Sim Ann
Singapore
“Sir, given the increasingly transnational nature of crime and the rapid advancement of digital finance, international cooperation is indeed key. Singapore will continue to issue MLAs where it is appropriate, but also pursue international cooperation in informal manner. This applies not just to AML/CFT and PF, but also to scams.”
“Sir, I believe that the first and the third supplementary questions from the Member are related. I would say that if the facts of the case are such that it warrants taking action under the Penal Code for offences relating to the circulation of intimate images, the Police will do so.”
“Sir, we have a national movement to prepare Singaporeans against terrorism – SGSecure. This is one way through which we disseminate important information so that Singaporeans are aware of security risks.”
“Sir, we want to see everyone get home safe everyday. If safety is compromised, then livelihoods and many other good things in life are going to be at risk. We believe that the public will see our proposed for changes in this light, particularly our vocational drivers, because safer roads also mean a safer working environment for them.”
“To Ms Cassandra Lee's question, the alcohol limits that are currently enforced have been in place since 1985, and that is more than forty years ago. Now, Singapore is one of the jurisdictions with the highest alcohol limits, while the other jurisdictions have adopted stricter regimes with lower limits.”
“MFA is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to strengthen our safeguards against foreign interference, which will be elaborated on by MHA during its Committee of Supply. Mr Chairman, foreign policy begins at home.”
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“Sir, given the increasingly transnational nature of crime and the rapid advancement of digital finance, international cooperation is indeed key. Singapore will continue to issue MLAs where it is appropriate, but also pursue international cooperation in informal manner. This applies not just to AML/CFT and PF, but also to scams.”
“Sir, I believe that the first and the third supplementary questions from the Member are related. I would say that if the facts of the case are such that it warrants taking action under the Penal Code for offences relating to the circulation of intimate images, the Police will do so. So, it is not that there is a default position to go a certain route – everything depends on the facts of the case as disclosed. In terms of what happens to the images that are, say, circulating online, as I have also shared in the main reply, where there are obscene images circulating online, and which, in the course of investigation, or due to the report, it is known, the Police may issue directions to the online service providers to block access of Singapore users to them.”
“Sir, we have a national movement to prepare Singaporeans against terrorism – SGSecure. This is one way through which we disseminate important information so that Singaporeans are aware of security risks. Also, when there are cases that the Member Ms Hazlina has raised, we have also amplified existing messages through the media and ultimately, it is very important for Singaporeans to have a good grasp of what our national interests are. This is something that we have discussed repeatedly in this House.”
“Today, the Government publishes lists of individuals and entities published for specific purposes related to national security. For example, certain foreign organisations designated as terrorist entities are listed in the First Schedule to the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act. There are no plans to make public a broader list of foreign organisations that may pose concerns to Singapore's national security. Such a list may give rise to operational and security risks. Regular publicity and outreach efforts are conducted to raise public awareness of security threats, including from foreign organisations of concern such as foreign terrorist groups. We have also publicly stated that Singaporeans should not participate in foreign armed conflicts, and should exercise particular care in dealing with organisations with links to foreign militaries or foreign security and intelligence agencies. There are also restrictions and responsibilities under various statutes such as the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, in relation to membership in a foreign legislature or foreign political organisation, or the United Nations Act which includes prohibitions against providing technical advice, assistance or training to designated foreign persons, entities and organisations. Where necessary, the Government will issue travel advisories on overseas developments that may have security implications. Singaporeans should exercise due diligence and err on the side of caution when in doubt. It is ultimately every individual's responsibility to ensure that they comply with our laws and not act in a manner prejudicial to Singapore’s national interest.”
“First of all, I want to thank Mr Dennis Tan for his strong support for road safety. Indeed, we need all groups of road users, whether they are motorists, riders or pedestrians, to take more care in order for us to reduce the rate of accidents, especially accidents leading to injuries and fatalities. As for culpability, when TP investigates cases and when assessing what kind of charges should be preferred against those who violate traffic rules, culpability will be assessed holistically. And so, I wish to assure the Member that the circumstances will be looked into, and it would not be the case where there will always be one type of road users who are blamed disproportionately. The entire situation of how the accident was caused must be looked into and I believe that is also the approach that our Courts take. And as for repeat offenders, cyclists and e-bike users are treated like our cars and other kinds of motorised vehicles on the roads in the sense that we expect them to keep to our traffic rules, we expect them to observe them. The kinds of enforcement that we take are also similar.”
“Sir, we want to see everyone get home safe everyday. If safety is compromised, then livelihoods and many other good things in life are going to be at risk. We believe that the public will see our proposed for changes in this light, particularly our vocational drivers, because safer roads also mean a safer working environment for them. Nonetheless, it is also very natural for road users to ask, "What do these proposed changes mean for me?" And it is in this spirit that we, with Ms Yeo Wan Ling's help, have been consulting the unions and we are very grateful for the opportunity to hear directly from vocational drivers, and we will be taking their perspectives fully into account. 7.45 pm”
“We agree with Ms Sylvia Lim that we have to be very sensitive to the varied needs of our population. We do take these factors into account. At the end of the day, we have to be very mindful of the need to look after all of Singapore, while at the same time, dealing with manpower constraints. We will be deploying technology sensitively and always with a view of improving or maintaining safety and security outcomes. And this is also the reason why we stay in close touch with the public, so that they are able to also, give us feedback and that we can also adjust our deployment accordingly.”
“To Ms Cassandra Lee's question, the alcohol limits that are currently enforced have been in place since 1985, and that is more than forty years ago. Now, Singapore is one of the jurisdictions with the highest alcohol limits, while the other jurisdictions have adopted stricter regimes with lower limits. We also reviewed scientific studies and limits set by other countries and jurisdictions. The studies have shown that the proportion of drivers exhibiting impairment, as well as the severity of impairment, increases progressively with alcohol consumption, and that impairment can happen at levels lower than our current prescribed limits. So, these are the reasons.”
“Besides locally registered vehicles and motorcycles, we also require foreign-registered vehicles and motorcycles to comply with local traffic rules. We are studying several measures to strengthen enforcement against violations by such vehicles and motorcycles. Details will be announced when ready. (In English): Mr Chairman, the Home Team increasingly has to do more with less. That is why we must fully exploit the opportunities today's technology affords us. Doing so allows us to maintain high levels of effectiveness, to continue to keep Singapore safe and secure.”
