Wong Kan Seng
Singapore
“We all want a better future for our children and the future generations. Amid the debates, let us not lose sight of what we are working for – we are working for the benefit and future of Singaporeans. Not for growth targets, not for foreigners, but for Singaporeans.”
“Mrs Mildred Tan also suggested doing a longitudinal study on the impact of new citizens on Singapore. I am told that there is a periodic study on the perception of integration and rootedness of Singaporeans and PRs. A study is now ongoing too.”
“All they need to do is simply declare that they meet the residential criteria. EASING IN US ECONOMY (Impact on Singapore) 9. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Senior Minister what will be the expected impact on the Singapore economy arising from the US Federal Reserve's announcement on 3rd November 2010 of a "quantitative easing" of the US economy…”
“Well, from the data I have here, 553 registered to vote before the 2006 GE and this is the data I have but Ms Lim may be right. There may be 1,000-odd that Ms Lim had mentioned. From what I am told now, we have 1,325 Singaporean overseas who are eligible to register to vote have registered.”
“But, as I said, there are so many other possibilities that they could come in and there could also be many possibilities that we could have missed and they have entered or left Singapore. LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS 2.”
“They are also recruiting people by offering them scholarships. So, we hope more of our companies can do that. Hopefully they come here to work for a while and, if they like our place, they may want to settle down. This is a place which they can think about. POPULATION AND TALENT DIVISION 5. Assoc. Prof.”
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“Between 1994 and 2003, an average of about 860 Singaporeans renounced their Singapore citizenship while about 8,100 foreigners became Singapore citizens annually. The numbers have remained stable over the years. About 60% of our new Singaporeans are below 30 years old. Roughly two-thirds of our new Singaporeans attained Singapore citizenship as they were family members of Singaporeans. The remaining one-third obtained Singapore citizenship on their own merit. In 2002 and 2003, about half of those who renounced their Singapore citizenship were between the ages of 21 and 40. Only a third held a diploma or higher qualifications. We do not keep data on renunciations dating back further than two years ago and the previous employment of Singaporeans who have given up their Singapore citizenship, including ex-citizens who are retired officers from Government service and Government-linked companies. The Government is also looking into ways to effectively engage overseas Singaporeans, and to maintain their connections with Singapore. FIRE-RATED DOORS FOR HDB FLATS 2. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for National Development (a) if he will give a progress update on the installation of fire-rated doors for HDB flats within five metres from any staircase; (b) what is the number installed to date and the number awaiting installation; and (c) what is the scheduled list of blocks that are pending installation.”
“Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for National Development, in view of the move towards a five-day work week where Saturday is a non-working day, will his Ministry consider waiving (or at least reducing) the HDB and URA peak-hour carpark charges in the Central Business District on Saturdays.”
“The Singapore Police Force has a structured career transition framework to assist retiring officers to prepare for retirement. This programme is open to officers who are five years from retirement. Under the programme, officers are put through different phases of preparation, ranging from mental and psychological readiness to training in generic areas such as health and financial management, as well as specific skills such as job interview techniques. Whilst this pre-retirement preparation is useful, it is really the skills acquired in the entire course of their service that will stand the officers in good stead for any career they wish to take on after retirement. That is why MHA adopts a lifelong learning approach to ensure that all its officers, including those in the Police Force, continually upgrade their skills and remain relevant to the workforce. This continuous learning framework starts from the day officers first join the Ministry. In this vein, apart from police skills, Police officers learn general skills such as computing skills, dealing with finance, writing, supervisory skills, customer service, organisational effectiveness and leadership. This approach to life-long learning provides a strong foundation for the pre-retirement preparation activities. For these reasons, the vast majority of Police officers do not have any difficulties finding employment after retirement should they wish to do so. Many of them work in security-related fields where their skills and experience they have learnt as police officers are put to good use. Some take on administrative jobs and some start their own businesses. CARPARK CHARGES 20.”
“I had previously informed this House that MHA has convened a multi-agency committee to review sexual offences currently prescribed in the Penal Code, Women's Charter and the Children and Young Persons Act. This review, which is part of a larger review of the Penal Code, is in its final stages. Our target is to amend the Penal Code next year. As for the number of sexual offences committed against children and young persons below 16 years of age, there were 67 cases prosecuted in 2003 and 11 cases prosecuted between January and September this year. I have made it very clear in this House that MHA does not condone or tolerate sexual abuse of children and young persons. Tough laws are already in place to punish these offenders and to deter potential perpetrators. Despite the low prevalence of such cases, MHA acknowledges the need to accord greater protection to minors, as they are not yet fully mature, physically or psychologically, to consent to such behaviour. MHA is therefore considering providing tougher penalties to punish an adult who engages in sexual activities, especially for penetrative offences, with a child or young person. This will send a deterrent signal that adults should not engage in sexual activities with children or young persons. PROGRAMMES FOR RETIRING POLICE OFFICERS 18. Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Home Affairs what are the re-training programmes available to police officers who are due for retirement, to help them re-integrate into the workforce.”
“The number of synthetic drug abusers arrested dropped from 564 in the first half of last year to 314 in the first half of this year. In particular, the number of young synthetic drug abusers arrested, ie, those below 20 years, declined sharply from 95 to 48. CNB will continue to focus its PDE programmes on synthetic drugs to ensure that these drugs do not gain a foothold in Singapore, especially among our youths. Convicted synthetic drug abusers are currently sentenced to imprisonment in penal institutions and do not benefit from the rehabilitative programmes that opiate abusers undergo at the Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRC). We have reviewed this and will be introducing a DRC regime for synthetic drug abusers in lieu of imprisonment by this year. This will offer them a more focused rehabilitation programme which will minimise the chances of them going back to drugs. In addition, the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders (CARE) Network will continue to provide aftercare support services for these abusers after their discharge. SEXUAL OFFENCES 17. Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will (a) give an update on the review of the laws governing sexual offences; (b) provide the figures for sexual offences against children aged 15 and below for 2003 and 2004; and (c) state the possibility of reviewing charges and laws to include paedophilia offences.”
“Unlike those who abuse traditional drugs such as heroin, synthetic drug abusers often do not experience severe physical withdrawal symptoms. This, coupled with the fact that synthetic drugs are often abused at nightspots and rave parties, has led to the perception that synthetic drugs are harmless, non-addictive and can be used as a form of recreation. Therefore, synthetic drug abusers, especially the young and impressionable, think that taking synthetic drugs is not really harmful, but is hip and cool. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) is aware of this. Thus, CNB has organised many preventive drug education (PDE) activities targeting youths to highlight the danger of taking synthetic drugs. For example, CNB conducts talks, competitions, drama retreats and camps to highlight the harmful effects of synthetic drugs. In addition, the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA) and CNB have been organising the annual "Clubs Against Drugs" Campaign to enlist club operators to promote anti-drug messages to their patrons who are mainly young adults. NCADA also mounted a media campaign against ketamine abuse in March this year, targeting specifically youths. Many audio-visual materials such as videos, posters and pamphlets on synthetic drugs have also been distributed to schools. These include an animated video titled "The Way Out" which highlights the dangers of synthetic drugs such as ketamine, 'Ice' and 'Ecstasy'; a "Treading on Ice" video which describes the pain and suffering of three ex-'Ice' abusers caused to themselves and their loved ones, and a docu-drama entitled "Temptations" where local icons such as Zoe Tay and Stephanie Sun put across strong anti-drug messages. All these measures have borne fruit.”
