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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“For example, in April this year, there was an armed robbery. It was solved within five hours. The suspect was an AETOS Auxiliary Police Officer. He had drawn his firearm, changed his uniform, left headquarters without authorisation. Visited a moneylender in Jurong, told staff to hand over the cash as he had a firearm, made away with more than $24,000. With the help of cameras and other tech and investigative techniques, he was identified, traced, tracked and arrested in a safe manner within five hours. The potential harm he could have caused was great. So, we will install more cameras across the island. As I have told Members, we aim to have 200,000 Police Cameras, at least, by 2030. They help our Police officers to deter, detect and solve crimes, as I have said earlier. SPF will also continue to prioritise community policing and step up partnerships with individuals, grassroots organisations, businesses and other public agencies in keeping our Singapore safe. Some key initiatives include the Safety and Security Watch Group and the upcoming Community Watch Scheme, which will go beyond geographical-based approaches to interest-based engagements with the community. Mdm Deputy Speaker and Members, the SPF story has been an inspiring one. Let me conclude with a quote from Mr Lee Kuan Yew again in 1972, when addressing Police officers at the Dining-in. The various quotes from Minister Mentor Lee will give a sense to Members. He was a key architect, if not the key architect, of modern SPF; and a lot of the philosophy, the approach and the legal system of SPF work came from him. So, let me quote: “You need integrity, you need a sense of purpose, you have got to have that mark which others recognise to be special. You are upholding the state.”
“This sounds hypothetical, but I have based it on a real incident that a body was burnt in a remote location and Police did find the culprit based on cameras and other information. Investigators access a digitised and automated screening platform. The system combs through multiple Police databases, provides case information on the culprit, taking maybe 75% less time to do so than before. Very powerful. Brings all the databases together, information at fingertips. Crime scene specialists process the murder scene with advanced technology. And through forensics, the victim is identified. DNA evidence places the culprit at the scene of the murder. The officers then locate the suspect and arrest him. This is an SPF that will use technology quite extensively to enhance its operational capabilities and streamline its processes. In particular, we will continue to enhance our sensor networks. We have installed more than 90,000 Police Cameras since 2012, as I have told this House a number of times. Surveillance cameras deployed by governments, whether in Singapore or other countries, are sometimes criticised as being an invasion of privacy. These claims overlook a couple of basic point that most people want to live in an environment which is safe and secure. And, conceptually, having cameras in public spaces is no different from police interviewing eye witnesses to establish what happened. The camera is a constant, ever-present eye witness whose memory would not be suspect. It is, literally, black and white evidence. Surveys also show that people feel safer with the prominent placement of Police Cameras in their own neighbourhoods. They want them. People want these cameras in their neighbourhoods. And they have been very effective in helping Police deter, detect and solve crimes.”
“Let me explain by giving Members the perspective of a Police officer responding to a hypothetical incident four years from now, in 2025. First, before the Police officer reports for duty, information on his work assignments for the day will be available through his Police smartphone. He will be notified of his patrol sector and partner. Once in the station, he collects his equipment from the automated systems. The systems use RFID technology. Seamless. At the touch of a button, he will instantly draw his communication sets, firearms and taser, his other patrol equipment, such as his riot shield, ballistic-resistant vest. His body-worn camera comes equipped with live-streaming capabilities for enhanced sense-making during incidents. And his Glock 19 Gen 5 pistol provides higher firepower and ammunition capacity. The officer and his partner then get to their Next-Gen Fast Response Car (FRC) equipped with RFID technology as well, which enables them to keep track of the equipment within the FRC. They perform a visual check, drive off in the FRC for duties. So, no more stock-taking, checking everything. Each FRC is equipped with improved safety features and cameras with live-streaming capabilities, feeding back to Police Operations Command Centre (POCC). Assume a homicide is reported. The victim’s body is found burnt and disposed in a car parked in a secluded location. No witnesses. POCC will push the case information to the officers in real time. And as officers rush to the scene, SPF investigators will make enquiries. At POCC, the extensive network of Police Cameras will allow investigators to quickly narrow down a prime suspect, based on movements caught on camera and also help trace his current movements and whereabouts.”
“Mr David Lim, as you have heard, is a retired Police Superintendent, son of the late-Inspector Allan Lim; and his grandfather was also a Police officer. We also have Mdm Chew Tuan Jong and Mr Boo Jia Liang, widow and son of the late Station Inspector Boo Tiang Huat. They are sitting in the Gallery. Can I invite them to stand? [Applause.] Thank you. As we commemorate SPF’s bicentennial, we want to recognise the important contributions of SPF and accord recognition to its officers. Members asked for it, so, I will set out how we will recognise them. A commemorative Singapore Police Bicentennial 2020 Medal will be awarded to SPF officers who were in service for any period between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020. This includes regular Police officers, volunteer Police officers, full-time National Servicemen and Operationally Ready National Servicemen. The medal will be worn on their uniform. We will also award a Medallion to former Police officers who had retired or completed their National Service liabilities before 1 January 2020, to recognise their contributions. This Medallion will also be given to civilian officers who were in service with SPF in 2020. The families of SPF officers who had given their lives in the line of duty will also receive the Medallion in honour of their contributions and sacrifice. The Singapore Police Bicentennial 2020 Medal and Medallion are a reminder of SPF’s proud history and of the country’s appreciation of their steadfast commitment in safeguarding our everyday lives. From the past to the present and, now, to the future. The third part of my speech is that as SPF commemorates its bicentennial, we are looking ahead. How can the SPF strengthen itself for the future? Better equipment, training and more technology.”
“As we reflect on SPF’s progress, we want to pay tribute to SPF officers, past and present, for their contributions and sacrifices. I thank Mr Murali Pillai for inviting to the House today some of our retired SPF officers and SPF officer representatives and leadership group led by our Commissioner of Police Hoong Wee Teck. They are up there in the Gallery. Our SPF officers across the generations – regular officers, civilian staff, National Servicemen, Volunteer Special Constabulary officers, retired officers – they have served Singapore faithfully and with utmost commitment. Mr Murali Pillai spoke of 125 SPF officers who have given their lives, and definitely, more than the 125 that you see, in the line of duty. He has listed their names in the annex to his speech, to be recorded in the Hansard. I will mention six. Detective Corporal Yuen Yen Pang and VSC officer Andrew Teo Bock Lan, who were attacked and killed by rioting mobs during the 1955 Hock Lee Bus Riots. Inspector Allan Lim Kim Sai, who died in a shoot-out with a notorious kidnapper in 1965 – Mr Murali Pillai spoke about him – and his son is here. Sergeant Mohd Saad bin Omar, who died after being shot by a drug suspect in 1979. Station Inspector Boo Tiang Huat, who died while on anti-housebreaking rounds in 1994. And Staff Sergeant Nadzrie who was involved in a traffic accident while on patrol duties in 2017, four years ago, and I went to his wake. These officers and others gave up their lives while trying to keep us safe and secure. We remember what they have done for SPF and for Singapore. We are privileged to have the families of two of our fallen officers with us in the House today.”
