Public safety & law — Topics

8 May 2023

Transportation of Workers in Rear Decks of Lorries

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked when the Ministry first knew that key authorised lorry suppliers agree it is ideal for lorries not to carry passengers in their rear decks and how this information factored into policy.
Minister S Iswaran confirmed the Ministry shares concerns for worker safety and acknowledged that while it is ideal to avoid carrying passengers in rear decks, practical and operational considerations exist, with varied international practices.
Singapore adopts a multi-pronged approach through a working committee engaging stakeholders to study safety measures, such as requiring rain covers and limiting driver hours to 12 per day.
The Government continues to explore further measures to enhance safety for workers transported in lorries.

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8 May 2023

Framework for Equitable Sharing of Losses between Scam Victims and Financial Institutions

The Government is developing a framework to equitably share losses between scam victims and financial institutions, focusing on phishing scams where customers are deceived into revealing credentials.
The framework aims to clarify the duties of financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and customers to mitigate risks while preserving confidence in digital payments.
Discussions are ongoing with telcos and other entities in the digital payments ecosystem to define their roles and responsibilities within the framework.
The development involves defining covered scam types, specifying duties for all parties, and establishing loss-sharing mechanisms when duties are breached.
A public consultation paper is planned for the third quarter of this year to engage industry stakeholders further.

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8 May 2023

Effectiveness of Extended Heightened Safety Period in Reducing Workplace Accidents and Injuries

Melvin Yong asked whether the extended Heightened Safety Period (HSP) has been effective in reducing workplace accidents and if there are plans to extend it beyond May 2023.
The Minister confirmed the HSP was introduced in September 2022 to address rising workplace fatalities, with increased penalties and accountability for senior management.
The Minister stated the HSP measures have helped reduce workplace fatalities and more details on its impact will be shared at the National Workplace Safety and Health Campaign on 23 May 2023.

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8 May 2023

Reasons for not Pressing Charges against Mr Liew Kai Lung Karl under Section 177 of Penal Code

The Minister clarified that the Attorney-General’s Chambers preferred charges against Mr Liew under Sections 177 and 193 of the Penal Code, and he eventually pleaded guilty to an amended charge under Section 182, with the Section 177 charge considered for sentencing.
The Minister explained that using amended charges and considering other charges for sentencing is standard practice in guilty plea cases and that the prosecution's decision was based on normal factors like case strength and cooperation.
The Minister noted that the Attorney-General had recused himself from the case and that the AGC, not the Minister, would decide on making any reasons public.

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8 May 2023

Attempts to Circumvent Law on Cross-border Movements of Physical Currency and Bearer Negotiable Instruments

Miss Cheng Li Hui questioned if high-value goods are being used to bypass the cash reporting law for cross-border movements.
The Minister confirmed that the law only requires reporting of physical currency and bearer instruments exceeding S$20,000, not goods.
Investigations over the past three years have not found money laundering cases involving high-value goods to circumvent the cash reporting rule.
Singapore's anti-money laundering framework includes suspicious transaction reporting by dealers and international partnerships to combat financial crimes.

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8 May 2023

Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) (Amendment) Bill

The bill aims to combat rising scams in Singapore by introducing new offences for rash and negligent money laundering and for assisting in retaining criminal benefits, lowering the bar for prosecuting money mules who previously evaded charges by claiming ignorance.
Amendments to the Computer Misuse Act criminalize the disclosure of Singpass credentials for criminal purposes and the trafficking of such credentials, addressing the abuse of digital identities by scammers.
Speakers emphasized the need for public education, clearer guidance on "reasonable steps" to verify transactions, and enhanced protections for vulnerable groups to ensure the laws are effective and fair.

