive change.

Can MHA update us on the efforts to better contain these activities? I strongly feel there is a need to be more stringent and more effective.

MHA has recently taken positive steps in attempting to deter prostitutes from operating within the heartland homely neighbourhoods. One initiative I would like to highlight is the Community Policing System (COPS). I see this as an excellent opportunity for enhanced interaction and communication between the Police and public, as well as more efficient collaboration to achieve our shared goal of crime reduction. The value-add of such a scheme is particularly evident in the two areas of vice which I would like to draw to Parliament's attention today: prostitution and loan shark harassment.

First, the problem of prostitution. We need to deter the presence of prostitutes who operate in the heartlands and residential neighbourhoods. Our Police force periodically carries out crackdowns on prostitutes, particularly those operating outside of informally designated red-light areas. I would like to ask if the new COPS initiative, which has been warmly received by residents, has as one of its priorities to deter these prostitutes from doing so.

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Our heartlands and residential neighbourhoods are spaces in which families and young children grow up and play in. Such vice activities, on the other hand, worry parents; rightly so. Because of the dispersed nature of such activities, the COPS scheme would enable Police to tap on residents in their neighbourhoods as surveillance sources.

The value-add the scheme would bring to the deterrence of loan shark harassment is also substantial. Would the Police work with local community groups, such as the grassroots volunteers, to provide a method of detection and prevention of loan shark harassment? In light of the aspiration towards increased collaboration between the Police and public, I would like to add that the COPS initiative is an excellent and heart-warming one because it shows the closeness between a Police officer's mission and the community's well-being, a warm connection, and rightly so.

I would like to raise a final point with respect to the curbing of gambling addictions. Would the Ministry consider reducing the waiting time for an exclusion order from either of the casinos? This is in light of the often vulnerable and irrational state of the subject to an exclusion order, and it would benefit all parties to the process if the objective of more efficiency is met.

Sir, work permit holders in Singapore as at December 2012 numbered 952,000. Out of these, close to 300,000 are construction workers.

Sir, I thank and appreciate these workers who left their homes, took on backbreaking work, constructing much desired homes and facilities for our citizens. I acknowledge that their needs in fair compensation, lodging, leisure should be respected and met.

Sir, for years, many of these foreign workers who live elsewhere in Singapore, have been frequenting areas such as Little India, Beach Road, Jurong and other areas. During the weekends, lorries ferry these workers to their favourite meeting places – Indian and Bangladeshi workers mainly to Little India and Thai workers to the Golden Mile and Beach Road areas. Many tend to congregate in the void decks of HDB flats in the nearby residential zones. The crowds get much bigger when it rains and there are no other shelters for them. Whilst the majority of them do not commit crime, the sheer large size of the congregation is a big concern for my residents. The workers eat and drink,

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socialise, block the passageways of residents. Some purchase liquor from nearby stores, get drunk and urinate in the public areas.

In the last three years, thanks to the constant advocacy of local Members of Parliament and agencies, such as MOM, the Police, NEA, Town Councils and grassroots volunteers, the situation had been much better controlled. Uniformed Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) have been deployed during peak hours to patrol very popular foreign worker congregation areas.

However, the situation has not been fully resolved. Residents continue to lament the quality of their living environment. As more foreign workers land in our country to support Singaporeans' demand for faster completion of housing and train network projects, a more rigorous system of managing this teething issue needs to be put in place.

The issue of alcohol licences at shops directly within HDB blocks contributes to problems of social disamenities. Some grocery stores have openly stocked and sold not only beer but all forms of spirits. These are a couple of photos of what is on the ground floor of one of the shops in one of my HDB blocks. Shops, such as these, not only serve workers who naturally congregate in these areas, but they attract also even more to these blocks. With purchased alcohol in hand, the workers conveniently drink within the block area vicinity, causing even more problems.

Sir, I have studied closely the open-bottle policies of several countries where only liquor stores are allowed to operate away from residential zones, and where alcohol drinking in public areas is an offence. I plead with MHA to seriously consider implementing policies of this same nature in Singapore. And whilst this consideration is underway, I urge MHA to withdraw or stop issuing alcohol sales licences to shops in residential blocks. MHA's previous promise to use soft approaches such as education and counselling did not work. Effective behavioural management needs time and many of these workers are not here on a long-term basis.

I also urge the Government to form a high-level interagency task force to look to solving the issue of foreign worker congregation at residential areas once and for all. This should comprise the HDB, NEA, Police Force, MOM, the Town Councils and, of course, the MHA. Policies that can be implemented include: (a) ring-fence residential zones so that only residents and their visitors can enter; (b) convert the shops below public housing blocks which are selling this liquor or groceries to more wholesome community facilities that can benefit

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the residents; and (c) fund the building of sheltered facilities complete with lighting, toilets and grocery shopping at available land away from the residents for these foreign workers.

Singaporeans need these foreign workers to help construct facilities for us locals. Let us be clear about that. These workers, like you and I, need leisure and recreation during their rest days. But the residents of the places where the foreign workers congregate too deserve rest in a quality, peaceful, living environment.

Sir, I am speaking specifically for MHA to look into ICE. I do not mean the controlled drug but ICE as in the acronym, "I" for Image of the private security industry, "C" for Capability enhancement through closed circuit TV deployment and "E" for Enforcement against assembly of foreign workers in HDB heartlands.

In the past eight years, the private security industry has undergone much job re-creation and industry re-development. Since the setting up of the Security Industry Regulatory Department in 2004 and the formation in 2005 of the Tripartite Security Industry Forum, involving the tripartite partners which included the Union of Security Employees, we have seen much improvement to the wages and training of officers and standards of security agencies. There are now the mandatory Security WSQ training programmes and mandatory grading of the private security agencies. There is also now a workgroup looking at raising the productivity and working out the progressive wage model for the industry.

Although much work has been done by the Union as well as the security associations and the regulators, there remains a perennial issue of the image of private security officers and the industry as a whole. The private security industry plays a vital role alongside our main security forces. In fact, in many instances, they are the first responders to any incident. The Security Industry Regulatory Department's key focus is as a regulator. We need a driver as well and not just a regulator only to enhance the image, capabilities and attractiveness of this vital force for our nation, the private security industry.