“In 2002 and 2003, ICA received an average of about 63,000 applications for permanent residence (PR) per year, of which 45% were submitted by males. There is no significant difference in the approval rates for PR between male and female applicants. The PR approval rate is about 60%. SIA PILOTS 2. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Transport what percentage of pilots employed by Singapore Airlines (SIA) are foreigners and what is the number of Singaporean pilots whose applications to work for SIA have been rejected in the last two years.”
“Also, any unitholder may apply to the court for an order in the case of oppression arising from the conduct of the affairs of the business trust, or for leave to bring a derivative or representative action on behalf of all unitholders of the business trust. Conclusion To conclude, the business trust structure provides an alternative business structure to companies, particularly for businesses with stable growth and operating cash flow. Introducing this new structure inSingapore will allow for a new asset class for investors and potentially add to the development of our capital markets. At the same time, there must be appropriate safeguards of the interests of retail investors investing in business trusts. The Business Trusts Bill puts in place a governance framework for business trusts, to protect the fundamental rights of unitholders and to set out the duties and accountability of the trustee-manager and its directors. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Change of trustee-manager and trust deed One of the fundamental rights of unitholders is the right to vote to remove the trustee-manager where the trustee- manager is unable or unwilling to fulfil its obligations to unitholders. The Bill requires that the removal of the trustee-manager be subject to a special resolution of unitholders – that is, it must be approved by 75% of unitholders voting in presence or by proxy. Removal of the trustee-manager may adversely impact the continuity of operations of the business trust. The 75% threshold balances the need to guard against the frivolous removal of a trustee-manager with the need to provide sufficient rights to unitholders to remove an inept or poorly functioning trustee-manager. Unitholders have the right to vote on amendments to the trust deed. The trust deed is analogous to a contract between the trustee-manager and the unitholders. The Bill requires that amendments to the trust deed must be approved by a special resolution of the unitholders. This voting threshold for amending the trust deed is consistent with the approval threshold for amendments to the memorandum and articles of a company by shareholders in the Companies Act. As an exception, the trustee-manager may amend the trust deed without unitholders' approval where such amendments to the trust deed are necessary to comply with any laws in Singapore. Civil liability The Business Trusts Bill provides for any unitholder who suffers loss or damage because of any conduct of the trustee-manager to take civil action against the trustee-manager.”
“MAS intends to require the board of directors of the trustee-manager to have a strong element of independence to protect the interests of unitholders. The test of independence will be based on three criteria, independence from management of the trustee-manager, independence from substantial shareholders of the trustee-manager, and independence from business relations with the trustee-manager. The details will be set out in the Regulations. Audit committees In addition, the trustee-manager will be required to establish an audit committee. The Bill provides MAS with the power to prescribe the composition and duties of the audit committee. MAS intends to require in Regulations that the audit committee has a strong element of independence. We also intend to require that the audit committee review the governance policies and practices applied by the trustee-manager in operating the business trust. This provides a further mechanism to ensure that the interests of unitholders are objectively considered by the board. Setting out the rights of unitholders The Business Trusts Bill sets out the rights of unitholders. I will highlight the key provisions. Limited liability of unitholders The Business Trusts Bill provides that a unitholder's liability is limited to the sum of money which he has expressly agreed to contribute to the business trust. Under common law, unitholders may be exposed to unlimited liability for the obligations of the trust. The Bill provides certainty and protection to unitholders by limiting their liability and puts them in an equivalent position to shareholders of companies.”
“Duties of the trustee-manager and its directors The Business Trusts Bill imposes a duty on the trustee-manager to act in the best interests of unitholders and to give priority to the interests of unitholders where these conflict with the trustee-manager's own interests. The Bill also imposes a duty on the individual directors of a trustee-manager to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the trustee-manager discharges its duties towards unitholders. Directors also have a duty to give priority to the interests of unitholders where these conflict with the trustee-manager's own interests. This makes the directors of the trustee-manager responsible for safeguarding unitholder interests. Annual certification by the board and the Chief Executive Officer of the trustee-manager The Business Trusts Bill requires that the board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the trustee-manager each provide annual certification on specific issues relating to the governance of the trustee-manager. In particular, they are required to certify whether they are aware of any violation of duties of the trustee-manager which would have a materially adverse effect on the operations of the business trust and the interests of unitholders. Where the board or the CEO is unable to make such a certification, the reasons should be disclosed to unitholders. This certification requirement is intended to make the board and CEO of the trustee-manager acutely aware of their responsibility to safeguard the interests of unitholders of the business trust. Board composition of the trustee-manager The Business Trusts Bill provides MAS the power to prescribe requirements on the composition of the board of the trustee-manager.”
“Accountability of the trustee-manager and its directors The trustee-manager, as a company, would be owned by shareholders. It would typically be controlled by the sponsoring entity which had divested its business by setting up the business trust. The trustee-manager and its board of directors have a fiduciary duty to manage the trustee-management company in the best interests of the company and its shareholders. At the same time, however, as a trustee, the trustee-manager has an additional group of constituents whose interests must be safeguarded, namely, the unitholders of the business trust. The trustee-manager and its board of directors owe a duty to unitholders of the business trust to manage the business trust in the best interests of the unitholders. There is therefore potential for divergence between the interests of the trustee-manager and its shareholders, and the interests of unitholders. This may result in a conflict of duties on the part of the trustee-manager. For instance, the trustee-manager may wish to maximise management fees or may have less interest in minimising operating expenses which are paid to the trustee-manager out of the assets of the business trust. To cite another example, the controlling shareholder of the trustee-manager may influence the operations of the trust or engage in related party transactions that benefit the shareholder, to the detriment of unitholders of the business trust. To address such potential conflicts of interests, the Business Trusts Bill sets out the duties and accountability of the trustee-manager and its directors.”
