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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“Then, we had September 11 incidents in New York and changed the operating landscape yet again – a new normal. We had to build counter-terrorism capabilities and put in place safety measures. I would say that, after the 2015 attacks in Paris, yet again, we had to step up considerably to look at the fact that a variety of soft targets could be attacked by terrorists. So, I think Members will agree with me, today, if we look at the SPF, it is a highly capable, professional Police Force and highly regarded. And I think our SPF officers deserve our recognition and appreciation for their professionalism, their readiness and sacrifice over the years. Thank you. [Applause.] This year, to better handle incidents in our coastal waters, PCG will be enhancing its capabilities. We will be getting new Fifth Generation PT class patrol boats. They will replace the Third Generation boats. And we will also get additional boats and that would be a significant upgrade to PCG's abilities to handle such incidents. I am confident that the Police Force, as a whole, will continue to uphold the tradition of excellence so that Singaporeans will continue to enjoy the very high levels of safety, security, law and order. Safety and security is not just the responsibility of law enforcers. I want to move away from the usual COS speech to say something a little bit more, philosophical, maybe even reflective. And this comes from some of the points made by Members of Parliament, including Mr Christopher de Souza, who questioned about the street protests that have taken place around the world. What are the lessons for us? Where do we go from here? Can it happen here? I think it comes back to this point.”
“If you go back to colonial times, understandably the British may have set up the Customs first before they set up the Police Force. Subject to that, in the 200 years, I think we have seen the Home Team grow from strength to strength. Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Christopher de Souza remarked about SPF's 200 years. If you go back to the early 19th century, we were a booming town but a booming immigrant town with more than its fair share of social ills – lawlessness, rampant piracy, clandestine activities between secret societies, riots between the different Chinese dialect groups. And there was really an urgent need for law and order. Major-General William Farquhar formed the first Police Force, with just 12 officers. They had to gear up quickly. By 1846, the first set of rules and regulations was established and they spelt out the duties, the way Police officers conduct themselves. They demarcated patrol sectors. We moved to a century later, in the 1900s, the Criminal Procedure Code and Criminal Registry Department were set up, and a fingerprint system was also set up and new Police buildings were constructed. Fast forward to after the Second World War, the "999" hotline was established and the Radio Division was established. Then, after the Maria Hertogh riots, the Riot Squad was set up. After 1965, Independence, the Police have taken on an even greater role in the safety and security of our society. The Police National Service was introduced in 1967 and the first Neighbourhood Police Post in 1983. That really transformed the image of the Police officer, not just as a person enforcing the law but also as a member of the community, out there in the community, helping people and responding to incidents.”
“The fact that if you have committed a crime in Singapore, you are going to be prosecuted regardless of who you are. And if you are guilty or likely to be found guilty, and cases do not stretch for years and years and years, and punishment is therefore reasonably certain. These factors and the whole attitude that is supportive of our law and order framework, amongst a vast majority of our population, has meant that people who want to break the laws are a very small minority. That has allowed our taxpayer funds to be put to other uses and not the heavy policing that you see in many other countries. Yet, we still give the outcomes that people want in terms of safety and security, and how they feel about the country. Mr Christopher de Souza and Miss Cheng Li Hui asked how the Home Team can remain effective and operational in a changing environment. That requires continued heavy investment into the capabilities of the officers. We work with our partners to encourage our officers to engage in continuous learning and up-skilling, just like the rest of society, from recruitment to retirement. Mr Desmond Choo asked if retirement age for our Police officers will be raised. We will be increasing the retirement age gradually, not just Police officers, but officers under the Home Affairs Uniformed Services Scheme, from 55 years old currently to 58, by 2030. That will allow us to tap on the experience of our more mature officers. It will enhance career transition efforts and it will help them secure a meaningful second career after retiring from the Home Team. Let me touch a little bit on this. This year is a very important year for SPF. It is the SPF 200, as many Members would know. I am told that it was the first, if not, the second organisation that was set up in Singapore.”
“Home Team officers have also helped to conduct swabbing operations among suspect cases, which puts them on the frontline. They test for the virus. And for the second plane-load of Singaporeans that the Government flew back from Wuhan and also, of course, our officers helped convey suspect cases to hospital. That is the frontline. Non-frontline officers obviously are heavily involved. MHA is part of the multi-Ministry taskforce involved in the whole-of-Government response to the crisis. The Ministry also chairs the inter-agency Homefront Crisis Executive Group (HCEG) which supports the Ministerial taskforce to get the actions executed on the ground and ensure the smooth, coordinated, effective running of the crisis response operations. All of that, of course, comes on top of the officers' day-to-day responsibilities, which have to carry on. I have to say, I think I join many Singaporeans, and I am sure I join Members of Parliament, in saying that we are very proud of the way all our public officers have responded, including, if I may say Home Team officers. Thank you. [Applause.] Members will know that the Home Team, the Police Force and the rest of the Home Team, is actually very lean, like much of the Public Service. If you look at the ratio of Police officers to population: London is 0.34%; Hong Kong, 0.39%; New York City, 0.42%. Whereas we are 0.23%, including full-time National Servicemen. So, much leaner compared to any of these cities, but our outcomes are much better compared with any of them. And I think it comes from a combination of many years of a proper law and order framework, which went against international opinions sometimes. Secondly, the fact that our people have cooperated with that framework and have been strongly supportive.”
