Teo Chee Hean
Singapore
“The second point first, Mr Speaker. Certainly, it could have been a factor. But to the Panel which reviewed the thing, it was not an acceptable excuse or reason. The agencies still have to be responsible for what they are doing, whatever season of the year it is.”
“On the balance in ACRA, I would not say it is a conflict, but you have to strike the right balance between the functions that ACRA is meant to provide, which is to have a registry which promotes corporate transparency, and you have to balance that against how you protect personal data.”
“That means, if you do find a bug or you do find a way in which you can penetrate a Government system, you let us know, and there is a bounty for it. And this is evergreen. But we also do, from time to time, have a hunting season. So, for certain of our systems, we invite white hatters to attack those systems.”
“Then, he asked when the political office holders got involved in the public communications on the Bizfile portal issue. They got involved, I think, almost as soon as it became apparent that there was public anxiety. Next question about paragraph 40 and the email to senior officers, yes, the July 2024 CM was emailed to officers.”
“In fact, we monitor the dark web for a variety of things, including this, and we have not seen any sale of NRIC numbers as such. On the question of collection and use of NRIC numbers, actually, in the communication with the Government agencies, I think it is important to know who you are communicating with.”
“So, you actually make your email address available to others. But for authentication purposes, it is quite different. You do not tell your password to others. That is something which you keep for yourself and your email service provider knows. So, there is a difference between an identifier and an authentication.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,689 lines we hold for Teo Chee Hean, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 34.
“From 2007 to 2012, the Public Service Commission (PSC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) awarded a total of 511 overseas undergraduate scholarships for STEM courses or an average of 85 per year. Of these 511 overseas undergraduate STEM scholarship recipients, the majority, or 487, are still studying or working in the various agencies. The remaining 24 left the service before completing their bonds. Other public sector agencies, such as the PUB, EDB and LTA also offer undergraduate scholarships for STEM courses every year. From 2007 to 2012, approximately 200 scholarships a year were awarded to students to read STEM courses both locally and overseas. This number has been rising since 2013.”
“Between 2011 and 2015, about 7,100 mid-career Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) aged 40 years and above were recruited by the Ministries and Statutory Boards, or an average of about 1,400 of such officers recruited each year. This is about 11% of all new hires during this period. Most new hires in the Public Service are placed on contracts to assess their suitability for the job. If they have performed well in the job and are assessed to be suitable for a long-term career with the Service, they will be placed on permanent positions after one or two years.”
“In postal voting, there are risks with security and secrecy of the ballot as it may be lost or tampered with during postal delivery. In addition, ballot papers have to be sent to the voter at their registered overseas addresses and they have to mail back the marked ballot papers to the Returning Officer by a certain date. It is difficult to ensure that the ballots will get back on time to be counted. Late votes and missing votes will result in controversies. For now, voting by paper ballot at polling stations is still the simplest and most transparent method of voting that can ensure the integrity and secrecy of the voting process.”
“We will continue to stress the importance of values in selecting and developing leaders and officers. All public officers and leaders must believe in and hold themselves responsible for the mission of the Public Service. Leaders at all levels must set the tone and build the right culture to inculcate the Public Service values of Integrity, Service and Excellence. These values are at the core of maintaining a high-quality Public Service which is honest and capable to serve Singapore and Singaporeans. As we progress towards SG100, the Public Service looks forward to strengthening its capabilities and partnering Singaporeans to build a brighter future together. Page: 67”
“The Public Service will also strengthen its core of engineering expertise and engineers so that it can better plan for, deliver and maintain public infrastructure in a systematic, integrated and sustainable way. Most importantly, our public officers must have the necessary skills and aptitude to do their work well. The Public Service will continue to recruit officers who are committed to the ethos of Public Service and seek to develop and retain them, by providing meaningful and fulfilling careers. We will continue to develop officers to their full potential, based on performance and potential, rather than academic qualifications or divisional status. We will promote lifelong learning in line with SkillsFuture and help our officers deepen their skills as they progress through their careers. PSD and the Civil Service College will expand the range of development programmes, by adding new disciplines, for example, public engagement and technology management, and using new, engaging methods of instruction, such as simulation, gaming and online learning. Officers working in professional areas will be supported to seek certification and accreditation, to keep pace with advancements in their fields and become more proficient in their work. The Public Service will also maintain its policy of paying market-competitive salaries to recruit and retain public officers of good quality to serve Singaporeans well. We will also enhance leadership development in the Public Service, so that Public Service leaders not only lead their teams well, but also foster a culture of collaboration across agencies to Page: 66 better serve Singapore and Singaporeans. We will also help leaders at all levels to inspire and coach officers and to care for their well-being and development.”
“The Public Service will support the Government's efforts to work with all Singaporeans to build a better and brighter future for Singapore. Singaporeans, whether individuals or community and volunteer groups, are increasingly interested to contribute their ideas and energy to make Singapore a better home for everyone. The Public Service Division will help public agencies and officers build capabilities and strengthen partnerships with Singaporeans. Our Ministries and agencies will strengthen community partnerships, so that Singaporeans can work with the Public Service to innovate and deliver better solutions. Singaporeans can also offer their views and ideas to help the Public Service in developing, reviewing and implementing policies. We will also draw from more diverse groups of individuals to serve on our boards, councils and advisory panels. We will continue our practice of deploying more public officers and leaders to operational functions. To enable a smoother experience when Singaporeans interact with different Government agencies, our Ministries and agencies will improve coordination and collaboration across agencies and integrate frontline operations across agencies where possible. We will also communicate our policies more simply and clearly. To serve Singaporeans better as we move towards a Smart Nation, the Public Service will make better use of technology, such as data analytics and automated systems, to better understand citizens' needs, improve public services and raise productivity and efficiency. We will encourage our officers to form professional communities to share best practices, acquire new expertise and adopt new technological solutions.”
