Public safety & law — Topics

2 Nov 2020

Timeline between Issuance of Summonses for LTA Offences and Date of Offence

Gerald Giam Yean Song asked about the median time between offence dates and summons issuance by LTA and whether there are guidelines preventing summonses beyond three months.
Ong Ye Kung stated that 99% of summonses are issued within two weeks of confirming an offence, covering common cases like ERP non-payment and illegal parking.
For non-straightforward cases requiring deeper investigation, LTA may take longer to ensure fairness and avoid prejudicing outcomes.

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2 Nov 2020

Update on Fire Incident in MRT Tunnel on 16 October 2020

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked about the number of engineering locomotives in service during the incident, whether the damaged locomotive would affect SMRT’s maintenance, and the safety measures for tunnel fires.
Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that a small fire caused by leaking lubricant oil was quickly extinguished by SMRT staff within 20 minutes, with no damage to railway parts or impact on train services or maintenance.
SMRT is conducting a fleet-wide check on gaskets and critical components and will review with the supplier, while all tunnels have ventilation fans, trains carry fire extinguishers, staff are trained in firefighting, and standard evacuation procedures exist.

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2 Nov 2020

Singapore's Response to Financial Action Task Force's Report on Money Laundering and Illegal Wildlife Trade

The Singapore Government supports the FATF report's recommendations and contributed case studies to its development, viewing the illegal wildlife trade as a transnational crime linked to money laundering.
Multiple agencies coordinate to combat money laundering related to wildlife trade, enforcing laws like the Endangered Species Act and the Wildlife Act, and collaborating internationally to intercept shipments and disrupt criminal syndicates.
Public-private partnerships with banks and traders help detect suspicious funds, while robust enforcement has led to prosecutions, though no major syndicates or significant money laundering connected to Singapore have been identified.
The government remains vigilant and committed to addressing the risks of illegal wildlife trade and associated money laundering.

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2 Nov 2020

Employment Dispute Cases Due to Abuse of the System by Foreign Workers

From 2017 to 2019, about 5,000 foreign work pass holders per year filed salary claims with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, with disputed cases referred to the Ministry of Manpower for investigation.
In 2019, the Ministry identified eight cases where foreign workers behaved irresponsibly during salary claim processes, such as making false claims, leading to their work passes being cancelled and permanent bans from working in Singapore.
Over the same period, the Ministry took legal action against eight foreign workers for making false work injury claims, resulting in prosecutions, warnings, and permanent bans from working in Singapore.
The Ministry emphasizes that both employers and workers must act responsibly and maintain good communication to prevent disputes, and it will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action against false allegations by either party.

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2 Nov 2020

Reviewing Sustainability of Convictions and Sentences After Amendment to Legislation

The government has established a statutory framework under the amended Criminal Procedure Code that allows accused persons to apply to reopen concluded criminal appeals in exceptional cases, such as when a subsequent change in law may cause a miscarriage of justice.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) systematically reviews court decisions in criminal matters to identify changes in law that could affect prior cases and takes action to surface relevant cases to the courts when necessary.
A recent example is the Gobi case, where the Court of Appeal reopened a concluded appeal after a change in legal interpretation regarding presumptions under the Misuse of Drugs Act, ultimately setting aside a capital conviction.
The AGC has previously proactively reviewed and applied to overturn convictions when legal developments raised concerns about justice, as seen in the 2007 AirOcean case where a fine was refunded after a conviction was set aside.

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2 Nov 2020

Training Safe Distancing Ambassadors for Easing of COVID-19 Measures

Miss Cheryl Chan raised concerns about the challenges Safe Distancing Ambassadors face in enforcing mask-wearing rules, especially in grey areas like when to put masks back on after eating or exercising.
Minister Grace Fu explained that ambassadors are regularly updated, deployed in teams, and provided reference materials to handle evolving measures, emphasizing that mask-wearing remains mandatory to protect public health.
The Minister acknowledged the difficulty in enforcement but stressed that rules are clear—masks should be worn immediately after activities like eating—and urged public cooperation to reduce the need for enforcement.
Miss Chan highlighted inconsistent advice from ambassadors on timing mask-wearing, which complicates ground enforcement as more people return to public spaces.
Both sides agreed on the importance of masks and safe distancing, with the Minister reiterating that reminders and community cooperation are key to managing COVID-19 risks.

