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.”
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“When SCDF rescuers face a threat of violence or danger, the protocol is for Police Officers to protect the SCDF officers so that they can carry out their rescue mission. And this is what happened in this incident, where the SCDF and Police Officers worked together to carry out their duties to save lives and maintain public order. However, the scale and intensity of this incident were beyond what the initial responding forces were equipped to deal with and to bring under control. Police and SCDF are reviewing the incident to see where improvements to equipment, training or protocols can be made. After the riot, Police immediately commenced investigations that same night to identify those involved. They also checked on workers returning to their dorms to identify persons, and to maintain security in the dorms. Within two weeks, Police interviewed about 4,000 persons. More than 400 persons were called up for further investigations. Action has been taken against 295 persons who can be categorised into three groups. The first group of 25 persons include instigators and those actively involved in egregious acts of violence. They had damaged property, defied Police orders or incited others to do so. They have been charged in Court. The second group of 57 persons had knowingly joined or continued to participate in the riot, despite being ordered to disperse by Police. In doing so, they had impeded riot control and emergency rescue operations. These persons were given stern warnings by Police and repatriated. They will be banned from returning to Singapore. The third group of 213 persons who were present but their involvement was assessed to be passive and incidental and they were issued formal Police advisories in the presence of their employers.”
“They closed perimeter roads around the site to prevent innocent persons from venturing into the incident area. But there were still too few Police Officers present to prevent the rioters from overturning emergency response vehicles, and setting fire to several of them. The first vehicle was set on fire at about 10.30 pm. While the rioters had the ability and the opportunity to cause grievous hurt, Police Officers present assessed that there was no immediate threat to lives, that is, no immediate jeopardy to lives. Based on Police doctrine, they assessed that the use of lethal force was not appropriate. It could have worsened the situation, or hurt innocent bystanders. The first SOC troop of 29 officers arrived at 10.42 pm, which was about 40 minutes after their activation and about one hour after the ground commander had first requested for SOC support. The second troop arrived shortly thereafter. No more vehicles were overturned or set on fire after the SOC arrived. After assessing the terrain, crowd size and mood, the ground commander directed the SOC troops to disperse the mob. The troops formed up at their assigned locations, and ordered the crowd to disperse in several languages, including Tamil. But instead of dispersing, persons in the crowd continued to pelt the SOC officers with various objects. The SOC troops then moved in to disperse the crowd. As they advanced, the crowd backed off, broke into smaller groups and began to disperse. This also facilitated the arrest of rioters by Police. The entire situation was brought under control within two hours of the start of the incident. Page: 55 Mr Alex Yam asked about personal safety and security measures for SCDF rescuers against violence.”
“Mdm Speaker, a riot took place in Little India on the night of 8 December 2013. The riot was the result of an unruly mob reacting to a fatal traffic accident. This was the worst public order disturbance in Singapore in more than four decades. Twenty three emergency response vehicles were damaged, of which five were burnt. Another seven private vehicles were damaged. Forty-nine Home Team officers sustained injuries. The first responders found the deceased, Mr Sakthivel Kumaravelu, pinned under a private bus. By then, a crowd of about 100 persons had gathered. The bus driver and the bus service timekeeper were taking refuge in the bus, as they had been injured by the angry mob. As the crowd was unruly, the first responders immediately requested assistance. SCDF and Police reinforcements started to arrive from 9.38 pm. The Police ground commander also requested for support from Police Special Operations Command, or SOC, at 9.45 pm. Page: 54 Despite the mob pelting the bus with objects such as beer bottles, stones and drain covers, Police Officers created a cordon for SCDF officers to extricate the deceased. At 9.54 pm, SCDF officers extricated the body of the deceased from under the bus, shielded by Police Officers. By this time, the crowd had swelled to about 400, and continued to be unruly and violent. The SOC was activated at 10.04 pm. The SOC officers are specially trained in the use of equipment and tactics to deal with large-scale riots and public order threats. At approximately 10.08 pm, the officers also evacuated the bus driver and timekeeper from the bus and shielded them to the ambulance. At approximately 10.27 pm, the bus driver and timekeeper were conveyed to hospital. Meanwhile, other Police Officers arriving at the scene sought to contain the situation.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to make this Statement. May I have your permission to display slides and ask the Clerk to distribute handouts to Members, which I will refer to during my Statement?”
“Mdm Speaker, I will be making a Ministerial Statement following Question Time. May I have your permission to address the issues that Members have raised in Question Nos 1 to 21 during my Ministerial Statement?”
“Police and CNB operations are carried out with approval by authorised officers and strictly in accordance with the law and established procedures. Where they involve forced entry into premises, the officers will generally exercise care to minimise possible damage to property. There is no legal requirement to compensate owners for any damage caused to their property arising from forced entries conducted in accordance with proper procedures and the law. However, on goodwill grounds, Police and CNB will consider compensation claims on a case-by-case basis if no criminal activities have been found in the raided premises. In 2012, such goodwill Page: 174 compensation was paid to five cases.”