“Singapore's pace of life is fast, and most road users are in a hurry and are easily distracted. In such circumstances, people easily ignore traffic rules or overlook the safety of other road users. Road users comprise different groups, including motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians and others. We often hear individual groups complaining that the other groups of road users do not follow traffic rules. In fact, regardless of what mode of transport is being used, every road user must adjust their habits. Otherwise, road safety will be difficult to improve. In the coming months, we will launch a new publicity campaign to raise awareness amongst all types of road users about road safety and the related measures. At the same time, we will further strengthen enforcement, starting first with drink-driving. Our current drink-driving standard is outdated and do not align with the latest scientific evidence and international norms. Therefore, we will lower the drink-driving limit, from the current 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, to 15 microgrammes, aligning with jurisdictions, like Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. To motivate all drivers to adhere closely to traffic rules, MHA is also considering tightening the demerit points system, including reducing the number of demerit points that can be accumulated before a driver is suspended and also increasing the suspension periods. Our main consideration is to reduce dangerous driving and curb the deteriorating road safety situation. We will also give due consideration to the perspectives of vocational drivers, having consulted the transport-related unions.”
“To motivate all drivers to adhere more closely to traffic rules, MHA is considering tightening the Driver Improvement Points System, otherwise more commonly known as the demerit points system. This may include reducing the number of demerit points that can be accumulated before a driver is suspended and also increasing the suspension periods. We will not decide on this lightly. But it may be necessary, in order to arrest the deteriorating situation, increase deterrence and keep dangerous motorists off the roads. We know that time is needed for attitudes and behaviours to change, which is why we will engage stakeholders and members of the public to co-create solutions on what more can be done to improve our traffic safety situation. We will also give due consideration to the perspectives of vocational drivers, having consulted the transport-related unions. Another group that we are concerned with is foreign-registered vehicles. Whether they are on our roads for economic reasons or for leisure, they have a significant collective presence, so there is also a need to strengthen deterrence and enforcement against violations by foreign-registered vehicles. We are working on several measures and will announce the details when ready. Mr Chairman, please let me conclude this segment of my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, our roads have become increasingly unsafe. Despite our continued introduction of stricter regulatory measures, traffic fatalities and traffic violation cases continue to rise. Besides continuing to strengthen enforcement, we must also go beyond enforcement and decisively reverse this trend, because traffic accidents and the casualties can all be prevented.”
“Otherwise, our road safety situation is not going to improve. Ms Cassandra Lee asked about how we can keep our families safe on the roads by strengthening road safety awareness and rules. In the coming months, MHA and the Traffic Police will work with partners on a new and sustained public engagement campaign on road safety, addressing all categories of road users. We hope to have the support of Members of this House. At the same time, we will make further changes to our enforcement posture, starting with drink-driving. Drink driving is a highly culpable offence. No one accidentally drinks and drives. They put themselves and others at great risk. There have been many horrific accidents caused by drunk drivers. Our drink driving limit today is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. Evidence shows that impairment to driving skills occurs at lower levels of alcohol concentration and that crash risks increase with alcohol consumption. We will therefore lower the drink driving limit to 15 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. This brings us in line with other jurisdictions in Asia, such as Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. The message is simple: if you drink, do not drive. Legislative amendments will be made later this year to effect the changes. I thank Ms Cassandra Lee for her suggestion to consider raising penalties for certain cases of dangerous driving. I agree with her that the penalties should be higher in cases where a driver puts another person in danger on purpose, as in Jarrett Tee's case. We will study this with a view towards introducing a new offence to tackle such behaviour, with a higher maximum penalty than the existing offence of dangerous driving causing death. Mr Chairman, everyone must play our part to keep our roads safe.”
“We have rolled out more cameras to detect violations. Beyond enforcement by the Traffic Police, Ground Response Force officers who come across traffic violations will also take enforcement action, supplemented by technology, such as their in-vehicle video recording system. We will continue enforcement, but we also need to look beyond enforcement to reverse these trends decisively because accidents, injuries and fatalities can all be prevented. It is possible to achieve zero road fatalities. From early July 2024 to early July 2025, Helsinki recorded zero road traffic fatalities for an entire year. They have been a strong proponent of Vision Zero, an approach that aims to eliminate all traffic deaths and serious injuries. There is no reason why we cannot aspire to zero road fatalities here in Singapore. But it requires collective recognition that our road culture needs to change. Now, it is true that life moves at a fast pace in Singapore. Most road users are pressed for time. Many are also distracted. It can be all too easy to disregard traffic rules or the needs of other road users, especially when we are rushing for time. Giving way does not seem to come as naturally to us as making sure that we do not concede any advantage to other road users. Can we do better? Ask any group of road users and we are likely to be told that the problem lies with other groups. When we talk to drivers, they will point out that motorcyclists, cyclists or pedestrians are at fault. If we talk to motorcyclists, we are likely to be told that it is the drivers who are the problem, and so on and so forth. 6.45 pm But it may well be that everyone is right, and that all of us – drivers, riders and pedestrians – all have to commit to making changes in our habits.”
“We are working on this and aim to share our plans in the coming months. While we press ahead with AI, we are mindful that AI solutions must be trustworthy and delivered responsibly. As with other technologies, AI comes with risks. So, in 2025, we refreshed our AI Governance Framework and established a playbook alongside it to guide the responsible development, deployment and use of AI. In 2026, HTX will develop a proof-of-concept for a centralised AI Governance Testing and Monitoring Platform to automate AI governance checks and ensure continuous compliance throughout the AI lifecycle. HTX will also deploy AI guardrails-as-a-service to protect our AI solutions from attacks and ensure that output is safe and reliable. Another area in which we are investing heavily in technology is road safety. In 2025, we trialled the new Traffic Violation Enforcement Camera, which leverages video analytics and automatic number plate recognition to detect and capture various traffic violations in real time. These cameras will strengthen our traffic policing capabilities once fully operationalised in the first quarter of this year. We need a stronger enforcement posture because our roads are becoming less safe. As shared in the Annual Road Traffic Situation released yesterday, our traffic fatality rate has been rising, increasing by about 24% from 2021 to 2025. Traffic violations have also been on an upward trend, increasing by about 38% from 2021 to 2025. This unwelcome trend has occurred despite constant efforts to improve road safety. MHA has been working closely with MOT and the Land Transport Authority to design our road infrastructure in a manner that promotes and demands safety. The Traffic Police has been stepping up presence, enforcement and public engagement.”
“HTX has also developed an AI training roadmap and launched upskilling programmes to nurture AI interest and develop AI skills in all Home Team officers. Another milestone was in May 2025 when we launched the first in a series of Home Team proprietary Large Language Models, codenamed Phoenix. This is a data-secure and self-contained model developed by HTX, which is trained on Singapore and Home Team data and does not require Internet connectivity. Phoenix paves the way for us to develop AI solutions tailored to the Home Team's operational needs and for purposes which are security-classified. Significant computing power is required to develop AI applications and train models. To address this, HTX has built the Next Generation Infrastructure (NGINE), MHA's first enterprise-grade AI infrastructure. NGINE hosts the Home Team's AI applications and provides an important boost in scaling AI deployment for the Home Team. The first phase was launched in 2025, and the infrastructure will be scaled up progressively as the Home Team expands AI capabilities. Building an AI-ready workforce and NGINE will enable HTX to accelerate AI deployment across the Home Team. One example is R-COP, which I had mentioned earlier. Another example is the Central Narcotics Bureau's NarcoNet. This is a multimodal AI platform to accelerate investigative processes. There is also the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority's MATRIX, which leverages vision language AI models for greater accuracy in document classification and data extraction from documents submitted by applicants for immigration facilities. Mr Sanjeev asked about the integration of AI-enabled and humanoid robots into frontline operations. Such robots can reduce Home Team officers' exposure to higher-risk environments.”
