Public safety & law

• MP Louis Ng proposed equipping all taxis and private hire cars with two free, portable child car seats (one for nine months to four years, one for older children) to enhance safety, reduce parent costs, and minimize driver-passenger conflicts, noting the government could fund this at an estimated $15 million.
• The Senior Parliamentary Secretary acknowledged child safety importance but highlighted operational challenges like boot space, installation time, and low uptake in past trials (e.g., SMRT's booster seat trial), stressing that current rules balance diverse needs and market solutions are emerging.
• Both sides agreed on launching awareness campaigns to promote child car seat use, with the government open to exploring Ng's hospital-based infant seat proposals and studying data to review laws, while noting the need for stakeholder collaboration on hygiene and logistics.

• The Bill extends the autonomous vehicle trial sandbox until 2027, supports large-scale pilot deployments of autonomous buses and shuttles in designated areas, and reinforces safety requirements such as mandatory safety drivers and insurance coverage.
• It updates the vehicular tax system to clarify and streamline the re-imposition of taxes on vehicles that no longer qualify for exemptions, and introduces provisions to recover undercharged taxes as fines.
• The Bill empowers trained security officers to conduct targeted frisk searches on the public transport system based on suspicious behavior, with safeguards including video surveillance, uniformed officers, and female officers searching female passengers.
• It introduces a theory test for e-scooter and power-assisted bicycle riders, with affordable fees and a transition period, and imposes liabilities on companies that allow uncertified riders to operate.
• The Bill increases penalties for various traffic offences, including illegal speed trials and helmet violations, and enhances enforcement mechanisms such as expanding the traffic camera network and targeting Silver Zones to protect elderly pedestrians.

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill aims to enhance road safety by increasing penalties for illegal speed trials and introducing a mandatory theory test for power-assisted bicycle (PAB) riders, which is expected to impact delivery riders. It also expands security screening powers to include frisk searches on public transport, raising concerns about privacy and potential profiling. Additionally, the bill addresses the safety of migrant workers transported in lorries, with members advocating for safer transport methods despite potential cost increases. The extension of the autonomous vehicle regulatory sandbox to 2027 is also proposed to facilitate further trials and development.

• The government denounced anti-Asian hate crimes overseas and reaffirmed Singapore’s commitment to racial harmony through laws against hate speech, community initiatives like BRIDGE, and efforts to expand shared experiences across communities.
• In response to rising xenophobia during COVID-19, the government highlighted recent local incidents and emphasized a dual approach of legal action and community engagement to prevent hate from taking root in Singapore.
• A Member of Parliament raised concerns about increased racist behavior linked to the pandemic and asked about recourse for victims, with the Minister acknowledging the issue and stressing the need to strengthen social cohesion against divisive forces.

• The Ministry will expand cycling paths from 460 km to over 1,300 km by 2030 to separate cyclists from motor vehicles where possible, while enforcing existing traffic rules for cyclists and motorists, with penalties for errant behavior.
• Public education and awareness campaigns, such as the revamping of the Safe Riding Programme and collaboration with the Active Mobility Advisory Panel, are prioritized to foster gracious road-sharing and review safety rules, including group cycling limits.
• The government is studying overseas practices and conducting stakeholder consultations to assess trade-offs, including whether licensing cyclists or other measures would effectively enhance road safety without undue cost or burden.

• Dennis Tan asked the Minister for National Development for the number of people charged for animal cruelty offences under the Animals and Birds Act in each of the last five years, the numbers convicted and sentenced to imprisonment, and the top three animal categories involved.
• The Minister provided data since 2016, showing 22 individuals convicted as of April 2021, with 11 sentenced to imprisonment.
• The primary animals involved in these cases are cats and dogs, though only two categories were specified instead of three.

• The Ministry of National Development requires temporary workers' quarters (TWQs) to comply with building and fire safety codes, with Professional Engineers and Qualified Persons responsible for design and supervision.
• The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) conducts inspections on completed TWQs and, with the SCDF, can enforce regulations, with one structural collapse incident under investigation in April 2021.
• BCA is not aware of any other building or safety incidents involving TWQs in the last three years, and the SCDF has no record of major fire incidents at such sites during this period.

• The debate focused on whether to ban the use of lorries for transporting workers or to introduce stricter safety measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and fatalities.
• The Minister for Transport, Ong Ye Kung, responded by stating that he had already addressed the questions in a previous parliamentary sitting in May 2021.
• The discussion highlighted concerns about worker safety but did not yield new policy announcements, as the matter was referred to earlier replies.

• Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked whether mandatory intervention or counselling programmes exist for rehabilitating and reintegrating perpetrators of domestic violence.
• Masagos Zulkifli explained that the Court can order attendance at the Mandatory Counselling Programme when granting a Personal Protection Order, focusing on reducing violence and teaching respectful conflict resolution.
• Perpetrators and victims may also voluntarily seek support from Family Violence Specialist Centres and Family Service Centres for rehabilitation.
• Re-integration is considered on a case-by-case basis, with social work professionals and the Courts determining the safest and most appropriate interventions.
• The overall goal is to ensure family safety and functioning while addressing the perpetrator’s behaviour.

• MOE conducts pre-employment background checks on non-teaching staff, including Police screening and reference checks, before hiring for school positions.
• MOE enforces a professional code of conduct for all staff, with serious disciplinary actions, suspension, or redeployment for misconduct, and refers cases to Police when necessary.
• Schools strengthen staff communication on conduct boundaries and vigilance to protect students, while the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum teaches personal safety from Primary 1 onward.

