K Shanmugam
Singapore
“Bank accounts are frozen when there is reason to suspect that the bank accounts are involved in illicit activities, including money laundering activities.”
“The Singapore Police Force does not track the requested data. Distinguishing artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content typically requires more detailed forensic examination which may not be necessary in every investigation and may also not be conclusive as to whether AI-generative tools were used.”
“The Building and Construction Authority’s Code on Accessibility provides baseline requirements for accessible and inclusive buildings. It stipulates a minimum width of 1.5 metres or 1.8 metres for primary accessible routes, depending on the building type.”
“The Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Driving Licence) Rules under the Road Traffic Act set out the scope of the medical assessment required for motorists aged 65 and above who wish to retain their driving licences.”
“When a Police report has been made, the Police will investigate to determine if a criminal offence has been committed. If there is reasonable suspicion that a case is scam-related, the Police can direct online service providers to restrict Singapore users' access to the relevant online activity under the Online Criminal Harms Act.”
“Through intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions, the cross-border operation disrupted a transnational drug trafficking syndicate and downstream drug trafficking activities, with the UK arresting seven persons so far and further investigations underway.”
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“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) chairs the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams (IMCS), which leads the Government's efforts to combat scams. Public education is key. MHA works with our partners to reach out to population segments of concern. For example, through collaboration with the Agency for Integrated Care, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Manpower and MoneySense, the Police disseminate anti-scam advisories to seniors, students, migrant workers and professionals. We have also involved members of the public in our scam prevention efforts. For example, as part of Project PRAISE (Police-RSVP Anti-Scam Engagement), the Police have worked with RSVP Singapore to appoint senior citizens volunteers as anti-scam advocates and train them to reach out to their fellow senior citizens to share the latest information about scams and scam prevention tips. The Police and National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) have been working with the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) on various initiatives to educate bank customers. Initiatives include an online quiz on scam prevention and sending of advisories to customers to remind them not to share their One-Time Passwords with others. Police have also worked with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to educate the public not to pick up calls with a "+" or "+65" prefix if they are not expecting any calls from overseas. Combatting scams is a whole-of-society effort. We urge the public to be alert and to raise our collective awareness of scams by sharing scam prevention tips with your friends and family.”
“The OCH currently targets sites spoofing MHA's public websites, such as those under the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force, and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. HTX is collaborating with GovTech to adapt OCH to also detect sites which spoof other Government sites. Through the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams, the Police coordinate efforts with other public agencies and private stakeholders to combat scams. For example, the Police have worked with the telecommunication operators through the Infocomm Media Development Authority to block numbers known to be used to perpetuate scams, including those that start with "+656" or spoof numbers of Government agencies. The Anti-Scam Centre works closely with financial institutions, for example, to swiftly freeze bank accounts suspected to be involved in scammers' operations and enhance banks' fraud controls to facilitate timely detection and blocking of suspicious transactions. The Police have also collaborated with the National Crime Prevention Council and GovTech to develop ScamShield, a mobile application which filters out scam messages and blocks calls from phone numbers that were used in other scam cases or which were reported by ScamShield users. As I have mentioned, enforcement, alone, will never be sufficient. The scammers will adapt and find a way around our measures. Combatting scams has to be a whole-of-society effort, and we urge the public to be alert, and to raise our collective awareness of scams by sharing scam prevention tips with your friends and family.”
“The vast majority of scams are perpetrated by scammers based outside Singapore. These scammers are typically part of organised criminal groups and run sophisticated transnational operations which are not easy to detect or dismantle. These scammers are also well-resourced and adept at using technology to cover their tracks. The number of scammers is also potentially limitless and the authorities will not be able to detect and stop every scam attempt, no matter how much resources we pour in. Such cases are difficult to investigate and prosecute. Much of our efforts to solve these cases will depend on the level of cooperation of overseas law enforcement agencies, as well as their ability to track down these scammers based in their jurisdictions – this varies across countries. Given the investigative challenges associated with transnational scammers, enforcement alone will never be sufficient. The first line of defence must be an aware, watchful and discerning public, who will be sceptical and check first with authoritative sources before responding, when approached with suspicious stories. This is because once monies have been transferred out of Singapore, recovery is extremely difficult. While these challenges are substantive, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken steps to try and deal with the issues that can be dealt with, and enhanced our ability to deal with scams. The Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) has developed and deployed an Online Cybersquat Hunter (OCH) that uses artificial intelligence to trawl the Internet daily, to detect potential scam and phishing sites.”
“Community partners such as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) and the Inter-Agency Aftercare Group also conduct counter-ideology outreach activities targeted at students and youths. For example, the RRG has been working with schools to organise assembly talks, workshops, as well as learning journeys to the RRG Resource and Counselling Centre. The RRG has also intensified its digital outreach efforts, producing online lectures, "live" postings, online engagements and videos, for the community, including for youths. We will keep up these efforts.”