“Since its roll-out at seven Police divisional headquarters from October 2025, over 90% of users gave positive feedback. Many found the chatbot easy to use and agreed that it helped to make reports more accurate. Police will roll out R-COP to more self-help kiosks by the middle of the year and continue to improve user experience. R-COP, alongside SPF's other investments in technology, has also helped the SPF to be more efficient in deploying limited Police resources. For example, through the unmanning of some service counters and the merging of selected NPCs. The merging of NPCs aims to optimise limited Police resources by combining smaller NPCs serving contiguous areas into a larger operational base. Doing so enhances deployment flexibility and supports response to more complex incidents. There will be no change in Police presence and response time to incidents in estates served by merged NPCs, including responsiveness to 999 calls. Since 2022, SPF has smoothly carried out three mergers at NPCs in Bedok, Yishun and Bukit Batok. SPF has plans for more NPC mergers. We will continue to work closely with community partners, residents and other stakeholders to ensure seamless transition. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about the importance of AI in his Budget speech. We have been prioritising AI as an enabler for developing Home Team capabilities and launched the Home Team AI Movement two years ago. Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari asked for an update on our AI efforts and how we are safeguarding the use of AI. We are seeing good progress. The Home Team Science and Technology Agency's (HTX's) AI specialist workforce has grown to 250 as at end-2025 and is on track to reach 400 by end of 2026.”
“Mr Chairman, over the years, the Home Team has initiated many transformation efforts, so that even with manpower constraints and constantly evolving security challenges, we can keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe. Today, I will speak on how the Home Team plans to continue transforming. We will press on with leveraging smart and autonomous technologies across Home Team departments in 2026. At Singapore Prisons, we will be trialling the use of PROTECT, a robot designed to support officers during patrols and yard supervision, in the first quarter of FY2026. PROTECT is able to patrol autonomously and can be remotely operated to mitigate potential hazards during incident response. From May 2026, SCDF will progressively roll out SG Alert, which is a dedicated mass emergency alert system that can broadcast emergency alerts to mobile handsets islandwide or within specific geographical zones. Mobile users will not have to download any apps to receive SG Alert notifications. SG Alert will complement existing emergency broadcasts. We believe this capability will significantly enhance Singaporeans' preparedness for serious emergencies, such as major fire, chemical or terror incidents. With the Singapore Police Force's (SPF's) digitalisation efforts over the years, more than 70% of all Police reports are now lodged through self-help services, either online or at self-help kiosks located in Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) and Neighbourhood Police Posts. At selected self-help kiosks, the SPF has started using the Report Lodging Co-Pilot (R-COP), an AI-enabled chatbot which prompts members of the public for relevant information when making Police reports. This makes the reports clearer and more complete, reducing the need for follow-up calls from the Investigating Officer.”
“Mr Chairman, I will reply in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I thank Mr Ang Wei Neng for his question. Relations between Singapore and China are very good. We share multifaceted cooperation, and our areas of collaboration are wide-ranging. Last year, we commemorated the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries. We have concluded numerous bilateral agreements and undertaken many joint projects together. Regarding the videos Mr Ang mentioned, such content often draws from a wide array of online sources, and we may not always know where this information originates from. However, I believe the most important point is that Singaporeans should remain vigilant when encountering such material. Singaporeans must have a clear understanding of our core national interests. We are a multiracial and multi-religious society. We must safeguard Singapore’s independence and sovereignty, as well as our security and prosperity. It is actually not difficult to verify the authenticity of online information. There is no need to assume that a story is true simply because its headline is eye-catching or its content is sensational. In fact, the more sensational the headline, the more likely it is that the content may be false. Before forwarding such information, it would be prudent to check official sources or the websites of Singapore’s mainstream media first. A quick search would be enough to determine that these claims are entirely untrue. However, if we rush to share them, we may end up being tricked. Therefore, when assessing different types of online information, it is better for us to do so calmly and with level heads. 1.45 pm”
“MFA is working with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to strengthen our safeguards against foreign interference, which will be elaborated on by MHA during its Committee of Supply. Mr Chairman, foreign policy begins at home. Singapore's relevance to the world depends on both our ability to add value to others as well as our international credibility. Our ability to stand firm on the world stage depends on having our people's trust and support, and our ability to remain calm and collected in the face of challenging external circumstances. We can only act with confidence if Singaporeans are united behind us.”
“I mentioned earlier in my Mandarin speech that the first line of defence against foreign influence campaigns is a vigilant and discerning public. It is important for Singaporeans to be interested in global affairs so that they can engage the world wisely and confidently. At the same time, Singaporeans need to understand Singapore's core interests and look at global affairs through a Singapore lens. Decisions about Singapore's future must be made by Singaporeans and Singaporeans only, free from external manipulation. Mr Yip Hon Weng, Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Mr Foo Cexiang, Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim and Ms Eileen Chong asked about how we can strengthen trust, unity and resilience at home, and spoke about the need to build domestic support for foreign policy. The Government has stepped up engagement efforts with Singaporeans, including students, youths, businesses and grassroot leaders, through closed-door dialogue sessions and workshops to help Singaporeans better understand our operating context and foreign policy considerations. For example, MFA regularly conducts Foreign Policy Engagement Sessions with all pre-tertiary institutions to explain the fundamentals of Singapore's foreign policy. Last month, I held a dialogue with business leaders from the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, during which we discussed Singapore's approach to staying relevant and resilient by navigating global geopolitical challenges based on our long-term national interests. Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Ang Wei Neng also asked about how MFA is working across the Government to protect Singapore from foreign interference.”