• The Minister confirmed that penalties for breaches of protection orders under the Protection from Harassment Act were doubled in 2020, particularly for repeat breaches and offences against vulnerable persons.
• Existing support systems, including the National Family Violence Networking System and 24-hour helpline, already assist victims in reporting breaches and accessing services, making a new specialized centre unnecessary unless clarified.
• The government is conducting periodic reviews, including through the Task Force on Family Violence, to strengthen protections, enhance reporting mechanisms, and improve perpetrator accountability, with recommendations expected later this year.

• The Ministry outlined safeguards including security vetting before employment, barring access to firearms during disciplinary investigations, and strict armoury processes with identity verification, authorization checks, and tracking of returns, all subject to regular audits.
• The Minister declined to disclose specifics on geo-fencing or similar tracking technologies for operational security, noting such measures are not infallible and cannot prevent all misuse, emphasizing that police must be armed to perform duties despite inherent risks.
• The debate framed the choice as balancing the risk of officer misuse against the greater societal risk of not arming police or auxiliary officers, with the latter deemed far larger, including for foreign auxiliary officers due to manpower needs.
• Data indicates that weapon misuse by police and auxiliary officers, including foreign ones, is very low, and risks are managed through selection, training, discipline, and the outlined controls.

• Sylvia Lim asked if law enforcement agencies must consult the Attorney-General's Chambers before deciding on charges.
• The Minister clarified that the discretion to charge and determine charges lies with the Public Prosecutor, not law enforcement agencies.
• Law enforcement agencies typically recommend charges after investigations, and the Public Prosecutor’s Chambers reviews the evidence to decide.
• Some law enforcement agencies are authorized to prosecute minor offences without consultation, based on criteria set by the Public Prosecutor.

• Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs for the number of complaints and total losses related to cryptocurrency investment crimes lodged with police in the past three years.
• K Shanmugam responded that between 2018 and 2020, police received 533 reports of cheating, fraud, or other crimes connected to cryptocurrency investments.
• During the same period, victims lost approximately $29 million to such cases.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Singapore Police Force have trained frontline officers from SPF, MOM, and ICA to detect human trafficking cases and manage victims sensitively, with additional training from international partners like UNODC and INTERPOL.
• Under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, protective measures include in-camera court proceedings for child victims and optional for adults, media gag orders for sexual exploitation cases, and support for NGOs providing shelter, sustenance, and counselling to victims.
• From 2015 to 2020, 260 investigations into trafficking offences were conducted, leading to 12 prosecutions, with 7 convictions under PHTA (one labour and six sex trafficking) and other cases ongoing or under different laws.
• The Temporary Job Scheme and NGO partnerships facilitate employment for trafficking survivors by matching them with employers, offering English lessons, job skills training, and reintegration support.
• The inter-agency taskforce continues to combat trafficking by collaborating with NGOs, employers, international partners, and embassies to review support measures and enhance training.

• The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) cautions that cryptocurrencies are highly risky and speculative, and advises retail investors to verify entity credentials and consult the MAS Investor Alert List before trading.
• MoneySense, Singapore’s national financial education program, runs campaigns to educate the public on spotting red flags like promises of quick profits in crypto-related investment scams.
• Individuals facing financial distress from crypto losses can seek support from the National CARE Hotline, with referrals to services like Credit Counselling Singapore for debt management assistance.

• Over the past year, LTA impounded 1,378 PMDs and 3 PMAs.
• Devices are impounded for non-compliance with technical standards (e.g., exceeding weight/width limits, lacking UL2272 certification) or due to egregious behavior like reckless riding.
• About 17% of impounded devices were compliant and could be returned, while non-compliant ones pose safety or fire risks and are not returned.
• Owners are typically notified within three weeks for straightforward cases, but complex cases may take several months.

• Lim Biow Chuan questioned whether penalties for e-commerce and online scams should be increased due to the high volume and financial losses from such crimes.
• Minister K Shanmugam stated that existing cheating offences under the Penal Code already carry imprisonment terms of up to 10 years and are considered adequate.
• The main challenge is that most scammers operate overseas, requiring collaboration with foreign law enforcement and industry partners to prevent scams.
• Efforts focus on enhancing partnerships with telcos, online marketplaces, banks, and remittance companies to detect and stop scams early.
• Public education and awareness campaigns are emphasized as the most effective protection against scams.

• The Government takes a serious view of attempts to defraud the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS), such as paying CPF contributions for "phantom" employees to claim payouts.
• IRAS has a robust anti-gaming framework to detect abuse, requiring authentication of CPF contributions for high-risk cases and reporting strong evidence to the Commercial Affairs Department for investigation.
• Over 5,000 employers have been reviewed, leading to the denial of about $28 million in payouts for over 1,000 employers due to suspected abuse and the referral of 10 employers to CAD.
• Penalties for JSS abuse are severe, with offenders facing up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines under the Penal Code.

• Gerald Giam asked whether Enterprise Singapore can recall products that pose safety risks, what measures exist if not, and what factors guide recall decisions.
• Chan Chun Sing stated that Enterprise Singapore can require suppliers to recall Registered Controlled Goods, such as certain electrical appliances and refrigerators, if they are unsafe under the Consumer Protection Act.
• Recalls may be triggered for issues like uncertified modifications, incorrect testing, or other risks to public safety, and the supply of unsafe goods can be disallowed after investigation.