“Members will know, SPF's manpower strength is very lean compared to police forces in other major cities such as London, New York and Hong Kong. There is a limit to how much our officers can do with the resources that they have. We are studying this closely and we will come back on this. The third factor that I want to touch on in explaining SPF's success is the strong trust between the community and the Police. Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Dennis Tan spoke about this. Sir Robert Peel, known as the father of Modern Policing said: "The Police are the Public, and the Public are the Police". We recognised early on the importance of building trust between the community and the Police. Over the years, many different community initiatives – the Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP) system, the Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) and Community Policing System (COPs) system, the Community Watch groups, Citizens on Patrol, to name a few – have contributed to the high level of trust between community and the Police. The public trust in the Police sets the tone for the everyday interactions between the Police and the community. When a Police officer arrives on a scene, people cooperate with his directions, they accept that the officer has a right to investigate and manage the incident in the interests of the public. And members of the public largely trust SPF. Many help SPF by sharing crime-prevention messages, providing information on crimes. Yet others have risked their own safety assisting Police during arrests and live incidents and we make it a point to recognise, honour, praise them and give them an award. This level of public trust cannot be taken for granted. SPF has to continue to maintain a high level of trust with the community. Let me now move on to paying tribute to our officers.”
“Every police force, including ours, will have errant officers and we have to be most strict, the strictest with our own officers. That is a way to make sure that morale is up, integrity is up, public trust and confidence is up. So, our officers know, any officer caught wanting will be treated more severely than any member of the public. That has been our approach. When an allegation is made against any officer, the Internal Affairs Office conducts the investigation. If wrongdoing is uncovered, SPF, or in appropriate cases, the Public Service Commission will take disciplinary action against the officer. Where crimes are perceived to have been committed, there will be charging in Court and the Courts often take into account the fact that this is a Police officer who is charged with upholding the laws, and therefore, the punishment is usually stricter. If a further review is necessary, there is an Independent Review Panel, comprising persons of standing, who can review the findings of SPF's own internal investigations. As a result, we have been able to maintain public trust, keep up morale and a strong sense of mission within our Police force. Consistently over the years, a large majority of our officers say that the work they do is meaningful and these are anonymised surveys. The work they do is meaningful, they feel engaged with SPF, they identify with SPF's mission, vision and core values. Internally, Employee Engagement Survey results show very high morale over the last few years. Average scores for engagement across SPF has increased from 76% in 2018, to 78% last year. Half-yearly, surveys conducted over the last three years consistently showed that more than four out of five SPF officers found their work to be meaningful. But workload remains an issue.”
“In 2013, finally an independent panel was set up to consider what happened and the independent panel found that the family of Daniel Morgan was failed by police corruption. This is about London Metropolitan Police. For example, the police officer who had searched Morgan's office was a business associate and later, a colleague of the chief suspect. In 2011, the London Metropolitan Police acknowledged, and I quote, "police corruption in our original investigation was a significant factor in this failure". London now has more than 100 murders reported every year since 2015. A June 2021 survey shows that only 36% of the population in London have confidence in the police, vis-a-vis 48% nationwide in the UK. Morale is also low. In a survey of police officers in England and Wales, 85% reported that police service morale was low, 90% cited public treatment of the police had the highest negative impact on morale, amongst other factors including pay and workload. Why this state of affairs? It is not because the London police officers are, man-for-man, worse. It is all these other factors. So, I would say to Members, have a care when we look at parts which we have avoided and which we now may feel tempted to go back to. The London Met is a highly professional outfit and we learn much from them as well. But it is the criminal justice system, the pay of police officers, many other factors. It is political will to make sure that the criminal justice system works, that the police officers are protected as long as they have not done wrong and that the system allows for proper investigation and prosecution, while making sure that innocent people can go free. Therefore, the entire system works properly with the right balance.”
“According to data collected by one of the non-profits, number of officers killed or injured by firearms in the USA, 346 last year, in 2020. About one every day. Against this backdrop, morale of officers is affected. Retirements are up by 45%. Resignations are up 18% from a year ago. Many police departments have trouble finding new recruits. The difference between Singapore and these places are not the officers. Our officers are neither superior or worse. We make it a point to choose very good officers but people for people, Singaporeans, I have said, quality wise, it is difficult to say, draw conclusions. The US police force in some states, we learn much from them. They are very good. But the difference is the wider criminal justice system, the laws that can have an impact on the police force and the entire approach of society to the police. For example, if you have lax gun control laws, you will get more homicides and more police officers killed. And if you are a police officer in the US, as one officer described quite graphically, every time you get a call, whether it is a cat on a tree that is stuck or a baby that has been abandoned, or a neighbourhood call, any call, you go there thinking that someone might shoot you, you go prepared for all eventualities. You can see why. If we move to another example, London. I will illustrate my point by referencing a report by an independent panel called the Report of Daniel Morgan Independent Panel which was released in June this year and received substantial coverage, including in the Financial Times. It relates to a person by the name of Daniel Morgan who was a private investigator. He was murdered in southeast London in 1987. Five criminal investigations and, I think, five unsuccessful prosecutions.”
“If we go down the ranks, I will mention three officers with whom I worked directly, again more to illustrate how SPF grooms its leadership. One of them is 37, two others are 33 each, spent about 18 months working with me closely: Teo Zi-Ming, 37; Sergius, 33; Lee Huan Ting, 33. They went through various ground postings – IOs, CO NPCs and so on – came up to MHA and worked with me. Zi-Ming is now Assistant Commissioner Commander, F Division at 37. Sergius is now a Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commander, J Division. Huan Ting is now a Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commander, A Division. I have mentioned the senior leadership because leadership is vital. Leadership also needs our committed ground officers. During this Motion, we recognise all of them: the officer on Coast Patrol, off our waters; the officer in the NPC on ground patrol; officers doing their Emergency Response (ER) patrol, Transport command, Traffic Police, Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) command, Investigation Officers, Gurkha Contingent and many others. Our Volunteer Constabulary, they are our heroes, unsung, doing their work, day in, day out. They are all together, integral to the Singapore that we have today. And SPF knows that it must take care of every officer appropriately. The SPF today is an institution that is confident and forward-looking. Officers have a strong sense of purpose, integrity and professionalism. Morale is high, there is high public trust and confidence in SPF. This is the remarkable state of affairs, even more remarkable when you look at the situation of police forces in other cities. In the US, police officers nationwide have faced years of protests, there have been calls to defund the police. Gun violence against police officers have also increased.”
