Amrin Amin
Singapore
“The Police have taken this very seriously and have taken stern measures. The law is quite strict on this and I think it is adequate deterrence for those who persist in such conduct. We have, in addition to the law, also taken complementary measures such as advisories and various other measures.”
“The Police take a serious view of all reports of falsehoods regarding the COVID-19 situation, including those that claim “partial lockdown”, as these may cause public alarm. The Police will investigate such cases and take firm action against the culprits.”
“The offences under the Miscellaneous Offences Act and POFMA while similar, involve different elements which the prosecution is required to prove. Every case of communication of false message is assessed based on the findings rising from investigations and the Public Prosecutor exercises his discretion on the most appropriate charge.”
“Police operational deployments are confidential and are driven by an assessment of the law and order situation. The Police deploy a significant number of Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers to patrol Little India during peak periods such as weekend nights, eve of Public Holidays and Public Holidays.”
“The Government has announced legislation that will allow entities, including societies, to adopt prescribed alternative arrangements so that meetings can be conducted in a manner compliant with the safe distancing measures announced on 24 March 2020.”
“Patrol deployment plans are calibrated based on the crime trends as well as the crowd footfall. We note the Member's feedback but just to let the Member know, the patrol team does patrol common areas as well as specific areas of concern.”
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“The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) regularly educates the public on the risks of buying health products from dubious or unknown sources, including online purchases. For example, last year, HSA ran a six-week online campaign to educate consumers on such dangers. It included an animated YouTube video to explain the risks, and pop-up advisories targeted at consumers looking for health products online. There are also efforts targeted specifically at school students. HSA has worked with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to include the risks of purchasing health products online in HPB's school-based educational programmes. HSA has also collaborated directly with tertiary students from the local polytechnics and universities to reach out to their peers about the dangers of buying health products online. HSA will continue to work with HPB and the Ministry of Education to educate school students on the risks associated with buying health products from dubious online sites and the need for discernment when purchasing health products.”
“No manpower cost is incurred as the training allowance is paid by WSG. Since its November 2018 launch, 24 employers offering more than 150 vacancies have come on board. And besides offering such programmes which are geared mainly for inmates with longer sentence, we have also reviewed how we can help inmates with short sentences. Last year, the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism, a committee co-led by MSF and MHA, was set up to oversee national efforts to prevent offending and re-offending and enhance rehabilitation. The Committee assessed that there was scope to offer targeted support for higher-risk inmates with sentences of less than a year, as a good number of them may still have a high risk of re-offending. And since June 2018, Prisons have started to provide psychology-based correctional programmes to higher-risk inmates serving between six months and a year. This group of inmates will undergo an abridged pre-release programme and a Reintegration Needs Assessment before release. Prisons will also work with the National Council of Social Service on a pilot to place 60 higher-risk inmates with short sentences on voluntary case management after their release, to assist with reintegration. Keeping Singapore safe and secure is our promise to Singaporeans. We will deliver.”
“The drug menace is not fully under control. It is still widespread in our community. Let us come together. We will fight with our heart and soul. 5.45 pm (In English): Employment is another key in breaking the offending cycle. Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about support for ex-offenders to find jobs. In 2018, 96% of ex-offenders who requested assistance from SCORE secured a job before release. Ex-offenders who are unable to secure jobs on their own, can apply for jobs via SCORE's online job portal or contact SCORE's Employment Assistance Unit. Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Baey Yam Keng asked about steps taken to increase the employability of ex-offenders. We have launched several initiatives last year. First, Prisons School has launched a Diploma programme in Business Practice (International Supply Chain Management) with Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Inmates can benefit from the projected increase in manpower demand of the logistics sector upon their release. Second, since June 2018, SCORE has enhanced the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training in culinary skills to include advanced modules. I visited Prisons last month and observed inmates learning to make chicken soup, not from ready-made sachets, but from scratch. Eighty-six inmates have successfully attained the Higher WSQ certification as of December 2018. With this certification, they can work at kitchens as kitchen helpers and progress the ranks to commissioned cooks. Third, SCORE has partnered Workforce Singapore (WSG) to emplace ex-offenders on short-term work stints under the Career Trial Programme. The trial allows a prospective employer to assess performance and job fit for up to 480 hours, before offering an ex-offender permanent employment.”
“They feel like it is a calling to do so. Examples are our fishing brothers from The One Nation Angler Association (TONA); the cycling group Flow Riders; and the National University of Singapore Malay Society with their annual Paradigma event which reaches out to help youth abusers. The Dadah Itu Haram campaign is a Community Campaign, the Voice from People’s Heart. Apart from the Dadah Itu Haram campaign, organisations, such as Jamiyah, Pertapis, the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) and the Muslim Counselling Service, provide support to ex-abusers while they are in and out of prison. I wish to elaborate on two programmes. First, the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP). The Development and Reintegration Programme (DRP) that I launched in November 2018 is progressing well. To date, 185 offenders and families receive support and help in the form of financial assistance, skills upgrading and education for children. I salute AMP for its determination and sincerity. AMP is the first organisation to provide all-round continuous support, from in-care counselling, family support, to support after their release. Second, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). MUIS has produced sermons which are delivered during Friday prayers for inmates. This special sermon focuses on the needs of drug abusers. Additionally, religious teachers in MUIS are developing a religious education curriculum that will equip inmates in not only religious knowledge, but also values, such as responsibility to self and family, self-confidence and the importance of staying away from drugs that destroy families and degrades morals. MUIS and the other M3 partners will work together to deal with this challenge. The work is far from over.”
