Josephine Teo
Singapore
“The Government's risk-calibrated approach to data security in artificial intelligence (AI) systems was explained in a written reply, given on 9 January 2024, to related questions asked by Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Gerald Giam.”
“Access to frontier models is helpful for specific use cases, such as advanced research and cybersecurity. However, these form a small proportion of artificial intelligence (AI) demand. For most industry, Government and research uses, capable models are already available.”
“The Government tracks the development of technical standards for identifying artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content, including watermarking and digital provenance approaches, as part of broader efforts to manage AI-related risks.”
“Upon receiving a valid report of intimate image abuse, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered by law to direct Online Service Providers (OSPs) to disable access by Singapore users to the specified harmful online material. This direction may be extended to cover identical copies found on the platform.”
“The Government is committed to keeping children safe online. We have announced plans to extend age assurance requirements to designated social media services, including requiring platforms to keep users under 13 off their services.”
“Under the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025, the Commissioner of Online Safety is empowered to issue directions to platforms to remove specified harmful content, including intimate image abuse.”
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“The screening of transit passengers will thus allow ICA to detect travellers of interest or those who may be using stolen or lost passports. That is why we need the personal identifiers. There are existing provisions in the IA that enable the sharing of such information with law enforcement agencies and other agencies for the purposes of investigation and for the prevention and detection of threats. But there are also strict protocols governing the sharing of information and safekeeping of data, and they will continue to apply. On cross-border collaboration, passport information of selected transit passengers will be screened against the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) database, which is an international database administered by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and, as Mr Christopher de Souza informed us, that database is a long one. It has 38 million entries, and we will screen selectively against this database. Mr Desmond Choo asked what measures will be taken to ensure that inconveniences to transit passengers can be minimised even as we step up security measures. In introducing transit security screening, MHA and ICA work closely with the Ministry of Transport (MOT), CAAS and CAG, as well as airlines, to minimise the impact on passengers. We conducted field trials to test the procedures and those resulted in several process refinements. They were very useful. So, we now assess that the minimum connecting times that can be maintained for most of the instances will remain unchanged. We are also working with CAG on protocols to clear passengers with very short connecting times. Ms Thanaletchimi asked how members of the public can also play their part to identify and report potential or possible threats.”
“I assure Mr Patrick Tay that it is in our interest to assess these factors holistically and whether any expansion of duties or work conditions warrant adjustments, so that the officers are reasonably remunerated, whatever the roles they perform and we continue to be able to retain them. Similarly, the career progression paths for ICA officers are regularly reviewed. As recently as July last year, a new scheme was introduced to provide officers with a more seamless progression into the senior ranks. We will continue to keep these schemes of service updated. Ms Thanaletchimi asked if ICA officers will be better protected against complaints and legal actions from suspects who had been restrained by ICA officers. There are existing mechanisms within the Home Team departments to investigate complaints or allegations of misconduct, and officers are empowered to carry out their duties without fear as long as they act in good faith and in accordance with established protocols. Where insurance is concerned, ICA officers enjoy the same coverage as all other Home Team officers, such as the Police. All officers who sustain injuries during the course of work will have their medical expenses fully covered when they receive treatment at Government or restructured hospitals. Let me turn now to transit security screening. Mr Christopher de Souza spoke about the importance of transit passenger screening and emphasised the need to handle data collected with care. Ms Thanaletchimi asked how data collected from the screening will be shared and if there are cross-border collaborations to optimise data use and information. Transit passengers are currently not required to present themselves for immigration clearance.”
“If I may reiterate, post-incident investigations, including the recording of statements under section 23 of the CPC and prosecution of individuals in Court, remain the responsibilities of the Police. After ICA officers hand over the accused person to the Police, the investigation processes, as well as the safeguards, will be no different from today’s processes. Ms Thanaletchimi asked what it means for ICA officers to use reasonable force within the new section 51AA(10)(b) to make an arrest. The usage of the term "reasonable" can also be found in section 75 of the CPC, which is applicable to Police Officers and from which this new section is adapted. Generally speaking, reasonableness will entail using only as much force as is appropriate to effect arrest and one that is proportional to the level of the perceived threat. For example, officers should not use firearms to shoot an unarmed person who may be trying to evade arrest. It would not be proportional. As I have explained earlier, ICA officers will be trained to use their enhanced powers appropriately which, of course, include the proper use of force. Mr Patrick Tay asked if the salaries of ICA officers will be adjusted to take into account the additional duties that they are expected to perform. Ms Thanaletchimi also asked if the career progression for ICA officers will be enhanced. MHA regularly reviews the salaries of Home Team officers, including ICA and SPF officers, to ensure that they remain competitive, taking into account the job demands, the risks, as well as specialised skills requirements.”
“Mr Saktiandi Supaat has asked whether it was necessary for the ICA officer to hand over an accused to the Police immediately, and if ICA officers can perform the required investigations instead, to free up Police resources. As I have explained earlier, the intention is not for ICA officers to take over the Police's duties, and Police Officers are still best placed to carry out the post-incident investigations. Mr Louis Ng spoke about the need for safeguards when ICA officers take statements under the new section 51AA. He pointed out that the provisions of section 51AA(6) and (7) were similar to section 22 of the CPC but unlike section 23 of the CPC. I would like to clarify that under section 22 of the CPC, a statement can be recorded from any persons acquainted with the facts of a case, and this could include witnesses as well as suspects. As for section 23 of the CPC, the statement is recorded from an individual after he or she has been charged with an offence and will be prosecuted in Court. So, there are material differences between the two types of statements provided for under the different sections of the CPC. The intent behind providing ICA officers with the powers of examination under the new section 51AA of the Bill is to allow ICA officers to conduct preliminary fact-finding and checks during or immediately after an incident. On this basis, the new section 51AA(5) to (7) of the Bill is modelled after section 22 of the CPC, rather than section 23. As to the admissibility of such statements, existing case laws interpreting section 22 of the CPC will similarly apply and be followed by the Courts.”
“These range from managing security incidents, such as travellers attempting to dash through without immigration clearance, to dealing with possible bomb threats. Scenario-based trainings, along with on-the-job training with Police Officers, will help to prepare ICA officers for their new roles. Mr Desmond Choo asked if ICA officers and Police Officers are provided with training on soft skills, in particular on cultural intelligence. As part of their training, ICA and SPF officers learn how to manage members of the public in a professional and tactful manner. Officers are trained to be mindful and sensitive towards cultural differences when interacting with members of the public. This is reinforced through in-service training and reminders on the job. The very nature of ICA's work at the checkpoints involves interactions with people from all nationalities. Our officers have generally done well, with our security-focused, service-conscious approach. ICA officers deployed at Changi Airport also undergo a programme to further equip them with skills to deliver to be part of the "Changi Experience" for travellers. Let me now deal with Mr Louis Ng's question on why it is necessary to allow ICA officers to detain suspects for up to 24 hours. To be clear, the intent is to minimise the time ICA officers will detain an individual before handing him over to Police Officers. This is why the new section 51AA(12)(a) in clause 4 requires the ICA officer to immediately inform a Police Officer of the arrest. However, there may be instances where the Police need more time to take over custody of the person, such as during major emergencies. To cater to such circumstances, the provision allows an ICA officer to detain the person for up to 24 hours.”
