Public safety & law — Topics

11 Sep 2017

Measures to Protect Women in Crowded Places

Desmond Choo inquired about the Ministry of Home Affairs' efforts to protect women from outrage of modesty in entertainment outlets, public transport areas, and whether legislation needs enhancement.
K Shanmugam explained that entertainment outlet operators must follow licensing conditions to prevent crime, such as ensuring sufficient lighting and installing CCTV, while the Police conduct patrols and awareness campaigns in public transport areas.
The Minister highlighted current penalties for outrage of modesty, including fines, caning, and imprisonment, and affirmed that the government will enhance legislation if needed while urging public vigilance and reporting.

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11 Sep 2017

Checks on Donees in Lasting Power of Attorney for Singles to Prevent Financial Exploitation

K Thanaletchimi asked whether the Ministry plans to audit donees of Lasting Powers of Attorney for singles to prevent financial exploitation.
Desmond Lee highlighted the vulnerability of elderly singles and emphasized choosing reliable donees as the primary safeguard.
He noted that the Mental Capacity Act was amended to allow professional donees supervised by the Public Guardian, who can be audited.
Existing safeguards include whistleblower protections and the Public Guardian’s power to investigate, suspend donees, and revoke LPAs if exploitation occurs.
The government balances individual responsibility in selecting donees with regulatory oversight for professional deputies.

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11 Sep 2017

Curb Illegal Gambling in HDB Estates

The Police maintain a tough enforcement stance against illegal gambling in HDB estates, with penalties including fines up to $5,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both.
Enforcement is complemented by public education and community partnerships to ensure sustainable outcomes, focusing on raising awareness of the consequences of illegal gambling.
The overall illegal gambling situation in Singapore is stable and under control due to strict laws, with enforcement actions taken when complaints are lodged about gatherings in common areas.

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11 Sep 2017

Proposal for Rehabilitation Programme for Inmates to Plan, Prepare and Serve Meals to Public

Christopher de Souza proposed a rehabilitation programme where inmates could plan, prepare, cook, and serve meals to the public to learn skills, experience career progression, and obtain certifications and savings.
K Shanmugam noted that the Singapore Prison Service and SCORE already offer vocational culinary training in prisons, including preparing meals for external functions and earning WSQ certifications aligned with industry standards.
He highlighted programmes like the Hope Cafe, which trains inmates in culinary arts and F&B operations, and SCORE’s assistance in helping trained inmates secure post-release jobs in the F&B sector.

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11 Sep 2017

Number of Amputations due to Workplace Accidents

There were 389 amputation cases due to workplace accidents in the past three years, with 129 cases in 2014, 117 in 2015, 143 in 2016, and 57 cases in the first half of 2017.
The main causes are the lack of machine guards or safety design in machines, employers' failure to establish adequate safe work procedures, and individuals' failure to follow procedures due to ignorance or disregard for safety.
The Ministry of Manpower has increased targeted enforcement on machinery safety, including inspections of machine guards and company procedures, and is enhancing engagement efforts with tripartite partners through solutioning sessions, seminars, and dissemination of safety materials such as videos, guidelines, and posters.

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11 Sep 2017

Number of Slip and Fall Workplace Accidents in Kitchens and Food Preparation Areas

Melvin Yong asked about the number of slip and fall accidents in kitchens over two years and whether workplace safety training would be added to food hygiene courses.
There were 96 cases in 2015 and 92 in 2016, with one fatality and minor injuries in the rest, making up about 3% of all workplace slips and falls in Singapore.
The Workplace Safety and Health Council is collaborating to include kitchen safety topics in revised food hygiene courses by year-end, alongside educational materials to reduce such accidents.

