Public safety & law — Topics

5 Jul 2021

Police Force (Amendment) Bill

The Police Force (Amendment) Bill was presented by the Minister of State for Home Affairs on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs to amend the Police Force Act.
The bill was read for the first time and scheduled for a second reading at the first available sitting in August 2021.
The bill was ordered to be printed following its first reading.

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11 May 2021

Number of Disputes Reported between Employers and Foreign Domestic Workers and Outcome of Cases in Past Five Years

Ms Tin Pei Ling inquired about the number of disputes between employers and foreign domestic workers reported in the past five years, the number that went to trial, and key observations from the reports.
The Ministry of Manpower reported an average of 2,600 complaints annually involving migrant domestic workers, with salary and rest time being common issues, most resolved through advice or mediation.
A small proportion of complaints indicated legal breaches by employers, leading to 83 prosecutions over five years for offenses like non-payment of salary and illegal deployment.

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11 May 2021

Installation of Traffic Signal at Intersection of Anchorvale Lane and Sengkang West Avenue

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim queried the Ministry for Transport about installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Anchorvale Lane and Sengkang West Avenue due to increased resident density and a recent accident from a discretionary right turn.
Ong Ye Kung stated that the intersection is currently unsignalised because traffic volume is low, but plans are in place to install a traffic signal by mid-2022 as demand is expected to rise with upcoming residential developments.
The debate highlighted concerns over safety and future traffic needs, leading to the Ministry's commitment to address the issue with a planned signal installation.

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11 May 2021

Fernvale Residents Caught for High-rise Littering, Throwing Down Cigarette Butts and Throwing Food Down to Feed Birds in Past Two Years

Nine offenders were caught for 22 counts of high-rise littering in Fernvale from 2019 to 2020, with cigarette butts making up 95% of the litter and most offenders aged 40 to 55.
The National Environment Agency will continue using surveillance cameras with video analytics but noted that indefinite expansion is unsustainable due to resource limits.
NEA is strengthening community partnerships and deploying posters with Town Councils to raise awareness about the environmental and social impacts of high-rise littering.
Authorities emphasized that keeping Singapore clean is a collective responsibility, requiring cultivation of social graciousness and good habits among residents.
The response highlighted the need for complementary strategies beyond enforcement to address high-rise littering and related offenses like feeding birds from heights.

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11 May 2021

Block Overseas Calls Received in Singapore Carrying prefix "+65" in View of Increase in Spoofed Calls from Scammers Based Overseas

Murali Pillai asked if IMDA would direct telecom providers to block overseas calls in Singapore that use the misleading "+65" prefix due to a rise in spoofed scam calls.
IMDA has blocked known scam numbers, including those starting with "+656," but finds blocking all "+65" calls infeasible as it would affect legitimate international calls from Singapore-based callers and overseas call centers.
IMDA and MHA/SPF are enhancing public education to avoid answering calls with "+" or "+65" prefixes if unexpected, and will continue collaborating on anti-scam measures.

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11 May 2021

Allowing Healthcare Providers to Flag Suspicious Injuries on Vulnerable Persons including Foreign Domestic Workers without Permission of Victims or Their Guardians

Medical practitioners are legally required under the Criminal Procedure Code to notify Police of suspected abuse of vulnerable persons, including foreign domestic workers, without needing the victim’s or guardian’s permission.
When reporting, healthcare providers must submit a Police notification form detailing the injuries, circumstances, and incident location as reported by the patient or accompanying person.
Police will assess each case and may commence investigations into relevant offences based on the facts and circumstances provided.

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11 May 2021

Number of Scam Cases Reported in 2020 and Usage of ScamShield App

The Singapore Police recorded 15,756 scam cases in 2020, with 501 involving repeat victims.
Over 110,000 iOS users downloaded ScamShield by April 26, 2021, following its November 2020 launch.
The Android version of ScamShield is delayed due to technical issues, and no rollout timeline is available.