As Adviser to the Union of Security Employees and previously its Executive Secretary prior to March 2011, I have met with numerous security officers on the ground as well as many security agency owners. From their feedback and

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my many years of interaction with the industry, I strongly recommend and propose that an agency or unit be set up to take up the role of industry re-development to raise the profile, image and professionalism of the private security industry so that the private security officers will serve with pride, be treated with respect by members of the public and become a force to be reckoned with.

The issue of crime within our housing communities has always been a major bugbear and I understand that there is already initial success with CCTV deployment. However, I would like to call for the enhancement of our capabilities to prevent and detect crime and offences through the dynamic, flexible and intensification of deployment and use of CCTVs in areas where residents have provided feedback about the visible presence of any form of criminal or illegal activities.

My final concern is with the issue of large numbers of foreign workers loitering, congregating, making noise and sometimes also drinking within the HDB heartlands. The situation is particularly exacerbated in HDB heartlands such as in my constituency where the foreign worker dormitories are in close proximity.

I therefore appeal for both a multi-agency and ministry approach which will be able to deliver firm, swift and more resolute areas of education, enforcement and deterrent measures against offenders and would-be offenders so that they can deal with this problem.

Thank you, Sir. When there are neighbourly or domestic disputes, people may end up calling the Police to complain or to ask for assistance to resolve any issues. However, the response from the Police is usually that since these disputes are private matters, the Police cannot interfere unless it is an allegation of a criminal matter. Residents in this position often feel a sense of frustration that the authorities are not willing to act on their behalf. The argument that no law has been broken and that no offence has been committed does very little to address the distress and anxiety when the relationships between neighbours break down and become threatening.

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The changes in the Community Policing Systems (COPS) have already been highlighted by my colleagues. In view of these changes, I would like to know if there is a change in the way the Police intends to deal with neighbourly or domestic disputes. Is there also a shift in the public's expectation that the Police should step in and mediate such cases? Could this fall under the remit of community engagement and, if so, will the police officers be trained to provide suitable intervention and support, even if there is no criminal matter to be dealt with? If this is not possible, how will the Police deal with such incidents? Will the case be handed over to another agency or authority which is in a position to step in and deal with the issue? Will this process of handover or agency referral become formalised as part of the COPS?

Road safety is an issue of concern to many, especially with the recent spate of accidents. Could the MHA provide an update on our road safety situation?

While there has been a decrease in the fatal injury and accident rate in 2012 compared to previous years, there has been an increase in the number of traffic violations as well as offences for speeding and running the red light. This has led to the Traffic Police embarking on new initiatives which include having an increased presence on the roads.

This enforcement is necessary and appropriate. However, it speaks poorly of our driving culture. It suggests that we are not becoming more safety conscious when we drive, nor are we driving with a gracious mindset. Rather we are looking out for ourselves, and driving defensively. Is this what we want? When we see someone signal to change lanes or make a turn, are we more likely to give way, to encourage graciousness, promote good behaviour and improve traffic flow? Or are we more likely to speed up, keep our place in line, not lose and cut off the other car, thereby worsening the aggression on the roads, increasing our stress and agitation, and unfortunately slowing down average traffic flow?

Could the Minister comment on the progress of the new road safety initiatives? Has the increased presence of the Traffic Police on the roads led to an overall increase in road safety? What are MHA and Traffic Police doing to improve safety on our roads, and in particular, what are the plans in relation to serious traffic offences such as red-running and speeding? To what extent is the approach one of regulation and enforcement rather than addressing the

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prevention and cultural change?

Sometimes, we see drivers behave aggressively to other drivers on the roads. Sometimes, even pedestrians are put in harm's way. I would like to ask the Ministry: could there be a relook at the enforcement regime in order to promote healthier and more courteous driving on our roads?

I would also like to raise a separate point based on concerns shared with me by residents. I have received a range of genuine and sincere concerns as to the behaviour of some of our cyclists on the roads. Some cyclists do not dismount when crossing pedestrian crossings. Some simply cycle through red lights. There are also those who ride two or three abreast so they can continue chatti­ng with each other while riding. This puts motorists, pedestrians and also the cyclists themselves in danger. I would like to ask the Ministry if they could possibly have a relook at the enforcement regime, and consider reinstating as a priority some measure or degree of enforcement against some cyclists who put themselves, drivers and pedestrians in such danger.

Sir, I am troubled by the spate of serious traffic accidents involving fatalities in the past few months. This is particularly so when some of these accidents involved young children in school areas. In my own ward, I visited some families who have been victims of such accidents, including one very tragic case where a grandmother was killed while walking her two young grandchildren to school. I want to know whether MHA has any further steps to take to enforce road safety and what steps it is going to take against traffic violators.

Sir, we are all deeply saddened by the tragic accident in Tampines a few weeks ago when two little boys lost their lives on the road. My colleagues have already covered all the aspects of road safety, but I feel we should use this sad incident to remind ourselves not to take road safety for granted.

One of the more vulnerable groups of road users is the motorcyclists. They are particularly vulnerable to the carelessness and recklessness of not just their own but other road users as well. Further, the motorcyclist population is also rising and we can probably expect this to be so in the coming years, in part because of the rise in price of cars.

To that end, may I ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps are being taken by the Traffic Police to ensure that this group of road users is properly equipped and trained with the right skills, the right safety on our roads to ensure not only their safety but the safety of other road users?

Sir, in a CNA report of 21 October 2012, it was stated that the number of young drug offenders was rising in Singapore. The report stated that the drugs of choice were synthetics like ICE and Ecstasy. I also understand that increasing numbers of ex-drug offenders are being released, and I am particularly concerned that some of these might get sucked into drug abuse once again. I would like the Deputy Prime Minister to provide an update on the situation regarding the use of drugs, particularly synthetic drugs like ICE and Ecstasy.

Sir, the number of drug abusers arrested in 2012 is about 3,481, which is a 5% increase from 2011. Out of these, 31% are new drug abusers – about 1,070 individuals. And out of those 1,070 individuals, two-thirds are aged 29 years old and below. Hence, in 2012, about

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youth were arrested. In other words, about one in every five drug abusers arrested last year is a youth below 30 years old. Although the number of youths below 20 years old arrested in 2012 has dropped by about 30%, the number involving youth is still quite substantial.