“Such business trusts may however be voluntarily registered under the Bill where, for instance, the offeror considers that the investors targeted prefer to have the assurance that the business trust is one which is registered under the Bill. Business trusts which are not registered under the Bill will continue to be subject to the Trustees Act, which sets out the general obligations of trustees. Single responsible entity The Bill requires that the business trust be run by a single responsible entity known as the trustee-manager. The trustee-manager must be incorporated in Singapore. The trustee-manager has the dual responsibility of safeguarding the interests of unitholders and managing the business of the business trust. This requirement ensures that fiduciary responsibility towards unitholders of a business trust is clearly placed on a single entity. The alternative would be a bifurcated structure, involving a manager of the business trust and a separateindependent trustee. However, the running of a business trust involves management of an operating business and the making of business decisions on a day-to-day basis. It would be difficult for an independent trustee to oversee the manager's business decisions. It would also be impracticable for a separate trustee to set out an operating mandate for the manager, without fettering the manager's ability to run the business as an operating enterprise. More importantly, it would be difficult to apportion liability for breaches of trust between the trustee and the manager. Adopting the single responsible entity model avoids this problem. This was the approach taken in Australia, in response to a number of cases in which the Court found difficulty in apportioning liability between the trustee and the manager.”
“Introducing the business trust structure inSingapore will therefore create a new asset class for investors, and potentially add depth and sophistication to Singapore'scapital markets. To allow business trusts to be offered to retail investors, it is necessary to establish a regulatory framework for the governance of business trusts. The Business Trusts Bill is formulated with two objectives in mind: First, to safeguard the rights of investors or unitholders in the business trust; and Second, to establish the duties and accountability of the trustee-manager of a business trust and its directors, ie, the directors of the trustee-manager. MAS has conducted public consultation on the regulatory framework and draft Bill. There has been broad support for the proposed legislation. MAS has considered the comments received in drafting the present Bill, made certain amendments in response to the comments and published its responses to the comments received. Mr Speaker, Sir, I will now go through the key provisions of the Business Trusts Bill. Registration under the Business Trusts Bill The Business Trusts Bill sets out the requirements for the governance of business trusts registered under the Bill. The Securities and Futures (Amendment) Bill will make it mandatory for business trusts offered to the retail public to be registered under the Business Trusts Bill. Other business trusts, such as those offered to accreditedand institutionalinvestors will not require registration under the Bill. This is because such investors are generally better able to protect their own interests.”
“34 pm The Minister for Education (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Mr Speaker, Sir,I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The purpose of the Business Trusts Bill is to introduce a framework for the governance of business trusts. Business trusts are business enterprises structured as trusts. They are an alternative to companies as a business structure. This structure is already used in other jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada and theUnited States. Business trusts are distinct from both companies and traditional trusts – with similarities and differences from both. Like a company, a business trust operates and runs a business enterprise. But unlike a company, a business trust is not a separate legal entity. It is created by a trust deed under which the trustee has legal ownership of the trust assets and manages the assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the trust. However, a business trust differs from traditional trusts – such as private trusts and unit trusts – in that it is running and operating a business enterprise. There have been indications of interest on the part of the industry in setting up business trusts. Whereas companies are restricted to paying dividends out of accounting profits, there are no such restrictions on trusts. Business trusts can therefore pay distributions to investors out of operating cash flows. The structure is thus suited to businesses involving high initial capital expenditure with stable operating cash flows, such as infrastructure businesses. Investors can invest in the underlying business by subscribing for units in the business trust, in a manner similar to investing in shares in a company. The units can be listed on a securities exchange.”
“But, having consulted the courts, it is better that we make sure theoffender serves a period in prison before he is let off on home detention, because we believe that there is a salutary effect of serving a prison sentence. A person who commits an offence, however minor it is, ought to know that there is a price to be paid for it and therefore he should serve a period. Before this amendment,prison sentences of less than six months are not eligible for home detention. We thought there is some need to adjust this to enable the group that has minor offences to be allowed to be put on home detention. Hence, wereduced this period to 14 days. I believe I have dealt with the key issues raised by the Members. Let me assure the House that in selecting individual inmates, it is not at the whims and fancies of the prison officers. As I have said, there is already an advisory committee. With the scheme beingexpanded, we are going to have three more advisory committees to advise the prison authorities on theinmates who are suitable to be emplaced on home detention. The chairman andvice-chairmen of these committees are Justices of the Peace. In fact, among them is one of our Members of the House,Mrs Fang Ai Lian. I am sure that the committee members know full well their task, ie, to ensure that these inmates who are amenable to change are allowed an opportunity to change and, at the same time, we do not subject the communityto extra risk. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. BUSINESS TRUSTS BILL Order for Second Reading read. 3.”
“In the first place, because he is sentenced to one year, he will have one third of his time for remission, meaning that he will have toserve a minimum of eight months in prison, of which half could be served at home, ie, four months at home and not 14 days, and four months are a significant period.During the period of home detention, he would be put on an electronic tag. He would be subject to curfew hours within his home, but he would be allowed to workoutside the curfew hours, which are normally between 7.00 am and 7.00 pm, and thereafter he has to remain at home. Therefore, there is no cause for his neighbours to worry that he isnot being under watch. If he is up to mischief and breaches the conditions for home detention, he would be sent back to prison. The fact thatonly 30 out of the 4,074 inmates who were placed on home detentionhad to be recalled shows that the scheme has been highly successful. Of course, we have to continue to watch this to make sure that the right kind ofinmates are selected, and the kind of inmates selected are the ones with minor offences or first-timers, and they do not fit into the schedule of offenders who are ineligible for the scheme.So, when a person is sentenced to a long jail sentence and the offenceis subject to the disqualification scheduleofserious crimes, he would not be released on home detention, so he would not make a mockery of the deterrent effect of the sentence. The objectiveof home detention is not to undermine the powers of the court or the intention of this House to subjectoffenders to deterrent sentences. Even though it is the prisons that decide on this instead of the court, we do this quite cautiously. We had thought of letting thecourt to decide on sentencinga person to home detention.”
“So, let me assure the House that when we implemented the scheme, we thought through very carefully the need to ensure providing a deterrent or retribution aspect to persons committing an offenceand his need to be rehabilitated and re-integrated into society, as well as the interests of the community to enjoy a safe environment within their own community. It is not a measure to reduce overcrowding, as suggested by Prof. Chin, because prison overcrowding is not a serious issue, although we do have prison crowding for the time being. But when the new prisons are ready, we will relieve a significant part of the overcrowding. Looking at the number of prisoners we have at any one timeand the number of prisoners or inmates who are on home detention, the number of those on home detention wasa very significant number. We have only about 1,000 or 1,500 on average a year who were on home detention compared to the several more thousands who weresent to prison. So, let me assure the House that this is not a cost-cutting measure. The Home Detention Scheme is not an invention by Singapore. It is something that is alreadyimplemented in other societies. Wemade a serious study of the scheme in other countries before embarking on it. The Home Detention Scheme is practised also in the United Kingdom, Australia as well as in Sweden, and we borrowed apage from their criminal law book. The question by Mr Low Thia Khiang about a person being sentenced to one year in prison and would serve only a minimum period of 14 days is a misunderstanding. A person who is sentenced to one year will serve many more than 14 days in prison.”