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11 Sep 2017

Checks on Hawker Centres for Compliance with Fire Safety Regulations

The Singapore Civil Defence Force conducts risk-based fire safety checks on hawker centres, with 13 ad hoc checks over the past three years alongside routine inspections by other agencies, focusing on fire extinguishers, hose reels, and safe LPG use.
From January 2015 to July 2017, there were 32 hawker centre fires with no fatalities, primarily caused by grease accumulation in ducts, unattended cooking, and appliances left on, leading to five casualty cases.
Preventive measures include educating stallholders, replacing individual LPG cylinders with centralized pipelines, and urging owners to clean exhaust ducts annually and avoid leaving cooking unattended.

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11 Sep 2017

Increase in Accidents Involving Private Hire Cars

Ong Teng Koon questioned whether accidents involving private hire drivers have increased disproportionately relative to their growing numbers.
Khaw Boon Wan clarified that the number of private hire cars tripled over the last two years.
The number of accidents involving private hire cars also increased by about three times, matching the growth rate.
Therefore, accidents have risen proportionately, not more than proportionately, as per the data provided.
The debate focused on assessing safety trends amid the rapid expansion of private hire vehicles.

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11 Sep 2017

Lessons from Accidents Involving Young Drivers of Private Hire Cars

LTA imposes a minimum two-year driving experience requirement for private hire car driver applicants rather than a minimum age.
Traffic accident data does not show a higher incidence of accidents among younger drivers.
Applicants with poor driving records, such as drunk driving convictions or revoked licences, are rejected and conditions are regularly reviewed.

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11 Sep 2017

Community Sentencing and Other Rehabilitative Options

Member Murali Pillai proposed expanding community-based sentencing and rehabilitative options for offenders with challenging mental disorders, citing limitations in the current system where guarded prognosis cases often result in jail instead of tailored community interventions, and highlighted anomalies where offences with mandatory sentences are excluded from such options.
Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah affirmed the government's support for expanding rehabilitative options through community-based sentencing, including potentially extending eligibility to offences with specified minimum sentences, while emphasizing the need to balance public safety and justice, and outlined existing support systems like prison psychiatric care and inter-agency referrals to prevent re-offending.
Both speakers agreed on the need for a balanced, evolutionary approach to strengthen the criminal justice system, with government commitment to review and enhance community-based rehabilitative frameworks while relying on community and stakeholder support.

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11 Sep 2017

Infrastructure Protection Bill

The Infrastructure Protection Bill was introduced by the Second Minister for Home Affairs to protect critical areas in Singapore from security risks, replacing the outdated Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.
The bill seeks to repeal the existing legislation and make consequential amendments to other Acts to align with modern security needs.
The bill was read for the first time and scheduled for a second reading at the next parliamentary sitting.

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11 Sep 2017

Checks and Audits on Buildings with External Cladding

The Minister outlined Singapore’s fire safety framework, where Qualified Persons and Registered Inspectors select and verify cladding materials, with SCDF issuing Fire Safety Certificates only after compliance checks and independent testing.
Following a fire at 30 Toh Guan Road, investigations found non-compliant Alubond composite panels in some buildings; 15 out of 20 tested buildings so far have panels not meeting the required Class “0” standard, with removal ordered by end-October.
SCDF assessed that affected buildings remain safe due to other fire protection measures, but interim actions include enhanced vigilance and fire hazard removal while claddings are being replaced.
The government is exploring clearer labeling of cladding classes and advising Qualified Persons to verify certificates, while noting that universal testing of every panel is impractical and sampling is the international standard.
Further reviews and possible additional measures will be considered after ongoing investigations are completed, with Members invited to submit suggestions to the Ministry.

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11 Sep 2017

Ensuring Buildings are Constructed with Materials Approved under Existing Regulations

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) requires Qualified Persons to ensure that building materials in approved plans meet structural safety specifications and to supervise construction, including testing materials like concrete and steel by accredited laboratories.
BCA conducts site audits during construction and inspections before occupancy to verify compliance with approved plans and regulations, requiring clearances from agencies for fire safety and other standards.
In response to concerns about combustible claddings, the Minister indicated that the Minister for Home Affairs will address further measures to prevent large-scale issues, such as potential increases in inspections.