“Parents are confident of letting their young children take public transport home alone, or anywhere alone. We talk about freedoms. These freedoms are priceless – the freedom to be yourself, the freedom to let your children be children, the freedom to know that they can grow up safe and secure. These freedoms are priceless and they have come about because of our practical approach, our tough legal framework where we come down hard on offenders, and the fact that within that framework, a broad level of freedom for people to carry on with their lives, exists. Our people also trust the Home Team to manage incidents effectively. In our surveys, 89% of respondents are confident in the Home Team's ability to manage national crises. Talking about national crises, of course, we are dealing with COVID-19 now. Mr Christopher de Souza asked how have the Home Team officers been deployed in the national fight against the virus. Members would have seen from newspaper reports that Home Team officers, together with others from the agencies involved, have been working round the clock in dealing with COVID-19. Many of the officers are at the frontlines. If you look at the border control and health screening measures: at the checkpoints with hundreds of thousands of people coming in every day. Officers are also securing Government Quarantine Facilities and checking on persons under quarantine; supporting, quite crucially, MOH's contact-tracing operations: CID has lent its expertise, a team of officers. Their work has been reported fairly extensively and they have done quite exceptional work. The kind of contact-tracing that has been done is very detailed. I do not think you see a parallel anywhere else in the world.”
“They must feel safe and we will take actions against anyone who threaten anyone else's physical safety. We should all be free to express our individual views but in a responsible manner. So, when we amended the MRHA, we explicitly stated that in the Explanatory Statement and used the LGBTQ community as an example of what would be covered by these provisions. That was a brief survey on our international rankings, our approach and the legislative changes. Let me now turn to the Home Team itself. I earlier spoke about how our people, Singaporeans, feel about the Home Team. Mr Teo Ser Luck spoke about the importance of maintaining public trust and effectiveness in the Home Team. That, to me, is fundamental, it is crucial.We can safely say year after year, I think the high level of confidence and trust that Singaporeans have in the Home Team is very clear. Surveys show that. I have referred to the surveys several times in this House – last year's surveys, public perception surveys – 91% of respondents agreed that the Home Team is fulfilling its mission of keeping Singapore safe and secure. 11.45 am Ninety percent trusts Home Team officers to do their duties objectively and with integrity. In an SCDF survey, 99% were confident in SCDF's ability to cope with emergencies. In an SPF survey, 90% trust the SPF as an organisation and they all agree that the Police Force is well-respected in the community. And this trust is reflected in people's lived reality. If you look at the Global Law and Order Index by Gallup, which I referred to earlier, 94% of residents in Singapore feel safe walking home alone in their neighbourhoods at night, including women. That is more than any other place in the world. And if you were to look at the global average, that is 69%.”
“And in a way, this framework actually has enhanced religious freedom within Singapore, because people of all religions – whatever your religious persuasion – feel confident, comfortable to go out there and practise their faiths. And if you agnostic, it is also the same. So, no one needs to feel uncomfortable in Singapore, because they know that there is a very protective framework that protects the freedom of religion. And that confidence is based on the fact that the authorities both have the power to take effective action and will take effective and swift action to threats against religious harmony. Among the amendments, we looked at our religious organisations. We do not want them to become channels or conduits for foreigners to channel their own agenda into Singapore or impose their values. We also put in various provisions to reduce conflicts, as I said not just between religions, but also within religion, intra-religion. And also we do not want religion to be used as a basis for attacking other groups who may not be of a religious persuasion. For example, say the LGBT community. During engagements with the LGBT groups, many of them have told us they felt targeted as a community. Meanwhile, religious groups also felt that they were targeted by LGBT groups. And our approach is, we put in something – whether religious groups target non-religious groups, or whether non-religious groups intend to target religious groups, both will be proscribed. People can go about their own lives. They should deal with their lives as they wish, but not use social or religious causes to attack each other. That comes from the position that every Singaporean has his/her place in Singapore.”
“I listened to them. As I said, this was August 2018, and I told them we will do something. That really formed the basis of the amendments which we put through last year. So, it is a very good example of how civil society and Government can work together, to make real change on the ground. The second key area that we worked on last year was in dealing with preventing clashes from religious differences. These could be inter-religious as well as intra-religious. Our peace, our progress, our prosperity are all based on the social harmony that we have managed to foster in Singapore. And Members will know, worldwide, countries are struggling with identity politics and the fractured relationships between communities, and within communities in their respective countries. Our approach over the years, surveys, soundings, and I think Members' own interactions with the residents show that people overwhelmingly support the approach we have taken to emphasise on harmony, and to come down quite hard on people who try and use religion as a basis to create public and social discord. So, people overwhelmingly support our stand against divisive rhetoric, against using religion for political ends. And we have had the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) now for 29 years, as of last year. I think the success of our policies is shown by the fact that we have never had to actually formally invoke the MRHA even once in those years. When it was first introduced, there was some disquiet. Several people said different things. I must count as one of those who was uncomfortable with the legislation. But we amended the MRHA last year in October and it will enable us to take effective, decisive action against the threats to religious harmony.”
“POHA – Protection from Harassment Act – was also amended. It allows victims of serious abuse who are in intimate relationships to get Protection Orders. In the past, only married women could get such Protection Orders under the Women's Charter and others had to rely on normal rules on criminal law assault. But we have given greater protection for those who are deemed to be in intimate partner relationships. Where people harass others whom they are in an intimate relationship with, the offender harasses someone who is in an intimate relationship, and there are repeated breaches of Protection Orders, punishments have been doubled. And if the perpetrator continues the harassment in breach of the Protection Orders, now, arrest is also possible. And the processes have been simplified so that victims can seek Protection Orders quickly. I have previously more than once commended the good work done by PAVE and organisations like PAVE. They provide legal and other counselling services to such victims, victims of Family Violence, who could be victims of intimate partner violence or who could be victims in a marriage situation, or in a marital situation. These organisations identify such individuals. Often, the individuals – I think Members of Parliament would have come across them – feel unable to leave the relationship. They find it very difficult. So, they need a lot of help, they need a lot of counselling. A number of NGOs are involved in it including, as I said, PAVE, to really take the steps that are needed to turn their lives around. In fact, PAVE's advocacy played a crucial role in informing and shaping the POHA amendments. They invited me to their Centre and shared with me what their clients go through. This was in August 2018. The stories were distressing.”