“It is worrying that the proportion of new Malay drug abusers and those aged below 30 are increasing. Our community, however, is not easily defeated, and will not give up easily. The war against the drug menace will continue to be fought with the strong support of the Government, Malay/Muslim organisations, religious leaders, families and our Malay youths. Ms Rahayu Mahzam mentioned the Dadah Itu Haram Campaign that was launched in April 2017. The Dadah Itu Haram campaign harnesses the community's strength and demonstrates the community's firm stance against the scourge of drugs. Although only two years old, the Dadah Itu Haram campaign is not moving at a slow pace but, in fact, has reached out to the community very quickly. The outcome has been beyond our expectations. Every fortnight, our volunteers distribute Dadah Itu Haram campaign collaterals at mosques across Singapore after Friday prayers. Barbers share about the dangers of drugs at their barbershops while cutting hair. As the Singapore Sepaktakraw Federation (PERSES) sepaktakraw league play their sepaktakraw, they actively help to spread anti-drug messages. Food stalls, music jamming studios, as well as car dealers and workshops also participate by sticking Dadah Itu Haram campaign decals as a reminder and a call for vigilance. We will continue to alert our community about the threat of drugs and take action so that our families and our children are conscious of the dangers and are protected. Over 50 events were conducted, with 300 organisations and businesses as campaign partners as well as 300 volunteers, and we also reached out to more than 100,000 Malay/Muslims in 2018. I am proud that we now receive interest from members of our community. They want to contribute to the success of this campaign.”
“The family is an important source. Prisons have set up the Family Interventions and Reintegration Support Team in July 2018. Under this trial, Family Case Managers work closely with community partners to strengthen dysfunctional families, so that they can support and be meaningfully involved in the rehabilitation of their loved ones. With strong family support, the reintegration process for the inmate becomes easier. As mentioned by Mr Saktiandi Supaat, unfortunately, there are still cases where ex-offenders are unable to return home due to unresolved family grievances. For help, they can go to the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association's Step-Up Centre in Sengkang and the newly opened centre in Taman Jurong. They may also call the ComCare hotline or approach the nearest Social Service Office or Family Service Centre. If they have no alternative family support and are unable to afford other housing options, they can apply to the Housing and Development Board for public rental housing. There are schemes to support those in need, and inmates are briefed on help avenues before release. We are constantly reviewing to see how else we can support ex-offenders in their reintegration. It is a difficult journey, but ex-offenders must also take ownership and responsibility for their reintegration. The community is another critical component of pro-social support. The Malay-Muslim community has made significant efforts to mobilise support against drugs and for ex-offenders. Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Drug abuse affects all communities. But this issue has been haunting our Malay community. Malay drug abusers form the biggest proportion of abusers.”
“Teachers and parents can read to their children and equip them with the facts about the harms of drugs early. You can get this storybook at primary school, public and Parliament libraries. Another example: 19-year-old Singaporean, Ms Nur Afikah, participated in the annual UN Office on Drugs and Crime Youth Forum in March 2018. At the Forum, she exchanged ideas with representatives from 25 other countries on running effective programmes to prevent drug abuse. She spoke from personal experience, having witnessed the devastating impact of drugs on relatives and friends. At the 2019 Youth Forum, Singapore will be represented by Javier Ng, a 17-year-old Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student. Javier and Afikah are among 122 youth Anti-Drug Abuse Advocates. Our youth advocates have organised various events, most recently, an anti-drug roadshow at the Singapore Institute of Management. Even as we do more in preventive drug education, we cannot let up on enforcement. We amended the Misuse of Drugs Act recently to introduce contamination and child endangerment offences. Acts of contamination which facilitate or promote drug use have been criminalised. Drug abusers who leave drugs lying around at home and expose children to the risks of drugs, will also be criminally liable. We will also strengthen our drug rehabilitation regime. We will make a distinction between abusers who only consume drugs, and those who face charges for other offences of harm to society. Pure drug offenders will undergo intensive rehabilitation in the DRCs, instead of going through the long-term imprisonment pathway. After their release, they will be subject to longer supervision in the community of up to five years. A key factor that keeps offenders from re-offending is strong pro-social support.”
“We aim to re-employ as many of our officers as we can. I will now turn to my third area – keeping Singapore drug-free. Mr Chairman, this is a top priority for MHA. Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Dr Tan Wu Meng asked about Singapore’s views on the moves by some countries to legalise the use of cannabis. The Government’s stand on illicit drugs, including cannabis, is clear. Drugs are addictive and harmful. Research has shown that they lead to irreversible brain damage, and even death. But strangely, some countries have legalised cannabis. Contrary to evidence, they portray raw cannabis as "harmless" and even having "health benefits". The trend is largely driven by commercial lobbying thirsty for profits and serves as a politically expedient way out of a drug abuse situation over which some governments have lost control. Public interest and the welfare of individuals, families and societies are sacrificed on the altars of bad science, profits and political expediency. Preventive education is our first line of defence against the drug scourge. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked about MHA's plans to engage youths on the harms of drug abuse. This is a concern. Young abusers below 30 formed close to two-thirds of new abusers arrested last year. The number of new youth abusers below 20 increased by 30% last year to 305. Today, CNB reaches out to students through talks, roadshows, social media and projects. With their talents and passion, youths can be powerful anti-drug advocates. Let me share some examples. Nanyang Polytechnic graduates Jillian Khoo and Teh Yu Yin produced an illustrated book titled "Captain Drug Buster vs Dr Wacko: The Final Showdown". The storybook teaches our 7- to 10-year-olds on the harms of drugs.”