“NSCS has been working with Government agencies and community groups from the social sector, to develop a stronger understanding of the factors that affect social resilience, such as attitudes towards crises and emergencies, social capital and social trust, in a time of changing demographics and family resilience. Social media is a new factor which allows the rapid spread of information and directions to quickly manage a situation and restore confidence and order, but it can also spread rumours and disinformation which complicates the task of restoring order and exacerbates the situation. In the event of a crisis, it is not just the security agencies that will be called to respond. Our society as a whole will also be tested. We must ensure that we can bounce back from any incident and emerge stronger and more united. Singaporeans are already among the most networked and connected in the world. As we strive to become more integrated as a Smart Nation, we will become even more interconnected. NSCS works with MHA, MINDEF, IDA, EDB and NRF to engender research and develop practical solutions for cyber security and InfoComm Technology (ICT) challenges, to keep Singaporeans safe in the cyber world. While we can never be certain of where the next security threat may emerge, we need to prepare ourselves and develop robust plans that can be adapted for different threat scenarios. Standing together, we stand a better chance of ensuring our national security. Page: 64”
“Singapore faces an increasingly challenging threat landscape. While we have built up our social resilience and strengthened our security forces, our national security can be undermined in many ways, including a terrorist attack, a virus, whether medical or cyber, food contamination and social fissures. Online self-radicalisation and spread of terrorist methods enable copy-cat attacks. The role of the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) is to look ahead at possible threats and work with relevant Government agencies and stakeholders to develop plans to ensure that we are well-prepared to tackle new and emerging threats. Everyone has a part to play to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe. NSCS works with schools, businesses and people from all walks of life to raise public awareness of security issues and prepare them for potential threats and risks. Now in its third year, the "Let's Stand Together" campaign has grown in following. Members of the public engage actively in both online and offline activities to offer views and suggestions. Many support greater civic consciousness and social responsibility to ensure Singapore's national security. NSCS will use the feedback and suggestions to shape the next phase of the "Let's Stand Together" campaign. NSCS also studies the linkages between various critical infrastructures across sectors, such as energy, water, health, infocomm, banking and finance and transport. The intent is to identify and address potential vulnerabilities and danger areas that may arise due to the interdependencies, so that if a problem occurs in one part of the system, the impact on other parts, or other systems, can be limited and minimised. Social resilience is a key ingredient of national security.”
“We will upskill Singaporeans to play a central role in our research, innovation and enterprise efforts, while continuing to partner with and learn from the global community. In line with SkillsFuture, we will involve industries in providing postgraduate research training for Singaporeans through new programmes, such as Engineering Doctorates, and by expanding EDB's Page: 62 Industrial Postgraduate Programme. We will facilitate industry internships for our postgraduate research students to deepen skills and expand career choices. In a competitive world changing rapidly with technological advances, our research, innovation and enterprise efforts will be crucial to bringing Singapore and Singaporeans forward in the next stage of our development. We must continue to invest in science and technology to support growth and innovation and exploit new knowledge to diversify and create new industries, so that Singapore continues to thrive as an island of opportunity where Singaporeans progress together. Page: 63”
“We will grow our capabilities in research translation, innovation and facilitating startups, so that scientific breakthroughs improve our lives. We will support industries to get better at investing in new ideas and facilitate the flow-through of researchers into industries. Our investments will be focused in domains where Singapore has a strong competitive edge and where research and innovation can be applied to our economic and social needs. We will work with our companies to grow industry R&D capabilities and nurture innovative enterprises, to strengthen economic competitiveness and create value and good jobs for Singaporeans. We will build stronger linkages across the value chain in our research, innovation and enterprise ecosystem – scientists, technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, venture funds, MNCs and homegrown companies – to bring technology from our laboratories into our industries and grow stronger industry clusters. These efforts will be aligned with the work of the Committee on the Future Economy. Singapore must also leverage technology to seize new opportunities, become a Smart Nation and overcome our challenges. Deployment of technologies to make our lives better, solve problems and address our needs is important to realise the benefits of our scientific enterprise and grow our companies' capacity for innovation. We will build up capabilities of our Government agencies to lead in the use of new technologies and collaborate with companies to pilot and test-bed innovative solutions. The Government will also organise stakeholders across the national landscape and facilitate appropriate policies and regulations to enable new industries to grow.”
“Singapore's research, innovation and enterprise efforts will play a key role in our future economy and in enabling Singapore to be a Smart Nation. NRF partners scientists, technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, companies and Government agencies to transform our economy and society through knowledge and technology. We seek to grow more innovative Singapore-based companies, create more good jobs for Singaporeans and improve the lives of Singaporeans. Singapore has achieved a good standing internationally in R&D. Our Universities and research institutes conduct high-quality R&D that creates economic and societal value for Singapore and Singaporeans. Many international partners have set up R&D centres in Singapore. We have catalysed new economic activity through strategic research programmes in sectors, such as Marine & Offshore, Satellite and Cybersecurity, which have attracted active participation from the industries. More companies are investing in corporate laboratories in our Universities and research institutes. We have a vibrant and growing ecosystem of startups, venture capitalists, incubators and accelerators, leveraging Singapore's strengths as a financial centre and a trusted location to protect intellectual property. The growing number of successful companies based in Singapore or founded by Singaporeans, built from knowledge and technology created in Singapore, spur young Singaporeans to take up careers built around science and technology. The Government will sustain our commitment to research, innovation and enterprise. We will set aside $19 billion for the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2020 Plan for 2016-2020. We will continue to invest in research but sharpen our focus on how we create and capture value from our R&D investments.”