“In addition, ICA officers will join Police Officers for relevant protective security training courses, such as the Public Security First Responder Training, where officers are given tactical movement training to augment their existing competencies in firearms. ICA officers will be assessed to a similar standard as Police Officers in these areas before they are deployed for protective security duties. Today, more than 900 ICA officers have undergone the training and ICA will progressively cover all those selected for protective security duties. All new ICA officers will also undergo the ICC training to equip them to operate effectively at the ICC. Besides training, ICA will issue guidelines and directives to ICA officers on the proper exercise of their enhanced powers, similar to directives and orders governing Police Officers today. This is something Mr Louis Ng asked about. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef also asked if ICA officers will be prepared psychologically for their enhanced roles. During their basic training, ICA recruits already undergo psychological training to boost their resilience and prepare them for the challenges in their work. Frontline supervisors are trained on how to look out for distressed officers and to provide support. At the same time, selected ICA officers are trained as para-counsellors to look out for and support their fellow colleagues. The officers are further supported by the ICA Psychological Services Branch, which provides staff counselling services. As part of the ICC training programmes, ICA officers will be exposed to challenging situations that they may face in the course of duty and trained on how they can respond to such circumstances.”
“The ICA officers are not expected to become Police Officers. What this Bill seeks to do is to empower ICA officers, who are usually the majority at the checkpoints, to respond to security incidents within and in the vicinity of the checkpoint. This will further enhance the ICC concept, where the nearest Home Team officers to a security incident at the checkpoint will be the first responders acting swiftly to mitigate the situation instead of waiting for the Police Officers to arrive. Once the Police Officers arrive at the scene, there is a clear understanding that they will take over management and investigation of the incident, including the recording of statements from arrested persons and working with the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to prosecute the person in Court. The training for ICA officers is, therefore, designed specifically for them to be the first responder rather than full-fledged Police Officers. With this consideration in mind, ICA has been working with SPF to develop appropriate training courses for ICA officers. We need courses for newly appointed as well as current serving officers who are selected to perform protective security functions. There are modules on the legislative provisions, management of protective security incidents, interview skills and search techniques. Classroom training is also complemented by on-the-job training with Police Officers serving as coaches, a point which addresses Mr Desmond Choo’s observation that the Police Officers have much that they can share to help ICA colleagues get up to speed.”
“Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef also asked about the coordination among ICA officers at the various checkpoints, and how prepared we are for a planned multi-site incident. Any terrorist incidents involving multiple checkpoints will be coordinated by the Police. This is again clear. The Home Team has developed joint operation plans for such scenarios and we have been exercising them. And some of these exercises were publicised earlier. For example, Exercise Northstar, held in October 2017 at Changi Airport, involved Home Team agencies as well as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Ministry of Health (MOH), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group (CAG). Exercise Quicksilver, which is a series of regular internal exercises, involves scenarios of multiple attacks at the land and sea domains where officers are not notified beforehand. In other words, it is a surprise exercise. One of these surprise exercises was held in October 2016 and it involved more than 3,000 officers across the Home Team and SAF. So, it is a very large-scale exercise. The aim of these exercises is, of course, to prepare ourselves to respond to security incidents as soon as possible. But I should stress that it is not just speed. It is also the quality and the effectiveness of the response that matter. And that is why we are making these amendments to ensure that, when we respond, the response is an effective one. All Members who have spoken felt it was important for the ICA officers to be properly trained to exercise the enhanced powers, and I fully agree. Before I outline our training approach, let me clarify what is expected of the ICA officers under this Bill, something that Mr Christopher de Souza had also talked about.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members who have spoken in support of the Bill. They raised many useful points which I shall try to address. Several Members asked about the ICC. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked for a further elaboration of the ICC concept, and how the Bill will enhance Singapore’s preparedness for emergencies. Mr Patrick Tay asked how the Bill will impact the lines of responsibilities across the various Home Team agencies working at the checkpoints. Under the ICC, the checkpoints are clustered into three domains, namely, the Land Domain, Sea Domain and Air Domain, which were progressively launched in 2015. An ICA Domain Commander now helms all Home Team operations in each of the three domains. So, we have a unified command structure under a single commander. With this, the lines of responsibility as well as accountability are very clear and will help in ensuring that the security and operations in each domain are properly taken care of. By doing so, we have also strengthened the coordination amongst the officers from the various Home Team departments deployed at the checkpoints because there is a unified command structure. Another potential benefit of the ICC is in joint operations as compared to operations mounted separately by each Home Team Department. In fact, it did not take long for the benefit to be realised. In 2016, a joint operation at Woodlands Checkpoint detected four male Indonesian travellers who had plans to enter Singapore to make their way to Syria to fight for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The timely sharing of information and exchange of analyses made the critical difference. The subjects were eventually repatriated to Batam and handed over to the Indonesian counter-terrorism unit.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, we are not just studying. We are taking action. And the Member pointed out that Mr Wong had talked about this 20 years ago. I am quite sure even 20 years from now, there will still be vice activities that we will have to tackle in different forms. So, it is always going to be a challenge. It is always something that we have to keep learning to tackle more effectively. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mrs Josephine Teo.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Then, to the Member's second question about the employees. The way in which we want to operate is that the licence holder, the operator, has to be accountable for the activities within the premises and he has to be the one that is taken to account. So, that is why the requirement is placed on them to display the licence and not on the individual employees. We accept the fact that, actually, in all kinds of businesses, employees come and go. Today, you may have one staff, she has worked here three months; another day, you may have another who has just joined. The more important thing is that the operator takes his licence seriously and ensures that no one who is not licensed works there. So, even if a person wears a badge and so on, it is not possible, it is not so easy for the individual customer to determine the validity of that employee's pass. But the enforcement officer is in a stronger position to decide whether the licence is valid or not. An individual cannot quite tell. Just wearing any tag does not actually give us that much protection and reassurance.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I appreciate the Member for raising those two supplementary questions. I have explained earlier that we have a zero-tolerance approach towards vice in massage establishments and the stricter licensing approach for massage establishments in residential areas. In this way, we have already curtailed the number of massage establishments in each residential area while allowing legitimate and well-run massage establishments to operate. To impose a limit or a quota, you need a number and it will be arbitrary. Each residential area has different characteristics, residents and businesses, as the Member correctly pointed out. Whatever number is set, it could still be too high for some areas, for example, if it is right next to a school. Unless that number is zero, which means then this quota is zero. We can also end up in a situation where there is an argument about how big the trade radius ought to be for this number to be applied. In some areas, 200 metres, very sparsely populated; in some areas, 200-metre radius, a lot of people staying there. So, it is not quite so cut and dried, not so straightforward to determine a number; not so straightforward to determine what the trade radius is. But I do take the Member's point. We do not particularly want to see so many massage establishments around even if they are licensed. That point is well taken. The better approach is to assess the potential disamenities in each area, taking into account the feedback from the community. Then we decide whether to allow a new massage establishment to come in, or when the licence of an existing massage establishment is up for renewal, whether we want to continue to renew it. So, I think that those measures are available to the Police.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I appreciate the Member for his clarifications. I think I had better also clarify. When the Member said that he was happy that MHA will engage the sex workers, that itself sounds wrong. So, I should say that if there are masseuses who feel that they are compelled to provide sexual services, then I think we can work with the NGOs to give them the assurance that that is not the case. Perhaps they are suitably qualified and they want to find proper work in licensed massage establishments, or they need to get the skills and the qualifications to move into these proper establishments, then I think that there must be ways of helping them to do so. So, I would like to give that assurance.”