“Members of the public can now perform online transactions, such as reporting crimes, from home. Self-help terminals have also been installed at several Neighbourhood Police Centres. Time saved from automating such services can be redirected to frontline core policing duties where human touch is crucial. Another key aspect of policing is community partnership. In 2018, SPF introduced a new vocation for its voluntary service vocation. It is called VSC (Community). I attended the training graduation of the inaugural batch of 38 VSC (Community) officers in April 2018. From 38 officers, we now have 134 VSC (Community) officers. Dressed in a blue Police polo T-shirt and black cargo pants, VSC (Community) officers join regular Police Officers at high visibility patrols in community areas, assist in crowd and traffic regulation, and security checks at major security events. VSC (Community) is an example of how the community can help augment Police resources and contribute to our nation’s security. Mr Desmond Choo asked how we are reskilling our officers to better utilise technology and whether there is scope to form training committees. The Home Team recognises the importance of upskilling our officers to take on higher value work. This is crucial as we transform, introduce new concepts of operations, and redesign existing jobs to leverage new technologies. MHA formed a Skills Transformation Development Team to identify the training required for officers to meet increasing operational expectations. The team identified a need to develop officers' skills in key areas, such as data analytics, technology literacy and cybersecurity. Mr Desmond Choo also asked about the re-employment of officers. In the last five years, MHA re-employed about 45% of our retired uniformed officers.”
“In just two months, more than 200 e-commerce scam cases were solved and 26 scammers were arrested. Third, we have raised public awareness. There is a dedicated scam advisory hotline and "Scamalert.sg" website which provide information on the latest scams. We have worked with online marketing platform Carousell, convenience stores, remittance agencies, banks and other stakeholders to remove suspicious advertisements, publish scam advisories, and look out for potential scam victims. To educate the elderly who are vulnerable to such scams, the Police conducted Silver IT Fest 2018. The Police also reached out to elderly residents through home visits and Silver Watch, a programme to equip seniors with crime prevention knowledge. Together with the National Crime Prevention Council, we launched the "Let’s Fight Scams" campaign, partnering community and businesses. We will continue to focus on this fight. Mr Chairman, turning now to my second area – Home Team Transformation. MHA has embarked on Home Team Transformation since 2015. The Transformation aims to strengthen joint operations in the Home Team, deepen our science and technology capabilities, and upskill our officers to better meet future challenges. The Transformation efforts are progressing well. Mr Murali Pillai asked about how MHA would ensure that SPF would be sufficiently resourced to continue to operate effectively. SPF is constantly looking at new ways to improve productivity and efficiency of our officers. As part of the Home Team Transformation, systems are developed to support ground operations and ease administrative workload. One example is SPF's convenient and citizen-centric e-Services. On 8 July 2018, the revamped e-Services 1.0 was introduced.”
“Mr Chairman, I will focus on four areas: fighting cybercrime and scams; transforming the Home Team; keeping Singapore drug-free; and supporting rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders. On the first area, fighting cybercrimes and scams. Last year, crimes reported increased by 1.4%, largely driven by an increase in scams. More than $158 million was lost to scams in 2018 and this is just a conservative estimate. The public continues to fall largely for three types of scams: e-commerce scams, such as online purchase scams; two, credit-for-sex scams, where scammers pose as attractive women on social media platforms; and, three, China officials' impersonation scams, where victims receive calls from seemingly official numbers, and are told to provide banking details or remit money to assist in "criminal investigations". Last year, one victim lost about $1.7 million this way. Mr Christopher de Souza asked about how MHA would be tackling cybercrime, especially those targeting the elderly and Internet love scams. We have adopted a multi-pronged strategy. First, we have strengthened international cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies to disrupt foreign syndicates. Last year, Police conducted joint operations with the Royal Malaysian Police and Hong Kong Police, which led to the arrest of over 40 suspects responsible for over 150 Internet love scams across three jurisdictions. Second, we have devoted more resources. In 2017, Police set up the Transnational Commercial Crime Task Force to investigate cross-border scams. To date, we have seized more than $1.5 million and frozen over 600 bank accounts. Police also set up the E-Commerce Fraud Enforcement and Coordination Team in November last year.”
“Singapore and Japan enjoy a long-standing and close relationship underpinned by multifaceted cooperation, including trade and connectivity, and science and technology. Singapore and Japan also share strong people-to-people relations and cooperate on capacity-building in other countries. There is much that Singapore can learn from Japan's experience in various areas. This being the case, there is room for both sides to build on our existing good bilateral relationship to share ideas and solutions that will help tackle issues of common interest. Some common challenges include ageing and declining populations. Could MFA provide an update on Singapore-Japan relations, in particular, on new areas of cooperation with Japan? Relations with Republic of Korea”
“Between 2014 and 2018, the number of speeding violations involving heavy vehicles with speed limiters actually decreased by about 37%, from 1,737 in 2014 to 1,087 in 2018. And the number of speeding-related accidents involving heavy vehicles decreased, too, by about 37% from 27 in 2014 to 17 in 2018. But nevertheless, we agree with the Member, one accident is still one too many. We will see what we can do better in this area.”
