Sun Xueling
Singapore
“We are deploying electric vehicle (EV) chargers in tandem with growing demand, within the constraints of space and electricity. As EV technology is continuously improving, we are also mindful not to overbuild as chargers can become obsolete quickly.”
“I thank Member Dr Choo Pei Ling for raising feedback from her Tengah residents. Currently, two multi-storey car parks in Tengah have EV chargers, and LTA subsidiary, EV-Electric (EVe) Charging Pte Ltd, is in the process of deploying EV chargers in another eight multi-storey car parks in Tengah.”
“The Government targets to deploy 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030, which comprise 40,000 in public car parks, and 20,000 in private premises. As of March 2026, there are 30,500 EV charging points deployed in Singapore. We are on track to achieving our 2030 target in tandem with the growing demand for EVs.”
“In 2025, about 30% of Build-To-Order (BTO) blocks were completed earlier than their estimated completion dates at the point of flat booking. On average, these blocks were completed about two months earlier.”
“Yes, thank you. We agree with Dr Neo that it is important to bring together the wider ecosystem and we will consult all stakeholders. The Ministry of Transport's immediate focus is to drive the usage of drones more extensively, especially by the public sector and this is because we already have many potential use cases.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Earlier, I mentioned in my reply that the HDB notifies buyers at three junctures. This is to give buyers adequate time to plan. And that is why it is at the one year before, six months before and three months before.”
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“Under the ForwardSG exercise, we are studying how to further support children from lower-income families in preschools, including considering different ways to encourage timely enrolment and regular attendance. We will share more updates when ready. Together, these moves will lay a stronger foundation to help children from lower-income families progress in life. By intervening early to support subsequent education and life outcomes, we hope to sustain social mobility across generations. Mr Seah Kian Peng spoke about families who have children with developmental needs. We agree with him that we need to support these families to identify their children's needs early and ensure that they receive the necessary support in a timely manner. As Minister Masagos shared, children with developmental needs may face considerable wait times for enrolment at an early intervention (EI) centre. We have focused our efforts on increasing the number of places in Government-funded EI programmes so that these children can receive support earlier. ECDA will expand the capacity of the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children, or EIPIC, as well as the Enhanced Pilot for Private Intervention Providers programme, or PPIP, by 1,400 places over the next two years so that more children requiring medium to high-levels of EI support can receive timely intervention. We will launch more EI centres over the next two years. The two EI centres which I announced last year will begin operations in Fernvale Woods and Bukit Batok by the end of this year. We will also triple the number of EI places offered under the PPIP programme by March 2024. To ensure that the PPIP programme is an affordable option for families, we will lower out-of-pocket expenses for the programme.”
“We will also continue to enhance coordination with our partners to better support KidSTART families, as Ms Joan Pereira had suggested. Our data shows that about 80% of children aged three to four from lower-income families are enrolled into preschool. This is lower than the enrolment rate for their peers. Lower-income families are faced with complex challenges, including searching for stable employment, housing, or perhaps, managing medical issues. Hence, early preschool enrolment for their young children may not be a priority. We have made some progress through KidSTART and the Preschool Outreach Programme in reaching out to lower-income families to help facilitate their children's preschool enrolment. We have also taken decisive steps to enhance preschool affordability for lower-income families. Currently, they can pay as low as $3 per month for full-day childcare at AOP preschools. However, more needs to be done to close the preschool enrolment gap between children from lower-income families and their peers. Every child from a lower-income household will have priority enrolment in AOP preschools so that they can be enrolled as soon as possible. We hope that with a facilitated enrolment process, parents from lower-income families will work with us and help to enrol their children into preschool by age three. Beyond preschool enrolment, we also recognise that children from lower-income families may need more support to attend preschool regularly. KidSTART practitioners will work closely with preschools to address barriers to regular preschool attendance for KidSTART children. ComLink, which Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will elaborate on later, also addresses attendance barriers and other family needs holistically.”
“Their children also improved in their socio-emotional and daily living skills which is demonstrated in their ability to cooperate with others, manage their emotions and self-control. These are significant outcomes in early childhood interventions and have far-reaching consequences, including influencing many outcomes later in life, such as educational attainment and employment. As Deputy Prime Minister Wong mentioned in his Budget speech, we will expand KidSTART nationwide to offer the programme to all eligible families. We expect to support about 80% of children from eligible lower-income families, up from around 20% today, beginning with children born this year. To achieve this expansion, we will be working with KKH and the National University Hospital to develop protocols to allow us to systematically identify and encourage more eligible mothers-to-be to sign up for KidSTART. These eligible mothers-to-be will be supported by a multidisciplinary team during their pregnancy, to help them keep well physically and mentally before childbirth. After their child is born, the new mothers will continue to be supported by KidSTART practitioners in the home, community and preschool settings, to empower them to continue to nurture their children's growth and development. KidSTART is an open programme and eligible mothers are welcomed to join at any point during their pregnancy or after their child is born. KidSTART's success is possible only through partnering our community and corporates, which have given holistic support to families across the social, health and education domains. We are keen to work with more partners as we reach out to more families in the next phase of KidSTART's expansion.”
“Over the last decade, the Government's spending on the early childhood sector has increased almost six-fold, from $320 million in 2013 to about $1.9 billion in 2022. This spending is expected to go up significantly over the next few years. While we continue to invest in our preschools to support all families, we also recognise that lower-income families and those who have children with developmental needs may face additional challenges. Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Fahmi Aliman have asked how MSF can provide greater support for lower-income families. We will do so through providing more upstream and targeted support, journeying with lower-income families through various life milestones to empower them to uplift themselves and their children. This support will begin from the early years, which are critical for children's development. The GUSTO study I mentioned earlier found links between mothers' well-being during pregnancy and their children's later development, and this is why the KidSTART programme supports families as early as possible, starting even before the child is born. Mr Seah Kian Peng will be glad to know that we have supported over 6,200 children since KidSTART was started in 2016. We have closely studied the impact of the programme on families and seen positive outcomes for parents and children alike. Through regular home visits, KidSTART equips parents with the skills and knowledge to support their children's development, health and nutrition. Parents in KidSTART families who received these visits showed improvements in their parenting skills, such as confidence and ability to interact well with their children and reduced parenting stress.”
