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 operational reasons, the Government does not disclose the statistics or details for which the Member has requested. The Member may refer, instead, to the Government's Press Releases on the issuance of account restriction directions against 95 social media accounts in July 2024, as well as the blocking of 10 inauthentic websites in October 2024, for examples of foreign online influence operations. The techniques used include the coordinated use of social media accounts to amplify narratives and the masquerading of foreign-origin websites as Singapore websites by incorporating familiar local features and visuals and carrying artificial intelligence-generated content on Singapore.”
“Third, we have rolled out several measures over the past years to better protect workers if employers need to use lorries to ferry them. An example would be the requirement for lorries to be fitted with speed limiters.”
“Data on injuries from work-related traffic accidents in 2025 will only be released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) next year. In 2024, four fatalities and 20 major injuries caused by such accidents were reported to MOM. All lorries with a maximum laden weight of between 3,500kg and 12,000kg must be fitted with speed limiters by their respective deadlines of between 1 January 2026 and 1 July 2027, depending on their date of registration and weight category. The Traffic Police (TP) has engaged lorry owners extensively through direct communications, industry engagements and public awareness campaigns. TP is also developing initiatives to incentivise vehicle owners to install speed limiters early. For example, drivers will be prioritised for Class 4 automatic transmission vehicle lessons if their employer has completed installing speed limiters on the company's lorry fleet. Other initiatives will be announced next month. Lorry owners who fail to comply will be liable for a fine of up to $1,000. Their vehicles will fail their regular mandatory inspection and be prohibited from being driven on our roads. The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to ensuring the safety of workers. First, reduce the need to transport workers, such as by facilitating the co-location of worker dormitories near to where they work, where feasible. Examples of such workplaces include shipyards and larger construction sites. Second, we have been engaging the industry associations to encourage their members to transport their workers on buses, rather than lorries. Woh Hup, a homegrown construction firm, has been transporting most of its workers in buses. Other companies, like Straits Construction, are doing the same.”
“In the first half of 2025, the Police successfully recovered more than $56.7 million of scam losses. This refers to funds in bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets of scammers or mules that have been frozen by the Police. During the same period, recovery efforts were successful in about 7,200 cases out of a total of 19,665 cases, or about 37% of cases. The proportion of funds recovered by the Police depends on the circumstances of each case. Asset recovery is challenging given the speed at which scam proceeds are laundered through a complex web of payment accounts and especially when they have been transferred overseas.”
“The Monetary Authority of Singapore has worked with the major retail banks to phase out the use of SMS One-Time Passwords for authentication of transactions for digital token users, and implement additional verification for provisioning of cards into mobile wallets. They are also working to roll out a Fast IDentity Online (FIDO)-compliant hardware token to better safeguard high-value Internet banking transfers. This will prevent scammers from being able to use just-phished banking credentials to steal the money in the account. But ultimately, a vigilant public is our best defence. Members of the public should check the authenticity of websites when making payments and be discerning when receiving communications claiming to be from the Government. Government officials will never ask you to transfer money or disclose bank log-in details over a phone call, to install mobile apps from unofficial app stores or purportedly transfer your call to the Police. If in doubt, please check with the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799.”
“The rise in Government officials impersonation scams (GOIS) and phishing scams is a serious concern. They accounted for about 28% of all scam cases and about 34% of all scam losses in the first half of 2025. To deal with GOIS, Government agencies have been using the "gov.sg" short message service (SMS) sender ID to send SMSes since July 2024 to help the public identify legitimate Government SMSes easily. We are planning a similar approach for outgoing Government calls. As an interim step, we intend to make outgoing calls to members of the public from commonly impersonated agencies, like the Singapore Police Force (SPF), to have only one common caller ID, regardless from which phone the officers are making the call. This will make it easier for the public to identify whether a call truly comes from the Police. The details will be announced in due course. In addition, we are working with online platforms to enhance safeguards against Government impersonation. We will issue an implementation directive under the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA) to require Meta to put in place measures targeting scam advertisements, accounts, profiles and business pages impersonating key Government office holders on Facebook. We are also engaging online messaging platforms to implement measures to prevent the spoofing of "gov.sg" and public agency names. We have observed a rise in phishing scams as scammers have shifted their modus operandi to phishing banking or credit card credentials using fake advertisements on social media platforms. To address this, SPF requires online service providers designated under OCHA, such as Facebook and TikTok, to implement upstream measures, such as user verification, and to proactively detect and disrupt suspected scam activities.”