“The CSP will strengthen cooperation in existing sectors, like defence, trade, education, research and culture, and expand our collaboration in new areas, including decarbonisation, energy, digitalisation and AI. With the EU, we signed the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement (EUSDTA) in May 2025. This is the EU's first standalone digital trade agreement with another country and Singapore's largest bilateral Digital Economy Agreement to date. We are also exploring greater cooperation between the EU and ASEAN, as well as between the EU and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. These initiatives support our broader engagement of Europe and complement our new CSP with France as well as existing Strategic Partnerships with Germany and the United Kingdom. We have upgraded relations with the Republic of Korea to a Strategic Partnership in November last year. This will provide a platform for both sides to leverage our respective technological strengths and deepen cooperation on sustainability, AI, cybersecurity and next-generation energy solutions. It will also promote exchanges between our youths and institutes of higher learning in the arts, culture and other areas of mutual interest. Through the partnership, we also work closely to facilitate two-way agri-food trade. We also look to do more with Japan as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. Given Japan's strengths, we will deepen collaboration in areas, like the digital economy, green transition and emerging technologies. These partnerships give Singapore greater resilience and ensure that we remain relevant amongst major and middle powers.”
“Under this programme, both governments jointly fund green innovation projects, allowing our companies to work together to develop, test and commercialise technological solutions that drive decarbonisation. We are also working together in the region on the Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P) initiative that will help finance Southeast Asia's green transition projects. Singapore and New Zealand have joined hands on many groundbreaking initiatives, particularly on trade. Bilaterally, our Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies – the first of its kind – will ensure the continued flow of critical goods even during crises. Singapore, New Zealand and Chile launched the negotiations for the Green Economy Partnership Agreement in October last year. It represents a new rules-based trade agreement that aims to support new opportunities for businesses and enhance trade and investment in green sectors. With India, the fourth largest economy in the world, we have elevated relations to a CSP. A forward-looking roadmap was jointly adopted during Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's official visit to India in September last year to guide the next phase of our cooperation under the CSP. The CSP roadmap outlines concrete commitments to strengthen our partnership in advanced manufacturing, skills development, digitalisation and connectivity across the air, sea and digital domains. Dr Hamid Razak asked about how cooperation with middle powers could be expanded to support broader people-to-people ties. We are doing so under the CSP roadmap through scholarships, study visits and internship programmes. With France, we upgraded bilateral ties to a CSP, Singapore's first such partnership with a European country.”
“00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, small states, like Singapore, do not have to be passive bystanders. We have agency and can do much to create strategic space for ourselves. Mr Yip Hong Weng and Mr Henry Kwek asked how we are advancing partnerships with middle powers on the geopolitical, trade and technology fronts. Indeed, one key strategy is to strengthen and expand our partnerships with like-minded countries, including major and middle powers. With this circle of trusted friends, we will forge ahead in critical sectors, like defence cooperation, but also in new and exciting domains, such as energy, technology and sustainability. Beyond strengthening Singapore's economic resilience and security, such ties can also bring tangible benefits to Singaporeans and our companies. Last year, Singapore upgraded our relationships with Australia, France, India, New Zealand and Vietnam to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships (CSPs). We also established a new strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea and deepened our cooperation with the EU. Let me elaborate on some of these partnerships. With Australia, we have launched an upgraded CSP, or CSP 2.0, the first of its kind. Beyond our already strong bilateral cooperation in defence and trade, CSP 2.0 will anchor our cooperation with Australia in frontier areas, like cyber, digital, space and AI, for the next decade while strengthening economic resilience in sectors, such as energy, sustainability and supply chains. An example is our Go-Green Co-Innovation Programme, an initiative under the Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement.”
“The development of advanced digital tools has supercharged the ability of foreign actors to seed narratives and even mount hostile information campaigns to advance their interests, and such activities have clearly stepped up. If you have not watched Lianhe Zaobao’s seven-minute video explaining how AI can be used to generate sensationalised fake news to manipulate viewers’ emotions, I highly encourage you to do so. English media have also carried similar reports. We should be particularly careful when we come across content that highlights or appeals to one particular ethnicity over another. On the whole, we should be vigilant towards online commentaries targeted at Singapore. Some of these could be attempts to undermine our confidence or exploit our fault lines. The first line of defence against foreign disinformation campaigns is a vigilant and discerning public. This is why it is critically important for MFA to engage domestic audiences and explain our positions as best we can. The old world order may have ended, but that does not mean we should give up on a rules-based approach to international affairs. Doing what we can to strengthen multilateralism and international law is still relevant for Singapore as a small state. At the same time, there is a deep vein of pragmatism in the way we view the world. We have always understood that size and power matter in foreign relations. At a time of fragmentation when trust and consistency are in deficit, Singapore must continue to be clear-eyed about our national interests, assess our options dispassionately and make hard-nosed decisions that are only in Singapore’s interest. Most importantly, we must stand on our own two feet. We cannot rely on others to secure our interests and our destiny. 1.”
“While the new order has yet to emerge – and it is not clear if it will – we can be sure that contestation between big powers will intensify, as will pressure to “choose a side”. This means greater direct and indirect risks for Singapore. While the global environment may have evolved, Singapore’s circumstances and identity have not changed. We are a multiracial, multi-religious country in the heart of Southeast Asia. Our demographic composition and location in a complex part of the world mean that we have to be crystal clear about our core national interests. These are to safeguard Singapore’s security, our prosperity and social cohesion. Security – safeguarding Singapore’s sovereignty. This means speaking up when sovereignty is undermined in other parts of the world. Prosperity – promoting free and open trade, preserving a rules-based trading system, and securing our access to essential supplies. Social cohesion – upholding the multi-ethnic, multi-religious nature of our country. We have worked hard at building a strong network of friends and partners in the world. But since we have our unique societal makeup, identity and history, being true to our national interests means we cannot possibly share identical positions with all of them all of the time. We sometimes have to say no, after careful consideration, to friends and partners who are important to us, or express views that they might not like to hear. This has happened before, and we must expect it to happen again. When it does, we hope Singaporeans can keep calm and carry on. This is not easy to achieve, and made more challenging with foreign infiltration of our information space. With a diverse, digitally connected population, Singapore is an attractive and vulnerable target.”
“Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] During the debate on the motion of thanks to the President in September last year, I spoke on the weakening of the multilateral rules-based order. Within a short span of five months, that description is now outdated. The world order that we have been familiar with has ended. What is the impact on Singapore? Singaporeans might not have felt it yet. First, there has been a constant barrage of extraordinary headlines concerning international affairs over the last two years. People may no longer feel very shocked when reading about issues like Venezuela or Greenland. Second, the UN and other international organisations are still in existence. Third, despite the pressures created by tariffs, our economy did better than expected last year. But there is real impact on Singapore. A key reason why the rules-based international order was effective was that it was backed by the US. It had supported international organisations, provided global public goods, and rallied many countries in defence of one set of rules for international conduct. Violations will be punished, with economic sanctions or military action. The international rules-based order therefore introduced a certain degree of restraint and predictability into world affairs, which otherwise would revert to “big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimp”. This means more space for shrimp to survive and flourish. Now, the international order has lost its major underwriter. The world has become less predictable, and countries now feel fewer inhibitions in pursuing their self-interest at the expense of others. This is a more dangerous world for small countries like Singapore.”