“I thank the Member for the suggestion. We will study whether we need to increase the penalties for tampering. But currently, the penalties are quite significant. Just to share with the Member that it is an offence to tamper with a speed limiter installed in heavy vehicles. First-time offenders are liable for an imprisonment term of up to three months, a fine of $1,000 or both. And this is for first-time offenders. More severe punishment is meted out to those who are repeat offenders. There are also laws that ensure heavy vehicle owners maintain the speed limiters in proper working condition. Again, there are penalties for failure to abide by this law. That said, we are not just stopping there. We are also looking to enhance the punishment, in particular. MHA recently announced increases in composition sums for road traffic offences which will take effect on 1 April 2019. With this change, the composition sum for heavy vehicle drivers who exceed the speed limit by over 31 kilometres per hour would be increased from $200 today to $400. Also, TP engages heavy vehicle drivers regularly through education, safety dialogues and various other sessions. On the use of the speed tracking devices, that is part of the trial. In fact, what we have tested in the trial were enhanced features where the business owners could actually track the speed of the vehicles when they are transmitted to the companies. So, the tracking device, as I have mentioned, can be tampered with, and tampering is something that is very difficult to detect. That is why we have quite serious punishments for it. We will continue to study what we can do better. On a good note, the accidents involving heavy vehicles have, in fact, decreased. Let me share with Member the figures that we have.”
“Today, the Traffic Police (TP) already require the use of speed limiters for heavy vehicles. One limitation, however, is that the speed limiters can be tampered with. Between December 2017 and August 2018, TP conducted a trial on speed-tracking devices, to assess if they might be more effective than speed limiters in discouraging heavy vehicle drivers from speeding. TP concluded from the trial that even though the speed-tracking devices were accurate in measuring vehicle speed, they were also susceptible to being tampered with. They do not, therefore, confer significant advantages over speed limiters. In addition, the cost to install the speed tracking devices is not low. TP has decided not to make the speed tracking devices mandatory. TP will continue to require the use of speed limiters in heavy vehicles. TP will continue to monitor the development of other technologies that can help to discourage speeding. TP will also continue to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to getting heavy vehicle drivers to drive safely, including strict enforcement, sustained education and engagement.”
“Those who only take drugs and admit to taking drugs, can be placed under the rehabilitation regime. They will undergo intensive rehabilitation at the DRC and a longer supervision period of up to five years. This allows them to be supervised but also gives them an opportunity to get a stable job and improve relations with their families and society. Second, we will target acts of contamination to strongly deter behaviour that can propagate drug abuse and harm others. For example, it is an offence to teach others how to take part in drug activities like taking drugs, making drugs and distributing drugs, with the knowledge that the person intends to carry out those activities. Third, we will double our efforts to protect our children. It will be an offence for adults who possess drugs to, either on purpose or otherwise, allow the drugs to come within reach of children. It will be an offence for adults who allow young persons under 21 to consume drugs owned by that adult. We will also require parents and guardians of youths who abuse drugs to attend counselling. I agree with the suggestions from Dr Intan Mokhtar, Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Mr Faisal Manap about the dangers of drugs. Drug abuse can destroy families and have a significant impact on the children. Tough and appropriate action must be taken. Together with our community partners, we will work towards freeing Singapore from the drug scourge.”
“This period is for doctors to observe the person, like his withdrawal symptoms. As to how fast this appears is dependent on the type of drug and how heavily addicted the suspected abuser is, and when he last consumed the drugs. Ms Irene Quay also asked if there are plans to consider dispensing separation for controlled drugs and other drugs like hypnotics and codeine-containing preparations. MOH currently manages the risk of errant prescription by practitioners through legislative controls, guidelines in supply, prescription and dispensing of drugs. This is coupled with random ad hoc audits of the records of the dispensing of drugs in licensed healthcare institutions. We will study the suggestion. Dr Intan Mokhtar asked how the SAF deals with drug abuse. MINDEF and the SAF take a zero-tolerance approach towards drug abuse and work closely with CNB to deal with drug abuse in the SAF. In line with this zero-tolerance approach, SAF servicemen who are caught abusing drugs will be charged in the Military Court and receive custodial sentences, the duration of which would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked about appeal processes for those charged with drug offences. The processes are no different from other appeal processes and an application can be filed with the Courts. Mr Deputy Speaker, allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This is an important amendment that will help to enhance our whole strategy in the fight against drugs. We are grateful for the support from Members of Parliament on our tough stance towards drugs. I would like to highlight three things. First, a more calibrated approach towards offenders.”
“Travellers visiting Singapore are allowed to bring in or import their prescribed medications, but depending on the specific type, an approval to import is required before the person arrives in Singapore. Detailed information and application procedures can be found on HSA's website. Specific to travellers who request to bring in cannabinoid medications, these applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, and they must be pharmaceutical cannabinoids which are prescribed by qualified medical practitioners. As Mr Pritam Singh has said, it is important that the general population, and even foreigners, are aware of our laws, including new ones, and we will continue to expand our outreach efforts. On New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), this is another global challenge with the rapid emergence of NPS, and this is what Mr Christopher de Souza had spoken about. Syndicates and rogue chemists quickly churn modified products, marketing them as a safe and legal high, profiting off others' misery. MHA has been proactive in listing NPS as controlled drugs under the MDA. CNB is also working closely with partner agencies, such as HSA, to expand the range of NPS that can be tested and shorten the time taken to develop these testing capabilities. This has led to a significant increase in NPS abusers and traffickers arrested in 2018, and we are monitoring the situation very closely. Mr Deputy Speaker, I will now address the other issues Members have raised. Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Anthea Ong asked about the medical observation period of up to seven days. Such medical observation is for the purpose of determining whether a person has consumed drugs and is meant to provide legal clarity for existing practices.”