“In 2024, there were 218 fires involving Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats that were attributed to electrical faults, and 129, or 59.2%, of these fires occurred in flats built up to 1997. Of these, 93 fires, or 42.7%, involved flats which had undergone or are still awaiting Home Improvement Programme works; 36 fires, or 16.5% involved flats which were upgraded via other programmes. The remaining 89 fires (40.8%) occurred in flats built after 1997. The Singapore Civil Defence Force does not track whether the cause of fires of electrical fault origin is specifically due to faulty or old wiring.”
“Between 2020 and 2024, the top three causes of fires in Housing and Development Board flats which resulted in deaths or injuries were unattended cooking, electrical faults and unattended lighted materials, such as candles, incense or cigarettes. The Singapore Civil Defence Force does not track the number of deaths and injuries by whether the deaths and injuries occurred inside or outside of the flat where the fire originated.”
“Of the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) applications from foreign spouses of Singapore citizens processed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in 2024, 64% of the applicants completed the Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment (PMLA) prior to applying for LTVP. ICA has provided PMLA advisories in various languages on its website and improved the accessibility of PMLA-related information through the search engines. The "Our Marriage Journey" online portal for couples getting married also carries information on the PMLA, and officers from the Registry of Marriages and Registry of Muslim Marriages prompt couples who have not completed the PMLA to do so.”
“The requested data is provided in the following table:”
“Refuse chute fires are considered minor fires. They are typically caused by indiscriminate disposal of lighted materials such as un-extinguished cigarette butts and smouldering embers. They are generally low-risk with little potential for fire spread. Refuse chute fires are very different from residential fires and are therefore tracked separately from residential fire statistics. It would not be meaningful to compare refuse chute fires and residential fires. The Singapore Civil Defence Force responded to an average of 54, 46 and 47 refuse chute fires per month in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.”
“In the first half of 2025, there was a 21.2% increase in outrage of modesty (OM) cases and a 2.3% decrease in voyeurism cases compared to the same period last year. More than half of the OM cases involved offenders known to the victims. For OM cases involving offenders not known to the victims, the top location of concern is the public transport network. More details are available in the Police's Mid-Year Crime Brief 2025. We have worked with partners on a range of initiatives to prevent sexual offending. For example, school and community counsellors are trained to identify youths exhibiting inappropriate sexual behaviours and to intervene early. The Police have also been working with public transport operators to provide crime advisories in our public transport network. Vigilance by members of the public is crucial to tackling OM and voyeurism. Anyone who detects suspicious behaviours should report them immediately to the premises' staff or the Police. Specific to the public transport network, we have the "Riders-on-Watch" interest group, under which more than 14,000 commuters serve as "eyes and ears" on the ground during their daily commute. We encourage more members of the public to come forward to join this group and partner the Police in preventing, detecting and deterring such crimes.”
“The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) takes a very serious view of overstayers and those who harbour them. ICA conducts regular ground operations to try to detect and enforce against overstaying. But sometimes, deliberate overstayers manage to evade the enforcement actions. Specific to this case involving Yu Zefang, which I understand the Member is referring to, she deliberately maintained a very low profile in Singapore, which made it difficult for the agencies to detect her. She did not maintain a fixed place of stay, did not engage in any formal employment, did not have any local bank account and did not utilise any Government services, such as public healthcare, which would have required her identity to be authenticated. ICA is looking into the circumstances around her daughter's Permanent Residence (PR) application. We will take action if there was any fraud committed in the application or if other immigration offences, such as harbouring of overstayers, are disclosed. ICA will continue to try to improve its measures to detect and arrest overstayers.”
“To the extent that there are closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) available where the crimes are committed, including petty theft, the Police may use facial recognition technology to try to identify the culprits and follow-up as appropriate.”