“Rose from the ground, highly respected by the rank-and-file, because he is both operationally very good and at the same time, understands his men and women, so they respect him. Below him, the Deputy Commissioners: Jerry See, Florence Chua, Tan Hung Hooi. All in their early to mid-50s. They and the next echelons, you will get an example of SPF's approach to grooming leaders and I would illustrate by referring to three officers who are a little bit younger. How Kwang Hwee, age 42, Oxford, Stanford. Started as Investigation Officer (IO) in Operations, moved on to various positions, then Commander, G Division, spent some time in policy work in MHA, then Director of Operations and now Director in Criminal Investigation Division (CID), which is one of the most senior positions in SPF, at the age of 42. Lian Ghim Hua, 41, started again as an Investigation Officer; before that, on scholarship to Cornell and then, Stanford, moved up eventually to become Commander, F Division, which is a stressful position because in terms of crime, it is not the highest, but it covers Prime Minister's ward and coincidentally my ward as well. So, it is a high stress job. He is now Director of Operations and a high performing officer. Alvin Moh, age 40, again started as an Investigation officer, Commanding Officer (CO) of Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC), of which Deputy Prime Minister said something, Commander, G Division, spent time at MHA, now Director of Police Intel Department (PID). All three and others, and the Deputy Commissioners, the Commissioner and people below them, exemplify the SPF leadership today. As I said, we also voluntarily gave up various other officers to the wider public sector.”
“SPF is also becoming more gender diverse. Today, we have 1,800 women in SPF making up 20%, one-fifth of the force. They serve in every division, including Specialist Divisions. Mdm Deputy Speaker, Senior Staff Sergeant Siti Aisyah is from the Emergency Response Team (ERT), which is, Members would know, our dedicated fast-response Police unit; and in the event of a terrorist incident, she and her colleagues will be on the ground immediately. The other photo is that of Sergeant Anna Anthony from the Community Policing Unit. Going back to Siti Aisyah, she is 30 years old. Her childhood dream was to be a Police officer. She volunteered for the ERT Conversion Course which is tough and she is the first ERT Officer in Woodlands Division. ERT officers like her are trained in tactical and counter-assault skills. She patrols in public places with her gear which is up to 17 kilogrammes and she maintains her IPPT Gold and Marksman qualifications. She is also a Physical Training Instructor, a Police Defence Tactics Instructor and a Range Safety Officer and highly regarded among her peers. Gender is no barrier in the Police force even for the physically and mentally demanding roles like the ERT. SPF actively grooms its officers for leadership positions in the SPF. They will undergo postings in ground units, Patrols and Operations, Investigations and Intelligence. They may spend some time in MHA getting policy experience and the wider Public Service; sharpen their policy understanding; make them think whole-of-Government. Some of the younger officers may spend some time with me, assisting me directly. And if they perform well, prove they can do the job, they will be appointed to Command positions in SPF. SPF today is led by Police Commissioner Hoong Wee Teck.”
“It must have that sense of purpose that comes out of men trained on a common doctrine. And it must have a sense of continuity." Almost 40 years later, in 2011, that his final Police Dining-in, Mr Lee said, "We cannot have a situation where the criminals are smarter and better resourced than you. If we do not recruit strong officers with the moral fibre and a sense of purpose, you will go downhill very fast." In the 40 years in between and before, these lessons were taken to heart and applied. Today, there is rigour in who gets to become a Police officer. Less than one out of every 10 applicants to SPF is accepted as direct Sergeants or Inspectors. The emphasis is on quality. SPF also tries to ensure that good officers move up, regardless of their entry rank. It implemented the unified rank structure in 2016, went beyond academic qualifications. It provides faster progression through the ranks for officers who perform well. Once you are in service, how you perform should matter more than your qualifications when you first came in. SPF also has a scholarship scheme – prestigious, competitive, highly sought after. Some who spoke earlier on this Motion – Members of Parliament Murali Pillai, Melvin Yong, Patrick Tay – were all scholars, and of course, the Deputy Prime Minister. SPF sent him on his first trip overseas to Cambridge. As a side note, if I may say so, one of the problems that SPF is finding is that other services are increasingly looking at SPF. Because apart from the Deputy Prime Minister, the Head of Civil Service and various other officers, Permanent Secretaries and those in other Ministries have come from SPF. I suppose the approach we have to take is that we spot, we groom, we invest, we train and then, we should be glad that they are taken by others.”
“Jury trials were abolished. Instead, we have trials presided over by professional judges, who are better able to handle the complex issues for a more reliable fact-finding process. It lessens the theatrics, reduces the risk of injustice. And we have the institutions required for an effective judicial justice system: the judiciary, the public prosecution service, the bar associations. They have all been built up. As a result, we have a criminal justice system which has worked well for us. But it is constant work, constant refining, constant tending and it will continue to have to be so. If the system does not work well and criminals walk away because the system is corrupt or weak, then Police morale and discipline will go down. Police will not be effective. We have avoided that. I have only given a few examples of this framework but Members can assume that there have been many changes that have been very substantive that has led to the system we have today. But let me now move to this context of SPF 200. The second key factor behind SPF's success is the quality of officers in SPF and the quality of its leadership. The focus by Mr Lee and his team was on building not just the size of the Police force upon Independence but also the quality of officers and leadership in SPF. High quality does not only mean educational qualifications. You need qualities of character, a sense of purpose and you must be able to handle the pressure and perform on the job. In 1972, seven years after Independence, and again I quote Mr Lee addressing Police officers at the Police Dining-in, I quote, "There are certain virtues in the force which never changes. It must have high morals, it must be proud of itself and it cannot be proud of itself if it has not got the right leadership.”