“Thank you, Sir. I thank the hon Members for their contributions and as usual, I will start by reviewing the year 2019, what has been done. Our primary mission is to keep Singapore safe and secure, a safe and secure home. If you look at international rankings, as well as more importantly, how our own people feel about their safety and security within Singapore, we do well. Looking at international rankings, the 2019 Gallup Global Law and Order Report, we are again, ranked first and that is the sixth year running that Singapore has been ranked number one. Our drug situation, something that I have spoken about quite frequently, Members have raised the point a number of times as well. It remains under control in Singapore. I think it is not something that you would ever say you won the fight. But the global situation, unfortunately, is getting worse with different regimes, a greater acceptance, a change in the legal position as well, where people are moving towards legalising in more and more countries, because they have lost the fight. Whereas in Singapore, almost uniquely, we have managed to hold our own within the country. If you look at fire safety, we again ranked first in the 2019 World Fires Statistics – it is the second year running. Moving on to our legislative calendar last year, I will touch on a couple of major aspects where we made legislative changes. First, we focused quite a bit on vulnerable victims and how we can protect them. So, the Penal Code was amended to cover more groups of vulnerable people, give them more protection, and enhanced the deterrence. To give one example, for offences committed against intimate partners or those in close relationships, we doubled the maximum penalties for rape, hurt, wrongful confinement.”
“This facilitates the agencies' work when managing youths under their charge and enables them to surface potential abusers for early intervention. CNB has also been working with the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA). NCADA will be launching a media campaign in March 2020, built around Singapore's first interactive film "HIGH" directed by local filmmaker Royston Tan. The purpose of this campaign is to engage youths in conversations around drug abuse and anti-drug advocacy. CNB and NCADA engage community partners and volunteers through the United Against Drugs Coalition (UADC) and Anti-Drug Abuse Advocacy (A3) Network to amplify and strengthen anti-drug narratives.2 So far, CNB has recruited 162 youth advocates under the A3 Network. Last but not least, the Ministry of Home Affairs and MSF co-chair the National Committee on Prevention, Rehabilitation and Recidivism, which was set up to coordinate efforts in research, rehabilitation, as well as to address offending and re-offending, among at-risk children and youths, offenders and their families.”
“The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) has put in place many preventive drug education programmes targeted at youths. CNB also reaches out to youths through persons in positions of influence like parents, counsellors, educators, youth advocates, community leaders and National Service commanders, so that they can also help to advise the youths. A key touchpoint is the school setting. In January 2019, CNB launched a new exhibition for schools, incorporating Augmented Reality, to give students a more immersive experience on the harms of drugs. CNB has reached out to close to 3,000 students so far and has received good feedback. Another initiative launched in August 2019 in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) is the After-School Engagement (ASE) programme, targeted at vulnerable and at-risk students.1 The ASE programme is an additional platform for students to learn about the harms of drug abuse and its consequences, through activities, such as sharing by former drug abusers. Social media is another key platform. CNB regularly publishes on its social media, content about drugs. For example, it has pushed out a series of bite-sized infographics to explain the harmful effects of cannabis and the cost to society of cannabis legalisation to debunk the misinformation surrounding cannabis. CNB also equips staff of community agencies, such as the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) Boys' and Girls' Homes, Youth Centres supported by MSF, self-help groups and Social Service Agencies, such as Fei Yue Family Service Centre and Care Corner Singapore Ltd, with knowledge of the tell-tale signs and behavioural changes of abusers.”
“We take a serious view of sexual assault against all children, regardless of where it takes place.”
“We have strengthened the law to enhance protection for children against sexual offences. The amendments to the Penal Code came into effect on 1 January 2020. In particular, the threshold for the offence of sexual grooming has been lowered, by reducing from two to one the number of instances of prior contact between the offender and the child needed to make out the offence. Another amendment is the reduction of the age floor below which an offender cannot be charged for the offence of sexual grooming, from 21 to 18. In addition, new offences were introduced, for example, to criminalise sexual communication with a minor or showing a minor a sexual image. This allows authorities to intervene earlier, before the offender is able to commit additional and more serious sexual offences. The Government has taken steps on various fronts to raise public awareness of the risks associated with the use of the Internet and social media. Through the Ministry of Education's Character and Citizenship Education programme, students learn about the harmful and criminal exploitation of the Internet and how to protect themselves. The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), on its part, has been strengthening digital literacy in Singapore. In July 2019, the Digital Media and Information Literacy Framework was launched to deepen Singaporeans' appreciation of the benefits and risks of digital technologies and information. MCI's partner agencies and programme owners, such as the National Library Board, have incorporated this framework into their programmes. The Police do not track statistics on the number of sexual assault cases involving children, broken down by the type of housing in which the crime was committed.”
