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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“One of the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) initiatives was to "Acquire and Utilise Deep Skills", which can apply to people serving NS as well. In 2015, MINDEF and MHA, together with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, jointly organised the Career Skills Workshop for all NSFs. This arose from the recommendation by the Committee to Strengthen National Service and aims to help NSFs transit to the workforce after they complete full-time NS. Can MINDEF elaborate on what other initiatives are planned to prepare our NSFs for life after NS? Total Defence and Engagement of Society”
“As a multiracial and multi-religious country, disinformation campaigns and fake news can erode trust among various groups, and this can be exploited by external parties. Minister Ng Eng Hen had also warned in 2013 that some types of false news could have exponential consequences which could undermine our national security. Online misinformation could spread widely during tense or volatile situations, causing confusion and chaos which could weaken the community's resolve and cause disunity. How is MINDEF preparing to respond to such threats in the information domain? What role can each Singaporean play? Vulnerability to Hybrid Attacks Last year, Minister Ng talked about the "troubled peace" that we will face in an increasingly volatile and borderless environment. We have witnessed recently alleged state-directed hybrid attacks which combine conventional and unofficial military means with cyber warfare, propaganda and indirect tactics. How prevalent are such attacks in our region and are we vulnerable? What can be done to guard Singapore against such attacks? Expanded Security Threats”
“The political and security situation in the Middle Eastern countries continues to be uncertain and in a state of flux. The wars in Syria and Yemen are still ongoing. The Israeli-Palestinian issue has not made any progress. As major oil producers, countries in the Middle East have been impacted by the low oil prices. Can the Minister provide an update on Singapore's engagement with the Middle East? Besides economic engagement, what the other areas are we working on with the Middle Eastern countries? 6.30 pm Situation in the Middle East”
“We have always described Singapore's relationship with Brunei as a "special relationship". It is a longstanding and close relationship, the foundations of which were firmly laid by Brunei's late Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien and Singapore's founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Would the Minister be able to give us an update on the status of our bilateral relations and the trajectory of the relationship over the next few years? 6.00 pm Pedra Branca”
“Singapore's relations with our immediate neighbours, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, remain of great importance to us. As close neighbours, developments in these countries invariably have an impact on us and it is crucial that we remain invested in building good relationships with them. Our bilateral relations with Malaysia have seen a significant upswing in recent years. Many positive initiatives, such as the KL-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR), the JB-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS), and joint property developments, such as Marina One and the DUO, were pursued in a spirit of good neighbourliness. These projects will bring our people closer together. To many Singaporeans, it would appear that bilateral relations have never been better. At the same time, we were surprised by Malaysia's decision to apply for a revision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s 2008 judgment on the case concerning sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. We believed that the issue of sovereignty over Pedra Branca had been closed by the ICJ's decision years ago. Given these developments, I seek an assessment from the Minister for Foreign Affairs on our current relations with Malaysia and whether Malaysia's decision to apply for a revision of the ICJ judgment has affected the overall tenor of the relationship. Bilateral relations with Indonesia appear to be on a positive trajectory. I note that the Minister for Foreign Affairs recently hosted his Indonesian counterpart's visit to Singapore, and that Prime Minister Lee and President Jokowi held a Leaders' Retreat and opened an industrial park in Indonesia last year. What were some of the recent highlights and what is the Minister's assessment of Singapore's relationship with Indonesia?”
“The Member has summarised the regulations in that at the point of applying for the Provisional Driving Licence, drivers will declare they are medically fit to drive and they will also have to go through medical examinations after age 65. The other thing is, if there is an accident or investigation, then they will be subject to medical examinations. The data currently does not require such an active intervention. Over the past four years, there were 12 cases in which drivers were involved in an accident and, upon being subjected to medical examination, they were found to be suffering from a prescribed disease or disability, and we have taken stern action. Nevertheless, we note the Member's concern. That is a very good suggestion and we will study that and review it to see what are the best solutions for us.”
“Not many countries currently compel medical doctors to report such disabilities and diseases to the traffic authority, and requiring individuals to report such disabilities and diseases on their own may have limited effect practically. We will study the practices of other jurisdictions and what are the best options for us. We have to be mindful that our regulations strike a balance in ensuring that drivers continue to be fit to drive on the roads, without imposing overly onerous reporting requirements.”