“The right balance should not be guided by pure ideology. It should be guided by what works, what is fair, what is right. We have a system today: trained judges, a defence bar, rules of process, procedure, presumption of innocence except in the context of, say, drug trials where presumption of innocence is there but the accused has got to go and prove specific factors because those are within his knowledge. And in corruption trials, also a reversal of onus of proof. We do not say we have arrived. That will be not only inaccurate, it will be hubris. But we are constantly refining, constantly trying to find the right balance. And the right balance also changes when society changes. Our philosophy is that the Police investigations should not be made into a series of technical hurdles which have to be cleared. But it must be a clear and fair process that helps to arrive at the truth. I think all Members will agree that it is a question of balance and it is really a question of how you strike that balance. We have, for example, talked about, implemented, in some cases, initiatives like VRI, the Appropriate Adult Scheme, other initiatives. All of these will help in the fairness in the process. Another example that I would put forward in going back to my point about the law enforcement framework within which the Police operate, is that tough penalties that have been introduced to deal with serious crimes. I spoke about drugs, corruption and many other offences. The penalties were changed and, where necessary, onus of proof was reversed. If you have wealth, you are a public servant, you have wealth which is not explained, the onus is on you to prove. We also have preventive detention, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act adapted from British laws.”
“Ironically, these amendments were based on the recommendations of the 1972 Eleventh Report of the UK Criminal Law Revision Committee which the UK government had rejected." For Members' reference, those who are not lawyers, the UK Criminal Law Revision Committee comprised eminent jurists and lawyers. They looked at the system in the UK and they came up with a set of recommendations but it was not doable in the UK. In Singapore, many of the recommendations were passed into law. Chief Justice Chan, as he was, set out the two major changes. “All statements made by an accused to a police officer in the course of investigation would be admissible in evidence… And second, the trial process. If the accused is called upon to enter his defence, he has no right to make an unsworn statement from the dock." “These two broad changes led to an increase in the conviction of the factually guilty through pleas of guilt or at trials. Crime control was strengthened with the use of rebuttable and irrebuttable resumptions in substantive offences. These developments, together with better and more dedicated and efficient law enforcement have reduced the crime rate over the years and have made Singapore a safer place to live in. You might think that this statement is somewhat simplistic, but many people would agree that law enforcement in Singapore, although not perfect, is among the best in the world." That is the view of the Chief Justice, as he was, in 2008. That is not to say that therefore crime control becomes the be-all and end-all. Of course, you must have fairness in the system. So, it is a question of finding the right balance. I would ask Members to carefully consider what is suitable for our society when seeking to strike the right balance.”
“Law enforcement officers and the prosecution should be held accountable to rules, procedures and guidelines to ensure fairness and consistency." And he goes on; I will skip a little bit. At paragraph 15, he said: "Marshall achieved great success under this system. Many other lesser lights also shone. But it was inevitable that the prosecution would sooner or later take note of the defects (from its point of view) of the existing process which had been so ably and amply demonstrated by Marshall. It must have led the Government to rethink seriously about the objectives of the criminal justice process and how to achieve those objectives.” “Let me now introduce the other model of criminal justice process that Professor Packer had identified in his paper, viz, the crime control model." And he sets out the features. "The repression of crime should be the most important function of criminal justice because order is a necessary condition for a free society. Criminal justice should concentrate on vindicating victims' rights rather than on protecting defendants' rights. Police powers should be expanded to make it easier to investigate, arrest, search, seize and convict. Legal technicalities that handcuff the police should be eliminated. If the police make an arrest and a prosecutor files criminal charges, the accused should be presumed guilty because the fact-finding of police and prosecutors is highly reliable." I am setting these out, I am not saying that I agree with them. This is what Prof Packer had identified. "The main objective of the criminal justice process should be to discover the truth or to establish the factual guilt of the accused." And he has a few other factors too. "The 1976 amendments introduced many features of the crime control model.”
“Let me read a little bit more about what Chief Justice Chan, as he then was, said: "The fundamental principle was the presumption of innocence. This meant that (a) the prosecution must prove every ingredient of the offence against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt; (b) the accused had the right to remain silent at any stage of the criminal justice process, from investigation to trial; (c) the accused had the right not to incriminate himself, except in restricted circumstances; (d) the accused's statements to the police were not admissible except in restricted circumstances; (e) he had the right to give an unsworn statement from the dock; (f) all evidence, even if true, was not admissible if it might have a prejudicial effect on the jury; and (g) the practice of the courts was to require strict compliance with the rules of evidence and procedure and (h) to have strict oversight of jury directions on accomplice evidence and corroboration.” “In a paper published in 1964 on the criminal justice process in the USA, Professor Herbert Packer of Stanford University described two models of criminal justice process, namely, due process and crime control. This paper has since been regarded as one of the most important contributions to systematic thought about criminal justice.” “The basic features are those I have just described of our criminal justice process before 1976." That means, very much, due process. "Because of the presumption of innocence, priority must be given to the protection of the accused's rights in a fair manner. Police powers of arrest and investigation should be limited to prevent potential official oppression of the individual. Procedural rights are not mere technicalities.”
“The approach we have taken is not ideological. It is to see what is suitable, what works in Singapore. As I said, in 1976, the steps we took would probably be described as more akin to the crime control model. And as Ms Lim was speaking, I remembered a speech by our former Chief Justice Mr Chan Sek Keong. This was a lecture in 2008 – I think Justice Chan was Chief Justice at that point – at the centenary of Mr David Marshall's birth. This is what he had to say and I can do no better than what perhaps the greatest jurist Singapore has seen, said about this process. He said, from paragraph 13 onwards: "Before I discuss some of these amendments, let me now sketch out for you the features of the criminal justice process that was in place in Singapore before 1976. We then had an investigative and trial process regulated by the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act which basically provided the framework for a common law trial process which was highly admired, if not revered, in England at that time." I make a point to take Members through this in some detail because if you want a safe and secure Singapore, with due process for all of us, it is important to get this fundamental principle right. Because there is and there will always be a tendency to move towards much more of putting hurdles and processes in the way of the Police. The point is to strike the right balance and I would emphasise that all Members and all Ministers for Home Affairs and Law remember these fundamental principles. That is why I said in my speech paths taken and paths avoided. If we had not taken this path in 1976, neither the Police nor Singapore would have today's crime control system.”
