Public safety & law

Tan Wu Meng raised concerns about road safety at the unsignalised cross junction of Jalan Lempeng and Faber Drive, citing four accidents in six weeks and inquiring about LTA's assessments and unreported incidents. Chee Hong Tat explained that a Traffic Impact Assessment was conducted in 2019, leading to road improvements to accommodate increased traffic from nearby residential developments. He noted that there were no reported accidents from 2018 to 2023, but two accidents occurred in early 2024 due to careless driving. To enhance safety, LTA has implemented measures such as narrowing the junction, adding road humps, enlarging "Stop" signs, and building new pedestrian footpaths, and will continue to monitor the situation.

Saktiandi Supaat raised concerns about the safety rules and checks regarding personal mobility devices and power-assisted bicycles allowed on trains due to fire risks. Chee Hong Tat stated that these devices must meet specific safety standards (EN15194 for PABs and UL2272 for PMDs) to be used in Singapore. The Land Transport Authority conducts checks to ensure compliance, and non-compliant devices are seized. Only approved devices that meet size restrictions can be taken onto MRT premises, and they must be switched off and folded, with strict prohibition on usage within trains. Non-compliance can result in removal from MRT premises and fines up to $500.

Melvin Yong Yik Chye requested data on electric vehicle fire incidents in 2023 and their annual trend over the past three years in relation to electric vehicle ownership. Chee Hong Tat reported one electric vehicle fire incident in 2023, compared to two in 2022 and one in 2021. The overall number of EV fire incidents has remained low despite the increase in electric vehicle adoption, and efforts will continue to ensure safe vehicle electrification.

Alex Yam Ziming raised concerns about the potential formation of splinter groups from the dissolution of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and inquired about intelligence collaboration among regional agencies and Singapore's security threat assessment post-dissolution. K Shanmugam acknowledged the dissolution as a significant achievement for Indonesia's counter-terrorism efforts but warned that factions within JI may still pose a threat. He emphasized the importance of continued monitoring of JI, strong international partnerships, and regular intelligence exchanges. The assessed terrorism threat to Singapore remains high, despite the absence of specific imminent threats, and public vigilance is encouraged.

Ang Wei Neng raised concerns to the Minister for Home Affairs regarding a network of 95 accounts that posted on Singapore's leadership transition, seeking information on their reach, the origins of the accounts, and any subsequent posts. The Minister of State, Sun Xueling, reported that local reach was low, no further posts were detected post-10 May 2024, and investigations found no evidence of local involvement in the accounts. The episode highlighted Singapore’s vulnerability to Hostile Information Campaigns (HICs) and the need for public vigilance alongside legislative measures like the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act. Ang Wei Neng requested further information on monitoring resources and smaller scale hostile interferences.

• The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore collaborates with States of Design like the Federal Aviation Administration and manufacturers such as Boeing to ensure Singapore-registered aircraft meet all airworthiness standards.
• Singapore air operators must comply with any Airworthiness Directives issued by the State of Design to address safety concerns, which forms the basis of regulatory oversight.
• The timeline for implementing additional measures beyond existing requirements and specifics on enhanced cooperation with the FAA were not provided in the response.

• The Ministry of Health encourages taxi and private hire car drivers to inform passengers that vaping is illegal in Singapore and report incidents to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) via its hotlines, though reporting is not mandatory.
• HSA keeps the identities of reporters confidential, and drivers will not be penalized for passengers vaping in their vehicles.
• If passengers retaliate or are uncooperative, drivers can seek help from relevant authorities such as the Singapore Police Force.

• Since 2019, nearly 2,450 clinics have been audited for fraudulent claims under CHAS, MediSave, MediShield Life, and COVID-19 schemes.
• The Ministry of Health revoked or suspended the accreditation of 11 clinics and suspended or terminated the CHAS participation of three more for serious non-compliance.
• Enforcement actions range from engagement and training to suspension and revocation, with egregious cases referred to police and professional councils for further investigation.

• Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked whether the Ministry of Health is investigating if the transportation of injured workers in private vehicles complies with the Healthcare Services Act 2020, and what the findings or future plans are.
• Ong Ye Kung responded that the need for an ambulance depends on the circumstances, but serious work injuries most likely require emergency ambulance conveyance.
• Investigations into the two fatal incidents at the worksites are ongoing, and the Ministry of Health will provide further details when ready.

• Dennis Tan asked about Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) programmes to support prison inmates in rebuilding familial ties with young children after release, or whether such programmes would be developed if none exist.
• Masagos Zulkifli stated that MSF and Singapore Prison Service collaborate on family support, with Family Resource Centres providing interim assistance and referrals to long-term community resources, using a family-centric approach.
• Structured family programmes in prisons, such as those by The Salvation Army and New Life Stories, help inmates build skills for maintaining family ties through parent-child activities and open visits.
• Counselling from the Strengthening Families Programme@Family Service Centres supports offenders and families during and after incarceration, and ex-offenders can join parenting programmes post-release.