“Further details will be announced when ready. I thank Members for supporting the Bill. Mr Speaker, I seek to move and will now hand over to the officeholders from MOT to address amendments that are related to MOT.”
“They also do not change the current process for appeals, including the viewing of camera footage upon request, which will continue to be managed by the Traffic Police. These authorised civilians will assess traffic camera footage to determine if a traffic violation has been disclosed. This is based on an assessment framework provided by Traffic Police. For example, for footage captured by red light cameras, these civilians will view a series of photos to confirm that the vehicle had crossed the stop line after the traffic light had turned red. In short, the authorised civilians will not exercise enforcement discretion. The Traffic Police will continue to be responsible and accountable for enforcement policy and decisions. We are working out the procurement details and approach. That said, we agree with the Member that any use of automation or outsourcing must be subject to robust safeguards and oversight, to ensure fairness and public confidence in traffic enforcement. Finally, we thank Dr Hamid Razak for his support for measures to enhance road safety. Let me address Dr Hamid's suggestion to raise penalties and demonstrate stronger deterrence for dangerous and careless driving offences. The Ministry fully agrees with the need for adequate deterrence and appropriate punishment, commensurate with the culpability of the offender and the harm caused through the offending act. The maximum penalties set out in the Road Traffic Act reflect this calibrated approach. Building on this, MHA is working with the Sentencing Advisory Panel, chaired by Justice Tay Yong Kwang, to publish sentencing guidelines for the offences of dangerous and careless driving. The Ministry is studying further measures to shape responsible driving behaviour and improve overall road safety.”
“Lorry owners have been given adequate lead time to plan their installation decisions in accordance with their business and operational needs. On assistance provided to businesses, in this first phase of speed limiter installation, 94% of the lorries that needed to install by 1 January 2026 – or about 2,300 lorries – had completed their installation before the deadline. To support SMEs, Enterprise Singapore has expanded Productivity Solutions Grant support to cover speed limiters for eligible SMEs that install between 1 October 2025 and 31 March 2027. This recognises that speed limiters can also indirectly improve productivity by reducing downtime in the event of accidents. Beyond this, the Traffic Police has introduced UN ECE R89 as a third approved speed limiter standard. This expands the variety of approved speed limiters available in the market and provides more options for lorry owners looking to install speed limiters. The Traffic Police has also worked with the industry to significantly increase installation capacity, expanding the number of authorised agents more than six-fold since January 2025, to 70 currently. The industry has also been offering on-site installation and bulk discounts to encourage installation. Turning to the other proposals in the Bill, Mr Jackson Lam asked how fairness and public trust would be maintained in the context of increasingly automated enforcement systems. Ms Sylvia Lim asked for details about the outsourcing arrangement to private sector companies. Let me first clarify that clauses 74 and 79 of the Bill only allows for the administrative processing of straightforward violations to be carried out by authorised civilians, after an offence has been detected. These amendments do not involve the automation of enforcement decisions.”
“To Ms Valerie Lee's suggestion, vehicles with a maximum laden weight of between 3,501 and 5,000 kilogrammes are subject to the same 60 kilometres per hour speed limit as vehicles above 5,000 kilogrammes because they pose similar road safety risks, such as longer braking distances and reduced manoeuvrability at higher speed. Sir, we are starting to see results from our policy. The number of speeding-related accidents, including fatal ones, involving heavy vehicles has decreased by 28% from 25 cases in 2024 to 18 cases in 2025, as more lorries installed speed limiters last year. We expect these figures to further decrease after all lorries install speed limiters by 1 July 2027. We also recognise that good lane discipline is essential where there are differences in vehicle speeds. The Traffic Police will continue to educate motorists on the importance of maintaining lane discipline and enforce against violations. Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Ms Valerie Lee and Dr Choo Pei Ling asked questions about the compliance burden on businesses and whether assistance is being provided to businesses to facilitate the installation of speed limiters. To Ms Yeo's query, the speed limiter requirement applies to lorries that continue to operate on Singapore roads. Where a vehicle is earmarked to be scrapped after its statutory installation deadline, the vehicle must be installed with a speed limiter in order to operate on the roads after the deadline. While I appreciate Ms Yeo's suggestion to exercise flexibility for those with firm scrapping plans, we will have to draw the line somewhere and there will always be lorries which are intended to be scrapped after the deadline. We have thus decided to maintain a consistent approach by not extending the deadline for any group.”
“These vehicles pose higher risks due to their size, weight and operating characteristics. But the risks associated with passenger cars, on the other hand, arise primarily from driver behaviour, rather than vehicle attributes. These behaviours are more appropriately addressed through public education efforts and deterrent penalties, rather than through speed limiters. Members also asked about speed limits for heavy vehicles. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked whether the speed differential between passenger vehicles and heavy vehicles gives rise to unsafe driving conditions. Ms Valerie Lee suggested that lighter vehicles with a maximum laden weight of 3,501 to 5,000 kilogrammes should be subject to a higher speed limit of 70 kilometres per hour, instead of the current 60 kilometres per hour. Let me clarify. On expressways, passenger vehicles may travel at speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour, while heavy vehicles are subject to a vehicular speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour, enforced through speed limiters. But these differing limits should not be seen in isolation. They are paired with lane-discipline requirements, where slower vehicles are required to keep to the left lane, except when overtaking. The rationale for this framework is road safety. Heavy vehicles differ from passenger vehicles in terms of mass, braking distance, stability and blind spots; and when accidents occur, they can cause disproportionate harm. Speed control is, therefore, a critical safety lever to reduce the risk and severity of accidents involving such vehicles.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Members for their interest and support for the Bill. Please allow me to address their comments on the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)-related amendments. Ms Joan Pereira and Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about the regulatory and enforcement approach for foreign-registered heavy vehicles, vis-à-vis Singapore-registered heavy vehicles. Speed limiters are employed upstream to reduce the speeding risk before the offence occurs. In 2024, the speed limiter regime was expanded to include lorries with a maximum laden weight of between 3,501 kilogrammes and 12,000 kilogrammes. Singapore-registered heavy vehicles account for the bulk of daily heavy vehicle traffic on our roads. Installing speed limiters for these vehicles would therefore reduce the road safety risks associated with heavy vehicles very significantly. We also recognise the need to address the safety risks associated with foreign-registered heavy vehicles. We require them to comply with our road traffic laws and regulations, and we conduct on-road enforcement on them. Foreign vehicles that commit speeding offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law. We do not require them to install speed limiters, because they also ply in other jurisdictions with different speed limits from Singapore. It is worth noting that, since Singapore-registered lorries are already required to install speed limiters and, therefore, will be unable to speed, this allows the Traffic Police to focus speeding enforcement on all other vehicles on our roads, including foreign-registered heavy vehicles. To Ms Joan Pereira’s question on installing speed limiters for "higher-risk passenger cars", speed limiters are currently required for heavy vehicles as part of a targeted, risk-based approach.”
