Public safety & law

• Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the distribution and nature of over 900 public assembly permits issued in 2017, including their venues and the reasons for permits at Speakers’ Corner.
• Only one permit was issued for an event at Speakers’ Corner, while the rest were for other venues, mostly outdoor religious or constituency events.
• A permit is required for assemblies that demonstrate support or opposition, publicize a cause, or commemorate events, but exemptions apply at Speakers’ Corner unless the event involves foreigners or political, controversial, or divisive content.
• The single Speakers’ Corner permit was for a breastfeeding awareness event involving foreigners, granted after assessing it as non-political and non-divisive.

• Miss Cheng Li Hui questioned whether current legislation on statutory rape and sexual misconduct involving minors would be enhanced following recent cases involving known perpetrators and if it adequately addressed the rising use of online platforms for grooming.
• Minister K Shanmugam confirmed that multiple laws, including the Penal Code and Children and Young Persons Act, already impose severe penalties like mandatory imprisonment and caning for such offences.
• The Minister stated that an ongoing Penal Code Review is examining how to further strengthen protections for vulnerable individuals and specifically reviewing the criminalisation of sexual grooming of minors under 16.
• The review is also considering enhancements to safeguard minors from online sexual communications, with proposals slated for public consultation later in the year.

• The Vulnerable Adults Bill seeks to protect adults aged 18 and above who cannot protect themselves from abuse, neglect, or self-neglect due to physical or mental infirmity, granting MSF powers to intervene, assess, and remove individuals when necessary, with court oversight.
• Parliamentarians expressed broad support but raised concerns about definitions, potential overreach, financial abuse omission, and the need for community involvement, suggesting amendments to broaden protection and ensure checks and balances.
• The Minister emphasized the bill as a last resort, complementing existing laws, with safeguards like guiding principles, whistleblower protection, and enhanced penalties for abusers, while urging public reporting and community support for vulnerable adults.

• Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to review the Criminal Procedure Code to provide courts with sentencing discretion for intellectually disabled offenders and to expand sentencing options like mandatory treatment orders.
• The Senior Parliamentary Secretary responded that the ministry will study the issue, noting considerations such as the spectrum of intellectual disability, the seriousness of offences mandating imprisonment and caning, and the unsuitability of mandatory treatment orders for those with intellectual disability.
• Louis Ng pressed for a timeline for the review and suggested increasing resources for prison officers to modify rehabilitation programmes for intellectually disabled inmates.
• The Senior Parliamentary Secretary confirmed the review would conclude in good time and stated that prison services already manage such inmates with extra precautions, considering resource needs as part of the general review.
• The debate highlighted concerns about balancing public safety, deterrence, and the need for tailored support for intellectually disabled offenders within the justice system.

• The Singapore Prison Service collaborates with community partners and voluntary welfare organisations to provide life skills training to inmates, covering areas like communication, stress management, conflict resolution, and financial management.
• Examples include structured family programmes by Fei Yue Community Services and Lakeside Family Services, as well as drug abuse intervention programmes by Touch Community Services.
• Over 35,000 training places were offered to inmates in the last five years through these programmes.

• Dennis Tan asked if the government would suspend commercial shared PMD services until riding culture improves, citing safety concerns.
• The Minister of State replied that current measures include registration of e-scooters, public education, and enforcement, while licensing for shared services may be considered later after more study.
• MPs raised supplementary issues on improving riding etiquette, handling PMD use in private premises like malls, victim compensation in accidents, and safety at crossings.
• The Minister detailed multi-pronged efforts such as education campaigns, safety programs, enforcement, and trials with CCTV, while noting private landowners are responsible for PMD use on their property.
• The Minister acknowledged rising accident statistics and said the Active Mobility Advisory Panel would review further measures, including insurance frameworks and speed limits.

• The Minister for Defence outlined the findings and safety lapses from two recent NS training deaths, detailing corrective measures such as stricter night vision device checks, seatbelt enforcement, and heat injury prevention protocols, while emphasizing a zero-fatality goal through independent investigations and external reviews.
• MPs raised concerns about the "tekan" culture, reporting channels for abuse, and the psychological readiness of commanders and servicemen, with the Minister affirming zero tolerance for abuse and highlighting existing hotlines, training, and command accountability.
• The Minister for Home Affairs addressed the SCDF training death, condemning the misconduct and committing to enhanced safety measures and command responsibility, while parliamentary questions focused on improving empathy in command, post-commission training, and embedding safety culture through storytelling and external panel oversight.