“There is a growing array of harmful online content, including terrorism-related materials that promote violence. To tackle this, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) recently announced two proposed Codes of Practice to strengthen safety for users of social media services, especially young users. In particular, the Code of Practice for Online Safety will require designated social media services, those with significant reach or impact, to put in place appropriate measures and safeguards to mitigate exposure to harmful online content for Singapore-based users. These include system-wide processes to enhance online safety for all users, and additional safeguards for young users who are below the age of 18. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is also working to strengthen Singapore’s legal levers to deal with harmful online content, including materials disseminated by terrorists, and content that incite violence. To counter indoctrination by such online materials, we also need to educate and raise the awareness of our public, including youths. MHA drives the SGSecure movement, which is a call to action to Singaporeans to prepare for the threat of a terrorist attack. As part of SGSecure, we have been working with the Ministry of Education to engage students on terrorism-related issues. For example, we have incorporated SGSecure content into story books for students, and held assembly talks and exhibitions in the schools. The Internal Security Department (ISD) has also been working with schools, Institutes of Higher Learning and community organisations to conduct counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation outreach activities for students, youths and educators since 2007. These include workshops, talks and seminars.”
“Today, the Internet Code of Practice prohibits content which is objectionable on grounds of public interest, public order or public security, or is otherwise prohibited by applicable Singapore laws. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has powers under the Broadcasting Act to direct Internet Content Providers to take down prohibited material, as well as direct Internet Service Providers to block access to websites that contain such material. However, given the dynamic and borderless nature of the Internet, we cannot realistically block every website with undesirable content. Specifically on the manufacture of dangerous weapons, in January 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) introduced the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act (GEWCA) to further strengthen controls over them. Among others, GEWCA introduces a new offence for possession of digital blueprints of guns or major parts of guns for 3D printing. The new laws will be operationalised by the end of this year. Over the years, we have enhanced our intelligence capabilities to detect threats such as radicalised individuals and terror groups, who may try to procure or manufacture such weapons. The public also has an important role to play. They can report suspicious behaviour by contacting the Internal Security Department Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline (1800 – 2626473), calling 999, SMS to 71999, or use the "Report" function in the SGSecure app.”
“From 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021, 14 prisoners, aged 65 and above, passed away due to their underlying medical conditions. These medical conditions included cancer, heart disease and pneumonia. The offences leading to the imprisonment of these 14 prisoners were as follows. The age of the oldest prisoner incarcerated as of 30 June 2022 is 90 years old. He was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for the offence of unauthorised import or export of a controlled drug and was admitted to prison on 30 April 2014 when he was 82 years old. He is currently staying in the Assisted Living Correctional Unit (ALCU) to mitigate his risk of falling. He has been observed to be fairly independent and does not require any assistance for his daily activities, nor does he display any sign of mental deterioration.”
“Education and skills training programmes are provided to inmates by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG). Admission to these programmes is based on considerations such as whether the inmates (including inmates serving long sentences) meet the minimum entry requirements to undertake the programmes, their general conduct, medical condition as well as their interest and willingness to attend the programmes. The inmates also need to have sufficient duration of incarceration period left to cover most, if not all of the curriculum while still in prison. An inmate who has only weeks to a few months left before release will thus not be suitable to be emplaced on education programmes. Currently, there is sufficient capacity in SPS and YRSG’s programmes. Inmates who were not emplaced on the programmes, were those who did not meet the admission considerations.”
“Among others, in April and May 2022, CNB collaborated with Singapore Polytechnic students to develop two social media campaigns titled "The Adventures of Piller Parker" and "Drug Abuse, No Excuse". The campaigns leveraged youth-centric online platforms such as Instagram and Tik Tok to educate youths on the dangers of drug abuse, correct online misinformation and sensitise them to the motives and marketing tactics employed by profit-driven companies lobbying for cannabis legalisation and use.”
“Research shows that cannabis use produces short-term and long-term adverse effects, including impairment to respiratory and cognitive functions. An extensive literature review conducted in 2015 by experts from the Institute of Mental Health found that cannabis consumption is associated with harms such as irreversible brain damage, brain shrinkage and serious mental and psychiatric illnesses. In a 2019 report, the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) said that there are particular risks of cannabis use for children, such as respiratory depression, tachycardia and coma. A 2019 study published in the Lancet Psychiatric Journal showed a link between cannabis use and psychosis and schizophrenia. These findings inform Singapore's position that cannabis should remain a controlled drug. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, it is an offence for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents to consume controlled drugs, including cannabis, overseas. We apply extraterritorial jurisdiction to the drug consumption offence. Local addicts will face prosecution in Singapore, even if they travel overseas to consume the drugs. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) brings these messages on the harms of drugs and on Singapore's drug laws, to the public through multiple channels. These include advisories published on the CNB website and social media platforms, as well as briefings held for students going on overseas exchange programmes. CNB also tailors preventive drug education programmes and informational toolkits for schools and those in positions of influence over youths, such as parents, counsellors, educators, youth advocates and national service commanders.”