“We will partner people-sector organisations which share our family focus to cultivate stronger social support for marriage and parenthood. Singaporeans based overseas are part of our Singapore family. While we encourage Singaporeans to gain overseas experience, we will also engage them closely and facilitate their transition back home when they wish to return. Singapore has one of the most rapidly ageing populations in the world, with the number of seniors projected to double to 900,000 by 2030. While we encourage marriage and parenthood, we will need a carefully calibrated number of new citizens to keep our citizen population stable. We will also need foreigners to complement our Singaporean workforce in areas where we are short. But we cannot grow our population indefinitely. We will strike a careful balance, so that Singaporeans do not feel crowded out and we can meet the needs of our ageing citizen population and workforce. We have slowed the growth of our foreign workforce substantially and, as a result, our total population growth rate last year was the slowest in more than a decade. Our population challenges are complex and multifaceted. There are many needs to be fulfilled and we will strive to strike the right balance. We will take an open and consultative approach in our population strategies to ensure that all views are heard. This is critical in achieving the balance we strive for. We will work hand-in-hand with Singaporeans to co-create our future together. Page: 61”
“Our goal is to ensure that Singapore remains a cohesive and resilient society with a sustainable population. We aim to make Singapore a great place for starting families and raising children and where Singaporeans can have good jobs and enjoy a quality living environment. Singapore is a multicultural society where everyone who shares our ideals and is committed to Singapore has a place, regardless of race, language or religion. To remain relevant, we must continue to tap on a global blend of people and ideas to move Singapore ahead and, in doing so, create more opportunities for Singaporeans. We will continue to welcome talent to augment our economic vitality while ensuring that Singaporeans get the necessary education and training to do well in the global economy. Singapore must be a place where everyone is treated fairly and have equal opportunities to succeed based on merit and hard work, regardless of background. We will foster greater mutual understanding and appreciation between different people living in Singapore, through facilitating more social interactions and raising awareness of shared societal values and norms. We will promote a pro-family environment where Singaporeans can fulfil their family and work aspirations. In the last two years, citizen marriages and births were among their highest levels in more than a decade. We will try to keep this up. We have strengthened support for marriage and parenthood, for example, through enhanced housing and childcare policies. Even as we improve these measures, we must recognise the need for broader societal support. As more mothers remain active in the workforce, there is room for fathers to play more active roles in bringing up children. Employers are also critical in ensuring good workplace support.”
“We will promote climate awareness through public education and outreach programmes. We will build capacity in and support efforts by the people, private and public sectors for climate action. Together, we can build Singapore as an enduring and sustainable home which current and future generations of Singaporeans can enjoy and be proud of. Page: 60”
“This will be complemented by mandatory measures under the Energy Conservation Act, as well as various capability building programmes, incentives and financing schemes. We will also study ways to harness more clean energy. For example, solar deployment will be scaled up from the current 47 MWp, to provide around 350 MWp of electricity by 2020. Household energy efficiency will continue to be improved through the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme, which provides information to help consumers make more informed decisions when purchasing household appliances. The Minimum Energy Performance Standards scheme will ensure that only household electrical appliances2 that meet minimum energy performance standards can be sold in Singapore. More categories of appliances will be added to the scheme over time. With reduced energy consumption, businesses and consumers will enjoy cost savings. We will also continue to invest in research and technology to develop innovative solutions to address Singapore's needs in the areas of energy, emissions reduction, water and land use. As Singapore's base of green companies expands, Singaporeans can look forward to more high-value jobs in exciting new areas, such as solar energy, energy storage solutions and clean transportation, and contribute to improving our quality of life and living environment. The first phase of the Second National Climate Change Study completed in April 2015 provides the long-term climate projections for Singapore. We will build on these projections to assess the impact on Singapore and develop plans to enhance our resilience in areas, such as coastal protection, water resources and urban infrastructure. Page: 59 Meeting our climate commitment will require everyone to play a part.”
“As a small, low-lying city state, Singapore is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as sea level rise and more frequent extreme weather events. We will strengthen our resilience against the risks from climate change and manage our greenhouse gas emissions to achieve economic growth in a sustainable manner. We are already on track to fulfil our existing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 16% below business as usual by 2020. A historic, new global climate agreement was adopted in Paris in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Singapore played an active role in forging consensus on the Agreement. In line with the Agreement, Singapore has made a further commitment to reduce our Emissions Intensity1 by 36% from 2005 levels by 2030 and stabilise greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of peaking around 2030. Our UNFCCC pledge is an ambitious one and will require concerted effort by all stakeholders, including the Government, businesses, households and individuals. Existing policies and measures will need to be enhanced; new initiatives will also be introduced. This will involve significant adjustments to the way we lead our daily lives. Stakeholders will be engaged to gather feedback on the enhancements and new measures needed. Enhanced energy efficiency will play a key role in our efforts to manage emissions. We will promote the adoption of more efficient industrial and power generation technologies and encourage the use of more energy-efficient buildings, transportation and household appliances. Our industries will have to step up efforts to re-examine their processes and implement measures to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions.”
“Since 2012, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has collaborated with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency to accredit the modules of SCDF’s fire-fighting training programmes with the national-level Workforce Skills Qualifications framework. This ensures that the competencies acquired by officers during their continual training in SCDF will be recognised by private sector employers from various industry sectors and improves our officers’ employability when they retire from or leave SCDF. In addition, SCDF also runs training courses for retiring officers covering areas, such as resume writing and job interview skills, which will prepare them to seek second careers beyond the Force. Page: 93”
“The retirement age of Home Affairs Uniformed Services (HUS) officers, including Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers, was extended from 50 to 55 years in October 2013. This is because many HUS officers are still physically fit in their early 50s and many wish to continue working and contributing to the Home Team. Beyond the retirement age of 55 years, where there are organisational needs, HUS officers may be offered re-employment, subject to performance, conduct and fitness criteria. From 2012 to 2014, an average of 35 SCDF officers retired each year. About 80% of the retired officers were re-employed by SCDF. The officers were generally re-employed to the same jobs so that they can continue to contribute with their experience and expertise.”