“The prescribed disabilities and diseases are listed in the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licences) Rules. Examples include mental disorders and epilepsy. The list was drafted in consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Health and the Singapore Medical Association. This list was last reviewed in 2015. Drivers should not drive if they develop diseases or disabilities that impede their driving abilities, or if they are unwell and have trouble operating their motor vehicles. Instead, they should get an appointed driver to assist in their commute or use public transport. However, if they decide to drive and subsequently get involved in an accident, they would be liable for having committed a negligent act under the Penal Code, or potentially a rash act if it is proven that they were involved in the accident due to their diseases or disabilities. Currently, the Traffic Police (TP) require applicants for the Provisional Driving Licence to declare that they are medically fit to drive. TP also require drivers aged 65 and above to undergo medical examinations to determine their fitness to drive. TP will also subject licence holders to medical examinations to ascertain their fitness to drive, if accidents or other investigations reveal that they might have disabilities or diseases that impede their driving abilities. Drivers who fail the medical examination will have their driving licences revoked. Over the past four years, TP have revoked 69 driving licences due to such disabilities or diseases. We understand the Member of Parliament's concerns.”
“Mdm Speaker, may I take Question Nos 8 and 9 together?”
“I do not have the exact breakdown but, generally, the number of female abusers is smaller in number compared to male abusers.”
“We hope more community partners can come forward to help CNB develop outreach programmes to spread the anti-drug message more effectively.”
“I thank the hon Member for the question. We share the concern. We work with multiple partners on our engagement efforts and programmes, and some of these are designed to reach a wide audience while others are targeted at various communities or groups, such as youths. It has to be emphasised that it is not a problem facing just the Malay community but also others. Let me provide a few examples of efforts which focus on reaching out to the Malay community. On preventive drug education, I spoke about CNB's collaboration with MENDAKI and Majulah Community. CNB also works closely with community partners such as the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) and the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS) to reach out to the Malay community. Last year, CNB worked with AMP to conduct workshops for secondary school students, where the students were encouraged to share their thoughts on drug-related issues. This provided an interactive learning experience for students to learn about the dangers and consequences of abusing drugs. This year, CNB is engaging the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) to include anti-drug messages into their youth programmes and adult courses. The Singapore Prison Service also collaborates with MENDAKI to provide an information and referral service for the families of Malay inmates. MENDAKI acts as a touchpoint for these families and refer them to the Family Service Centres (FSCs) and voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) if they require any services. Over the past year, MENDAKI has helped more than 180 inmates. These engagement efforts and programmes targeted at the Malay community complement those that are designed to reach out to a wider audience.”
“This is why we have a zero-tolerance approach towards drugs. The drug situation will remain challenging going forward. This is due to the regional and global drug supply situation. Our youths may also be affected by the increasingly tolerant attitude towards drugs in some other parts of the world. We must, therefore, not let up on our efforts to be a drug-free society. We will continue to improve our prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation efforts. The community and families have a critical role to keep our youths away from drugs and to keep ex-abusers from returning to drugs. Ultimately, the individual must also want to change. Drug abusers must take charge of their rehabilitation journey and work with us to stay away from drugs.”
“This operation also stopped a potentially large supply of methamphetamine from entering Singapore. Third, we need to better support drug abusers in their rehabilitation. Since 2014, we have introduced more intensive rehabilitation programmes in the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) for drug abusers with more severe drug addiction issues and higher risk of reoffending. Earlier this year, we introduced a day release programme for low-risk drug abusers in the DRC, to facilitate their reintegration into society. Under this arrangement, drug abusers are allowed to work or study in the community during the day, and they will return to a community facility at night. They are subjected to supervision, such as regular urine tests. A strong in-care programme is not sufficient. The rehabilitation journey after release is a crucial step. If the drug abusers do not have good family and peer support, they are more likely to relapse. We work closely with the community to help ex-abusers. One example is the Community Befriender Project. The Project matches volunteers with inmates who have poor family or peer support. The volunteers visit the inmates and offer them moral support. They continue to meet the inmates after their release and help them build a new social support network. Since 2010, about 600 inmates have benefited from this Project. The Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA) opened its Step-Up Centre in January 2015. This Centre serves as a one-stop centre for services, such as counselling and support groups, to support ex-drug abusers and their families in their reintegration journey. More than 600 ex-abusers have sought help from the Centre. To conclude, drugs have a devastating impact on individuals, families and the society.”
“We support the Network by providing members with information on the harms of drugs and organising events for knowledge sharing and networking opportunities. We hope to have more youths come forward to join us as an advocate and help keep their peers away from drugs. We work closely with our community partners to engage youths with our anti-drug messages. For example, CNB worked with the Council on Education for Muslim Children (MENDAKI) and Majulah Community to provide an anti-drug talk to a group of student leaders, so that they could share what they learnt about drug abuse with their peers. Second, we need rigorous enforcement to keep drugs away from our streets. CNB has enhanced its capabilities to tackle drug syndicates. The Organised Crime Act, which came into force in June this year, criminalises organised crime activities, such as the recruitment of members into drug syndicates. In particular, the Act introduces Preventive Orders, which can be issued by the Courts as a pre-emptive measure. The Orders will curtail the activities of drug syndicates and deprive them of their ill-gotten gains. This enables us to better detect, disrupt and dismantle drug syndicates. We have stepped up collaboration with regional drug enforcement agencies to disrupt the operations of drug syndicates. In June 2016, CNB was able to arrest a drug syndicate leader due to intelligence from our Malaysian counterparts. The close collaboration between CNB and the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) disrupted the operations of the drug syndicate and its laboratory in Malaysia. More than 270 kilogrammes of methamphetamine were seized from the laboratory, which is 17 times greater than the total amount of methamphetamine seized in Singapore last year.”