“As at end-June 2013, there were 80,000 Student Pass (STP) holders. The majority come from the countries nearby and North Asia, with the key countries being Malaysia, Indonesia and China. There is an even split between male and female students. An STP holder has to comply with a set of terms and conditions, which includes regular attendance of classes and adherence to our laws. Should an STP holder contravene any of the conditions, ICA may cancel the STP and repatriate the student. If ICA receives a complaint that an STP holder is allegedly breaking up a Singaporean family and supporting proof is provided, ICA will look into the matter and take the appropriate action. Over the last three years, there were around 100 students or about 0.1% each year whose STPs were cancelled or not renewed. The reasons for cancellation and non-renewal include illegal employment and offences, such as theft.”
“The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners were adopted in 1955 and they set out generally accepted good principles and practices in the treatment of prisoners and management of institutions. The Rules cover areas such as food, clothing, personal hygiene, work, discipline, medical services and accommodation. Recognising that not all the Rules are capable of application in all places at all times, the UN allows countries to apply them suitably, according to their own context. There are no international legal obligations for compliance. The practices of the Singapore Prison Service are consistent with the principles and generally conform to the UN Rules. Our prisons are spartan and the regime of incarceration strict, with a strong emphasis on discipline. This philosophy is the basis upon which rehabilitation programmes are delivered to inmates. The Singapore Prison Service is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the inmates under its custody.”
“Under URA's land use plan, the Marina Bay area, which includes Tanjong Rhu, the new Sports Hub and Gardens by the Bay as well as the bay itself, is being developed for the arts, culture and sports. Organisers are required to seek URA's approval to hold sporting events in the Marina Bay area. In addition, if a sporting event involves the transmission of recorded music or performances of general entertainment, a public entertainment licence issued by the Police is required. In approving the public entertainment licence, Police will impose noise mitigating measures as part of the licensing conditions, such as restrictions on event hours and the number of audio speakers allowed. The organiser is also requested to engage the stakeholders in the area, including the Management Committees of nearby condominiums, to ensure that potential disamenities and inconveniences created by the events are kept within acceptable levels. Event organisers who fail to comply with the licensing conditions may be prosecuted. The licensee, if convicted, is liable for a fine of up to $10,000.”
“Motorists passing an accident scene should drive on without distraction and keep safe. Their cooperation allows police and medical resources to reach the accident scene quickly to manage the incident and render assistance to the accident victims. Motorists can also play their part by driving safely to prevent accidents from occurring. In addition, they should stay vigilant on the roads, be alert to regular traffic updates and adjust their driving routes accordingly in event of accidents.”
“The Traffic Police (TP) works closely with LTA to promptly respond to and manage road traffic accidents, with a view to minimising delays and disruption to the motoring public. The priorities of our responders include rendering medical aid to injured persons, processing the accident scene for investigations, and clearing accident vehicles expeditiously. The resulting impact of traffic accidents can differ greatly depending on factors, such as location, severity of accident, road and weather conditions. In cases where one or two lanes remain passable, TP and LTA will manage the traffic flow such that there are minimal disruption and inconvenience caused to other road users. TP officers may be despatched to assist with traffic regulation. Traffic alerts will also be issued via various channels such as LTA's signs and website, smartphone mobile applications, and radio broadcasts to pre-warn motorists to avoid travelling along the affected stretch of road. Depending on the ground situation, TP may implement an active road diversion plan to divert traffic to alternative routes to further ease the congestion. In these instances, the diversionary points will depend on carriageway capacity of the peripheral roads, traffic conditions and other prevailing circumstances. At the same time, TP and LTA will strive to process the traffic accident scene quickly and make roads passable in the shortest possible time. For instance, the LTA has tow trucks on standby to swiftly move accident vehicles to road shoulders for expressway accidents to minimise traffic impact and avoid prolonged congestion. Page: 152 Congestions as a result of traffic accidents not only bring inconvenience to the motoring public, they can delay emergency assistance to accident casualties.”
“They will each appear before a CLAC and can be represented by counsel at the hearing. The CLAC will then submit a report to the President with its recommendations. The President, acting on the advice of Cabinet, may then confirm, cancel or vary the Orders. Page: 162 As the process is still ongoing, we are not able to provide further information on the four cases.”
“The Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) provides powers for the Minister for Home Affairs to issue Detention or Police Supervision Orders against persons associated with activities of a criminal nature if he is satisfied that this is necessary in the interests of public safety, peace and good order. We have used the CLTPA as a last resort in cases where accomplices and witnesses dare not testify against criminals in court, for fear of reprisal. The CLTPA is used against criminal syndicates and organised groups involved in serious crimes, such as secret society activities, drug trafficking and unlicensed moneylending. The same considerations for using the CLTPA were taken into account when Minister issued the Detention Orders against the four members of this criminal group involved in global soccer match-fixing activities. Like drug-trafficking and unlicensed moneylending, illegal soccer match-fixing activities are carried out by organised criminal syndicates with complex and layered structures motivated by financial gain. Witnesses able to provide testimony against the syndicate are unwilling to do so. Additionally, where cross-border illegal activities are involved, the difficulties of securing evidence and witnesses willing to cooperate and testify against the syndicate in open Court are amplified. Given these circumstances, the Minister for Home Affairs issued Detention Orders on 2 October 2013 to four persons involved in the case. The four persons have been informed of their grounds of detention. As provided for under the CLTPA, their cases will be heard by an independent Criminal Law Advisory Committee (CLAC). These CLACs comprise former judges and experienced lawyers in private practice.”