“Sir, I thank the Members for supporting the Bill and also raising the questions so that clarifications can be made. Indeed, we need to have all the stakeholders of the criminal justice system to take a close look at the various sentencing options. Thoseinvolved are not just thestakeholders of the criminal justice system but also the community at large, and that we need to balance the need to send a deterrence to those who committed offences and the need to re-integrate theminto our society and become useful citizens again. That is why when we first introduced home detention in 2000, I said we indeed had a committee to look at this and thoseinvolvedwere not just the Ministry of Home Affairs but alsothe Ministry of Law,the Attorney-General's Chambers. We also sought the views of the courts, plus others who might have an interest in this. The committee chaired by the Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Prof. Ho Peng Kee, came to the conclusion that we need to have several sentencing options available to the judges, and community-based sentencing is one of them, and the Home Detention Scheme is part of the community-based sentencing. The amendment to the Prisons Act at that time allowed for the release of prisoners on home detention. An advisory committee chaired by prominent citizens, in particular, Justices of the Peace and other prominent individuals was formedto make recommendations to the authority. The inmates were then released, subject to certain conditions.”
“If we say that 12 months in prison is an appropriate punishment for a specific offence, will serving 14 days in jail and the rest at home render the sentence a formality and will the sentence lose its deterrent effect? On the other hand, are we giving the prison authority too much discretion to treat offenders differently? Are we prudent in giving the prison authority such powers to decide and, in fact, to amend the punishment meted out by the courts? Sir, it seems to me that, if the Prisons Department would like more people on home detention and for a longer time, it could be their assessment that many of these inmates under their care do not need to remain in jail for that long. Does this mean that our laws are too harsh and the punishments or sentencing benchmarks are, in actual fact, disproportionate to the offences committed? If this is the case, should we not review the laws? Instead of working backwards through administrative release, why not legislate home detention as an option for the sentencing judge so that there can be more transparency in the system, instead of just leaving it to the prisons to decide?”
“However, Sir, it may be worthwhile and timely for the authorities, the courts, the legal fraternity, including the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Ministry of Law, the Law Faculty of the National University of Singapore, the Law Society of Singapore and people involved in the administration of criminal justice in Singapore to revisit, review and decide anew what is the best approach to adopt in the criminal sentencing system. It should involve a balance between rehabilitation, reformation, deterrence and retribution form of sentencing of convicted accused persons. Where possible, Sir, we should avoid or minimise criminalising our citizens, and avoid sending too many of them to prison, except for serious and deserving cases. With that, Sir, I do support this Bill. Mr Low Thia Khiang: Mr Speaker, Sir, this amendment allows the Director of Prisons to release an inmate for home detention for a period not exceeding one year,from the current limit of six months. The prisons administration can also allow an inmate to be placed on home detention if his sentence is at least four weeks long and he has served at least 14 days of his sentence.This means that a person who is convicted ofa jail term of one year may in fact only serve 14 days in prison, then he is out of jail to serve the rest of the sentence at home. Sir, I do agree that home detention is a good sentencing option for offenders who are not dangerous. The question is whether such an administrative measure would undermine the intention of this House which fixes the sentence, and the intention of the judge when he passes sentence based on the severity of the offence.”
“They may have a suspicion whethera person who is under home detention being allowed out before his time would be subject to close scrutiny. Would he have the opportunity to perhaps commit more crimes while he is out on home detention? These are some of the concerns about home detention. They go in different directions. So, I hope the Minister can clarify as to which way we are headed towards in terms of penal policy. With those comments, Sir, I support the Bill. Mr Chandra Mohan K Nair (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendments to the Prisons Act are to be welcomed. This Bill proposes to amend, inter alia, section 53 which deals with the Home Detention Scheme by increasing the maximum period that may be served under home detention by reducing the minimum sentence of imprisonment imposed for a prisoner to be eligible for home detention by reducing the minimum term of imprisonment to be served before a prisoner is eligible for home detention, and by enabling the Minister to remove the disqualification of a prisoner under section 53 for home detention if he considers the prisoner deserving of home detention in the circumstances. Hopefully, Sir, through the proposed amendments, the large number of select imprisoned citizens would be given an opportunity to be released and be with their families whilst serving sentence under the Home Detention Scheme. Our sentencing regime in the 21st century and in the 1990s, as compared to the 1970s and 1980s, has been very strict and deterrent-minded. It may serve its purpose.”
“Chin Tet Yung (Sembawang): Sir, I rise to speak in support of the Bill and would like to focus on the amendments to the Home Detention Scheme as mentioned by the Minister. Traditionalists hold the view that home detention is not really a form of punishment. After all, the inmate is allowed all the comforts of home, and the effect of them having committed a crime and sentenced to a custodial sentence may be lost. So, the first question that I would like to ask the Minister is: how is the point driven home that this is still a custodial sentence and that the person put on home detention has still committed a crime and is properly punished? The second concern is one that is expressed by some that the extension of the Home Detention Scheme is a means of reducing overcrowding in prisons, and that there is this hidden agenda that, actually, we have overcrowded prisons and, therefore, we extend the Home Detention Scheme. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether this is really the case and, if not, to tell the public that home detention is really a measure which would serve the interests of society. Thirdly, there isthe reformists' view that holds thathome detention is a good thing, that it will shield first-time offenders from experienced offenders who are incarcerated in high security prisons and so on. So, is there a move towards a more front-end type of home detention, ie, would the courts, for example, be allowed in appropriate cases to sentence a first-time offender or minor offenders immediately to home detention rather than going through a period of incarceration? Finally, it is a concern that neighbours may face when somebody is placed on home detention.”
“In a case of emergency such as during a SARS outbreak and where the Director of Prisons is absent or unable to make such order for removal, the order may be made by the Superintendent of the prison concerned or bythe Visiting Justices. Clause 13 of the Bill amends section 43 to allow the Director of Prisons to remove prisoners of unsound mind to any mental hospital or other fit place for safe custody within Singapore. A provision will also be included in the Prisons Act for the Director of Prisons to delegate his powers to the Deputy Director of Prisons where necessary. This is a common provision in other Acts, such as the Police Force Act, the Civil Defence Act and the Immigration Act. This amendment will make the provisions of the Prisons Act consistent with these other Acts. Specifically, clause 4 of the Bill amends section 20 to provide for the Deputy Director of Prisons to exercise and perform all or any of the powers, duties and functions of the Director of Prisons. This is critical in operational work for it empowers the Deputy Director to make certain decisions and take certain actions when the situation requires him to. For example, in a fire or riot situation in prison, where there may be a threat to life and limb, the Deputy Director may need to remove prisoners from the affected prisons to a place of safety. Other minor amendments are also being made to the Prisons Act to allow for better administration of the Act. Conclusion Mr Speaker, Sir, the amendments to the Prisons Act that I have presented today will allow more inmates to benefit from the Home Detention Scheme, and for our prisons to function more effectively. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. Assoc. Prof.”