“From 2010 to 2015, the total number of drug abusers arrested rose from 2,887 to 3,343. Of concern is the number of Malay drug abusers arrested. This number increased from 1,376 in 2010 to 1,738 in 2015. The number of Indian drug abusers arrested has also gone up, from 403 in 2010 to 522 in 2015. Worryingly, of these 522 Indian drug abusers, 265 were Indian Muslims. They are disproportionately represented in this context. The number of Chinese abusers arrested was about 1,000 in both 2010 and 2015. Drug abuse is a complex issue with multifaceted challenges. It affects all communities, not just the Malay community but also the Indian and Chinese communities. We need to work on multiple fronts, with multiple partners in the fight against drugs, to strengthen prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation. First, we need good preventive drug education efforts. The key focus has to be on our youths. We need to share the facts and evidence with them, so that they can better understand the harms of drug abuse and make the right choice to lead a healthy and meaningful life free from drugs. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has stepped up engagement on various social media platforms to provide more frequent, bite-size information and messages on drugs. We also work with parents and schools. They are important partners in our efforts to reach out more effectively to our youths. To help parents engage their children on the dangers of drugs, we have developed and distributed information brochures to parents of students in our schools. We are also building an Anti-drug Abuse Advocacy Network in our communities. The Network comprises individuals who help to promote a drug-free lifestyle and society, through their own social circles.”
“Currently, there are some generic as well as targeted programmes for these families that are being offered but we hope that more can come forward. How else will Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and MENDAKI assist and also sort out the root causes faced by these families and also provide more support for them in a targeted way? Also, can I find out what proportion of our annual zakat collection is being disbursed to such families? Has this proportion remained stable or has it changed over the last three to five years?”
“The fund supports the development and enhancements to mosques, religious programmes as well as various educational and social programmes by Malay/Muslim bodies like the MENDAKI Foundation and the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP). On the issue of education, this fund is crucial so that our children can succeed in school and enhance their knowledge in order to have a brighter future. We must work with parents, teachers, schools and community leaders so that our children have the opportunity to achieve their potential through education. May I ask what are MENDAKI's plans to further strengthen its education and community engagement programmes, especially with the increase in the MBMF contributions? MTS provides tuition classes for subjects like English Language, Mathematics and Science. Many Malay/Muslim students have benefited from it. The success of this scheme surely depends on the abilities of its tutors. Hence, may I know how we can provide better support and equip the MTS tutors with the necessary skills so that they can perform their duty to ensure that our children can excel further in education? Nurturing Resilient and Caring Families Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Sir, families represent the basic unit of society. Strong families make for strong nations. Our community has been putting in a lot of effort trying to reduce the disamenities faced by disrupted and reconstituted families. The "Many Helping Hands" approach is certainly helpful towards this. There may be a need to continue to enhance resources, empowerment as well as the take-up rate and regular attendances at counselling and nurturing sessions.”
“Our Singapore Malay/Muslim community is in a better educational standing compared to five years ago, as suggested by the General Household Survey 2015 report. This progress was made possible through the efforts of the Government, our Malay/Muslim organisations, families and parents. But the world is changing and there are many new challenges. As a community, we have to respond to this changing landscape. What are MENDAKI's plans to further strengthen its educational programmes and outreach, especially with the increased Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF)? I was a tutor in the flagship MENDAKI tuition scheme (MTS) for many years. I enjoyed my weekly tuition classes tremendously. MTS centre supervisors and tutors play a very critical role in ensuring the success of MTS. How can we better support and equip our tutors so that they can ensure even better educational outcomes for our students? Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The achievement and progress of our community were made possible through the efforts and dedication of parents and families within our community, as well as the strong support from the Government and Malay/Muslim organisations. The Malay/Muslim community in Singapore has undeniably achieved much progress. The General Household Survey 2015 report found that the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore is doing better in terms of education, compared to five years ago. This is good progress. However, the world is changing and will continue to change. Challenges are becoming more daunting. Recently, an announcement was made about the increase in the MBMF contributions.”