“I am glad to share that we have since seen an 18% increase in the number of educators who have joined the sector. We will continue to work with preschools to reach out to different sources of local and foreign manpower, who have the right aptitude and passion for working with children. These could include mid-career individuals, back-to-work women and stay-at-home mothers among others. Ms Ng Ling Ling asked about the affordability of preschools which are not Government-funded. To make preschool more affordable, we fund Government-supported preschools to adhere to fee caps and other quality requirements. These fee caps have brought down median fees in the preschool sector, from $800 in 2016 to $760 in 2022. We expect median fees to decrease even further, as we had lowered fee caps at Government-supported preschools at the start of this year. Families' out-of-pocket expenses are lower than fee caps after factoring in subsidies. More families can enjoy fee caps at Government-supported preschools as we expand capacity to allow 80% of preschoolers to have a place in a Government-supported preschool by around 2025, up from over 60% today. Mr Faisal Manap asked about extending the KiFAS to children from lower-income households enrolled in non-AOP or non-MOE Kindergartens. Our priority is to ensure that Singaporean children have access to affordable and quality preschool services. As such, KiFAS is extended only to Singapore Citizen children attending AOP and MOE Kindergartens, which are publicly accessible to all families. There are sufficient places in these kindergartens nationally to serve lower-income families who want to enrol their child into a kindergarten programme. We will continue to invest heavily in improving access to affordable and quality preschools.”
“To meet the growing demand for preschools, we have worked with preschool operators to more than double the number of preschool places over the past decade. At the national level, there are currently enough preschool places to accommodate every resident child aged three and above. However, we recognise that capacity is tighter in some areas, and this is why we are working with AOPs to increase the sector's capacity and create 22,000 more full-day preschool places over the next two years. Mr Louis Ng asked about the timing of building new childcare centres. ECDA works closely with agencies, such as HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), to develop new preschools together with new housing developments so that they are conveniently located near families with young children and can be operational shortly after residents move in. ECDA will continue to work with agencies on the timing of preschool openings to facilitate faster enrolment. Mr Melvin Yong asked how we will ensure there are enough preschool educators to support the sector. Currently, there are over 24,000 certified early childhood educators, with an annual sector attrition rate of around 10% to 15% over the past few years. We will need at least another 2,500 educators by 2025. To encourage more educators to join the sector, the Government has been enhancing educators' career progression and professional development, as well as undergoing a review of the working conditions. To keep salaries competitive, we announced salary enhancements for educators in Government-supported preschools last year. ECDA has also provided recommended salary ranges that the rest of the sector can refer to when reviewing remuneration packages for their educators.”
“Regardless of one's choice of caregiving arrangements, it is important for families to be well equipped to navigate the joys and challenges of raising young children. Minister Masagos spoke about our plans to expand Families for Life @ Community, or FFLC in short, islandwide to enable families to access parenting and grandparenting programmes more easily. In this expansion, we will work closely with SSAs, schools, volunteers, community and corporate partners as well as health clusters to equip families with the skills to nurture and care for young children. We are also exploring different parenting programmes and will promote parenting programmes which are science-based and outcome-driven. For children aged three and above, preschool can be the best option to meet parents' caregiving needs while supporting children's development. Today, about 85% of Singaporean children enrolled in preschools come from dual-income families. In this way, preschools provide an important service to help working parents balance between their work and caregiving responsibilities. Our preschools complement the important role that parents play, giving parents the assurance that their children are well taken care of while providing a nurturing and supportive environment where children can grow and develop holistically. International research shows us that attending quality preschool can boost our children's confidence and social skills. Additionally, our local data shows that children who attended preschool from three years onwards are less likely to require additional learning support in primary school. 7.00 pm Today, around nine in 10 Singaporean children aged three to six years are enrolled in preschools.”
“To better support families who require infant and playgroup services, some 7,000 of the full-day preschool places that AOPs are creating over the next two years will be for infant care and playgroup programmes. We have also been ramping up the infant care workforce, something Ms Joan Pereira raised. The number of qualified educators has tripled from 2,100 in 2017 to 6,400 in 2022 and we will continue to do more. We are tapping on a wider pool of local and foreign allied infant educators and programme helpers who can jointly contribute up to 50% of the staff in infant care bays. Dr Shahira Abdullah asked about lowering staff-child ratios in infant care. Our staff-child ratio requirements are minimum requirements to ensure the safety and well-being of children. These are calibrated based on the needs of children at different ages. In practice, many preschool operators operate with more staff to the same number of children. However, any changes to the minimum staff-child ratio can impact overall manpower demand and availability of services. Our staff-child ratio requirements are, hence, designed to work with other regulations to ultimately provide a safe and conducive environment for our children. Mr Seah asked about the progress of the EYDF review. The review is currently ongoing and the revised EYDF is slated to be ready by October 2023. Mr Seah and Mr Fahmi also mentioned that centre-based care may not be the preferred solution for all families. We are mindful that many parents want more options in caring for their young children. Under the ForwardSG exercise, we are studying how we can better support families, given what we know about the importance of the involvement of parents in the early years. We will share more when ready.”
“Chairman, I thank Members for their views on preschool education. Just as families are the bedrock of our society, children are the future of families. I will share on MSF's approach to give every child a good start in life. Our efforts are part of the whole-of-society plan, A Singapore Made for Families 2025, which was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Heng last year. If we want a society made for families to thrive, each and every one of us has a role – the Government, the community, such as SSAs or businesses, and families, including parents, children, siblings and other caregivers. This is our social compact – to weave together a larger circle of care to support families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility. A good start in life begins at birth. The Government is committed to supporting couples as they embark on their parenting journey. While families may have different caregiving needs and preferences, parental care and support remain crucial in anchoring and shaping our children's development. Findings from the GUSTO study, which Minister Masagos mentioned earlier, suggest that mothers' responsiveness to their child's signals or needs in infancy, also called maternal sensitivity, was linked to brain development in early childhood. Today, most infants are cared for in a home-based setting by caregivers such as parents and family members while around one in five infants are in centre-based infant care. At the playgroup years, there is also a growing segment of families who are enrolling their children in preschools. Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Fahmi Aliman have asked how we will assure parents that they will be supported in their children's earliest years.”