“Besides educating servicemen in both Home Team and SAF through mandatory talks, commanders are also equipped with PDE toolkits that they can use to educate servicemen on drug abuse. We encourage good ground efforts. The National Council Against Drug Abuse has a DrugFreeSG Fund that organisations can tap on for funding support of anti-drug initiatives, including awareness campaigns and ad hoc activities. By continuously engaging youths at various stages of their development, we want them to internalise the facts about the harms of drugs, so that they will be smart and resist bad influence and reject misinformation. We will also continue to study others' best practices to see what we can improve, for example, the Icelandic Model, which promotes dialogue among those in research, policy and practice. The National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism set up in April 2018 is one such avenue to bring together policymakers, practitioners and researchers to co-create solutions to prevent offending, reoffending and enhance rehabilitation. With the inclusion of cannabis in many non-medicinal products sold overseas like cigarettes and oils, Ms Irene Quay also asked about how we can ensure the general public are well-informed of risks when they travel overseas. CNB issues public advisories to remind the public of these risks and not to bring in cannabis products. We will continue to do so via traditional and social media platforms. CNB also closely monitors the importation and sale of cannabis products in Singapore and will take tough actions against those who engage in these activities. Ms Irene Quay asked how we handle travellers who are legitimately prescribed with scheduled drugs if they intend to enter Singapore.”
“CNB uses its forensic capabilities to extract and access encrypted information in suspects' phones and computers. On the issue of cannabis, when dealing with the international drug situation, enforcement is only part of the story. The battle for the hearts and minds is equally tough, and thus, we have been stepping up on our Preventive Drug Education (PDE). As Mr Christopher de Souza and Ms Irene Quay observed, other countries have softened their approach towards cannabis. This is accompanied by misleading media messages. Our children can be misled into thinking that cannabis is harmless. CNB works closely with the Institutes of Higher Learning to conduct regular pre-trip briefings for students who are going abroad. This is to remind them of the harms of drugs, and also that Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who consume illicit drugs overseas can be dealt with as if they have consumed them in Singapore. We make sure we provide such timely reminders. But it actually starts much earlier. In December last year, I launched a storybook with an anti-drug message for lower primary school children. The books are available at public libraries and primary schools. CNB works closely with MOE to provide PDE throughout primary, secondary and tertiary education. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah observed, fundamentally, our children need perceptiveness and resilience against drug misinformation. We also know how important peer influence is, and so, CNB has set up an Anti-drug Abuse Advocacy Network comprising more than 500 youth leaders, educators, influencers and other members of the community, who use their voices to help encourage others to lead drug-free lives. As Mr Mohamed Irshad mentioned, NS is another important touchpoint.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, many drug trafficking operations are transnational, so cross-border collaboration is crucial. Ms Joan Pereira asked about border security and how we work with other organisations to keep drugs out of Singapore. In particular, she has asked about checks at our checkpoints. The reality is that there is a very high volume of people and goods that cross our border, and so, it is not feasible for us to check or to subject each and every person, and each and every vehicle to extensive checks. But that said, CNB works closely with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on joint operations and conduct intel-led checks. CNB also shares information on latest regional drug trends and modus operandi of trafficking syndicates. CNB also collaborates with partners across the world, including the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department of the Royal Malaysian Police and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to investigate and dismantle cross-border drug trafficking syndicates. Last year, CNB took part in a number of operations with foreign agencies, including Operation Lionfish, an INTERPOL-coordinated operation across 93 countries, which led to a combined seizure of more than 55 tonnes of illicit drugs and the arrest of 1,300 suspects. Members have also spoken about how the Internet facilitates cross-border drug trafficking. We will continue to maintain the tough laws against trafficking across all mediums, whether the offence is facilitated via physical meetups or the Internet. Ms Joan Pereira asked whether our intelligence teams are empowered to access encrypted messages. Authorities are empowered under the Criminal Procedure Code to access computers and encrypted information as part of investigations.”
“The Courts still retain discretion in the following ways: sentencing above the prescribed one year, that is, the Court can impose a sentence from one to a maximum of 10 years; and when a person is also charged with other criminal charges, the Court retains the discretion to order the drug consumption sentence to run concurrently or consecutively with that of the other charges. The mandatory minimum sentence has to be seen against the larger context of the rehabilitative framework for drug abusers. We have introduced various calibrated rehabilitative programmes for both youth and adult drug abusers. These programmes cater to the different circumstances and risk levels of the individual abuser. So, the reality today is that not all offences of consumption are treated the same. There is no rigid, immutable starting point as an offender can be directed to the newly introduced EDSO or DRC, and, for youths, Youth Enhanced Supervision, Community Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) and, as the Minister earlier said, we are also introducing a surrender regime. So, the programmes are varied and tailored to the need of the offenders. Given the many varied and expanded options, the mandatory minimum sentence for drug consumption is important in maintaining the Government’s firm stance against drugs. On hair analysis, Mr Christopher de Souza has asked how often a person needs to report for hair testing. Hair testing will complement urine testing and, generally, the abuser will need to report to CNB once every month. Mr Mohamed Irshad and Mr Faisal Manap have also provided some feedback on the supervision process. We are aware of this and are monitoring closely. We will see how we can leverage technology, like hair analysis, which could reduce the frequency of reporting.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I will now address the following questions raised by Members. The first, the mandatory minimum sentence for drug consumption; second, hair analysis; third, international cooperation in cross-border drug enforcement; and fourth, cannabis and our preventive drug education. Drug addiction is a complex issue, as what Ms Anthea Ong has noted. It is a confluence of biological, psychological and social factors, and we adopt a multi-pronged approach to tackling drug addiction. Robust laws, a fair criminal justice system, evidence-based rehabilitation framework, community and family support, all play an important part. Mr Pritam Singh asked about how many of the DRC inmates are first-timers. Based on the end-2017 DRC inmate population, around 55% or 750 are first-timers. Mr Pritam Singh has also asked for family and income profile of DRC inmates. We do not have the information currently, and may I invite the Member to file a separate Parliamentary Question on this? The key challenge is to ensure that our people do not even start on drugs and get entangled in this complex issue. Mr Murali Pillai, Mr Louis Ng and Ms Anthea Ong have asked what the policy consideration to impose the mandatory minimum sentence for drug consumption was. The primary intent of the mandatory minimum sentence is to reflect the strong deterrent stance against drugs. This is a deliberate policy decision by the Government.”