The youths drug situation in the region is also worrying. For instance, the Indonesian National Narcotics Agency survey done at the end of 2011 showed that there are between 3.8 million and 4.2 million illicit drug users in the country, most of them are young professionals. Hence, with greater cross-border mobility of our youth in the region, there is cause for concern with regard to drug use among our youth.

Can the Ministry provide updates on the current drug situation in Singapore, for example, are we seeing new drug trends among our youth drug abusers? What are the Ministry's plans on dealing with new drug abusers, particularly the youths? For those who have been arrested for drug abuse, what are the rehabilitation programmes that they go through and are there plans to enhance these programmes?

Sir, when a person re-offends, he lets himself and his family down. Society is put at risk because re-offenders tend to be more hardened. Recidivism also reflects how effective a criminal justice system is in deterring crime, protecting society and reintegrating offenders back into the mainstream society.

Over the years, MHA has put in very significant resources and measures to reduce re-offending, both generally and also specifically for drugs − for instance, enhancing prison counselling programmes, establishing Prison School, providing employability skills training, setting up the CARE Network to coordinate aftercare, engaging the community to help ex-offenders and their families, putting in diversionary measures, setting up community-based sentences and community-based rehabilitation programmes as well as enhancing the rehabilitation and supervision of drug offenders.

In the last few years, we have seen the overall two-year recidivism for all offences fall slightly from 27.3% in 2008 to 23.6% in 2010. This is low compared to many other countries. However, it is clear from recent statistics that drugs still remain a problem in Singapore. In its 2012 Drug Situation Report, CNB reported that it arrested 3,481 drug abusers last year, or a 5% increase over the

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previous year. In 2012, repeat abusers continued to form the majority of abusers arrested, at 69%. As compared to 2011, there was a 9% increase in the number of repeat offenders arrested in 2012.

And the Prison Service reported in January this year that drug offenders released from Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs) in 2010 recorded a higher level of re-offending, accounting for a recidivism rate of 27.5%, or a 0.4% increase over 2009. Notably, 70% of inmates in Singapore Prisons are convicted of drug-related offences or admitted to DRCs.

There are many reasons why an ex-offender may re-offend. For example, he may have weak willpower or he may not have mended his ways. He may have been hardened or socialised while inside prison. Or he may not be able to get rid of bad company after his release. Effective family support may be absent. Or he and his family may face financial or other difficulties.

I would therefore like to ask MHA what plans it has to further reduce the recidivism rate generally for all offenders but also specifically for drug abuse. How will Government tackle and help drug re-offenders break the pattern of re-offending and help them re-integrate effectively into mainstream society? Will MHA consider screening prisoners before their release, and introduce compulsory supervision, as well as comprehensive mandatory longer term after-care, job placement and other forms of holistic support for more vulnerable prisoners at high risk of re-offending?

Sir, safety and security are critical to our nation's well-being and success. For without good external and internal defence, we will not have the freedom and capacity to pursue our individual aspirations and neither will we have the peace of mind to improve our lives and raise our families.

While Singapore has performed well in anti-drug efforts and our recidivism rate is generally considered low compared to other countries, we must continue to do more in keeping offences down and in re-integrating ex-offenders back to the society. To do so, we need to go beyond enforcement and hard-hitting measures. We also need to look at the softer social aspects. Hence, a strong and fully engaged community is imperative.

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I would imagine a strong community is one that is resilient and inclusive. In this case, it is one that welcomes ex-offenders back, provides a network of support, able to marshall resources and the will to help the ex-offenders get back on their feet, resist temptations and rebuild their lives with their families. The community network involved can comprise a wide range of stakeholders, including family members, neighbours, grassroots leaders, religious groups and VWOs within the neighbourhood.

Some studies also point toward the importance of a conducive environment, comprising factors such as family support, employment and housing, in reintegrating ex-offenders. And in the local context, where Asian values and the idea of a "kampong" are still very much valued and alive, the community will no doubt play a critical role in reintegration efforts. If anything, by involving the community, we can hopefully promote greater understanding and acceptance, and thereby help to reduce the public and self stigma that ex-offenders sometimes face.

Hence, I would like to ask the Minister: what are the measures taken or planned to be taken to engage and work with the community in tackling re-offending? Since the launch of Community Outreach Project and Community Befrienders Project in September 2010, what has been the progress of these projects? What are some ways that MHA works with its volunteers and community partners to better support the rehabilitation of offenders? And, lastly, are there success stories or positive examples that can be shared, so as to inspire and motivate everyone involved to continue such efforts? Are there learning points that we can learn from and improve on so that we can strengthen community efforts?

I thank hon Members for their views and questions, and for their interest in matters regarding the Home Team. May I ask the Clerk to distribute a handout with some Home Team statistics. [Handouts were distributed to hon Members. Please refer to Annex 2 and Annex 3.]

Over the years, the Home Team has worked closely together with the community to keep Singapore a safe and secure home. In 2012, our crime rate fell for the seventh consecutive year, to the lowest in nearly three decades. Our recidivism rate is stable. Our fire fatality rate remains very low. The number of immigration offenders has steadily declined. The number of road fatalities has also started to come down. However, we are acutely aware that any fatality or serious crime is a tragedy in itself, and can have a detrimental effect on our sense of safety and security. This is one reason why community partnerships and engagements are so important – they create a sense of collective ownership for safety and security which in itself provides a sense of assurance that issues can be addressed and overcome. Our collective sense of safety and security provides a strong foundation upon which our society has been able to develop and prosper. It has also helped to make Singapore a good place to live and bring up families. While the situation today is relatively good, we still face difficult security challenges and must remain vigilant to ensure that Singapore continues to be a safe home for all Singaporeans.

Our approach to safety and security is underpinned by three pillars: robust Laws, Effective Enforcement and Strong Community Partnerships. This comprehensive approach allows us to tackle issues both upstream and downstream.

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Mr Edwin Tong asked about MHA's key challenges and priorities. The Home Team's scope of responsibilities is wide and deep. We have to continually keep a strategic view of the larger issues that impact us, such as terrorism and cybersecurity entrenched in society and in the world. At the same time, Home Team officers also have to focus on more specific issues which can give rise to serious consequences if we let up in our efforts against them. Resources, both personnel and technology, as well as command attention and emphasis, can then be applied accordingly.