• Christopher de Souza asked how schools will prevent iPads from giving students easy access to online sexual content and predators.
• Chan Chun Sing explained that all personal learning devices have a Device Management Application to block undesirable content and schools use website filtering systems to ensure a safe online environment.
• He added that Cyber Wellness lessons teach students to recognize digital risks and that parents are encouraged to guide and monitor their children’s online activities using resources from MOE and schools.

• Christopher de Souza asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the number of scams involving deepfake videos and images is being tracked and, if so, the reported numbers to date.
• K Shanmugam replied that the Police have not been tracking such cases, despite receiving some reports, and noted that the number of incidents is not high.
• The response referenced similar parliamentary questions from the April 2024 sittings, indicating consistency in the approach to this issue.

• Dennis Tan asked about the average processing times for lawyer-inmate correspondence via hardcopy and e-Letters over the past three years, and whether a separate e-Letters system with shorter processing times could be introduced for lawyers.
• The Minister responded that hardcopy correspondence from lawyers takes about five working days to process on average, meeting the ten-day service standard, with urgent requests handled on a best-effort basis.
• For e-Letters, the average processing time is two days, but the system is currently designed for families and friends; the Singapore Prison Service is considering enhancements to allow lawyers to use it for inmate communication.

• The number of Singaporeans investigated for acting as money mules increased from over 7,800 in 2022 to over 9,600 in 2023.
• Legislative amendments to the CDSA and CMA were passed and operationalised in 2024 to strengthen enforcement against money mules and misuse of Singpass.
• Public education has been intensified across multiple platforms, including digital media, outdoor advertising, and collaboration with banks to update advisories.
• Targeted outreach to youths, who form a significant portion of money mules, includes crime prevention talks in schools with the Ministry of Education.
• Authorities do not track the age or nationality of money mules, so specific age profiles are unavailable.

• Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs for statistics on non-Singaporeans charged under Section 125 of the Penal Code since January 2023 and the number of cases involving acts committed outside Singapore.
• The Minister responded that there have been no cases of non-Singapore citizens residing in Singapore who were investigated or charged under Section 125 since January 2023.
• The Minister’s answer confirmed no such cases exist, rendering the breakdown of cases involving acts outside Singapore moot.
• The exchange highlighted concerns about potential impacts on Singapore’s security, reputation, and social harmony from such offences.
• The debate concluded with a clear factual update on the absence of relevant charges under the specified section and timeframe.

• Minister K Shanmugam reported that from 2021 to 2023, the Singapore Police Force received an average of about 340 cases per year involving the possession or distribution of voyeuristic, intimate, or abusive images under specific Penal Code sections.
• He stated that the police do not track the number of such cases involving deepfakes or manipulated images and videos using generative artificial intelligence tools.
• The Minister’s response did not include a breakdown by the victim's gender or specify how many cases resulted in further action, as the initial question had sought.

• Mr Zhulkarnain asked about supervisory measures and oversight for Foreign Worker Management (FWM) patrol teams, following an Auxiliary Police Officer’s conviction for misappropriating seized drugs, and the roles and powers of these teams.
• The Police deploy FWM teams, comprising contracted Auxiliary Police and Security Officers, to manage law and order in high-foreign-worker areas, with duties including enforcement against offences like public urination, littering, and illegal drug sales.
• FWM teams follow strict protocols, such as photographing evidence before seizure, preparing incident reports, and not collecting cash summons payments, with evidence handed to relevant agencies for verification.
• Police oversee FWM teams through pre- and post-shift briefings, routine checks, surprise inspections, and the upcoming rollout of body-worn cameras by March 2025 to enhance accountability.
• Non-compliance with protocols leads to internal disciplinary action, and criminal offences result in prosecution, treating FWM officers the same as other offenders.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has updated healthcare measures in prisons to tackle the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, with no known instances of inmates contracting these diseases while incarcerated.
• While there is a higher prevalence of these diseases among inmates compared to the general population, this is attributed to pre-incarceration factors rather than transmission within prison.
• The Ministry ensures that healthcare measures align with Ministry of Health standards and has provided a vaccination response regarding Hepatitis B in reply to a question in April 2020.

• Darryl David asked how the jurisdiction of LTA enforcement officers differs from that of the Traffic Police and whether LTA motorcycle officers receive the same training as Traffic Police, particularly for pursuits.
• Chee Hong Tat explained that both bodies operate under the Road Traffic Act, with LTA focusing on vehicle standards, registration, and roadworthiness, while Traffic Police handle behavioral offences like speeding, reckless driving, and drink driving.
• LTA enforcement officers complete an Enforcement Riding course run by Traffic Police, which includes defensive riding and methods for stopping and engaging violators to safely carry out their duties on motorcycles.

• Dennis Tan asked whether investigations have started into bankers and property agents who facilitated property transactions for convicted persons and failed to conduct proper money laundering checks.
• Gan Kim Yong stated that law enforcement has identified specific individuals who facilitated financial and property transactions and will deal with them according to the law.
• Sector regulators are also investigating regulated entities and individuals to assess compliance with anti-money laundering standards.
• Where non-compliance is found, regulators will take firm and appropriate action against entities or individuals.