“That is what is known as open-concept massage establishments. Mr Murali Pillai asked about curative as well as Ayurvedic treatments. If they do not take place in an open-concept type of premises, then they need to get a licence. They cannot say, "We do not want a licence. We are not high-risk". They need to get a licence because it is not open-concept, we cannot see what is going on. So, they need a licence. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef suggested that we work with the industry trade associations for the upcoming implementation of this Bill. MHA has consulted the Spa Association Singapore, the Spa and Wellness Association of Singapore and the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore and obtained their strong support for the proposals under this Bill. Mr Deputy Speaker, I hope I have addressed Members' concerns. The Massage Establishments Bill is important in ensuring that our regulatory regime continues to remain effective and relevant. But as Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef reminded us, it is really not a walk in the park. A lot of work to be done. Members know from what I said earlier – advertising, requirements, some of the other licensing conditions – all of these we will have to proceed to implement. But with the support of the House, Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.”
“In other words, not anyone is allowed to work in a massage establishment. There are "fit and proper" criteria, and an assessment of the employees' qualifications. Of course, if they do not have those, the operator will have committed a breach and we take them to task. Mr Melvin Yong asked for a clearer definition of what constitutes a "good track record" that will entitle the licensee to a longer licence validity period. By "good track record", we refer to compliant operators without any adverse records or infringements over several years. Mr Murali Pillai asked whether existing exemptions will continue under the updated regulatory regime. Mr Alex Yam asked if TCM services will be covered under the Bill, while Mr Louis Ng mentioned that the current amendment does not cover TCM clinics. The principle remains unchanged. We will continue to exempt massage establishments that are assessed to be providing low vice-risk activities. These include outlets where treatment is personally administered by a registered medical professional. So, if you have a shop front that says TCM clinic, you go inside, the practitioner has got a registration under the TCM Practitioners' Act that is issued by the TCM Board and that practitioner personally administers the treatment, that can be exempted. But not otherwise. Not if you are not personally administering the treatment, you have got someone else doing it, or if, in fact, you call yourself a TCM practitioner but you do not have a licence, you do not have a registration with the TCM Board. So, that is quite clear. We can also exempt open-concept massage establishments where everything is within visibility. Nothing is behind closed doors, no curtains. You can see everything that is going on in the premises.”
“But because of the kinds of concerns that Members have spoken about, we actually prefer a stricter regime for massage establishments, to serve notice that even the first infringement could attract very serious consequences, such as the immediate revocation of licences. Repeat offenders also face the risk of imprisonment. So, I hope Members see the comparison. This is stricter than the demerit points system – one strike and you could be out. Mr Murali Pillai said that all licensed massage establishments should be made to display their licences, which would serve as a deterrence against the operation of unlicensed massage establishments and provide some form of consumer protection. We agree. Today, under the licensing conditions, massage establishment licensees are already required to prominently display the massage establishment licence within the premises to ensure that patrons and inspecting officers can easily identify licensed massage establishments. Failure to comply with this requirement is a breach of the licensing conditions, and licensees will face stiff penalties under the updated regulatory regime. What I can also share with Members is that, in fact, the Police have taken operators to task for failing to display their licences. Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Gan Thiam Poh said that all masseuses hired at licensed massage establishments should meet minimum professional qualifications. Today, in deciding whether to grant a massage establishment licence or to grant written approval for an individual to work in a massage establishment, the Licensing Officer already considers whether the employee possesses the necessary recognised qualifications or certifications. This is made clear in clauses 7(3) and 15(1) of the Bill.”
“This will empower the Police to say that they suspect this is not a clean applicant and someone is hiding behind this. The law says that the Police can now reject the application, whereas previously, it was left unsaid. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef also surfaced concerns that after the licence has been granted, there may be illegal operations at the premises. The Police conduct regular enforcement checks to ensure that massage establishments comply with the regulations. I shared earlier more than 100 enforcement actions a month. Licensed operators who run afoul of the law will face increased penalties under the Bill. Mr Gan Thiam Poh suggested that massage establishments in buildings with a higher concentration or recurrence of seedy massage establishments be required to install CCTVs along the corridors and entrances to deter illegal activities. Clause 10 of the Bill will allow the Police to modify licence conditions to address this concern. Should licensed massage establishments pose law and order problems, the Police can intervene quickly and impose additional licensing conditions. One such condition could be the installation of CCTV cameras to deter crimes in and around the massage establishment and to facilitate investigations into any such crimes that take place. Mr Deputy Speaker, let me deal with some other queries that have been raised. Mr Murali Pillai and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked whether we will consider a demerit points system for massage establishments, similar to that for the public entertainment licensing regime. In a demerit points system, the licence infringements are less reprehensible and the offender is given several chances to avoid more serious consequences.”
“If the landlords have done their due diligence by leasing the premises to only licensed massage establishments, it may not be fair to take them to task for something that occurs within the licensed massage establishments which they are genuinely not aware of. In addition, as I have shared in my earlier speech, the incidence of vice in licensed massage establishments is significantly lower than that in unlicensed massage establishments. As such, the main problem that this provision seeks to tackle is that of irresponsible landlords who have contributed to the problem of the increase in unlicensed massage establishments. Nevertheless, if unlawful vice activities are detected within HDB commercial properties, HDB can take action to terminate the tenancy. Mr Melvin Yong and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef raised the point that persons who are not "fit and proper" may apply for the licence via a third party, such as a family member or friend with a clean record. Clause 7 of the Bill seeks to address this by expanding the assessment of licensee suitability to other "relevant persons" in the business. At the point of licence application, the Police will carefully screen the background of the applicant and other persons with influence over the business. If any relevant person is assessed to be not fit and proper, the Police will reject the licence application. This seeks to prevent errant operators from hiding behind clean applicants to continue to operate massage establishments. But Members who have been in law enforcement know how difficult it can be to detect persons who deliberately hide. At least with this provision, the Police is clearly empowered to act to reject an application if they suspect that it is being made by a bad hat operating behind the scenes.”