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15 Oct 2020

Links between Money Laundering, Corruption and Fraud and Illegal Wildlife Trade Occurring in or Connected to Singapore

Louis Ng asked whether the Ministry of National Development has found links between money laundering, corruption, fraud, and the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore, and if so, whether it would consider establishing an independent framework or task force to study these links.
Minister Desmond Lee stated that no such links have been found between money laundering, corruption, fraud, and the illegal wildlife trade in or connected to Singapore.
Agencies will continue to maintain vigilance against the illegal wildlife trade, including related money laundering, corruption, and fraud.

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15 Oct 2020

Statistics on Annual Disbursements in Provision of Government Funds for Legal Aid to Defendants in Criminal Cases

Murali Pillai inquired about annual government disbursements since 2013 for criminal legal aid via the Law Society’s Pro Bono Services Office.
He asked whether foreign defendants receive different government funding for legal aid compared to Singaporeans and PRs, and if so, why.
K Shanmugam stated he would address these questions alongside matters from the Parti Liyani case in a future Ministerial Statement.

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15 Oct 2020

Detention Orders and Police Supervision Orders Issued under Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act in Past Three Years

From 2017 to 2019, 64 Detention Orders and 39 Police Supervision Orders were issued under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, with the subjects' ages ranging from 17 to 47 and a median age of 22.
To curb youth recruitment by secret societies, the Singapore Police Force collaborates with other ministries and agencies on preventive and rehabilitative programmes like the voluntary Streetwise Programme and the compulsory Enhanced Streetwise Programme, which includes monitoring and conditions for youth offenders.
Additional measures include community outreach projects such as Camp ACE to educate youths on the dangers of secret societies, talks for parents, and engagement through various youth platforms to guide young people away from such activities.

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15 Oct 2020

Impact of Controlled Entry and Exit Points in Buildings for SafeEntry Scanning on Fire Safety

Gerald Giam raised concerns that restricting building access for SafeEntry screenings could pose a fire safety risk by creating evacuation choke points and conditioning people to avoid emergency exits.
The Minister of State responded that building owners must comply with fire safety rules, keep cordoned exits accessible, use removable barriers, and display clear signage, with SCDF enforcing and monitoring compliance.
Giam followed up on the risk of panic and confusion during emergencies, questioning if SCDF had considered how people might flock to known open exits, while the Minister emphasized public awareness, engagement with building owners, and encouraged public reporting of hazards.

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14 Oct 2020

Percentage of Ex-offenders Finding Employment within Three Months after Serving Sentences

The percentage of ex-offenders who found employment within three months of release was 55% in 2017, 56% in 2018, and 53% in 2019, with these figures considered lower-bound estimates as they exclude non-CPF contributing jobs.
Yellow Ribbon Singapore provides skills upgrading, job matching, and job coaching to enhance ex-offenders' employability, and has stepped up efforts during the COVID-19 downturn by leveraging initiatives like the SGUnited Job Portal and Job Security Council.
From January to August 2020, Yellow Ribbon Singapore secured employment for 1,534 ex-offenders in sectors such as logistics and manufacturing, using virtual job interviews to maintain interactions between ex-offenders and employers.

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14 Oct 2020

Prevention of Scam Cases Since Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams was Formed

Minister K Shanmugam reported that scam cases have risen sharply, with 10,402 cases in the first eight months of the year compared to 5,229 in the same period last year, partly due to increased online activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams, formed in April 2020, is focusing on four areas: improving detection, securing the digital space, enhancing loss recovery, and public education, and has been working with telcos to block fraudulent calls and numbers.
Measures with telcos include blocking international calls spoofing government numbers, adding '+' prefixes to overseas calls, and terminating numbers or blocking websites identified in police reports, with officials agreeing to consider a public reporting and blocking system.

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6 Oct 2020

Protection Orders and Domestic Exclusion Orders Granted under Women's Charter since Start of Circuit Breaker Period

Ms He Ting Ru asked about the number of protection orders and domestic exclusion orders granted under the Women’s Charter each month since the start of the circuit breaker period.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that the Family Justice Courts grant personal protection orders and domestic exclusion orders to those experiencing family violence.
On average, about 75 personal protection orders and seven domestic exclusion orders were granted per month since the circuit breaker began.
The monthly average from April to August 2020 was similar to the average from the first three months of the year.

