Public safety & law — Topics

5 Oct 2021

Entry of Malaysian Police Helicopter into Singapore's Airspace in September 2021

A Royal Malaysian Police helicopter entered Singapore's airspace over Pulau Tekong without approval on 11 September 2021, prompting the RSAF to issue warnings and scramble F-16s.
The RSAF determined no security threat and stood down the aircraft, as it conducts over 350 such incident responses annually.
The Ministry of Home Affairs registered concern with Malaysian authorities regarding the unauthorised entry.
No diplomatic note of protest was mentioned, and follow-up actions were limited to standard security protocols and bilateral communication.

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5 Oct 2021

Incidents of Children Stealing to Fund Mobile Gaming Addictions over Past Five Years

The Minister for Home Affairs stated that the number of young persons below 18 arrested for theft-related offences has been on a downward trend over the past five years, and there were no theft reports specifically linked to mobile gaming addiction.
There are no plans from the Ministry to ban the sale of top-up cards with stored value to children, based on crime control considerations.
The Ministry will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies addressing child and youth issues and adjust measures as necessary.

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5 Oct 2021

Impact of Corrupt Transactions Involving Former LTA Deputy Group Director on Standards and Safety of Thomson-East Coast and Cross Island MRT Lines

Sylvia Lim asked about the impact on standards and safety of the Thomson-East Coast and Cross Island MRT Lines due to corrupt actions of a former LTA deputy group director.
Minister S Iswaran referred to his previous reply on the matter in a parliamentary session on 13 September 2021, citing a written answer regarding companies involved.
The debate highlighted concerns about integrity in public infrastructure projects and the need for transparency in addressing corruption cases.

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5 Oct 2021

Profile of and Penalties for Those Arrested for Involvement in Illegal International Soccer Gaming

Saktiandi Supaat inquired about the age profile of Singaporeans arrested for illegal international soccer gambling and whether current penalties are sufficient deterrents.
Shanmugam stated that 72 individuals aged 18 to 63 were arrested in June and July 2021, with investigations ongoing under the Remote Gambling Act.
Current penalties include fines of $20,000 to $500,000 and up to seven years imprisonment for operators, and $20,000 to $200,000 fines or up to five years imprisonment for agents.
MHA is reviewing gambling laws to update penalties, aiming to increase them for stronger deterrence, with proposed amendments to be tabled in Parliament by year-end.

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5 Oct 2021

Measures to Prevent Personal Information from TraceTogether Usage from Being Hacked

Gan Thiam Poh asked about the risks of personal information from TraceTogether being hacked and the measures to prevent such attacks.
Mrs Josephine Teo explained that TraceTogether data is encrypted, stored locally on devices, and deleted after 25 days, with uploads to government servers only when legally required.
Measures include encrypted databases, field-level encryption or hashing of identifiers, logged and monitored access, and annual penetration testing of systems.
The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act imposes penalties of up to $20,000 fine or two years’ imprisonment for unauthorized disclosure or misuse of contact tracing data.

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5 Oct 2021

Raising Awareness amongst Pharmacists to Spot Signs of Domestic Violence and Teaching Domestic Violence Victims to Seek Help with Non-verbal Cues or Code Words

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked what more can be done to raise awareness and expand the pool of trained pharmacists to spot signs of domestic violence, and whether the Ministry will promote the use of code words or non-verbal cues for victims to seek help.
Masagos Zulkifli B M M responded that a whole-of-society effort is needed, citing the Taskforce on Family Violence’s 16 recommendations to improve support, protection, prevention, and awareness.
MSF has collaborated with partners like Unity Pharmacy to train pharmacists and retail assistants in detecting family violence, and has distributed brochures and posters in retail outlets to reach out to victims discreetly.
The Taskforce endorsed the suggestion to use non-verbal cues or code words for help, and MSF is exploring ways to implement this, with further details to be released later this year.
MSF will continue expanding outreach to more organisations, especially those with direct contact with potential victims, and welcomes partnerships to strengthen community detection of family violence.

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5 Oct 2021

Coroners (Amendment) Bill

The Second Minister for Law moved to amend the Coroners Act to streamline procedures and introduce greater flexibility by making the Coroner’s mandatory viewing of a body discretionary and allowing the Minister to exempt certain deaths from the Act’s provisions.
The proposed changes aim to expedite the release of bodies to families and save resources, with safeguards like RFID and QR code tags ensuring correct identification, and to accommodate foreign state requests for body repatriation in specific circumstances.
Concerns were raised by Members of Parliament about potential compromises to investigations, risks of political interference, and the need for the Minister to consider public interest, with the Minister assuring that safeguards and case-by-case assessments would prevent misuse.