“Foreigners who possess a valid travel document and meet entry requirements will be allowed to come into Singapore. We also reserve the right to deny entry to a foreigner if we assess that to be in our national interests. If a foreigner coming into Singapore is wanted by his government and his government has made a request, the Government will render assistance in accordance with our laws. Travellers transiting through Singapore en route to another destination have technically not entered Singapore if they remain within the transit area and do not clear immigration. This is international law. Nevertheless, if we are aware of the presence of undesirable persons, we may still check them and take appropriate actions. MHA ensures the general safety and security of residents and foreign visitors in Singapore. We may accord additional security depending on the current or former status of any person, taking into consideration the safety and security risk that may be posed to the person and the general public.”
“The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is closely monitoring the emergence of drug cocktails in Southeast Asia, including "Happy Water" which is known to contain controlled drugs, such as ketamine, Ecstasy, methamphetamine and prescription drugs, such as diazepam and tramadol. Drug trafficking syndicates constantly employ novel concealment methods, such as by disguising drugs as food products, to smuggle drugs into Singapore. CNB will continue to work with its partner agencies to deter, detect and disrupt these drug smuggling activities. In 2021, CNB seized packets and bottles of "Happy Water" in separate operations. CNB also intercepted drugs which were concealed within food packaging on several other occasions. In addition, CNB will continue with its efforts to educate the public on drug-laced consumables that are disguised as food or drink products.”
“Drug traffickers and abusers employ various communication methods to coordinate and conduct their transactions, including encrypted chat applications, such as Telegram and Whatsapp, phone calls and meetings in person. For example, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has observed that traffickers increasingly use encrypted chat apps to advertise the sale of drugs to new clients and to arrange for the delivery of the drugs. We are unable to provide the percentage of uncovered drug operations and transactions that are conducted via encrypted chat apps for operational security reasons.”
“Today, under Singapore law, a divorce or an annulment of marriage does not, in itself, affect the appointment of the former spouse as an executor or beneficiary under a will that was executed by the testator during the subsistence of the marriage. Therefore, a testator who is undergoing, or who has undergone, divorce or annulment proceedings should carefully consider if there is a need to modify the arrangements under his or her existing will. Some jurisdictions, such as the UK, New Zealand and Hong Kong, have moved, in the way suggested by the Member, to amend their legislation to provide for automatic revocation of a will (or part thereof) in the event of divorce or marriage annulment. We thank the Member for his suggestion and will study the feasibility of providing for such automatic revocation in future reviews of the Wills Act.”
“It is an offence to denigrate any religion or commit acts that are prejudicial to the maintenance of religious harmony. Anyone who denigrates a religion and causes disharmony, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will among different religious or racial groups, can be taken to task under sections 298 and 298A of the Penal Code or the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.”
“There have been several unsuccessful last minute legal challenges by prisoners awaiting capital punishment, which were found by the Courts to be completely unmeritorious and amounting to abuses of process. We are considering legislative changes to deal with such abuses.”
“In a small proportion of cases where the tenants are unable to apply the waiver automatically, for example, where the lease has ended or is ending, then the RWF provides that the landlord must refund the two weeks of rent to the tenant, and this is deemed as a debt due to the tenant. The tenant can commence legal proceedings to recover that amount. If a SME tenant meets the eligibility criteria to qualify for legal aid, they can approach the Legal Aid Bureau to seek legal advice on the recovery.”
“As of 15 June 2022, 111 applications were received from landlords seeking an assessment of the tenant-occupier's eligibility under the Rental Waiver Framework (RWF), or if their tenant had complied with the necessary steps to enjoy the rental waiver, in accordance with the service requirements as set out in the Act. The Rental Waiver Assessors had made 46 determinations in favor of the tenant. In the other cases, the tenant was either found to have been ineligible for the waiver or had failed to comply with the service requirements. Another 115 applications were received from landlords seeking a reversal or reduction of their rental waiver obligations, either on the grounds of financial hardship, or on just and equitable grounds given the circumstances of the case. For example, an Assessor would consider if significant prior assistance had been provided by the landlord to the tenant. In 85 cases, the Rental Waiver Assessors had made determinations in favor of the tenant, in that the rental waiver obligations were not reduced. The determinations made by the Rental Waiver Assessors are binding on all parties to an application and are non-appealable. For eligible tenants, the rental waiver will apply automatically by operation of law if they meet the criteria and fulfil the service requirements as set out in the Act. This means that the tenant does not have to pay the rent that has been waived under the Act. If rent was already paid, then the waiver will apply to the next most immediate month. This mechanism allows tenants to effect the rental waiver without the need for the landlord’s agreement, including in cases where an assessment is made in their favor.”
“None of the individuals who had renounced their Singapore Citizenship (SC) from 2012 to 2021 have reapplied for SC, to the best of our knowledge.”
“The Member’s question on fires in HDB flats has been addressed by Question Nos. 55 and 56, as published in the Circular for Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Reached by End of Question Time on 4 July 2022.”
“Some post offices will add more passport collection counters to cater to the demand. To deal with the surge in passport applications, ICA has also re-deployed officers from other work units to process passports on a 24/7 basis. Officers have been working extended hours. Those on day-offs have been recalled, while applications for block leave have not been allowed. There is however a limit to how sustainable this is. To prioritise its resources on the processing and issuance of passports, since 13 June, ICA has restricted walk-ins for passport-related matters to those who are collecting their passport and those who need help submitting their appeals or documents.”