“SCDF continues to work with Government agencies, including LTA, HDB and the People's Association (PA), as well as other stakeholders, such as the Town Councils, and community partners, to strengthen public education and outreach on fire safety and emergency preparedness. Through the SCDF's Responders Plus Programme, residents are offered free hands-on training on the use of fire extinguishers, CPR and AEDs. In addition, the SCDF and the PA's Community Emergency and Engagement Committees will continue to conduct block evacuation exercises on a regular basis. With support from SCDF and PA, the National Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness Council (NFEC) will launch a residential fire safety campaign, "Better Awareness, Safer Homes" to increase public awareness on the top causes of residential fires and encourage homeowners to evaluate potential home fire hazards. The Active Mobility Fire Safety Taskforce, co-chaired by LTA and SCDF, will also step-up public education under the "Be Device-Safe" programme, on the dangers of using non-compliant devices and the importance of safe charging. Fire safety is a collective responsibility. We must work together, each doing our part, to keep our homes fire-safe.”
“In 2024, the Ministry of National Development (MND) expanded the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme to include the installation of HFADs. Seniors can enjoy a subsidy of up to 95% to install HFADs in their homes. HFADs are also installed as part of fire safety works, under the Home Improvement Programme, in cases where fire-rated doors are installed. As of June 2025, HFADs have been installed in about 191,000 HDB flats, or 17%, of all HDB flats. Of these, 74,000 flats, or 39%, were built prior to 2018. We will continue to review the fire safety of our HDB flats. However, we do not see a need for HFADs at HDB corridors, or for centralised building fire management systems, at this juncture. We have also implemented measures to better equip homeowners to respond to fires, by making fire extinguishers more widely and easily accessible. Since October 2023, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has progressively installed fire extinguishers at Lifesavers' Emergency Points, under a joint initiative with Temasek Foundation, HDB and Town Councils. The fire extinguishers are co-located with existing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at the lift lobbies of one in every two residential HDB blocks. To date, more than 90% of all targeted HDB blocks have been equipped and we aim to complete the roll-out by 2028. At this juncture, we are focused on completing the roll-out to the remaining blocks. We will assess whether there is a need to do more thereafter. While the Government will continue to review our policies, programmes and regulations, the best defence against a home fire is the homeowner ourselves.”
“Between 2020 and 2024, LTA detected more than 6,000 cases of non-compliant AMDs on public paths and roads, and more than 100 violations by errant retailers. LTA, together with the relevant agencies, will continue to review existing guidelines on the safe storage and charging of AMDs. Currently, AMDs do not require special charging infrastructure and can be charged using standard wall sockets found in homes. We are considering tougher enforcement action to send a stronger deterrent signal that the use or sale of non-compliant AMDs poses significant safety risks. These individuals are knowingly endangering not just the lives of their family, but the lives of their neighbours as well. We have also been doing more to help homeowners better respond to fires. One way is to provide early warning whenever a fire breaks out. In 2018, we made it mandatory for all new residential premises to have Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFADs). This applies also to Community Care Apartments, which were all built after the regulation came into effect. For existing residential premises, we took a risk-calibrated approach and only mandated it for homes which are carrying out fire safety related addition and alteration works. This was to strike a balance in ensuring the adoption of fire safety equipment, but in a practical manner. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage all homeowners to install HFADs and have put in place several schemes to support certain groups in doing so. For HDB public rental flats, more than 80% of them already have HFADs installed and HDB will progressively install HFADs in the remaining 20%. The installation of HFADs is done at no charge to the tenants.”
“The number of fires in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates has generally been on a decline in the last five years, from 939 in 2020 to 803 in 2024. That said, every fire is one too many. It causes major disruptions to those affected, and loss of assets and even lives. Even more unfortunate is the fact that most of the fires could have been prevented. One significant area of concern is the fire risk posed by Active Mobility Devices (AMDs). Over the last five years, 187 fires, or about 4% of fires in HDB estates, involved Active Mobility Devices (AMDs). Of these, about 46% involved Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), 42% involved Power-Assisted Bicycles (PABs) and 12% involved Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs). About 98, or about half, of these AMD-related fires occurred during the charging of the devices. Although such fires form a small proportion of fires in HDB estates, AMD-related fires are typically more severe and more likely to result in fatalities and injuries. We are especially concerned about non-compliant AMDs. Just looking at the past three years, 77, or 72%, of the AMD-related fires in HDB estates involved PMDs and PABs which were either non-UL2272 compliant or non-EN15194 compliant, or had been modified, rendering them non-compliant. That is why the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has stepped up regulatory measures and enforcement against the sale or use of non-compliant AMDs. Since June 2021, businesses and individuals must obtain LTA's approval to import PABs and PMDs into Singapore. The devices must meet the prescribed technical and safety requirements, before they can be used on our public paths and roads. LTA also conducts regular enforcement operations against non-compliant AMDs on public paths, as well as retailers selling non-compliant AMDs.”