“All goods vehicles and public service vehicles with maximum laden weight exceeding 12 tonnes and 10 tonnes respectively are already required by law to be installed with speed limiters, which restrict their maximum speed to 60 km per hour. Tipper trucks, prime movers, tankers and public service buses are covered under this requirement. Vehicle owners are responsible for installing and maintaining the speed limiter in their vehicles. Despite this, many heavy vehicles are still involved in speeding violations, which suggests that the speed limiters have either malfunctioned or have been tampered with. In the first six months of 2013, the Traffic Police (TP) detected 1,766 speeding violations by Singapore-registered vehicles, an increase from 517 violations recorded over the same period last year. To address this, we announced in May this year that vehicles which are fitted with speed limiters but are found speeding would be required to undergo additional speed limiter inspection checks. This is on top of the annual vehicular inspection mandated by the Land Transport Authority. TP has informed the industry of the enhanced inspection regime, which will take effect from 1 November 2013. Under the enhanced regime, vehicles caught speeding for the first and second time will be subjected to six-monthly inspections for a period of two years. Those caught speeding for the third time and beyond will be subjected to three-monthly inspections for two years. The additional checks will ensure that the speed limiters are functioning properly and deter tampering. Page: 161”
“There is no room for complacency as terrorists continue to seek out every possible opportunity to inflict severe damage and consequences on us. We must remain vigilant and do our part to deter and prevent any terrorist attack at all times.”
“To date, 1,054 buildings are covered under the SSWGs. Building owners can also refer to MHA's Guidelines for Enhancing Building Security in Singapore (GEBSS) which is available online. The guidelines provide information on how they can enhance the security of their buildings, such as perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons, security systems, security lighting and emergency procedures. Commercial, industrial and Government buildings deploy trained private security personnel to detect potential threats and deal with terror scenarios. Under "Project Guardian", the Police provides training for the private security personnel in evacuation, cordon support, crowd control, traffic diversion and emergency communications. Such training enables the private security personnel at these buildings to handle an emergency situation confidently and effectively. More than 5,500 private security personnel and employees have been trained. In addition, through our Security Outreach Programme, we educate the general public on good security practices and encourage them to take ownership of Singapore's security. In this way, we induct non-security personnel, such as shop workers, maintenance and cleaning contractors and even customers themselves, into the security effort, adding eyes on the ground and serving as a valuable deterrent to potential attackers. To conclude, the threat against soft targets requires the combined commitment and efforts of the Police, private security agencies, the private Page: 160 sector and members of the public. MHA will continue to strengthen our capabilities and work closely with our key partners and community to deal with potential terrorist threats.”
“The recent surprise attack by Al-Shabaab on the Westgate Mall in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi is yet another strong reminder that the terrorism threat continues to be a global and persistent security problem. The Westgate Mall attack indicates a continuing trend of terror groups attacking soft targets, including hotels, malls and schools. Soft targets are, by definition, assets that are either not protected or not protected to a high level. They are usually open to the public with little access control. As there are numerous potential soft targets in a country, it is neither feasible nor possible for a nation's security forces to directly protect them all. Singapore is not immune to such threats and we have to guard against the possibility of similar Page: 159 attacks in Singapore. Our approach is to invest resources in effective and proactive security solutions involving multi-layer security deployment, community engagement aimed at early detection of potential threats, and public vigilance and preparedness programmes. Our borders provide the first critical line of defence against terrorists. To prevent the entry of terrorists and the smuggling of weapons and explosives into Singapore, we conduct stringent checks on travellers, vehicles, baggage and cargo at our sea, air and land checkpoints, and round-the-clock patrols along the coastlines. MHA works closely with the business community to enhance the security of their buildings and the surrounding areas. Through the Safety and Security Watch Groups (SSWGs), our Police collaborates with the commercial sector to help them fight crime and terrorist threats. Response protocols are implemented to deal with any crisis situation, and table-top exercises are conducted to validate and refine the contingency plans.”
“PSC scholarships are awarded on merit. We encourage outstanding students from all backgrounds Page: 158 with the passion and commitment to serve Singapore and Singaporeans to apply for a PSC scholarship. There is no quota on the number of scholarships to be awarded each year. All deserving candidates, regardless of their race and background, will be awarded a scholarship. Between 2004 and 2013, six PSC scholarships were awarded to Malays. One was a President's-cum-Singapore Police Force Overseas Scholarship (SPFOS) holder. These scholarship recipients pursued a variety of disciplines, such as Law, Economics, Biochemistry and Aeronautical Engineering at the undergraduate level. Those who have graduated were deployed on their first posting to various agencies, including MFA, MEWR and MSF. Their deployment took into consideration their training and preferences and the Public Service's needs, no different from that of any other PSC scholarship holders.”