“The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) plans the locations of fire stations and fire posts and the deployment of fire engines and ambulances based on factors, such as population density and caseload. This ensures that SCDF’s emergency resources are well-distributed to respond quickly to emergencies. SCDF’s deployment of emergency response resources is not static and is adjusted as necessary to ensure prompt and effective emergency response. SCDF currently has a fleet of 50 emergency ambulances that is located across 15 fire stations. Each fire station would have between one and five ambulances. Each ambulance is staffed by a three-man crew comprising a paramedic and two emergency medical technicians. The nearest available emergency ambulance is dispatched to attend to emergency medical cases. SCDF aims to respond to 80% of all emergency medical calls within 11 minutes. In 2014, SCDF received 155,781 emergency medical calls and responded to 83% of the cases within 11 minutes. SCDF recently launched the Save-a-Life initiative to enhance the community response to medical emergencies before the arrival of an ambulance. Under the initiative, SCDF will install more automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, such as HDB lift lobbies, build a network of trained community responders and alert them to cardiac arrest cases in their immediate vicinity through the myResponder mobile app. This community response will complement SCDF’s emergency response and help to increase the overall survival rate of cardiac arrest cases in Singapore.”
“The Constitution does not disqualify Statutory Board employees from running for office or becoming Members of Parliament as Statutory Boards are regarded in law as distinct entities from the Government. Most Statutory Boards have, nonetheless, aligned their practice to that of the Civil Service. Employees of these Statutory Boards are not allowed to hold office in political parties and stand for election to Parliament. For a small group of Statutory Boards which are not involved in policy formulation or implementation, such as institutions of higher learning, there is greater flexibility in the guidelines on participation in political activities. Employees of these Statutory Boards are generally allowed to join political parties and stand for election to Parliament unless they hold leadership positions in these entities.”
“As of 31 July 2015, 3,104 electors have registered to vote overseas. This is 0.1% of the total number of electors in the registers. At the 2011 General Election, 78% of registered overseas electors cast their vote at the overseas polling stations.”
“The Singapore Prison Service is reviewing both regimes with a view to providing more structured supervision and aftercare support for CT and PD inmates upon their release from prison. This will help them reintegrate into society and prevent re-offending. However, even with more supervision and aftercare support, inmates must, ultimately, take personal responsibility not to re-offend upon release. Page: 127”
“Repeat offenders can be sentenced to Corrective Training (CT) or Preventive Detention (PD) upon conviction, if they have been previously convicted for offences punishable with imprisonment for two years or more. The focus of CT is to prevent crime and reform repeat offenders. Repeat offenders aged 18 or above may be sentenced to CT for a period of between five and 14 years. Repeat offenders aged 30 or above may be sentenced to PD for a period of between seven and 20 years. The longer sentence under PD is to incarcerate recalcitrant offenders for a substantial period of time to protect the public. When serving their sentences, both CT and PD inmates go through rehabilitation and counselling programmes to deal with their offending behaviour and underlying criminal tendencies. They may also be selected to work in Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) workshops where they receive vocational training to improve their employability upon release. Towards the end of their sentences, suitable CT and PD inmates may be considered for release on licence at either a halfway house or their own homes with strict conditions. This is to facilitate their reintegration into society. Given the different profiles of CT and PD inmates, more CT inmates are released on licence. The repeat offenders sentenced to CT and PD are typically assessed as more likely to re-offend, compared to other repeat offenders. The CT and PD regimes are, therefore, designed to reduce re-offending and recidivism through a combination of longer sentences and rehabilitation programmes for the inmates. The average recidivism rate for CT and PD inmates released from 2008 to 2012 is comparable to that of other repeat offenders.”
“The Civil Service's re-employment guidelines take reference from the Tripartite Guidelines on the Re-employment of Older Employees. Our agencies offer re-employment to all officers who wish to continue working, so long as they meet the minimum performance and conduct criteria and are medically fit to continue working up to age 67. The guidelines also provide for agencies to have early discussions with retiring officers on their re-employment plans, including the flexibility to opt for part-time work arrangements. From 1 July 2011, when we introduced re-employment, to 31 December 2014, 98% of re-employed officers opted for full-time work arrangements, while 2% of re-employed officers opted for part-time work arrangements. Only one officer was re-employed on contract for service.”
“When Police receive a report on a missing person, investigations will be conducted to locate the person's whereabouts. Police will interview the complainant to establish background facts pertaining to the missing person, such as his mental health and the circumstances under which he was last seen. Police will also disseminate lookout messages for the missing person to all Police resources, especially those within the particular area where the missing person is reasonably believed to be in. In particular, Police will accord priority to the follow-up for various categories of missing persons who may be at higher risk. These include young children, elderly persons, persons with intellectual disabilities, such as dementia, and those missing under suspicious circumstances. In such cases, Police will mount a search operation if the person had only just Page: 86 gone missing or if there are leads to suggest where the missing persons might be. In addition, Police already have established procedures in place to work with other Government agencies to locate missing persons. For example, Police will screen with other Government agencies, such as education institutions, hospitals and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), to trace and locate the missing person. Police may also issue appeals for information to seek the public's assistance to locate them.”