“There was an increase in processing time, earlier this year, when travel restrictions were eased, arising from a large number of people applying for passports at the same time. ICA’s longstanding practice has been to advise Singaporeans to renew their passport nine months before their passport expires. Reminders are sent via the SingPass app, through SMS, or via email. When travel restrictions were eased, a very substantial number applied for passports online. Since 2002, ICA has made it possible for passport applications to be made online through the ICA website. ICA has received over 500,000 passport applications since April 2022. This is an average of about 6,000 passport applications per day, compared to 2,000 per day in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The larger volume led to a delay in processing time. Many of those who submitted applications had passport that was expiring, or had already expired. Some had also made travel plans. They were anxious to get their passport and visited ICA Building physically to request that their application be expedited, leading to long queues and waiting times. There are also other issues that caused delays: for example, applicants submitting photos that did not meet ICA's requirements. Since early April 2022, ICA has been updating the public of the passport processing time, when it increased to at least a month, and subsequently to at least six weeks as demand continued to spike. To reduce the queuing time for passport collection at ICA Building, ICA had worked with SingPost to offer passport collection at no additional fee since October 2021, to encourage eligible Singaporeans to collect their passport at any of 27 designated post offices. Two more post offices will offer passport collection services from July.”
“There is no delay in the operationalisation of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 (FICA). It will be progressively operationalised from this year. FICA was passed in Parliament on 4 October 2021. As with all new legislation, further work needs to be done to bring it into force. This includes drafting subsidiary legislation to set out processes, for example, the procedures governing the work of the Reviewing Tribunal, and how Directions would be issued and served. It also includes the appointment of experts to the Reviewing Tribunal and Advisory Body for the handling of appeals, as well as setting up the IT systems to receive reports from Politically Significant Persons.”
“We do not track the number of people who asked to reinstate their citizenship after renunciation. Under the Singapore Constitution, individuals who have renounced their Singapore citizenship cannot appeal to have it reinstated. If they wish to become Singapore citizens again, they have to put in a new citizenship application.”
“On 9 November 2020, the Straits Times reported the case of an individual who allegedly promulgated deviant teachings. Following internal investigations, MUIS lodged a police report. As Police investigations are ongoing, it is inappropriate to comment on the case at this point in time.”
“The Police do not track the time they take to complete scam investigations. It depends on many factors, including the type of scam and how well the scammer covers his tracks. In cases where the scammer is based outside Singapore, which is the case for most scams here, investigations can take much longer. Every case could differ significantly. Bank accounts suspected to be involved in scam operations will be frozen by the Police, with monies seized as proceeds of crime. Upon completion of investigations, the investigation officer will apply for a disposal order from the courts to return the monies to person(s) entitled to them. The time taken for the monies to be returned to the victims will depend on the facts and circumstances of the case. For example, whether there are multiple claimants and whether the monies are still relevant for the purposes of investigation or trial or other court proceeding. The freeze on the bank accounts will be lifted upon completion of investigations. In June 2019, the Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) was set up with a focus on mitigating victims’ losses through interdiction of the proceeds of the scam. Since then, the ASC has received scam reports with losses amounting to more than $822 million. Of this, the ASC has recovered more than $200 million to date, or about 25% of the amount lost. Where the monies have been transferred outside Singapore, recovery is even more difficult. The ASC works with the Monetary Association of Singapore and financial institutions to swiftly freeze bank accounts suspected to be involved in scams, so as to enhance the chances of recovery.”
“Some post offices will add more passport collection counters to cater to the demand. To deal with the surge in passport applications, ICA has also re-deployed officers from other work units to process passports on a 24/7 basis. Officers have been working extended hours. Those on day-offs have been recalled, while applications for block leave have not been allowed. There is however a limit to how sustainable this is. To prioritise its resources on the processing and issuance of passports, since 13 June, ICA has restricted walk-ins for passport-related matters to those who are collecting their passport and those who need help submitting their appeals or documents.”
“There was an increase in processing time, earlier this year, when travel restrictions were eased, arising from a large number of people applying for passports at the same time. ICA’s longstanding practice has been to advise Singaporeans to renew their passport nine months before their passport expires. Reminders are sent via the SingPass app, through SMS, or via email. When travel restrictions were eased, a very substantial number applied for passports online. Since 2002, ICA has made it possible for passport applications to be made online through the ICA website. ICA has received over 500,000 passport applications since April 2022. This is an average of about 6,000 passport applications per day, compared to 2,000 per day in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The larger volume led to a delay in processing time. Many of those who submitted applications had passport that was expiring, or had already expired. Some had also made travel plans. They were anxious to get their passport and visited ICA Building physically to request that their application be expedited, leading to long queues and waiting times. There are also other issues that caused delays: for example, applicants submitting photos that did not meet ICA’s requirements. Since early April 2022, ICA has been updating the public of the passport processing time, when it increased to at least a month, and subsequently to at least six weeks as demand continued to spike. To reduce the queuing time for passport collection at ICA Building, ICA had worked with SingPost to offer passport collection at no additional fee since October 2021, to encourage eligible Singaporeans to collect their passport at any of 27 designated post offices. Two more post offices will offer passport collection services from July.”