“The Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) facilitates the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders by offering them employment, training and aftercare support after their release. In 2012, SCORE emplaced 5,840 offenders on its employment and reintegration programmes. This is almost double the number in 2008. There were 3,457 employers registered with SCORE in 2012. This is also almost double the number registered in 2008. SCORE will leverage on the Page: 138 Yellow Ribbon Project to widen its network of employers and business partners to provide job opportunities for ex-offenders. Of those assisted by SCORE, almost 98% of them successfully secured employment in 2012. This figure has been fairly consistent over the last five years.”
“For the six-month period January to June 2013, there were 4,608 reported cases of unlicensed moneylending and related harassment. This was a drop of 9.5% compared to the 5,091 cases reported in the same period in 2012. The number of reported cases has been on a decline since 2010. In the last two years (2011 and 2012), Police arrested 3,896 persons for unlicensed moneylending and harassment offences. This was about 60% higher than the 2,473 persons arrested in the preceding two years (2009 and 2010). Police will continue to deal with loan shark harassment through its holistic strategy comprising enforcement, preventive education and community engagement. To tackle the multi-layered nature and changing operational modes of the syndicates, we have legislated stiffer penalties for loan sharks as well as those Page: 127 who assist them in such activities. We are progressively deploying Police Cameras at HDB blocks, under the new Community Policing System (COPS), to address the community's safety and security concerns, including loan shark harassment. By end of the year, Police Cameras will be installed in 1,000 HDB blocks across the various Town Councils. Police and the National Crime Prevention Council also jointly launched the inaugural Anti-Unlicensed Moneylending public education and awareness campaign in November last year. The campaign is aimed at raising public awareness about the harmful effects that unlicensed moneylending has on borrowers and their families as well as to mobilise the community to enhance their vigilance against such activities.”
“As part of the evidence gathering process provided for under the law, law enforcement agencies in Singapore may request information from persons or organisations that will help in their investigations into criminal cases. This may include requests for information to internet companies. Such requests can only be made after an investigation has commenced and the internet company will be informed what offence is under investigation. The request will be properly documented and the information provided by the Internet company will form part of the investigation documents for the case. Requests for information made to Internet companies by law enforcement agencies are made as and when necessary, in the course of criminal Page: 106 investigations and law enforcement. These requests, which follow due process as mentioned earlier, are no different from other requests made in the course of investigations into other organisations or persons, and we do not specifically keep count of these requests. Based on quick checks with the relevant agencies, the number of requests they made to Google, Facebook and Microsoft for the period 2010 to 2012, was a combined total of about 600 requests a year. These requests were specifically for the purpose of investigations into criminal matters. The majority of the requests were for Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act offences, and the rest were for offences such as corruption, terrorist threats, cheating, theft, gambling and vice. The requests made during the period 2010 to 2012 were all for non-content data, such as account-related data and login details. However, under the law, the agencies may also request for content data if this is required for investigating offences.”
“Regular talks are conducted to educate players on corruption and its consequences. In addition, the agencies assist the FAS in administering random polygraph testing on both Lions XII and S-League players. Any indications of suspicious match-fixing activities are reported and dealt with. Our law enforcement agencies will continue to take firm action against match-fixing activities and bring the full weight of our laws to bear upon the perpetrators to ensure that Singapore stays free of such crime.”
“In February 2013, Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, announced at a media conference that it had uncovered an extensive match-fixing syndicate and named Singapore as the base for some of the syndicate's operations. The Police and CPIB immediately established a Joint Investigation Team to work with INTERPOL's Match-Fixing Task Force to vigorously pursue any new leads. As a result, they were able to obtain information from INTERPOL, Europol, and European countries affected by the syndicate's match-fixing activities. The Police and CPIB investigations culminated in the arrest, between 16 and 17 September 2013, of 14 suspects for their involvement in global football match-fixing. Of these, nine have been released on Police bail pending further investigations. Of the remaining five persons, the Minister for Home Affairs has issued Detention Orders to four, and a Police Supervision Order to one. The Orders were made under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) and took effect on 2 October 2013. Match-fixing is a cross-boundary crime that requires close cooperation between countries and enforcement agencies to effectively detect and eradicate it. Many criminal syndicates have structures that are complex and layered. Their networks are extensive and they operate across national boundaries. They are also quick to adapt their operations to evade detection. Our agencies will continue to work closely with INTERPOL and their foreign counterparts to offer assistance and share information to crack down on such crimes and arrest those Page: 105 responsible. Locally, Police and CPIB work closely with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to ensure that the football scene in Singapore remains clean.”