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1 Aug 2017

Recidivism of Local Inmates of Drug Rehabilitation Centres and Long-Term Imprisonment Regimes

Louis Ng asked for the five-year recidivism percentages of local inmates released from Drug Rehabilitation Centres, Long-Term Imprisonment 1, and Long-Term Imprisonment 2 between 2012 and 2016.
K Shanmugam explained that the Singapore Prison Service uses two-year recidivism rates instead, as they align with international standards and are more sensitive to the effectiveness of prison regimes.
He added that recidivism rates over longer periods are higher due to the influence of external factors after two years and provided two-year rates for releases from 2012 to 2014, noting that 2015 and 2016 data are unavailable.

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1 Aug 2017

Loss of Earnings by Taxi Drivers from Violent or Drunken Passengers

Assoc Prof Randolph Tan queried the number of taxi drivers who suffered earnings loss from violent or drunken passengers in the last 24 months, whether they could decline such passengers, and if guidelines exist for claiming compensation.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that LTA and taxi companies do not track the specific number of drivers affected by such incidents.
He confirmed that taxi drivers are permitted to decline passengers who are unreasonable, abusive, or show signs of violence.
He noted that drivers experiencing losses can seek assistance from their taxi companies for compensation.

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1 Aug 2017

Vehicle Inspection Regime for CNG Taxis and Private Cars

Ang Hin Kee questioned why current inspections fail to detect gas leaks and whether the regime should be updated for different vehicle models while reducing costs.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that recent CNG vehicle fires led to mandatory extra inspections, with LTA engineers assisting and higher failure rates due to no pre-inspection maintenance.
LTA increased inspection frequency for CNG taxis and buses to every three months and is collaborating with taxi operators to improve maintenance regimes.
LTA will tighten inspection processes and double audit frequency at inspection centres, while noting that inspection fees have been deregulated since 1997.

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1 Aug 2017

Roadworthiness of CNG Vehicles

Miss Cheng Li Hui questioned the Minister for Transport about CNG vehicles failing safety tests, the reasons for undetected leakages, and the measures to ensure road safety.
Khaw Boon Wan reported that nearly all 2,385 registered CNG vehicles were inspected, with about 200 found to have gas leaks due to poor maintenance, and these are being repaired or de-registered.
Following recent fire incidents, the Land Transport Authority mandated immediate inspections, deployed engineers to assist, and increased inspection frequency for public service CNG vehicles like taxis and buses.
LTA is working with taxi operators to enhance maintenance regimes and will double audit frequency on inspection centres to tighten processes.

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1 Aug 2017

Minimum Age Requirement for Private Hire Car Drivers

Sitoh Yih Pin called for a minimum age requirement for private hire car drivers to match that of taxi drivers, following a fatal accident involving a young driver.
Khaw Boon Wan explained that LTA requires a minimum of two years' driving experience rather than a specific age, as data shows no higher accident rates among younger drivers.
LTA also rejects applicants with poor driving records, such as drunk driving convictions or licence revocations, and reviews these conditions regularly.

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1 Aug 2017

Sightings of Crocodiles in Sembawang

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Ministry for follow-up on reported crocodile sightings in Sembawang, the number of confirmed sightings in the past year, and plans to trap and relocate them if verified.
The Ministry responded that joint inspections with AVA did not confirm a crocodile, but safety measures like warning signs and wire mesh barriers are being implemented by end August.
There have been four confirmed crocodile sightings in Singapore’s reservoirs over the past five years; authorities are monitoring and will trap and relocate if the crocodile leaves its habitat.
The public is advised to stay calm, keep a safe distance, and avoid entering waterways if they encounter a crocodile.

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1 Aug 2017

Fire Alarms for All HDB Blocks

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if the Ministry will consider installing fire alarm systems for all HDB blocks.
The Ministry stated that HDB buildings are designed to meet current Fire Code requirements, with fire compartments, fire-rated doors and walls, and adequate escape routes.
For standalone residential blocks, fire alarm and sprinkler systems are not required by the Fire Code due to low fire spread risk, but mixed developments may require them.

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