“And if the landlord takes these steps to evict the tenant, the Police will not take action against him. Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Gan Thiam Poh suggested imposing additional obligations on landlords, such as placing the onus on landlords to proactively check whether their tenants have massage establishment licences, putting in place sanctions on premises that have been used for vice activities, or confiscating such properties. We do expect responsible landlords to check whether their tenants have valid massage establishment licences, both before and during the tenancy agreement. However, we must also recognise that this is not always possible. There could be mala fide unlicensed massage establishment operators who mislead the landlord into believing that the premises will be used for legitimate businesses. It can happen. Other tenants may decide to operate a massage establishment midway through its tenancy agreement, without first informing the landlord. They change their plans. In such cases, it will not be fair to penalise the landlord. But bear in mind that egregious landlords can be imprisoned, which is likely a stronger deterrent than any sanctions on the property. Mr Desmond Choo asked if the provision to penalise landlords who knowingly lease their premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators can be extended to premises with licensed massage establishments that are involved in vice activities. He also asked whether termination of tenancy can be considered if the premises is an HDB commercial property. In holding landlords responsible, we try to strike a balance.”
“Quite stiff. Mr Louis Ng and Mr Kok Heng Leun talked about the personal circumstances of Singaporean sex workers. Prostitution is not a crime per se and there is no intention to criminalise their actions in this Bill. But for providing sexual services in a massage establishment, the person will cease to be fit and proper and will no longer be allowed to work in a massage establishment. For those who wish to transit to other types of work, I appreciate it really may not be easy for them, but help is available and we are most willing to reach out to them. Foreign nationals who are arrested for vice-related activities will have their work passes or visit passes cancelled. They will be removed from Singapore and may not be allowed to re-enter. Mr Deputy Speaker, I will now address queries on other provisions within the Bill. Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Gan Thiam Poh sought clarifications about the proposal to punish landlords who knowingly lease their premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators. I have addressed these points earlier in my speech. In summary, a landlord will know about the charge against his tenant through the Police’s notification. The landlord would not be in a situation that he is caught unaware. Once a person is charged, we will inform them. After the tenant has been convicted of operating an unlicensed massage establishment, the landlord must require the tenant to hand over possession of the premises within a month. Thereafter, the Bill allows the landlord to terminate the lease without any contractual liability. If the tenant still refuses to move out, the landlord should apply to the Magistrate’s Court for a summary order for the delivery of possession of the premises.”
“But if Ms Pereira is suggesting that they be prevented from operating a bona fide beauty or health business, for example, doing facials or selling organic supplements, then from a Yellow Ribbon perspective and also considering the comments by Mr Kok Heng Leun and Mr Louis Ng, that may be going too far. Some Members spoke on tackling vice more generally, beyond massage establishments. Ms Joan Pereira is concerned about the possible displacement of vice activities to residential areas. She raised concerns that many of these vice workers are foreign nationals who have entered Singapore as visitors, and suggested that entry bans be imposed on foreigners involved in vice-related activities. Mr Kok Heng Leun asked about the Ministry's plans to ensure that vice does not happen where we do not want it to. Mr Alex Yam also asked about action that can be taken against masseuses found to be providing illegal sexual services. Over the past five years, about 12% of offenders caught for abetting vice activities were involved in illegal brothels operating from HDB flats. An offender convicted of managing a brothel under the Women’s Charter faces a fine of up to $10,000, or up to five years' imprisonment, or both. The Police keep a close watch on the vice situation in Singapore and will not hesitate to take the necessary enforcement actions to stamp out vice activities that spring up in residential areas. In cases where the Police have received complaints and detected brothels in HDB flats, the Police will also investigate the owner of the flat. The Police will also notify HDB, which will then take stern action if the flat owner is found to have misused his flat, including imposition of fines, and possibly, compulsory acquisition and debarment from buying another HDB flat.”
“Second, should an unlicensed massage establishment continue to operate even after the operator has been charged in Court, the Police can order the closure of premises. Third, we will go upstream to tackle the supply of premises, by taking irresponsible landlords to task if they knowingly lease their premises to unlicensed massage establishment operators. Mr Desmond Choo asked if harsher penalties can be imposed on the landlords who repeatedly have such establishments operating on their premises. Indeed, this is our intent. Under clause 5(4)(b), irresponsible landlords will be liable for fines up to $20,000 or five years' imprisonment or both, if they re-offend. Ms Joan Pereira also said that convicted unlicensed massage establishment operators should be disallowed from subsequently operating any beauty salons or health centres, given the ease with which these premises can be reconfigured for illicit vice activities. Given their history of non-compliance, convicted unlicensed massage establishment operators who intend to run beauty salons or health centres that offer massage services will not be considered "fit and proper" to hold a massage establishment licence. So, that is very clear. You tell us that you want to operate a massage establishment and your track record is that you had been non-compliant, you had been convicted before, you are not "fit and proper". If they offer massage services without a licence, then the same penalties as operating an unlicensed massage establishment applies, even if they call it a beauty salon or a health centre. It does not matter what they call it. We will look at what actual activities are taking place.”
“To share with Members, in 2016, on a monthly basis, Police carried out more than 100 enforcement checks, more than 100 every month. This Bill will provide the Police with the levers to act more effectively against the unlicensed massage establishments which take up a lot of time. Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Louis Ng cautioned that "low-risk activities" do not mean "no-risk". They are worried that these are not required to obtain massage establishment licences and yet, they could still be fronts for illicit massage or vice activities. The situation today is not quite like this, except for a very small number of bad hats. As I shared in my opening speech, vice activities are far more prevalent in unlicensed massage establishments, not even in those that are exempted. We may be reducing regulatory costs for bona fide operators but they would not be getting a free pass to use their businesses as a facade for something else. If a business purports to be providing low-risk services like manicure and pedicure but, in effect, is offering massage services, it will have to apply for a licence. And if it fails to do so, the business will be treated as no different from any other unlicensed massage establishment and penalised. Ms Joan Pereira asked whether the revised fines for unlicensed massage establishments would serve as sufficient deterrence, given the lucrativeness of their illicit activities. We are doing more than raising fines. We are adopting a suite of measures, as Mr Christopher de Souza puts it, that gives the "extra teeth necessary" to clamp down on unlicensed massage establishments. First, the fines are significantly higher. And more than that, the offenders can now face imprisonment.”
