Public safety & law — Topics

1 Mar 2023

Repeat Offenders in Animal Abuse Cases

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development about the number of repeat offenders in animal abuse cases over the past five years and the corresponding jail terms and fines for first and subsequent offences.
Desmond Lee responded that only one case between 2018 and 2022 involved a repeat offender, with fines of $5,000 for the first offence and $8,000 for the second.
The debate highlighted the low number of repeat offenders in animal abuse cases, with limited data on sentencing patterns.

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1 Mar 2023

Reported Cases of Harassment or Abuse of Public Healthcare Workers

The number of reported cases of harassment or abuse of public healthcare workers to the police increased from 40 in 2018 to 99 in 2022.
A recent survey found that about seven in ten incidents of abuse or harassment were from patients and their caregivers.
The health ministry did not provide a breakdown of alleged abusers by category (patients, family members, non-family acquaintances, or colleagues) in its response.

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1 Mar 2023

Offences and Cases where Video Recording of Interviews are Used

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the categories of offences for which video recording of interviews (VRI) has been expanded, the percentage of eligible cases currently recorded, and whether VRI could be extended to all vulnerable suspects regardless of offence.
Minister K Shanmugam stated that VRI, introduced in 2018 for rape cases, has been expanded to include aggravated outrage of modesty, sexual assault by penetration, child abuse, maid abuse, and non-capital drug-related offences, and is also conducted for suspects with mental disabilities or young suspects without an Appropriate Adult.
The Minister noted that VRI is generally conducted for these categories but may be skipped due to operational exigencies, and the Ministry does not track data on how often VRI is not used.

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1 Mar 2023

Synergised Approach Across Agencies to Present Common Front Against Vaping

Murali Pillai proposed a synergised enforcement approach between the Health Science Authority and the National Environment Agency against vaping, given its prevalence as a smoking substitute and potential co-occurrence.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary confirmed that MOH takes a multi-pronged strategy, with HSA and NEA already collaborating on a cross-enforcement pilot to address vaping offences.
Murali Pillai raised concerns about sufficient enforcement bandwidth due to rising vaping rates, seeking assurance of meaningful action.
The response highlighted the pilot's intent to synergise resources and delegate work to address growing community concerns about vaping enforcement.

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1 Mar 2023

Investigation into Feedback Received on Speeding Vehicles with Modified Engines

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about feedback on speeding vehicles with modified engines, the timeframe for LTA investigations, and whether traffic cameras can capture related footage.
The Senior Minister of State for Transport confirmed that in 2022, the Traffic Police received about 420 speeding complaints and LTA received about 3,600 reports on illegal modifications, with investigations typically taking eight weeks.
Dr Lim suggested using noise-detection cameras to address vehicle noise complaints, particularly at night, but the Senior Minister of State responded that there are currently no plans to deploy such technology due to challenges in accurately attributing noise to specific vehicles.

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28 Feb 2023

Penalty for Illegal Display of Foreign National Emblems in Line with Disrespectful Use of Singapore's National Symbols

Leong Mun Wai proposed amending the 1949 Act to raise the $500 fine for illegal display of foreign national emblems to match penalties for disrespecting Singapore's symbols or defacing monuments.
K Shanmugam stated the current penalty under the Act is a fine up to $500, imprisonment up to six months, or both.
The government assessed the penalty as sufficient for now and has no plans to increase it.
The debate centers on aligning penalties for foreign emblem misuse with those for Singapore's national symbols.

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28 Feb 2023

Number of Children Under Age 12 Who were Injured in Taxis and Private Hire Cars

Between 2018 and 2022, 48 children under 12 were injured in taxis and 63 in private hire cars, with detailed data on seat belt and child restraint usage only available for private hire cars due to a taxi exemption under the Road Traffic Act.
The Minister noted that taxis are exempt from requiring child restraints or seat belts for passengers under 1.35 meters, which is why data on child safety measures in taxis is not tracked, unlike for private hire cars.
Louis Ng asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to start tracking child injuries in taxis to assess the problem's scale and consider policy changes, and questioned the safety rationale behind the taxi exemption.
The Minister responded that the government is considering diverse societal needs while prioritizing safety, noting positive developments like ride-hail app options and mixed responses from past pilots.