“The Public Prosecutor has the final prosecutorial discretion on whether to charge the suspect in Court for each case.”
“Police have prescribed procedures to handle suspects with intellectual disabilities or mental disorders so that necessary assistance can be rendered to them in the course of investigations. The Appropriate Adults Scheme (AAS) was introduced to assist vulnerable suspects, regardless of their age, with intellectual disabilities or mental disorders. The scheme was introduced progressively at Police Land Divisions since January 2015 and was fully implemented in May 2015. Under AAS, Appropriate Adults (AAs) or support persons are provided to act as a bridge between Police and the vulnerable suspect to enable effective communication during Police's interviews. Similar schemes can be found in jurisdictions, Page: 85 such as the UK and Australia. The AAs are recruited and managed by the Law Society. At present, there are 136 AAs and they comprise volunteers from VWOs, special education teachers, caregivers and grassroots leaders. As of end June 2015, there were 41 activations of the AAs. In determining whether to activate the AAS, Police will ask the suspect or his next-of-kin to disclose any previous treatment for intellectual disabilities or mental disorders. Police will also check if the suspect is registered with the Developmental Disability Registry (DDR) administered by the National Council of Social Services. In addition, for suspects who do not have known medical records and are not registered with the relevant agencies, Police will make an assessment based on whether the suspect displays behaviour indicative of intellectual disabilities or mental disorders. Upon the completion of its investigations, Police will submit its findings, including the relevant medical reports, to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) for its consideration.”
“A point of Order, Mdm Speaker. Is there such a thing as an objection on that basis and to have this kind of objection recorded in a vote? Either you vote for or you vote against the Bill. Which Standing Order, Madam, may I ask?”
“With regard to the double murder at Hillside Drive reported on 10 July 2013, the accused was charged in Court on 15 July 2013. He is facing two counts of murder under section 300(a) of the Penal Code and is currently remanded at Changi Prison Complex, pending Court proceedings. A Committal Hearing has been scheduled on 29 July 2015, for the Judge to decide whether or not to commit the accused to a High Court Trial. In the event that the accused is committed to stand trial in the High Court, the trial dates will be from 20 to 30 October 2015 and 29 March to 8 April 2016.”
“Elderly parents of Singapore Citizens (SCs) may be granted Singapore Citizenship under the sponsorship of their SC children. The applications will be assessed on a range of criteria, which include the length of time the adult child/children has been an SC (for naturalised SCs) and the elderly person’s length of residence in Singapore, whether all their adult children are SCs, the contributions of the adult SC children to Singapore and the financial ability of the SC child/children to support the elderly parents. SCs can sponsor only their immediate family members, namely, parents, spouse and children for SC. They are not able to sponsor their grandparents for SC. Foreign spouses of SCs may be granted Permanent Residence (PR) or Singapore Citizenship under the Family Ties Scheme (FTS). Each PR or SC application for a foreign spouse is evaluated holistically on a range of criteria, which include the ability of the SC sponsor to support the family, the length of marriage and whether the couple have any Page: 160 children from the marriage. If the couple have children from their marriage, this will be a plus factor although having more children does not necessarily mean that the applicant has higher priority as applications are assessed holistically.”
“The Kovan/Hillside/Rosyth clusters and Serangoon Gardens comprise mainly of low-density landed residential estates which have narrow roads. The SCDF Division which provides emergency services for these estates conducts regular ground surveys to familiarise their responders with the specific operational challenges of the area. The operational challenges include difficulties in emergency vehicle access because of the narrow roads, which are exacerbated by the incidence of illegal kerbside parking. When the SCDF comes across in their ground surveys such areas with illegal parking that may hinder its emergency vehicle access, they will notify the LTA to conduct regular enforcement action against the illegally parked vehicles. Errant vehicle owners may be fined or awarded demerit points to deter recurrent offences. To address the terrain challenges of residential estates such as the Kovan/Hillside/Rosyth clusters and Serangoon Gardens, the SCDF would also dispatch their fleet of smaller, more maneuverable emergency vehicles such as the Light Fire Attack Vehicle, Class 3 Emergency Ambulances and Fire Bikes together with the larger fire engines when responding to emergencies in such neighbourhoods. This will enable the SCDF to effectively access the narrower roads without undue delay.”
“Between 2010 to 2014, an average of 4,000 spouses of Singapore Citizens (SCs) were granted Permanent Residence (PR) under the Family Ties Scheme each year. This is a slight increase over the average of 3,800 per year between 2010 and 2012. As at 31 December 2014, there were 62,100 spouses of SCs who were PRs granted under the Family Ties Scheme, an increase compared to 58,600 at the end of 2012. The above figures do not include spouses who obtained PR on their own merits or those who were already PRs at the time of marriage to SCs. While the number of marriages between SCs and foreigners has risen over the last decade, the numbers have remained relatively stable in the past five years at around 6,700 on average. All else being equal, applicants with an SC spouse are more likely to obtain PR, compared to applicants without a Singaporean nexus. ICA does not track the number of PRs who are siblings of SCs, as these applicants are not eligible to be considered under the Family Ties Scheme. They are considered on their own merits when they apply for PR.”
“The amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act in 2012 on the application of the death penalty to the offence of drug trafficking gave the court the discretion to decide whether to impose a sentence of life imprisonment and caning, or the death sentence for drug couriers who have provided substantive assistance to the CNB in disrupting drug trafficking activities within or outside Singapore. The “substantive assistance” condition is meant to enhance the operational effectiveness of the CNB in taking action against drug syndicates. It enables CNB investigations to reach higher into the hierarchy of such syndicates. Since the changes were implemented, the information provided by drug couriers and joint collaboration with regional counterparts have led to the arrest of more than 40 drug traffickers and disrupted the operations of drug trafficking syndicates. However, we recognise that the drug trafficking syndicates are constantly evolving their mode of operations to circumvent our laws. The new law has thus brought some successes, which have assisted CNB to maintain its tough and vigilant enforcement approach. We have a zero-tolerance approach against drugs and the measures we have taken – tough laws, robust enforcement and preventive drug education seek to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs. In doing so, we are able to keep the drug situation under control.”