“For PICs with intellectual disabilities, we will treat them no differently from other PICs as they might exhibit non-compliant behaviour and attempt to escape or hurt others without any tell-tale signs. Thus, we will restrain them by default if the PIC is between 16 and 65 years old.”
“Persons-in-Custody (PICs) are restrained for a number of reasons. One reason is to prevent them from escaping. Another important reason is to prevent them from causing harm to others or themselves. The public will not find it acceptable if any of these things happened. We have, nevertheless, recently reviewed the policy and have made some changes. We will, as a general position, not restrain a PIC known to the relevant enforcement officers to be below 16 years old or aged 65 and above when the PIC is being arrested. But if the PIC is suspected of committing serious crimes like murder, rape or drug trafficking, or if the escorting officer assesses, for example, that there is a risk of the PIC escaping or causing harm to others or self, then he or she is likely to be restrained. Any indication of unstable or irrational behaviour could also be reasons for coming to such conclusions. We will have to go by judgements made by officers on the spot. This exception policy will not apply to PICs under Prisons' custody, which will include convicted prisoners and persons in remand. That means persons below 16 and above 65 will be under restraint when under Prisons' escort.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Mr Louis Ng asked for the actual numbers of deaths per year attributable to tobacco use, anti-smoking and second-hand smoke. The number for 2016 is 2,278. [Please refer to "Effects of Prolonged Exposure to Second-hand Smoke", Official Report, 2 October 2018, Vol 94, Issue No 84, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“I apologise, I do not have the exact numbers. I just have the percentages. I can touch base with the Member separately. [Please refer to "Clarification by Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health", Official Report, 2 October 2018, Vol 94, Issue No 84.]”
“Currently, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has developed online and print resources, for example, brochures, posters, to raise awareness on environmental tobacco smoke. And through I Quit roadshows, HPB health ambassadors also share with the smokers and their family members on the harmful health effects of the environmental tobacco smoke and encourage smokers to quit smoking. But we note the suggestion and we will see what we can do to increase outreach in that area.”
“Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, also known as second-hand smoke, is associated with health conditions similar to those faced by smokers. These include eye, nose and throat irritation, increased risk of respiratory infections, worsening of pre-existing respiratory problems, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And also, increased risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers, such as breast and lung cancer. In individuals, it is often not possible to definitively attribute disease conditions specifically to exposure to second-hand smoke, because the individual may also have other risk factors. At the population level, the Global Burden of Disease 2016 study estimates that tobacco use contributes to approximately 7% of the total disease burden in Singapore, of which 1% is due to second-hand smoke and 6% due to active smoking. Disease burden refers to the number of years of healthy life lost, due to premature death as well as living in ill-health. From the same study, six persons die each day from active smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke. The results of the same study in 2010 are similar to the one in 2016. Tobacco use, including cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke, remains a leading contributor to the burden of disease in Singapore. The Ministry of Health (MOH) will continue to monitor the effects of tobacco use and press on with its multi-pronged approach to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in Singapore. This includes public education, provision of smoking cessation and tobacco control legislation.”
“We will consider that. But for now, we would look at family as the first line of defence, in particular. Even when their parents are incarcerated, there are others like grandparents, aunts and uncles, who can help. We would actually look to family as the first line of defence.”
“Over 80 constituencies are involved in our YRCP. I will check whether the Member's constituency is part of it. But through this programme, the grassroots volunteers actually receive information from Prisons, and there have been regular house visits done. So, we have got quite a number of volunteers. So, I will certainly check whether the Member's constituency is involved, and we will link the Member up with the right resources to ensure that the Member's residents will get the support they need.”
“I thank the Member. We are definitely looking into that. But it is quite a challenge because some of these families, there has been a breakdown in family relationships. For some of them, they have not been in touch with their spouses and may not know where their children are. But we are, nevertheless, trying. We have a rough sense, but we are not able to share because there needs to be more work put in into this.”
“I thank the Member. We certainly agree with the need for more help to be given to children of ex-offenders, in particular, the sad situation when both parents are incarcerated. So, we have to do our best in an imperfect situation because we recognise that parents play a very big role in the lives of children. Given this imperfect situation, relatives would have to come in, the community would have to rally and help to fill in the gaps. One of the projects that we have is the Yellow Ribbon Community Project where grassroots volunteers visit family, gather information on their needs and link them up to the grassroots advisors, as well as to existing support structures, such as the Residents' Committee and various other avenues of help, including the Community Development Councils (CDCs). Recently, we enhanced the Yellow Ribbon Community Project (YRCP) – we call it YRCP 2.0 – and we have been training volunteers so that they can make a greater impact. One of the key areas we are training them is to give them the skills and support to ensure that they can play a role in rekindling familiar bonds, providing positive pro-social support and better identifying vulnerable children. And as I mentioned, one of the roles of NCPR is also to see what else can be done. We recognise their gaps and it is something that we got to make the best of in an imperfect situation.”