“As attempted suicide is no longer a crime, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) will no longer record it as an offence. However, the Government will continue to track data on attempted suicides that are made known to us. The Member suggested tapping on first-aiders to help in cases of attempted suicide. SGSecure Responder is an initiative to alert community responders to fire and cardiac arrest cases. It is much more challenging for community responders to intervene in attempted suicide cases due to their complexity. Members of the public should continue to call the Police or the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The Member also suggested specialised emergency response for suicide cases. That may not be feasible. We have SPF and SCDF officers who are trained to intervene in suicide attempts, and they will be mobilised when such cases are reported. The SPF's Crisis Negotiation Unit will also help where necessary. The SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Teams (DART) are specially trained for complex rescue operations, including cases of attempted suicide at height and in confined spaces. There are also helplines, such as the Institute of Mental Health's 24-hour Mental Health Helpline, that distressed persons can call.”
“There are existing laws that prohibit the dissemination of photos and videos of accidents and crimes through electronic means in certain instances. First, in egregious cases where such conduct is accompanied by an underlying ill-intent or poses a law and order issue, offences under the Penal Code may be disclosed. If the dissemination is carried out with the intent to harass, Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) offences may be disclosed. Whether or not a criminal offence is disclosed depends on the facts and circumstances of each case. Second, under POHA, victims of harassing photographs or videos can also bring civil proceedings to require the publisher or social media platforms to take down the harassing material. We would like to remind everyone to behave compassionately and be mindful of the consequences when sharing photos and videos of victims of accidents and crimes. These photos and videos may cause distress to and inflict further trauma on the victims and their families. Beyond legal prohibition, society's norms and etiquette have to mature in tandem with the proliferation of online communication. That is why the Government and the Media Literacy Council have been promoting responsible online behaviour to create a safer and kinder Internet. For example, the 2019 Better Internet Campaign, themed "1 Click Away", encouraged online users to think and exercise sound judgement about the effects of a simple act of clicking to share their posts or photos online. We will continue to build on such efforts.”
“Four hundred and sixty-five, 466 and 490 mediations were conducted under the auspices of the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) in 2017, 2018 and 2019, with a recorded settlement rate of 65%, 69% and 66% respectively. The Ministry has over the years strengthened the framework for commercial mediation. In 2014, we established (a) the Singapore International Mediation Centre as the flagship organisation to provide international commercial mediation services; and (b) the Singapore International Mediation Institute to establish accreditation schemes and raise professional standards for mediation. In 2017, we introduced the Mediation Act to strengthen the framework for enforcement of mediated settlement agreements. In August 2019, Singapore was among the first to sign the Singapore Convention on Mediation. We plan to be among the first countries to ratify the convention. To this end, the Ministry of Law has introduced the Singapore Convention on Mediation Bill in January, and the Second Reading of the Bill will take place at this Sitting of Parliament. When the convention comes into force, it will provide for the cross-border enforcement of mediated settlement agreements, give businesses greater certainty and assurance, and encourage the greater use of mediation to resolve international commercial disputes. The Ministry of Law will continue to work with countries, businesses and practitioners to promote the benefits of mediation and the convention. We will provide technical assistance where needed to assist countries to work towards signing and ratifying the Convention. We will also continue to work with mediation institutions to strengthen the quality of our mediation services and build a strong pool of qualified mediators and practitioners.”
“Since 1 February 2019, pedal cyclists are required to use helmets when riding on roads. Cyclists using power-assisted bicycles (PABs) have been required to do so since 1 January 2005. Between 1 February 2019 and 31 December 2019, the Traffic Police enforced against 109 cases of pedal cyclists and 25 cases of PAB cyclists who failed to wear helmets when riding on the roads.”
“From 2015 to 2019, there were an average of 520 and 39 road accidents annually involving cyclists riding bicycles and power-assisted bicycles (PABs) respectively. To deter against disorderly or unsafe cycling behaviours, the Traffic Police (TP) conducts enforcement at hotspots as well as locations reported by members of the public where unsafe road behaviour by cyclists is observed. Over the past five years, TP issued an average of 1,377 summonses per year to cyclists for various offences, such as riding in a disorderly manner and riding in the hours of darkness without a front light. TP raises awareness of safe riding practices for cyclists through regular road safety talks at schools, companies and various community events. TP will continue to work with the Land Transport Authority and other community partners, such as the Singapore Road Safety Council, to educate the public on the importance of safe riding.”
“To date, 11 individuals have been charged under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act, of whom two are Singaporeans. The amounts involved ranged from $60 to $1,200. The Police treat every case seriously. Any support for terrorism-related activities, no matter the amount, threatens our national security.”
“Traffic Police (TP) does not track the number of accidents caused by lane splitting. Safety on our roads is a shared responsibility amongst all road users. TP raises awareness of safe riding practices through the Use Your RoadSense initiative and Singapore Ride Safe campaign. Motorcylists are encouraged to practise defensive riding and avoid weaving in and out of traffic. All motorists have to be alert for the unexpected and be ready to take evasive action. They are advised to check their blind spots from time to time and when they intend to make a lane change, and when necessary or appropriate, be gracious to give way to other road users even if they have the right of way.”
“The number of violations where passengers below 1.35 metres in height were not properly secured with an approved child restraint or body-restraining seat belt are appended at Table 1. In its talks and engagements with the community, the Traffic Police (TP) regularly emphasises the need for drivers and passengers to be properly secured. TP also conducts regular enforcement actions. Under the Road Traffic Act, drivers will be guilty of an offence if they fail to ensure that passengers below the height of 1.35 metres wear an approved child restraint or body-restraining seat belt. The composition sums for this offence were raised on 1 April 2019 from $120 to $150 for light vehicles, and from $150 to $200 for heavy vehicles. Offenders will also receive three demerit points. As the composition sums for the offence were recently increased, the Ministry of Home Affairs will monitor the situation and consider further action where necessary.”