“The Member may refer to the Scam and Cybercrime Briefs published half-yearly on the Police website for the amounts lost to the top 10 most commonly reported scam types and the proportion of scam victims by age group. In the first half of this year, the median age of scam victims was 43 years old. During the same period, the Police recovered more than $56.7 million of scam losses. The Police do not track the time taken to freeze funds in a bank account after the issuance of an order to the local banks. Typically, this is within hours or a day.”
“The Police have developed a resource guide on what victims should do if they fall prey to scams and the various community support they can seek out. The resource guide is available in the four official languages and is progressively being delivered to all households. An online copy of the guide is available on the Singapore Police Force and ScamShield websites. The Police also have a Victim Care Cadre Programme. In certain cases, or upon request by the scam victim, the Police may assign Victim Care Officers (VCOs), who are volunteers, to provide psychological first aid and crisis intervention for the victim. VCOs may also direct the victims to community and professional resources for longer-term psychological and financial support.”
“While the current civil procedure framework does provide a process for parties to obtain a freezing order quickly, it may still be possible for unscrupulous persons to try and spirit assets away either before or even after a freezing order has been given. This is due to the differences in the laws of different countries, the nature of assets, which may vary and be in different places; and difficulties that applicants may have in establishing where a party's assets may be. Implicit in the Member's question is the suggestion that the evidentiary threshold for obtaining such orders should be lowered. The Member can, perhaps, explain which aspects of the evidentiary threshold should be lowered and why he thinks the current balance the Courts have arrived at are wrong, so that we can better consider his suggestion. In any such exercise, it must be borne in mind that lowering the threshold may also widen the scope for abuse by applicants. This can cause legitimate businesses to be unable to access their assets, local and overseas, and payments until the order can be set aside.”
“The question relates to civil disputes, usually between two commercial parties. The Courts have the power to grant injunctions prohibiting the disposal of assets, also referred to as freezing orders or Mareva injunctions. The Courts have described it as one of the law's "nuclear" weapons. The Government does not track the statistics on the average duration to secure a freezing order. These are within the remit of the Courts. The grant of freezing orders is the subject of extensive and established case law developed over several decades in Singapore and elsewhere. As with many aspects of civil procedure, the case law has been developed by the Courts based on commercial needs and also takes reference from international jurisprudence. The current civil procedure framework allows applicants to obtain an injunction ex parte, and quickly in urgent cases. The ability to obtain an order to freeze a party's assets around the world, based on limited evidence, can be abused. The Courts have developed a framework, including requiring appropriate evidence, before such freezing orders are given, to try and reduce the scope for abuse. An abuse of the process can have serious implications on legitimate businesses. Hence, the Courts seek to strike the right balance between providing for expediency in obtaining the order and ensuring that the Court is satisfied that such an order should be given – the Court has to be satisfied that there is basis for such an order to be given and with suitable safeguards in place. This is reflected in the law and procedural rules developed by the Courts in Singapore and across many jurisdictions.”
“For now, lorry owners can concurrently install the speed limiter and the Electronic Road Pricing 2.0 On-Board Unit at six workshops. The Traffic Police will be appointing more workshops that are able to install both devices.”
“The Singapore Police Force (SPF) restricts access by persons in Singapore to illegal remote gambling services, including e-sports betting, by blocking illegal remote gambling websites. SPF also blocks payment services, including bank accounts and credit card payments, linked to illegal remote gambling. As of 31 December 2024, we have blocked more than 3,800 illegal gambling websites and more than 145,000 illegal gambling transactions amounting to approximately $37 million. While SPF has taken these steps, it has to be recognised that this is an extremely challenging situation. It is not easy to deal with. SPF takes enforcement action against illegal remote gambling and those who assist gambling syndicates. In the five-year period from 2020 to 2024, SPF arrested more than 950 persons for their involvement in illegal remote gambling. These enforcement actions are part of our strategy to divert gamblers away from illegal operators. The Singapore Pools (Private) Limited is the only operator licensed to provide remote gambling services in Singapore and is required to implement social safeguards to mitigate the harms caused.”