“Clause 82 amends section 4 of the Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act relating to the forfeiture of road vehicles used to commit any offence prescribed in the Schedule of the Act. Forfeiture is currently mandatory if the Court is satisfied that a road vehicle has been used to commit any scheduled offence or to convey persons to the scene or facilitate escape of any person from the scene where a scheduled offence has been committed. The amendment will make the forfeiture of road vehicles discretionary in all scenarios if it is proved to the Court's satisfaction that the person who committed the scheduled offence involving the vehicle is not the vehicle owner and had used the vehicle without the consent of its owner. Mr Speaker, in summary, the amendments proposed by MHA in this Bill will update, clarify and strengthen our road traffic laws. But these moves alone are not enough. MHA remains concerned by the road safety situation and has plans to further tighten our laws and regulatory framework. We will share more at the upcoming Committee of Supply debate. We also call upon all road users to exercise responsibility, patience and graciousness. It is possible to achieve zero road injuries and fatalities but only if we all do our part.”
“For serious road traffic offences, such as driving under the influence of drink and car racing, a mandatory minimum disqualification period is prescribed because such conduct poses a serious risk to public safety. The amendments make it clear that there is no need for special reasons before a Court may impose a disqualification period that is longer than the prescribed minimum period. Sir, I will now briefly run through several other miscellaneous amendments. Clauses 68, 74 and 79 will enhance the operational efficiency of the Singapore Armed Forces and Traffic Police. Clause 68 addresses an ambiguity under section 49 of the Road Traffic Act. Currently, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) contracts commercial bus companies to ferry soldiers to various locations. In view of the shortage of bus drivers, SAF intends for its personnel to drive the commercial buses it leases. However, section 49 may be interpreted to limit SAF personnel holding military driving licences to driving only vehicles owned by SAF. The amendment makes it clear that the exemption applies to vehicles owned or leased by SAF. Currently, Police officers are required to manually review, themselves, images and footages captured by Police cameras and manually issue, themselves, the traffic notices, even for straightforward violations, such as red-light beating and speeding. Clauses 74 and 79 amend the Road Traffic Act to allow processing of such violations to be carried out by authorised civilians, including service providers, subject to appropriate safeguards. This would free up Traffic Police officers to focus on enforcement and complex cases.”
“The Bill updates the penalty framework by increasing the maximum fines to $10,000 for a first conviction and $20,000 for subsequent convictions. The imprisonment terms will be retained. This ensures that the penalties are a credible deterrent and are commensurate with the potential harm posed by speeding heavy vehicles. Next, clauses 69 to 73, 75 and 77 of the Bill clarify that the mandatory disqualification periods prescribed for certain offences under the Road Traffic Act are minimum disqualification periods and that no special reasons are required for a Court to order a longer disqualification period. The disqualification period that the Court may impose can be any period equal to or above the prescribed minimum disqualification period, including a lifetime disqualification period if it thinks fit. These amendments seek to address the observations in the recent High Court judgment of Ng En You Jeremiah v Public Prosecutor. The High Court, in considering a sentencing framework for the relevant driving offence, noted that the offence already imposed a mandatory 12-year disqualification period, “unless the court for special reasons thinks fit to not order or to order otherwise”. The High Court also held that “special reasons” had to be exceptional and that the 12-year disqualification period should apply regardless of the applicable sentencing band for that particular driving offence. The High Court's judgment thus appears to suggest that special reasons must be present before a Court may impose a disqualification period that is longer than the prescribed minimum period.”
“However, there may be situations where such non-compliance occurs under the instruction of the owner of the lorry, who is not liable under the existing rules. The proposed amendment closes this gap by extending the scope of the offence to anyone who knowingly causes or permits the use of a non-compliant lorry, including the owner. In addition, while tampering with a speed limiter is already an offence, currently, only the person who tampered with it is liable. The current law does not expressly make liable, persons who instructed or caused another person to do so, nor persons who offer to alter speed limiters. Our proposed amendment ensures that all parties who are involved in speed limiter tampering can be held accountable. Second, we will impose a duty on Authorised Agents to report suspected tampering of a speed limiter. Currently, only Authorised Agents of the Traffic Police may install or service speed limiters. With this amendment, such agents will be required to notify the Traffic Police if they know or have reason to believe that a speed limiter has been tampered with or is non-compliant. This will enable prompt investigation and removal of non-compliant lorries from the roads. Third, we will prohibit the advertising of speed limiter services by unauthorised parties. This deters the supply of illegal tampering services and reduces opportunities for tampering. The Bill will also raise the penalties for existing speed limiter-related offences. Currently, first-time offenders face a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to three months, while repeat offenders face a fine of up to $2,000 or imprisonment of up to six months. These penalties have not been updated since 1999.”
“Mr Speaker, allow me to outline the amendments proposed by MHA to the Road Traffic Act and the Road Vehicles (Special Powers) Act under this Bill. MHA will be making two key amendments. First, to strengthen the regulatory framework around speed limiters to better deter and detect non-compliance. Second, to clarify that the mandatory disqualification periods prescribed for certain offences under the Road Traffic Act are minimum periods and that the Courts can impose longer disqualification periods. I will focus my remarks on these two amendments, before briefly touching on the other amendments. Members will recall that in 2024, we commenced the mandatory installation of speed limiters in lorries. This is to mitigate the risks posed by heavy vehicles, which can cause more severe consequences in the event of an accident. We have adopted a phased implementation approach, depending on the weight and registration date of the vehicle. As of 5 January 2026, around 72% of lorries required to have speed limiters installed by the various deadlines have done so. We have reviewed the existing speed limiter offences and found them to be inadequate in deterring non-compliance and there are also gaps in accountability. To close these gaps, clause 56 of the Bill introduces several new offences and raises the penalties for existing offences. First, we will hold owners and drivers liable for knowingly causing or permitting the use of non-compliant speed limiter-required lorries and for tampering with installed speed limiters. Under the current speed limiter rules, only the driver commits an offence for driving a non-compliant lorry.”
“Sir, in addition to the programmes that I have mentioned earlier, there is also the "My Responder Plus" programme, which is run by SCDF, which the community can partner SCDF in organising for residents. And at the same time, I also encourage the community to work very closely with their Community Emergency and Engagement Committees, because they can also partner SCDF in organising activities and programmes that help to equip residents with life-saving skills.”
“At the moment, Cambodia is not part of FRONTIER+. However, we have both plurilateral as well as bilateral means of engaging our counterparts. So, even as we expand networks with different jurisdictions, it also does not prevent us from working bilaterally with them.”