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28 Feb 2023

Average Timespan of Manually-handled Court Case Compared to One Managed Under Intergrated Case Management System

The Integrated Case Management System (ICMS) has been used since 2015 to manage all criminal cases in the State Courts, with an average of 184,000 cases filed annually from 2018 to 2022, but no specific data was tracked on the average timespan of manually-handled cases versus ICMS-managed cases during a system failure in February 2023.
During the ICMS disruption on 7–8 February 2023, business continuity plans were activated, leading to only 16 out of 2,037 scheduled criminal cases (less than 1%) being adjourned, with minimal overall disruption.
ICMS undergoes scheduled weekly (4 hours) and monthly (10 hours) maintenance during non-operational hours, totaling about 3.7% of annual hours, and while some lawyers have reported issues with the system's speed and glitches, feedback is being reviewed for potential improvements and integration with other systems like the Criminal Case Management System.

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27 Feb 2023

Publication of Findings of Investigation into Individual Allegedly Promulgating Deviant Teachings

The Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs stated that authorities will publicly share the findings of the Police investigation into the individual accused of promulgating deviant teachings once the investigation is complete.
The Minister, on behalf of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), urged the community to seek religious guidance only from credible sources and asatizahs registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme.
MUIS committed to continuing to provide religious guidance and advice to the community on the dangers of deviant teachings.

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27 Feb 2023

Central Fire Alarm System for All HDB Blocks

Louis Ng asked whether the Ministry would install central fire alarm systems in all HDB blocks and, if not, why not.
K Shanmugam explained that HDB flats are designed as fire compartments, so fires are usually contained within one flat and only nearby flats may need evacuation, reducing the need for block-wide systems.
Since June 2018, all new residential units and existing units undergoing fire safety works must install standalone Home Fire Alarm Devices, which provide early warning within each unit.

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27 Feb 2023

Clarification by Minister of State for Home Affairs

The Minister clarified that the Coroner's inquiry into the death of an SCDF NSF firefighter may be held, depending on the State Coroner's decision.
He noted that any inquiry would be conducted in open court and be public information, unless the Coroner provides a sufficient reason against it.
The clarification was made regarding his earlier response to a supplementary question during a parliamentary sitting in February 2023.

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27 Feb 2023

Committee of Supply – Head R (Ministry of Law)

Members raised concerns about the effectiveness of community dispute resolution, suggesting mandatory mediation and improvements to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals to make them more user-friendly, while the Ministry outlined plans to mandate mediation for certain cases and enhance the process.
Discussions focused on access to justice, including updates on legal aid services, the new Public Defenders’ Office, and digital tools like Divorce AIDE, with the Ministry highlighting initiatives to support vulnerable groups and self-represented litigants.
The debate covered Singapore's land optimization strategies, including the Digital Conveyancing Portal and rejuvenation of state properties, with the Ministry emphasizing technology-driven efficiency and community-focused rejuvenation projects.

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27 Feb 2023

Committee of Supply – Head P (Ministry of Home Affairs)

Ministers outlined a multi-layered strategy to combat rising scams, including new legislation like the Online Criminal Harms Act, partnerships with banks to freeze accounts, and a national public education campaign “I can ACT against scams”.
The government emphasized strengthening rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through enhanced employment support like the Uplifting Employment Credit, community mentorship networks, and specialized programs for drug offenders.
Concerns over youth radicalization and drug abuse, particularly cannabis, were addressed with increased outreach in schools, new enforcement tools like saliva test kits at checkpoints, and ongoing efforts to counter extremist online content.