“Based on data of Singapore citizens born in Singapore in 2023 and 2024 to foreign mothers, an annual average of 3,525 (72%) of the foreign mothers were Permanent Residents, 725 (15%) held a Long-Term Visit Pass Plus, 414 (8%) held a Long-Term Visit Pass and the remaining 245 (5%) held other passes, including employment passes, at the point of the child's birth.”
“Thirty-three percent of accidents involving motorcycles in 2024 involved foreign-registered motorcycles. The Traffic Police (TP) conducts regular enforcement operations at our land checkpoints against errant motorcyclists. TP also delivers regular road safety talks at workplaces, including those with a sizeable population of foreign workers who ride foreign-registered motorcycles.”
“The Government has been closely monitoring the rise of scam centres in the region, to where scam victims are lured, trafficked and held captive by scam syndicates to "work". To date, there are no verified incidents of Singaporeans being victims of such human trafficking. To be clear, since 2023, the Government has offered consular assistance to five Singaporeans upon receiving information that they might have been exploited in overseas scam centres. However, none accepted the offer of assistance. To combat this transnational threat, Singapore has stepped up in recent years, bilateral and multilateral collaboration with foreign law enforcement agencies through intelligence exchanges, joint investigations and coordinated enforcement. For instance, in 2024, the Singapore Police Force collaborated with various foreign law enforcement agencies to successfully take down 16 scam syndicates. Singapore also participates in various regional platforms to discuss cooperation in combatting transnational crimes, including scams and trafficking in persons. These platforms include the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime and its Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, as well as the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime.”
“These are the general considerations for bail and conditional warnings. It is not possible to exhaustively describe the considerations, as each case will, ultimately, be assessed on its own unique facts and circumstances.”
“At the stage of the Police investigations, guilt is yet to be established by the Courts. We need, therefore, to consider carefully if we need to hold the accused in custody or it is safe enough to release him on bail. In such decisions, the Police will consider factors, such as whether the alleged offence is bailable under the Criminal Procedure Code, the gravity of the offence, the danger of the offence being continued or repeated and whether the person had attempted to abscond previously. The Police will impose bail conditions as necessary if they grant the accused bail, including the condition that he must not commit any offence while released on bail. When an accused commits a new offence while on bail, he is likely to have breached a bail condition and have his bail revoked. In deciding whether to release the accused on bail again, the Police will take into account his breach of the bail condition, in addition to the factors I have mentioned earlier. If assessed suitable for bail again, the Police are likely to increase the bail amount or impose further bail conditions. A conditional warning is issued to an offender in lieu of prosecution. That is, the Public Prosecutor will not prosecute him for the current offence, on condition that he does not commit any offence within the specified period of the conditional warning. When determining whether to issue a conditional warning at the conclusion of the Police's investigations, the Public Prosecutor considers factors, such as the gravity of the offence, the likelihood of reoffending and past offences committed by the person. In particular, whether the offence is similar in nature to the past offences and how much time has passed between the offences.”
“Beyond these efforts, my Ministry regularly conducts reviews of our laws, including legislation governing wills, to ensure that our legal system remains efficient and effective, and that justice continues to remain accessible. This includes ensuring that the Will-making process remains accessible to Singaporeans.”