“Based on the numbers I have, more than 90% of scam cases that we know of originated from overseas. Like I have mentioned in my main reply, we work closely with foreign law enforcement agencies, but there are many operational challenges. Not all foreign law enforcement agencies conduct their operations the way we do. They may face very specific challenges in their home countries, cities or villages. And that is something that we do not have control over. But where we can, it is definitely our desire to work with the foreign law enforcement agencies and after they find out who the perpetrators are, they conduct those raids, they inform us. Sometimes, they are able to recover some portion of the scam proceeds, because you can imagine that the scam proceeds actually move very quickly in the system, even if you were to trace them to Country A, which was where the scam proceeds first go to, you never know how those scam proceeds then find its way to other countries or to other parts of the banking system. Or they may even have been changed into non-cash proceeds, for instance. So, I would just like to share with the Member that we definitely work with foreign law enforcement agencies, but we have to be mindful that there are operational challenges, and that even when they are able to recover some portion of the scam proceeds, there are actually many, many claimants to those scam proceeds. And so, there is some difficulty to be able to return those monies in its totality to the victim.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. As I mentioned, the seven major retail banks are co-located with each other and the sole purpose is to be able to exchange information quickly, once they are aware that a scam has occurred, that the victim has lost money. The seven major retail banks are working closely together, together with the SPF, to provide standby services 24/7 and they aim to freeze accounts within an hour. So, we definitely try to do so. But the reason I use the example was to demonstrate the complexity. Because of the proliferation of the number of bank accounts that are being created by money mules who are negligent in the way they have given up control of their bank accounts or some have given up their Singpass IDs to allow others to set up bank accounts, many of these bank accounts are being used to launder these proceeds. And the banks do need time to be able to trace the monies and activate the "kill switch", as the Member also said. This is something that the banks are working on. The banks are working closely with the SPF to do that within an hour, to freeze the accounts so that there is a higher chance that we can prevent the monies from going out of the system, so that we can return those monies to the victims.”
“I thank the Member for his question. We share the same sentiment. We want to improve the working hours, the working conditions for our security officers. So, what we are trying to do now is that we want to work with stakeholders to look at outcome-based driven approaches and we do know that the industry actually needs time to also develop expertise, because we are talking about a better match between manpower with technology, and also with the solutions that are available. We will take into account the suggestion that the Member has made. We will go back and look into it and see how the Government agencies can further drive initiatives on this front.”
“Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member, Mr Christopher de Souza, for the suggestion. Indeed, we have been studying the effects and we also have been sharing some of these through our various platforms, including our #CNB Perspective Series. And essentially, if you look, for example, in the US, for those jurisdictions where cannabis is legalised, you see that the prevalence of cannabis consumption is significantly higher in these states, compared to the overall average. So, that is one. Another part is, we can also see the more adverse effects, in terms of the medical and health perspective, and also the number of emergency visits and treatments that have been required. For example, in California, after the opening of the retail sales market for cannabis, emergency visits and admissions related to any cannabis use increased by 56% from 2016 to 2019. These are things that we continue to follow because we are convinced of the harmful effects of drugs, including cannabis, and we want to share a lot more of these with our people. In fact, in the coming months, I am going to share – through my social media platforms – some of the perspectives that we know, that we have learnt from our counterparts overseas, who may have a different stance on drugs. We will do that. And I thank the Member for believing in this; and we really, really appreciate your support.”
“I thank the Member Mr Christopher de Souza on his first question regarding scams. Indeed, we have a "kill switch", which I had mentioned in my main reply. This emergency self-service "kill switch" allows customers to suspend their accounts quickly, if compromised. But this is their own account. As noted by Mr Christopher de Souza, what happens often is that the original sum of monies from the customer's bank account gets dismantled, dispersed and then, goes through the banking system into various other bank accounts not owned by them. So, while the bank account of the original bank account holder – the victim – has activated the "kill switch" for his or her own account, it has not stopped the monies from being transferred to other accounts. And that is why what we intend to do with the money mules is an important step, because we want to prevent these money mules from setting up or using multiple bank accounts to allow the scam proceeds to filter through the system. We have also co-located the seven major retail banks together at Anti-Scam Command, so that they can coordinate their efforts. I would like to give an example of one case I looked at. There was one victim. And guess how many accounts the original sum of monies went through? Eighty-nine bank accounts. That was how quickly bank accounts were set up and the monies is dispersed through the banking system. And that is why it is important that we work with the various retail banks to have the retail banks co-located together, so that we can share information quickly and for the banks to quickly trace the monies and close off those bank accounts and stop the monies from moving through the banking system, and then, out of Singapore, whereby it is then out of our jurisdiction.”
“For example, compliant residents may be targeted by scammers impersonating Government agents. The scammers may also target those who are impulsive in nature and create an artificial sense of urgency and require the victims to transfer money and provide information promptly. Scammed victims are often hurt more than just financially. They also suffer emotionally as well as mentally. In cases of love scams or fake friend calls, scammers normally take time to cultivate a close relationship with the victim, gaining their trust before draining their bank accounts. These victims not only suffer financial losses, but also often feel guilty or betrayed. They are hurt deeply emotionally and may even have difficulties to trust others in future. As with modern military weapons, the design of scams takes the form of innovative disguises meant to target our needs and desires. The traps they set up are everywhere, and every day, we find ourselves barraged by various scams. I would like to emphasise here that everyone could encounter scammers, and everyone can be scammed. We must remain vigilant and never let our guard down. (In English): Mr Chairman, everyone has a part to play to keep Singapore safe and secure. While the Government will step up measures to protect us against scams, we need to remain alert and ready to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Beyond exercising individual responsibility, let us also look out for and support others in our community, to strengthen our collective resilience. Together, we will be able to fight the war against scams.”
“Where necessary, the VCOs will also direct victims to available community and professional resources for longer-term psychological support and/or financial support. This includes Family Service Centres, Samaritans of Singapore and the hospitals. Dr Shahira Abdullah spoke about disabled scam victims, and deaf persons in particular, getting timely help. Crime victims have multiple avenues for reporting, including online. If a report is lodged in person, the Police buildings are designed to be accessible for persons with disabilities. And if needed, sign language interpreters will be engaged to assist. I will now address a question on the working hours of security officers. Mr Raj Joshua Thomas asked if the Government would take the lead to regularise their hours, by requiring shorter shift hours for all Government security contracts. Since 2020, it has been mandatory for public agencies to adopt outcome-based contracts for procuring security services. New tenders are generally required to specify outcomes, rather than dictate a fixed headcount or shift hours. This allows security agencies to optimise security solutions that integrate manpower, technology and processes, giving them the flexibility to decide on the duration of each security officer's shift. The Government will continue working with tripartite partners to further improve the working conditions of security officers. Mr Chairman, kindly allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech on Pg 246.] We are fighting a war against scams. Scammers are vicious and cunning. They prey on our natural human needs and motivation, such as desire for companionship or additional income to support our families. Scammers often exploit our individual characteristics.”
