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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“Approximately 15% of security officer licences are issued to non-citizens. This is made up of permanent residents and foreigners accounting for about 5% and 10% respectively. Under the Private Security Industry Act, employers are required to inform the licensing officer whenever they employ or terminate the services of a licensed security officer. Based on the notifications from employers, approximately 71% of security officer licensees are currently employed as security officers. Security officer licences are tied to the individual, rather than the employer, and are issued for a five-year period. Licensees who are not working in the security industry could either be attending security-related courses or working in other industries. DETENTION OF PERSON FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES (Related to case of Yong Vui Kong ) 3. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Government has detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act any person believed to have been organising drug trafficking activities which involved Yong Vui Kong, an inmate on death row.”
“Employers, in particular, have a strong interest to provide a supportive environment for their staff to embrace a healthy lifestyle. WAITING TIME AT RESTRUCTURED HOSPITALS (Specialists consultations) 28. Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Health what are the waiting times for a new consultation with specialists at the restructured hospitals for the various major medical disciplines, for both subsidised and private patients.”
“Mr Khaw Boon Wan: A media report has not correctly conveyed one hospital CEO's view on this subject, contributing to a misunderstanding that the hospital intends not to promote obese staff. The CEO has since clarified his stand through the media, denying such an intent. His message was that as healthcare workers, we should be good role models for our patients and actively adopt a healthy lifestyle, including making efforts to exercise and keep fit. My Ministry does not condone discrimination in the workplace. Staff promotion has always been based on actual work performance and potential. It is not based on body shape or size. Body weight is not the issue but fitness to work is, as physical fitness does impact work performance. That is why before hiring staff, the restructured hospitals will subject potential recruits to a thorough medical examination. Healthcare jobs are physically demanding and employees need to be physically fit in order to carry out their duties effectively. I believe most, if not all, other employers do the same. Let me take this opportunity to remind all to take healthy lifestyle seriously. Health is the foundation for a happy and fulfilling life. Let us all do our best to stay well and keep fit. Healthy lifestyle does not guarantee that we will not fall sick, as shown by my recent hospitalisation. But it improves our odds. Sedentary lifestyle and junk food are damaging our health. It is a serious global health issue. Please join my Ministry in promoting healthy lifestyle among Singaporeans. I know the NTUC leadership, including Mr Seah Kian Peng, supports this strongly. Healthcare professionals, including Dr Lam Pin Min, are championing this movement.”
“These measures have been reviewed by the technical experts including the CAB and SPRING Singapore. The Singapore Flyer has also installed emergency supplies such as water and glucose tablets in the capsules for the passengers; and Police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) have been working closely with the Singapore Flyer in conducting contingency planning and evacuation exercises to ensure that there is effective response in emergency situations. Since the December 2008 incident, a total of six of such exercises have been conducted. Police, together with SCDF, SPRING Singapore and the Singapore Flyer management, have worked to put in place a robust regime to safeguard the safety of the users of the Flyer. Moving forward, MHA has been working with MND and BCA to review the current regulatory regime for amusement rides in Singapore. The review was initiated with the aim of better harnessing technical expertise found in various Government agencies so that we can continue to ensure public safety even as amusement rides grow in numbers and complexity. PROMOTIONAL PROSPECTS OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS (Use of BMI as criterion) 26. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Health what is the Government's stand on the idea of using an employee's weight as a criterion for staff promotion in Government and restructured hospitals when all other factors are equal. 27. Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Health if the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a necessary criterion in assessing healthcare workers' promotional prospect and whether it will eventually be used in determining the employability of healthcare workers in the future.”