“As at 1 April 2025, there are over 153,000 Will records deposited with the Singapore Academy of Law's Wills Registry. Registration with the Wills Registry is voluntary. Doing so makes it easier to locate the Will when needed. But the validity of a testator's Will does not depend on whether one has registered his or her Will with the Registry. The Government has embarked on a national legacy planning campaign, to encourage legacy planning, as it would allow Singaporeans to plan ahead on how they would like to be cared for or their assets to be distributed, in the event that they lose mental capacity or pass on, thus reducing uncertainty and disputes over their estate. This national campaign promotes, among many things, MyLegacy@LifeSG (mylegacy.life.gov.sg), a one-stop Government portal that provides citizens with information and services on legacy planning. This includes, useful tips and facts on Will-making and information to dispel common myths and misconceptions about Wills as well as how to make a Lasting Power of Attorney, Advance Care Plan and CPF nomination. The campaign is jointly organised by the Agency for Integrated Care, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social and Family Development, Central Provident Fund Board and ServiceSG from the Public Service Division. The Government will continue its efforts to raise awareness and encourage citizens to take action to plan for their legacies. For example, it will be organising a legacy planning event in July 2025, that will provide guidance and resources to help citizens begin their legacy planning journey. We also encourage Singaporeans to visit the My Legacy portal for more information on Will-making.”
“Thank you, Sir. Sir, on the first question, the review is done annually, because what matters is not just the weight but the purities. So, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs review the weight of the purities annually, and also in discussion with Health Sciences Authority (HSA), so that HSA can flag out if there are any anomalies, in terms of purities and weight that we need to look at. So, the review is done annually, so that we make sure that it is proportionate and relevant to the patterns of consumption and the market. On the second question, on the whole, having the Certificate of Substantive Assistance has been helpful. There have been a few successes, and our view is we are better off having it rather than not having it. That does not mean that a lot of cases get solved in that way, but there is now an incentive for the drug traffickers or the people persons who are apprehended with drugs on them, and both to show that they are both pure couriers, but also to give as much information as they can. It puts more difficulties on the part of the criminal organisation or people higher up in the chain. They have to take more steps. That itself is helpful, as long as we see it in context. 2.34 pm”
“No, that is not the case that I was referring to. I assume that Mr Zhulkarnain's question arose because there is now pending a challenge in the Court of Appeal.”
“Mr Zhulkarnain’s question may have arisen by reason of a specific challenge before the Courts, which I referred to earlier. I can say that the Government will defend the constitutionality of the presumptions. We should be careful not to discuss the specifics of any challenge. That is for the Courts to decide.”
“” Let me give you another example, again, from the same speech: "[there was a] chap, convicted in 2008. He was asked by one 'Maren' to deliver items in Singapore. He was told that it was medicine. He was told that it was rare and expensive, that it was wrapped up so that it could not be spoilt by coming into contact with air. And so he went to Johor, met 'Maren' and brought it over. You want CNB to disprove this? You think it is possible? Or do you think it is fair that the accused should prove it?” As I said, "[w]e are dealing with lives here. The life of a trafficker, yes. But we are also dealing with thousands of Singaporean lives. And the person must get a fair trial. Prosecution must prove what was the substance, how much was it, and possession, and any other evidence that they can find. If the person has a defence, it is only fair that he proves it." Sir, that was what I said here in 2017. That has been the position in law since 1973. While many other countries have faced huge difficulties in combating drugs, Singapore has been able to maintain one of the lowest rates of drug abuse in the world. That is despite the worsening global drug situation and our location at the doorstep of the Golden Triangle, one of the world’s leading areas for the production of illicit drugs. I went into detail on this just last year in my Ministerial Statement on Singapore’s national drug control policy. The presumptions have been an essential part of the legal framework that enables us to deal effectively with the drug problem. Sir, to conclude, as I said earlier, the Government has no plans to introduce any amendments as yet with regard to the presumptions, as the law now stands.”
“And if he runs that defence, then it may not be easy for the Prosecution to rebut that claim or go get the necessary evidence to prove that the accused was indeed aware that they were drugs. For example, the evidence may be overseas and often quite elusive. Therefore, the presumptions deal with the accused’s knowledge of the nature of the drugs. Under the MDA, the onus is on the accused to prove that he did not know that what was found to be in his possession were drugs – and these are usually facts within his knowledge. The Prosecution must first prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the drugs were in the accused person’s possession. That will then trigger the presumption of knowledge. Also, the Prosecution must still prove all the other elements of the offence beyond a reasonable doubt. Let me cite a few examples I gave in 2017, when I spoke in Parliament about the evidential difficulties in drug cases and the necessity of the legal presumptions. These were the examples I gave, amongst several. First was, I quote what I then said: “A person was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint. He has got 145 grammes of diamorphine. He said he travelled to Kuala Lumpur to look for job opportunities. He was introduced to a man known as 'Uncle'. 'Uncle' then passed him 10 packets of substances and taped these on to his body. This chap then claimed he asked 'Uncle' what they were for, but 'Uncle' showed him three fingers in reply. And he accepted it. He was not aware of the contents and he came here.” And I went on to say how can the Prosecution rebut this? The truth is only in the person’s mind. “This is why our first Prime Minister, who was a lawyer, knew what the problems would be and reversed the onus of proof.”