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6 Oct 2020

Statistics on Cases Handled by Protection from Harassment Courts

Minister K Shanmugam reported that from May 2019 to August 2020, the average time to hear a Protection Order application was 9 days and an Expedited Protection Order was 4 days.
The Protection from Harassment Courts are in advanced preparation, with procedural rules, agency arrangements, and online court filing systems being developed.
Leon Perera’s query on the total number of cases handled and a breakdown of outcomes for applications remains unanswered in the provided debate excerpt.

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6 Oct 2020

Tracking Statistics and Data at Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals

Gerald Giam asked whether CDRT will track the number of neighbour disputes previously mediated at the Community Mediation Centre and data on orders for damages, injunctions, specific performances, or apologies.
K Shanmugam stated that State Courts cannot provide statistics on CDRT cases previously mediated at CMC, but CDRT requires applicants to declare in a pre-filing assessment form if they attended mediation in the six months before applying.

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6 Oct 2020

Rationale for Imposing Cost to File a Claim before Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals

The $150 filing fee for CDRT claims is set lower than fees for civil proceedings in District or Magistrate's Courts to reflect the simpler, less adversarial nature of neighbour disputes.
Applicants who cannot afford the fee may apply for a waiver on a case-by-case basis, ensuring access for lower-income residents.
Successful CDRT applicants can recover the filing fee from the respondent as a disbursement, reducing the financial burden.
The fee structure supports the CDRT’s goal of preserving neighbour relationships while maintaining procedural efficiency.
The Minister clarifies that the fee is commensurate with the dispute type and remains more affordable than traditional civil court fees.

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6 Oct 2020

Statistics on Illegal Moneylending Activities between April and September 2020 and Plans to Increase Anti-unlicensed Moneylending Education and Enforcement Efforts

Illegal moneylending and harassment cases from April to August 2020 decreased by 40% compared to the same period in 2019, with no clear rising trend among youths aged 16 to 21.
The Police have conducted four major enforcement operations in 2020, arresting 838 subjects linked to loan-sharking and collaborating with foreign agencies to dismantle syndicates.
Public education efforts include the 4th Anti-Unlicensed Moneylending campaign launched in January 2020 to raise awareness about legal alternatives and reporting procedures.

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6 Oct 2020

Progress Made by Singapore Banks to Combat Money Laundering in Past 10 Years

Singapore banks have strengthened their anti-money laundering controls over the last decade under strict MAS supervision, with suspicious transaction reports increasing from 12,000 in 2010 to 32,000 in 2019.
A significant portion of these reports has proven effective, as 13% of 2019’s suspicious transaction reports directly initiated or supported investigations, including a case that led to the prosecution of an insider fraud involving over $1.9 million.
Singapore’s law enforcement agencies have collaborated extensively with overseas authorities, seizing millions in criminal proceeds and conducting joint operations that disrupted transnational criminal syndicates and led to multiple arrests and extraditions.

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6 Oct 2020

Proposal for Public Defender Scheme for Vulnerable Persons

Carrie Tan asked if the state can provide a public defender scheme for vulnerable persons in non-death penalty criminal cases.
K Shanmugam stated that agencies are reviewing the issue and will address the question after the reviews are completed.
He expects to make a Ministerial Statement on the matter in November.
The debate focuses on potential legal support for vulnerable individuals in the criminal justice system.
The government's response indicates ongoing consideration but no immediate decision has been made.

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6 Oct 2020

Selective Weekend Entry Restrictions Imposed on Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim questioned why selective weekend entry restrictions apply only to Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza, asking if they are based on expected footfall, the relative footfall compared to other malls, and whether the government will consider rental subsidies or closure with rebates for affected tenants.
Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that before restrictions, these malls saw very high weekend visitor numbers (27,000 and 9,400 daily), causing long queues, crowded thoroughfares, and public safety concerns, which justified targeted entry controls not needed in other malls.
Since the restrictions began on 29 August, the malls have seen improved crowd management, compliance with safe distancing, and reduced transmission risks while remaining open, with no similar high congestion elsewhere.
The government provides rental reliefs, cash grants, and property tax rebates to tenants, which property owners must pass on, and continues to work with mall management to ensure a safe environment.

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