“From 2017 to 2019, there were 234 violations of drivers failing to properly secure the loads on their lorries and trucks. Fourteen of these violations resulted in accidents with injuries; there were no fatalities. The Traffic Police (TP) regularly conducts engagement sessions with heavy vehicle drivers to share information on road safety. This includes the importance of properly securing loads on their vehicles. The Workplace Safety and Health Council's advisory on Workplace Safety and Health Guidelines on Safe Loading of Vehicles includes guidance on proper loading and securing techniques for different types of cargo. Under the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence for motorists not to secure their loads properly. The composition sums for this offence were raised on 1 April 2019 up to $200 for light vehicles and up to $250 for heavy vehicles. Offenders will also be penalised with up to six demerit points. As the number of violations detected by TP has generally been low and the composition sums were only recently increased, we will monitor the situation and consider further action where necessary.”
“The Government standard form contracts provide various dispute resolution options for the resolution of disputes, including mediation. The standard forms for procurement tenders provide for both the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) and the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC) as mediation agencies. The latter is included specifically for procurement tenders involving an international element. However, public sector agencies are not constrained from choosing other mediation institutions where appropriate. Public sector agencies have the flexibility to amend the standard forms accordingly to meet the specific operational needs of the intended contract, including taking into consideration the mediation centres with the relevant expertise on the subject matter of the contract and the locality and bargaining power of the parties.”
“The quick freezing of bank accounts has increased the recovery rate of victims' funds, from around 4% to 8% prior to the ASC's formation, to approximately 35% today. So far, three local banks and seven foreign banks have started working with ASC on this. ASC would like to bring more banks on board. The Police are also working with social media companies, such as Facebook, to explore initiatives to combat online harms that are being perpetrated on their platforms, such as scams. But public education remains the key. A discerning public is our best defence. In response to the rise in social media impersonation scams, Police have issued media advisories to raise the public's awareness of the scammers' modus operandi and provide crime prevention advice.”
“The bulk of the social media impersonation scams reported in 2019 involved victims revealing their credit card details to a scammer masquerading as a friend or relative. The scammers subsequently used the details to make purchases on various online shopping platforms. In other cases, the scammers impersonated friends or relatives of the victims to ask for loans, which were paid into the scammers' bank accounts. These scams mostly originated from foreign jurisdictions. It is difficult to identify the scammers, as they operate on the Internet using false identities. Hence, convictions are very difficult. Where available, the Police will share information with foreign counterparts to aid their investigations and to trace the stolen funds. Of the cases of social media impersonation scams reported between January and November 2019, the Police have concluded investigations for 17, all of which originated overseas. In some of these cases, investigations surfaced local parties involved in the movement of the stolen monies, but these local parties did not have knowledge of the actual scams. There have been no prosecutions so far, due to the reasons I shared earlier. The average time taken to solve a case depends on many factors, some of which are case-specific, such as the availability of evidence or witnesses, and the complexity of the case. The Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) plays two roles in the fight against scams. First, the freezing of suspicious bank accounts that are detected to be involved in scams, typically within a day of notification. Second, obtaining banking information on those accounts, usually within a few days.”
“Employers may provide advances of salaries to their employees prior to festive occasions, or upon request by their employees. The recovery of such cash advances is regulated under the Employment Act. Under the Act, employers are allowed to recover the monies through salary deductions of no more than 25% of the salary each month, for up to 12 months. The Employment Act does not provide for interest to be charged for such cash advances. Cash advance programmes offered by businesses to their contractors involving a sum of money lent in return for a larger sum may come under the ambit of the Moneylenders Act, depending on the nature and terms of the programme. Entities which offer cash advances as a business of moneylending require a licence or exemption under the Act. The Ministry of Law may grant such licences or exemptions and impose conditions, including interest rates caps, as appropriate, taking into account the nature and terms of the programmes.”
“Soliciting in public is an offence under section 19 of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act (MOA). Offenders are liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1,000, and repeat offenders are liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $2,000 or maximum imprisonment of six months, or both. Between 2009 and 2018, the Police made 281 arrests for public solicitation, which resulted in 181 prosecutions. The annual figures from 2009 to 2018 are in Table 1 below. Approximately one in four arrested persons and one in five prosecuted persons were Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents.”
“A person who does not comply with a Special Direction commits a criminal offence punishable with a fine of up to $5,000, a term of imprisonment of up to three months, or both. Non-compliance can also result in a Court order excluding the offending party from his or her place of residence. These are very serious consequences, and rightly so. From 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2019, a total of 15 Special Directions were issued. We continue to monitor the effectiveness of CDRT in dealing with neighbour disputes. If the Member has any specific feedback on how to improve the CDRT's processes, that is also welcome.”
“The Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) were established on 1 October 2015. CDRT is an avenue to a variety of remedies for persons whose enjoyment or use of their place of residence has been unreasonably interfered with by their neighbours. CDRT was established as an alternative to other avenues of recourse for disputing neighbours. These other avenues include: (a) recourse under the criminal law, such as filing a Magistrate's Complaint for offences under the Protection from Harassment Act or Penal Code; (b) obtaining private law remedies, such as injunctions or damages, through the tort of private nuisance or applying for a Protection Order; and (c) mediation. The CDRT processes are designed to be efficient and accessible. It costs $150 to file a claim before CDRT. Simplified procedures are used. Proceedings employ a judge-led approach, and representation by lawyers is generally disallowed. Between 1 October 2015 and 30 September 2019, 349 claims were filed in CDRT. Three hundred and nineteen claims were disposed of by CDRT within this period. Two hundred and thirty-five of these claims were resolved amicably. These comprised 167 claims which were withdrawn/discontinued, and 68 claims where Consent Orders were granted. As for the remaining 84 claims that were disposed of, these comprised 38 claims where the CDRT granted orders after trial and 46 claims where the CDRT dismissed/struck off the applications. CDRT orders, like any other Court orders, are to be taken seriously. If a party does not comply with a CDRT order, CDRT may issue a Special Direction for the offending party to comply with the order within a specified time.”