“The committee had said that hardened criminals could greatly hamper investigations by refusing to answer any questions; so, put the onus on them to answer the questions. It runs against a basic principle, some might say, the golden thread, as it were, of the right to remain silent. But we made the major change in 1976. It encouraged suspects to be forthcoming during investigations. Accused persons have to tell the Police the truth when interviewed, or adverse inferences can be drawn. Members would have seen, perhaps in TV dramas, the police will tell the suspect that he or she has a right to remain silent and if the police officers did not do so, that could become, a procedural problem and the suspect may walk free on a technicality. Our position: it is in the public interest that persons under investigations by the Police tell the truth when interviewed. The change has had a big impact on how suspects behave and the entire criminal process. In this context, maybe I can take the opportunity of dealing with or responding to some points that Ms Lim made. I think she made the following points about video-recording of interviews (VRI), translation to other languages, resource allocation, as well as helping victims and victim impact statements. Steps have been taken and further the steps will be taken. I responded on these previously. Since today's Motion is on SPF and 200 years, and celebrating SPF, I will not go into detail on those points. We can discuss those on another occasion. There is another point that, coincidentally, forms a big part of my speech too. Ms Lim made reference to Prof Herbert Packer's work on due process and crime control. While it is not so clear, I think Ms Lim would probably fall on the side of the due process model.”
“In this context, I have often referred to a speech by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew who said this in 1962: "In a settled and established society, law appears to be a precursor of order. Good laws lead to good order, that is the form that you will learn. But the hard realities of keeping the peace between man and man, and between authority and the individual, can be more accurately described, if the phrase were inverted to 'order and law', for without order the operation of law is impossible." Members will notice that he said, "order and law", not "law and order". He reversed, or inverted, the phrase. You have to establish order first, then laws can work. Otherwise, laws will not work. I think it is fair to say Mr Lee sometimes took a view similar to that which Hobbes had put out, about man in society. That philosophy underpins the changes we made to the criminal justice system which we had inherited from the British. A lot of it, I would say, is primarily due to what Mr Lee himself believed, thought through and brought about, with a deep understanding of how people actually behave, how societies work and how laws actually work. The criminal justice system we inherited has a long history, evolving over many centuries in England; we adapted, changed and, in some respects, we changed quite fundamentally. That helped create a framework for the Police to be effective. Let me give three examples as to what I mean. We changed our laws, for example, to allow the Courts to draw an adverse inference if an accused person puts up a defence that he did not mention when he was first interviewed by the Police. This position was based on the UK Criminal Law Revision Committee's recommendation which had then not been put into practice in the United Kingdom (UK).”
“If the criminal justice system does not work, if there is no proper due process and crimes go unpunished, then it is difficult for a police force to be effective. Mdm Deputy Speaker, with your permission, may I display some slides on the screen as I make my points?”
“The latest 2020 Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) study shows that 87% of respondents were confident or very confident in SPF. It is the highest level of confidence amongst all state institutions surveyed in Singapore and also the highest globally across other police forces in the study. What we have, this level of safety and security, and confidence in the force, did not just happen as the natural course of events. It is a result of paths taken; and also paths avoided, not taken. I will, in the speech: first, highlight some of the factors that have made SPF successful and have helped it keep law and order in Singapore; second, pay tribute to the contributions of SPF officers; and third, outline some of SPF's plans for the future. Let me start with some of the factors that have led to SPF's success and its remarkable progress over the years since Independence. There are many factors which can help or impede the performance of our Police force. For example, the levels of governance in society, the levels of equity and inequity, inequality, many factors like that. For the purposes of this Motion, I will not speak about these larger factors. Instead, I will take a slightly narrower focus and deal with the factors that are more closely connected with Police work and the Police as an institution. The three factors I will touch on are: first, our criminal justice system; second, the quality of leadership in SPF; and third, maintaining trust with the community. Let me deal with each one. First, our criminal justice system. No police force operates in a vacuum. Its operations are fundamentally influenced by the criminal justice system within the framework of which the force operates.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, last year, the SPF marked its 200th anniversary, a significant milestone. We had Sir Stamford Raffles landing in 1819 and the Police force was set up in 1820; essentially set up from the very first beginnings of modern Singapore. I thank Mr Christopher de Souza for moving this Motion for this House to recognise the essential contributions of SPF over 200 years and for creating this occasion. Mr de Souza outlined SPF's journey over the years and its contributions to Singapore's development. SPF started as a 12-men team in 1820. It is today a 45,000-strong force with regular Police officers, full-time National Servicemen (NSmen) and supported by civilian officers who are NSmen and volunteers. SPF is now a respected force with a high standard of operational excellence. Its success has to be tested by looking at the lived experiences of Singaporeans. And what are the lived experiences? I have, over the years, shared with Members, probably every year, what Singaporeans feel about their surroundings, safety and security. Mr Melvin Yong referred to the latest Gallup Report 2020 which shows that 97% of residents in Singapore feel safe when they are walking alone in their neighbourhoods at night. The global average is 69%. I will come back to this point later, but I think on no account will Singaporeans want to give that up. That is a fundamental human right: to be able to walk where you wish and where you feel, man or woman, at any time of the day or night, without fear, and to allow your child to take public transport without fear. Singaporeans' confidence in SPF is also extremely high. Mr Yong also made this point. This has been so for many years.”
“The Government has previously given its reasons for deciding that we did not need a Good Samaritan Law1. The Government’s position remains the same at this time. This position will be reviewed as necessary.”
“The number of short-term visit pass (STVP) holders in Singapore from January 2020 to June 2021 is provided in Table 1.”
“The Member's questions have been addressed in the speech made by the Minister for Home Affairs during the Statement on "Fifth Update on Whole-of-Government Responses to COVID-19" at the 26 July 2021 Sitting. [Please refer to "Fifth Update on Whole-of-Government Responses to COVID-19", Official Report, 26 July 2021, Vol 95, Issue 33, Ministerial Statements section.]”
“Foreign visitors who are fiancés/fiancées of Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents can apply to enter Singapore under the Familial Ties Lane (FTL) for the purpose of marriage. Applicants will need to provide supporting documents, such as appointment letters from the Registry of Marriages or Registry of Muslim Marriages, where required. Their applications will also be subject to security and immigration risk assessment. If the entry application is approved, they will be subject to the prevailing COVID-19 measures for inbound travellers, such as the Stay-Home Notice (SHN) and swab test requirements.”
“Applications for Permanent Residency (PR) are evaluated on criteria covering a range of factors. The applicant’s length of residency is only one of the factors considered by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). The other factors include, but are not limited to, the applicant’s family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, educational qualifications, age and family profile, the applicant’s ability to integrate into our society and commitment to sinking roots in Singapore. We do not share the specific grounds for rejecting PR applications. First, information about detailed assessment criteria can be abused to inflate an undeserving applicant’s chances of success or to game the system. Second, the reasons for rejection may be used to arouse negative sentiments in other countries. This may create bilateral sensitivities and is not in Singapore's interest.”