Let me briefly outline our approach for tackling these key challenges. First, terrorism. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, Mr Vikram Nair and several other Members asked for an update on terrorism. The terrorist threat remains a persistent one, both globally and regionally. At the global level, Al Qaeda and its affiliates remain active in terrorist activities and in spreading their radical ideology. They have capitalised on the situation in the Middle East and North Africa to further their objectives.

Closer to home, Jemaah Islamiyah and other groups such as Jemaah Anshorut Tauhid remain resilient and continue to recruit operatives and carry out attacks in neighbouring countries. For instance, last year, the Indonesian authorities uncovered a terrorist training camp in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

The foiled plots in Thailand in January and February last year indicate the presence of Hizbollah or Iranian elements in the region.

We are also concerned by terrorist elements' growing use of social media to spread propaganda and recruit new radicals. With Singapore's high Internet penetration, especially among youths, we need to inoculate our young from coming under the influence of radical ideology. This is even more critical given that it is not easy to de-radicalise a person once he has imbibed terrorist ideology.

A specific case in point is former detainee Abdul Basheer s/o Abdul Kader who was a self-radicalised individual. He was detained from 2007 to 2010 as he had made specific plans to pursue militant jihad in Afghanistan. After his release in February 2010, he initially made some progress in re-integrating into society. However, while under the ISA post-release supervision regime, he was detected to have reverted to his past interest in undertaking militant jihad abroad. He even made enquiries as to how he could leave Singapore, illegally, if necessary, to pursue his jihad plans. ISD had to re-arrest him in September 2012 and place him under detention the following month, to prevent him from

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pursuing his violent agenda.

Abdul Basheer is a timely reminder that Singapore must continue to invest efforts in the rehabilitation of our terrorist detainees. Since January 2002, 64 persons have been detained under the ISA for their involvement in terrorism-related activities. Of these 64, more than two-thirds have been released after they were assessed to have been rehabilitated and not to pose a security threat that warranted preventive detention. This is why the work of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) in counselling the detainees is so important and must continue. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, the RRG will be co-organising an international conference on terrorist rehabilitation and community resilience later this month, with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies. The conference will bring together experts and practitioners from Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the US, as well as European and ASEAN countries to share best practices and lessons learnt, and this will include, as I said, experts from Saudi Arabia, whose centre I visited a few months ago.

A second challenge is cybersecurity. Cyberattacks, whether by criminals, terrorists or state-sponsored groups, have grown in frequency, potency and sophistication. The attacks can take on different forms, including threats to national security, cyberespionage, cybercrime such as theft of identities, data and intellectual property, or the use of cyberspace to perpetrate traditional crime.

This emergent issue poses new threats to our security. Countries around the world are grappling with this issue and still building up their cybersecurity and defence capabilities. No country has found a complete solution, and the rapidly evolving nature of cyber technology means that any innovation can become obsolete quite quickly.

In January this year, we amended the Computer Misuse Act, now called the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, so that we can take proactive measures to prevent, detect, and counter cyber threats to our national security, essential services, defence and foreign relations. We will continue to build up domestic defences against potential attacks. MHA will be setting up a Cyber Security Lab within the Home Team Academy by 2014, to provide a safe and realistic hands-on platform for participants to hone their skills in countering

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cyberattacks.

Singapore will continue to work closely with other like-minded countries, including through the new INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation which will open in Singapore next year. It will facilitate cyber research and innovation, provide cybersecurity training and operational support for law enforcement agencies around the world, and house the INTERPOL Digital Crime Centre.

Let me now move on to our domestic priorities for the year, namely crime, drugs and road safety.

In relation to crime, the key is to continue managing it proactively. While our overall crime rate remains low, keeping crime at bay requires constant effort. This includes making appropriate changes to our laws to keep them up to date to tackle new challenges, as we did last year when we amended the Misuse of Drugs Act.

We need to continually find new ways of protecting ourselves against behaviour which threatens the community's sense of security. For example, increased enforcement efforts by the Police have helped us make significant headway against unlicensed money-lenders. From 2009 to 2012, we have seen a 42% drop in unlicensed money-lending and related harassment cases. Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate on this later.

Strong community support is also essential in managing crime. The Community Policing System, or COPS, has been effective in targeting local crime, not just through dedicating more police resources to neighbourhoods, but also through the community's active participation. In Bukit Merah East and Tampines, where COPS was launched last May, Citizen-on-Patrol membership has increased by nearly 30%, with an average of about 30 joint citizen-police patrols conducted in these neighbourhoods each month. Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate more on COPS' early successes and the next phase of implementation.

While we remain firm on crime, it is also important to rehabilitate ex-offenders, to help them break out of the re-offending cycle and reintegrate into society. The community has played an important role in this effort, with voluntary welfare organisations, religious groups, and individual volunteers providing counselling, job placement opportunities, and family support, to ex-offenders.

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Senior Minister of State Masagos will speak more on our rehabilitation efforts, and about the Conditional Remission System and Mandatory Aftercare Scheme which MHA will be introducing later this year.

Fourth, drug trafficking and abuse continue to be a key challenge. Regional drug production is increasing to meet rising demand, and Singapore is one of the transit points which syndicates target, with spill-over effects for our local drug situation.

CNB works closely with ICA to conduct targeted, intensive checks at our checkpoints. CNB also conducts inland operations to clamp down on the distribution of drugs, and works with its foreign counterparts to target drug syndicates.

However, we also need to tackle the problem upstream. CNB continues to work with educational institutions and community partners, such as the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association and National Council Against Drug Abuse to organise preventive drug education programmes on the danger of drugs. Senior Minister of State Masagos will say more about how we are addressing this problem upstream.

Fifth, road safety. Our road fatality rate has come down in recent years. However, recent incidents underscore the need for us to improve road behaviour and eliminate reckless driving habits that put road users at risk. We will invest more resources and mount a concerted effort to improve road safety through education, engagement and enforcement.

We will focus our education efforts on vulnerable road users, such as motorcyclists, children and elderly pedestrians. We will also identify errant drivers and help them improve their driving habits. We will engage fleet owners, especially those with heavy vehicles, and other companies who hire drivers. We want them to make safe driving part of their company culture. We will also step up enforcement to better identify habitually reckless drivers and deal with them more firmly.