“In general, the OA will only proceed in attempting to recover the assets if information provided about the assets is complete and not speculative. If creditors prefer, they may also choose to appoint a Private Trustee-in-Bankruptcy to carry out the recovery and realisation of assets. In 2009, the Ministry introduced the Debt Repayment Scheme (DRS), which is a pre-bankruptcy scheme, to provide an alternative approach for debtors to pay off all or some of his debt through a repayment plan over a period of time. Debtors with a regular income and whose unsecured debt do not exceed $100,000 can be considered for the scheme. The scheme benefits both the debtors, who can avoid bankruptcy if he meets his obligations under the Scheme, and the creditors, who will receive no less than what they would have otherwise received had the debtor gone into bankruptcy. Around 30% of debtors in bankruptcy proceedings are referred to the DRS. The recovery rate has averaged 85% since the scheme’s commencement. While the OA will make reasonable efforts to help creditors recover debt, the amount recovered depends on how much the bankrupt is able to pay, and it is necessary to balance the creditor's interest against allowing bankrupts to make a fresh start in their financial affairs. On this note, we encourage lenders to exercise prudence in extending credit.”
“Bankruptcy refers to the legal process whereby the debts that a person who is unable to pay are resolved. It provides an orderly regime for the resolution of unpaid debts, and seeks to balance the interests of debtors, creditors and the wider society, by: (a) ensuring that bankrupts are held accountable for their debts, but allowing them to make a fresh start in their financial matters after a period of time; and (b) providing incentives for creditors not to over-extend credit and for debtors to not borrow more than they can repay. Under the bankruptcy regime, the Official Assignee (OA), serves as the trustee of the estate of bankrupt individuals, assisted by the Insolvency Office. One of the duties of the OA is to investigate the affairs of the bankrupt, and thereafter to recover and realise his assets for distribution to the bankrupt's creditors. The debt recovery rate is the ratio of the total dividends paid to creditors over the total debts owed and depends on the bankrupt's ability to pay. In general, bankrupt individuals have limited ability to pay their debt. Hence, the OA will make reasonable efforts to realise assets for creditors as long as it is financially viable to do so. The OA has to exercise prudence as any cost incurred by the OA is paid out of the bankruptcy estate or the public purse for shortfall. The debt recovery rate for bankruptcy cases averaged 4% over the last 10 years. Less than 1% of bankruptcy cases administered by the OA involve overseas assets. For such cases, the OA will adopt a pragmatic approach in deciding whether to embark on recovery work, as this can be resource-intensive and often have little or no likelihood of success.”
“We will study further with Grab before assessing what measures need to be taken. We strongly encourage individuals to review the terms of the UCP carefully and assess their ability to complete the requirements and meet the financial commitments before participating in the programme.”
“Grab's Upfront Cash Programme (UCP) has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Law. We are engaging Grab to find out more about this programme. Let me provide a brief description of the UCP based on what we have gathered from Grab. The UCP is a programme offered to selected Grab's third-party service providers, which include GrabCar and GrabTaxi drivers and delivery partners. These service providers derive their income from two sources. First, they earn fees paid directly by users. Second, Grab pays out incentives when they complete certain requirements. For example, a delivery partner may earn an incentive upon completing a certain number of trips within a stipulated time period. Under UCP, such a selected delivery partner can request to receive their incentive payments in advance, before completing the requirements. If Grab accedes to such requests, it charges the delivery partner an upfront administrative fee before disbursing the balance incentive payment. The Member asked how the charges for Grab's UCP compare. As there are differences in the features, terms and conditions of various products, we would like to caution against making direct comparisons. Nevertheless, let me share briefly the rates offered by Grab. According to Grab, the administrative fee ranges from 5% to 10% of the advance incentive payments granted, and no further fees or interest charges are imposed. Under the regulatory framework for moneylending, licensed moneylenders are permitted to charge an upfront administrative fee of not more than 10% of the loan principal, as well as a nominal interest of up to 4% per month and other prescribed fees. Banks offer a wide range of credit products and charges vary according to the tenor, risk and other features of the product concerned.”
“Both the elderly and the young have fallen prey to such scams. Criminals are constantly evolving their methods to deceive people into parting with their money. No amount of Police resources will be enough. The key to the fight against scams is a discerning public. We should be sceptical of incredulous inducements promised by scammers, transact only on reliable platforms, and develop a habit of checking with the actual authorities when approached by dubious entities purporting to be officials. To this end, the Police partner the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to raise public awareness. For example, there is a regular "Scamalert" segment on "CrimeWatch" dedicated to educating the public on scams. A Scamalert.sg website was launched in 2014 to inform members of the public about the latest scam types. The website has had over 1.7 million visits to date. In 2016, the Police and NCPC launched an Anti-Scam Helpline (1800-722-6688) for the public to seek scam-related advice. Direct mailers containing scam-related information are sent to households. The Police also work with Residents' Committees and grassroots volunteers to spread scam alerts to residents through community events like block parties, roadshows, festive events and Community Safety and Security Programmes (CSSPs). One such CSSP focusing on the elderly is the Silver Watch Group. Launched in 2013, the initiative aims to impart to elderly residents with crime prevention knowledge by keeping them informed of the latest crime situation and encouraging them to share relevant advice with their peers. Everyone has a part to play in the fight against scams. Members of the public are urged to stay vigilant and report possible scams promptly to the Police.”