“Our agencies maintain strict vigilance over suspected football match-fixing activities and have taken action against the perpetrators where evidence is uncovered. In the last 10 years, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) investigated 10 cases of alleged football-related corruption in Singapore under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). Six cases resulted in court convictions. Stern warnings were administered in three other cases, and no further action was taken against one case. The Police also take firm action against illegal football betting. Over the last three years, the Police arrested an average of 56 persons each year for the offence. Page: 104 There are stiff penalties for match-fixing corruption. Under sections 5 and 6 of the PCA, persons convicted of corruption face fines not exceeding $100,000, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both. In addition, under section 13 of the PCA, the Court may impose a further financial penalty against persons who accept gratification, equivalent to the amount received. Any ill-gotten gains can also be confiscated under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act. In relation to the recent arrests, our law enforcement agencies have been monitoring for some time, a number of Singaporeans for alleged syndicated match-fixing activities. This was well before the media reports in 2011 which pointed to specific individuals being involved in such syndicates. However, the progress of investigations was hampered by the fact that the activities were conducted outside Singapore, and the information obtained on these syndicates and their members remained sketchy.”
“Singapore Citizens (SCs) are only allowed to sponsor their immediate family members, namely, spouses, children and parents, for Long-Term Visit Passes (LTVPs). They are not allowed to sponsor other relatives, including parents and grandparents of their foreign spouses, for LTVPs. Parents and grandparents of foreign spouses of SCs may enter and stay in Singapore on valid short-term visit passes. In exceptional circumstances where a Singaporean family has critical needs and has no other immediate options available locally to provide care to a family member, such as when there is a critically ill family member, ICA may, on a case-by-case basis, allow a foreign relative, such as the foreign spouse's mother, to extend her stay here. This is to help the family with interim care-giving for a limited duration while the family looks for alternative arrangements for long-term care.”
“Since 1987, 16 persons have been deprived of citizenship under Articles 129 and 130 of the Singapore Constitution. As ICA's records were computerised from 1987, data prior to 1987 is not readily available.”
“SCDF's Emergency Ambulance Service (EAS) responded to 76,024 calls for the first six months of 2013. This is an increase of 8.4% from the 70,129 calls for the same period last year. If this continues for the rest of the year, it would be the highest annual rate of increase in five years. Since 2009, SCDF has engaged the services of two Private Ambulance Operators (PAOs) to augment its fleet of emergency ambulances. There are currently 10 private emergency ambulances from the PAOs in operation. SCDF will be increasing the number of private emergency ambulances to 20 in October 2013. These private emergency ambulance operators are subject to stringent requirements and audits by SCDF to ensure compliance with clinical and service standards. Apart from ambulances, SCDF has deployed fire bikers equipped with Automated External Defibrillators as first responders. SCDF is also cross-training its firefighters as Emergency Medical Technicians so that personnel in its fire vehicles can provide the first line of medical response until paramedics arrive. The purpose of the Emergency Ambulance Services is to deal with life-threatening situations. In an emergency, every second counts. The public should thus call 995 only during medical emergencies. For non-emergencies, members of the public should call 1777. SCDF will continue to raise awareness of the appropriate use of EAS. Information on what constitutes emergency and non-emergency situations is listed on SCDF's website and Facebook page. SCDF will run public education activities on proper ambulance use at constituency-level Emergency Preparedness Days and other SCDF-related activities. SCDF will also work with MOH to display public education posters at Restructured Hospitals.”
“To convert a military driving licence into a civilian driving licence, a serviceman must have completed at least 22 months of military service and during this time, he must have driven at least 7,000 km. He must also possess good driving and disciplinary records. Specifically, he must not accumulate eight or more demerit points, or be suspended or disqualified from driving for a period of one year or more. This set of criteria has been imposed in view of the different requirements and operating environments faced by military and civilian drivers. Servicemen who do not fulfil the conversion criteria will have to be further assessed through the Traffic Police's usual driving tests before they can qualify for civilian licences.”
“Since October 2012, CCTVs were also deployed at 20 foreign worker congregation hotspots to complement the patrols, as a pilot to test the effectiveness of CCTVs in managing congregations. Third, we involve foreign workers in crime prevention through the Foreign Workers Ambassador Programme. Reliable foreign workers are identified and trained on crime prevention, so that they can share this knowledge with fellow workers. This programme has been implemented in various foreign worker dormitories and was also recently implemented in Nee Soon, where the ambassadors assist to mediate disputes which arise amongst workers, to maintain peace and order in the dormitories. Some foreign workers also volunteer with the Citizens-on-Patrol (COP) groups to spread crime-prevention messages within the foreign worker community. For example, the Toh Guan Patriots is a group of 30 foreign worker volunteers who assist in relaying crime Page: 86 prevention messages and advice against anti-social behaviour to other foreign workers in their neighbourhood. Fourth, the Government educates foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms through regular roadshows and training courses. The Government will continue to work together with all stakeholders in the community to maintain safety and security, and reduce any social disamenities that may arise in housing estates located near to foreign worker dormitories.”
