Public safety & law — Topics

10 Jan 2024

Impact of Speed Limit Reduction on Personal Mobility Aid Users to Safely Cross Roads in Time

Dennis Tan questioned whether the recommended speed limit of six kilometres per hour for motorised personal mobility aids (PMAs) would allow all users to safely cross all roads, including those with multiple lanes, in time.
The Minister's response noted that the six km/h limit is based on normal walking speeds (four to six km/h), suggesting PMA users can cross roads safely like pedestrians.
The Minister asserted that the speed limit ensures PMA users have adequate time to cross, aligning with pedestrian safety standards.
The debate centers on balancing safety for PMA users with the practicality of crossing roads within signal timings, especially on wider roads.

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10 Jan 2024

Update on Hiring Auxiliary Police Officers from Taiwan and Work Challenges Associated with Such Hires

The Ministry of Home Affairs confirms that Auxiliary Police Forces (APFs) continue to hire APOs from Taiwan, though their numbers have declined by over 60% since 2017 to about 70 today due to factors like demanding work and better opportunities in Taiwan.
The government is considering expanding recruitment to other Asian jurisdictions like China, India, the Philippines, and Myanmar to address local workforce shortages and meet security service demand.
Risks of non-Singaporean APOs carrying firearms are managed through screening, training, supervision, and restricted deployment, with no evidence of higher misuse rates among foreign hires.

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10 Jan 2024

Statistics on Take-up Rate of "Money Lock" Feature in Local Banks and Protective Measures Against Digital Banking Scams

Saktiandi Supaat inquired about the availability of data on the take-up rate of the "Money Lock" feature and MAS's efforts to enhance protection against digital banking scams, particularly for foreign transactions.
Lawrence Wong responded that the "Money Lock" feature has been activated on about 38,000 accounts, safeguarding over $3.2 billion, and MAS is working with more banks to introduce it.
MAS collaborates with financial institutions and agencies to counter scams, such as enhancing banking apps to block access when side-loaded apps are detected, reducing malware-enabled scams.
MAS plans to continue assessing and rolling out additional measures for high-risk transactions, including those involving overseas transfers and access.

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10 Jan 2024

Criminal Cases Involving Use of Instant Messaging Services by Companies Not Registered in Singapore

Murali Pillai asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the number of criminal cases in the past three years involving instant messaging services by unregistered overseas companies, their cooperation with Singapore authorities, and any uncooperative companies.
The Minister responded that from January 2021 to November 2023, SPF reported about 24,000 scam cases and CNB investigated about 600 drug offenders using instant messaging services, primarily WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat.
WhatsApp and WeChat were generally cooperative with investigations, while Telegram was less so, and the government continues to engage these platforms to address crimes in Singapore.

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10 Jan 2024

Extension of Government Cybersecurity Agencies' Advisory Support to Non-government Entities

Dr. Tan Wu Meng asked if the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) provides cybersecurity support and advice to non-government entities like banks, NETS, public healthcare, utilities, and telcos, including for attacks such as DDoS, and what the nature of such support would be.
Mrs. Josephine Teo responded that cybersecurity resilience is essential, and under the Cybersecurity Act, critical information infrastructure (CII) entities—both government and non-government—are regulated uniformly, with CSA offering design and advisory support.
Sector regulators for industries like finance, water, and healthcare may impose additional cybersecurity requirements, and all organizations are encouraged to use available resources to strengthen cyber defenses and preparedness.

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10 Jan 2024

Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society

Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How outlined the government's efforts to promote digital inclusion, such as providing subsidies for devices and broadband, training for seniors and hawkers, and launching the Digital Skills for Life framework to equip Singaporeans with essential digital competencies.
Minister Josephine Teo emphasized the importance of digital trust and safety, detailing laws like the Personal Data Protection Act and the Online Criminal Harms Act, as well as new measures including a Safe App Standard and a Centre for Advanced Technologies in Online Safety to combat scams and online harms.
Members of Parliament from both sides of the House supported the motion, highlighting concerns about online harms, especially towards women and children, and called for more nuanced regulations, victim-centric education, and better support systems for victims.
The debate concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment to a whole-of-nation approach to build an inclusive and safe digital society, with a focus on balancing innovation with protection against evolving digital risks.