“Mr Murali Pillai referred to his previous suggestion for SPF to publish the amounts seized and returned to victims. The SPF does not actively track the cumulative dollar value of assets recovered and the amount returned to victims. The seizure of $172.8 million in assets that Mr Pillai referred to, was a statistic quoted from INTERPOL's article, about a global INTERPOL operation that Singapore participated in. 5.00 pm Beyond being aware and acting against scams, we need to educate the public on the consequences of engaging in scam activities. Mr Derrick Goh asked about our efforts and partnerships to address the increase in youths involved with scams and to encourage positive youth development. A key initiative for youths is the biannual Delta League, run by SPF and NCPC. Youth participants engage in sports and participate in crime prevention activities, which enhance their awareness of the consequences of crime. More than 1,200 youths participated in the most recent Delta League which engaged participants in activities that educated them on scams. SPF also issues mid-year and year-end advisories to students and parents through schools to remind students to steer clear of crime, including being alert against attempts to trick them into becoming money mules. The SPF will continue to work with its stakeholders to promote a sense of social responsibility among our youths. Dr Shahira Abdullah suggested having a one-stop unit to assist scam victims and address their financial and emotional needs. The Victim Care Cadre programme under the SPF provides support to crime victims. Where needed, the Police activate volunteer Victim Care Officers, or VCOs, who work with the Police Psychological Services Department to provide psychological first aid.”
“We will be launching the Scam Public Education Office later this year to drive our collective efforts with community partners and expand our outreach on scams, including (a) collaborating with National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to create and curate anti-scam public education content at the national level; and (b) working with private sector and community agencies to tailor our anti-scam public education efforts for different population segments. In September 2022, we expanded the ScamShield app to Android device users. ScamShield protects users by blocking calls from known scam numbers and filtering out potential scam SMSes. It also allows users to report scam calls and scam SMSes. We are working closely with GovTech to roll out ScamShield 2.0, which will include a WhatsApp chatbot for the public to report scam messages. I encourage all citizens to download and use the ScamShield app. By playing your part in reporting scam calls, SMSes, and WhatsApp messages, you protect others by enabling the Police to detect scam messages and fraudulent WhatsApp accounts much more quickly and to put these scam messages on a blacklist. Mr Derrick Goh spoke about potential levers to ensure co-operation and accountability with stakeholders. Last year, we launched the E-commerce Marketplace Transaction Safety Ratings (TSR), a consumer advisory that reviews and tracks the transaction safety of major e-commerce marketplaces based on specific metrics. The TSR encourages marketplaces to deter and detect scams committed on their platforms. It allows consumers to make informed decisions on where to do their online shopping safely. We will be refreshing the platform ratings in the TSR in April.”
“We will amend the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, or CDSA, to prescribe specific conduct for which we can hold mules criminally liable. MHA is also working with SNDGO on legislative amendments to the Penal Code to curb abuse of Singpass credentials as a vector to perpetrate scams. Given the evolving landscape of scams, new forms of scams will emerge. Mr Christopher de Souza asked about the processes in place to inform and activate stakeholders to address the latest scams. Once we are aware of an emergent scam, the SPF works with the media and other stakeholders to publicise information on it so that the public can be put on guard. The SPF also taps on its partnerships with sectoral stakeholders to swiftly activate a multi-layered defence, which we adapt as the scam evolves. The best defence against scams is a vigilant and discerning public. To defend ourselves and our loved ones, we need to move beyond awareness, to mobilise every citizen to take action against scams. Mr Christopher de Souza asked how the Government is keeping up our public education efforts to prevent scams. In January this year, we launched a new national anti-scam campaign with the tagline "I can ACT against scams" as our rallying call. ACT is an acronym for three key actions that each of us can take to keep ourselves safe from scams. "A" stands for Adding security features, such as installing the ScamShield app on mobile devices. "C" stands for Checking for scam signs and verifying with official sources. "T" stands for Telling authorities, family and friends about scams.”
“Mr Derrick Goh spoke about the increased use of foreign payment gateways. As more foreign gateways open up, we are also working with MAS to review and enhance the suite of anti-scam measures to mitigate the risk of these channels being used for illicit purposes. Mr Chairman, no defence is impenetrable. Some scams will succeed. For example, investment scams and job scams, which contributed to the bulk of monies lost to scams in Singapore, are very hard to tackle. We have, thus, strengthened our enforcement capabilities, to minimise the number of victims and amounts lost to scammers. [Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair] The Anti-Scam Command was formed last year to consolidate expertise in combatting scams across the SPF. In 2022, 25 islandwide anti-scam enforcement operations led to over 8,000 money mules and scammers being investigated. Mr Vikram Nair asked about our collaborations with foreign law enforcement authorities to address the transnational nature of scams. The SPF works closely with their foreign counterparts to exchange information and conduct joint operations. In 2022, this led to the successful take-down of 13 syndicates. The SPF arrested more than 70 people based overseas, who were responsible for more than 280 scam cases. Mr Christopher de Souza also asked about MHA's plans to reduce the prevalence of money mules. We intend to tighten the law against those who facilitate the movement of scam proceeds. Currently, the vast majority of money mule investigations do not result in prosecution. Based on current laws, we need to prove that the money mule knew that the monies he was handling were linked to criminal activity.”
“To address scams arising from international numbers, IMDA is exploring offering the option to members of the public to not to receive international calls and SMSes. More details will be released when ready. For online listings, SPF partners social media companies and e-marketplaces to remove suspicious accounts and advertisements. In 2022, more than 3,100 accounts and advertisements suspected of involvement in scams were removed. For websites, SPF uses analytic tools to identify and block scam websites, by detecting tell-tale characteristics. In 2022, about 20,000 scam websites were blocked. The Home Team also works with stakeholders to secure Government services and banking channels, so scammers cannot exploit system vulnerabilities. We have onboarded all Government agencies onto the SMS Sender ID registry, making Government agencies harder to spoof. We are considering measures that allow the verification of incoming calls from Government officials. The SPF also deepened their partnership with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and domestic banks to flag and freeze suspicious accounts. Over the past year, MAS worked with the Association of Banks in Singapore, or ABS in short, on the following measures: (a) a cooling-off period for provisioning new digital tokens; (b) removing clickable links from official emails and SMSes; (c) lowering default transaction limits; and (d) an emergency self-service "kill switch", allowing customers to suspend their accounts quickly if compromised. The MAS and the ABS are exploring a "money lock" solution, which enables customers to "lock up" a designated sum in their bank accounts. This reduces the amount that could potentially be lost to scams via digital transfers.”