• The Ministry of Law is reviewing key legislation, including the Penal Code and civil justice rules, to modernize laws, protect vulnerable victims, ensure fair outcomes, and reduce legal complexity and costs.
• MinLaw is expanding access to justice through enhanced legal aid, mediation services, and tribunals like the Small Claims Tribunals, while also supporting the Family Justice Review to prioritize child and family welfare.
• The Ministry is driving Singapore’s growth as an international legal hub by promoting Singapore law and dispute resolution frameworks, supporting law firms in new practice areas, and developing digital and geospatial initiatives like the Land Titles Registry and GeoWorks.

• The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that Singapore faces complex new challenges to national security, including geopolitical tensions, terrorism, and cyber threats, which require a coordinated government response through the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS).
• The NSCS enhances the government’s ability to identify emergent risks, such as those from new technologies or cross-cutting vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure like energy, water, and finance, and integrates these insights into long-term planning.
• The secretariat develops national security education programs for public officers to ensure awareness and sensitivity to security considerations across all policy domains.
• To counter high terrorism threats, the NSCS collaborates with agencies and research institutes to understand extremist trends and equip frontline officers with skills to protect vulnerable groups, such as youths.
• The NSCS will continue to work with agencies and stakeholders to build capabilities, identify risks, and develop coordinated responses to maintain Singapore’s stability and resilience.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs is enhancing operational readiness and community engagement to address complex security challenges, including high-level terrorism threats, cross-border criminal syndicates, and foreign interference, while upholding Singapore’s sovereignty and racial harmony.
• The Home Team will leverage technology such as robotics, biometrics, and integrated surveillance systems to strengthen border security, investigations, and emergency response, while digitalizing processes to improve efficiency and free officers for higher-value tasks.
• New legislation and a review of the Penal Code will bolster security capabilities and protect vulnerable persons, alongside initiatives like SGSecure to build community preparedness and resilience against threats.
• The Ministry is investing in personnel training and cross-training, expanding emergency medical services, and enhancing public service delivery through e-platforms like MyICA and the Police Hub.
• Community partnerships are emphasized for offender rehabilitation, first responder programs, and international cooperation to combat transnational crimes, drugs, and terrorism, ensuring Singapore remains a safe and secure home.

• Minister Josephine Teo emphasized that the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Bill is necessary to counter evolving terrorism threats, citing global attacks, and includes safeguards to ensure powers are used only in exceptional, high-threshold situations like serious violence or large-scale public disorder.
• Supporters of the Bill, including MPs like Christopher de Souza and Melvin Yong, argued that enhanced powers such as the Communications Stop Order (CSO) are critical for tactical operations, citing past incidents like the Mumbai attacks where live communications compromised security forces.
• Concerns were raised by MPs like Sylvia Lim and Kok Heng Leun about the broad definition of "serious incidents," potential overreach to peaceful protests, and lack of independent accountability mechanisms, urging clearer thresholds and post-activation reporting to Parliament.
• The Minister clarified that the CSO would not target peaceful demonstrations, only actions threatening public safety, and assured that complaints against police misconduct would still be investigated without requiring citizen footage during a CSO.
• Amendments were made to align SAF servicemen's powers under the Bill with the SAF Act, ensuring clear command control and that military deployments are authorized by the Minister for Defence only upon Police request during an activation order.

The Minister for Home Affairs introduced the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Bill (POSSPA) to replace the outdated Public Order (Preservation) Act (POPA), citing evolving threats like terrorism that require updated legal powers for police. The Bill provides new tools such as Communications Stop Orders, UAV interception, and enhanced stop-and-question powers to help police manage serious incidents without compromising operations. Safeguards include a two-tier unlocking mechanism requiring both Ministerial and police authorization, clear criteria for activation, and judicial review to prevent abuse. The legislation aims to balance public safety with operational effectiveness, acknowledging the need for swift action during crises while ensuring accountability post-incident.