“On average, 11 NOOs were issued annually, to occupiers or owners of residential premises used for housing workers, over the last five years. There was no infringement observed for other residential types, including HDB flats, over the same period. SCDF, in partnership with the People’s Association, the National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council (NFEC) and Community Emergency and Engagement Committees, has been organising a series of Community Resilience Days in residential heartlands to impart lifesaving skills and to raise fire safety awareness. SCDF has also been working with the NFEC and HDB to educate new homeowners on fire safety and emergency preparedness through the MyNiceHome Roadshows. SCDF and the NFEC will continue with efforts to increase public awareness on fire prevention and staying safe in the event of a fire at home.”
“This will address Oral Question Numbers 55 and 56, Written Question Number 9, and the question filed by Mr Edward Chia for a future Sitting. The number of fire cases in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates has been steadily decreasing over the past five years, from 1,260 cases in 2017 to 898 cases in 2021. We assess that the general fire situation in residential premises is stable, and the current legislation as well as enforcement powers are adequate. In the past five years, the main causes of fires in HDB estates were unattended cooking, indiscriminate disposal of lighted materials such as cigarette butts, and fires of electrical origin which could be caused by faulty wirings and electrical appliances. Cluttered homes have not been a key fire risk. Most household items such as furniture and electrical appliances are made of plastic, wood or metal, which do not catch fire easily. Hence, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) does not regulate them, regardless of quantity. On the other hand, flammable materials are more tightly regulated by SCDF. The flammable materials regulated by SCDF are listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations. This list is reviewed periodically and SCDF has assessed that there is no need to expand the list for now. The most common flammable material found in residential units is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in cylinders, which is used for domestic cooking. However, based on past records, LPG has not been a common cause of residential fires. In any case, the storage of regulated flammable materials beyond the allowable quantities without a valid licence is an offence under the Fire Safety Act, and SCDF will issue a Notice of Offence (NOO) for such cases.”
“I thank Mr Vikram Nair for that question. The answer is yes, inmates do have access to newspapers and television programmes. The newspapers would be made available after the prisons have gone through the newspapers, the contents, and they have removed some content. They remove contents which depict, describe or may encourage violence, crime or other such conduct. For example, reports on rapes, assaults, violence, those sorts of things are taken out because when people read it, there is a sense that they might then be inclined to engage in such conduct. We also remove articles which may incite social, racial or religious tension. So, screening is done. The approach is for safety and security. So, the newspapers would not be current, what they get. Likewise, live television programmes are not allowed for the same reason, because you cannot censor and then put it out. I am looking for the data in my earlier speech, going back to Mr Murali Pillai's question. I did give the data on assault rates. If I find it, I will mention it. But I think you can take it as on the record.”
“But our whole approach is very different and I would say much more focused on trying to make sure that the prisoners are safe and that, when they come out, they are, hopefully, in a better position than when they went in. That is the aim. We do not always succeed, but that is the aim. Now, why did we allow the cameras in prison? For all these years, it was a taboo. No one can go in, which is why I invited Members to turn up as well. The approach we decided on was this, that people needed to understand how our prisons operate, what the conditions were. So, let us be open about it. Let the cameras go in, let them speak with the prison inmates themselves, let them speak with the prisons officers so that they understand our approach. And this Ministerial Statement, this debate, as it were, is part of that process. For us as a society, we want to set out our approach. This is how we do it and this is why we do it. These are the reasons why we are doing what we are doing. And then, if anyone has a different view, we can hear them in Parliament.”
“Let me deal with the second question first, assault rates. I do not have the data on this. Data is not easy to get because it is not as if prisons, generally, publish the assault rates. But my own understanding is that the assault rates in Singapore prisons are, generally, much lower. In some ways, it is due to a variety of reasons which, for example, were raised in the David Roach case, that there is no privacy when one uses the toilet facilities. But a lot of assaults take place there, too, when you give them the privacy. Many prisons put prisoners together in a cell; just depend on the number of persons in a cell. But that is not the only reason. There is a whole set of infrastructure of factors. I spoke earlier about gangs in prisons. I spoke earlier about a hierarchy amongst prisoners. That is a very relevant factor for high assault rates. In Singapore, we do not allow any of that. Secondly, in Singapore, there is pretty continuous monitoring – whether you are in the cell, outside the cell, with technology, there is a lot of monitoring going on. And as a result, prisons officers can intervene fairly quickly. It does not mean no assaults take place. Sometimes, there are even grievous injuries because people can inflict injuries on one another very, very quickly. So, you need the right intelligence, you need to know what is going on, who is manoeuvring against whom. You need all of that. And with the best will in the world and best intelligence, you cannot prevent every incident. But we keep it very low. And prisoners committing suicide, it is a big risk. We want to save them. So, monitoring; no gangs; continuous engagement; rehabilitation efforts. I can mention many other factors.”
“I am taking the second question: as with the rest of society, the general prison population is also ageing. So, we find more people who need more help. But I cannot give her the precise answer. Perhaps can I ask Ms Lim to file a Parliamentary Question on both those questions that she has raised and we can deal with them in detail?”