“In the recent incident on 18th July 2010, preliminary investigations by Singapore Flyer found no evidence of the ride being affected by lightning, contrary to earlier media reports that this may be the case. No other services or systems were affected apart from the loss of air-conditioning in the capsules, as a result of a loss of power supply to the air-conditioning system. As the air-conditioning system is separate from the system driving the Flyer's movement, there was no compromise to the safety of the Flyer. It was still able to operate normally despite the loss of air-conditioning, and the passengers on board completed their ride without incident. The management of the Singapore Flyer then made a decision to temporarily stop operations in order to repair the air-conditioning system. The incident on 18th July 2010 has no relation to the design and safety aspects of the Singapore Flyer. As I have explained earlier, the air-conditioning system runs on an entirely separate system and is an issue of passenger comfort, not public safety. The preliminary investigation findings on the incident have been submitted to CAB, and CAB also verified that the ride remains safe to operate. I would like to update this House that since the incident on 23rd December 2008 when an electrical fire in the control room caused a five-hour stoppage with passengers still on-board, the Singapore Flyer has reviewed and enhanced the design of the ride to recover from major stoppages. Apart from having an independent backup system which is physically located away from the primary system, the Singapore Flyer has also built in a winching system which can rotate the Flyer manually if both the primary and backup systems malfunction.”
“The Singapore Flyer is licensed by the Police under the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act. Before the licence is issued, Police requires the Singapore Flyer to be certified by a competent body as having met relevant technical and safety standards. This assessment and certification is done by a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB), comprising foreign technical experts recommended by SPRING Singapore. This approach is similar to the regulatory regimes in Germany and the UK where CAB and third party assessment bodies are used to certify the safety of amusement rides. In the case of the Singapore Flyer, the CAB based its assessment on a safety standard known as the EN 13814 standard, which is an internationally recognised standard that is widely used in Europe and the US for amusement rides, including ferris wheels. For example, the safety standard for the London Eye was modified from the EN 13814 to conform to British legislation. The EN 13814 standard covers the design and manufacture of the essential components of the Singapore Flyer, as well as the operational safety of the Flyer, including normal and emergency operations, locking devices and braking mechanisms. These are the primary safety measures regulated by the Police. Specific to safety measures to protect passengers from inclement weather, Singapore Flyer has in place an Early Warning System to monitor the presence of lightning, where passenger boarding will be suspended if lightning discharges within an 8 km – 10 km radius are detected. In addition, lightning rods are also installed on all the passenger capsules to prevent damage by lightning. These measures have helped avert safety incidents at the Flyer due to direct lightning.”
“The NorthStar exercises conducted by the Home Team also showcased our collective determination to not just a whole-of-Government perspective but also a whole-of-nation perspective to prevail over the threats of transnational terrorism. We will continue to invest our resources on this front as it is an effective way of raising awareness and preparedness in our community. Sir, I believe that I have dealt with all the questions or points raised by the Members. 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.”
“With regard to the arrest of a non-Singapore citizen for offences under the Hostage-Taking Bill, Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef asked what are the relevant procedures and processes for the individual to get in touch with the representatives of his state. A non-Singaporean who is arrested here for such offences will be subjected to the normal criminal process; as a foreigner, his Embassy or its representative will be notified and he can then seek consular assistance from that government. In the case where Singapore has no extradition treaty with the country that is also a party to the Convention, I have already said that clause 14(2) of our Bill allows the Law Minister to gazette that country under section 4 of the Extradition Act to apply the Extradition Act to that country as if such a treaty existed. However, this gazette notification would only apply to hostage-taking offences. There is no obligation under the Convention to extradite an alleged taker to a non-Convention country. Sir, this Bill is a key instrument supporting our counter-terrorism efforts. As mentioned by Members, we also need to raise the community's awareness and their involvement in counter-terrorism. The Government has worked very closely with the community to sensitise them to threats of terrorism and to encourage them to take greater ownership of their own security. And the response so far has been encouraging. People across the various domains and institutions including the banks, large foreign business corporations, retail, hotel industry, grassroots, schools, and even taxi drivers, have attended the numerous security briefings, talks and discussions organised by our security and enforcement agencies.”