“The amended Children and Young Persons Act only provides that cases involving offenders aged 16 to below 18 may be transmitted to the State Court or High Court if they have committed serious or repeat offences. Even for such offenders, I would highlight that the prosecution retains discretion in deciding on the appropriate charge and whether to apply for these cases to be transmitted out of the Youth Court. In exercising this discretion, the Public Prosecutor will consider the full facts and circumstances of the case including the age of the offender. Sir, the Government regularly reviews our criminal laws to ensure that they remain effective, fair and responsive to the changing environment. The proposed amendments enhance our efforts to maintain a safe and secure Singapore and I thank Members for their support. Mr Speaker, I beg to move.”
“We will continue to work with our foreign law enforcement counterparts and financial intelligence units, as well as leverage domestic coordination platforms like the AC3N, which Mr Yong had earlier highlighted, to act against such organised crime groups and money laundering networks. Ms Lim asked if the Extradition Act can be used in future to transfer suspects from foreign jurisdictions to Singapore and whether joint operations with foreign jurisdictions would occur more frequently. I invite Ms Sylvia Lim to file a separate Parliamentary Question on the usage of the Extradition Act as it goes beyond the scope of this Bill. But I would like to highlight that SPF regularly collaborates with their foreign counterparts to enforce against transnational criminal syndicates and in the first half of 2025, eight scam syndicates were dismantled through such joint collaboration. The syndicates must know that they cannot take refuge anywhere. The law will eventually catch up with them. Mr Cai asked about the application of caning to offenders who are above 50 years old. And Ms Lee also suggested reviewing the maximum age limit for caning. The Government has previously explained that we do not intend to do so. First, the number of men above the age of 50 at the point of arrest for serious offences that attract the punishment of caning is significantly lower than that for men aged 50 years and younger. Second, an additional imprisonment term of up to 12 months can be imposed in lieu of caning. Finally, on the amendments regarding young offenders. Mr Henry Kwek suggested the adoption of an age-sensitive charging approach for younger offenders. This is already the case today. Cases involving offenders below the age of 16 will generally continue to be heard in the Youth Court.”
“It will be for the Courts to decide whether each case meets the definition of scams as set out in law. Ms Lim asked what led MHA to decide on tightening the penalties for scam and scam-related offences. MHA periodically reviews the adequacy of our criminal penalties. Specific to scams, MHA needed time to examine the deterrence effect of the new money laundering and Singpass offences that were operationalised in February 2024 and the new SIM card offences that were operationalised in January this year. We think there is strong public interest to tighten the penalties further now, and caning would be commensurate with the severity of the scam problem. Mr Fadli suggested using recovered funds to finance scam victim restitution fund. As we stated in Parliament on 28 February 2025, we are studying various proposals, including the return of seized scam assets. However, there are significant difficulties with returning recovered assets through a restitution fund, and any such approach has to be carefully considered, as Mr Fadli himself has also pointed out. Lastly, there were also some comments from Members that go beyond the scope of this Bill. Let me touch on these briefly. Ms Lee raised the ongoing case involving Prince Holding Group. As this is beyond the scope of the Bill, I invite Ms Lee to file a separate Parliamentary Question with her detailed questions. But I will say that this case demonstrates the Police's ability to advance investigations against highly complex, large-scale transnational criminal networks.”
“It would not be practical to provide an exhaustive checklist. It will be for the Courts to decide whether the steps taken, if any, meet the legal threshold, based on the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case. That said, all individuals should protect their Singpass credentials, payment accounts and SIM cards, and should not provide them to unknown individuals no matter what the unknown individuals claim they would be used for. Mr Cai asked if the enhanced penalties can apply retrospectively to the 27 Singaporeans who are alleged to be part of the scam syndicate in Cambodia, if found guilty. The proposed penalties will apply prospectively. In other words, only those who commit offences after the enhanced criminal penalties come into force can be liable for them. This is provided for under the Constitution. Mr Foo asked about the need to scope scam offences to deceit mainly by way of remote communication. A defining characteristic of scams is the substantial use of remote communications to reach and engage victims. Using remote communication allows scammers to significantly scale up their operations and frustrate law enforcement efforts by allowing them to reach victims without entering Singapore. They can, therefore, be far more insidious than traditional cheating cases and warrant the application of the enhanced penalties. We have been careful in the choice of words; in particular, we have chosen not to scope scam offences to deceit only by way of remote communication, as we cannot rule out the possibility of scammers making some form of physical outreach to victims as part of their modus operandi. Such scammers should not escape liability for caning because of this technicality.”
“MHA's view on this matter, therefore, is that financial hardship cannot be used as a justification to facilitate or commit scams, or any crime for that matter. And as many Members have pointed out, scams are not victimless crimes. The victims can suffer permanent, irreparable harm, not just financial harm, but also severe psychological and in some cases, physical harm. To reduce such harm, we must be prepared to deter potential scam mules with sufficiently stiff penalties. Third, Sir, on clarifications on the proposals. Dr Wan Rizal asked if there would be sentencing guidance to clearly define the key roles in a scam to aid the Courts in distinguishing between the masterminds and low-level participants. Mr Yong asked if the sentencing guidelines would accord leniency for youths and those with intellectual disabilities. Today, the various scam-related offences already differentiate penalties based on the fault element. In general, the higher the level of culpability, the higher the maximum penalty for that offence. Where an offender has been charged for a particular offence, the legal burden will be on the Public Prosecutor to prove that all the elements of the offence, including the fault element, have been met. In sentencing, the Courts will consider all the facts and circumstances of the case, including mitigating factors, such as the offender's young age or intellectual capabilities. In August 2024, the inter-agency Sentencing Advisory Panel, chaired by Justice Tay Yong Kwang, issued sentencing guidelines for scams-related offences. Dr Wan Rizal also asked if there was a checklist defining what counts as reasonable steps that an individual can take to ensure that an enabler would not be used to commit or to facilitate the commission of a scam.”
“Mr Foo Cexiang asked if caning should be made mandatory for scam mules as well given that mules are essential to the scam enterprise. Mr Foo also asked if caning should be mandatory for scam-related offenders with a nexus to government official impersonation scams. Mr Xie Yao Quan suggested for the penalties for scams and scam-related offences to be increased and aligned with drug offences. I thank the Members for their suggestions and for their recognition of the severity of the problem. Scammers indeed rely heavily on the enablers provided by scam mules to deceive victims and profit from their scams. Dismantling this local ecosystem of enablers is essential to addressing the scams situation. Notwithstanding the need to deter scam mules, MHA recognises the need to be calibrated in our approach. In reality, scam mules have a range of culpability. Therefore, we have proposed for caning to be discretionary to allow the Courts to decide if the facts of the case warrant the application of caning. MHA will monitor the situation and adjust the penalties further if necessary. Mr Fadli Fawzi and Mr Cai asked if leniency could be shown for mules who step forward as informants. An offender's degree of cooperation with the authorities and degree of remorse are already mitigating factors that the Courts may consider. Mr Cai made the point that scam mules are often from vulnerable backgrounds and are incentivised to facilitate scams because of financial hardships. Perhaps, he has seen a recent The Straits Times article on crime gangs quoting an expert drawing connections between economic inequality and family-linked crime. The Government has many measures in place to uplift and support families and individuals in financial need.”