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5 Oct 2021

Private Security Industry (Amendment) Bill

The Bill introduces new offences to protect security officers from assault, hurt, and harassment while on duty, with penalties higher than those for similar acts against the general public, citing rising abuse cases, especially during COVID-19.
It removes licensing requirements for security consultants, shifting to industry-led accreditation through the Security Consultants Accreditation Programme to uphold standards and adapt to industry developments.
MPs generally support the Bill but raise concerns about potential overreach, such as the burden of proof on the accused for harassment offences, and suggest measures like body-worn cameras and better training to ensure fair implementation.
The debate highlights the need to respect security officers' roles, improve working conditions, and address manpower issues, with calls for public awareness campaigns and tripartite efforts to uplift the industry.

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5 Oct 2021

Sedition (Repeal) Bill

The Minister for Home Affairs introduced the Sedition (Repeal) Bill to repeal the Sedition Act, arguing it is a colonial-era law with outdated provisions no longer used for prosecution, and that its core concerns are now covered by other modern legislation like the Penal Code and the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.
The Bill amends the Penal Code to extend section 267C to cover speeches and communication, requiring proof of intent for offences related to violence or disobedience, and makes sections 298, 298A, and 505 arrestable to allow police swift action on cases affecting social cohesion, while clarifying that merely conveying information about civil disobedience without intent to incite is not an offence.
A Member of Parliament supported the repeal but raised concerns about the removal of a six-month time limit for prosecutions, the scope of amended offences, and the arrestable status of certain Penal Code sections, with the Minister responding that the Sedition Act’s thresholds were uniquely colonial and not comparable to modern offences, and that arrestability is justified for public order while safeguards are embedded in intent requirements.

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5 Oct 2021

Review of Fraudulent Credit Card Transactions Involving Diversion of One-time Passwords Prior to September 2020

Dr. Tan Wu Meng questioned if a retrospective review would be conducted for fraudulent credit card transactions involving SMS OTP diversion before September 2020, as banks have already addressed 75 confirmed cases from September to December 2020.
The Minister confirmed that while no cases prior to September 2020 have been confirmed, banks are reviewing all disputes and new reports, and customers will not bear losses if they protected their credentials, emphasizing collective responsibility among banks, customers, and authorities.
Measures include banks enhancing fraud surveillance, telecoms implementing safeguards to block SMS diversion, and ongoing efforts to educate consumers and review authentication methods, with the Payments Council working to clarify liabilities and responsibilities.

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4 Oct 2021

Data on Inspection of Workplaces for Breach of Safe Management Measures and Breaches Discovered

Since March 2020, the Ministry of Manpower conducted nearly 45,000 inspections of workplaces for breaches of safe management measures, with 21,000 during the Circuit Breaker period and 24,000 from June 2020 to September 2021.
The Ministry issued 140 Stop Work Orders, 247 Remedial Orders, and 399 Composition Fines to 776 companies, with common breaches including failure to implement work-from-home arrangements, not wearing masks, and not maintaining safe distancing.
The Ministry does not notify companies or workplaces in advance of inspections.

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4 Oct 2021

Proposal to Amend Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act to Increase Penalties for Wildlife Trafficking, Trade and Possession Offences and Tighten Regulations for Shipments in Transit

The Ministry for National Development and NParks are reviewing the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act to strengthen regulations on CITES species, increase penalties, and enhance enforcement powers for wildlife trade offences.
The Ministry has already consulted key stakeholders, including traders, shipping companies, academics, and NGOs, and will conduct a public consultation on the proposed amendments soon.
Once the review and consultation are complete, a Bill will be introduced in Parliament to amend the ESA, though a specific timeline has not yet been provided.

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4 Oct 2021

Efforts to Prevent Hateful or Inciteful Speech or Action Being Communicated or Distributed

The Singapore Government has strict legal frameworks, including the Broadcasting Act and Penal Code, to prohibit hate and offensive speech and enforce the removal of such content to protect social cohesion.
The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) addresses falsehoods that can fuel hate speech, while the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act enables swift action against online religiously inflammatory material.
Beyond regulations, initiatives like the Digital for Life movement and Media Literacy Council promote respectful online behavior and civil discourse through education and community partnerships.