“The Licensing Officer will revoke the massage establishment licence, and he will not be granted a new massage establishment licence. Mr Deputy Speaker, I will next address the main problem we face in the massage establishment industry today, that is, the risks posed by a growing number of unlicensed massage establishments, many of which are fronts for vice activities. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the number of unlicensed massage establishments in Singapore. In 2016, the Police detected close to 300 unlicensed massage establishments which we already know is a 40% increase from 2013. But so as not to cause undue alarm, let me clarify that the vast majority of these unlicensed massage establishments were found in non-HDB properties. A relatively small 7% of the unlicensed massage establishments were found in HDB properties. To say it another way, most unlicensed massage establishments were not in HDB properties and most licensed massage establishments in HDB properties did not have vice infringements, less than 3%. So, we should not assume that all of them are somehow involved in vice. Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Louis Ng asked about the Police's enforcement plans against such unlicensed massage establishments. We will not tolerate such errant operators that exhibit a flagrant disregard for the law. Where specific feedback is received about suspected unlicensed massage establishments and their illegal vice activities, the Police will assess the information and take necessary actions. The Police naturally have to work within their resource constraints, but the intention is to maintain the enforcement pressure against unlicensed massage establishments.”
“Mr Desmond Choo and Ms Foo Mee Har asked if the Ministry would consider limiting the operating hours of massage establishments located in housing estates. The Police have, indeed, started to restrict the operating hours for massage establishments in HDB estates, and only allow them to operate from 6.00 am to 11.00 pm daily. This applies to licences granted or renewed since August this year. What about existing licences? Under clause 10 of the Bill, the Licensing Officer will be empowered to modify existing licence conditions. So, the restricted operating hours will be fully implemented for all licensees within HDB estates after the re-enacted Act comes into force. So, if you are in an HDB estate, once this new Bill comes into force, the limited, curtailed operating hours will apply. Mr Desmond Choo, Ms Foo Mee Har and Mr Melvin Yong highlighted concerns about inappropriate advertisements by massage establishments and urged the Ministry to subject massage establishments to advertising guidelines. We understand the concerns. The Police intend to impose a new licensing condition to prohibit licensees from displaying indecent advertisements. We will need some time to work out the specific details but the intent is clear, advertisements will have to be within certain guidelines. Mr Desmond Choo asked about the number of licensed massage establishments within residential estates with vice-related infringements, and whether they will be allowed to operate massage establishments in future. In 2016, about 3% of licensed massage establishments in HDB premises were found to have vice-related infringements. If a massage establishment has vice-related infringements, the licensee will no longer be considered fit and proper to hold a massage establishment licence.”
“So, as some Members have noted, licensed massage establishments in HDB estates must obtain what is known as a Category I licence under the Police licensing framework. So, what assurances does this give us? The more stringent criteria for Category I licence include the need to obtain CaseTrust accreditation which indicates good business practices covering areas, such as regulatory compliance, safety and hygiene, which Mr Christopher de Souza asked about, and consumer protection. Another criterion is a minimum capital investment of $50,000, which provides some deterrence against fly-by-night operators hoping to roll over the quick profits of a massage establishment. Such criteria help to ensure that the applicants are bona fide operators who have put in the effort and investment to run legitimate massage businesses. Thirdly, the Police impose specific conditions to reduce the potential disamenities from massage establishments in residential areas. Ms Foo Mee Har gave suggestions on more stringent licensing conditions that could be imposed on massage establishments situated within residential estates. Several of these are already in place today. For instance, employees of licensed massage establishments are required to wear uniforms that are approved by the Licensing Officer. Pretty strict. There is a uniform. It is approved and if you are not wearing the uniform, you have breached the licensing condition. So, if you know of any instance where someone is not dressed appropriately, that cannot be an approved uniform, let us know. We will enforce. They are also prohibited from touting for business outside the massage establishment premises.”
“I will state categorically also that when it comes to vice and other illegal activities in massage establishments, the Police have zero tolerance, especially in residential estates. Their licences are liable to be revoked. So, that is the baseline. The Police and HDB take all feedback, all complaints from residents and the community seriously. We will assess each feedback and take necessary actions to enforce our laws. To mitigate the risks of vice and disamenities due to massage establishments, the Police take a much stricter licensing approach for massage establishments in residential areas, compared to those that operate outside residential areas. Firstly, when assessing a new massage establishment application, the Police work closely with the URA and HDB. The agencies will assess the suitability of the location. We will not allow new massage establishments in an area if the existing massage establishments are problematic and pose law and order issues, so we do not add to the problems. The agencies will also assess whether the proposed massage establishment will cause disamenities to the surrounding areas. In residential areas, we take into account feedback from the community. Clause 7(3) of the Bill now expressly specifies that the Licensing Officer must take into account URA's or HDB's planning considerations. This will ensure that the various agencies' processes are fully coordinated. They are not as coordinated as they need to be now. But clause 7(3) of the Bill now makes that a requirement, clearly specified. Secondly, even if a location in an HDB estate is assessed to be suitable for a massage establishment, the licence applicant must meet more stringent qualifying criteria than if he planned to operate elsewhere.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the 11 Members for speaking in support of the Bill. They have raised many useful points which I will try to address. Let me start with massage establishments within residential areas. Several Members raised concerns about massage establishments in residential areas, including Ms Foo Mee Har, Mr Melvin Yong and Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, who rightly pointed out that it is not a walk in the park. Mr Christopher de Souza said that the Police should prioritise anti-vice enforcement efforts in residential areas. Mr Murali Murali asked whether the Police will engage relevant stakeholders in deciding whether to grant new massage establishment licences and take into account land use considerations when assessing licence applications. Mr Desmond Choo suggested working with merchant associations to strengthen intelligence on illegal establishments and gathering feedback on licensed massage establishments that flout the rules. MHA understands and shares the underlying concerns of our Members. Mr Kok Heng Leun said that "massage worker" refers to masseuses who provide happy-ending services in massage parlours. He added that under the current Act, massage establishments can continue to operate even when they have been fined for being non-compliant. Let me correct that misconception. Masseuses are not sex workers. Massage workers can earn a living without providing sexual services. That is the first thing we have to acknowledge. Not all masseuses are trying to provide additional services. They perform massage services. It is their livelihood. There is nothing untoward about that.”
“Mr Png Eng Huat had talked about the fact that if a member is aged 55 and above, he is already eligible to withdraw his CPF savings after setting aside his cohort BRS and he can use these withdrawals to give cash top-ups to his parents and grandparents and, in fact, enjoy a tax relief on it. He is right to point this out. But instead of this two-step process of a withdrawal and then a top-up, we want to be able to facilitate a transfer by allowing him to use a property charge to help meet the cohort FRS, if he wishes to transfer part of his CPF savings above the cohort BRS to his parents or grandparents. So, it is purely facilitative in nature. But Mr Png added that, in doing so, he does not get to enjoy the potential tax relief. He is right. What CPF Board will do is, in interacting with the member, they can, indeed, point this out to the member that if they take a two-step approach, they are eligible for a tax relief. It depends on whether they have income at that point in time. To some of the members, they may no longer be earning an income and, therefore, a tax relief means nothing to them. So, it really depends.”