“Sir, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim1 has filed a Parliamentary Question for the Sitting on or after 14 April this year, asking whether the Government has any plans to introduce amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), in relation to the presumptions under the Act. Mr Zhulkarnain’s question would not have come up for this Sitting. But given the importance of the matter he has raised, I have decided to make a Ministerial Statement. There is a case pending before the Courts challenging the presumptions. Thus, we have to be careful on what we say in this House. I will, for my part, only set out the Government's policy positions, which has been stated publicly in the past. The law, as it stands now, is based on current policy. The Government has seen no reason to introduce any amendments with regard to those presumptions. The MDA presumptions date back to the enactment of the MDA itself in 1973. They were debated in Parliament. This Parliament has also discussed the issue, most recently, during the Second Reading of the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill in 2023. The amendment Bill was passed unanimously. Why are the presumptions in drug cases necessary? It is essentially to protect Singapore from drug trafficking. The MDA presumptions deal with the practical challenges in proving certain facts that are often exclusively within the accused person's knowledge or which it would not be practical for the Prosecution to get direct evidence of. For example, the Prosecution will be able to prove that the drugs were in the accused person's possession. But it would be very easy for the accused to claim that he did not know they were drugs and by that way try and avoid conviction.”
“Thank you, Sir. I move, "That the proceedings on the Ministerial Statement on the Government's Position on the Presumptions under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), including any subsequent clarifications be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 50(2) to allow me to set out the Government's position on the MDA's presumptions in Parliament." [(proc text) Question put and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, that the proceedings on the Ministerial Statement on the Government's Position on the Presumptions under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), including any subsequent clarifications be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 50(2) to allow the Minister for Home Affairs to set out the Government's position on the MDA's presumptions in Parliament. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before I proceed with the Ministerial Statement on the Government's Position on the Presumptions under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move a Motion to suspend Standing Order No 50(2) for the purposes of Ministerial Statement. This is to allow me to set out the Government's position on the presumptions under MDA 1973 and while there is a pending case on the MDA presumptions before the Courts, my Ministerial Statement will only set out the Government's position generally and will not discuss the specifics of the case.”
“Foreign-trained paramedics who wish to work for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will need to be accredited by the Unit for Pre-hospital Emergency Care, which was set up by the Ministry of Health. The accreditation process includes a five-week course that will train them in patient assessment and clinical management in the pre-hospital setting, taught at the Institute of Technical Education. After accreditation, they will undergo a three-day bridging course with SCDF and receive on-the-job training for up to six months, where they will be attached to a senior SCDF paramedic in an emergency ambulance. Thereafter, they will undergo an operational term with SCDF of up to four weeks, where they will be taught operational protocols. Before being independently deployed in emergency ambulances, they will need to pass a Paramedic Specialist Certification Test (PSCT) and an Ambulance Proficiency Test administered by SCDF. All paramedics need to pass PSCT every year. Foreign hires for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) will need to undergo EMT courses recognised by the Ministry of Health. They will then need to pass the SCDF EMT Certification Test (EMTCT) and complete the Emergency Vehicle (Ambulance) driving course, before they can be deployed in SCDF emergency ambulances. All EMTs need to pass EMTCT every year. All foreign hires will be held to the same standards as locals and will need to undergo annual certification tests and continuous education and training.”
“The Ministry of Home Affairs is unable to track cases that are not reported. Nonetheless, we regularly engage stakeholders, such as social service, health and educational organisations, to understand the needs of victims of sexual crimes and how best to support them.”