“Vice activities are inconsistent with several of the Safe Management Measures implemented since 7 April 2020. Enforcement action can and has been taken to deal with such breaches. From 7 April 2020 to June 2021, Police have conducted more than 1,200 enforcement operations against vice activities. These operations targeted online vice activities, and vice services offered at other places, such as massage establishments. More than 500 individuals were arrested for alleged offences under the Women’s Charter, the Immigration Act and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.”
“The five-year recidivism rates for the 2011 to 2015 release cohorts are 43.1%, 43.2%, 41%, 41.3% and 41.7% respectively. About four-fifths of the inmate population have been incarcerated before. The majority of these inmates are repeat drug offenders. The Singapore Prison Service, or SPS, currently publishes two-year recidivism rates in its annual statistics release, as this is aligned with common international practice, which also allows for meaningful comparison across jurisdictions. The two-year recidivism rate has remained low and stable, with the overall recidivism rate for the 2018 release cohort being 22.1%. Singapore’s two-year recidivism rate is amongst the lowest internationally. While SPS does not include the five-year recidivism rates in its annual statistics release, we have released it on occasions. For instance, it was recently mentioned by Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mrs Josephine Teo, during her opening speech at the CARE Network Summit on 13 July. This has been helpful in raising awareness and rallying the community to support ex-offenders in their rehabilitation and reintegration journey. MHA regularly reviews the statistics that we make public. As part of these reviews, we are considering including the five-year recidivism rates alongside the two-year rates in the annual statistics release.”
“Mediations between wedding couples and vendors affected by COVID-19 may have taken place with various organisations offering mediation services in the last 12 months. MinLaw is unable to track the number of such mediations and the number of successful settlements arising from such mediations. Between 20 April 2020 and 31 January 2021, wedding couples and vendors whose wedding events were affected by COVID-19 could seek relief under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. Some parties secured a moratorium against enforcement action under the Act, and mutually resolved the matter between themselves, including via mediation. In early May 2021, after the Heightened Alert was announced, some wedding events could not be carried out as contracted due to the tightened safe management measures. MinLaw received feedback that, in many cases, parties were able to work out alternatives amongst themselves, but there were some who were unable to reach an agreement on how to proceed with the contract for the wedding event. To help wedding couples and vendors affected by the Heightened Alert measures and who have been unable to reach an agreement on how to proceed with the contract for the wedding event, MinLaw introduced the MinLaw COVID-19 (Wedding) Mediation Programme (MCMP) on 14 July 2021. Under the MCMP, a neutral, trained mediator will facilitate discussions between the parties and assist parties to work out a mutually agreeable way forward. Mediation under the MCMP is free-of-charge. We encourage contracting parties to be fair and reasonable to each other. The COVID-19 restrictions have affected both wedding couples and vendors, and mutual understanding of the difficulties faced will help them reach a better outcome.”
“When the Police receive information that a bank account has received suspected criminal proceeds, they work with the relevant bank to freeze the account to prevent the outflow of the money. Once frozen, the Police will need to obtain a Court order before access to the bank account can be restored to the owner. The account needs to be frozen because there are usually competing claims on the money in the account. These competing claims need to be resolved by the Courts before the money is released to their rightful owners. Allowing the account owners to withdraw money freely will complicate subsequent claims on the money if it is proven that the bank account had, indeed, received proceeds from crimes. Persons whose bank accounts are frozen as a result of being recipients of suspected criminal proceeds can make an application to the Courts to withdraw money for reasonable living or legitimate expenses. Section 35(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code allows the account holder to submit an application to the Courts to access their funds for the payment of basic expenses, including any payment for food stuff, rent, the discharge of a mortgage, medicine, medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums and public utility charges, amongst others.”
“It comprises senior representatives from the Supreme Court, Attorney-General’s Chambers, Legal Service Commission Secretariat, MinLaw and Public Service Division. The Government will consider the findings of the Working Group and will make a further announcement in due course. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)] Adjourned accordingly at 9.22 pm.”
“Today, the three Members have made very compelling points, which have been made previously, asking us to move further towards specialisation. They all identified the fast-paced disruptions to our legal environment and profession. I think we share common ground, in that the benefits of specialisation are likely to continue to grow in future, with smaller trade-offs as the Legal Service continues growing. But the fundamental challenge of a limited talent pool remains. Could a new balance be found? Possibly, provided certain desirable features of our current system, like ensuring breadth of exposure, especially for younger officers, are retained in a sensible way. The question then is, when is it the right time to move? We could take a wait-and-see approach, maintain the current system, make small tweaks, in line with the changing environment. We can also say, let us make the move now, to put ourselves on a better footing for the future. Because, eventually, when the numbers grow further, it makes sense to split the two services anyway. This matter has come up with the Members who spoke, as well as other Members who have spoken with us. You have heard the points they have made, quite passionately. Having heard their perspectives and feedback, the Government is prepared to consider a restructuring of the Legal Service, along the lines I referenced above. We have set up a Working Group to study some of the issues that arise, should any such restructuring proceed. That will also give us a better sense. Mr Lim Biow Chuan had, in his speech, suggested this; we have moved ahead of the suggestion. The Working Group is co-chaired by the Attorney-General and Senior Judge Chao Hick Tin.”
“A specialist model accounts for the widening spread of competencies which are needed in the Legal and Judicial Branches. Officers have longer runways to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to operate in increasingly complex environments. Each Service will have the ability to develop HR frameworks and talent development programmes, which can be targeted to their needs. On the other hand, there are major benefits to an integrated model where officers rotate between Branches. The opportunity for a varied career helps the Legal Service attract and retain talent. For LSOs who assume senior leadership positions later on, rotations give them a better organisational perspective. An integrated model also makes it easier to meet manpower needs, where more specialised capabilities are not required. Each time this question has arisen, including as recently as last year, as Mr Murali Pillai pointed out, in November, we decided, in our view, the time was not quite right. Our relatively limited talent pool remains a challenge, albeit to a lesser degree. We now have over 800 LSOs. But this is objectively a small number, operating in a small legal profession. England and Wales, for example, had almost 170,000 practising solicitors and barristers in 2020, making up around 0.28% of its population. Singapore had fewer than 6,000 legal practitioners, constituting 0.1% of our population. Yet, the UK still struggles to staff its judiciary. In 2017, the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution expressed serious concern about recruitment to the bench. The then-Lord Chancellor gave evidence that “not having enough people coming forward to be judges” was “one of the biggest threats” to the judiciary. But we left the door open for further consideration.”