Second Minister Iswaran will elaborate on these road safety initiatives later.

Mr Hri Kumar Nair asked how MHA ensures that the Home Team can continue to meet operational demands. Indeed, the Home Team will find it more challenging to recruit good officers, and enough of them, due to our ageing population and fewer Singaporeans entering the workforce. Yet, the Home

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Team faces evolving challenges and growing demands. It is thus critical that we make the best use of the potential of our Home Team officers by deepening their capabilities and leveraging more on technology as a force multiplier.

Last year, I told this House that we were enhancing salaries for junior officers, to attract more capable young people to join the Home Team. We raised starting salaries and introduced a sign-on bonus for diploma holders. We used performance-based merit increments to recognise those who work harder and more effectively. We also introduced retention payments to encourage experienced officers to stay in service. We have seen improvements in retention since implementing these changes. The overall Home Affairs Uniformed Scheme Junior Officers (HUS JOs) resignation rate has decreased from 4.6% in 2011 to 3.7% in 2012. I hope that these schemes and others will continue to encourage young people to consider a career in the Home Team, and allow us to retain the talent that we have. The respect that Home Team officers get from members of the public also helps them to take pride in their jobs. I hope that members of the public will continue to support them in their difficult and arduous task.

Since introducing the Home Team Specialist Scheme in 2010, we now have over 260 Home Team Specialists in criminal forensics, criminal intelligence and protective security. We are now going further to professionalise training for our officers to develop deep expertise in their fields. Temasek Polytechnic and SPF have collaborated to develop a part-time Diploma in Applied Sciences (Forensics). This was launched last October. The course will help to grow the pool of forensics experts in the Home Team.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about paramedic training. SCDF reviews and updates its training curriculum regularly to ensure that its paramedics are well-trained to save lives. SCDF recently concluded its review of the Level 4 paramedic competencies programme, and will introduce the revamped programme by the end of the year. SCDF will work closely with Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore General Hospital, and KK Women's and Children's Hospital to provide this training.

To meet the needs of our ageing population, SCDF will add 10 more private ambulances to provide emergency services by end 2013, doubling the current number. We have also equipped 41 fast response fire bikers with Automated External Defibrillators so that our officers can promptly attend to patients who experience cardiac arrest.

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We are also cross-training officers to make them more flexible and adaptable. A good example is the Fire Rescue Specialist – Emergency Medical Technician scheme which SCDF is developing. By training firefighters as Emergency Medical Technicians, they will be able to provide the first line of medical response, until paramedics arrive. More details will be announced in April.

Given manpower constraints, technology is a critical force multiplier, to help Home Team officers work more effectively and efficiently.

We are also investing in technology that improves the quality of our training. For example, SCDF's Advanced Command Training System uses advanced simulation technology to train officers to command firefighting and rescue operations. The system allows officers to train in realistic, stress-testing scenarios, with full recording, playback and analysis. It complements live field exercises, as it can simulate incidents that cannot be reproduced in the physical world, such as major oil refinery fires.

Technology can also provide additional eyes and ears on the ground, allowing our officers to focus on areas where human interaction or judgement is most valuable and necessary. For example, installing police cameras has helped to increase the Police's presence and create a stronger deterrent effect, without using very much additional manpower. These cameras provide useful intelligence when crimes are committed, and frees up time so that Police officers can focus on investigations and enforcement. Second Minister Iswaran will speak more on our plans to use technology to deter and detect crime and traffic offences.

ICA has also been harnessing technology to ensure that immigration clearance remains efficient. For instance, the enhanced Immigration Automated Clearance System allows certain categories of travellers to be cleared more quickly. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked if we could have dedicated clearance lanes for Singaporeans at Changi Airport. In most places dedicated lanes are required because queues are very long. Here, I think queues are relatively short and people can be cleared through quite quickly. Unlike foreigners who are restricted to certain clearance lanes, in fact, Singapore citizens are able to use all clearance lanes, including automated lanes, enjoying maximum flexibility and ease of travel.

Mr Patrick Tay asked about the private security industry. Our partners in the private security industry play an important role in complementing the work of

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the Home Team. I hesitate to set up a new agency, as setting up a new agency may not necessarily address the issues that Mr Tay is concerned about. The Singapore Police Force already works closely with the industry to continually improve the image and raise professionalism of officers and maintain high standards. Security officers are individually licensed and expected to abide by a code of conduct. Deserving officers are eligible for the annual Commissioner of Police's Award.

All security agencies are graded annually by the Singapore Police Force on a comprehensive set of criteria, which includes operations, training and employment-related criteria. This framework incentivises security agencies to uphold high standards. We will continue to fine-tune this framework and take in views from the industry. MOM will also be introducing measures to raise basic wages and improve employment conditions in the private security industry. More details will be announced during the MOM's Committee of Supply debate.

Mr Edwin Tong raised concerns about online harassment. Indeed, this is a concern that has been expressed by many members of the public. MHA is working with MinLaw and MCI to review the criminal legislation and civil measures available to deal with cyberbullying and cyber harassment. We will review our laws to ensure that there is effective and appropriate recourse for harassment that is perpetrated online or in the physical world. We are also considering the need to enhance existing civil remedies for victims.

Mr Chairman, a safe and secure environment is the foundation on which our society and economy can thrive. In the coming year, the Home Team will continue to work closely with businesses, community groups, voluntary welfare organisations and individuals as we tackle the threats we face. By working together, we own the security and safety of Singapore and we help the members of our Home team agencies to do their work well. Together, we can keep Singapore safe and secure for everyone.

Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions. Deputy Prime Minister Teo has laid out MHA's three-pronged approach comprising Robust Laws, Effective Enforcement and Strong Community Partnerships, and the way we approach safety and security in Singapore. I will elaborate on how these elements come together in our efforts to ensure safe neighbourhoods and also

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safety on our roads.

Mr Chairman, our neighbourhoods continue to be safe. In 2012, the overall crime rate fell to 581 crimes per 100,000 of population. That is a decrease of 4% from 2011 and is the lowest crime rate in almost 30 years.