“Mr Speaker, let me first thank the Members for supporting this Bill and their comments on how we can improve the CPF system. Let me address the comments that Members have made on specific aspects of the Bill. Mr Patrick Tay asked for an update on the retirement adequacy of CPF members. Retirement adequacy is improving for every successive cohort. In 2013, about six in 10 active CPF members who turned age 55 met their cohort BRS. We expect this proportion to grow to seven in 10 for the cohort turning age 55 in 2020. Even so, there is scope to help CPF members, especially older cohorts who are already in retirement, to improve their retirement adequacy. This is why we are making it possible for more CPF members to initiate CPF transfers to their parents and grandparents. Which are the families that are more likely to benefit from the amendments? Well, they first have to have a property charge and they also have to be able to meet either the prevailing or the cohort BRS which, therefore, means that they are more likely to be older in age. Nonetheless, as I have shared in my earlier speech, we expect that the number of eligible members will increase by 340,000. So, not a small number. Mr Patrick Tay asked how a property sale would affect CPF members who earlier made CPF transfers to their parents after using a property pledge or charge to meet the FRS. The property pledge or charge works to help restore CPF members’ savings to their FRS if they sell their property. The property sale and the resulting CPF refund do not affect the earlier CPF transfers made by the member to his spouse, parents or grandparents. To be clear, those family members will retain the transferred CPF monies.”
“The third and last set of amendments provide greater clarity and efficiency in the administration of some parts of the CPF Act. I will provide one example. Today, the top-up limit for transfers from the OA to the member’s own SA is prescribed in the CPF Act. However, all the other top-up limits, such as for CPF transfers to spouses, are prescribed in the regulations instead of the main Act. The amendment will simplify the CPF Act such that all computational details for limits on voluntary top-ups to various CPF accounts will be specified in the CPF Regulations. There is no change to the top-up limits, only where they are specified. In conclusion, this Bill provides greater flexibility for CPF members as well as simplifies and clarifies the administration of the CPF Act. Mr Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“This ensures that these members have enough for their own basic retirement needs and have also added security through the property charges. About 20% of CPF members aged 30 to 70 meet the current thresholds to make transfers to their parents and grandparents. With the amendment, 30% of CPF members will be eligible. This means about 340,000 more members. This amendment will give members more options to strengthen their parents' and grandparents' retirement adequacy. In particular, it will help members who want to increase their parents' or grandparents' retirement savings but may not be able to do so through cash top-ups. The second amendment updates the payout benchmark for Retirement Sum exemption. Today, in addition to his CPF savings, a member may have lifelong payouts from a private annuity or pension which is higher than the monthly CPF payout that an age peer receives under the Retirement Sum Scheme (RSS). Such members have been allowed to apply to withdraw their CPF savings, without having to set aside their cohort Retirement Sum. Those with lower private annuity or pension payouts may apply for partial exemption from setting aside their cohort Retirement Sum. As CPF LIFE has replaced RSS as the default retirement payout scheme for members entering retirement, it is timely to update the benchmark used for Retirement Sum exemptions. Instead of the RSS payout, we will now use the monthly CPF LIFE payout that a member who has met the cohort FRS is expected to receive. Annually, for the past few years, about 200 members have successfully applied for full or partial exemption. The effect of this amendment is that more members will qualify for full exemption.”
“When CPF OA savings are used to finance the property purchase, a charge is placed on the property so that if the property is subsequently sold, proceeds from the sale will be used to refund the CPF OA principal sum previously withdrawn to buy the property, plus interest the member would have earned if it had not been withdrawn. So, that is the property charge. The property charge, therefore, helps to secure the member’s CPF savings. However, a member’s property charge is not currently taken into consideration when he applies to transfer part of his CPF savings to his loved ones. With this amendment, the property charge will be considered together with other CPF savings when assessing whether a member is eligible to make transfers to his parents and grandparents. A member below the age of 55 will be able to transfer part of his OA savings above the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) to his parents and grandparents if he has sufficient OA and SA savings to meet the prevailing BRS, which together with a property charge, are sufficient to meet the prevailing FRS. For a member aged 55 and above to do likewise, CPF Board will look not just at his OA and SA but include the RA as well. If he has sufficient savings to meet his cohort BRS which, together with his property charge, is sufficient to meet his cohort FRS, he can transfer part of his OA, SA and RA savings above the BRS to his parents and grandparents. It is quite a lot to remember. That is why I have provided the chart for Members to refer to. But the upshot is this: whatever their ages, the members would be required to set aside the BRS in their CPF savings before they can make transfers to parents and grandparents.”
“Mr Speaker, let me just briefly orientate Members to the table. It describes how much CPF transfers givers can make through the CPF Retirement Sum Topping-Up Scheme. So, if Members look at the different rows, one row is for the "Amounts that can be given to the Spouse"; the second row has got to do with how much transfers can be given to the parents and grandparents; and the third row has got to do with transfers to parents-in-law, grandparents-in-law and siblings. For the purpose of our amendment Bill today, we are only looking at those transfers to parents and grandparents. So, Members should be looking at the middle row where we described what the current practice is and what the new practice will be for both members who are aged below 55, as well members who are aged 55 and above. Currently, when a CPF member below the age of 55 has sufficient savings in his Ordinary Account (OA) and Special Account (SA) to meet the prevailing Full Retirement Sum (FRS), he can transfer part of his OA savings to his parents and grandparents. For a member aged 55 and above to do likewise, the CPF Board will look at combined savings, not just in his OA and SA, but also include his Retirement Account (RA). In other words, we will look at all three – OA, SA and RA – and if those combined savings are sufficient to meet the FRS of his cohort, he can transfer part of his OA savings. That is the current practice. To explain the amendment, let me first talk about the property charge. Many CPF members own property.”
“Mr Speaker, from my understanding for these home fire alarm systems, the battery life usually can last about 10 years. Maintenance, as I also understand, mainly involves pressing a button to test if there is still battery life left which then means that the alarm ought to be functional. Among SCDF, the Housing and Development Board and the People's Association grassroots, I am quite sure we can work out a good approach to maintenance. So, let me give Ms Pereira the assurance that this is something that SCDF considers very carefully and we will take the feedback from the advisers and incorporate it into the design of the scheme.”
“If there is a party that would like to get involved in the study, MOM is happy to work with this party to see how we can support it.”
“What this equipment allows the company to do is to bring the clients to the office, and even though the staff is working from home, they are actually able to interact with each other, speak, look at each other's facial expressions, talk about the project that is being worked on and how to move forward, and they can do so using technology. The point that I am trying to highlight is that actually there are very many different needs of companies that we cannot predict in advance, and we have to leave it to the companies to specify and to design interventions that work for them. This is the reason why when we draw up the Work-Life Grant, we make it quite broad. We do not overly prescribe, we do not say you must do only this or do that, we tell them the grant is available to them, they put up a proposal and we will take a look. If it seems to make sense to what they are hoping that it would achieve for their employees as well as for their business, then we would like to be able to support it. I would also like to share with Mr Louis Ng that since the Work-Life Grant was launched, we have had well over a thousand companies which have signed up. They are making good progress.”