“Mr Chairman, we have a war against scams on our hands. In 2022, we saw 31,728 scam cases, a 32.6% increase from 2021. More than $660 million was lost, 4.5% higher than 2021. Mr Sitoh Yin Pin asked for an update on the Government's efforts to combat scams. I chair the Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams, which leads a multi-agency effort to develop a systems wide collective shield to protect us from scams. We deploy a multi-layered defence strategy against scams: first, we endeavour to block scam calls, SMSes, online listings and websites; second, we secure Government services and banking channels; third, we strengthen our enforcement capabilities; and lastly, we strengthen our laws. Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Vikram Nair asked how the Government partners industry and people sector stakeholders to combat scams. Mr Christopher de Souza asked about the use of technology in our efforts to fight scams. The Home Team has established partnerships across Government, private and people sectors, using technology to aid our efforts. For calls, SPF works closely with local telecommunication companies to terminate mobile lines used for scams. In 2022, more than 6,500 such mobile lines were terminated. The SPF also engaged WhatsApp on more than 22,800 WhatsApp lines believed to be used in scams in 2022. For SMSes, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) mandated SMS Sender ID registration from January 2023 and implemented anti-scam filters to detect potential scam SMSes. Under the Sender ID regime, all non-registered senders are flagged as "Likely-SCAM". After a transition period, SMSes carrying unregistered Sender IDs will be blocked upfront.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Police do not track whether a criminal offence is associated with, and/or committed within the context of illegal carpooling. As such, we are unable to comment if such crimes are under-reported.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. Indeed, we need to balance having an efficient and effective banking system, versus having security features in place to protect our customers. As such, we have been discussing with the banks to look at whenever they are pushing out new innovative products and services, that they have a security-by-design concept and to set transaction limits at reasonable amounts to prevent possible huge losses of monies, should customers unwittingly fall prey to scams. I have mentioned earlier that to secure banking channels, the MAS has been working with the ABS to introduce additional safeguards. This includes the removal of clickable links and emails or SMSes sent to consumers and the introduction of a cooling period for activation of a new digital token. This particular point about the introduction of a cooling period is an important point, especially when it involves seniors. They may, unfortunately, sometimes be conned, scammed into setting up an Internet banking facility. They may unwittingly add beneficiaries to their banking services who may be scammers. And that is why the introduction of a cooling period for the activation of new services is an important step.”
“This year, the Police, together with the National Crime Prevention Council, launched the new anti-scam campaign called, "I can ACT against scams", which calls on the public to take concrete actions to protect themselves and their loved ones by taking the three key steps of ACT. A for ADD(ing) security features, such as installing the ScamShield app; C for CHECK(ing) for scam signs and to verify with official sources; and T for TELL(ing) authorities, family and friends about scams.”
“We are keen to enhance collaboration with foreign law enforcement agencies, but this will depend on their capacity and receptivity. Where possible, the Police work with overseas counterparts to exchange information and conduct joint operations to dismantle scam syndicates. In 2022, close collaboration between the Police and foreign law enforcement agencies led to the successful takedown of 13 scam syndicates. Since 2017, the Police have been a member of the multilateral platform called the Asset-Recovery Interagency Network – Asia Pacific. The network spans 28 member jurisdictions within the Asia-Pacific region and aims to increase the effectiveness of members' efforts in depriving criminals of their illicit profits. INTERPOL also plays a crucial role in our fight against scams. They provide a platform for the Police to collaborate and share intelligence with the larger international policing community. In 2022, the Police participated in Operation HAECHI III, a global operation coordinated by INTERPOL over five months to tackle cyber-enabled financial crime. About 1,000 suspects were arrested and over US$129 million worth of virtual assets were seized. Enforcement alone, however, is not enough. We have also put in place upstream measures to try to prevent scammers from approaching Singaporeans in the first place. Such measures include working with telcos to block SMSes sent from unregistered sender IDs and overseas calls attempting to spoof domestic phone numbers. Ultimately, the best defence against scams is a discerning public. We have stepped up our public education efforts.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with the resources the Home Team has, the Home Team has reorganised ourselves for greater efficiency and effectiveness. For example, the Police set up the Anti-Scam Command in March 2022, to consolidate and optimise resources and expertise in scams across all their units. The Police also partner stakeholders from the public and private sectors in our fight against scams, to complement and supplement our own capabilities. They worked with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) to co-locate staff from six major banks at the Anti-Scam Command. Staff from the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) are also co-located at the Anti-Scam Command to support Police investigations in Singpass-related scams. This has enhanced the Police's capabilities to more expeditiously stop more people from falling prey to ongoing scams and freeze bank accounts before the scammed monies flow out of Singapore. MAS also works closely with the Standing Committee on Fraud of the ABS to drive anti-scam efforts in the financial industry. This includes implementing robust measures to safeguard customers, such as putting in place an emergency "kill switch" for customers to swiftly freeze their bank accounts which they suspect may have been compromised. The Police have leveraged technology to enhance our ability to deal with scams and facilitate quicker decision-making. For instance, they use analytics to detect and block scam websites. This includes tools that look out for tell-tale characteristics of scam websites. As scammers are mostly based overseas, our efforts to solve scam cases depend significantly on the cooperation from foreign law enforcement agencies.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. As I had mentioned in my main reply, we are currently looking at how we can work with agencies to develop a framework that will tackle online criminal activity and it will complement what has been amended in the Broadcasting Act and also the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act. We will be coming out, quite shortly, with more details of the proposed framework and the new legislative levers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards radicalisation and any form of extremist ideology. The Internal Security Act (ISA) has been an effective tool for us to pre-emptively tackle such threats, evident from, among others, the arrests of three self-radicalised Singaporean youths and the foiling of their attack plans over the past two years. In the online space, the Government has in place levers under the Broadcasting Act to disable access by Singapore users to websites that contain material that is objectionable on the grounds of public security. In addition, the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, which has taken effect from 1 February 2023, further strengthened regulations under the Broadcasting Act to disable access to egregious content on social media services – including content instructing or advocating terrorism and violence. During the MHA Committee of Supply debate in March 2022, then-Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mr Desmond Tan, announced that MHA was working with agencies to develop a framework that will tackle online criminal activity, including terrorism and content inciting violence in our community. This framework will complement the provisions under the Online Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act and we will provide more information at an appropriate juncture.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, there were about 990 cases of assault involving migrant workers at dormitories reported to the Police from 2020 to 2022. These include cases of affray and rioting. A minority of the cases involve persons of different races. As far as we are aware, none were reported to be racially motivated. The Police work with the dormitory operators on safety and security issues. The operators are required as part of licensing conditions under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), to put in place security arrangements, including closed circuit television systems and deployment of security officers. The Police also work with the operators to engage dormitory residents on crime prevention and safety and security matters. 3.00 pm”
“I thank the Member for his further question. The Police will do their very best to provide information to be able to help these victims move on and expedite investigations as much as necessary to be helpful to the victims. But, MHA will only be able to share information that does not compromise investigations. So, I think it differs on a case-by-case basis.”