“In my interactions with residents at my Meet-the-People-Sessions, I have found more Singaporeans with complex social needs as our demography and family structure change. What is MSF's strategy in supporting them in light of our physical and manpower constraints? I welcome the completion of the network of 24 SSOs across Singapore. This is an important step in strengthening the social safety net for the vulnerable in our community. Since the first SSO was set up in 2013, how has MSF measured the effectiveness of SSOs in meeting the objectives and what are the plans going forward to enhance the effectiveness of SSOs? Finally, our frontline staff in SSOs work very hard to help fellow Singaporeans. However, I understand that some of them are subjected to abuse, especially when those who seek help react emotionally. What are the steps MSF has taken to protect our frontline staff from such abuse? [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] Consistent Definition of Income Criteria”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. On Total Defence, we face a growing threat of extremist ideologies that threaten to undermine our multiracial and multi-religious harmony and divide us. What role can Total Defence play in strengthening our resilience against such threats? What are MINDEF's efforts in fostering Singaporeans' commitment to Total Defence? Resilience in the Face of Challenges Threats and challenges to our security continue to evolve. Global security developments, such as terrorism, epidemics, economic crisis and environmental disaster, impact Singaporeans at home and abroad. What role can Singaporeans play in defence and how can we be a resilient society in the face of such varied security challenges? Commitment to Defence The most advanced military hardware in the world would be useless without the willingness of our people to defend the country. Our safety and security depend on the contributions of all Singaporeans. Singapore is worth defending and can be defended. This core belief must be instilled and maintained in every Singaporean. What we cannot defend, we do not own. How is MINDEF engaging Singaporeans to strengthen the commitment in the defence of Singapore?”
“Are there examples on the effectiveness of our technical cooperation projects?”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. The first cut. In 2015, Singapore not only celebrated its 50th year of Independence, it also celebrated its 50th anniversary as a member of the United Nations (UN). The year 2015 was also a landmark for the UN, with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Many of the global challenges and issues today are being discussed and addressed at the UN and various international fora. Singapore is a country that punches above its weight despite its small population and land size. My question is: how are we planning to continue to punch above our weight and play our part as a responsible member of the international community? Technical Cooperation My second cut is on technical cooperation. As a small state with limited resources, Singapore has no natural relevance. We do not have the means to grant massive cash grants or soft loans or to sponsor major infrastructure projects, unlike certain major developed countries. Yet, we have to remain relevant and useful. As former Senior Minister S Jayakumar said, "If we are not at the table, we will be on the menu." During the SG50 celebrations, there was strong focus on Singapore's success and achievements, post-Independence. Singapore's political and social stability, governance model, policies and effective implementation receive international attention. I understand that many countries are interested in what we have done and how we have done it. They seek to learn from our experience and emulate our success. What can Singapore and MFA do to leverage on our development expertise to help other developing countries and enhance Page: 114 Singapore's reputation as a forward-looking, constructive member of the international community?”
“In conclusion, Mr Chairman, the Home Team, together with the community, has worked hard at keeping Singapore safe and secure. This is a cumulative effort built over many years and by many people. We will continue to strengthen community partnerships, empower our community to take ownership of safety and security issues, and build community vigilance, cohesion and resilience. We must also continue our fight against drugs and work hard to prevent offending and re-offending. Together, we can keep Singapore safe and secure.”
“SPF proactively reaches out to this group by holding re-appointment exercises twice a year, and SPF will send a personalised letter to invite them to rejoin SPF. Subsequently, recruitment career advisors, who are Police officers from the same Division, will contact the ex-Police officers to engage them. Our National Servicemen also play a key role in the Home Team's work. However, given the smaller birth cohorts, we can expect a decline in the number of NSFs over the next few years. As Mr Melvin Yong has pointed out, we need to ensure that the Home Team continues to meet the growing operational demands even with a declining National Servicemen population. The Home Team has embarked on an NS Transformation Plan for our SPF and SCDF National Servicemen. Over the next few years, we will systematically deploy more NSF and NSmen to frontline positions, leadership roles, as well as specialist positions. This will enable them to make stronger contributions to keep Singapore safe and secure. Let me illustrate with specific examples from SPF and SCDF. To deploy more officers in frontline vocations, SPF will set up a new Protective Security Command (ProCom) consisting of both NSF and NSmen units. ProCom officers will be trained and deployed to protect our critical infrastructure in National Emergency situations and oversee protective security functions during peacetime. SCDF has established new NSmen positions in its Marine Command, where NSmen are deployed in daily operations as part of their In-Camp Training. SCDF will also deploy more servicemen to operational roles, such as in its Emergency Medical Services. I hope that the Transformation Plan will empower our National Servicemen to take on a greater role in making Singapore a safer home for all.”