“This will be done concurrently while the SCDF officers engage the building management or residents to remove the obstructing vehicles. The Fire Safety Act also empowers SCDF officers to forcibly remove any vehicle that is impeding its fire-fighting operation.”
“Public roads in Singapore are designed according to strict standards to ensure that there is a minimum clearance for emergency vehicles to pass through. This minimum clearance requirement also applies to narrow roads, including those that allow kerbside vehicular parking, so that homes adjacent to such roads remain accessible to all emergency vehicles. The SCDF maintains a fleet of smaller, more maneuverable emergency vehicles, such as the Light Fire Attack Vehicle, Class 3 Emergency Ambulances and Fire Bikes, which could be deployed with ease on roads with narrow access ways. The SCDF also conducts regular ground surveys to familiarise SCDF responders with the specific operational challenges of the geographical area covered by each fire station. As part of these surveys, the SCDF identifies areas with rampant illegal parking which could potentially impact its emergency vehicle access. The SCDF will notify LTA who will then undertake regular enforcement action against the illegally parked vehicles in these areas to ensure that the access of emergency vehicles is not impeded. Errant vehicle owners may be fined or awarded demerit points to deter recurrent offences. When there is obstruction of access in an emergency situation, the SCDF ground commander will assess the ground situation and consider alternative options to overcome the obstruction. The options include the deployment of the Light Fire Attack Vehicle and the Fire Bikes, which are dispatched together with the larger fire engines for emergencies in residential estates. The ground commander can also deploy fire-fighting equipment and SCDF officers on foot to the scene to support the smaller emergency vehicles which are already at scene.”
“At any one time, SCDF deploys a fleet of 50 emergency ambulances across Singapore to ensure prompt response to emergency medical calls. SCDF considers demand factors like population density and case load when deciding on its deployment strategy. In 2014, SCDF responded to more than 155,000 ambulance calls, or about 427 calls per day. Of these, 73 calls over the whole year, or one call every five days, were from Jurong Island. Given this case load, it is not practical for the SCDF to assign one ambulance to standby just for Jurong Island. However, to ensure swift response to emergency medical calls on Jurong Island, an emergency ambulance is deployed at the Jurong Pier Fire Post, located at the Jurong Island Checkpoint, from 7.00 am to 11.00 pm daily. This covers the period when industrial activity on Jurong Island is the busiest. However for optimal use of our limited ambulance resources, this ambulance is also dispatched to emergency medical cases in the vicinity, such as Boon Lay, Tuas and Jurong Industrial Estate. SCDF’s deployment of its emergency ambulance fleet is not static. SCDF closely monitors the population changes, its response times and adjusts the deployment of its emergency ambulances as necessary to ensure prompt and effective response.”
“Every escape or attempt to escape from custody is a very serious matter, as this could pose a threat to public safety. The Police’s Internal Affairs Office (IAO) is conducting a thorough investigation into possible negligence of duty by the officers involved in escorting the PIC at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The IAO will establish the full facts of what happened and how the incident was handled. MHA has an independent review mechanism which the Minister can convene to look into cases of significance. This ensures that Home Team Departments’ investigations into their officers’ proper performance of duties are thorough and well-conducted. Given the seriousness of the incident, I am convening an Independent Review Panel to review the findings of Police’s internal investigations. The criminal investigations into the unlawful discharge of firearms are also continuing. The findings from all these investigations will allow the Police to identify any shortcomings in compliance and also take corrective action to address gaps, if any, in the existing procedures. Page: 119”
“All frontline police officers are trained to escort PICs as part of their basic training, and required to take an annual test to maintain these basic police competencies. Officers also Page: 118 have to be trained in the use of grip restraints before they are allowed to use them on PICs. I will now come to this specific case. I will present the facts as are currently known, in order not to prejudice the ongoing Police investigations, and the criminal case against Muhammad Iskandar Bin Sa’at (Iskandar), the PIC involved in the incident at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on 20 June 2015. On 19 June 2015, one day before the incident, Iskandar had been arrested for motor vehicle theft and was ordered by the Courts to be remanded for further investigations. On 20 June 2015, he complained of chest pains and was escorted by two Police officers to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital to seek medical attention. He was brought to one of the hospital’s designated holding rooms for PICs, which is not accessible to the public, for the medical examination. While in the room, he attacked one of the Police officers and attempted to escape. The Police officer tried to prevent the PIC from doing so. A struggle ensued during which the PIC grabbed the Police officer’s revolver. Shots were fired from the officer’s revolver. The PIC sustained superficial injuries while the Police officer suffered gunshot wounds to his left thumb and right foot. The PIC was subsequently subdued and the situation brought under control. Police’s preliminary investigations showed that the escort procedures, which were last reviewed by the Police in 2014, are generally sound. Nonetheless, in the light of this incident, the Police are doing ground audits to ensure that the escort procedures are being properly complied with.”