“All our prison institutions are installed with mechanical ventilation systems that are designed to provide sufficient air ventilation into the cells. They are designed to meet the required building standards. The air changes per hour, which is the number of times the total air volume in a cell is completely removed and replaced in an hour, is regularly monitored to ensure adequate ventilation. On COVID-19, Prisons is obviously a place where we need to be careful because of the proximity and the amount of time people spend with each other. Prisons take it very seriously. I do not have the data here but I gave you earlier that 94% of eligible inmates had been vaccinated. Generally, my recollection is that the spread of COVID-19 in prisons was low and the measures taken by Prisons officers – it is not just the physical conditions but the measures we take – were quite adequate to help in that regard.”
“I should mention that depending on behaviour, good behaviour allows you to certain privileges, including a food pack that you can redeem.”
“We have been looking at possible alternative materials for some time and I do not think we have come across anything that we have seen as a possible substitute that can be used. But it is something that we continue to look at – something that will meet the security requirements and will work in our climate, given that we do not do air conditioning, and that would be resistant to or at least not become a source of passing on disease. On snacks, we do not provide snacks. I think the meals that we provide are based on the recommendations by dieticians. Any additional amounts that people want, there is a canteen from which they can buy.”
“The rehabilitation approach by Prisons is based on the concept of throughcare – address rehabilitative needs of inmates in prison and facilitate reintegration upon release. Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim had asked about the challenges faced and support for inmates with mental health and medical issues. These inmates may face challenges in accessing continual treatment after release, as said. Prior to release, inmates with mental and medical conditions may be referred to IMH or restructured hospitals for follow-up care. Dr Tan Wu Meng had asked about the handover of medical care for ex-offenders during this year's Committee of Supply debates. Ex-offenders who need further follow-up after release are referred to Changi General Hospital's specialist clinics for continuity of care. Prisons is working with SingHealth to facilitate follow-up appointments for ex-offenders at other public healthcare institutions which are nearer to their home. Mr Deputy Speaker, in conclusion, I have set out in some detail the approach we take in our prison regime and the reasons for our approach. I have also set out our approach towards rehabilitation.”
“Again, I have made several speeches on this, so I will not go into detail. Instead, I will distribute a document setting out the points in a brief form. Mr Deputy Speaker, with your permission, may I ask the Clerks to distribute an annex on the rehabilitation approach on Prisons? Members may also access this annex through the SG PARL MP mobile app.”
“Some inmates are allowed to exercise control over other inmates. Gangs of inmates are also often allowed to exert their power inside the prisons. We often see media reports. You would have seen enough films about this. Prison gangs informally set the order. That includes controlling the underground trade in drugs and other contrabands like cells phones inside the prison. What happens is that in such prisons, those who are weaker will often be at the mercy of the stronger prisoners. Assault rates between inmates can be quite high. Inmates who go in, first time, could come out as even more hardened criminals brutalised by the experience. Their lives are often set on a very sad trajectory from which it is very difficult to change. In Singapore, the position is quite different. Our Prisons officers run our prisons – not inmates, not gangs. Prisons are run in a fair and disciplined manner. We have a zero-tolerance stance towards gang-related activities. Assault rates between inmates are much lower. And the gang situation in our prisons is closely monitored. Prisons takes disciplinary actions against those found to be involved in such activities, including corporal punishments – Prisons can mete out. Do not take me to be saying that some bad things do not happen sometimes in our prisons. The point is we maintain more control and on the whole, less of these bad things happen compared with most other places. We try and maintain safety, order and discipline in our prisons. We want inmates to be focused on rehabilitation and turning their lives around without having to live in constant fear for their personal safety. Let me now move on to our rehabilitation and reintegration approach. Members will know how extensive our rehabilitation efforts are.”
“In addition to looking at the physical conditions – and of course, I think many Singaporeans will say we cannot compare with Thailand and the Philippines – but I think Hong Kong is often seen as a fair comparison. In addition to the actual physical conditions, I would say not enough attention is paid to what I would call the software – the recidivism rate, the effort put into the inmates when they are in prison, the assault rates and whether discipline and inmate safety are maintained. These are all very relevant. As I said, I would call this the software. What do you do to help the inmates? How do you make sure they are safe? We do many things. I have referred to my earlier speeches. Our two-year recidivism rates have remained low and stable. The recidivism rate for the 2019 release cohort is now at 20%, which is the lowest in the last 30 years. We can do even better because our five-year recidivism rate for the 2015 release cohort is at 41.7%. Prisons is working with the community to improve the five-year recidivism rates. By comparison, many other countries that you would think of, the two-year recidivism rates are usually in the 40% range, even in places like New Zealand, and the five-year recidivism rates can be in the 60% to 70% range. So, we make a real difference to the lives of our inmates. If you look at the assault rate per 10,000 inmates, the assault rate is low. It is around 47 since year 2019. Forty-seven per 10,000 is very low. In comparison, 520 for Hong Kong, 270 for England and Wales, 214 for Australia and 105 for South Korea. These things do matter. You look at the big picture and you look at the effort put in. This is another aspect of our prison management that I will like to point out. In some countries, there is a hierarchy among the inmates.”