“At that time and, for many years after, the small number of LSOs meant that a fully integrated model, where officers were actively deployed to both the Judicial and Legal Branches, better met our needs. Even in 2006, we only had 290 LSOs. An integrated model was necessary for LSOs’ career progression and for the LSC to respond nimbly to personnel needs. It also had the benefit of providing a breadth of postings to develop young officers and ensuring future leaders had the necessary experience, spanning both the judicial and legal fields. In 2014, as some Members might know, we made a significant shift. Although the integrated model was retained, separate “Legal” and “Judicial” career tracks were introduced for LSOs in the middle ranks. Existing Personnel Boards were restructured into two Boards, delineated along Branch lines. The Special Personnel Boards exercise jurisdiction over human resource functions, including promotions, of LSOs in respect of Grades below LSO Grade 2. Today, LSOs below LSO Grade 2 constitute about 94% of LSOs. The integrated model, on the whole, was retained, particularly for those at the junior and senior ends of the spectrum. This ensures that junior officers are developed in different fields of legal work, while preserving flexibility to deploy the limited number of senior officers to roles in both Branches and to meet the needs of the Service. The proposal for a separate judicial service, separate from the Legal Service, has arisen over the years, including after 2014. Looking at it, as the Legal Service is now, I would say there are pros and cons either way. The challenge is to find the right balance for our circumstances and needs.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I thank Mr Murali Pillai for filing this Motion. Let me first set out the Government’s approach towards the Legal Service. The key question is and has always been: how do we structure and design the Legal Service to continually build up our legal system and institutions? This has never been and cannot be a one-off, static exercise; it is a continuous exercise of continuously tending to systematic institution building; to build and improve; to ensure that the structure we have works best for us. Over the years, we have systematically built up the Legal Service. The enduring challenge has been our very small pool of talent, limited by our small size. If we go back to the time of Independence, we had only 45 Legal Service Officers (LSOs) and a total of 130 members at the Bar. From those early days, we have always considered the Legal Service as a critical institution in establishing the rule of law in Singapore. It is part of the DNA of Singapore's governance philosophy. The Service provided a dedicated corps of officers who, amongst other things, built a strong, trusted Judiciary, prosecuted without fear or favour; supported effective, active and nimble policymaking; drafted all the laws that are passed by Parliament, and defended and secured Singapore’s interests internationally. As Singapore grew and our legal system gained strength, it had to grow and modernise while maintaining high standards of excellence. It had to attract its own share of talent and develop and deploy them well. As former Chief Justice and President of the LSC, the late Mr Yong Pung How, said, the Legal Service should be "positioned as a premier service in the public sector of Singapore".”
“The project included an exhibition and public tours, which helped give Singaporeans a deeper understanding of the history and heritage of the Southern Islands. In addition, NHB has included the traditional pilgrimage to Kusu Island in the national inventory of Singapore’s intangible cultural heritage.”
“The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) works closely with relevant Government agencies and other stakeholders to safeguard the biodiversity and heritage of the Southern Islands so that the rustic charm and rich habitat of the islands can be enjoyed by many generations to come. SLA and NParks have taken steps to protect our marine biodiversity and ecosystems, even as more visitors explore the Southern Islands. For example, in 2014, the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park was designated as a marine protected area due to the rich marine biodiversity in its waters. Within the Marine Park, some conservation and research sites are not open to the public and can only be accessed by authorised individuals for scientific research, habitat restoration and species recovery activities. There are also efforts to raise the public’s awareness about protecting the marine biodiversity and historical heritage of the Southern Islands. For example, on St John’s Island, NParks works with community stakeholders, such as the Friends of Marine Park, to organise outreach activities on marine conservation including seminars, workshops, guided tours, and citizen science programmes. NParks has also installed onsite storyboards and conducts monthly guided walks to educate the public on the rich history and biodiversity of the island. These public education efforts are supported by initiatives to document and safeguard the heritage of the Southern Islands. For example, the National University of Singapore, supported by the National Heritage Board (NHB), conducted a two-year research and documentation project, which concluded last year, on the Southern Islands’ cultural and natural heritage.”
“The Singapore Government gave an undertaking to the government of the United Kingdom (UK) that any sentence of corporal punishment imposed by a Singapore Court on Mr David James Roach for the offences for which his extradition was sought, would not be carried out. To fulfil this undertaking, the President, on the advice of the Cabinet, has exercised her powers under Article 22P(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore to remit the sentence of six strokes of the cane imposed on Roach. It was necessary for the Singapore Government to give such an undertaking because the UK’s extradition laws would have prohibited the extradition of Roach to Singapore in the absence of such an assurance. It was in the public interest to secure Roach’s extradition to Singapore to face justice for the crimes he committed here. This is not the first time such an undertaking was given to another Government. For example, in 2005, the Singapore Government gave an undertaking to the Australian government that Briton Mr Michael McCrea, who was then suspected of the 2002 Orchard Towers double murder, would not face the death penalty if convicted of murder, as Australia would not extradite suspects who could face the death penalty. McCrea was eventually convicted on offences that were not punishable with the death penalty. As a result, Singapore did not have to take further steps to comply with the assurance given to Australia.”
“MHA is cognisant of the security risks posed by certain chemicals and together with other regulatory agencies and the industry, has a framework in place to safeguard them. These chemicals are also known as security-sensitive materials (SSMs). We adopt a risk-based approach in regulating such substances, applying controls according to the hazards they pose. We have clear laws and processes to regulate the management of SSMs, from handling, to storage and transportation. These laws are overseen by the respective regulatory agencies, based on the properties of the substances. For instance, SSMs which are flammable are regulated under the Fire Safety Act by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and those which are toxic are regulated under the Environmental Protection and Management Act by NEA. To illustrate, SCDF imposes both safety and security requirements to safeguard flammable SSMs stored at oil and gas facilities. These installations are required to install protective security measures, such as perimeter barriers, access control and closed-circuit television monitoring systems. Vehicles transporting large quantities of SSM must be fitted with a Hazmat Transport Vehicle Tracking System (HTVTS). The HTVTS tracks the movement of the vehicle and it would be immobilised if it deviates from its approved route or timing. SCDF conducts regular audits and inspections of licensees to ensure compliance. MHA and other regulatory agencies work closely with the industry to regularly review the SSMs and the control measures, while remaining facilitative for their legitimate use as far as possible.”