“I hope that the Malay/Muslim community will continue to give the Home Team its fullest support, including in the area of reducing offending and drug abuse. 5.30 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, I will continue my speech in English and turn to the final area of my speech. Our Home Team Officers are a very important part of the Home Team. Minister Shanmugam spoke about enhancing the attractiveness of the Police career with the Home Team to better recruit and retain officers. We will also continue to tap on the contributions of ex-officers, as well as retired officers, which Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Desmond Choo asked about. They are valuable to the Home Team. MHA has recently, in 2013, extended the retirement age of Home Team uniformed officers from 50 to 55 years old. Beyond 55 years old, where there are organisational needs, officers may be offered the opportunity to work up to the age of 60, subject to performance, conduct and fitness criteria. Page: 82 This allows the Home Team to tap on their experience, knowledge and expertise built up over the years. We will periodically review the need to make changes to the retirement age of our uniformed officers. We will also offer retired officers positions in civilian specialist and civilian roles when they can contribute to the Home Team. Over the last five years, over 60% of retired uniformed officers have been re-employed and the majority have been re-employed as uniformed officers. In addition to retired officers, I agree with Mr Patrick Tay that ex-Police officers are a valuable recruitment pool for SPF. Suitable ex-Police officers who had resigned may be re-hired, if they wish to rejoin the service.”
“MENDAKI connects them to community resources, such as counselling at family service centres or employment assistance at the Community Development Centres. MENDAKI also refers these families to the family and children programmes they organise. Through this, we help families stay intact through this difficult period, so that they can support their loved ones in their rehabilitation and reintegration. Second, we have worked with PERGAS to develop and introduce a pilot counselling programme for Malay/Muslim drug abusers. The team at PERGAS, led by Ustaz Mohd Yusri Yubhi Yusoff, developed the programme based on both Islamic teachings and scientific studies that were proven effective. This programme is one of the interventions in our multi-pronged approach in rehabilitating drug abusers. Currently, we are in the midst of a pilot run with inmates in the DRC. We are heartened by the encouraging and positive feedback received from those who participated in the programme. I would like to share a story to illustrate how we can come together to support the rehabilitation of drug abusers. I recently met Jesyharianti, who was a former drug abuser featured on Suria's Detik programme last month. She shared how she had been in and out of prison in the past seven years due to drugs and other offences even though she is only in her 20s. During her last incarceration, she was placed on rehabilitation programmes to help her stay drug-free. Recently, I met Jesy and am happy to know that Jesy is now employed as a service crew with Manhattan Fish Market. I also met her employer from Manhattan Fish Market. I am heartened to learn that Jesy is one of his best employees. Jesy's dedication at work often received praises from her customers.”
“Third, SCORE will work closely with employers to identify suitable training for the career advancement of ex-offenders they have hired. Mr Christopher de Souza asked about the employment of ex-offenders in the Public Service. The Public Service recruits on the basis of merit, where applicants who fit most closely to the job requirements are hired. When applying for Public Service jobs, applicants who have had their criminal records spent need not include this information in their application. This has been the case since 2006. As we do not differentiate these employees, ex-offenders will be assessed for their suitability for the job like all other new recruits. Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will now speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Home Team enjoys a close partnership with the Malay/Muslim community and community groups, such as MENDAKI, MUIS, PERGAS, Jamiyah and Pertapis. Minister Masagos has built a strong foundation for the Home Team's work with the Malay/Muslim community. We will continue to work with the Malay/Muslim community to Page: 81 prevent re-offending and rehabilitate drug abusers. These are national issues, and not issues involving the Malay/Muslim community only. A confluence of factors, such as socio-economic status, peers and families, might play a role in re-offending. We have tailored our rehabilitation programmes to address these risk factors. We want to work with Malay/Muslim community groups to tailor programmes relevant to the offenders' cultural and religious context to increase their efficacy. Let me illustrate this with two examples. First, we have worked with MENDAKI to provide an information and referral service to families of inmates.”
“We have also started a day-release arrangement for a small number of low-risk drug abusers. Under this arrangement, drug abusers are allowed to work or study in the community after two to four months in the DRC. These drug abusers are required to return to a community facility at night and are subjected to supervision, such as regular urine tests. Mr Chairman, Mr Louis Ng, Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Patrick Tay asked about the employment of ex-offenders, which is key in their successful reintegration. The Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) plays a key role in reintegrating ex-offenders back into the workforce. In 2015, SCORE trained more than 5,000 inmates and helped over 2,000 inmates to secure jobs prior to their release. SCORE has also explored new collaboration opportunities with employers and partners. For example, SCORE has worked with the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) to develop a Train-Place-Retain model to place ex-offenders in the F&B sector. As of February 2016, over 130 ex-offenders secured employment with close to 100 companies from RAS under this collaboration. In line with SkillsFuture, SCORE has worked with employers in key sectors, such as Logistics, F&B and Hospitality, to update its skills training and coaching programmes to meet the evolving skills needed. Let me highlight three key initiatives. First, ex-offenders will be cross-trained in skills. For instance, ex-offenders in the F&B sector will be trained in skills required to perform both serving and food preparation functions. Second, ex-offenders are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their continuous learning with the use of SkillsFuture credits.”
