Crowd Control Management During Festive Seasons and Ensuring Effective Coordination Between Entities

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the measures in place to manage increased crowd volumes in city areas during festive seasons; (b) how does the Ministry ensure effective coordination among various entities, such as police, emergency services and Government agencies, before and during festive events; and (c) how is the Ministry leveraging on technology, such as surveillance cameras and crowd monitoring software, to enhance crowd control and ensure public safety.

Regarding the query on the response of emergency services and the protocols in place, the Police deploys on the ground for festive events with large crowds to ensure law and order and to coordinate swift response to any incidents, including by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Depending on the Police's assessment of the event, SCDF resources may even be forward deployed on the ground.

As for the other queries, the Member may wish to refer to the response by Minister of State Sun Xueling to Parliamentary Questions No 9 to 15 during the 28 November 2022 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to "Measures to Prevent and Manage Risks from Crowd Surges during Festive Periods and Public Events", Official Report, 28 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 76, Oral Answers to Questions section.]