“Ultimately, the underlining aim of the Convention is to ensure that the perpetuators of hostage-taking are brought to justice. Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef also asked for clarification on the issue pertaining to extraterritoriality, specifically whether there is any differentiation between cases where the hostage-taker is a Singaporean or a non-Singaporean, and in cases when the hostage is a Singapore citizen. Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef has also asked what would happen if the hostage-taking incident takes place in an aeroplane or on ship. The Hostage-Taking Bill does not differentiate between cases where the hostage-taker or the hostage is a Singaporean or a non-Singaporean. If the alleged offender is found in our territory, we will have to investigate and arrest the alleged offender and then determine whether to submit the case for prosecution or to extradite him to a requesting state which has claim to jurisdiction. This is to ensure that a state party does not let an alleged offender go free because the offence was not committed within its territory. Therefore it does not matter where the incident has taken place. If the offence happens on-board a Singapore-flagged airplane or ship which is in the international airspace or waters of another country, it may be possible for both Singapore and the other government in whose territory where the offence occurs to concurrently have jurisdiction over the offence. The alleged offender will then be dealt with under the laws of whichever country that exercises jurisdiction. If Singapore wishes to exercise jurisdiction over the offence, then the Bill gives the Government power to either prosecute or to seek extradition of the alleged offender from another country, where appropriate.”
“Nonetheless, we will review this in the future and we will see whether the penalties for acts against other persons are sufficient or not. If not, we will see how they can be further enhanced. Ms Indranee has also asked for clarification on how clause 5 of the Hostage-Taking Bill affects the information that is given or protected by the legal profession's privilege. Clause 5 is not intended to override the legal profession's privilege. If a person confesses to a lawyer that he has committed hostage-taking with a view to engaging the lawyer to defend him, then this information is protected from disclosure by privilege. However, legal professional privilege does not protect any information or fact revealed to the counsel that furthers any illegal purpose; eg, information on an impending hostage-taking offence. This provision is also not intended to require the defence counsel to disclose other information he obtains in the course of defending his client, the accused person, as this would make it, in practice, very difficult for the accused person to get representation by counsel. However, if the lawyer chooses to disclose the information, he would be protected by clause 5(3) of the Bill against disciplinary proceedings. Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef made mention of the United Nations Convention adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Indeed the Hostage-Taking Bill, when passed, will give effect to the International Convention against the taking of hostages. Under the scheme of the Bill, any person who commits an act of hostage-taking shall either be prosecuted or extradited, as provided for by Article 8 of the Convention. The course of action taken will, of course, be dependent on the circumstances of each case.”
“Sir, I wish to thank Mr Christopher de Souza, Ms Indranee Raja and Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef for supporting the Bill. They have raised some specific questions and I will attempt to deal with them as far as I can. Mr de Souza asked if the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) would consider raising the penalties under clauses 3 and 5 of the Bill. Well, we agree that the penalties for the hostage-taking offences must commensurate with the severity of the offences committed. To this end, we have been very careful in calibrating the penalties for hostage-taking offences vis-a-vis the other penalties that we have under our other laws. The proposed penalties are consistent with those for other serious offences under existing legislations. To provide some points of reference, the penalty of 15 years imprisonment of acts of hostage-taking to compel any other person mirrors that in the current section 364(a) of the Penal Code. The penalty for failure to disclose information is also consistent with the penalties provided for in the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act and Terrorism (Suppression of Bombings) Act. Ms Indranee has asked about the differentiation in penalty between the hostage-taking act to compel the Government and to compel any other persons. While we recognise that the threats made to other persons can be serious, we must ensure that the harshest penalties are reserved for cases where such penalties are justified. In the case of acts against governments, we need to send a very strong signal, a deterrent signal, that hostage-taking cannot be used as a means to unduly influence or manipulate a government – any government for that matter.”