“This will be complemented with e-articles and infographics published regularly through the social media platforms of CNB and our partners, such as MOE and Health Promotion Board (HPB). Second, enhancing our rehabilitation options for youths. We have introduced the Anti-drug Counselling and Engagement (ACE) programme at the National Addictions Management Services (NAMS). The ACE programme is targeted at youth abusers under 21 years old who have abused drugs but tested negative in their urine tests. The programme comprises group counselling sessions to equip the youths with skills to cope with addiction and workshop for parents to provide support for youths. The Committee Against Youth Drug Abuse, which I chair, will build on the Task Force's work. This multi-agency committee comprises representatives from MHA, MOE, HPB, IMH, Institutes of Higher Learning and youths. We will continue to keep a close eye on the youth drug abuse situation and work with groups, such as youth groups, to implement initiatives that will sustain efforts in tackling youth drug abuse early. I will now touch on our efforts to prevent re-offending, which Mr Louis Ng has asked about. Our rehabilitation programmes are designed based on evidence to reduce their re-offending. We adopt a differentiated approach towards rehabilitation by tailoring the rehabilitation programmes and aftercare support based on the different risk profiles and needs of the offenders. Page: 80 For example, in the DRCs, drug abusers with more severe drug addiction issues will receive higher intensity programmes, such as more counselling programmes. When they are placed on Community-Based Programmes, inmates with higher risk of re-offending would be placed in a more structured environment, such as a halfway house.”
“Page: 79 These trends indicate that more young people are taking casual attitudes towards drugs and experimenting with drugs, especially cannabis, which they perceive as "soft" and less harmful. This is a serious misperception. A research team comprising medical professionals from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) has reviewed more than 500 papers from respected international medical journals. Let me highlight three key findings. First, cannabis is addictive. Second, cannabis is harmful. Long-term use of cannabis has been linked to the development of major psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Third, a young person abusing cannabis will experience a persistent and irreversible decline in cognitive development and a drop in IQ. To continue keeping Singapore drug-free, we must maintain a zero-tolerance approach towards drug abuse. This includes firm law against traffickers, continued enforcement efforts, structured rehabilitation programmes, preventive drug education, as well as aftercare schemes with community support. Last year, the Task Force on Youths and Drugs reviewed the youth drug abuse situation and announced its recommendations in June. I will provide an update on the implementation of the Task Force's recommendations in two areas. First, enhancing Preventive Drug Education (PDE). This is our first line of defence. It is important to enlist the help of parents and educators to help youths stay drug-free. We have developed and launched a toolkit for educators in November last year to support educators in their engagement with youths on drug issues. We are also developing an information brochure for parents and will distribute it to all parents of students in Secondary and post-Secondary institutions later this year.”
“Our regional counterparts have also detected an emergence of overseas syndicates, originating as far as Mexico, which are involved in drug trafficking in the ASEAN region. These developments increase the supply of drugs in our region and threaten our drug-free society. There is also growing international pressure on our zero-tolerance approach against drugs. Some countries have pushed to decriminalise or even legalise drug use. There is a growing call for the harm reduction approach, which includes measures, such as needle exchange programmes or opiate substitution therapy. These measures were implemented in some countries to curb secondary issues, for example, HIV transmission caused by drug abuse. However, the harm reduction approach is not relevant in Singapore's context as our drug situation is very much under control. Incidence of HIV transmission through injecting drug use in Singapore is low. We share Mr Christopher de Souza, Dr Tan Wu Meng, Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Gan Thiam Poh's concerns on the local drug abuse situation. We have observed two trends of concern. First, more than 60% of new abusers arrested over the past five years were below 30 years old. In 2015, this has remained high. Close to seven in 10 new abusers arrested are below 30 years old. Second, while methamphetamine remains the most abused drug among new abusers, we have seen more cases of cannabis abuse among new abusers in recent years. Cannabis abuse cases doubled from 80 in 2011 to over 150 in 2015. Notably, in 2015, cannabis has displaced heroin as the second most commonly abused drug among new abusers.”
“The programmes under SG Secure will sensitise the community to threats arising from terrorism, extremism and religious or racial strife. Page: 78 Let me elaborate on how SG Secure will enable the community to "stay alert, stay united and stay strong" against terrorist threats. First, stay alert. We will raise community vigilance by training the community to be vigilant and alert to unusual behaviour or items in our surroundings and to report these to the authorities. We will also teach members of the public how to respond and protect themselves, their family and their friends if they are caught in an attack. Second, stay united. We need to cherish and safeguard Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious social fabric. SG Secure will implement programmes to provide opportunities for our community to appreciate and safeguard racial and religious diversity. Third, stay strong. We will design and run programmes to help our community to be ready to deal with a crisis if it occurs; build individual resilience and community resilience; and help each other bounce back quickly after any incident. SG Secure will be more than just a public awareness movement. It will be a call to action for all members of society to safeguard the Singapore way of life against terrorism, extremism and community strife. We will launch SG Secure later this year, starting with programmes in the schools and neighbourhoods. Turning to the second part of my speech – the drug situation in Singapore and our efforts to prevent re-offending. Mr Christopher de Souza and Dr Tan Wu Meng asked about the overall drug situation. The drug situation around the world remains challenging. Poppy cultivation in the region has increased and so has methamphetamine production.”