“MHA is also working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to explore other measures to address concert ticket scams, including the establishment of authorised ticket resale platforms and consumer education campaigns. More details will be announced when ready. Mr Cai Yinzhou highlighted that stiffer penalties alone will not be effective in dealing with the scams problem. Ms Sylvia Lim asked if the Government had considered other measures outside the criminal law to disrupt scam syndicates. I would like to assure the Members that introducing stiff penalties is not the only anti-scam measure that the Government employs. The Government adopts a whole-of-society approach to deal with scams, ranging from upstream measures to prevent scammers from approaching victims to the usage of technology to scale up disruption efforts. The Members may wish to refer to the Mid-Year Scams and Cybercrime brief published by the SPF for an overview of these measures. Second, on the adequacy of the proposed penalties. Mr Hoe asked if we relied on any benchmark in deciding the maximum number of strokes for scam-related offenders and if a ceiling of 12 strokes provides sufficient deterrence. In deciding the maximum number of strokes, the Ministry considered factors including the existing penalty regime for offences of a similar nature, such as unlicensed moneylending. We assess that 12 strokes is sufficient for now but will monitor the situation closely. The Courts will have discretion to decide the actual number of strokes, and will take into account the principle of proportionality that Mr Hoe talked about.”
“The guide is available in all four official languages and has been delivered to all households, with online copies available on the SPF and ScamShield websites. Where necessary, the Police may also refer victims to a Victim Care Officer for psychological first aid and crisis intervention. Mr Hoe also highlighted the need to build a resilient public, and suggested gamification and making scam quizzes more accessible. I thank Mr Hoe for raising these ideas, which my colleagues will look into. I agree with him that we should consider new and creative ways to get the message across. I hope businesses too will consider these ideas and proactively help shore up their employees' digital defence against online threats including scams. Ms Lee also asked about the Government's efforts to monitor the effectiveness of anti-scam public education tools. SPF periodically commissions surveys on the outreach and engagement performance of the Government's scam education initiatives. A recent survey to measure the effectiveness of Singapore's "I can ACT against scams" campaign found that 89% of the respondents felt that the campaign messages were easy to understand, while 84% said that the campaign motivated them to adopt anti-scam protective measures. Mr Yong also asked if the Government would consider introducing anti-ticketing scam laws to tackle concert ticket scams. I thank the Member for his concerns and passionate advocacy on this issue. Over the past year, MHA and the Police have worked with secondary resale platforms, like Carousell and Facebook Marketplace, to disallow listings of resale tickets for high-demand concerts.”
“Between May and June this year, SPF conducted one of the biggest anti-scam operations with six other jurisdictions under FRONTIER+, which led to the arrest of 1,800 persons and the recovery of more than $26 million. Mr Hoe also asked if the Ministry publishes regular updates on the number of scammers caught and their penalties, for deterrence. SPF regularly publishes its enforcement efforts through press releases following key operations, and via the biannual Scams and Cybercrime Briefs. For example, in the Scams and Cybercrime Brief for the first half of 2025, the Police reported that more than 3,500 suspected money mules and scammers were investigated, of whom more than 500 were charged. The Police also arrested 93 persons and investigated another 119 persons for their suspected involvement in providing fraudulently registered SIM cards for monetary gain. The message is clear – if you enable scams, even indirectly, you will face the full force of the law. Mr Yong asked if we could do more to prevent vulnerable individuals, such as youths, from becoming scam mules. The Government has been running many public education initiatives to educate youths about the consequences of facilitating scams. For example, MHA has worked with MOE to conduct school talks and insert anti-scam messaging into advisories, which are disseminated to students in primary and secondary schools, as well as Institutes of Higher Learning. Mr Hoe asked if more could be done to support scam victims and encourage them to come forward and make reports. The Police have developed a resource guide on what victims should do and the community support that they can seek.”
“Ms Lee Hui Ying asked about the Government's plans to implement more robust industry safeguards to disrupt the communication channels used by scam syndicates to approach victims. In the first half of 2025, scammers used online platforms to approach victims in about 82% of all scam cases. To address this, the Government has worked with online platforms to implement anti-scam safeguards and remove scam-tainted content and accounts. For example, in September 2025, the Online Criminal Harms Act Competent Authority issued an implementation directive to Meta to put in place measures to target scam advertisements, accounts, profiles and/or business pages impersonating Government Office Holders on Facebook. The Government will consider further legislative levers as necessary. Given the transnational nature of scams, Mr David Hoe asked if Singapore can establish a permanent joint disruption cell bringing together both governments and private entities in different jurisdictions. Mr Melvin Yong and Ms Lee Hui Ying asked if Singapore takes action against overseas scam syndicates. I agree with Mr Hoe, Mr Yong and Ms Lee that it is critical for governments to work together to disrupt scams and recover assets. To cite one example, in October 2024, the Police formalised FRONTIER+, an initiative to strengthen real-time intelligence sharing, improve asset recovery and coordinate joint operations among the anti-scam units of several jurisdictions. FRONTIER+ now covers 13 jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. We are actively encouraging other jurisdictions to join FRONTIER+.”
“Political officeholders are covered as they are part of the executive. MPs are currently not covered but MHA is separately reviewing this. To be clear, persons who harass MPs are nonetheless still liable for an offence under POHA, or other offences, like criminal intimidation and criminal defamation, depending on the facts of the case. Ms Lim asked if the definition of a "related person" of a public servant could be made more precise. A "related person" of a public servant is defined as a person whose safety or well-being the public servant would reasonably be expected to be seriously concerned about. The rationale for extending the offence to cover doxxing of "related persons" of a public servant is because offenders may target persons close to a public servant to get to the public servant. The question of whether a person falls within the definition of a "related person" is an objective one that the Courts will determine based on the facts of the case. The concept of a "related person" is not new and already exists within POHA. Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the placement of the illustration in the Explanatory Note instead of within the provision. We assess that the provision is clear enough. Not all offence provisions need to have illustrations. In any case, the Explanatory Note is available in the public domain and can be referred to by all stakeholders, including Counsel and the Courts, if necessary. Let me now move on to comments on the scam caning proposals. Comments from Members are largely divided into three categories: the Government's general anti-scam measures, adequacy of the proposed penalties and clarifications on the proposals. First, on the Government's general anti-scam measures.”