“Singapore condemns all forms of terrorism and I ask for Members' affirmation of the needs for perpetrators of any such acts or violence to be brought to justice. Acceding to Convention and implementing the new Hostage-Taking Act will strengthen existing counter-terrorism cooperation between Singapore and like-minded countries. It ensures that the perpetrators of hostage-taking acts will have no safe haven and complements domestic legal instruments already in place to deal with terrorists. Through these international and domestic instruments, we reiterate our commitment to combat terrorism and our unequivocal condemnation of their methods of violence. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 3.14 pm”
“Extradition and mutual legal assistance Sir, the Convention requires Singapore to make hostage-taking offences extraditable. Clause 14 of the Bill provides for hostage-taking offences to be deemed as included in the list of extraditable offences under the First Schedule to the Extradition Act. This is to facilitate any extradition request made by the countries who are parties to the Convention. Where there is no extradition treaty in force between Singapore and a Convention country, or if the existing treaty does not provide for the extradition of persons accused or convicted of hostage-taking offences, clause 14 provides that the Minister for Law can issue a notification in the Gazette under section 4 of the Extradition Act, to apply the Act as if there was an extradition treaty between them. To facilitate mutual legal assistance between the State Parties to the Convention, clause 13 of the Bill provides that a foreign hostage-taking offence shall not be deemed to be an offence of a political nature. This also applies to an extradition request. This is to prevent anyone from blocking mutual legal assistance or extradition on the ground that the offences in question are politically motivated. Sir, we are obliged to provide mutual legal assistance in relation to an investigation or criminal or extradition proceedings, if requested by a country which is party to the Convention. However, any request for such assistance will have to be consistent with the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and non-intervention in our domestic affairs. Singapore will render assistance within what is allowable under our domestic legal framework. Sir, the threat of terrorism is a real one.”
“Powers to freeze bank account, to order inspection of customer information, and to obtain information Clauses 6, 7 and 8 of the Bill provide the Public Prosecutor with the powers to make orders to prevent the payment of ransom money and to investigate or prosecute offences under the Bill. Specifically, clause 6 empowers the Public Prosecutor to order the freezing of a bank account, if he is satisfied that money for paying a ransom is likely to be paid out of it. The Government does not encourage the payment of ransom money to hostage-takers. Ransom payment does not guarantee the safety of hostages and may even have an adverse effect of encouraging hostage-taking activities. To deter potential hostage-takers, the payment of ransom money is made difficult so that there will be no certainty of gain for the hostage-takers. Failure of a bank to comply with an order under this clause will render it liable to a fine of up to $20,000. Clause 7 empowers the Public Prosecutor to authorise a police officer to inspect any book, account or other document kept by a bank if he considers that any evidence of the commission of an offence under the Bill is likely to be found in the document. Under clause 8 of the Bill, the Public Prosecutor is empowered to obtain information for the purpose of any investigation or proceedings for an offence under the Bill. These provisions have been included to facilitate investigations into the offences under this Bill. A failure to comply with the Public Prosecutor's orders in these aspects, or providing false information in purported compliance with an order to provide information, will render the person liable to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to an imprisonment to a term not exceeding two years or to both.”
“Any person who commits an act outside Singapore, which if committed in Singapore would constitute a hostage-taking offence, will be deemed to have committed the act here. If taken into custody in Singapore, the person will be charged, tried and punished accordingly. Withholding information In relation to a hostage-taking offence, early intervention is critical. Clause 5 of the Bill requires any person who has information that can prevent the commission of a hostage-taking offence, or which is useful to secure the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a perpetrator of a hostage-taking offence, to come forward and provide information to the authorities. While it is not an obligation under the Convention for Singapore to criminalise the act of withholding information on hostage-taking, anyone who possesses such information should logically disclose it, given the possible grave consequences of the offence, if committed. We included the same provision when we enacted the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act in 2003, and the Terrorism (Suppression of Bombings) Act in 2007. Hence, the insertion of this provision in the Hostage-Taking Bill is precedented and is a way to deal effectively with hostage-taking offences. There are adequate safeguards for a person who provides the information in good faith. He will be protected against any civil or criminal proceedings. Conversely, failure to disclose such information will render a person liable to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or both.”