“Foreign workers complement our local workforce and contribute to our economy. The vast majority of foreign workers is law-abiding and come to Singapore to earn an honest living and support their families back home. The Government understands Singaporeans' concerns over potential disamenities and possible impact on safety and security where there are large congregations of foreign workers, especially near residential estates. There is an inter-agency effort underway to address this issue, with the implementation of various measures to address these concerns. They include providing for workers recreational needs, stepping up the presence of uniformed officers, involving foreign workers themselves in crime prevention, and educating foreign workers on Singapore's laws and social norms. First, we require dormitory operators to provide social and recreational amenities within dormitories. We also set aside land near clusters of dormitories for recreation centres for foreign workers. One such centre is the Singapore Contractor Association Ltd (SCAL) Recreation Centre at Soon Lee Road in Jurong. These facilities cater to the workers' recreational and social needs outside of work. Second, the Government deploys Auxiliary Police Officers and Security Officers in areas with high concentrations of foreign workers. These officers conduct foot patrols in foreign worker congregation areas to assuage residents' security concerns, help detect and deter crime, enforce against anti-social behaviour, such as spitting and littering, and improve the safety and security of residents living in housing estates close to foreign worker dormitories.”
“I encourage everyone – as family members, friends, colleagues and employers – to help foster a pro-family culture and encourage those around us to prioritise marriage and parenthood as important life goals. Page: 84”
“A total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 is needed for each generation to replace itself. At current singlehood rates, each married citizen woman would need to have 2.43 children on average for Page: 83 Singapore to have a TFR of 2.1. In 2012, married citizen women in the 40-49 age group had 1.99 children on average. While more Singaporeans are staying single, marrying later and having fewer children, marriage and parenthood aspirations remain strong. The National Population and Talent Division's 2012 survey found that over 80% of Singaporeans want to marry and have two or more children. Supporting Singaporeans in achieving their aspirations to marry and start families is a key Government priority. We enhanced the Marriage & Parenthood (M&P) Package earlier this year by (a) Making it easier for married couples to obtain housing to support earlier marriages and births; (b) Defraying medical costs relating to conception and delivery; (c) Further defraying child-raising costs, including childcare and healthcare costs; (d) Helping working parents to balance work and family commitments; and (e) Introducing paternity and shared parental leave to encourage fathers to play a bigger role in parenting. The Social Development Network (SDN) creates opportunities for social interaction and reaches out to 130,000 singles. Beyond the M&P Package, MSF has committed $40 million under the Family Matters! Initiative to support family life education. People-sector organisations, such as I Love Children, also play an important role in encouraging Singaporeans to consider family as central to our lives.”
“Over the last five years from 2008 to 2012, the number of regular Police officers and National Service Police officers charged in Court each year for criminal offences averaged 17 and 23 officers respectively. As for those subject to disciplinary proceedings during the same period, they averaged 66 regular officers and 62 National Service officers annually.”
“As part of the implementation of the Community Policing System (COPS), Police will install Police Cameras at all HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) by 2016. Since the programme began in May 2012, Police Cameras have been installed at 350 HDB blocks, including 28 MSCPs. By the end of this year, Police Cameras will be installed at another 650 HDB blocks and MSCPs across all Town Councils in Singapore. These include 10 HDB blocks and 1 MSCP in Yew Tee. The Police Camera programme aims to strengthen SPF's crime fighting capabilities and enhance the public's sense of safety and security. The Police Cameras are installed at the key ingress and egress locations of the HDB blocks and MSCPs, such as ground-floor staircase landings and lift lobbies. We have seen some early positive signs. Police have used footage retrieved from the Police Cameras to solve 18 crime cases. Investigative leads have been obtained in another 109 cases. Residents have also welcomed the Police Cameras and reported an improved sense of safety and security. We will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the Police Camera programme as we roll this out to more HDB blocks.”
“Between 2010 and 2012, an average of about 3,800 spouses, and 340 children and parents of Singapore Citizens (SCs) were granted dependant PRs under the Family Ties Scheme annually. As at 31 December 2012, there were 58,600 spouses, and 9,800 children and parents of SCs who were dependant PRs under the Family Ties Scheme. Grandparents and siblings of SCs are not eligible to be considered for PRs under the Family Ties Scheme. However, they can apply for PR on their own Page: 150 merits.”
“Over the last 10 years from 2003 and 2012, about 500 to 600 stateless persons in Singapore submitted applications for Singapore Citizenship annually. An average of 91% of these citizenship applications were approved annually. Data on the number of appeals for citizenship from stateless persons is not available. Page: 143”
“They include enhanced coordination and collaboration between agencies, improved upstream measures for youths who are at the early stages of gang association, enhancements in family involvement in the youths rehabilitation and diversionary programmes, and the strengthening of anti-gang legislation which will tighten the regulation of youth Page: 140 congregation areas. Although the youth crime and youth gang situation in Singapore remains under control, we will continue with our efforts to help youths stay crime-free, while taking action against those who present a threat to public safety. I would also like to encourage parents and the community to play their part in helping youths stay crime-free and to keep our neighbourhoods and public areas safe.”