MHA and the Singapore Police Force are committed to sustaining this improvement, and preserving safety and security in Singapore. The Community Policing System (COPS) is a key pillar in Police's efforts to keep our crime rates low and our neighbourhoods safe.

Mr Edwin Tong and Mr Arthur Fong have sought an assessment of the progress of the COPS model. We launched COPS at the Bukit Merah East and Tampines Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) last May. A further six NPCs adopted the COPS model in January this year. It is too early to attribute specific crime trends to the implementation of this new model but the results and feedback, to date, have been encouraging.

There have been notable successes, for example, in targeting local crime. The Bukit Merah East Crime Strike Force was able to, with the combination of ground intelligence, local knowledge and CCTV footage, identify a suspect as a known neighbourhood character in the context of a local crime and was then able to swiftly locate and arrest that person.

In terms of community engagement, the Community Policing Units are also making good progress in reaching out to the communities whom they serve. The residents have welcomed the implementation of COPS, which they say has deepened their engagement with community policing officers in their neighbourhoods, and has enhanced their sense of safety.

We will build on these initial achievements by implementing COPS in the Ang Mo Kio South, Bedok North, Jurong East, Jurong West, Nanyang and Rochor NPCs in June this year and in a further six NPCs by the end of this year. By the end of 2013, more than half of our 35 NPCs would have adopted the COPS model and we are on schedule for all NPCs to make this transition by the end of 2015.

Mr Edwin Tong has enquired about the progress of Police Camera installation. This is an example of how the Home Team agencies are leveraging on technology as a force multiplier. Last year, Police Cameras were installed in 350 HDB blocks; and their coverage will be extended to another 650 HDB blocks

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across all Town Councils by the end of this year. Police cameras will be rolled out to all 10,000 HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks by the end of 2016.

Mr Patrick Tay asked whether our cameras can help combat problems such as unlicensed moneylending harassment, littering and the disamenities caused by foreign worker congregations. Sir, our Police Cameras are deployed primarily to deter and solve crime, including cases of loanshark harassment. The Police is prepared to share the footage from its cameras in aid of the work of other agencies such as LTA or NEA if it is needed to support their investigation and enforcement efforts.

Overall, I would say that our Community Policing System (COPS) has made a promising start. As we persevere with its full implementation and learn from our experiences, we hope that all members of the community will continue to actively partner and support the Police in this important effort to keep our neighbourhoods and our communities safe.

Sir, let me now turn to the issue of unlicensed moneylending, a concern which has been raised by several Members and shared by all of us. We continue to make headway in our enforcement efforts against loanshark syndicates and their runners. The number of reports of unlicensed moneylending and related harassment cases fell by 19%, or 2,507, to 10,835 cases in 2012. This is the third consecutive year of significant decreases.

These gains are a result of our robust laws, effective enforcement and education efforts. The Police remains resolute in tackling this heinous crime and in particular, the Police has launched an anti-unlicensed moneylending campaign last November. This nationwide campaign aims to raise public awareness of the serious consequences of borrowing from loansharks – for the borrowers and their families. It also highlights the severe penalties in our laws for those involved in loanshark activities.

Our hope is that these efforts will help to further curb borrowing from loansharks, and deter debtors and our youth from working for loanshark syndicates. I am glad to inform Members that the number of youths arrested for unlicensed moneylending and related activities has decreased from 2011 by more than half to 160 arrests in 2012. So, there has been a significant decrease although this continues to be an area of focus for the Police.

However, as Mr Christopher de Souza has pointed out, we can sustain this momentum only with the partnership of the community and we need

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neighbours to stay vigilant and help keep an eye out for one another.

Such community support and cooperation are key complements to the Police's enforcement and education initiatives. We need a collective effort, with the community and Police working in partnership, to keep our neighbourhoods safe from the scourge of loanshark activities.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef and Mr Christopher de Souza have asked about vice. In 2012, less than 1% of the 5,300 odd arrests of female foreigners for vice-related activities were made in the heartlands. Hence, I would like to assure Mr de Souza that such activities are not prevalent in the heartlands. And of course, the Community Policing System will address this sort of crimes at a local level in addition to the other types of crimes that we have talked about.

In specific neighbourhoods where residents have identified vice as a concern, the Police will continue to dedicate resources to deter and curtail such activities. In that regard, as Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef would be aware, the Police has formed a taskforce to conduct regular enforcement operations against vice-related activities in Geylang. The Police assessment is that this has yielded positive results. However, the Police will continue with its enforcement efforts, reviewing and adapting its strategies in response to feedback from the community and grassroots leaders. The Police also appreciates the support from the grassroots organisations and the Advisers involved in these precincts.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked about how the Police selects its policing models and asked whether it adopts an evidence-based approach in discerning which strategies to adopt. Sir, I would like to first emphasise that our strategy in fighting crime fundamentally rests on robust laws, effective enforcement and deep community partnerships. These elements are at the core of any policing initiative on the ground.

The Member has highlighted examples of models like hotspot policing and problem oriented policing. An example of hotspot policing is what we are doing in a place like Geylang. An example of problem oriented policing is what we are doing with unlicensed moneylending. The Police has been eclectic and has adapted different models, studying them from different parts of the world and then adapting them to our local context. In doing so, the Police also pilots the concepts and then continues to review and refine them. An example is Community Policing. We have had it in Singapore for 30 years and in that time, crime rate has decreased by more than 50%. But the Police's objective in introducing a new model of frontline Policing is really to see if we can refine the

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previous model further to enhance the efficacy on the ground, especially given the changing needs projected from the demographic trends we see today.

The Police has conducted study trips internationally to places such as China, Hongkong, London, Sweden and Taiwan. They then tried out a series of pilots over a period of six to 12 months. These were then refined and tested at all land divisions before a final model was embarked upon. So, the answer is "yes", we do have a very robust evidence-based system.

I also want to say that in learning from other countries, we must bear in mind that our context is different and even the experiences in other countries can be quite diverse. If Members take, for example, cameras − there is mixed evidence from the USA. In cities like Chicago and downtown Baltimore, cameras have yielded positive results. But this has not been the same and has had little impact in Washington DC.