“Person-in-Custody, or PIC, who requires medical attention may be escorted out of secured Police facilities to a hospital for treatment. The Police have an established set of procedures to guard against the risk of PICs escaping while in hospital. These procedures are benchmarked against international best practices. For example, Police studied the PIC management system of the Victoria Police in Australia in 2006 and the UK Police in 2009 and 2011. First, grip restraints are applied on a PIC who is being escorted for medical treatment at hospitals. Each set of grip restraints comprises two belts. One belt is placed around the PIC’s waist, and has two wrist restraints which are used to lock the PIC’s hands in position at the sides of his waist. The other belt has two ankle restraints which are fastened around the ankles of the PIC to restrict his movement. The grip restraints have been used by the Police since 2005 and are also used by the US Department of Homeland Security and many correctional facilities and law enforcement agencies around the world. Unless deemed necessary by the medical staff for medical examination or treatment, grip restraints cannot be removed from the PIC at any time. Where it is necessary to release the grip restraint at one wrist, the other arm unaffected by the medical treatment must be secured to an immovable fixture. Second, a minimum of two police escort officers are required to be present at all times during the escort of the PIC. While on escort duty, the officers are not to let the PIC out of their sight at any time. The officers must be vigilant and exercise situational awareness to minimise any opportunities for escape.”
“The Police do not track the number of reports lodged against the activities of itinerant door-to-door salesmen, as door-to-door sales does not constitute a criminal offence that Police Officers attend to. Itinerant hawkers who carry and peddle food or goods from place to place or door-to-door without a licence are liable to be charged for illegal hawking under the Environmental Public Health Act, which is enforced by the National Environment Agency (NEA). First-time offenders will face a fine of up to $5,000. The Police will work closely with NEA in cases where door-to-door salesmen cause public nuisance or commit other offences, such as cheating under the guise of door-to-door sales. Members of the public are advised not to allow anyone to enter their houses, whether door-to-door salesmen or other persons, without verifying the identity of the person. If in doubt, members of the public should verify his identify with his company. If a person enters or attempts to enter a home without permission or proper authority, then the homeowner or occupant should seek assistance from the Police. The Neighbourhood Police Centres will include such advice to residents in their crime prevention outreach activities.”
“The Public Service offers a wide range of jobs with different requirements. Hiring is not based on academic qualifications alone. We take into account other important factors, such as relevant work experience, personal attributes and motivations and commitment to public service. For a mid-career candidate, relevant work experience is more important than academic qualifications for a good job fit. Therefore, the extent to which a candidate’s degree, whether local or foreign, is considered in the hiring decision will differ from job to job and person to person. Each public agency is in the best position to decide on the relevance and appropriateness of a candidate’s degree to recruit the best person for the job, considering his other credentials and the requirements of the job. In assessing foreign degrees, the Public Service Division’s guidance to agencies is to check whether the foreign degree is accredited by the home government where the degree originates. For professional qualifications obtained from foreign institutions, the qualifications must be recognised by the relevant professional bodies in Singapore to be considered for the relevant Public Service post. This is a practical approach and not something a central authority can do.”
“Mdm Speaker, I described the purpose of PSC scholarships. The purpose of PSC scholarships is not merely to recognise the academic attainments of a particular individual. They are designed to have outstanding men and women with a passion, Page: 28 capability and clear commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans in the Public Service. Hence, if there are such Singaporeans of ability who want to apply for a PSC scholarship, we would be happy to award it to the student. But if they are equivalently bright, young and able people who have decided that, "No, this is not what I want to do", then, this does not come under the ambit of the PSC scholarship and it would not be appropriate to do so.”
“The Public Service Commission (PSC) does not currently award honorary, or otherwise called nominal scholarships, with no funding for the students. Between 1968 and 1992, PSC awarded nominal scholarships to 10 President's Scholarship recipients. These scholarships, at that time, did not come with funding and had no bond. They recognised individuals who wanted to pursue courses overseas which PSC had decided not to fund. Currently, PSC scholarships are awarded to outstanding men and women with the passion, capability and clear commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans through a career in the Public Service. Hence, today, all individuals awarded PSC scholarships are provided full funding for their university studies and are expected to commit to work in the Public Service. Under this framework, PSC thus no longer awards nominal scholarships.”
“Spas are regulated as Massage Establishments (ME) under the ME Act. As MEs have and can be used as fronts for illicit vice activities and cause law and order and social problems, Police’s licensing framework imposes different qualifying criteria and operating conditions for the different types of MEs. There are three categories of MEs licensed by Police – Category I, Category II and Exempted MEs. Category I MEs are expected to meet high operating standards and have the most stringent qualifying criteria, including the requirement to obtain CaseTrust accreditation. As Category I MEs meet more stringent qualifying criteria, there are fewer restrictions on where they can operate. Category I MEs are allowed to operate in HDB estates. The higher standards set for such MEs will help to prevent illicit activities and law and order problems in HDB estates. Operators under the "Exempted ME" category can also apply to operate in HDB estates. This category of MEs has to abide by tighter operating conditions, which include having no partitions or cubicles within the premises and ensuring that all areas in the premises where massage services are carried out are visible from outside the premises. Any applications under this category must meet these criteria and are subject to approval. Under the ME Act, there is no distinction between establishments that claim to serve only male or female clients.”
“Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, and I urge Members to give their support to the Police Force (Amendment) Bill. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Teo Chee Hean.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)] Page: 66”
“They also have to go through and pass a stringent training and testing regime before they can be deployed. APOs are trained and tested in shooting, unarmed tactics and Police procedures as part of their basic training. Similar to Police Officers, APOs are also required to take annual physical fitness and shooting tests. This comprehensive training and testing regime ensures that APOs perform at a high standard and are effective in discharging their duties. Dr Janil also asked a very important point and I thank him for that. What protections are there for our officers, especially our Forensic Specialists and Civilian Police Assistants? Will they be accorded the same legal protection as Police Officers? The laws that protect Police Officers and public servants also apply to these civilian officers while they are on duty. For instance, if a person assaults a Forensic Specialist or Community Warden to prevent the officer from discharging his duty, the culprit would have committed the offence of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from carrying out his duty under the Penal Code. These civilian officers are also granted the same immunities as Police Officers under the PFA while they are performing their official duties. They will not be liable for consequences of proper acts performed while discharging their duties. Mdm Speaker, let me conclude. This Bill covers a range of amendments to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Singapore Police Force, prevent abuse of Police uniforms and insignia, and streamline internal processes. Taken together, these amendments enable the Police to be more effective in maintaining law and order in Singapore, and keeping Singapore safe and secure.”