“Mr Speaker, Mr Louis Ng's comment brought to mind two instances that I encountered not too long ago. One was the case of a food services company, a very well-known company that has got a significant presence in Singapore and quite a lot of employees. The person whom I met from this company is, in fact, someone who is on a Term Contract. Why is this person on a Term Contract? She is providing relief for the duties of a permanent, regular employee who is with child and is unable to handle all of the work at the same time and so, needs a little bit of support. What this company has done is to bring on board this Term Contract employee so as to allow the pregnant employee to have a greater ability to cope with the twin challenges of work and also the pregnancy. That is one example. Another example that I came across was an accounting services firm. This is not a very big firm. It provides accounting and corporate secretarial services. The nature of the work is such that, actually, they have got significant representation of women in their workforce. The owners of this practice are themselves very family-friendly. They wanted to be able to support their employees. But they did find that in their circumstance, the continued interaction with the customers is very important. In fact, even if they were to bring on board someone to relieve the duties or to help this person carry out the work, it does not quite satisfy the customers. So, they were creative and they found an alternative solution. They took advantage of the Work-Life Grant and they put in place a system that is known as double robotics technology.”
“The intent of self-assessment is to make it easier for the companies. So, we do not want to load them unnecessarily with administrative work. If, however, they have employees who look at what the company has declared and say that, "This is quite different from what they actually practise", then, what we do is to encourage the employees to let TAFEP know. TAFEP will engage the employers and then we can have a conversation with the employers as to whether they are carrying out what they promised to do.”
“In just two months, more than 400 companies with about 17% of the resident Term Contract Employees base is not bad. So, we will push for more.”
“Mr Speaker, the short answer to the Member's first question is yes. TAFEP is the administrator of this Standard and TAFEP is the one that will reach out to companies. TAFEP is also the party that coordinates positions taken by the Labour Movement, that is, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), as well as the Singapore National Employers' Federation, to see if there are good opportunities and reasons to adapt the Standard or adjust it based on changing needs. The Member asked if there are sanctions. We have to understand the reason for having the Tripartite Standard against the backdrop of the other schemes that are in place is to try and promote progressive workplace practices. Firstly, there are laws. To supplement the laws, there are also tripartite guidelines that the employers are expected to adhere to. Those ensure that employees are able to enjoy basic rights. At the same time, on the other end of the spectrum, which is completely voluntary, we have tripartite advisories. These basically give encouragement to companies on the types of practices that we would like to see more of. The Standard is somewhere in between. The Standard gives the companies an incentive to sign up. Because by signing up to the Standard, they will be able to demonstrate to the prospective employees or jobseekers in a very visible way what they are committed to do. And so, there is a natural incentive for companies to sign up, provided the Standard is not so onerous and burdensome that it becomes so hard for them to reach. What goes into the Standard has to be very carefully calibrated. The Tripartite Standard Framework has just been launched, in fact, two months ago, at the same time that we launched the Standard for Term Contract Employees.”
“The efforts include building security measures, patrols by the Police, and also engagement through the Safety and Security Watch Group scheme. Each hospital has put in place preventive security measures, physical security operations and contingency plans to deal with different scenarios, including terrorist incidents. Mr Speaker, I hope I have addressed Members' concerns. The Infrastructure Protection Bill is an important step forward as we fortify Singapore's resolve against the threat of terrorist attacks. With the support of the House, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mrs Josephine Teo.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Mr Gan Thiam Poh spoke about the need for other counterterrorism efforts to complement infrastructure protection. I share his views that we need to step up on all fronts, including regional cooperation and strengthening religious harmony which we will debate in Mr Christopher de Souza's Motion. Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Melvin Yong mentioned the importance of preparing members of the staff and public so that they know how to respond in the event of emergencies. Just last week, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean spoke about the important role of the corporate sector. Businesses can help raise the preparedness of their workers, for example, by briefing employees on emergency escape routes and places to hide, and equipping them with firefighting, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/automated external defibrillator (AED) as well as first-aid skills. The SGSecure Guide for Workplaces was also launched recently and will be made available to all companies. We urge all companies to study the guide and take steps to raise preparedness. As for Mr Melvin Yong's suggestion on coordinated evacuation plans, I think he talked about sector level plans. The Police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force conduct annual exercises with the Watch group members to enhance joint responses to crises and incidents. Some of these exercises are conducted with a cluster of buildings located in the same area. So, that is, indeed, what has happened. Ms Joan Pereira, and I believe Ms Sylvia Lim, spoke about protecting hospitals since they provide essential services. Let me assure Members that MHA works very closely with the Ministry of Health on this.”
“The Bill will limit the availability of more recent and detailed photographs of Protected Areas and Places. Such photos can threaten public safety and security by facilitating the planning of attacks. Making it clear that unauthorised photography is prohibited will also have a deterrent effect, allowing security resources to focus on areas that are more likely to be a real threat. Mr Desmond Choo asked how many people have been charged or warned against taking photographs or videos of Protected Areas and Places, and how awareness will be increased. Currently, because this is not an offence – though some of our Protected Areas and Places like our checkpoints have rules to disallow it – no one has committed an offence since it is not an offence. The Bill will make unauthorised photography an offence punishable with a fine of up to $20,000 or imprisonment of up to two years or both, and signs will be displayed at the perimeter of the Protected Area or Place. Ms Sylvia Lim had asked what were the reasons for the increase in fines under Part 3. Our consideration is as follows. The PAPPA has not been amended since 1959. The existing offence provisioned under section (7) of the Act is a fine of $1,000 and two years' imprisonment or both. That is clearly relevant in 1959. It serves as a sufficient deterrent. But we are now in 2017. So, under the Bill, the fine for offences relating to Protected Areas and Places is increased to $20,000. How is this benchmarked? Well, it is benchmarked to similar and more recent offences, such as those in the Public Order Act. For example, remaining in the special event area without authorisation and contravention of move-on orders. Those are the benchmarks that have been looked at. Turning now to other counterterrorism efforts.”