So, we have to decide and exercise judgement on what works best in our context and be prepared to continually evaluate the evidence and the empirical data and see how we move forward. This is the system that has worked well for us and I think it is borne out by the fact that our crime rate remains low, notwithstanding the significant changes we see in our society.

Let me now address other community-based issues raised by some Members. Many of the community dispute type issues highlighted by Mr Hri Kumar, Mr Edwin Tong and Dr Janil Puthucheary are not criminal offences per se, as they themselves have said. I appreciate that anti-social behaviour and inconsiderate conduct can be quite disruptive to the peace and also can cause anxiety, stress and even adversely affect residents' sense of safety and security. So, residents naturally often look to the Police in order to address these community disputes. Sir, it is essential that our Police resources are focused – first and foremost, on fighting crime. I think we would all agree on that because that is what the real purpose of policing is. The Police will continue to act against criminal offences robustly and resolutely.

However, a large majority of these community dispute cases which do not involve breaches of law and order do find their way to the Police. In such cases, and where the parties are willing, our officers will generally assist to forward the details of the case and refer the parties involved for mediation at the Community Mediation Centre. I know Members have expressed some concern that this is not enough and whether more can be done.

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I want to inform Members that there is also an interagency effort underway to study how community disputes can be better addressed. This study covers aspects such as fostering a common understanding of what constitutes acceptable social norms or behaviour, enhancing our mediation processes and introducing calibrated penalties, if necessary, for those who persist in their anti-social behaviour. This is a work in progress and the Government will announce its plans in due course. We would of course be very happy to welcome ideas and suggestions from Members as well.

However, as Mr Hri Kumar has said, and I want to reinforce this point, it is not just a matter of mediation, enforcement and penalties. We need to foster a culture of mutual respect and consideration, and build the consensus on what constitutes acceptable behaviour in our communities. This is not the role of Government alone. I hope that our community leaders, residents and Members of this House will continue to play their part in supporting and encouraging a spirit of "give and take" and also exercise forbearance in dealing with such community disputes, which are an inevitable part of community life.

We need a similar approach in dealing with the disamenities posed by foreign worker congregations that Ms Denise Phua and Mr Patrick Tay have spoken about. Members would be aware that there is already an interagency effort underway to address this issue.

The Government agencies have worked with the community to put in place a range of measures to address this issue. These include providing dedicated social and recreational amenities for foreign workers both within and near their dormitories, and educating foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms. Uniformed Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers are deployed in locations with high concentrations of foreign workers to help deter crime and conduct enforcement against anti-social behaviour, such as littering.

MHA is also working with other Government agencies to study Ms Denise Phua's suggestion to impose further restrictions on the sale of alcohol in residential estates and the consumption of alcohol in public. We are learning from the experience of other countries and how these could be adapted to our circumstances. This is again a work-in-progress and we hope to be able to make some announcements in due course.

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The members of the local community also play an important role in this effort and many have stepped forward to form Citizens-on-Patrol groups. Some groups even work together with foreign worker volunteers to patrol foreign worker congregations in order to deter crime and anti-social behaviour. We welcome these initiatives because it is part of the collective enterprise we need to deal with this.

Sir, let me now move on to road safety, which is another key area of focus that many Members have spoken on. Over the years, the situation in our network of roads has grown complex with more and diverse users. Notwithstanding this, our road safety has generally improved. For example, the number of fatalities on our roads fell by 13% to 169 in 2012. The number of injuries fell by 687 or 7% to 9,073. Our road fatality rate has decreased by more than 50% over the last two decades and compares favourably with other countries.

But this is still a cause for concern for it means that, on average, there is a fatality on our roads every other day. There is also a trend of worsening road habits and behaviours, a point which Mr Christopher de Souza alluded to. There are a growing number of violations for dangerous offences such as speeding and red-running. Members of the public are also concerned about such behaviour and the impact it has on road safety, as evident from the regular public feedback that we receive.

To arrest this trend, the Traffic Police initiated a holistic review of its traffic policing strategy in August last year. This has culminated in a comprehensive plan and strategy involving the Traffic Police, its partners and the community to keep our roads safe.

This plan is called Safer Roads Singapore and there are three key thrusts to this strategy: education, engagement and enforcement. Each of these is important and mutually reinforcing in shaping behavioural norms, and engendering a culture of safe and courteous road use. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the roads are safe for all of us.

Let me start with our education and licensing initiatives which will help equip road users with essential road safety knowledge.

The Traffic Police has particularly emphasised road safety education for children, given their inexperience as road users and their vulnerability on the roads. In 2012, the Traffic Police and the driving centres conducted road safety

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talks to over 35,000 Primary school students and also conducted road safety training for over 28,000 Primary school students at the Road Safety Community Park. The Traffic Police will continue to work with our educational institutions to extend these efforts to children, especially the younger ones in pre-school and lower Primary.

We will also increase our educational efforts for other vulnerable road users. For example, road safety for elderly pedestrians is one of the key areas of focus for the inaugural Road Safety Month that the Singapore Road Safety Council and the Traffic Police are jointly organising in May this year.

As Mr Edwin Tong pointed out, motorcyclists are also a vulnerable group of road users. They account for about half of all road fatalities. We will thus enhance our licensing regime for motorcyclists to ensure that they have the requisite knowledge and skills to ride safely.

Specifically, from June this year, all motorcycle Class 2B learner riders will have to undergo the Expressway Familiarisation Ride course before they obtain their licence. This course, which has been an optional offering since December 2010, allows motorcyclists to familiarise themselves with riding on expressways. Riders who have taken the course over the past two years were found to be significantly less prone to be involved in accidents on expressways. By making the course compulsory, we hope to reduce the number of accidents involving motorcycles on our expressways.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh has asked whether the Traffic Police will consider requiring all speeding offenders to undergo compulsory education earlier, immediately after their first offence. We agree that corrective education is useful for all motorists, not just speeding offenders.

Therefore, the Traffic Police will introduce a new voluntary Safe Driving Course for motorists who have accumulated half or more of their maximum allowable demerit points. This will allow for earlier intervention to correct dangerous road habits. To encourage motorists to take this course, those who pass the course will have three demerit points deducted from their record. So, that should be ample incentives and motivation for motorists to take the course.

The Traffic Police will also revise the retraining course for motorists facing their first or second suspensions to have a more comprehensive curriculum and more stringent passing standards. These enhancements to our corrective

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education regime will be implemented by the end of the year.