“Those with severe mental health issues may be housed in a specialised facility, managed with the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), that allows for more intensive intervention and therapy. Inmates who need active IMH follow-ups are referred to a psychiatrist. Inmates with mental health needs may also have other rehabilitation issues, for example, violent behaviour, that is an increased safety risk for staff and other inmates, and the prisons deals with those. On feedback, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) provides various avenues to make inquiries and provide feedback and raise concerns. They can speak to their officers. They can raise their feedback through their family and friends. There are also independent bodies, like the Board of Visiting Justices comprising prominent members of society. They inspect the prisons; they ensure that the basic well-being of inmates is taken care of, and they hear complaints from inmates. Mr Murali Pillai asked whether our prison conditions are reflective of SPS' standing as a leading correctional agency. There are countries where prison conditions are less austere than ours. There are also countries where prison conditions are more austere, going to downright extreme overcrowding, as you would have seen from the articles I referred to earlier. I will show Members some photos of prisons in other countries: Denmark, Norway, Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines. I think it shows a broad variety. If you look at Norway and Denmark, if I did not tell you that was a prison, you might be mistaken for thinking that is a condominium. We do not take that approach. Our philosophy is to keep the regime strict.”
“If we want to change it, a huge amount of money will have to be spent, probably running into billions of dollars and with more land taken. Whether that should be done depends on our assessment of the current conditions. Our assessment is that conditions are acceptable and fits in with our philosophy of how prisons ought to be. Essential needs of our inmates are also met. On medical services: now, all inmates admitted to the prison are assessed on their state of physical and mental health. Inmates are able to report sick at any time should they feel unwell. They are accorded the necessary medical care by prison medical officers (MOs), prison psychiatrists and supporting medical personnel. Those who require specialist attention and medical care may be referred to Government restructured hospitals. Preventive health measures, including vaccinations, are provided to eligible and willing inmates. For example, vaccinations against flu, Hepatitis B and, of course, COVID-19. Ninety-four percent of medically eligible inmates have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim has asked about statistics of inmates diagnosed with mental health issues upon admission and the measures to address the needs of inmates who suffer from mental conditions and the support given to such inmates inside prison. Data on inmates diagnosed with mental health conditions upon admission are not actively tracked. But I can say, as of March 2022, about 5% of inmates are on medication for the management of their mental health conditions. The most common conditions were adjustment disorders and mood disorders. Inmates with mild mental health issues are housed with the general inmate population, seen regularly by the prison psychiatrist and go through rehabilitation programmes.”
“I would be careful with this caveat of comparing the percentages between countries because whether there is overcrowding can be a matter of definition. It depends on what your baseline is, what your intended capacity of the prison is and how it is designed. If the intended capacity of the prison is lower than another, then, of course, occupancy rates would be higher for the first prison, compared with the second, for the same number of inmates. But based on media reports, I think we can say conditions in many of these jails, for example, the US jails, are much worse than ours. And from what we have seen from photos and media reports, Scandinavian jails are generally much more luxurious. If you look at a 2021 CBS News report, it describes how overcrowding has led to a deterioration of conditions at Rikers Island prison in New York state. One New York state lawmaker is quoted as saying that one of the inmate facilities was so overcrowded that prisoners were reported to be staying in rooms without bathrooms for a few hours and some for days. Another article describes the crowded conditions in New York City's jails as a ticking time bomb. The head of the Prison Governors Association of the UK, in a report in 2020, said prisoners should be released to reduce overcrowding to prevent disorder and slow the spread, for example, of the COVID-19 virus. We are not in that situation. In Singapore, the Changi Prison Complex was built in the early 2000s. We know land is scarce. We are a country of about 733 square kilometres. Land area taken up by your prisons and drug rehabilitation centres (DRCs) is about 0.26 square kilometres. This is the footprint that we have and we have to maximise the usage of the land.”
“Some Members might remember the case of David James Roach, the perpetrator of the Standard Chartered Bank robbery in 2016. It was claimed then that Singapore's prison conditions would violate his human rights. He argued this in the UK when arguing against extradition. An expert witness for him said that the modesty wall in our prison walls divides the living space from the sanitary facilities. Eating in a cell with a modesty wall does not fully partition the living and sanitation spaces, and it is effectively eating in the toilet. On the mirrored dome on the ceiling of the toilet, which allows prison officers to check on inmates, he said the lack of privacy is not acceptable when inmates use the toilets. The UK Courts found that while the conditions of our prisons were, in their words, not ideal, the defence counsel representing Roach failed to show that Roach was at real risk of a breach of his rights. Other points have been made elsewhere about long periods of time inmates spend inside the cell, inmates sleeping on a straw mat and overcrowding. Let me explain our rationale based on a few aspects of prison conditions and prison life. First, the prisons are not overcrowded based on the specifications they were designed for. For background, I should say overcrowding in prisons is an issue in several countries. A 2021 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) report states that prison overcrowding, and I quote, "Prison overcrowding is widespread around the world and of the 100 countries and territories for which UNODC had data on, nearly half, 47%, were operating at more than 100% of the intended capacity." We are at about 70% based on our own standards and assessments.”
