Public safety & law

• Ang Hin Kee asked about the number of taxi drivers robbed in the past two years, existing safety measures, and the possibility of mandating in-car cameras with voice recording.
• Teo Chee Hean reported 18 robberies in 2012 and 2013, a decrease from previous years, and outlined current measures like police coordination, driver handbooks, distress buttons, and GPS systems.
• The government welcomed ComfortDelGro’s plan to install in-vehicle cameras and indicated it may consider recommending additional measures after monitoring outcomes.

• Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong requested an annual breakdown of cyclist fatalities and injuries at pedestrian and zebra crossings from 2009 to 2013, along with data on penalties for motorists and whether cyclist accidents are increasing, suggesting a targeted safety campaign.
• Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean reported that accidents at signalised pedestrian and zebra crossings averaged 16 per year with one fatality, while overall cyclist accidents declined from 592 in 2009 to 371 in 2013, with no clear trend in crossings-related incidents.
• Penalties for motorists causing injury or death vary by case, with imprisonment and driving bans in severe cases; the government educates road users and collaborates on safety initiatives, and will consider a campaign focused on cyclist safety.

• Between 2009 and 2013, arrests for unlicensed moneylending and related harassment offences doubled from 965 to 1,953, while reported cases fell by 55.5% from 18,649 to 8,306, with community support noted as a key factor.
• Loan sharks are using more sophisticated methods, such as masquerading as licensed moneylenders and advertising via email and SMS, with authorities taking action by terminating phone lines and penalizing licensed moneylenders who violate advertising rules.
• There were two cases where licensed moneylenders were involved in illegal moneylending, resulting in criminal sentences, licence revocations, and forfeiture of security deposits.

• Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked under what circumstances the Police arrest offenders who cause bodily harm and whether laws can be strengthened to better protect physically assaulted individuals.
• Teo Chee Hean explained that Police arrest for assaults causing grievous injuries, while minor cases are classified as voluntarily causing hurt and may not lead to prosecution unless there is clear public interest, vulnerable victims, or public service involvement.
• Most voluntarily causing hurt cases are resolved without Police action, especially if parties seek amicable solutions, but aggrieved parties can pursue civil suits or lodge a Magistrate’s Complaint for further investigation or mediation.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs will continue monitoring and review the need for legislative or administrative measures to enhance protection for assault victims.

• Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked whether the Singapore Police Force (SPF) intends to recruit more officers to enhance law and order enforcement.
• The SPF has grown by about 15% over the past decade, with uniformed officers increasing by 10%, and currently fills 96% of its establishment.
• While operational demands may require future recruitment, challenges like an ageing population and a shrinking labour force limit growth, prompting efforts to enhance capabilities, use technology, and deploy civilian officers in specialised roles.
• The SPF also relies on voluntary constabulary and national servicemen to support its policing functions.

• Gerald Giam asked whether the RSAF can detect and intercept aircraft that stray from their flight path before they enter Singapore’s airspace.
• The RSAF uses a robust air defence system with radars and works with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to monitor and identify such aircraft.
• If an aircraft veers off its flight path, air traffic controllers first communicate with it; if there are concerns, RSAF fighter aircraft are activated to intercept and ground-based defences are deployed.
• The RSAF has previously responded swiftly, such as in 2008 when F-16 fighters intercepted and escorted an unknown aircraft approaching Singapore.

• Lee Li Lian asked how the Land Transport Authority (LTA) implements localized traffic schemes to restrict heavy vehicles near schools and high pedestrian zones, monitors their effectiveness, and requires contractors to submit route plans for heavy vehicles to ensure safety.
• Lui Tuck Yew explained that heavy vehicles typically operate in industrial areas but may enter residential zones during construction, with developers seeking LTA input on routes and sharing safety measures like warning signs with the community, followed by LTA monitoring and adjustments.
• He added that the Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Committee has developed a comprehensive "toolkit" of School Zone safety initiatives, which will be piloted at 10 Primary schools this year before being rolled out to other schools.

• About 595,000 telephone numbers were registered with the Do Not Call Registry by the end of March 2014, with over 3,000 valid complaints received since the rules took effect.
• The Personal Data Protection Commission has issued over 200 warnings, accepted composition offers from two organizations for serious breaches, and is investigating one case for possible prosecution, while illegal activity cases are referred to the Police.
• The Ministry considers the registration response good and will continue public awareness efforts, with enforcement actions depending on the seriousness of offenses, though a detailed breakdown of composite fines is unavailable due to ongoing investigations.

• Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef sought an update on managing disamenities from vice activities in Geylang's Lorongs 24 to 42, citing persistent resident concerns like fear, crowding, noise, and crime.
• The Second Minister for Home Affairs detailed extensive police efforts, including a larger Geylang NPC with 160 officers, more fast-response cars, SOC trooper deployments, over 1,000 anti-vice operations in 2013, and added CCTV cameras and street lighting, resulting in a 36% drop in major offences since 2008.
• The minister emphasized inter-agency coordination with MOM, NEA, URA, and others to tackle illegal lodging and hawking, while clarifying the Police Commissioner's comments on Geylang's challenges were in a specific context and that resource allocation is based on operational needs.
• Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef questioned if efforts could address root causes to free up manpower for national issues, to which the minister responded that eradicating problems from Geylang might displace them elsewhere, requiring continued attention.
• Both sides acknowledged ongoing collaboration with grassroots leaders but highlighted that resident discomfort persists despite enforcement gains, necessitating further measures and joint agency actions.