“Other amendments to the Prisons Act Sir, I will now move on to the other amendments to the Prisons Act. Pre-emptive removal of prisoners The Minister is currently empowered to remove prisoners to another place when there is an infectious disease outbreak in prisons. Learning from our experience with SARS, the Ministryis proposing to provide for the pre-emptive removal of prisoners when there is a threat of an outbreak occurring in prisons. Other amendments - delegation of powers In addition, we have taken the opportunity to streamline the delegation of certain powers under the Act for greater administrative and operational efficiency. Specifically, clause 5 of the Bill repeals and re-enacts section 25 to allow the Director of Prisons to appoint medical officers for prisons. It is administratively easier to empower the Director of Prisons to appoint the medical officers since the Director of Prisons will be the one entering into a contract with the medical service provider. Clause 11 of the Bill amends section 39 to allow the Director of Prisons to produce prisoners in the interest of justice, such as when a remand prisoner is required by the court to be brought to the scene of crime when the presiding judge, prosecution or defence wishes to learn more about certain aspects of the case. For operational efficiency, this power will be delegated from the Minister to the Director of Prisons. Clause 12 of the Bill amends section 42 to empower the Director of Prisons to order the removal of any prisoner if a threat of infectious disease occurs in the prisons.”
“Clause 16 of the Bill will amend section 52 of the Prisons Act to raise the maximum home detention period from 6to 12 months. Inmates with sentences of more thanone month and of good behaviour are currently granted remission equivalent to one third of their sentence, subject to the inmates serving a minimum period ofone month in prison. Those sentenced toone month or less are currently not eligible for remission. With the expansion of the Home Detention Scheme, inmates who are sentenced to more than 14 days of imprisonment and of good behaviour will be granted one-third remission of their sentences, subject to the inmates serving a minimum period of 14 days in prison. For example, an inmate who is sentenced to 21 days of imprisonment will now be grantedseven days remission of his sentence and will serve 14 days of his sentence. Prisons Regulation 118(1) will be amended to reflect this change. Sir, currently, the Schedule to the Prisons Act sets out the offences for which a person who has been convicted will not qualify for home detention. This ensures that inmates convicted of serious and violent crimes are not released on home detention. The Ministrywill retain the Schedule. However, clause 17 of the Bill inserts a provision in the Act to allow the Minister the discretion to release deserving inmates convicted of offences in the Schedule on home detention. Prison's experience is that there are such deserving cases. But let me assure the House that this discretion will be exercised judiciously and sparingly, taking into account the inmate's progress and response to rehabilitation in prison, the inmate's level of family support and the risk of recidivism by the inmate.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, this Bill amends the Prisons Act to expand the Home Detention Scheme and to enhance the operational efficiency of the Singapore Prison Service. Expansion of the Home Detention Scheme The Home Detention Scheme was introduced in May 2000 toenable first- time and minor offenders to return early to the community to be re-united with their families and be gainfully employed. It also helps tominimise the risk of first-time and minor offenders from being influenced by hardened criminals whilst in prison. The present Home Detention Scheme was first implemented in May 2000. From May 2000 to the end of June 2004, about 4,074 inmates were emplaced on home detention.99.3% of the inmates successfully completed the programme. Only 30 failed tocomplete the programme. Given the success of the Home Detention Scheme, the Ministry of Home Affairsintends to expand the scheme to allow more inmates, especially first-time and minor offenders with short sentences, to benefit from it. Assuming that the prison admissions remain the same, as for the last two years, about 4,000 inmates would be put on home detention under the expanded scheme. Currently, suitable inmates who are sentenced to not less thansix months' imprisonment and who have served at least half of their sentences in prisons will be considered for emplacement on home detention foraperiod ofup to six months. Clause 17 of the Bill will amend section 53 to expand the Home Detention Scheme such that suitable inmates who are sentenced to not less thanfour weeks of imprisonment and have served at least 14 days of their sentences in prisons can be considered for emplacement on home detention.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with the appointment of Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, the former Deputy Speaker, as the Minister of State, I now propose that Mr S Iswaran be elected as a Deputy Speaker of this Parliament. Mr Iswaran was elected to Parliament in 1997. He has sat on several parliamentary committees, including the House Committee and the Standing Orders Committee. He is also a member of theSingapore-Asia Pacific Rim Regional Group and the Singapore-Southeast Asia Regional Group. He hasattended several conferences and isthe Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's Regional Representative for Southeast Asia. I believe he is well able to assist you in the performance of your duties.”
“Indeed, these measures are widely publicised in parliamentary debates, in the media and in various other public education efforts aimed at raising public awareness. These efforts have borne fruits as seen from the improving Immigration Offender (IO) situation in Singapore in recent years. For instance, more stringent checks at the checkpoints resulted in a 30% decrease in the number of illegal immigrants arrested in 2003 compared to the year before. Therefore, the TIP Report's placement of Singapore in Tier 2 appears to be a sweeping generalisation and certainly does not accurately reflect Singapore's concerted efforts to combat human trafficking. No country, not even the US, can claim to be completely immune to the problems of human trafficking. Singapore views the problem of human trafficking seriously. We have laws and procedures to deal with the matter in a practical way which has worked for us. My Ministry disagrees with the classification of Singapore by the TIP Report as a "destination country for girls and women trafficked for sexual exploitation". We will be issuing a detailed rebuttal to the US to point out the inaccuracies in the report. FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED AND ELDERLY AT MRT STATIONS 5. Ms Indranee Rajah asked the Minister for Transport what steps is LTA taking to ensure that the retrofitting works for facilities for the disabled and elderly at the 10 MRT stations (including the Newton and Orchard stations), which have been delayed due to the contractor's financial difficulties, are completed as soon as possible.”
“Singapore does not have a significant human trafficking problem as suggested by the US Trafficking In Persons (TIP) 2004 Report released in June 2004. While Singapore does not claim to be absolutely free from human trafficking for sexual exploitation, the instances of forced prostitution are few and far in between. There were only 11 and seven reports of forced prostitution in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Sixteen of these 18 reports could not be substantiated. There was only one case substantiated in each of the two years. We are therefore puzzled by the US TIP 2004 Report's conclusion that there are likely more than 100 cases per year of girls and women trafficked into Singapore for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The TIP Report also alleged that Singapore has no national action plan to address human trafficking. This is far from the truth. It is widely known that we take a tough stance against illegal immigrants, whether they were trafficked or had entered Singapore on their own volition, and against those involved in human trafficking and human smuggling. We adopt a multi-pronged approach comprising enforcement actions and security checks at the various checkpoints to deter and detect the movement of illegal immigrants in and out of Singapore. Mobile x-ray machines are deployed at the land checkpoints to provide x-ray screening of goods vehicles. ICA also makes use of mobile gamma-ray machines to detect illegal immigrants hidden in containers. In addition, the Police Coast Guard's presence is strongly felt with its intensive patrols around Singapore territorial waters. These enforcement actions are complemented by the stringent laws against immigration offenders and those who traffic, harbour or employ them.”