“As some would have seen from the CNA documentary, breakfast is bread with spreads like butter, jam or chocolate, and a hot beverage like coffee or tea. For lunch and dinner, it is a staple such as rice or noodles, with some dishes. Fruits are provided daily. Special dietary requirements are considered. For example, inmates, who are diabetic are given a low sugar diet. Inmates who have gout are given a low purine diet and vegetarians can request a non-meat diet. Each inmate is also given basic necessities for daily living: toothbrush, toothpaste, clothing, slippers and towel. Members can see in the photograph. For recreation, inmates have access to electronic tablets in their cells daily. They have access to e-learning material. They read e-books. They write and receive letters. Tablets are also used to broadcast essential news, information to keep inmates up to date on the latest COVID-19 measures, for example, both within the prison and in the community. On recreation, inmates typically have at least one hour of out-of-cell recreation on weekdays. They engage in sports and exercise or read newspapers, play board games or watch TV programmes. There are photographs of the common areas and recreational areas that Members can see on the screen. These are conducted either in the recreational yard or day rooms. Staff strength is a consideration as these activities are higher risk and require closer supervision by staff. Inmates who work or attend programmes such as psychology-based correctional programmes, family programmes, religious programmes, may spend two to 10 hours a day outside of their cells, depending on the programme intensity. Some questions have been raised about prison conditions and I will now address them.”
“Let me start by showing some photos of our prison conditions. All prison cells have toilet facilities within. This is a cell that houses one inmate. Cell space is around seven square metres. Members are welcome to visit the prisons for a shorter or longer duration. We can arrange. This cell houses up to four inmates. The cell space is around 10 square metres. And now, Members will see the picture of cells that house up to eight inmates, around 20 square metres. There are no fans inside the cells for inmates. Mounted fans could pose a security risk because they can be a potential anchor points for suicide. They could also be dismantled and the parts potentially used as weapons. Instead, there is a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation inside the cells. On bedding for inmates, we provide straw mat with two blankets. Due to our hot and humid climate, mattresses for inmates are not ideal because of hygiene issues, generally. The current bedding also minimises the security risks of inmates hiding contraband items in the cells. Generally, there is no direct staff supervision inside the cells. However, beds are provided for inmates who require additional care, such as due to old age or mobility issues. So, Members can see the photographs of correctional units for assisted living. These beds are in medical wards as well as the correctional units catered for assisted living that you see in the photos. These correctional units for assisted living also have other features like seated toilets, handrails, grab bars and anti-slip flooring. Next on food and meals, inmates are given three meals daily, planned based on dieticians' recommendations to meet nutritional requirements.”
“We also focus on rehabilitation of our inmates. I have spoken extensively about this issue as well, previously, including in March of this year during the COS debates, and in earlier years, and so I will not repeat those points. But as with the other points, the points I made need to be kept in mind as we talk about prison conditions. My focus today is on the actual conditions. And with your permission, Sir, may I ask that some slides be shown on the LED screens?”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Earlier this year, CNA screened a documentary titled "Inside Maximum Security". That documentary featured what inmates go through during their incarceration. The documentary generated substantial interest in prisons' operations and conditions. Since then, several Members have filed questions on prison conditions and rehabilitation. From time to time, you will also hear questions on prison conditions in Singapore and whether the conditions ought to be changed. So, Mr Deputy Speaker and Members, I have decided that I will deal with many of those issues by way of a Statement that deals with how our conditions are. I have, both in this House and outside, spoken about the purposes of imprisonment, the outcomes that we aim to achieve, the different types of sentences and the factors taken into account during sentencing. For example, this year, in March, during the Committee of Supply (COS) debates and on various other locations. So, I do not intend to repeat those points, but I ask Members to keep those points in mind because they are relevant in understanding our prison regime. Our prison regime and prison environment are austere and intentionally so. We place a lot of emphasis on security and monitoring so that our officers know what is going on. That is because you get situations where inmates might try to do a lot of harm to themselves, get contraband, create security situations and other similar issues. Our approach is probably one reason, for example, for lower suicide rates in the Singapore prisons. Between 2017 and 2021, there was one case of suicide in Singapore prisons, compared with 10 cases in Hong Kong over the same period, 12 cases in Norway between 2017 and 2020 and 22 cases in Denmark between 2017 and 2020.”
“We are generally quite careful about having people of one religion going into the Prisons and talk to persons of another religion, unless there is clear consent, because MHA needs to be careful about these issues. And Members would have heard of the very substantial initiative in the Malay community where the mosques, MUIS, community organisations, Pergas, various organisations have come together, together with the Malay Members of Parliament and office holders to increase the number of volunteers. The number of volunteers has increased substantially. They go in there, there is intervention with religious education, there is intervention with social skills. So, that is one example. The churches play an extremely active role in helping inmates, both when they are in and when they are out. So, we have a lot of people who are, what I would call, true activists. They want to make a difference to people's lives. 3.00 pm”