Debated in Parliament on 9 Jan 2024.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Law (a) for the past three years, what is the percentage of applicants who have filed Court applications via the Integrated Family Application Management System and are non-native English speakers; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider simplifying the application process or render assistance to such applicants whose English is not their first language.
The Integrated Family Application Management System (iFAMS) is an online case application and management system that was designed to meet the needs of self-represented persons (SRPs) involved in proceedings in the Family Justice Courts (FJC). iFAMS simplifies the application process so that SRPs can prepare and file Court applications for maintenance, protection orders and simplified deputyship without having to engage a lawyer.
The percentage of non-native English speakers amongst applicants who have filed Court applications via iFAMS from 2020 to 2022 is set out in Table 1 below.
The data for 2023 is not yet available.
SRPs whose first language is not English can seek help with filing iFAMS applications at several locations, including the FJC Registry, the ServiceSG Centres at Our Tampines Hub and One Punggol, any Protection Specialist Centre and the HELP Family Service Centre.
The Judiciary regularly reviews and seeks to improve the assistance available to SRPs who face difficulties filing applications via iFAMS and welcomes feedback on specific difficulties that court users face.
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