“International studies thus far show that the rate of fire incidents for electric vehicles (EV) is much lower than for internal combustion engine vehicles and hybrid vehicles. However, fire incidents involving EVs pose higher safety risks. These include the risk of a fire or explosion if the battery is damaged and the risk of re-ignition after the initial fire is extinguished. EV fires therefore require specific safety protocols. This includes first responders from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Land Transport Authority or Singapore Police Force adopting a larger safety buffer zone when setting up a cordon around an incident and monitoring for a longer period after extinguishing the fire. In view of the re-ignition risk, there is also a need for the EV to be quarantined at a holding area after the incident. To minimise the risk of vehicular fires, all vehicles, including EVs, must meet internationally-recognised vehicle safety standards, such as those issued by the United Nations, in order to be used on our roads. They are regularly inspected to ensure that they continue to meet these standards. All EV charging systems must comply with our national charging standard, the Technical Reference 25, which takes reference from international safety standards.”
“The increase in speeding violations in 2024 was partly due to Traffic Police's (TP's) enhanced enforcement, including through the progressive activation of the speed enforcement function on red-light cameras (RLCs). We do not rule out that it may also be due to drivers generally speeding more. We will, therefore, have to continue and in fact double down on public education, to reinforce in drivers an attitude of safety, responsibility and compliance with the law. In addition, we will make it more punitive for those who persist in speeding and endanger the lives of others. TP will activate the speed enforcement function on more RLCs in 2025 and further increase enforcement on the roads. We also plan to increase the demerit points and composition sums for speeding offences from 1 January 2026.”
“The Police made enquiries shortly after the incident and established that the meeting was a pre-planned dialogue to discuss the drivers' concerns over the introduction of minibus services at Changi Airport. There was no strike or protest involved and no law-and-order issues arose during the meeting. Police have assessed that there is no offence disclosed and will not be investigating further.”
“The Traffic Police (TP) does not track the number of road accidents attributed to lane hogging. While lane hogging can be a contributing factor and give rise to other dangerous driving behaviour, such as switching lanes or overtaking without due care, it is usually not itself a direct cause of accidents. Currently, a motorist who commits an offence of lane hogging is liable for up to four demerit points and a composition sum of up to $150 for light vehicles and $200 for heavy vehicles. A heavy vehicle driver who commits an offence of failing to keep left is liable for up to a composition sum of $150. We will assess whether these remain adequately deterrent, as part of the ongoing review of demerit points and composition sums for road traffic offences. TP does not track the number of rear-end collisions occurring near red-light cameras due to sudden braking by speeding vehicles. As part of its public education efforts, TP reminds motorists to keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front, as well as to watch for the stop light on the car and the traffic ahead. This is also included in the Highway Code and learner drivers may be tested on this in the theory test.”
“Based on available records as of December 2024, around 73% of landed properties in Singapore are freehold and 14% are on 999-year leases. The remainder are on leases less than 999 years.”
“Agencies generally review the longer-term plans in respect of leases before the end of their term. The same applies to land leased to golf clubs. Such reviews will take into consideration the land needs for different uses, including the need for golf, in Singapore. Golf clubs, like other lessees, will be informed of the lease renewal decisions once reviews are done.”
“The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's (ICA's) services are generally digital by default and about 95% of applicants submit their applications online. Members of the public who require help to submit their applications online may approach officers at the ICA Services Centre for assistance. ICA does not track the number of persons who have approached or been referred to ICA for assistance with their online applications.”
“As of December 2024, assets amounting to approximately $2.79 billion, linked to the $3 billion money laundering case, had been surrendered to the state. Of this $2.79 billion, $1.54 billion were in cash or financial assets and the rest were in non-cash assets, which include properties, vehicles and luxury items. These assets are progressively being liquidated. As of December 2024, 54 properties, 33 vehicles and 11 country club memberships have been liquidated. Proceeds from the liquidation of non-cash assets would subsequently be paid into the Consolidated Fund. About $1.8 million has been paid into the Consolidated Fund as of December 2024. Another $390 million, which includes proceeds from the liquidation, are pending similar payment into the Consolidated Fund in financial year 2024. The Police incurred over $600,000 in financial year 2023 to maintain the assets. This is the latest figure we have, as the Police track these expenses on an annual basis.”
“The measures we take must also balance the needs of a free and open society, and the needs of security. For example, the entire city cannot be turned into a cantonment, nor is this possible. That means making some assessments and trade-offs. It is not in the public interest for us to go into details of these assessments and trade-offs.”