“So, as part of tracing the flows of monies, they will have to freeze many bank accounts and you will often see that there are multiple claimants on the specific sums of monies. I just wanted to share that this is the background as to why the Police has to freeze bank accounts. For instance, you mentioned where a victim actually requires a bank account to be able to facilitate their transactions, if the bank account is actually frozen, what we would suggest to the victim, is actually for them to open another bank account for the purposes of receiving their salaries, because unfortunately, like I mentioned in my original reply, the time taken for investigations for scams can differ significantly, depending on the complexity of the case. And we do not want to unnecessarily impede the victims' ability to transact on a bank account, so we would typically recommend that they set up a separate bank account, to be able to receive their salaries. On your second point, there are various reasons why a bank account can be blacklisted. A victim, like I mentioned before, they themselves see themselves as a victim in the absolute sense, but unfortunately their bank account has been compromised, it could have been used almost in a sense like a money mule, because monies have been transferred in and out of the account. So, there could be various reasons why an account is blacklisted. The Police would give inputs on whether an investigation has completed to the banks, but the banks will have to make their own assessment as to whether or not to continue to blacklist a particular account holder, when it comes to setting up new bank accounts.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. Indeed, we recognise that victims of scams require their bank accounts to be able to make daily transactions. We all recognise the importance of having a bank account to facilitate these transactions. I think the difficulty that the Police faces is that during investigations, some of these bank accounts, unfortunately, from the victim's perspective, they are absolutely a victim in the absolute sense. But what has happened to some of these accounts is that they may be also tainted with the sense that scam monies may also have been remitted into these accounts, because when a scam syndicate operates, we often see that monies are transferred from one bank account to another and there is often co-mingling of monies in bank accounts. So, the Police actually has to freeze the relevant bank accounts for the purposes of investigations. The Police freezes these bank accounts when there are two instances. Let me just share with you, for instance, where another victim has made a police report and designates a specific bank account as having received their scam monies. So, the victim from your perspective, victim A for instance, may see himself or herself as the victim who has transferred monies out. But actually, if you look at the entire scam syndicates and its operations, this particular victim A's bank account, could have been compromised whereby another victim's monies has been transferred in as well. That is number one. Number two, as part of fund tracing investigations, because for instance, in a job scam, it can impact hundreds of persons at the same time.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we had answered a Parliamentary Question on the time it takes Police to investigate scam cases just recently in July 2022. The time taken to complete scam investigations depends on a couple of factors such as the type of scam, how well the scammer covers his tracks and whether or not the monies have been transferred overseas, because if it involves overseas jurisdictions, which often is the case when it comes to scams that happened in Singapore, then the time taken is necessarily longer. In that sense, every case in terms of investigation time differs significantly. Bank accounts suspected to be involved in scam operations will be frozen by the Police, with monies seized as proceeds of crime. The freeze on the bank accounts will be lifted upon completion of investigations. Persons whose bank accounts are frozen can make an application to the Courts to withdraw money for reasonable living or legitimate expenses. Section 35(8) of the Criminal Procedure Code allows the account holder to submit an application to the courts to access their funds for the payment of basic expenses, including any payment for foodstuff, rent, discharge of a mortgage, medicine, medical treatment, taxes, insurance premiums and public utility charges, amongst others. Where asked, the Police will inform account holders of this possibility and advise them to seek legal advice.”
“We tolerate homosexuality and propose to repeal section 377A and decriminalise homosexuality, but we are not advocating a certain lifestyle or a certain social ethos. It has not been easy to come up with these two proposals today. Singapore is a multi-religious, multi-racial and multi-cultural society. Every racial and religious group has its own practices, customs, norms and beliefs. It is not easy to bring together such a diverse society. Hence, the Government has always stressed the importance of safeguarding the common space, nurturing good citizens and upholding the principle of equality, regardless of race, language or religion. Only then can we unite and work for the progress of our country. Repealing section 377A is a difficult decision. Even if we do our best to find a solution that will bring about a more balanced and harmonious society as a whole, there will still be people who are not satisfied with the outcome. But we must make the right decision for Singapore, a decision that is responsible to Singaporeans. We propose to repeal section 377A to bring it in line with the law. At the same time, the institution of marriage should be preserved, not subverted. The two Bills strike a balance between freedom and stability, just like the two ends of the scale, which cannot be separated from each other, so as to achieve a balance and harmony in society as a whole. I hope you will see that the Government has put in a lot of effort into this issue. I also urge everyone to continue to respect one another, put aside their differences, seek consensus and be inclusive of one another. We will continue to work hand in hand with Singaporeans to stay united and maintain our social harmony and prosperity.”
“At a time when the international environment is unstable, Singapore must maintain its internal stability. Today, we are moving two Bills at the same time, and I hope people can see the good intentions of the Government. The two Bills are one legislative package and cannot be separated, so as to preserve the balance and stability of the society. On the one hand, repealing section 377A will better protect the freedom and rights of individuals and reduce social pressure on homosexuals. On the other hand, upholding the institution of marriage will help to maintain the stability of the relevant laws and policies and reduce the worries of various ethnic groups. Therefore, I hope that everyone will adopt an inclusive and balanced attitude towards the two Bills and move forward together as one united people. In addition, I would like to thank the Chinese community for their understanding towards many social problems and for always emphasising mutual respect and compromise, seeking common ground and harmony, when facing different social issues. Some parents may have concerns about repealing section 377A, such as whether it will affect social mores. With regard to social mores, it is inappropriate to be overly intimate in public, whether between men and women or between people of the same sex. Social mores also are not dependent solely based on the law. They require the concerted efforts of society, families and education. Each of us need to play a part. I also know that parents love their children very much from the bottom of their hearts, hoping that they will grow up in a healthy and harmonious environment, find an ideal partner and have a sense of security in their old age and enjoy family life. I would like to say that inclusiveness is not the same as advocacy.”