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4 Oct 2021

Take-up Rate of IMDA's Pre-approved Cybersecurity Solutions among SMEs and Efforts to Increase Awareness on Importance of Cybersecurity among SMEs

More than 5,000 SMEs have used IMDA's pre-approved cybersecurity solutions under the SMEs Go Digital programme since its 2017 launch.
The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) is developing enterprise toolkits tailored for SMEs to promote good cybersecurity practices, set for launch later this month.
CSA is also creating a SG Cyber Safe Trustmark to help customers identify enterprises with strong cybersecurity measures.
The government encourages all SMEs to utilize these initiatives to enhance their cybersecurity posture.

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4 Oct 2021

Update on Efforts of the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism

The National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism (NCPR), established in 2018, has launched several initiatives including a Localised Community Network pilot to support at-risk youth and extended post-care support for youth offenders from two months to one year.
Enhanced collaboration between Singapore Prison Service and Family Service Centres since 2020 has improved support for families of incarcerated individuals, including timely referrals for social work assessment and planning.
These collective efforts have contributed to a 43.3% reduction in youth offenders from 2010 to 2020 and a decline in the two-year recidivism rate from 27.3% to 22.1% over recent years.
The NCPR continues to work with government and community partners to address emerging concerns and strengthen preventive and rehabilitative measures for at-risk populations.

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4 Oct 2021

Proposal to Install Mandatory Red Amber Green Signals for Right Turns in Junctions near Schools

Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim proposed installing mandatory Red Amber Green signals for right turns at junctions within 100 metres of schools and requested that LTA expedite such installations near schools from the planned 600 by 2024.
S Iswaran stated that LTA is prioritising Red Amber Green signals near schools, with over 60% of junctions within 100 metres already equipped, and is also expediting them at heavily used junctions like transport nodes.
He added that LTA’s School Zone scheme includes additional traffic calming measures such as lighted alert signs, pedestrian crossings, road humps, and road markings to promote safe driving near schools.

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4 Oct 2021

Number of Police Reports on Abuse by Partners, Spouses and Family Members in Past Three Years

Dr Tan Yia Swam asked the Minister for Home Affairs for the number of police reports on abuse by partners, spouses, and family members over the past three years.
The Minister responded with 5,134 police reports on family violence in 2020, noting that tracking began to assist the Taskforce on Family Violence.
The Minister explained that breaking down reports by specific relationships (e.g., partners, spouses) is not meaningful due to the complexity of family violence cases, which often involve multiple suspects and victims.

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4 Oct 2021

Measures to Assist Ex-convicts and Prisoners Due to Be Released to Open Bank Accounts to Receive Wages or Financial Assistance

Since 2015, the Singapore Prison Service has partnered with POSB to help ex-offenders open bank accounts using a discharge letter listing selected branches, with service charges waived for a year if they present the letter plus an employment referral from Yellow Ribbon Singapore or a job offer.
Yellow Ribbon Singapore works with employers to provide alternative wage arrangements, such as cash cheques in the first month, to ensure ex-offenders without bank accounts can still receive their wages while they set up an account.
Ex-offenders released from prison can seek interim financial assistance at Family Resource Centres, which disburse cash, vouchers, or EZ Link cards and refer them to Social Service Offices for further help, including guidance on opening a bank account.

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4 Oct 2021

Data and Trends on Harassment by Licensed Moneylenders and Persons Prosecuted for Such Harassment

From 2018 to 2020, 75 complaints were made about harassment by debt collectors engaged by licensed moneylenders, with numbers remaining stable over the three years.
In the same period, 2,429 persons were prosecuted for harassment related to unlicensed moneylending, though prosecutions for licensed moneylending-related harassment were not tracked separately.
Reports of harassment by unlicensed moneylenders peaked at 5,281 in 2019 before falling to 3,336 in 2020, with most cases involving non-damage and non-confrontational methods like messages and notes.

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4 Oct 2021

Measures to Prevent and Counter Terrorist Attacks in Places of High Human Traffic

The Government has enhanced counter-terrorism capabilities through stronger intelligence, increased police presence, and the deployment of Rapid Deployment Troops with improved equipment.
Extensive surveillance has been expanded with over 90,000 police cameras installed, aiming for 200,000 by 2030, to boost detection and response to terrorist incidents.
Community vigilance and preparedness are prioritized through the SGSecure movement, which involves training businesses and the public, with over 63,000 businesses engaged in counter-terrorism exercises.

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