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8 May 2023

Family Justice Reform Bill

The Family Justice Reform Bill introduces a new Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP) with Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs) to streamline enforcement of maintenance orders, including Syariah Court orders, by gathering evidence and facilitating conciliation, reducing the need for multiple court hearings and legal costs.
The Bill enhances court powers to promote therapeutic justice, such as allowing judges to restrict unnecessary applications, limit cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses, and interview children, while ensuring financial assistance and support services are available for parties facing genuine difficulties.
The reforms aim to reduce acrimony in family proceedings, improve sustainable outcomes for maintenance payments, and provide better support for families post-divorce, with ongoing efforts to integrate social services and address housing and financial needs.

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8 May 2023

Family Justice Reform Bill

The Bill introduces a new Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP) with Maintenance Enforcement Officers to investigate financial circumstances, facilitate conciliation, and provide targeted support, aiming to reduce repeat applications and improve outcomes for vulnerable parties.
It enhances the judge-led approach in Family Justice Courts, allowing judges to make substantive orders on their own motion, restrict cross-examination to protect vulnerable witnesses, and consider children's wishes directly through judicial interviews.
The reforms simplify court terminology and procedures to reduce acrimony and costs, and include miscellaneous amendments to strengthen therapeutic justice elements, such as empowering courts to order financial counselling and manage unnecessary applications.

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8 May 2023

Online Criminal Harms Bill

The Online Criminal Harms Bill aims to counter online criminal activity and protect against online harms, with connected purposes.
It was presented by the Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mrs Josephine Teo, and read for the first time in Parliament.
The bill is scheduled for a second reading on the next available sitting on or after 3 July 2023 and will be printed.

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8 May 2023

Clarification by Minister of State for Home Affairs

The Minister of State for Home Affairs clarified that while there have been no instances in the past five years where an Appropriate Adult was not activated, extenuating circumstances may allow Law Enforcement Agencies to exercise discretion in such cases.
In these situations, approval must be obtained from an investigation supervisor to record a statement without an Appropriate Adult, and the reasons must be documented in writing.
The Minister noted that the government does not track the specific number of such instances, but they are classified under the category of extenuating circumstances previously discussed.

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8 May 2023

Reports of Unauthorised Bank Transaction taking Place despite Absence of Alerts on Customer's Telephone Records

Dr Tan Wu Meng raised concerns about unauthorised bank transactions where the bank claimed an SMS OTP was used, but the customer's telco records showed no transmission or receipt of such SMS, and asked about redress avenues.
The Minister of State responded that such cases are rare, with only two disputed OTP cases known to FIDReC since July 2022, and outlined steps for customers to contact banks, report to police, and seek mediation through FIDReC or legal action if unsatisfied.
Dr Tan further questioned the dispute process when bank and telco records conflict and asked about preparing for emerging scam technologies like deepfakes, to which the Minister stated MAS is working with banks on multi-factor authentication and public awareness, and that future loss-sharing frameworks will consider such risks.
MP Gerald Giam asked when banks would move beyond SMS OTP to more secure methods like app-based OTPs, and the Minister indicated MAS is collaborating with banks on evolving authentication technologies.

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21 Apr 2023

Number of Reports Made in Relation to Abuse and Harassment towards Social Worker Investigated and Convicted

MSF reported that about five reports of abusive behaviour towards social workers are made to the Police each year.
The ministry does not track how many reports are referred to external law enforcement agencies or the outcomes of investigations.
MSF does not have data on the number of reports that have resulted in convictions in court.

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21 Apr 2023

Risk of Dark-coloured Cars Getting into Accidents in Singapore

Don Wee inquired whether dark-coloured cars have a higher accident risk in Singapore and if the government would consider policies like higher taxes to reduce their numbers.
The Minister for Transport responded that Singapore's Land Transport Authority follows international safety standards, which do not assess vehicle safety by colour, so there are no grounds for introducing colour-based measures.
The debate concluded without agreement on the need for action, as the government relies on existing global standards that do not address vehicle colour.