“It is already an offence to use a camera-phone in certain ways, for example, a hidden camera in a changing room, or to photograph up a woman's skirt or take obscene photographs of any person. These are covered under section 509 of the Penal Code which makes it an offence for a person to intrude on the privacy of a woman and section 11(a) of the Undesirable Publications Act which makes it an offence for any person to make obscene photographs. The existing laws are adequate to deal with such misuse of mobile telephones. However, merely taking photographs of people, with or without their knowledge, in a public place is not by itself an offence. There is no need to have a law on this to criminalise such an act. HUMAN TRAFFICKING 4. Ms Indranee Rajah asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether Singapore has a significant human trafficking problem as suggested by the US Trafficking in Persons 2004 Report; and (b) whether his Ministry considers Singapore's placement in Tier 2 in the said Report as an accurate reflection of our country's efforts to combat human trafficking.”
“The Town Councils are responsible for ensuring that the Automatic Rescue Devices (ARDs) in lifts are properly maintained and work as designed to release trapped persons from lifts in the event of a power cut-off. They have also engaged Emergency Maintenance Service Units (EMSUs) to carry out lift rescues should the ARDs fail. They must ensure that their EMSUs have sufficient teams to deal with such rescues. During an emergency, SCDF's priority is to respond to and deal with life-threatening situations. Nevertheless, if the Town Councils require SCDF's support in specific lift rescues, they should make available their personnel and keys to assist in the rescues together with SCDF. CAMERA PHONES 3. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Home Affairs if laws regarding the abuse of camera-enabled phones will be introduced to safeguard the privacy of private individuals.”
“This will ensure that there is a conduit of trusted information for any student in China wishing to study in Singapore. Industry-led Upgrading While Government has an important role to play in creating the conditions for a vibrant education sector, the efforts of Government agencies are only one part of the equation. The private schools themselves must be willing to take action, upgrade and protect the good name of their industry. In this regard, we are pleased to note that various industry associations such as Singapore Education International (SEI), Association of Private Schools (APS), and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), have been stepping forward to help private schools upgrade. For example, SEI is exploring initiatives to identify and give awards to good quality agents, and ASME is exploring a new benchmark for SMEs for best business practices. Students, on their part, owe it to themselves to conduct their own checks before signing up for courses and to clarify the terms offered before enrolling in any school. Sir, Singapore enjoys a good reputation as an education hub, with many world-class universities and educational institutions located here. We must continue to work together with our industry partners to raise the quality and reputation of our educational offerings so as to achieve our vision of Singapore as a Global Schoolhouse. SOLAR ENERGY 28. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Government should seriously study the feasibility of using solar energy for electricity generation.”
“The accreditation scheme will be drawn up in consultation with industry players, and SPRING is targeting to launch the accreditation scheme for private education organisations in January 2005. Honest Business Dealings In choosing to study in Singapore, some students and their families have had to invest a significant portion of their life-savings. All private schools must conduct their business in an ethical, honest and transparent manner so that the students' interests are protected. This will help ensure that we remain an attractive destination for international students. To this end, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) is working on a CaseTrust for Private Schools scheme. This scheme safeguards the interest of the students by requiring private schools to have standard terms in their offer letters to students, establish clear policies for course refunds and transfers, and set up proper dispute resolution mechanisms in the event of disagreements between the students and the schools. Private schools that qualify for the scheme will then be able to display the CaseTrust logo as a mark of recognition. Details of this scheme will be announced in August 2004. Reliable information for students In addition, a public information system has been put in place to ensure that students have access to a trusted source of information. STB has launched the Singapore Education website last year. This website provides information to help all potential students who want to study here get reliable information about the private education sector in Singapore. STB is also working with the Chinese authorities to hyperlink the Singapore Education website to their official student information website.”
“Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Trade and Industry in light of the reports in the press that students in the People's Republic of China are losing confidence in our private educational institutions and our reputation as an education hub being thus tarnished, has his Ministry plans (i) to maintain the quality and standard of privately run educational institutions and (ii) to regulate and accredit these institutions to protect the interests of students, both local and overseas. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The Singapore Government is committed to develop the private education sector and elevate its standards as part of our overall efforts to develop Singapore into a thriving education hub. As a basic requirement, MOE already registers privately-run schools offering academic and commercial courses, as well as tuition schools, enrichment centres and foreign system and international schools. Individual persons or organisations intending to set up a private school must be able to provide evidence that they have adequate and relevant teaching and administration staff, a curriculum acceptable to MOE, and that the school is adequately and appropriately furnished and equipped. On top of MOE registration, the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO) scheme was launched by SPRING Singapore in 2003 to recognise quality education providers for their business process excellence. But more can and will be done to encourage privately-run schools to upgrade and improve their standards. Providing Quality Education - Accreditation To recognise institutions for providing quality education, SPRING has, since October last year, been working with Government agencies such as MTI, MOE, EDB and STB to set up an accreditation system.”
“However, it remains a complex operating environment. To succeed in China, it is important to have deep, up-to-date knowledge of markets, the regulatory and legal environment and local practices. We are building networks to facilitate information sharing and greater interaction among our businessmen. International Enterprise Singapore (IE S'pore) has helped to set up the Singapore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Beijing (SingCham) and Network China in Singapore. Singaporeans should not enter the Chinese market without doing their homework. Familiarity with the Chinese environment is crucial. In 2001, MTI launched the Asian Business Fellowship Programme. Under this programme, young Singaporeans are sent to various parts of China on training attachments and scholarships. Over 150 Singaporeans have been sent to companies in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Dongguan and Longkou. We have set up six IE offices* in various parts of China to provide our Singapore businesses and citizens in China with a strong support base. We expect to send about 50 business missions to China this year. Government agencies like IE S'pore can only play a facilitating role. It is our businessmen who will have to assess market opportunities, analyse their own strengths and weaknesses, and decide what risks to take. China is a rapidly growing market and we want more of the businessmen to venture there. * IE has six offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Dalian, Qingdao, and Chengdu PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL SECTOR 27.”