“In its current form, section 364A of the Penal Code does not expressly cover offences against governments of another state and international inter-governmental organisations. The wording of the section also suggests that it applies only when there is an intention on the part of the kidnapper to move the victim from one place to another, ie, the mere detention of a person in-situ would not trigger it. This is a technical anomaly which this Bill seeks to address. In addition, the Penal Code does not provide for extra-territorial jurisdiction over hostage-taking offences. Hence, section 364A of the Penal Code will be repealed with the enactment of the Hostage-Taking Act. Clause 3 of the Bill makes it an offence to seize or detain any person and to threaten to kill, injure or continue to detain him, unless a third party does or abstain from doing any act. The third party may be the Singapore Government, the government of another State, an international inter-governmental organisation, or any other person. Upon conviction, a person found guilty of a hostage-taking offence against the Government, the government of another State or an international inter-governmental organisation will be liable to be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. A person found guilty of a hostage-taking offence against any other person will be liable upon conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of up to 15 years. In both cases of punishment with imprisonment, the person shall also be liable to be fined or caning. The severity of the penalty imposed reflects the gravity of these offences and is intended to serve as a deterrent. Extraterritoriality Clause 4 of the Bill provides for extraterritorial jurisdiction over hostage-taking offences.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, this Bill, when passed, will give effect to the International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages. This Convention is part of a corpus of 13 universal conventions and protocols against terrorism, developed under the auspices of the United Nations and its specialised agencies. Sir, the underlying aim of the Convention is to ensure that perpetrators of hostage-taking are brought to justice. The Convention enables us to put in place the necessary mechanisms with which to secure the cooperation of other States Parties. There will then be a legal framework for international cooperation in the investigation, prosecution and extradiction of people who engage in acts of hostage-taking by establishing a system of universal jurisdiction to punish this crime. This is especially important, given that such crime are often transnational in nature and, consequently, effective prosecution and enforcement will require international efforts. No single country, government or agency can fight such crimes alone. Being a party to the Convention will provide Singapore with another effective means of dealing with the multi-faceted and ever-evolving terrorist threat, and facilitate international cooperation against terrorism. Hostage-taking offences I will now touch on the key provisions in this Bill. The Convention requires states to introduce national legislation to criminalise hostage-taking offences. While section 364A of the Penal Code can largely be used for offences covered by the Convention, it does not sufficiently give effect to the Convention.”
“A number of measures to promote and foster social cohesion among locals, new immigrants and foreigners have been implemented. For instance, the Singapore Citizenship Journey was recently introduced to help new citizens learn more about Singapore's history and our way of life. For the transient foreigners, there are also programmes to help them adapt to local culture and conditions. Attracting the right kind of people to Singapore and ensuring that they are welcomed into our society cannot be achieved by the Government alone. We need to and will continue to work with the community to explore new measures to enhance the integration of new immigrants. CHARGES FOR STATE LAND MARKED FOR REDEVELOPMENT 2. Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for National Development given that developers have to pay both developmental and rental charges for state-owned land marked for redevelopment and that these charges increase each time there is an intensification in the plot ratio, what can be done to better regulate and control the costs to the industry.”
“Instead, the Government will manage foreign workers sectorally and through a phased increase in the foreign worker levy. This allows companies the flexibility to employ the foreign workers they need to seize business opportunities and grow, without being hamstrung by rigid quotas. At the same time, the Government will help companies reduce their reliance on low-skilled foreign workers through productivity enhancing initiatives, such as the establishment of a $2 billion National Productivity Fund and the introduction of the Productivity and Innovation Credit. Even as we moderate the growth of the total foreign workforce, it remains critical for Singapore to attract highly capable and entrepreneurial people from around the world to work here. They will complement our home-grown talent in areas like science and engineering, design, finance and start-ups. Keeping our society open to top talent will help to create many more opportunities for Singaporeans. Other than this transient pool of foreign workers needed to supplement our workforce, immigrants are also needed to supplement our population. The reason is our declining birth rates, which are well below the replacement rate and a rapidly aging population. To make up for the shortfall, we need to take about 20,000 new citizens a year, to keep our citizen core. We will continue to be stringent in our requirements and grant citizenship to those of suitable quality, and who not only contribute to Singapore economically but also integrate well into our society. As we continue to attract talented individuals to Singapore, we need to ensure that they are well-integrated into the local community. The National Integration Council was set up to spearhead efforts to integrate PRs and new citizens into our society.”