“Youths frequent various public, social and recreational areas, including heartland malls, the vicinity of their schools and entertainment outlets, such as bars, karaoke, cinemas and shopping complexes. Public Entertainment outlets, such as billiard saloons and amusement centres, are subject to licensing conditions which require the licensee to report unlawful activities to the Police. In other youth congregation areas, Police conducts visible patrols and enforcement checks to maintain public safety. Police also delivers crime prevention advice to youths in vulnerable circumstances, and works with premise owners and other stakeholders to enhance security measures, such as the deployment of security officers and surveillance cameras, to detect crime and violence. Police takes youth gang incidents very seriously and has further increased patrols, enforcement checks and security measures to ensure the safety of the public following recent incidents. For example, Police has conducted intensive checks at Cineleisure and the neighbouring *Scape Park, while working with the management to consider longer-term measures, such as improving and expanding the CCTV systems, to detect and deter crime. In addition, the Government has recently reviewed and refined our strategies and measures to deal with youth crime and youth violence. Last month, in response to another Member's question, the Ministry updated this House on the implementation of recommendations from the Inter-Ministry Working Group on Youth Gangs.”
“The percentage of public sector employees offered re-employment has increased from 76% in 2010 to 89% for the one-and-a-half-year period following the implementation of the Public Service re-employment guidelines on 1 July 2011. Some officers preferred not to continue working. The percentage of officers who were successfully re-employed also increased from 64% to 83% of the retiring cohort across the same period. Amongst the re-employed officers, 82% continued on the same substantive grade, with 11% of those at the same grade re-employed at their last drawn salaries. The majority had their salaries adjusted to the mid-point of their salary range, which is aligned to the Tripartite Guidelines on Re-employment of Older Employees, released on 11 January 2011. The average salary adjustment was about 13%. I told the House in this year's Committee of Supply that PSD would review our re-employment guidelines. We have since announced on 29 July 2013, the changes that have taken effect from 1 August 2013. With the revised guidelines, all Division III and IV officers offered re-employment will be re-employed at the same substantive grade with their last drawn salaries. For Division I and II officers, more officers who are re-employed at the Page: 138 same substantive grade will continue with their last drawn salaries, and for those whose salaries are to be adjusted, the adjustment is capped at 15%. The Public Service will continue to offer fair re-employment terms to our officers that are reflective of market practice.”
“If it is assessed that the officer may pose a risk to himself or others, the officer will be barred from carrying firearms and redeployed to non-operational roles.”
“Officers alleged to have committed acts of misconduct or neglect of duty are dealt with in accordance with the Civil Service's disciplinary framework. Due process is accorded to the officer facing disciplinary proceedings and the officer will have an opportunity to be heard. There are two disciplinary regimes. Police officers below the rank of Inspector are disciplined under the provisions of the Police Force Act. Senior Police officers of the rank of Inspector and above and other law enforcement Page: 119 officers are disciplined under the Public Service Commission's Regulations and Directions. In disciplinary cases involving a Police officer below the rank of Inspector, a disciplinary hearing before the Police Disciplinary Board will commence within six months from the date of the offence. Some cases are concluded within a month and the majority within seven months. In cases where there are serious and complex issues, or a large number of witnesses have to be examined, proceedings may take between eight months and two years. For law enforcement officers disciplined under the Public Service Commission's Regulations or Directions, the majority of cases in the past five years were concluded in about two years. Where the cases involve criminal charges, the civil service disciplinary process has to be suspended while criminal investigations and criminal proceedings are on-going. It can only resume after the completion of criminal proceedings. If an armed officer is under investigation for a criminal offence, the officer will be barred from carrying firearms immediately. For armed officers who are undergoing disciplinary action, their supervisors and Commanders/Directors will monitor them closely.”
“There are long-standing counter-terrorism related interactions between our security agencies and their US counterparts which are marked by regular and frequent exchanges. The past two years have been no different. For operational security reasons I am not able to reveal the exact number of requests we have received from our American counterparts. I can inform Members that as always, our agencies have offered their full assistance and acted expeditiously to the extent possible, on any requests for assistance from their US counterparts. They have also communicated their findings or information on actions or investigations conducted promptly. On the minority of occasions where we were not able to meet or fully meet their requests for assistance, it was because the information provided in the request was insufficient or not specific enough, or there were legal constraints which we had to observe. These outcomes have also been promptly communicated to their US counterparts. There have also been instances where our US counterparts were not able to assist us based on their own constraints. This is to be expected in any relationship of this nature. Our US counterparts have not raised any specific concern over any particular cases with our agencies.”
“Since 2004, Police has been deploying CCTV cameras in public places. These cameras not only deter crime, but also provide useful investigative leads to solve crimes. They are deployed at locations such as Boat Quay, Little India and Geylang. More recently, since May last year, Police started installing CCTV cameras at HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) as part of the Community Policing System (COPS). A total of 350 HDB blocks, including 28 MSCPs, have been fitted with cameras since the programme began. Page: 111 Currently, there are a total of 3,700 CCTV cameras installed by Police at public places, HDB blocks and MSCPs. By the end of the year, Police Cameras will be installed at another 650 HDB blocks and MSCPs across all Town Councils in Singapore. The Police Camera project will be progressively rolled out and will reach all HDB blocks and MSCPs by 2016. In addition, for the purpose of investigations, Police is empowered under the Criminal Procedure Code to access footage from all CCTV cameras installed by Government agencies and private entities. These include CCTVs installed by Government agencies, such as LTA's network of 1,000 cameras, and the many others installed by private entities, such as banks, shopping malls and office complexes.”