“The Community Wardens will be under the command and control of the Police, and their work and safety will be monitored by the respective Police Division Operations Rooms. They will also have communication equipment to call for Police assistance if this is needed. I was also asked about the rationale behind the amendments related to the APOs' powers of arrest. The policy intent and practice have always been for APOs to have powers of arrest when they are on duty. The proposed amendments do not make any change to these powers, but seek to remove any ambiguity and make clear in law that APOs may detain or arrest individuals in the course of assisting the Police in the maintenance of law and order. APOs may only exercise these powers when they are on duty. This is also the current practice. The circumstances where the APOs can exercise these powers will be further clarified by a Police Gazette. First, if an arrestable offence is committed in the APO's view, the APO may arrest the individual, hand-cuff the person if necessary, and hand over the person to the Police without delay. For example, if an APO is on duty at the airport and he spots a pickpocket committing an offence, the APO can arrest the pickpocket. In fact, he should. Second, if an APO is made aware of the commission of an arrestable offence but this was not committed in his view, within his sight, the APO may ask the person for his particulars and request the person to wait for Police to arrive. If the person refuses to comply, the APO may Page: 65 then detain the person until the arrival of the Police. All APOs must meet a set of stringent selection criteria, including educational qualifications and security screening, before they are considered for employment.”
“These Community Wardens will take case notes, coordinate the referral of cases to grassroots Page: 64 leaders for informal mediation and issue noise abatement advisories. The Police will pilot the deployment of Community Wardens in two wards, Tampines North and Boon Lay, in the second half of 2015. These Community Wardens will be civilian officers employed by the Police. They are not volunteers, though the provision is there for subsequent phases, if it proves to be useful, to have volunteers. But in the first instance for the pilot, they will not be volunteers. Ms Lim asked about educational qualifications. I thought we have spent quite a lot of time during this Parliament not talking about educational qualifications and trying to move away from that. Educational qualifications are one factor to be taken into account in selecting Community Wardens. However, more importantly, Community Wardens need to have good people skills as they will be at the frontline dealing with disputing neighbours. The pilot will last six months. Police will then review the effectiveness of the pilot before deciding on longer term plans, together with MCCY. Dr Janil and Ms Lim asked about the equipment and training that will be provided to Community Wardens. Similar to Forensic Specialists, the Community Wardens will be empowered, equipped and trained to enable them to perform their roles. As Community Wardens will often be deployed alone, defensive equipment like batons will be provided for self-defence. They will also put on body-worn cameras. Community Wardens will be trained in basic law, mediation skills and self-defence.”
“Examples may include commercial divers who may be engaged to obtain evidence underwater, or overseas forensic specialists who are trained in conducting sophisticated forensic examinations, in specific types of crimes and circumstances. Dr Janil and Ms Lim asked about the equipment and training that will be provided to Forensic Specialists. Forensic Specialists will be empowered, equipped and trained to enable them to perform their duties. As they may not always partner a Police Officer when working at a crime scene, defensive equipment like batons will be provided for self-defence. Restraints, like handcuffs, may be issued to Forensic Specialists as they may have to detain individuals who attempt to remove evidence from, or interfere with, the crime scene. So, these are mainly provided for them to be able to carry out their immediate duties. Forensic Specialists may not necessarily carry such equipment with them every time they are on duty. Police will take a risk-based approach and equip them accordingly, depending on the specific operating environment at the crime scene. Forensic Specialists will be trained and tested on the use of these equipment to ensure their own safety and that of members of the public. Madam, I will now elaborate on the Community Warden programme. The Community Warden programme was developed as part of the overall Community Dispute Management Framework led by MCCY. Community Wardens assist the Police to respond to high impact noise nuisance cases in the community. Why have we focused on noise? First of all, because it is currently an offence in extreme cases of noise. And second, because noise actually constitutes a very large proportion of the cases for which Police are called in for, in the community.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank both Dr Janil and Ms Sylvia Lim for speaking on and supporting the Bill. I will address the issues raised in turn. Dr Janil asked about the impact on retailers arising from criminalising the unauthorised use, distribution and sale of SPF insignia and uniforms. Madam, the amendments are made to protect the public. Police logos, insignia and uniforms, if misused, may result in serious consequences, given the considerable powers vested with the Police. Police have, in fact, been engaging the retailers since late last year. And the retailers were informed of the plans to criminalise the unauthorised sale and distribution of these items. The retailers said that the early notice has been helpful, as they would stop bringing in new stock and take the next few months to clear existing stock. So, they have had some time. Police will continue to Page: 63 engage the retailers in the coming months. Dr Janil and Ms Lim raised questions relating to two groups of civilian officers – Forensic Specialists and Civilian Police Assistants. The appointment of these civilian officers with specialist skills and training would enhance the effectiveness of the Police and law enforcement agencies. With regard to the need to tap on forensic expertise outside the public sector, while the Police and public sector have sufficient forensic capabilities for Police's day-to-day operations, there may be situations where additional surges in capacity or specialist expertise may be required. These can include a natural disaster or a building collapse. There may also be occasions when external experts are engaged to assist in specialised evidence gathering.”