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10 Jan 2024

Building an Inclusive and Safe Digital Society

The debate highlighted the urgent need for a whole-of-nation approach to build an inclusive and safe digital society, with speakers emphasizing the erosion of public trust due to rising online scams, cyber threats, and digital harms.
Key concerns included the vulnerability of seniors and other groups to financial losses from scams, the need for stronger consumer protection, and demands for banks, telcos, and tech platforms to bear more responsibility for preventing fraud and securing digital services.
Speakers called for enhanced digital literacy, accessibility for all demographics, and the adoption of advanced security measures like multi-factor authentication, while urging government agencies to coordinate more effectively and accelerate the implementation of relevant laws.

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10 Jan 2024

Criminal Procedure (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill

The bill seeks to amend the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 and other related Acts to streamline legal procedures.
It was presented by the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law on behalf of the Minister for Law.
The bill received its First Reading and was scheduled for a Second Reading at the next parliamentary sitting.

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10 Jan 2024

Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness Given Recent Increase in Phishing Scams

The Minister of State outlined current measures to combat WhatsApp phishing scams, including collaboration with Meta and Google to block phishing URLs and recover compromised accounts, alongside public awareness campaigns like the National Cybersecurity Campaign and advisories promoting the "Add, Check, Tell" steps.
Dr Wan Rizal questioned the effectiveness of these measures in reducing future compromised accounts and asked for measurable outcomes from the collaboration with Google on detecting and blocking phishing sites.
The Minister of State responded that platforms like Meta have been slow to respond, and the government plans to engage them more closely to improve response times, while technical work with Google is ongoing to enhance search engine safeguards, with the Online Criminal Harms Act set to provide stronger legal levers from Q1 2024.

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10 Jan 2024

Safeguards to Ensure Suitability of Adults who Foster or Adopt Children who Have Endured Traumatic Past

The Ministry of Social and Family Development conducts comprehensive assessments, background checks, and home studies for prospective adopters, with special attention to the ability to care for children with traumatic pasts, and appoints a Guardian-in-Adoption to oversee the process.
Social workers and professionals receive compulsory training to recognize signs of abuse and must conduct supervised visitations and check-ins, though the Minister acknowledged the need for community vigilance, as seen in the case where a teacher reported abuse.
The Ministry is developing standardized assessment tools and enhancing training for frontline professionals and volunteers to better detect and respond to abuse, while emphasizing public awareness and the role of teachers and community members in protecting children.

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9 Jan 2024

Breaches of Singpass in Last Five Years and Steps to Enhance Its Security

Mrs Josephine Teo confirmed no Singpass cybersecurity breaches were detected in the past five years, with GovTech using continuous security testing and crowdsourced vulnerability programmes like the Vulnerability Reward Programme and Government Bug Bounty Programme.
To address human vulnerabilities, Singpass has enhanced protections for high-risk transactions, moving beyond two-factor authentication to include additional factors like facial verification to combat phishing and social engineering.
The government emphasizes a collective approach, urging banks and telcos to strengthen their defences while encouraging users to educate themselves on scam tactics to maintain a secure cyberspace.

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9 Jan 2024

Reports of Incidents Involving Transportation and Escorting of Elderly Patients

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Ministry of Health about incidents in transporting elderly patients, responsibility for gig-platform services, and potential regulatory tightening.
Over three years, 10 safety incidents were reported for transport services appointed by MOH and AIC, with no incidents involving gig-platforms.
Service providers must follow standards and training requirements, and MOH will continue reviewing policies to ensure safety.

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9 Jan 2024

Measures to Prevent Installation of Illegal Vehicle Licence Plates

Joan Pereira asked about enforcement measures to prevent illegal vehicle licence plates and how the Ministry will address owners easily switching between compliant and non-compliant plates.
The Minister for Transport stated that displaying non-compliant licence plates is an offence with penalties of up to $1,000 fine or three months imprisonment for first-time offenders, doubled for repeat offenders.
Enforcement includes checks during periodic vehicle inspections, regular LTA patrols, and acting on public feedback, with over 2,000 vehicles actioned against from January to October 2023.