“Madam, a point of order. I am not sure what point the Member is trying to make. He is quoting from various newspapers which I do not think is appropriate. I think he should ask the question.”
“Mdm Speaker, as explained earlier, each case is unique, and each case has to be considered in the light of the facts and the actions of the individuals, including the supervisors and the heads of the different agencies. In the case of CPIB, the Independent Review Panel found that processes in CPIB had been circumvented, resulting in a loss of funds from 2008. And in 2011, the Director, Mr Tan, introduced new tightened processes which would have uncovered and stopped the losses. However, the tightening was not implemented well, allowing the processes to be circumvented and the continued loss of funds. So, the previous and current Directors of CPIB have been formally warned for weaknesses in CPIB's internal processes. This is the substance of what has happened. Both Directors had supervisory and command responsibilities over the particular unit in CPIB. Both Directors have been issued formal letters of warning for their lapses and have accepted responsibility for them. The Ministry will consider all relevant factors and, in the case of the two Directors, the Prime Minister's Office considered the supervisory lapses of the Page: 17 two Directors and also took into account their past contributions as well as their performance in other aspects of their duties in CPIB, in deciding to issue the warning letters.”
“Declarations and vetting are done on a regular basis. PSD, as I said just now, is looking at them again to see whether we need to tighten up some of these vetting procedures and also whether there are new types of things which we should be looking at, given new circumstances.”
“As I have pointed out in my reply just now, there are a number of oversight channels which are not restricted or limited to within the Civil Service. PSC, for example, is not a Civil Service organisation. It is an independent organisation whose Chairman and Members are appointed with the concurrence of the President. So, it acts independently in terms of appointment, investigations and disciplining of officers. It is quite a separate and independent organisation – an Organ of State – which is provided for under the Constitution for precisely the reasons that Mr Zaqy Mohamad identified. Apart from that, we also have reporting to organisations which are not within the chain of command of the officer involved, for example, CPIB or the Police, which are not directly involved in the organisation that the person is in. Page: 16 The positions of certain specific persons are also protected under the Constitution, and the appointments are also protected, and these include the Judges, the Auditor-General and the Attorney-General. So, these are all independent positions which provide for the kind of independent checks and balances that we are looking for.”
“Mdm Speaker, I have outlined in my reply the entire range of reporting processes that civil servants have available to them if they see something that is not right in their department. And that includes reporting to his supervisor, his Permanent Secretary, PSC, the Head of Civil Service, or to the enforcement agencies. By and large, this has worked well. We will make sure that in our introductory courses and in further courses that a civil servant attends, that these reporting channels available are made known to him. And Page: 15 this is what we will continue to do. I do not have a comparison between the 81 cases reported versus all cases because I am not sure what Mr Yee means by all cases, because there can be any number of cases, including cases that are picked up, reported by the public and so on. And I do not have that data fully with me here, because the Public Service receives feedback of all kinds, hundreds of thousands, every year. As for the 81 cases that were reported under the internal disclosure policy since it was announced in February 2011, I can give some sense of what these were. The types of cases reported included things like officers who were engaged in employment outside of their duties without seeking supervisory approval; misuse of staff pass; sexual harassment and assault; falsifying transport claims; inappropriate relationship with subordinates – so a whole range of things.”
“Mdm Speaker, I am unable to comment on the specifics of the case because the case that the Member referred to is before the courts. But, as I have said earlier in my reply to the main question, what PSD intends to do is this. We already have certain rules in place for enforcement officers, for example, police officers who go to the casinos. Those who are directly involved or who potentially may be directly involved in investigating crimes there are not allowed to. Police officers, in general, have to declare within seven days if they go to the casinos. But PSD is studying the application of further safeguards and, as I said, for public officers in general, PSD intends to require those who visit the casinos frequently or who purchase the annual casino entry levy to declare these actions.”
“As I have mentioned, there is a range of punishment and disciplinary actions that are possible. If a public servant is suspected of committing a crime, then that is fully investigated, the papers are referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers and charges will be put out against him, if the Attorney-General so decides. There is a trial in Court and he is subject to the full weight of the law. So, that is in those circumstances. If, however, there has been no criminal offence but the public officer has still fallen short of what the Service expects of him, either in his supervisory capacity or in adherence to specific rules or the Codes of Conduct in the Public Service, but which does not amount to a criminal offence, then the Public Service will deal with him either departmentally through his Permanent Secretary or, in more serious cases of this type, with PSC. And the whole range is available, including warnings, reprimands and so on. In deciding on what to do, his Permanent Secretary and PSC will take into account all factors, including the severity and culpability of the officer in specific cases and also whether there are any mitigating circumstances, for example, the overall service record of the officer and also what other contributions he may have made, in this particular case. So, those are fully taken into account. And that separates criminal charges versus shortcomings in the officer's performance. In the case of a person who has been issued with a warning, this enters formally into his record and can have implications on his performance-based pay components, for example, his performance bonuses, his increments, and Page: 14 can have an effect on his progression.”