“We also understand the challenges faced by different types of families, such as single parent families and divorced families. MSF will do our best to help them. As far as the institution of marriage is concerned, we have to uphold it, not subvert it. Only then will we be able to ensure the continuity of policies and stability of society. Otherwise, current policies and laws relating to marriage, including policies such as the Baby Bonus and HDB flats, may face Court challenges in the future, which will complicate the issue. Some people may ask, people are more concerned about bread-and-butter issues such as rising prices and housing, so why are we discussing the issue of section 377A now? I would like to clarify that the Government is very concerned about bread-and-butter issues and is doing its best to address them. For example, 2.9 million Singaporeans will receive the Assurance Package next month to reduce the pressures of cost of living. The Government has also just announced an additional $1.5 billion assistance package last month to mitigate the pressures of global inflation. Even as the Government solves these important bread-and-butter issues, it must also solve other problems. Repealing section 377A and safeguarding the marriage system also affect the lives of Singaporeans, who also need our attention. We have to solve not only macro problems, but also micro problems. Letting every Singaporean live with dignity and hope. One important reason for the global inflation is because the current international situation is unstable. Sino-US relations continue to be tense, and the Russian-Ukraine war has continued for more than half a year, causing the prices of oil and other raw materials to soar.”
“I have visited a mutual aid society that provides assistance to homosexuals, and some of them were not accepted by their families since young. Later, they encountered various problems in life, such as bullying, mental health problems, financial problems, and some felt that they had no way out when facing a crisis in life. These people are also fellow Singaporeans. We do not have to live in the same way as others, but we do not have to force others to live in the same way as us. Do not do unto others what we do not what for ourselves. Inclusiveness is the solution to resolving differences. On the sensitive issue of homosexuality, we hope that groups with opposing views will be tolerant, understanding of each other, put aside their differences and seek a consensus. In the process of interacting with the Chinese community, I understand that many people attach great importance to the traditional family-centric values and do not want to change the family values of Singaporeans just because section 377A is repealed. I agree with this view. The family is the cornerstone of society. Only when families are stable can our society be stable. One of the first laws enacted by the PAP Government since it took office was the Women's Charter in 1961. It is a landmark piece of legislation that protects women's rights, allowing only monogamous marriages between men and women to be legalised. Since then, the Government has been supporting families in Singapore through various policies. For example, married households have always had priority in access to public housing and related subsidies. The Baby Bonus is also meant to encourage marriage and parenthood. MSF has also been actively promoting, educating and stressing the importance of the family through public education programmes.”
“However, without repealing section 377A, legislation and law enforcement will not be fully consistent. Repealing section 377A can bring about consistency in law and practice, and make legislation and law enforcement more consistent. Related to this, just as section 377A may be deemed unconstitutional in Court, Singapore's definition of marriage may face similar challenges, resulting in laws and policies related to marriage being threatened. That is why we are proposing to amend the Constitution while repealing section 377A, to clarify that the Government has the power to enact laws to define and protect the institution of marriage, and to prevent the laws and policies related to the institution of marriage on the basis of one man and one woman from being constitutionally challenged. Over the past few months, the Government and people from all walks of life have held many exchanges on the section 377A issue. Judging from the feedback from various quarters, most people support the repeal of section 377A. Of course, there are also some polarised views in the exchanges. For example, some see homosexuality as immoral, while others want more rights for the gay community. It is not necessarily a bad thing that there are opposing views in society. Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society, but we are proud of our harmonious co-existence. Each of us has a different family background, culture and education and there may be different views on a particular issue. Some people are worried that homosexuals will cause social problems. But we can also see that some of them are in need of understanding and assistance from society.”
“We have heard their views and will continue to work with them to navigate a way forward. The two Bills that stand before us today allow us to repeal section 377A in a careful and considered way. The issue that stands before us is one of public policy, as to whether gay sex in the context of private sexual behaviour between consenting adults, should remain a crime under Singapore laws. Having heard the views from various parties, the two Bills have been drafted with great care, and aim to address their concerns: (a) that the majority of Singaporeans still want the heterosexual family structure as norm; (b) most accept that private consensual sex between men should not be criminalised; and (c) for those who are against the repeal, the main concern is about what the repeal would mean for social norms, and not that they want to criminalise sex between men. Though the Bills are voted on separately, they should be seen holistically because this is not a zero-sum game, where one side wins and the other side loses. And in the spirit of how the two Bills are drafted, we hope that Singaporeans, with all their varied views on the issue, can be united in our desire to find common ground so that we can move forward together. Let us be united in wanting Singapore to be a home for all, a tolerant and inclusive society, where all Singaporeans feel a sense of dignity and have collective confidence in our future. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in Parliament in 2007 that the Government had decided to retain section 377A but would not actively enforce the law. The decision was made on the basis of feedback from society at that time and was a temporary compromise.”
“I would like to clarify that employees are protected against discrimination under the Tripartite Guidelines for Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP), and these guidelines require employers to make employment decisions based on merit and factors relevant to the job. MOM is also looking at enacting workplace fairness legislation. On being “cancelled” for one’s beliefs, the Government is looking into policy solutions to preserve space for persons of different views to share what they think, safely. But ultimately, what is important is that we maintain mutual respect when we engage with one another and not tear each other down. I also met with leaders of religious groups, some of them four to five times. They have been steadfast partners in our nation-building. They have worked tirelessly to bring Singaporeans from different races and religions together to build common spaces and common values. The religious leaders shared views from their communities on section 377A – views anchored on hopes for Singapore to continue to be strong and stable and a place for families. Many of their congregants have a great sense of gratitude and pride in how far our nation has come and wish for nothing more than for our children and future generations to thrive and prosper and they see the heterosexual family unit as the bedrock of our society. Mr Speaker, Sir, all these individuals, gay or straight, from different walks of life, have stepped forward to share their views because they want to make Singapore a better place – a better place for future generations, to safeguard Singapore society, and safeguard a community. And I want to thank them for being considered in their approach and for sharing the views of their communities in a constructive manner.”