• The Minister for Law outlined Singapore’s efforts to attract top legal talent to the judiciary, emphasizing competitive remuneration and the appointment of highly regarded practitioners, while noting that judges here take a less steep pay cut compared to the UK.
• He highlighted the importance of protecting the judiciary from public attacks and abuse, citing Singapore’s laws against scandalizing the courts and the contrast with the UK, where judicial morale has suffered due to media criticism and perceived lack of support.
• The Minister stressed that Singapore’s judiciary enjoys high public trust and must be safeguarded to maintain the rule of law, with the government committed to supporting judicial independence and not joining in personal criticisms of judges.
• In response to follow-up questions, it was clarified that judges in Singapore operate under a clean wage system with no separate pensions or medical benefits, and efforts are ongoing to uphold the judiciary’s standing domestically and internationally.

• Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about the number of complaints received by Traffic Police regarding noisy speeding vehicles on Yishun Avenue 1 at night during 2016-2017, the enforcement actions taken, and the possibility of installing speed cameras.
• K Shanmugam responded that Traffic Police received a total of 11 complaints about speeding along Yishun Avenue 1 in 2016 and 2017, and that a speed camera was installed in the area in 2016.
• Traffic Police conducts regular patrols and targeted enforcement operations, and will continue to monitor the situation and step up enforcement efforts as needed.

• Minister Shanmugam corrected a factual error, stating that 15 persons are currently serving sentences for offences under Section 409 of the Penal Code, not 12 as previously stated.
• Of the 15, three were convicted as directors and are scheduled for release between May and June on Community-based Programmes, while the other 12 are professional agents or public servants unaffected by the recent legal ruling.
• The Public Prosecutor does not intend to file any applications regarding the three directors convicted before the High Court's change in the law's interpretation.

• The installation of home fire alarm devices for all 60,000 HDB rental flats will begin in June 2018 and be completed by 2021, starting with estates with more elderly residents.
• The Minister confirmed the installation will cover all rental flats, not just those with senior residents, and Nee Soon South will be in one of the initial phases.
• The government is currently focusing on rental flats due to their unique circumstances, and there are no immediate plans to extend the installation to studio apartments or other senior-owned homes.

• Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked about the number of small fires on expressways or roads in the last five years and how many were caused by cigarette butts thrown by motorists or motorcyclists.
• The Second Minister for Home Affairs replied that about 350 roadside vegetation fires occur annually, mostly caused by cigarette butts, and highlighted interagency measures and legal penalties for littering and fire-related offences.
• Dr Intan followed up on enforcement actions and penalties, such as fines, demerit points, or community service for offenders.
• The Minister explained the difficulty in proving causation for fires from cigarette butts and emphasized strict enforcement and public appeals to discourage littering.

• From 2013 to 2017, an average of 34 fishing vessels per year were detected trespassing the waters off Pulau Tekong, with some cases involving unlawful entry by foreigners.
• Trespassing into designated Working Areas is an offence under the MPA Act, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and additional daily fines, while illegal entry by foreigners carries penalties including imprisonment, caning, or a fine.
• The Police Coast Guard has deployed floating sea barriers, sensors, and regular patrols to prevent and detect trespassing, with measures deemed sufficient to protect the maritime borders and coastline.

• The SnapSAFE app, which replaced the Snap@MOM app on 1 December 2017, is being promoted to companies as an internal tool for reporting workplace safety issues, near-misses, or accidents to enhance company ownership of workplace safety and health (WSH).
• From 2015 to 2017, the Snap@MOM app received a total of 1,593 reports, with 1,433 valid reports leading to enforcement actions such as warnings, Notices of Non-compliance, composition fines, or Stop Work Orders; the number of companies adopted and specifically reported is not provided.
• The Minister for Manpower confirmed that all valid reports through the app resulted in enforcement actions, and efforts are ongoing to encourage more companies to adopt the SnapSAFE app as it is in its initial launch phase.

• The Senior Minister of State for Law explained that the Evidence (Amendment) Bill is closely related to the earlier Criminal Justice Reform Bill and that no substantive matters required separate debate.
• The Speaker confirmed that the debate on this Bill had already been covered during the discussion of the Criminal Justice Reform Bill and that no further clarifications were needed.
• The House proceeded to agree on the Second Reading of the Bill without further amendment, then passed it through Committee and Third Reading in the same sitting.
• The sitting was briefly suspended for a break and resumed later with the Deputy Speaker taking the Chair.