“Mdm Chair, I thank Members for their suggestions and support for the Home Team's work. I will focus my speech on three areas: first, the community's role in keeping Singapore safe and secure; second, the drug situation in Singapore and our efforts to prevent re-offending; and, third, our Home Team officers and the National Service (NS) Transformation Plan. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] On the first area, community partnership. The community is at the heart of the Home Team's work. Home Team officers take pride and work tirelessly to keep Singapore safe and secure. However, the work of the Home Team cannot be accomplished by us alone. Individuals and the community have contributed in many areas to create a safe and secure Singapore. We will continue to engage, empower and partner the community to explore new areas of collaboration. Over the past few months, as part of the SGfuture engagement efforts, we have asked members of the public, our volunteers, full-time National Servicemen and community partners what safety and security mean to them, what they hope to see and how we may work together to turn these hopes into reality. We are now following up on some of these ideas and we welcome more people to come forward with good suggestions that we can work on together. One of the key threats we face today is extremism and terrorism. The community's role in a heightened terrorism threat environment is critical. Minister Shanmugam announced in March that we will develop a new national movement to strengthen community response to the threat of terrorism. The movement, known as SG Secure, builds on the current Community Engagement Programme (CEP).”
“I thank the Member for the suggestion. I will take it up with the Ministry.”
“I thank the Member for the question. There are no plans at this stage to define what a stable marriage is. It is not a very easy thing to define how stable the marriage is. One of the factors we look at is the length of years of the marriage. But there are also various factors including the record of the applicant who is applying, in terms of how many times he or she had been married. It is not easy to put out a set of criteria and say "This is the set of the criteria and this is it". But the suggestion is taken; the need for transparency is something we will take very seriously. As for the second question, it is currently in the same process. It is considered in the same way. When you apply for an LTVP, as I mentioned during my reply just now, that is the same process for LTVP and LTVP+. So, if they qualify for LTVP+, they will be given LTVP+.”
“There are many factors and they include also whether there are any adverse records of the person applying for an LTVP and, as I have mentioned, it includes the ability to support as well as the stability of the marriage. So, there are various factors.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Applications for LTVP+ are considered holistically based on a range of factors. These include the duration of the marriage and whether the couple have children from the marriage and the ability of the Singaporean sponsor to support the family. So, it is a range of factors. It is difficult to give the Member an assurance that once you have children, you will automatically get an LTVP. The point is that it is a whole basket of factors that needs to be considered.”
“I thank the hon Member for the feedback. From the policy point of view, it is very clear that once the person is given the Letter of Consent, he or she is not counted as part of the foreign worker quota and there is no levy imposed on the foreign workers with LTVP or LTVP+. As to why they are not employed, there could be plenty of reasons. It is important to highlight specific cases to MOM for further investigation.”
“They are not currently counted as part of the foreign worker quota requirement if they successfully apply for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Letter of Consent. There are no immediate plans to increase the benefits of the LTVP+ holders. LTVP+ holders currently enjoy a greater certainty of stay here, with longer periods of residency compared to LTVP holders. Each LTVP+ allows its holder to stay for three to five years and LTVP+ holders already enjoy healthcare subsidies at a level similar to Permanent Residents (PRs). They also enjoy employment concessions, with Letters of Consent from MOM, and, like PRs, they will not be counted in the foreign worker quota. The employers are also not required to pay the foreign worker levy for them.”
“The Long-Term Visit Pass Plus (LTVP+) was introduced on 1 April 2012 as an enhancement to the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) scheme. The LTVP+ grants long-term stay to foreign spouses of Singaporeans whose marriages have been stable over time. During the period 1 October 2014 to 31 December 2015, a total of 12,743 foreign spouses were granted LTVP and another 5,879 foreign spouses were granted LTVP+. There is no separate application process for LTVP+. Singaporeans can apply for LTVP or LTVP+ for their foreign spouses through the same process. Foreign spouses who meet the criteria will be granted LTVP+. Those who do not meet the LTVP+ criteria but meet the LTVP criteria would be granted LTVP. Since the introduction of LTVP+ on 1 April 2012, an average of 16,738 LTVP/LTVP+ applications have been received annually, of which about 88% were successful. There may be a number of reasons why an application is unsuccessful. These include the ability of the Singaporean spouse to support the family financially, or the length of marriage.”