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21 Apr 2023

Regulatory Requirements on Owners of Shopping Malls and Public Buildings to Ensure Robust Security System in Place to Handle Security Emergency

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) enforces the Fire Code, which sets maximum occupancy loads and escape capacities for buildings to prevent overcrowding and ensure safe evacuation during emergencies.
Building owners of larger structures (over 5,000 square metres or with occupancy above 1,000 persons) must appoint a Fire Safety Manager to monitor capacity limits and conduct regular fire drills.
Non-compliance with fire safety regulations is a punishable offence, and the SCDF requires rectifications or prosecutes offenders in court.
Iconic or high-footfall buildings are designated as Special Infrastructures under the Infrastructure Protection Act, requiring proactive security measures like CCTV and barriers in their design or renovations.

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21 Apr 2023

Officers on Live Video Stream of Emergency Video System to Communicate with 999 or 995 Callers in Dialects or Other Languages

Ms Joan Pereira questioned how the Emergency Video System ensures officers can communicate with callers who only speak dialects or other languages during live video streams.
Minister K Shanmugam confirmed that the operators for the Emergency Video System are the same as those handling 999 and 995 calls.
He stated that both the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force Operations Centres maintain operators fluent in Singapore's four official languages and some common dialects.

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21 Apr 2023

Proposed Installation of Daytime Running Lights in Vehicles at Selected Places

Joan Pereira proposed mandating daytime running lights in vehicles for safety in dimly lit areas like multi-storey carparks.
The Minister for Transport, S Iswaran, noted that Singapore rarely experiences the low visibility conditions where such lights are typically needed, so there is no strong need for a mandate.
While many car models already have daytime running lights, the Minister emphasized that drivers should ensure headlamps are used in dim or low-visibility environments.

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21 Apr 2023

Companies Involved in Construction of Illegal Floor at The Alexcier Building

Leon Perera questioned why companies involved in constructing an illegal floor at The Alexcier building were given stern warnings instead of prosecution.
Desmond Lee explained that approvals are required from authorities like URA, BCA, and SCDF before any building alterations, and the unit owner was charged and fined $50,000 for violating building and fire safety laws.
After consultations with the Attorney-General's Chambers, URA and BCA issued stern warnings to the two companies involved, considering their level of involvement and other circumstances.

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21 Apr 2023

Review of Operations and Design at ICA Checkpoints Following Recent Accident Involving Auxiliary Policeman

Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Home Affairs to review operations and checkpoint design to prevent a similar accident where an auxiliary policeman was severely injured, and to outline lessons learned.
The Minister explained that ICA has existing safety measures like road humps, signage, paired officer deployments, safety gear, and enforcement, and noted the accident involved an allegedly intoxicated driver speeding into an observation post.
ICA is considering additional measures such as relocating the observation post and adding more barriers, while stressing that motorists must abide by traffic rules and avoid drunk driving.

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21 Apr 2023

Instances when Appropriate Adults were Not Present for Cases Involving Offenders with Mental Disabilities or Young Suspects

Louis Ng asked for annual data on cases involving young suspects or offenders with mental disabilities where an Appropriate Adult was not present during interviews, the number of additional volunteers needed, and plans to increase recruitment; the Minister of State responded that Appropriate Adults are activated for all cases meeting criteria, with extenuating circumstances allowing discretion, and that current volunteers suffice for all requests.
The Minister of State explained that in the past five years, no cases occurred where an Appropriate Adult was not activated when requested, due to such extenuating circumstances, and that service providers support all activation requests with 359 and 328 active volunteers respectively.
Louis Ng sought clarification on the number and percentage of cases where Appropriate Adults were not activated and whether the same volunteer could be assigned for all interviews; the Minister of State reiterated that no such cases occurred in the past five years and confirmed that efforts are made to assign the same Appropriate Adult for all interviews where possible, subject to scheduling.

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20 Apr 2023

Family Justice Reform Bill

The bill proposes amendments to the Family Justice Act 2014, Guardianship of Infants Act 1934, and Women's Charter 1961 to modernize and streamline court processes in the Family Justice Courts.
It aims to enhance efficiency and accessibility of family court procedures while addressing outdated legal provisions.
The bill also includes miscellaneous and consequential amendments to the Women's Charter 1961 and other relevant Acts to ensure coherence in family law.

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