The second thrust is engagement. The Traffic Police will be able to multiply its outreach and education efforts by engaging industry stakeholders such as owners of heavy vehicle fleets and interests groups such as motorcycling enthusiasts clubs.

Such engagement helps to foster a shared sense of responsibility within the community of road users for the safety of our roads. In that regard, I am heartened by the initiatives that some companies are already taking to promote a culture of safety amongst their drivers.

For example, Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Limited, which is one of Singapore's largest home-grown logistics companies, has a range of road safety management practices. They conduct road safety talks and defensive driving courses for their drivers, and have instituted compulsory breaks for their night shift drivers. The company also has a GPS system to monitor the speed of its vehicles. Drivers who are caught speeding are counselled and may even face disciplinary action. On the flip side, those who have a good safety track record and stay accident free are rewarded through bonuses in their year-end evaluation.

SembWaste Pte Ltd, which is an integrated solid waste management service provider, also provides incentives for its drivers to drive safely. They give awards and vouchers to drivers who have been accident-free, and the drivers' driving records are again a consideration when they do their year-end evaluations.

We will do more to encourage and promote such positive practices. Many stakeholders – unions, fleet owners and the like – have expressed support for a collective effort to ensure greater safety on our roads. The Traffic Police is working with the Singapore Road Safety Council to develop a common platform to facilitate the sharing among stakeholders of such best practices in road safety. We hope more companies will be encouraged to shape the driving habits of their drivers constructively.

The Traffic Police will also expand its Road Safety Champions programme to the wider motoring community, including logistics companies and fast food delivery companies. Through this initiative, the Traffic Police identifies and trains supervisors and managers as Road Safety Champions. These Champions will in turn promote road safety and gracious road behaviour among their co-

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workers.

Finally, as Members have suggested, we will step up our enforcement efforts under Safer Roads Singapore. The aim is to encourage road users in general to be more careful and courteous, while firmly dealing with the small proportion of reckless and recalcitrant drivers.

To this end, the Traffic Police will augment its enforcement capabilities by deploying 70 more officers on the roads. In addition, the Traffic Police will complement this by employing auxiliary police officers. So, there will be greater enforcement presence on the roads.

We will also leverage technology to boost our enforcement efforts. Dr Janil Puthucheary raised concerns over red-running and speeding offences. The Traffic Police will progressively install digital red light and digital speed cameras. By the end of 2014, there will be a network of almost 300 such cameras at various locations. The new cameras have enhanced capabilities to better identify vehicles that speed or run red lights. The Traffic Police can also download the images remotely, which means the cameras can remain live 24/7.

These digital cameras and other measures will significantly enhance our ability to detect speeding and red-running. Our principal objective is to enhance road safety and encourage motorists to adhere to traffic rules at all times, regardless of whether there are cameras or traffic police officers present. Ultimately, all road users must take personal responsibility for this, as it is in our collective interest to ensure our own safety and the safety of all other road users. So, we look forward to the cooperation of all road users and the community in this regard.

Sir, allow me to also elaborate on our approach towards heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicles can cause severe harm in accidents due to their size. Hence, we have stepped up efforts to engage the heavy vehicle industry and educate their drivers.

We already have a stricter enforcement regime for heavy vehicles. Heavy vehicle drivers face stiffer fines for compoundable traffic offences. The Traffic Police has also stepped up enforcement efforts against speeding by heavy vehicles in recent years. For example, Police Speed Laser Cameras are frequently deployed along expressways and roads regularly plied by heavy vehicle drivers.

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Currently, heavy vehicles above a certain weight class are required to install speed limiters. We are working with LTA to tighten the existing speed limiter regime by introducing additional inspection requirements for heavy vehicles that are caught speeding.

Sir, I agree with Mr Vikram Nair that it is particularly heartbreaking when children in particular are involved in traffic accidents. Hence, apart from our education efforts, we also want to step up on enforcement. To ensure that extra care is taken near schools, motorists will receive an additional demerit point if they commit speeding, red-running, careless driving or inconsiderate driving offences within enhanced school zones. Let me illustrate the impact of this change. This additional demerit point will cause a new driver who is on probation to have his licence revoked if he is caught committing the offence of red-running in an enhanced school zone. Thus, this measure will have a material impact on the driver's eligibility to drive.

Let me also assure Mr Christopher de Souza that the Traffic Police does and will continue to take enforcement action against cyclists who flout traffic rules on our roads. Traffic Police issues almost 900 summonses annually to cyclists for various offences committed on our roads, including those highlighted by the Member.

These enforcement steps and the educational initiatives that I mentioned earlier are part of a broader effort undertaken by a committee led by MOT to enhance the safety of cyclists and pedestrians. MOT will elaborate at its Committee of Supply debate.

Taken as a whole, Safer Roads Singapore is a comprehensive strategy to improve road safety by enhancing the norms of road use. The Traffic Police will be firm and fair in enforcing traffic rules. We will also intensify our upstream education and engagement efforts to inculcate the right mindsets, habits and skills for safer road use.

Sir, it is important that we must take a decisive step to minimise injuries and the loss of lives. In the Traffic Police's dialogues with representatives from the industry and vocational driver groups, there is a general consensus that more can be done collectively to enhance road safety for everyone. Every life matters. I urge all parties to work together and make our roads safer.

Sir, before I sum up, let me address Mr Christopher de Souza's query on the waiting time for casino exclusion orders against vulnerable persons. The

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National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) administers such casino exclusions. The Council convenes Family Exclusion hearings within two weeks from the point of application to determine the need for a Family Exclusion Order. Applications for self-exclusions made online take effect immediately.

The recent amendments to the Casino Control Act empower the NCPG's Committee of Assessors to also issue a provisional Family Exclusion Order in the interim period, if there is an urgent need to protect vulnerable family members from further harm due to casino gambling.

Sir, to conclude, I have laid out some of the Home Team's key initiatives to ensure the safety of our neighbourhoods and our roads. The Home Team will continue to enhance our operational capabilities, stay resolute in enforcement and leverage on technology for greater effectiveness. At the same time, we will continue to need the support of each and every member of the community to maintain a safe and secure home for all of us.