“I thank the Member. We certainly agree with the many-helping-hands approach. There have been many of such efforts ongoing, actually. As I mentioned about the CARE Network, this network has worked in partnership with grassroots volunteers, family service centres and other voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), and have been providing support to children of inmates and ex-offenders. I also mentioned about the family bonding programmes run by the various community partners, such as the Salvation Army and Singapore Children's Society, which are targeted at inmates, children and caregivers. We have also launched recently in July 2016 a CARE Network Children Support Programme. One of the key features of the programme is to provide case management services to enable more effective assessment of the needs of children of inmates and ex-offenders and channelling them to the relevant VWOs for follow-up. Nevertheless, the thrust of the suggestion for us to do more and better has been well-noted and this is what the NCPR Committee will be reviewing and discussing, to see how we can intensify efforts to ensure that we can prevent intergenerational offending.”
“CNB also works with the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) to raise awareness of the harms of drugs among youths. NCADA has established the United Against Drugs Coalition. This is a coalition of corporate and community establishments, such as clothing and food and beverage (F&B) companies popular among youths. NCADA engages these establishments to propagate the anti-drug message to their young customers. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is also working closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and other Government agencies and community partners in an integrated approach to support at-risk children and youths, offenders and their families. To this end, the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism (NCPR) was set up in April 2018, co-chaired by the Minister for Social and Family Development Mr Desmond Lee, and Second Minister for Home Affairs Mrs Josephine Teo. The Committee facilitates collaborative efforts in research and data sharing, helps develop the capacity of organisations to support rehabilitation and coordinates efforts to address issues of offending and re-offending.”
“We do not track the number of drug offenders who have children at home, nor the number of children of drug offenders who become drug abusers later in life. But we recognise that the latter is a real risk. To address this, measures have been put in place to support families and children of offenders and ex-offenders. Singapore Prison Service works with community partners to provide them social support. Partners, such as Focus on the Family, The Salvation Army and Singapore Children Society. run family-bonding programmes within prisons. These programmes equip inmates with the relevant knowledge and skills to improve their relationship with their families and children during incarceration. Member agencies in the Community Action for Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network, run programmes, such as the Yellow Ribbon Fund’s Yellow Brick Road and the Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Ltd (ISCOS) Fairy Godparent programmes. These programmes provide tuition support to improve the children's academic performance, befriending and mentorship programmes to develop the children’s socio-emotional competencies, and parenting skills workshop to improve the caregivers' parenting abilities. In addition, the Home Team introduced the Youth Engagement Programme (YEP) in 2012 to reach out to at-risk youths and keep them meaningfully occupied through sports and youth camps. Under YEP, officers from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) also serve as mentors and conduct crime and drug prevention talks. CNB works with the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs), polytechnics and universities to establish youth advocacy against drug use.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to take Question Nos 9 and 10 together.”
“Police investigations into Tiong Bahru Football Club and various other entities associated with the case are in their final phase. The recommendations will be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in due course. For now, it is not appropriate for me to comment further.”
“We share the Member's concern on Internet Love Scams and would like to assure the hon Member that we will continuously review our outreach strategies and ensure their effectiveness. On the question of how much money has been recovered, as I mentioned just now, TCTF has seized more than $1 million and closed about 300 bank accounts. The Police will apply to the Courts to ensure that the money gets recovered to the rightful owners. However, I should emphasise that the nature of Internet Love Scams is such that they are typically borderless and involves transnational syndicates. As a result, despite the Police's best efforts, it may be difficult to retrieve the money and return it to the rightful owners. But nonetheless, we will try our very best to review our strategies and strengthen our coordination with international agencies as well as other countries' police forces. On the issue of support, there are various places where victims can seek support. Social service organisations are one, grassroots organisations as well as Family Service Centres are others. I should, however, emphasise that prevention is always better than cure, and it is important to heed the Police's educational messages. One simple message is not to send money to people whom we do not know well.”
“A significant proportion of victims of Internet Love Scams are female and between 30 and 60 years old. The scammers mainly befriend their victims through social media and dating platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Tinder and OkCupid, winning their trust over time before cheating them of their money. The Police have been working with partners, such as the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), to step up public education on Internet Love Scams. We put out advisory messages through multiple platforms, including newspapers, television, roadshows, posters on public transport, and social media. We have also set up an Anti-Scam Helpline 1800-722-6688, and we also have the www.scamalert.sg website. Police have been stepping up enforcement. A significant proportion of Internet Love Scams are committed remotely by foreign syndicates. The Police will continue to work closely with foreign law enforcement counterparts to crack down on overseas syndicates targeting Singaporeans. In October 2017, the Police set up the Transnational Commercial Crime Task Force (TCTF), which will also look into tackling transnational Internet Love Scams. Since its formation, TCTF has seized more than $1 million and closed around 300 bank accounts belonging to money mules who were involved in such scams. This has led to a steady decline in reports of such scams from about 100 cases in September 2017, to about 40 in February 2018. The Police also work with Facebook to take down accounts that are used by scam syndicates. We intend to engage other major social media companies to do the same.”
“I think the time and resources issue will be considered as part of the general review and we will certainly be keen to ensure that our inmates get the proper support to help with their rehabilitation process.”
“We will conclude the review in good time. Generally, the prison service takes extra precautions to manage inmates who are diagnosed with intellectual disability. Those with mental illnesses and who require treatment are currently housed separately at the psychiatric housing unit. And those who are able to assimilate with the mainstream population and are housed with them, they generally undergo the same rehabilitation programmes like other inmates. However, prison staff will monitor them closely to pick up any incidents of bullying or difficulties in adjustment.”