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11 May 2021

Efforts to Monitor Extremist Ideology on Social Media Platforms and Internet Forums

Security agencies monitor extremist content online and have blocked some sites, though full blocking is impossible due to the vast and evolving nature of the internet.
A multi-pronged approach includes community education through initiatives like SGSecure, outreach by groups such as the Religious Rehabilitation Group, and international intelligence sharing.
The public is urged to avoid sharing extremist content, while technology companies are recognized for their efforts in removing such material.
Continued reliance on upstream efforts and industry collaboration is essential to counter online radicalization.
The government acknowledges that determined individuals may circumvent blocking, reinforcing the need for a comprehensive strategy.

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11 May 2021

Strengthening Legal Framework to Penalise Eyewitnesses and Participants who Do Not Report or Contribute to Abuse against Vulnerable Persons

The government has already strengthened legal protections for vulnerable persons, with 2019 amendments to the Penal Code introducing new offences and enhanced penalties for abuse against children, domestic workers, and those unable to protect themselves.
Specific laws now penalize persons in the same household who fail to protect vulnerable victims, including Section 335A and Section 304C of the Penal Code, which came into force in 2020.
The existing framework addresses inaction and failure to report abuse by family members and others in close contact with vulnerable persons, aiming to hold them accountable for allowing abuse to continue.

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11 May 2021

Improvements to Support Schemes to Prevent Inter-generational Transmission of Criminality

The government provides comprehensive support through programmes like the Yellow Ribbon Community Project and Prisons Family Resource Centres, assisting thousands of families—including those with children—affected by parental incarceration with financial, social, and accommodation aid.
Multiple community partners, including the Singapore Prison Service and organizations like The Salvation Army and Singapore Children’s Society, offer family-centric programmes such as mentoring, counselling, and parenting support to break the cycle of criminality.
A new interest-based mentoring pilot programme, launching in Q4, targets students leaving ITE prematurely, focusing on matching mentors and mentees while considering gender and providing training to support youths’ aspirations and positive role modeling.

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11 May 2021

Number of Laser Strikes on Aircraft Arriving At or Departing From Singapore

Over the past three years, 82 reports of laser lights shone at aircraft landing at or taking off from Singapore were received by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), with most appearing to originate from outside the country.
None of these incidents disrupted flight operations or required pilots to seek medical attention, though such activities can potentially distract or injure pilots.
Offenders may face fines up to S$20,000 for a first offence and up to S$40,000 and/or imprisonment up to 15 months for subsequent offences.

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11 May 2021

Data on Number of Drug Users Whose Parents Are Themselves Drug Users

Louis Ng asked why the Ministry for Home Affairs does not collect data on drug users whose parents are also drug users.
The Ministry stated that existing data and research, such as studies from the Singapore Prison Service, are adequate for policy formulation, showing higher risks for children of drug-abusing parents.
Research from 2014 and 2017 confirmed strong links between parental drug abuse and children's likelihood of drug use or crime.
The Ministry will continue conducting research and periodically reviewing data collection to address inter-generational drug abuse.

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11 May 2021

Regulation of Vending Machines Dispensing Alcoholic Beverages

Melvin Yong asked the Ministry for Home Affairs about its position on vending machines selling alcoholic beverages and how the Liquor Control Act would regulate them.
The Minister, K Shanmugam, responded that anyone wanting to sell alcohol via vending machines must hold a licence under the Liquor Control Act and follow its rules.
Licensees must not sell liquor beyond permitted hours and must not sell to persons under 18 years old.
Operating a vending machine to sell alcohol without a licence is an offence.

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11 May 2021

Trends of Scam Calls Reported to Police

In the first quarter of 2021, police received an average of about two reports daily from scam calls, which was a 40% decrease from the same period in 2020.
The actual volume of scam calls received by the public is much higher, as most people ignore such calls and do not report them.
Reports of suspected scam calls are collected through the ScamShield app, which has allowed users to report over 56,000 numbers since its launch in November 2020, and an Android version is in development.