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9 Jan 2024

Number of and Assistance for Non-native English Speakers Filing Court Applications via Integrated Family Application Management System

The percentage of non-native English speakers using the iFAMS system for court applications from 2020 to 2022 was provided, with 2023 data unavailable.
Assistance for non-native English speakers is available at multiple locations including Family Justice Courts registries and community centres.
The Judiciary regularly reviews and improves support for self-represented persons facing difficulties with the iFAMS system.

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9 Jan 2024

Frequency of Anti-scam Campaigns Appearing on Media Platforms

The anti-scam campaign "I can ACT against scams" uses an omni-channel approach across traditional and online media, with more publicity when new scam variants emerge.
The Singapore Police Force runs TV ads, social media posts, and public posters, and partners with SPH Media for bi-monthly newspaper columns on scams in four languages.
The government works with banks, e-commerce platforms, and telcos to share anti-scam messages and regularly issues scam-related news releases on its website and social media.

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9 Jan 2024

Regulatory Supervision over Singapore Palestine Film Festival

The Minister for Home Affairs stated that all films for the Singapore Palestine Film Festival have been classified by IMDA, in consultation with MHA, as not promoting violence and are permitted with age ratings, while public events or assemblies on the Israel-Hamas conflict are not allowed due to security concerns.
The government supports constructive dialogue through academic forums and fundraising for humanitarian relief, with over $7 million donated by Singaporeans to Gaza as of November 2023, provided donations are for civilian aid and not military or terror purposes.
The balance between public understanding and harmony is maintained by allowing classified film screenings and structured discussions, while prohibiting public assemblies on the conflict to prevent tensions and ensure racial and religious harmony.

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9 Jan 2024

Efficiency and Efficacy of Screenings at Airport Checkpoints

The Ministry uses a risk-managed approach, calibrating security screenings based on threat assessments and international standards to balance efficiency and efficacy.
Pre-arrival risk assessments are conducted using advance passenger information, leading to more stringent checks for higher-risk travellers.
From 2021 to November 2023, over 300 security threat items were detected at air checkpoints, and about 25,000 arriving travellers were refused entry.
The Ministry aims for an optimal balance between security and efficiency, asking for public understanding when clearance takes longer.

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9 Jan 2024

Statistics of Internet Banking Scams Caused by Compromises to Smartphones by Malware

Dr. Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the number of internet banking scams since 2022 caused by smartphone malware and the operating system breakdown.
From January 2022 to November 2023, there were about 2,000 reports of victims downloading malware onto their phones.
All reported cases involved compromised Android devices, with no cases detected involving iOS devices.

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9 Jan 2024

Consideration of Criminal Records for Previous Convictions under Section 377A of Penal Code Given Repeal of Section

The repeal of Section 377A does not automatically remove criminal records for past convictions under that law, as they remain registrable under the Registration of Criminals Act.
Convictions can be rendered spent automatically after five years if the offender meets certain conditions, or they can apply to the Commissioner of Police for a spent record.
The Commissioner will consider factors such as whether the activity was private and consensual when reviewing applications to treat Section 377A convictions as spent.
Individuals can check their record status online or submit applications via a designated email with personal details and reasons for consideration.

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9 Jan 2024

Categorising of Import and Sale of Vapes and Associated Products as Serious Offences under Organised Crime Act 2015

Murali Pillai proposed that the import and sale of vapes and associated products be classified as serious offences under the Organised Crime Act 2015 to help authorities target organised criminal groups involved in such activities.
K Shanmugam explained that for an offence to be listed as serious under the Act, it must pose a serious threat to public safety and security and be associated with organised crime in Singapore, citing examples like murder and drug-trafficking.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Health Sciences Authority are currently assessing the suggestion to include vape-related offences under the Organised Crime Act based on the established criteria.

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