“The Government does not target a specific total population size nor do we have a formula to determine the optimal number of foreigners. What we seek to achieve is a viable and sustainable population size that helps us grow our economy and develop a livelier and more vibrant society. There are various factors that influence the inflow of foreigners in Singapore, including economic factors such as the business or employment opportunities of the individual, the calibre of foreigners we need to or are able to attract for our economy and for population augmentation, the productivity of Singaporeans, and social factors such as the pace at which foreigners can be accommodated without introducing undue stress to our society. Foreigners have an important role to play in the success of our economy. As of today, foreign workers make up almost one-third of our total workforce. They fill many jobs including those which Singaporeans do not want to do, eg, those in the construction, marine and manufacturing industries. They also fill jobs because we do not have enough Singaporeans to fill, eg, those in the services sector, like financial and tourism industries. Nevertheless, the Government recognises that we cannot let the proportion of foreign workers in the workforce increase indefinitely, as there are real physical and social limits. Furthermore, companies that continue to rely heavily on foreign workers will have little incentive to invest in productivity improvements. The Economic Strategies Committee has thus proposed that foreigners be capped at the current one-third of total workforce. However, this will not be implemented through setting quotas or specifying an optimal number of foreign workers.”
“As investigations had concluded, the continued remand of these three accused persons in Police custody was not necessary. As they were able to meet the requirements for bail and their passports were impounded by the authorities, the accused persons were released. Unless the argument is for the Courts not to grant bail in all cases of cheating by foreigners, I think the bail process is balanced and fair, balancing the rights of the accused, victim and the public interest in a particular case. Indeed, as Ms Lim knows, improvements were made to the bail process as recently as 2007 with the setting up of a dedicated Bail Court. Moreover, the current Chief District Judge has further streamlined the process to make it faster. There are established procedures for Home Team agencies like ICA and Police to detect wanted persons at the checkpoints. Police are still investigating how the three accused persons absconded even though their passports were impounded. It is therefore premature at this point in time to speculate as to how they left the country. USAGE OF SEGWAY GREEN VEHICLES ON SINGAPORE ROADS 60. Mrs Mildred Tan asked the Minister for Transport given the use of Segways on roads in Europe, whether the Ministry will consider allowing such green vehicles to be used outside Sentosa and private roads.”
“In April this year, three foreigners were arrested for cheating at the casinos. The amount involved was $13,400. On 5th April 2010, when investigations had concluded, they were charged in Court for an offence of "Cheating with Common Intention". The Court offered them bail, subject to the following conditions: (i) $15,000 bail each, that is, a total of $45,000; (ii) one Singaporean surety; (iii) passports to be impounded. The three accused persons were initially unable to meet the requirements for bail and were held in remand. However, they later managed to raise bail and were then released in end April 2010. They were required to attend Court on 20th May 2010. However, they failed to turn up in Court on 20th May 2010. On the same day, the Court issued Warrants of Arrest whilst Police issued a Police Gazette and Stop-list against all three of them. Police have since also applied to have an INTERPOL Red Notice issued against them. Police believe that the three have fled the country and are abroad. Police have liaised with their counterparts overseas and investigations on the whereabouts of the accused persons are still ongoing. Without prejudicing the outcome of the investigations, let me address the issue as to whether there is a need to tighten up pre-trial procedures or border controls as a result of this incident. Under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), the offence of cheating with common intention is one which is bailable as of right and bail has to be offered to the accused person. The Court may impose conditions for the accused person's release on bail, including specifying the number of sureties, setting the bail amount and requiring the impounding of passports.”