“Over the last three years, there has been an increase in the number of scam cases reported and amounts cheated. Three types of impersonation scam are of particular concern. They are: (a) China officials impersonation scam; (b) social media impersonation scam, where scammers use compromised or spoofed social media accounts to pretend to be a victim’s family member or friend; and (c) tech support scam where scammers pretend to be staff of telecommunications companies or law enforcement officers to deceive victims into installing malicious software onto their computers. There were 401 cases of China officials impersonation scam reported between January and November 2019, a significant increase, compared to 188 cases in the whole of 2017. The amounts cheated have also gone up, from at least S$12.8 million in 2017 to at least S$18.8 million between January and November 2019. The age distribution of the victims used to be quite evenly spread. However, in recent years, we see younger victims being targeted, with more than half of the victims in 2019 being young adults below the age of 30. As for social media impersonation scams, there were 71 cases reported with at least S$168,000 cheated in 2017. That number jumped to 672 cases with at least S$7.2 million cheated between January and November 2019. The age distribution of victims has been fairly even over the past three years, with victims in their 20s to 40s accounting for around 60% of all such victims in 2019. The number of tech support scam cases reported increased from 53 in 2017 to 224 in the period from January to November 2019. The amounts cheated have also gone up, from at least S$36,000 cheated in 2017 to at least S$12 million between January and November 2019.”
“The Ministry of Communications and Information has also been putting in efforts to strengthen digital literacy among Singaporeans. It launched the Digital Media and Information Literacy Framework in July 2019 to develop in Singaporeans a fundamental appreciation of the risks and benefits of technology and cultivate a basic understanding of how to use technology safely and responsibly. The community and parents also play a critical role. We are glad to see organisations, such as the Media Literacy Council (MLC), engaging in outreach efforts on safer Internet use. MLC has provided information for youths and parents on how to deal with inappropriate online content, such as pornography and sexting, and produced resources to teach youths ways to safeguard themselves against sexual grooming and sexual predators.”
“The Government adopts a multi-pronged approach against online vice. The Police and the Infocomm Media Development Authority regularly block vice websites targeting Singaporeans, as and when they are discovered. To date, 202 such websites have been blocked. The Police also conduct regular enforcement operations to disrupt and deter vice activities, including those perpetuated through online platforms. For example, in November 2018, the Police conducted a joint operation with China's Ministry of Public Security against a transnational online vice syndicate. This led to the arrest of 201 persons in Singapore and China and the shutting down of a website which advertised sexual services in Singapore. The Ministry of Home Affairs takes a tough stance against vice and, in fact, is proposing amendments to the Women's Charter this month to further strengthen our levers against online vice syndicates. The Police conduct extensive public communication efforts on vice activities and related arrests. Members of the public are encouraged to report any criminal or suspicious activities they see, such as the operation of online platforms that promote vice activities. They can call 1800-255-0000, submit the information via Police's i-Witness, or lodge a report in person at a Police station. More broadly, the Government has introduced a number of programmes to raise awareness of online harms and promote safe and responsible use of the Internet. For example, the Ministry of Education's Cyber Wellness Education Programme educates students on appropriate online behavior. These lessons sensitise students to potential negative influences they may encounter online and teach students how to protect themselves.”
“The role of the Gurkha Contingent has remained unchanged. It is tasked with guarding selected installations, providing security coverage at major security events, and augmenting Police response to public order and public security incidents.”
“The increase was mainly due to lapses by Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in performing required customer due diligence (CDD) checks. This accounted for $650,000 of the total increase from the year before. There was also an increase of $35,000 in financial penalties imposed for social safeguard breaches by both Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and RWS. On the lapses relating to CDD, RWS had processed some transactions when the required checks on the patrons were incomplete and had failed to verify the identities of certain patrons. The casinos handle a lot of cash and are thus susceptible to risks of money laundering and terrorism financing. CDD requirements are important measures to mitigate this risk. On the lapses relating to social safeguards, RWS had allowed five minors and MBS had allowed one, to enter the casinos. MBS had also allowed a Permanent Resident to enter without payment of entry levy. Both operators have enhanced their processes, which include system enhancements, to automate checks and the conduct of refresher training for casino employees. The Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA) has been giving guidance to the operators on putting in place measures to prevent and detect lapses. CRA also conducts unannounced spot checks and inspections. Mr Dennis Tan also asks whether the current punishments are sufficient to deter future occurrences. CRA will continue to monitor the situation. The law provides for stiff penalties. However, the Member will appreciate that although the stiff penalties exist, there is no guarantee in itself that there will be no breaches of the law.”
“As of September 2019, the Police have installed about 11,000 cameras under PolCam 2.0 in town centres, neighbourhood centres, hawker centres and linkways leading to transportation nodes, such as Mass Rapid Transit stations and bus interchanges. The Police will continue to install cameras in more public areas based on our operational needs to enhance public security and to prevent and detect crime. The tender for the PolCam 2.0 project was awarded at a budget of $45 million, including maintenance costs. These cameras have helped the Police deter and solve crimes, such as unlicensed moneylending, robbery and theft, and outrage of modesty. As of September 2019, more than 3,400 cases had been solved with the help of video footage from Police cameras. The Police will continue to leverage technology as a key strategy to ensure a safe and secure home for Singaporeans.”