“As of June 2020, the breakdown of our Permanent Resident (PR) population by region of origin is as follows:”
“The common causes of residential fires are unattended cooking, indiscriminate disposal of lighted materials such as cigarette butts and fires of electrical origin, which include overloading of electrical sockets and use of uncertified electrical devices. SCDF has been raising awareness about fire hazards and sharing fire safety tips with the public through community events and targeted outreach. For example, it works with community partners such as the Community Emergency and Engagement Committees (C2Es) to organise community engagement events, which provide hands-on training on the use of fire extinguishers and disseminate fire safety educational materials. After a fire incident, SCDF partners the C2Es to conduct door-to-door engagements with residents of the affected blocks to share fire safety tips and assuage possible concerns. SCDF also organises Community Emergency Preparedness Programmes (CEPP) that members of the public can sign up for to learn lifesaving and emergency response procedures. SCDF regularly reviews its outreach and introduces new initiatives every now and then to enhance the public’s knowledge of fire safety. When the COVID-19 situation stabilises, SCDF will introduce Community Resilience Days, where it will organise roadshows in the heartlands to teach basic lifesaving and emergency preparedness skills. We encourage the public to participate in these events.”
“They go on and, by definition because of our rules, if all these activities are "underground", in the sense that they are not in the open, then we have to go and use our intelligence to find and deal with them. Some are in these outlets; some are in outlets that are not obvious. We have to keep continuing at it and whatever rules we come up with, this is not going to stop. It is just a question of whether it is more or less of the activities. It puts a heavy onus on the regulatory authorities. We can urge everyone to be responsible. But as you saw from the example I gave, immediately after the unilateral opening was closed, there were many girlfriends standing up with Singapore sponsors with a variety of reasons and this will go on. We just have to try and deal with them.”
“I thank Ms Tin for that question. I think we have to rightly focus on the people who are the cause of the spread, people who operate illegally and the people who patronise. But, before the pandemic, what was our framework? Singapore never made prostitution illegal because we knew that countries which had tried and for thousands of years people have tried, it is not going to work. So, you need to be realistic about what is doable and what is not doable. Pimping is illegal. Prostitution was neither illegal then nor is it now, except, I suppose, when there are safe distancing measures. When we allowed the nightlife outlets, pubs, bars, KTVs, those who wanted to pivot, what was our understanding of the situation? Supposing we had said no to all of them, there would have been a great deal of loss of jobs. But does that mean that, immediately, all dodgy activities would have stopped? Ms Tin is right. Precisely, this issue, it would have gone underground much more and it would have been very difficult to trace. So, pivoting is not the issue. The issue is that there is money to be made in making available the services and there will always be people, because there is a huge demand, regardless of the rules and there is – I would not say unlimited supply but there is some supply. There will always be arbitraging opportunities to make money. That is why flats, industrial spaces, warehouses – you would have seen it in the newspapers – they even organised illegal KTV operations. So, if we remove the two issues, it is not that one is not connected to the other. The pivoting of some operators is not connected to illegal activities.”
“The penalty is transparent and the penalty will be imposed according to the kind of breach that has been committed. And I think most people will know that there is also a point system for breaches which lead to closure. Of course, got egregious breaches, there will be closure. But I would not ascribe to Mr Singh the suggestion that Police now should get even tougher and just close everyone down as long as there is one breach. The last point I think was whether warnings given by the public were taken seriously. I do not do the operations obviously, but I think most Members will know how, in general, the Police intel system is expected to work. Police have their own intelligence framework, their own ground framework and public tip-offs. A lot of crimes are solved by public tip-offs and they are important, they are taken seriously and I assume that goes into the assessment framework on what operations to conduct.”
“As I noted, I think there were four questions, if I got it right, from Mr Pritam Singh. First, on the enforcement regime, I think Mr Singh wanted to know if it is heightened. We can assume that if there was one enforcement action per day, it is quite intense and it has been so from October of last year to July of this year, right from the beginning. This is quite apart from what Safe Distancing Ambassadors and so on do. Second, I think Mr Singh wanted to know if there was a particular focus on pivoted outlets. I gave the breakdown just now. Not all were targeted at pivoted outlets. In fact, there were a number who were not to be operating at all and, in fact, totally illegal operations. And I would say, in terms of seriousness, those are particularly pernicious, in terms of transmission, the kind of activities and so on. And nothing is supposed to be happening in a warehouse. They set up and they do everything. So, those kinds of operations were busted as well. So, a broad range and also F&B operations which were not pivoted operations, just simply reopening. Also, some of them had been in breach. Do not mistake me to think that every single one was, therefore, engaging in what we might consider to be shady activities. Sometimes, there were breaches also. But we needed to target a broad range. Third, I think Mr Singh wanted to know – seven have been closed, but I pointed out that 10% were in breach, about 40-odd out of the 400 which had pivoted. And are they going to be closed? I assume Mr Singh is not asking for the closing down of every operation as long as there is any breach. There is a framework. Depending on the nature of the breach, there will be a penalty.”
“But if they say they were not working, then we have to show that they were in breach. And it is often cat and mouse. And as Members will know, we cannot use the TraceTogether data for this. So far, 16 women have had their passes cancelled and they have been or will be deported. Investigations are ongoing in respect of the other women. And, of course, the operators' operations, some of them are pivoted outlets, several of them are not, in other places, in warehouses and so on. We continuously have to look for them, rely on tip-offs as well as our own intelligence and keep trying to keep it under control. Sir, I think I have dealt with many of the questions that have been raised.”
“ICA has also taken action in respect of dodgy applications by rescinding the approvals, barring the travellers from entry into Singapore and suspending the sponsors and travellers from future applications. Apart from the FTL category, we have other avenues for foreigners to enter into Singapore during this pandemic but very limited. They include MOM's Work Pass Holder Lane and MOE's Student's Pass Holder lane. Applicants are required to submit their application to MOM and MOE respectively for entry approval and are subject to screening, obviously. There are also short-term visitors who were already in Singapore before the border controls were imposed in March 2020. For these persons, ICA assesses their application for extensions of their Short-Term Visit Pass on a case-by-case basis. It takes into consideration factors including restrictions on international travel, flight availability and whether the applicants have family ties in Singapore. Tying that back to the Police's recent operations against nightlife outlets, 29 women, aged between 20 and 47, of various nationalities, have been arrested for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and other laws. The 29 include Permanent Residents, Work Pass holders, S Pass holders, Short-Term Pass holder; one who came in under the Unilateral Opening, five who had come in under the "girlfriend" category; Long-Term Visit Pass holders, other passes, Student Pass, Dependant's Pass. Permanent Residents, unlikely to have committed any offence except for maybe safe distancing measures. Others on Work Pass would be in breach of their Work Pass conditions if they were performing services as hostess, but those on visit passes would be in breach as well by working without a Work Permit.”