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11 May 2021

Prosecution of Illegal Sale and Supply of Adulterated and Counterfeit Health Products through Online Platforms

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has investigated an average of 70 cases annually from 2018 to 2020 for illegal online sales of adulterated health products, primarily lifestyle products like those for weight loss or sexual enhancement, leading to six prosecutions with fines and imprisonment.
HSA monitors local websites and e-commerce platforms, collaborates with overseas regulators and INTERPOL, and takes legal action or issues warnings to sellers of adulterated or counterfeit health products, with penalties including fines up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment up to three years.
HSA and the Ministry of Health conduct educational initiatives, including press releases, outreach through the Health Promotion Board to tertiary students, and the HealthWatch website launched in 2019, to warn consumers about the risks of illegal online health products and promote informed decisions.

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11 May 2021

Number of Companies in Prison's Yellow Ribbon Pool of Employer Partners

As of March 2021, there were 5,974 companies registered with Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) as employer partners.
YRSG collects data on job retention for ex-offenders receiving Job Retention Support (JRS), with 66% of the 2018 cohort remaining employed for six months or more.
The two-year recidivism rate for ex-offenders in the 2018 cohort who received JRS was 20.1%, lower than the 22.7% rate for those who did not receive JRS.

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11 May 2021

Sale and Import of Vaping Devices via E-commerce Platforms

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Ministry of Health (MOH) about monitoring vaping trends, working with e-commerce platforms to curb sales, and measures to raise awareness among teens.
MOH and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reported increased seizures and cases of e-vaporizers, with ongoing collaboration with agencies and e-commerce platforms to remove illegal listings and intercept smuggled items.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) engages youths through educational activities and resources to promote a vape-free lifestyle, while MOH reiterates the prohibition of e-vaporizers under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.

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11 May 2021

Cases of Vaping in Schools

Sharael Taha requested statistics on vaping cases in schools since the 2018 ban, suggestions for youth education, and actions against suppliers, with Lawrence Wong noting that about six in 1,000 students are caught for smoking or vaping yearly without a specific vaping breakdown and that education and disciplinary measures are in place.
Schools integrate vaping and tobacco harm into the curriculum, teach students to resist peer pressure and make responsible decisions, and collaborate with the Health Promotion Board to refresh materials and offer interactive programmes.
Students caught vaping face school discipline, are reported to the Health Sciences Authority, which may fine offenders and require cessation programmes, while suppliers are prosecuted with penalties like fines or imprisonment, and underage suppliers may undergo rehabilitation.

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11 May 2021

Making Sure Lawyers Appointed by Legal Aid Bureau Act With Due Despatch

The Legal Aid Bureau employs in-house lawyers and screens volunteer lawyers to handle cases, with supervisors reviewing case progress quarterly and tracking timelines for in-house lawyers to ensure competence and timely action.
For volunteer lawyers, LAB monitors for delays, reassigns cases if needed, and rates volunteers based on performance and applicant feedback, potentially excluding those consistently underperforming from future assignments.
LAB conducts yearly satisfaction surveys, showing an average 96% overall satisfaction rate from 2018 to 2020, with over 90% of 2020 respondents satisfied with their lawyers' progress, respect, and communication.

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11 May 2021

Improper Conduct or Sexual Conduct Offences Involving Private Tutors or Private Education Centres

Dr Wan Rizal inquired about the percentage of students using private tuition and the number of sexual misconduct cases involving private tutors or education centres.
The Minister for Education clarified that the ministry does not track these figures as tuition is optional, but Police records show about eight annual reports of sexual assault by private tutors from 2018 to 2020, representing 0.3% of total sexual assault reports.
The Minister emphasized that parents should exercise due diligence when engaging private tuition services, noting a government review on mandatory criminal screening for persons working with children.

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