“In conversations with Greenhouse, which runs a support group for 200-plus gay individuals, some shared that they have struggled since young to find acceptance from their family but love and acceptance were not forthcoming. This has consequences on their physical and mental health, ability to find and hold a job and increases their risk of committing offences and suffering from substance addiction. They shared that substance addiction becomes a coping mechanism for them when they are unable to find acceptance in society. We understand their concerns and are working with social service agencies to be open and sensitive to the diverse needs of clients and to provide social support, regardless of their backgrounds and sexual orientations. At the same time, I have also spoken to many individuals who are worried about where our society is headed should section 377A be repealed. In an engagement with over 100 members of the public who had written to their Members of Parliament, some youths recounted how they had experienced being ostracised or “cancelled” in schools and Universities because they were seen to be “conservative” and not advocating gay rights. Others spoke about how they were singled out at their workplaces because they are religious and, by default, seen to be homophobic and, therefore, at odds with the company’s diversity and inclusion policies. I saw a grandmother’s hand trembling, as she spoke about her grave concerns should Singapore go down the slippery slope as some other countries have after decriminalising gay sex.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have spoken to groups who have the whole spectrum of views on this subject, often strongly held with regard to section 377A, given my roles at MSF, MHA and previously MOE. I would like to share on the engagements and the feedback from all these various groups and individuals. First, I have met with groups such as Young Out Here, Greenhouse, Oogachaga, Sayoni, T Project and others who run support groups to help LGBTQ+ individuals. These ground-up initiatives provide a safe space for their community to come together and support one another, where they can be seen and heard, where they are not treated as invisible and where they will not be judged. I understand that to the gay community, section 377A, while not actively enforced, is seen as society’s judgement of them – a rejection of their right to exist, criminalises their right to love and be loved in return, and makes them feel like a lesser citizen. It also hangs like the Sword of Damocles over them, since the law exists and reminds them that they are criminals even when what they are engaging in is a private, consensual act between two adults. LGBTQ+ individuals may also suffer from stigma, discrimination and be disproportionately impacted by mental health concerns. At T Project’s shelter for their community, I saw how a small shelter for six persons was stacked with suitcases and personal items of about another 10 individuals. The owners of these items have no permanent abode and move from place to place as their life is often complicated by mental stress, poverty and unemployment.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Like my earlier response, I believe it was to Dr Tan Wu Meng, we are aware that there are certain venues that typically over festivities, there would be crowds. Whether or not there is a specific EO organising the entire event, does not change the fact that there would be Police, security, crowd control, crowd marshals on standby and Police patrolling the venue and the entire event space. Where there are separate applications by individual EOs, even though it might not be one combined EO for the whole space, the Police would have already made their individual assessment and they would know that, for example, there is going to be a large-scale event because this is the New Year or something. And after considering what is the likely size of the overall crowd, regardless of whether or not the individual EOs have specified what their individual crowd sizes are, the Police would assess it as a whole. So, it is not so much as like they definitely have to have one counterparty to discuss with. They will look at law and order and public control as a whole and they will deploy the necessary trained personnel and crowd marshals. Sometimes, they may also activate volunteers – some of the EOs may have volunteers – to take into account what the overall crowd management situation should be like.”
“Yes, like I mentioned earlier, we work very actively with EOs in the first instance. So, when we are aware that EOs want to specifically organise an event, and at that point in time, when they submit their application, they would already mention the venue, the likely crowd size and what their crowd control measures are. At that point in time, if the venue is not something that is suitable, the Police would already inform them.”
“I thank the Member for his two suggestions. It always allows us to further think about how we can improve our processes. On the first point that he mentioned about bespoke regulations, I just wanted to add that when the Police assess an event or potential risk, it is not just about physical attributes such as the terrain or numbers of people. Indeed, we also do pay attention to the dynamics of the crowd – what kind of people are likely to attend, what kind of fervour or enthusiasm or emotions they will likely display. So, these are already taken into account. When the Police work with the EOs in the first instance to think about how to best manage the crowd. On the second point, definitely, we are always on the lookout for better use of technology. We do have an SGSecure app. I would have to check internally whether or not we use it to send out SMS notifications, but that is one possibility. So, thank you very much.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. First and foremost, even where there are instances where the individual event itself does not cross thresholds, I think we recognise that typically when crowds gather, they tend to happen around two specificities. One is that it typically happens around specific festivals. So, where there are specific festivals, whether or not it is New Year or Christmas, I think our Police are on quite high alert and they know that there are, historically, venues that crowds will gather. So, it is not like if, let us say, for example, in a place like Orchard Road, you can have different groups of crowds gathering, each does not cross the threshold of 5,000, but it does not mean that the Police are not doing anything. Because the Police would already be quite well aware that this particular venue is a place where crowds typically can gather and they will gather around specific times of the year; and they would be on standby, there would be Police patrols to ensure that there is law and order and to disperse crowds if necessary. On the second point, indeed, I had mentioned in my earlier reply, about both entries and exits, and is not just about physical doors. It is also about how people move in and out of an event. Many of us would have attended National Day Parades and all sorts of other large-scale events before. You would have noticed that we have road diversions and we have had crowd marshals. That will take place both before and after an event.”
“Just based on recent memory, I do not think there have been recent incidents whereby we use tear gas because we acknowledge that it can cause public chaos. So, another lesson that we have learnt from looking at incidents that happen overseas is that the actions that we take have to be proportionate and we have to be very careful in the way we handle such incidents.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Definitely, the Police and the SCDF do regularly analyse incidents that happen in other parts of the world to see what lessons we can learn through these unfortunate incidents. First and foremost, many of the questions filed were about the number of persons or the size of the crowd. But I think what is also important to understand and acknowledge is that it is not just about the absolute size of the crowd. You can have a situation whereby the absolute size is not very large, but actually, they are in a very concentrated, very congested area; and that there might not be entry and exit points that are regularly available. So, I just wanted to clarify and elaborate that it is not just about the absolute size of the crowd, but about the specific terrain that we are looking at. So, before any incident happens, when the Police is aware that there is an event that is about to happen, when they receive notification of the application for the event, the Police actually works with the EOs to understand the lay of the land, to get a sense of what are the entry and exit points, to see whether or not, at least, from what we can understand pre-event, that this is an area whereby pre-emptively, we can ensure that we can have good crowd flow to prevent such incidents from happening. Secondly, I think the Member had filed a question about the use of tear gas. I would be quite specific about this – that the Police will only use riot control agents, which include tear gas, in very specific situations where there is a serious threat of harm to persons and property or the risk of significant public disorder.”
“Members of the public can help keep each other safe by informing one another of ground developments. The Police regularly analyse major incidents, which occur around the world to improve their crowd management measures. They also regularly review their regulatory and policy levers, as well as operational plans. It is equally important that organisers and stakeholders act responsibly, including to adopt sufficient safety measures and to work with the authorities to keep events and the public safe.”