“Singapore companies have also moved into other sectors like logistics, education and financial services. In port and logistics business, PSA operates ports in Dalian Container Terminal (Liaoning), Fuzhou Container Terminal and Guangzhou Container Terminal. SembCorp Logistics is active in Shenzhen and Shanghai. In the education sector, our companies have been successful in marketing their services and products in China. Times Publishing Group has established printing plants in Shenyang (Liaoning), Shanghai and Nansha (Guangzhou). The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) has established a Sino-Singapore school with Chengdu University in Sichuan to offer English and Business programmes. Our banks are also making headway in China. DBS, UOB, and OCBC have established operations in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. As China continues to grow, new opportunities will open up. China has been liberating its services sector. With the rapid growth of the middle class, there are good prospects for our services companies. Singapore companies are strong in business services, infrastructure services, lifestyle products, transportation and logistics, international trading, engineering support and ICT. China is keen on investments in the high-tech industries. Chinese President Hu Jintao proposed Sino-Singapore collaboration in high-tech industries when he visited Singapore in 2002 and several of our companies have already taken up this offer. For example, Hyflux has collaborated with Zhejiang University to establish an engineering company for water treatment and R&D for the production of purified water and has invested S$1.7 million in a biotechnology company in China. Preparations for participation in growth of China China is changing rapidly.”
“The programme helped to educate viewers on healthy cooking practices and different types of exercises. In addition to this, HPB has also collaborated with Yayasan MENDAKI to conduct focus group discussions to gather feedback and inputs on health-related issues that affect the Malay/Muslim community. HPB and the Ministry of Health are also working with Indian and Chinese community organisations to promote a healthy lifestyle and to reduce the risk factors for heart disease. INVESTMENT IN THE CHINESE ECONOMY 26. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry following the recent visits to China by several Ministers (a) what sectors of the Chinese economy Singaporeans and Singaporean businesses (i) are already involved and (ii) can participate in as China continues to grow; and (b) how must Singaporeans prepare themselves in order to participate more significantly in the growth of China as a major trading nation. BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: Sectors of involvement, present and future China is our fifth largest trading partner. It has been our top investment destination since 1997. At present, our investments are concentrated mainly in the coastal areas, primarily in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Fujian and Guangdong. Our economic engagement with China has increased significantly over the past two decades and now covers a wide range of sectors. Our firms are strong in real estate and infrastructure development, trading and manufacturing. For example, Ascendas and CPG group have leveraged on their successful experience in Suzhou and secured projects to do master planning and building infrastructure in other parts of China. Our manufacturing companies have established their presence in China, supporting MNCs there.”
“The Health Promotion Board (HPB) under the Ministry of Health has put in place health education programmes to educate the public about the risk factors. HPB carries out year long programmes to promote physical activity, no smoking and a diet low in fat and salt. These programmes are targeted at all age groups. HPB collaborates with voluntary welfare organisations and grassroots organisations to conduct a community health screening programme to detect hypertension, diabetes and high blood cholesterol early, so that they can be treated early to prevent complications such as heart disease. The prevalence of the common health problems such as cancer and heart disease are different among the different ethnic groups and between the two genders. Heart attack rates are highest among the Indians, followed by the Malays and Chinese. A local study on heart attacks among adults aged 20-64 years from 1991-1999 showed that although Indians had the highest heart attack rates, Malays were most likely to die from heart attacks. To address this, HPB works closely with various partner agencies which include Indian and Malay/Muslim organisations to promote healthy lifestyles and enhance knowledge and skills for healthy living. In the last two years, HPB worked with more than 20 mosques to jointly organise about 100 community-based programmes targeted mainly at women. HPB also collaborates with MUIS and MERAK (a network of the women's departments of 11 mosques) and other Malay/Muslim organisations to organise events such as health carnivals, health food expo and exercise @ the park. These events reach out to large groups of the Malay/Muslim community. Another example would be the Gaya Sihat programme which was broadcast on television from December last year till February this year.”
“Visitors may be subject to further checks and interviews if they are suspected to be coming to Singapore for vice or other nefarious reasons. In such instances, ICA will not allow them entry. I would like to assure the House that these enforcement actions will continue. We will monitor the situation closely and introduce new measures if necessary. HEART DISEASES IN THE MALAY COMMUNITY 25. Dr Lily Neo asked the Minister for Community Development and Sports in view of heart disease being the second biggest killer after cancer in Singapore, younger Malay women are most vulnerable to heart attacks as shown in a nine-year study in Singapore, and women who have attacks are more likely to die than men, whether the Minister will do more (i) to promote the message and to encourage the Malay community to seek and comply with effective treatment; and (ii) to effect lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of heart attack through Malay community bodies such as the mosques, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura and Yayasan MENDAKI. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Dr Lily Neo's question is on a health issue. It would actually have been more appropriate for Dr Neo to direct the question to the Ministry of Health, which oversees and co-ordinates health promotion efforts. The Government has always advocated that all Singaporeans should take personal responsibility for their health. Singaporeans can do this by adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes exercising regularly, eating healthily, not smoking and managing stress. The risk factors for heart disease are obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, a diet high in fat and salt, high blood cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.”
“Police has been closely monitoring the vice situation in Singapore. Let me assure the House that the situation is under control. While the media has recently highlighted prostitution activities in housing estates and shopping areas by opportunistic foreigners, the situation is not rampant. In fact, not all of them loiter in such areas for the purpose of prostitution. For example, in HDB estates, the majority of female foreigners arrested were found selling 4-D lottery and pirated VCDs, and not for soliciting for sexual services in public. Nevertheless, Police has in recent months received more complaints about vice activities. It has stepped up enforcement actions. As a result, more arrests have been made. For the periods January to June 2004, 2,670 female foreign sex workers were arrested, compared to 1,221 arrests over the same period (January to June) in 2003 and 1,738 in 2002, and 2,301 and 3,422 arrests for the whole of 2003 and 2002 respectively. Police will, in particular, take enforcement actions to clean up vice activities taking place outside the traditional red-light areas so as to contain such activities within these areas. Any foreigner found to be involved in vice activities while in Singapore will be repatriated and banned from re-entering Singapore. As a preventive measure, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) adopts a calibrated approach and regularly fine-tunes its visa requirements and procedures to deter entry of non-genuine visitors without affecting the arrival of bona fide visitors. Visitors to Singapore will only be granted entry if they meet our entry requirements, such as holding a valid passport, a confirmed air ticket, and a valid entry visa, if required.”
