Public safety & law

• No ASEAN member state has ratified the 2025 Extradition Treaty, and there's no agreed timeline for its entry into force.
• Singapore must update its Extradition Act notifications to apply to the treaty before it can ratify it.

The Minister clarified that no wrongful trading reports were made to the Official Receiver in the past three years, so there were no investigations or prosecutions. Civil claims for such trading can be pursued independently, but no statistics on these actions are available.

• Andre Low asked if security agencies audit third-party AI algorithms and verify their methodology before use.
• The Ministry confirmed an AI governance framework requires risk assessments, independent audits, and compliance checks before and after deployment.

• The Minister explained that decisions on closing NPCs consider police operational needs and resources, ensuring no reduction in presence or response; online service accessibility is tracked via community engagement, with face-to-face help available at all 33 NPCs and 64 NPPs, including videocall support at unmanned centers.

• Miss Rachel Ong queried increased traffic enforcement for speeding Malaysian motorcyclists on BKE and SLE after 2025 accidents.
• The Minister confirmed intensified enforcement and road calming measures like speed strips on BKE, with continued reviews for further actions.

• Ms Diana Pang Li Yen questioned if a framework exists for lawyers to access police investigation details for civil cases, suggesting safeguards like redaction and court oversight.
• Minister K Shanmugam confirmed that police may disclose such information to involved persons or their lawyers for civil proceedings, evaluated case-by-case with AGC consultation.

Police cannot comment on ongoing investigations of 167 suspected scam money mules. Most mules are believed to be part of syndicates recruiting online. Measures include taking down scam accounts under the Online Criminal Harms Act, platform regulations, and public education campaigns to disrupt recruitment pipelines.

Victor Lye asked about inmate work allowances and housing affordability correlation; Minister Shanmugam stated allowances are austere, focused on rehabilitation, not asset accumulation, and post-release support exists via Yellow Ribbon Singapore.

• Sharael Taha inquired about Singapore’s heightened cyber threat exposure and current cybersecurity readiness against evolving threats like AI-enabled attacks.
• Josephine Teo affirmed robust defenses, citing CSA updates, stricter standards for critical systems, and initiatives to enhance cyber talent and public-private collaboration.
• The government plans stricter vendor obligations, improved home device security, and continuous policy reviews to counter advanced threats.

Victor Lye inquired if government digital systems recognize Family Justice Courts' sole custody orders. Mrs Josephine Teo confirmed agencies consider such orders where relevant, with implementation varying by context and digital system requirements.

Yeo Wan Ling questioned the effectiveness of allowing individuals under police investigation for scams to access frozen accounts for daily needs and alternatives beyond police appeals. K Shanmugam clarified that police freeze accounts only when funds are suspected of illicit involvement, but individuals can apply to courts for essential expenses or seek help from investigators.

• Minister Shanmugam explained that authorities learned of a 2024 blog linking to a Sar-El group; the individual voluntarily removed it after being advised it was inappropriate amid the Gaza conflict.
• The Ministry assesses foreign military involvement case-by-case, prohibiting activities linked to foreign militaries, especially Sar-El, with legal action if prejudicial to national security.
• Singaporeans are discouraged from joining foreign militaries or associated groups to avoid compromising national interests.

• Minister K Shanmugam stated the dealer was charged in November 2024 and April 2026 with 12 counts of cheating, is remanded, and prosecution is ongoing; investigations are complex, with safeguards like freezing bank accounts, arrest, and bail conditions to prevent reoffending, and agencies blocked the dealer's motoring activities.

A Member asked about employees struggling to recover unpaid salaries via court enforcement; the Minister reported 94% fully recovered wages through TADM and ECT, with mechanisms like court-enforceable settlements, TADM assistance, and penalties for errant employers, including fines and imprisonment.

Mr Lam questioned the criteria for upgrading zebra crossings and factoring elderly density. Mr Siow responded that conversions are assessed holistically based on traffic, road width, and elderly proportion, with Silver Zones and Friendly Streets providing signalised crossings with longer times in high-elderly estates, expanding to all HDB towns by 2030.

• TVECs detected over 67,000 violations during the trial, using video analytics for real-time, 24/7 enforcement of offences like red-light running.
• Nine TVECs are now deployed, with plans to scale up nationwide for enhanced traffic policing.

• Melvin Yong asked about enforcement actions for fraudulent GIRO transactions over three years.
• Shanmugam said police don’t track such cases, assess each on facts, and investigate if a crime is found.

• Gabriel Lam inquired about accidents involving vehicles striking pedestrians at zebra crossings during turns and junction design risks.
• Jeffrey Siow stated traffic police don’t track such specific data, but junctions follow safety standards with RAG arrows and other features to enhance visibility and reduce collisions.

• Existing safeguards under the Children and Young Persons Act prohibit publishing child identities in protection cases; parents are first advised to remove such content, with legal action or police referral as last resort.
• Challenges include parents’ emotional states risking child privacy; efforts focus on education and confidential channels for feedback.
• Authorities will continue strengthening measures to protect children’s identities.

• Chee Hong Tat confirmed that Interpol's 2025 Operation Thunder in Singapore seized 16 wildlife specimens with no evidence of organised criminal activity detected. No implications for Singapore's ports, companies, or financial systems were identified from recent illegal wildlife trade enforcement operations.