“On the international front, Police leverages on intelligence sources and proactively engages foreign embassies and other organisations, such as INTERPOL and overseas law enforcement agencies, to develop mechanisms to prevent and identify potential victims of trafficking. This multi-pronged approach safeguards foreign brides against abuse or criminal acts. Police has not received any reports from foreign brides alleged to be victims of trafficking. As to what measures are in place to ensure that foreign brides of Singaporeans will be granted a long-term visit pass after marriage so that they are not forced to return to their home countries, our clearly-stated position is that when a Singaporean marries a foreigner, the foreign spouse is not entitled to or automatically granted a long-term pass, permanent residence or citizenship. The key consideration is whether the Singaporean can support his or her foreign spouse financially. Each application for long-term stay is carefully assessed and evaluated on its own merits. As I had earlier stated in this House in May, over the past five years, the success rate of foreign spouses applying for a long-term visit pass is a high 86%. FREQUENCY AND CAPACITY OF MRT TRAINS 57. Mr Calvin Cheng asked the Minister for Transport whether there is evidence of overcrowding on SMRT trains and, if so, whether SMRT can be directed to increase the frequency of trains especially during peak hours. 58. Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Transport what is the stipulated number of passengers each MRT cabin can safely transport and what measures are in place to ensure that this capacity is not exceeded.”
“There are laws in Singapore to protect women against abuse and criminal offences, including trafficking, prostitution and family violence. Foreign wives of Singaporean men receive equal protection under the law as Singaporean wives. Errant husbands who violate these laws will be firmly dealt with. On spousal abuse, the Women's Charter offers protection against family violence. Abused wives, whether Singaporeans or foreigners, can apply to the Courts for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) to restrain their husbands from using violence against them, or to exclude their husbands from their residence. The Court can also require these husbands to attend counselling. Moreover, Police will render assistance when it receives a report of suspected spousal violence. For example, Police will advise on available assistance, such as how to apply for a PPO and, if appropriate, refer the abused spouse to a crisis shelter or family service centre. The Women's Charter and Penal Code have provisions against the prostitution and trafficking of women and girls. These provisions can be invoked against unscrupulous agencies which engage in the prostitution of foreign brides under the guise of matchmaking. In addition, the Penal Code also protects minors under 21 years old from being bought or sold for the purposes of prostitution. Singapore has a very strict regime to combat the problem of Trafficking in Persons (TIP). Tough enforcement actions and security checks conducted at the various checkpoints deter and detect the movement of illegal immigrants in and out of Singapore. When suspected cases of trafficking are detected at the checkpoints, ICA refers them to the Police for further investigation.”
“Mr Michael Palmer asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence whether the radical activities of NSF Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid have in any way undermined the security and integrity of the SAF and what steps are being taken to ensure that the SAF is secure from similar self-radicalised activists. 4. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence how has the Ministry been working with the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure the early detection of self-radicalised individuals.”
“Sir, over the years, after the various detentions that have been conducted or made against JI members as well as other groups like the pro-MILF type, and the self-radicalised cases since 2007, we have been in very close touch with the community leaders, not only the religious leaders and the Muslim leaders but also community leaders of all ethnic groups, and also those in the business, unions, and so on. We also get feedback from members of the public, through REACH, and also through the press and the grassroots network, and also through direct interactions. From there, we have a sense that generally Singaporeans are quite balanced in their response to any arrest that we have made so far. The more information we share with the leaders, the better they understand the problems and, therefore, the better they are able to lead their community and to respond and deal with such issues. And Singaporeans understand that the Muhammad Fadil's case, as well as the other radicalised cases, is just an isolated case not representative of the whole community. As I have said in my main answer, the great majority of our Muslims are moderate and they are part of Singapore, part of our community and we have social cohesion over the years. So they understand that very well. Therefore, whenever we come across individuals who may have other views, we try to understand what is it that they are concerned about, in what way we can address them and therefore try to deal with those issues on a private basis, which is much better. If the issue has been taken out, then we discuss it openly. The main thing is that we must be frank with our people that if we have a problem, we resolve it, and not sweep it under the carpet. ENSURING SAF IS SECURE FROM RADICAL ACTIVITIES 3.”
“As a result, they are unable to tell what is the right thing to do. On the question of how we can prevent radicalisation, as I have said, we can try to keep out radical influences through measures like education, community vigilance, counter-ideological talks, and so on. But there is no perfect shield that can prevent Singaporeans from being influenced by radical ideology. If a person looked at the wrong places, talked to the wrong people, they may get radicalised. Increasingly, because of the use of the Internet, some individuals get radicalised without others knowing about it or with very few people knowing about it, and that is where it is important for family members and their friends to tell the authorities, MUIS or religious teachers about such a change in behaviour of a person, so that things can be done to help the person not to get onto the wrong path. Mr Speaker: Mr Sadasivan, last question.”