“Under the Bill, security officers and APOs will have to undergo additional training on how to exercise their proposed new powers. They need to become clearer about that. The Police will also develop rules of engagement on how these new powers are to be exercised so that the security officers and the APOs know the boundaries within which they operate. There are other safeguards. For example, authorised officers will have to carry a map showing the specified surrounding area where they can exercise the proposed powers. And because they carry a map, there can be no dispute. Another safeguard: clause 26 provides that if the specified surrounding areas include private property, powers may only be exercised with the consent of the owner or occupier of that private property. Clause 31 further provides that when exercising such powers, authorised officers must identify themselves and state their authority to do so, if asked. Unauthorised photography, some clarifications there. Mr Gan Thiam Poh supported making unauthorised photography of Protected Areas and Places an offence. Ms Sylvia Lim asked whether such a prohibition was reasonable. The purpose of this prohibition is to deter would-be attackers from carrying out pre-attack surveys of their targets. Today, while many Protected Areas or Places have "No Photography" signs outside, authorised officers are not able to stop persons from taking photos. On the ground, the authorised officers will have to exercise some judgement. If photos were taken inadvertently, they would typically warn and ask the person to delete the photos. Further action would be taken if the person does not comply, or if there are security reasons to do so.”
“Nonetheless, the residential building owners can take reference from the criteria used to designate special developments or infrastructures and implement the appropriate security measures themselves. They can also refer to MHA’s Guidelines on Enhancing Building Security in Singapore (GEBSS). In addition, if they join the Safety and Security Watch Group, a Police Liaison Officer can help their premises undergo a security assessment. Mr Darryl David asked for an update on the interagency review of the guidelines. This is ongoing and we hope to publish the revised guidelines by early 2018. Let us now turn to safeguards for the enhanced powers at Protected Areas and Places. Mr Darryl David asked about the criteria used to declare Protected Areas and Places. The PAPPA has been in place since 1948. Typically, the declaration is made at the application of the owner in charge of the sensitive location. Examples of such locations are military areas and critical infrastructures. They would generally not involve residential or commercial areas. Mr Louis Ng asked whether powers given to the authorised officers are subject to guidelines, and the need to provide security officers with such powers. Mr Darryl David also mentioned the need to ensure authorised officers are properly trained. The private security industry supports the Home Team in ensuring the safety and security of Singapore. Under the current PAPPA, security officers and APOs can already be deployed to guard Protected Areas and Places and exercise appropriate powers. They must, however, first undergo compulsory training, which is mandated by the Police. This already includes the counterterrorism course which I mentioned earlier.”
“For example, guards with an integrated command centre can focus on analysing and responding to incidents over a much larger area, as compared to if they just patrolled on foot. Mr Zainal Sapari, Mr Louis Ng, Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Melvin Yong spoke about the need to train security officers and uplift the industry. Indeed, the security industry is a key partner. MHA is working closely with industry stakeholders and tripartite partners to develop an Industry Transformation Map. This process has been ongoing for some time. Among other initiatives, the Industry Transformation Map will identify ways to enhance the skills of security officers. Currently, security officers guarding Protected Areas and Protected Places must go through a counterterrorism course. The course was updated earlier this year to be more relevant. MHA and SPF are working with stakeholders in the Security Tripartite Cluster to make this counterterrorism course a licensing requirement for more security officers and incorporate this in the Progressive Wage Model. Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Melvin Yong also pointed out rightly that technology is a key enabler to improve productivity and alleviate manpower challenges in the security industry. The Member spoke passionately and also suggested enhancing training and job roles and recognising security officers with additional skills. The ITM will look into this, together with other important related issues they raised, such as attracting more Singaporeans into the industry. Mr Zainal Sapari suggested mandating that all residential buildings carry out security risk assessments. There are thousands of such buildings and the general threat assessment does not yet warrant a blanket requirement on all of them.”
“As the Bill extends security-by-design to more new developments, we will build up the pool of competent persons with the new scheme for PE (PS). We will also work with the security industry to develop security consulting capabilities as part of the Security Industry Transformation Map. Ms Sylvia Lim also asked about the Commissioner requiring amendments to the security plan after it has been approved and complied with. This will only be done if warranted by a security risk. Given the evolving nature of security threats, the Commissioner must be in a position to order a review of the security plan so that new risks assessed to warrant attention can be mitigated. I think Mr Darryl David referred to this as security-by-redesign. He is very right. Will there be abortive costs as a result? We will try to avoid this as much as possible, but it may not always be possible. We have to weigh it against the value of the enhanced security protection. It is important for us to talk about Developing Industry Capabilities and, in this section, I shall do so. Mr Melvin Yong asked whether the demand for security manpower will increase as a result of the Bill. As I mentioned earlier, the key benefit of security-by-design is that it can mitigate security risks upfront in the design of the building and offer cost savings in the longer term. A building that is well-designed for security, with the use of technology, such as CCTV and video analytics integrated upfront, will actually require less manpower to guard. Not only do we get to save on manpower, this is an opportunity to create new, higher skilled jobs and thereby attract new entrants to the sector.”
“We will also be reasonable in the amount of time given to developers and consultants to comply with the requirements under directives and orders. Mr Darryl David asked about the Commissioner of Infrastructure Protection. This person would be a senior public servant in the Ministry of Home Affairs who has the necessary professional expertise to make assessments and to coordinate with relevant Home Team agencies. MHA has been working with selected building owners over the past decade on security-by-design. So, there is already a team in place and we will make sure the team is adequately resourced to implement the new requirements. But no new agency needs to be set up for now. Ms Sylvia Lim also asked about competent persons who need to be approved by the Commissioner to prepare security plans. The Commissioner will make an assessment for each project, after assessing the person’s relevant qualifications, past experience with security-by-design projects, and the nature of the project. There is no pre-approved list, and we will provide broad guidelines on the requirements that competent persons should meet. Inhouse experts may also be included. But all will need to be approved for each project because some projects may require special expertise or may be of a sensitive nature. Developing industry capabilities in security consulting and infrastructure protection is also one of our key priorities. There are security and blast consultants, as well as other built environment professionals like architects, who are well-versed with security-by-design. In other words, it is not an idea that is completely new in Singapore. Over the last decade, a number of projects have already gone through this process.”
“Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Desmond Choo asked about the kinds of buildings that would be designated Special Developments and Special Infrastructures. It is fair that building owners and developers know, as early as possible, whether security-by-design requirements will apply in their own cases. This is why we intend to publish the criteria in the Gazette on the types of new developments that will be designated as Special Developments. What are these criteria based on? Essentially, we look at indicators that signal the high likelihood of public footfall being very large. So, that will naturally include the size, location and the type of the developments. For a start, we will include developments with a gross floor area of over 100,000 square metres, are located in specific planning areas, and there is a list which will be identified in the Gazette. And apart from the gross floor area of 100,000 square metres, and also the location being in specific planning areas, these buildings ought to be designated by URA for commercial, community and mixed use. So, it will be quite clear through the Gazette which buildings are going to be designated Special Developments. Existing buildings that meet the criteria will generally also be designated as Special Infrastructures so that security can be incorporated in their design during renovation. By publishing the criteria in the Gazette, developers and building owners will, therefore, have a good sense if they are affected and those who are unsure can approach MHA for clarification. As for the timeline, we will inform the building owners as early as we can. Along with the high public footfall criteria, the details of the security-by-design review process will also be provided to the industry.”