“However, in the case of the Development Fund, these expenses are not apportioned to the Development Fund but to the Consolidated Fund. The Development Fund Act is therefore being amended to allow the expenses on investment to be appropriated from the Development Fund just like the other Funds. This is in line with our move to assign costs correctly so that the financial statements of Government agencies will more accurately reflect their financial performance. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Lim Hng Kiang]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. LEGAL PROFESSION (AMENDMENT) BILL”
“Sir, the fact that Mr Chiam says something of substance does not make it substantiated. If he has any reason to believe that he has been unfairly treated, he can write to me and I shall have it fully investigated. He should not say that he has substance to make an allegation and therefore it is substantiated. The police officers go on rounds. They do house visits. They accompany grassroots leaders from time to time to do that. They also do house visits on their own as part of community policing. I do not see residents as being scared of the police as if they are like Alsatian dogs. Not at all. I think our public know that our policemen are friendly policemen. In fact, sometimes I get feedback that our policemen are becoming too friendly that people are not afraid of them any more. So his suggestion that our police officers go on rounds with grassroots leaders is like bringing along Alsatian dogs is totally absurd. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Wong Kan Seng]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. DEVELOPMENT FUND (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.50 pm The Second Minister for Finance (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, this Bill seeks to provide for expenditure on investments of moneys in the Development Fund to be paid directly from the Development Fund. Expenses on investment are currently apportioned to the Consolidated Fund, the Government Securities Fund and the Developmental Investment Fund.”
“Yes. I think there are also terms of contract which will be a matter for the courts to decide as to where the liability actually lies.”
“Sir, the key words are "not employed by the Government". If they are employed by the commercial companies themselves, then certainly it must be the companies that will be liable for them. But if they are employed by the Government, then they will not be covered by the provision.”
“For example, if Mr Low has in mind CISCO, let me say that CISCO will be treated no differently from any other auxiliary police forces if the other auxiliary police forces so decide to compete in the open market like CISCO. Right now, I know that there is already an existing one formed from several other auxiliary police forces into one new company called Ateos. They will be competing with CISCO in the marketplace. I am sure that if they believe that they have been done in, because the Commissioner has been unfair, the matter will be raised and will be looked into.”
“Mr Low has specific comments on the clauses. On the liability of the Government for acts done by the auxiliary police force, if the auxiliary police officers are fulfilling a commercial contract and they are doing a job, that certainly must be the responsibility of the individual employer. Of course, in a situation where they are mobilised to assist the Government, then they have to obey the instructions of the Government. And in the course of their duties, something does happen and it is during mobilisation, then the Government will have to take care of the problem. On the punishment of the auxiliary police officer and the regular police officer, for the regular police officer, this has not been changed because this is the existing provision. For the auxiliary police officer, under the old provision,the punishment was $500 and an imprisonment term for a short period. But the recent case shows that this is totally inadequate and that even this $500 is totally out of tune with today's times. And since the law has not been amended for some time, it therefore has to be updated and there must be good reasons why there is this difference between the regular police officers and the auxiliary police officers because the regular police officers are also subject to the Police's General Orders, as well as to other disciplinary rules and proceedings of the civil service and the Police Force. On fair competition and whether the power given to the Commissioner to exempt dominant players will be abused or not, let me assure the Member that it is not the intention to abuse the power of the Commissioner by exempting certain dominant players.”
“That is the role of the police officers, not as escorts for grassroots leaders on house visits. They do not serve that purpose. When the police go on such rounds with grassroots leaders or with advisors on the ground, it is purely for the purpose of promoting crime prevention, as well as to get to know the residents. That is what they have been doing for a long time. On Mr Chiam's specific incidence on why his question was not answered by the Police, I cannot give him an answer unless he writes to me specifically and tells me what actually took place, and I will have it investigated. Our police officers, as far as public surveys are concerned, year by year, have received high marks from the public. Just from Police records of publicly-assisted arrests, we are quite proud of our statistics. 40%-50% of the arrests made in Singapore are done with the help of the public. If he goes to any other country in this part of the world, I do not think he can hear that kind of confidence that the public has on our police force. We should do nothing to undermine the sense of confidence that the public has in them. If there are other specific instances where Mr Chiam felt aggrieved that he has been slighted by the Police, please write to me and let me know, and I will have it investigated. The same goes for Mr Low. He complained that during the elections period, Opposition Members were treated unfairly. I can tell him that PAP candidates also felt that the Police treated them very unfairly by not allowing them to do certain things. But that is the job of the Police, to ensure that it is fair and neutral to all parties concerned and not just to the ruling party's candidates. Let me state quite categorically that the police officers act without fear or favour.”
“In the case of the junior auxiliary police officers, the Singapore Police Force will have oversight of the disciplinary proceedings by the auxiliary police forces. In addition, the errant auxiliary police officers may also be prosecuted in court and the penalty, in this instance, has been enhanced. Lastly, through restricting the powers of the auxiliary police officers. Under the current Police Force Act and the CISCO Act, all auxiliary police officers carry arms and have the powers, protection and immunities of police officers of corresponding rank within the specified areas of jurisdiction. These powers can be exercised even when they are not on duty. Under the new legislation, auxiliary police officers will only be able to exercise their powers when they are on duty. Such limits will help to ensure that the auxiliary police officers do not abuse the Police powers. With all these measures, we will ensure that the standards are upheld and only well-trained auxiliary police officers are deployed. Coming to Mr Chiam's comment, it is a serious allegation that our regular police officers have not been neutral. I think that is not a fair comment. Our police officers uphold the highest standard of conduct, as well as professionalism. They treat all alike, whether he is a foreigner, a citizen, the ruling party or the Opposition party. All individuals in Singapore must observe the law. It is the police officers' duty to uphold the law and to ensure that law and order is maintained. The instance cited by Mr Chiam of police officers accompanying grassroots leaders on house visits is not something new and only done for the ruling party. It is part and parcel of the grassroots leaders' role in helping to educate the public on crime prevention.”
“The auxiliary police officers will be required to pass written and scenario-based tests as well as shooting tests. The assessment syllabus will also include physical fitness, protective security, Police procedures and the relevant aspects of the law and handling of firearms. The whole assessment process will ensure that only well-trained auxiliary police officers are deployed. Secondly, it is through the use of directives. The control of standards will be strengthened through directives issued by the Police Force which will then lay out the operational standards and the requirements. The Singapore Police Force will also carry out regular ground inspections and audits to ensure strict compliance with the directives. Controls and checks will include assessing the general proficiency levels of the auxiliary police forces. When gaps such as failures to ensure adequate training of the officers are identified, the auxiliary police forces will be required to take steps to close them, failing which sanctions may be imposed. These sanctions could range from written warnings to imposing financial penalties or, in the worst case, suspending the auxiliary police force from providing armed security services. Thirdly, through an enhanced disciplinary framework. While the auxiliary police officers will be trained and briefed on the exercise of their Police powers, there will inevitably be "black sheep". The Singapore Police Force would introduce an enhanced disciplinary framework that will allow the auxiliary police forces to take appropriate measures against the errant or negligent auxiliary police officers. Senior auxiliary police officers will also be subject to the same disciplinary proceedings as regular officers and subject to disciplinary action by the Singapore Police Force.”