• ICA uses INTERPOL’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database about 29 million times annually, and Singapore has been cross-checking passports against it since 2008.
• Approximately 7,000 Singapore passports are reported lost or stolen each year, with information immediately cancelled and updated in INTERPOL’s database; around 350 travellers are detected annually with forged or tampered travel documents at checkpoints.
• Singaporeans are reminded through public education and legal requirements to report lost or stolen passports immediately, and offenders under the Passports Act face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment up to 10 years, or both.

• The Deputy Prime Minister explained that the Woodlands Checkpoint breach on 8 March 2014 occurred when a driver fled during a security check, breaking through a faulty security barrier due to hydraulic fluid leakage, and was arrested five hours later after an island-wide search.
• Immediate measures were implemented, including replacing hydraulic components in security barriers, daily checks, enhanced coordination between agencies, additional CCTVs, and deploying mobile crash barriers and tracking vehicles to pursue suspect vehicles.
• A ministry-level review committee is comprehensively assessing checkpoint security to address systemic issues, while the government balances robust security with the need for efficient clearance at busy land checkpoints.

The Protection from Harassment Bill establishes a legal framework to address harassment, stalking, and false statements, both online and offline, by providing civil remedies, criminal penalties, and self-help options for victims.
It introduces measures to tackle online challenges like anonymity and viral content, such as allowing court orders against anonymous publishers and enabling protection orders to bind multiple parties who republish harmful material.
The bill also expands protections to public service workers and seeks to balance victim safeguards with concerns about free speech, though some members raised questions about enforcement, practical challenges, and the need for public education to shape behavioral norms.

• The Minister for Law emphasized that harassment, both offline and online, is a growing concern in Singapore, with over 80% of surveyed residents viewing online harassment as serious, and highlighted alarming cases of cyberbullying, impersonation, and stalking that have led to severe trauma and even suicides in other countries.
• The proposed Protection from Harassment Bill introduces comprehensive criminal and civil remedies, including new offences like stalking, updated penalties, community orders, and a statutory right to sue, while extending protections to public service workers and allowing extraterritorial application for offences affecting victims in Singapore.
• The Bill provides self-help and civil remedies such as Protection Orders and Expedited Protection Orders to restrain harassers and remove online content, with simplified court procedures to aid victims without legal representation, and abolishes the common law tort of harassment to clarify legal uncertainties.

• Parliamentarians raised concerns about the capacity of Singapore's security forces, questioning if the Singapore Police Force's Special Operations Command and Auxiliary Police Officers are adequately staffed and trained to handle large-scale public order incidents, coordinated threats, and evolving challenges like self-radicalisation and cybercrime.
• Ministers emphasized a multi-pronged strategy combining stronger enforcement, increased use of technology like cameras and body-worn devices, and deeper community partnerships, including the rollout of the Community Policing System and initiatives to rehabilitate and reintegrate ex-offenders.
• The debate highlighted specific issues such as the rising number of drug abusers, particularly youths, the need to address remote gambling, and the importance of road safety, with the government outlining targeted measures and collaborations to tackle these areas.

• Law Minister K Shanmugam and Senior Minister of State Indranee Rajah outlined plans to establish the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) and the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) to enhance Singapore's position as a leading international dispute resolution hub, addressing challenges like judgment enforcement and international perception.
• The Ministry of Law is reviewing the moneylending regime, including interest rate caps, fee structures, and a central credit database, to better protect borrowers, with consultations ongoing but no definitive timeline for completion.
• Proposals to update laws for online conduct, including cybercrime and hacking, were noted, with the Ministry committing to forward these concerns to the relevant authorities for further consideration.

• David Ong asked the Minister for Law about the rules and conventions for deciding when a bankrupt can be discharged.
• K Shanmugam explained that a bankrupt can be discharged either by a High Court Order of Discharge or by a Certificate of Discharge from the Official Assignee if debts are under $500,000 and at least three years have passed.
• The decision for discharge considers factors such as the cause of insolvency, the bankrupt’s conduct, contributions to creditors, and any objections from creditors, guided by relevant case law.

• Pregnant inmates receive medical care from prison doctors and specialists, and are sent to a hospital for delivery, with restraints applied as needed but waived for health and safety.
• Babies can stay with their mothers in prison temporarily until alternative care is arranged with family or social services, but a prison environment is not considered suitable for raising a child.
• Over the past five years, 47 women gave birth while serving prison terms, and while regulations allow children to stay with mothers until age three, the average stay is about three months.

• The bill aims to protect individuals from harassment, unlawful stalking, and false statements of fact by creating new offences and civil remedies
• It was presented by Senior Minister of State for Law Ms Indranee Rajah and read for the first time in parliament
• The bill will be read a second time after the conclusion of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for the 2014/15 financial year
• It also includes consequential amendments to other written laws to align with the new protections

• Faizah Jamal asked whether polygraph testing is standard procedure for victims, especially in sexual assault cases, and how the results are used.
• The Deputy Prime Minister confirmed polygraph tests are not standard but used voluntarily on a case-by-case basis to assess statement veracity and find new leads, with about 700 tests yearly in 1–2% of cases.
• Jamal raised concerns about consequences for victims who decline and international scientific skepticism, prompting clarification that refusal does not hinder investigations and that polygraph use remains an optional investigative tool.

• Arthur Fong asked about the number of overstayers in Singapore, annual figures for the last five years, and procedures against them.
• The Second Minister for Home Affairs reported a 49% decline in overstayers arrested from 2009 to 2013, with overstayers investigated under the Criminal Procedure Code and subject to prosecution, warnings, fines, or removal.
• Lim Biow Chuan inquired about re-entry bans for overstayers, and the Minister responded that decisions depend on the offence's severity and other factors.
• Low Thia Khiang asked about the nationalities of overstayers, and the Minister noted most come from Asian countries.
• Overstayers removed from Singapore must seek permission to re-enter in the future.