“MHA also offers one-on-one career coaching sessions to our retiring officers to guide them on their career transition journey.”
“The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has worked with SkillsFuture Singapore to accredit selected modules of SCDF's firefighting and emergency medical training programmes under the national Workforce Skills Qualifications framework. The competencies acquired by SCDF officers will thus be recognised by prospective employers and improve our officers' employability when they retire from SCDF. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also introduced a number of initiatives to help retiring SCDF and other Home Team officers prepare for a second career. We provide time-off for them to attend courses to learn new skills and subsidise the cost of their courses. For example, officers may apply to pursue a Fire Safety Manager (FSM) qualification programme, which will enable them to take up jobs as FSMs for commercial and industrial buildings after retirement. We actively engage prospective employers to source for suitable job opportunities for our retiring officers. We organise regular networking sessions where our officers can interact with prospective employers. We also facilitate officers' career transition by enabling them to take up a job attachment in a company prior to their retirement to try out the job. This will help both the officer and the prospective employer assess the fit before formal employment. We provide career transition support to all our retiring officers. Over the last two years, more than 200 retiring SCDF officers have participated in these career transition programmes. MHA has recently launched a new career transition resources portal to provide retiring and retired officers with useful information on different job industries, job opportunities, as well as career events and workshops.”
“The Traffic Police do not have the breakdown of data for the past 10 years. For 2017 and 2018, an average of 53 infants and toddlers of age three years and below each year were injured in accidents while in motor vehicles. Twenty-seven percent of the infants and toddlers were in taxis or public buses, for which the use of child seats is not required. Fifteen percent of them were not in child seats. Seven percent of them were in child seats. For the remaining 51%, Traffic Police's records did not track whether they were in child seats.”
“The Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints are among the busiest in the world. Every day, around 400,000 travellers cross them. Weekday traffic is usually highest from 5.00 am to 10.00 am and 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm. The waiting time at the Singapore checkpoints can go up to 1.5 hours during peak periods, and 30 minutes during non-peak periods. This does not include the time needed to clear immigration in Malaysia. The waiting time increases significantly during school holidays, festive periods and long weekends, and could go beyond two hours. Other unpredictable factors also affect the waiting time. These include traffic accidents, vehicle breakdowns, security incidents and traffic tailbacks from Johor. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority provides real-time checkpoint traffic updates via local radio stations, social media platforms, and the Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) Expressway Monitoring Advisory System signage. Travellers can also check the checkpoint traffic conditions via live closed-circuit television on LTA's OneMotoring website, or via commercial navigation apps that provide estimated travel times. These real-time updates, and the broad traffic trends I had mentioned earlier, should help travellers plan their journey. It may not be useful or meaningful to compile and publish data on an hourly and daily basis.”
“The Traffic Police regularly engages the elderly at places they frequent, such as Senior Activity Centres, to raise their awareness on road safety by highlighting the common causes of accidents and the dangers of jaywalking. The Traffic Police also partners the Singapore Road Safety Council and its community partners to organise regular road safety events to engage the elderly. This includes the recent Road Safety Carnival for Seniors held on 12 October 2019. They also conduct road safety outreach efforts to raise awareness among motorists, including motorcyclists, to look out for pedestrians, especially when driving in the Silver Zones. These include road safety messages which are disseminated island-wide, and the "Use Your RoadSense" movement which aims to build a culture of road-safe behaviour. Specifically for motorcyclists, there is the annual Singapore Ride Safe campaign to promote good road sense and riding behaviour.”
“Under the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence for motorists to obstruct emergency vehicles that are responding to an emergency. The composition sums for this offence were recently increased on 1 April 2019. It was raised from $130 to $150 for light vehicles, and from $160 to $200 for heavy vehicles. Offenders will also receive four demerit points. In cases where there are aggravating factors, the Traffic Police will prosecute offenders in Court. First-time offenders can be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned up to three months, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $2,000 or imprisoned up to six months, or both. The number of reported violations has generally been low. As the composition sums for failing to give way to emergency vehicles were recently increased, we will monitor the situation and consider further action where necessary.”
“In 2017 and 2018, the Traffic Police received about 350 appeals per month from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents. The Traffic Police waived the fines or demerit points in about 3% of the appeals. Motorists who flout traffic rules put themselves and other road users at risk. To ensure that our roads are safe for everyone, the Traffic Police applies the traffic rules consistently for all motorists. Appeals for the waiver of fines or demerit points are considered only if the motorist can show proof that traffic rules were breached during a medical emergency. In cases of financial hardship, the appellant will need to request for general financial assistance from other Government schemes, where the appellant qualifies.”
“One thousand one hundred and twelve bankruptcy orders were made between 1 January and 31 August 2019. This is comparable to the number of bankruptcy orders made in the past five years, which saw an average of 1,725 bankruptcy orders made each year.”
“While waiting for their cases to be heard, victims are provided with shelter, food and counselling. Additional victim care support is also available, depending on the victim’s individual circumstances. An example of additional support is home leave, where agencies make arrangements, including buying air tickets, for victims to return home where they may get more emotional support while awaiting trial proceedings. This is on the understanding that they will return for the trial. Another example is the Temporary Job Scheme, under which the Government assists victims who are willing and able to work. Such temporary employment facilitates the victims' rehabilitation while they remain in Singapore to assist with investigation and prosecution. The Government partners non-governmental organisations, such as HAGAR and the Good Shepherd Centre, to support the victims.”