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27 Feb 2023

Criminal Offences Arising from Illegal Carpooling

The Minister for Home Affairs stated that the Police do not track criminal offences associated with illegal carpooling, making it impossible to provide statistics on such offences or identify common crimes.
No information could be given on whether crimes arising from illegal carpooling are under-reported due to the lack of data and the illegal nature of unregulated carpooling.
The question regarding the number of criminal offences and the five common crimes from illegal carpooling over the last three years could not be answered.

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27 Feb 2023

Distinction between Social and Illegal Carpooling

The Ministry defines social carpooling as trips among friends or colleagues with no payment, while illegal carpooling involves strangers matched through unlicensed channels like Telegram chat groups for a fee, which lacks safety safeguards.
The Land Transport Authority enforces the Road Traffic Act against illegal carpooling, relying on public feedback or targeted operations to gather evidence of trips between strangers for payment outside licensed operators.
The Ministry urges the public to use licensed carpooling services for safety, as these operators verify drivers and record trips, unlike unregulated platforms.
Enforcement distinguishes social from illegal carpooling by investigating reported trips, ensuring reasonable action only against unlicensed fee-based services between strangers.
The Ministry plans to continue monitoring and collaborating with other agencies to address illegal carpooling facilitated through chat groups, focusing on evidence-based enforcement.

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24 Feb 2023

Data on Work Permit Holders Charged with Crimes and Applying for Criminal Legal Aid

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked for statistics on Work Permit holders charged with crimes, their applications for criminal legal aid, and reasons for unsuccessful applications over the past five years.
K Shanmugam provided crime data from SPF and ICA, redirected CLAS questions to Pro Bono SG, and shared that foreigners' CLAS applications are tracked by outcome but not by permit type.
Pro Bono SG reported that the top reasons for unsuccessful CLAS applications by foreigners are failing the means test, the offence not being covered, and inability to contact the applicant for testing.

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24 Feb 2023

Protocol of Police in Handling Reports of Fraudulent Debit Card Transactions and Bank Account Withdrawals

Leong Mun Wai asked about the standard operating procedures for the Singapore Police Force in handling reports of fraudulent debit card transactions and bank account withdrawals.
K Shanmugam explained that police typically start investigations by recording statements and gathering evidence, and they may ask banks to deactivate cards or freeze accounts if not already done, with actions tailored to each case's specifics.
The government, through the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams, has collaborated with financial regulators and banks to implement measures like enhanced customer confirmations, notifications for account changes, and emergency kill switches to protect against fraud.

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24 Feb 2023

Individuals Currently Monitored under Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021

The Minister for Home Affairs stated that the Police do not disclose whether individuals are being monitored under FICA unless it is in the public interest.
The same policy applies to investigations or Police reports made under FICA, with information generally kept confidential.
Leong Mun Wai asked whether any individuals are currently monitored for influencing domestic political discourse and about the number of related investigations or reports.
The Minister confirmed the government's approach of not publicizing such details to protect operational integrity.
The response emphasized that transparency is balanced against public interest considerations in FICA enforcement.

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24 Feb 2023

Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill

The Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill was presented to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 and to make related amendments to other Acts.
The Bill was introduced by the Minister of State for Home Affairs on behalf of the Minister for Home Affairs and was read for the first time.
The second reading of the Bill was scheduled for the next available sitting on or after 20 March 2023.

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24 Feb 2023

Inquiry into Death of SCDF NSF Firefighter in December 2022

The government confirmed that the Police are investigating the death of SCDF NSF firefighter SGT1 Edward Go, and the Coroner will make findings on the circumstances after reviewing the investigation.
A Board of Inquiry (BOI) will be convened under the Civil Defence Act to review the incident and make recommendations, but it will start only after the Coroner’s findings are established to consider all facts.
The Minister of State explained that sequencing the BOI after the Coroner’s inquiry allows it to incorporate findings from both the Police and the Coroner for a comprehensive assessment.
The Coroner’s inquiry will be held in public, and the BOI’s findings will also be shared with the public at an appropriate time.
The government emphasized transparency by committing to disclose both the Coroner’s and BOI’s findings to address public concerns and improve firefighting operations.

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