“We will study the issue. There are a number of considerations that we will need to balance. First, intellectual disability occurs along a wide spectrum of severity. Persons with severe intellectual disability to the extent that they are incapable of understanding the nature and consequences of the act they had committed, are acquitted. However, in other cases, intellectual disability may not negate the culpability of the offender. Second, we will need to take into account other sentencing considerations. Offences which attract mandatory imprisonment and caning are generally serious and involve violence, such as robbery and aggravated rape. Such offences cause great distress to victims and threaten public safety. As such, punishment, deterrence and public protection are key considerations in sentencing for such offences. As for Mr Louis Ng's second question, mandatory treatment orders (MTOs) are imposed when an offender is suffering from a mental illness which is treatable and which contributed to his offence. However, psychiatric assessments of offenders have found that those with merely intellectual disability are unsuitable for MTOs as their conditions were not assessed to be treatable.”
“The Singapore Prison Service works with a number of community partners and voluntary welfare organisations to run programmes for inmates that incorporate life skills, such as communication, stress management, conflict resolution and financial management. These programmes include family programmes, drug abuse intervention programmes and religious counselling. One example is the structured family programmes run by Fei Yue Community Services and Lakeside Family Services. The programmes aim to increase inmates' knowledge, skills and confidence in maintaining ties and building stronger relationships with their family members. Another example is the drug abuse intervention programme run by Touch Community Services, which motivates inmates with drug antecedents to change. Inmates also learn behavioural skills to help in relapse prevention. More than 35,000 training places were offered to inmates in the last five years.”
“Mr Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] It is important to ensure that madrasah students and teachers in Singapore receive support and opportunities to upgrade themselves in order to grow a strong socio-religious sector. Our asatizahs play an important role in providing the community with sound religious leadership and guidance that are suited to Singapore’s context and modern realities. Madrasahs play an important role in developing future generations of asatizahs with a strong foundation in both religious and secular subjects. In 2017, the Government announced greater support for the madrasah sector with $1.5 million set aside annually to help madrasah teachers and students in secular subjects. Can the Minister provide an update on any other efforts to further strengthen our madrasahs and better equip our madrasahs to produce graduates who are future-ready? The Minister had also announced the new location of Madrasah Al-Arabiah in Toa Payoh. He said that the new campus would be equipped with the latest technological infrastructure and facilities to serve its students and the community. I would like to request for an update on the timeline for the construction of the new campus. Malayness”
“I thank the Member for supporting the increase in tax for tobacco. Tobacco taxes complement other measures to reduce smoking. So, price and tax on tobacco have shown to be one of the most effective methods in reducing demand as well as subsequent demand for tobacco products. There have been numerous studies that have documented that price as well as tax increases have an effect in reducing demand or affecting demand. Taxes work in conjunction with our other control measures and if Members look at how we have reduced the smoking prevalence rate from the high of 23% in 1977 to around roughly 13% in recent years, it shows the extent of our success. It is, of course, very difficult to pinpoint specific measures, like how much have tax increases contributed to reducing this prevalence rate. Holistically, we have to see that, in toto, our measures have been effective and the Government will continue to review and to see what we can do to enhance this to achieve our vision of a tobacco-free and nicotine-free future.”
“I thank the Member for the observations. The Member is right that "healthier choice" symbol does not mean that you can "whack" and "take" as much as you can! So, that is the warning. The key thing is that "healthier choice" is decided based on, for that category of food, it is lower in terms of sugar or other not too healthy things. It is healthier for that food band or for that food category. As I mentioned in my speech just now, we are considering other measures. We are studying what the UK is doing with regard to its "traffic light system" for food and drinks, as well as France's Nutri-score. That is something we are working towards and we will update this House, as well as seek public consultations before making a decision on this.”
“Yes. I thank the Member for the question. The current focus is on pre-packaged drinks, but we will certainly look into freshly brewed drinks later on, especially given the Member's concern on ice Milo.”
“Singapore recently announced a public consultation to gather detailed views on a proposal for the introduction of standardised packaging, together with enlarged graphic public health warnings. The public consultation will end on 16 March 2018, and we invite interested parties to submit their views. A final decision on whether to introduce the standardised packaging proposal will be made only after the public consultation. We will ensure that any measures, if introduced, are consistent with Singapore’s domestic laws and international obligations. MOH will continue to invest and promote good health. We will work closely with individuals, families, industry and community partners. But personal responsibility for healthy living remains key. Each of us has to do our part. Our goal is to realise a sustainable healthcare future where all Singaporeans enjoy Better Health, Better Care, Better Life. We ask for your support.”
“Two, we are partnering Sikh and Indian temples to bring health programmes, such as screening, exercise and healthy cooking programmes. Third, we will leverage social networks to train Health Ambassadors and equip them with skills to actively reach out to and promote healthier living to their families and friends. The final key focus area of my speech is tobacco control. Dr Chia Shi Lu asked what other measures we are considering to reduce tobacco use in our population. This year, we will be launching a new public education campaign to encourage Singaporeans to live a tobacco-free lifestyle. We will re-emphasise the harms of environmental tobacco smoke and the harms of tobacco. We will have a ground-up campaign involving youths in schools and IHLs. HPB will also work with partners, such as the Singapore Cancer Society and the Football Association of Singapore and other partners, to reach out to all and, in particular, youths on social media, in schools and other places. We will continue to enhance our smoking cessation services to support smokers on their tobacco-free journey. HPB will engage more workplaces, such as taxi and bus transportation sectors, to help their employees to quit smoking. We hope to see more companies create a health promoting working environment for their staff. There continues to be a debate on e-cigarettes. We debated this last November. Our position is clear. Any product that contains nicotine can cause addiction and pose risks to health, including e-cigarettes. We want a nicotine-free and tobacco-free future. We will allow e-cigarettes only if they are scientifically proven to be effective nicotine replacement therapy products, for smoking cessation. MOH is also considering introducing standardised packaging.”