“Singapore Citizenship (SC) is not granted automatically to Permanent Residents (PRs) who have completed National Service (NS). PRs who are interested in taking up citizenship would have to apply and will be assessed accordingly. Each application is evaluated holistically on a range of criteria, to assess how committed an applicant is to sinking roots and also how well the applicant is able to contribute and integrate into our society. The fact that the PR has completed National Service and has performed well during NS will be a plus factor in the evaluation. For the period from 2011 to 2015, ICA received about 4,000 applications for citizenship from PRs who had completed full-time NS. About 98% of the applications were approved.”
“There are currently no plans to have women-only carriages. I do not think we have reached that stage. As the Member has heard, the number of cases is very small, it is 5%; I do not think we would go to such a drastic measure at this stage.”
“As for the suggestion to step up awareness, there has been cooperation with the public transport operators, and these have included in-train panels, advertisements and videos to encourage people to be aware to protect themselves. As for the suggestion on how to make reports and all that, it is something we will look at closely. As for the adequacy of cameras in trains, for operational reasons, I am not able to go into detail on the use of cameras on the trains, but the Member can be assured that this is something that we take very seriously, and not just for outrage of modesty case but the general security of our trains. So, be assured of that.”
“Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. Though it is only 5%, I believe there are a lot of cases not reported because the victims feel very embarrassed. That is the feedback from my residents. So, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether the Ministry will step up education, that means to educate commuters, remind them about personal space, educate victims how to make reports and what are the key details that need to be furnished. The next question is whether there are sufficient cameras on the train platforms or inside the carriages to help to deter crimes.”
“Mdm Speaker, over the past three years, there has been an annual average of 71 outrage of modesty cases on MRT and LRT trains. There were 65 cases in 2013, 79 cases in 2014 and 69 cases last year. These numbers have to be seen in the context of an increasing number of passenger trips on trains over the years, with almost three million passenger trips daily on trains. The number of outrage of modesty cases on trains represent about 5% of the total number of outrage of modesty cases reported annually. Police officers from the Public Transport Security Command (TransCom), a specialist unit within the SPF commissioned in 2009, conduct patrols within the public transport network to project police presence. This helps to deter and detect crime, including cases of outrage of modesty. Police have also been active in their crime prevention outreach to commuters. Police display posters on trains and train station platforms, screen videos and conduct crime prevention roadshows in train stations and bus interchanges to raise commuters' vigilance against crime, including outrage of modesty. Commuters are reminded to be aware of their surroundings, look out for suspicious persons and to take steps to protect themselves from being victims of crime. Our assessment is that the current level of crime prevention messages is sufficient and there is no need at present to include warning signs in trains. The maximum penalty for outrage of modesty is two years' imprisonment or a fine or caning, or any combination of these punishments. This increases to five years' imprisonment if the victim is under 14 years of age. The Courts have been meting out stiff sentences for those convicted of molestation on trains.”
“In a medical emergency, the timely arrival of patients at the nearest hospital with the appropriate facilities can make the difference between life and death and that is very important. Based on this principle, SCDF conveys patients requiring emergency medical treatment to the nearest available MOH-designated hospital based on the fastest possible route.”
“For example, SCDF's "Save-a-Life" initiative trains and mobilises volunteers to respond to cardiac arrest cases. As part of this initiative, SCDF has begun installing AEDs in public spaces for use during medical emergencies and created a mobile app to alert the Community First Responders should a case happen nearby where they are. Together, these strategies will allow SCDF to optimise its limited resources to deliver swift medical support to critical cases and calibrate its response for non-critical cases.”
“Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)'s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to more than 155,000 calls in 2014. This means that there are more than 400 calls a day. Despite the high volume of calls, SCDF has responded to 83% of these cases within 11 minutes in 2014. This was an improvement from 78% in 2013. The 2015 figures are still being finalised and will be released in February. The number of emergency ambulance calls has been increasing at a rate of about 5% a year. At this rate of growth, we can expect the number of calls to double in 15 years' time. However, it will not be possible to grow our number of ambulance and ambulance crew at the same rate. So, SCDF has adopted a number of strategies to cope with this trend. First, SCDF will be increasingly adopting a tiered response model so that resources are channelled to areas of greatest need. For example, to ensure swift response to critical cases where time is of the essence, SCDF deploys Fire Bikers in addition to emergency ambulances. Equipped with Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and other medical equipment, these Fire Bikers have been effective in ensuring that cardiac arrest patients receive prompt medical attention before the arrival of the emergency ambulance. In the case of industrial accidents or road traffic accidents, fire fighting vehicles may arrive earlier than an ambulance. These fire fighters would be able to render the initial assistance to stabilise the patient before the arrival of the emergency ambulance. Second, SCDF has been implementing initiatives to equip and train members of public to render assistance. This is important as every minute counts for certain time-critical cases, such as cardiac arrests.”
“For the Pre-Marriage Long-Term Visit Pass Assessment, it takes an average of about four weeks.”