“I think it will be simplistic for me to just outline a profile and then people say, "Okay, I will try to recognise these individuals when I see them". To do so will be to mislead people and sometimes we may let our guard down when we see certain signs which may not appear right but it does not seem to fit the profile that I have outlined. Having said that, let me say that from the cases that we have investigated, radicalisation actually cuts across all groups – gender, ethnicity, educational qualifications, socio-economic background, and so on. Foreign cases also reflect the same kind of traits. That said, we have also noticed that many of the radicalised Singaporeans are actually weak in their religious grounding. Therefore, they want to seek out what they think is the correct ideology and, unfortunately, they went to the wrong places or talked to the wrong people and therefore they cannot discern what is right or what is wrong. And when they do not seek the correct guidance from recognised azatisahs or religious teachers, then certainly they will face more issues and also pose problems to the community. In the case of Muhammad Fadil, for example, he is no different from other JI members, even though he is self-radicalised. From the groups that we arrested over the years from 2002 onwards, he is just like any other person of these groups that have been radicalised. We know that from the groups that we detained, there are young people like Fadil, there are also middle-aged people, and there are also those in their 30s. Unfortunately for the younger people, their vulnerability can also be borne out by the youthful idealism that they may have, coupled with an inability to reason and to question the information given to them.”
“Even for the media, we have also worked closely with the media, particularly with some of the journalists covering such stories, to help them understand the seriousness of a threat like this to us and in the event of a successful attack, how then do we deal with this as a community. Because how the press reports an incident very much affects how the people react to it subsequently. So we need all segments of a community to be involved, and this effort will carry on.”
“Sir, over the last few years, there have been extensive efforts in educating the different segments of our community – whether they are schools, workplaces, religious institutions – on the threat of jihadist ideology. In fact, the RRG members have spoken up on many occasions in private gatherings and big gatherings in mosques and to different groups of people who come and visit us to discuss the actions that were taken. The ISD, together with some community groups, has also gone to schools to hold seminars and talks with the students and teachers to help them understand the threats of jihadist ideology, and this effort has been going on for many years. In fact, with the community engagement programme, the Government has been engaging the different segments of a community. For the schools, in particular, there is a strong effort by the Education Ministry in ensuring that the students fully understand such threats, at the same time know how to deal with them. And particularly for the principals and teachers, they also know how to recognise individuals who may be facing problems and who are unable to reconcile the issues themselves and who may need help. From what we know, teachers and principals have no issue about contacting the security agencies to tell them about the concerns that they have and seek help from the authorities who will then talk to the individual students concerned. The same thing applies to the workplace, the employers' organisations, and so on. These are the efforts that have been going on for many years.”
“Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade): Sir, I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister for the detailed and comprehensive answer. I have two supplementary questions. Firstly, I would like to know if there are clear processes in place to help staff and stakeholders of institutions, such as schools, tertiary institutions, mosques, madrasahs and other related organisations, address this self-radicalisation issue, should they be unsure of handling individuals faced by these sentiments face-to-face. Secondly, despite having a holistic approach of creating awareness on the dangers of terrorism through public seminars, community dialogues and workshops, can the Ministry consider implementing more outreach efforts in engaging all segments of the Singapore society? This is in view of the increasing penetration of terrorist-related information on the Internet.”
“Unlike some other countries where it is difficult to find a unified voice among the Muslim leaders because of the different groups' interests, our Muslim leaders have shown, time and again, a commitment to the common good not just for the well-being of the Muslim community but they also understand fully the interests of the wider community and the national interests of Singapore, which they are a part of. I, therefore, truly hope that Singaporeans will never have to experience the pain of a terrorist attack but if we should ever face such an attack, then we should ensure that we are prepared and that our sober and balanced responses as a society ensure that we are resilient and able to recover from such an attack. How we react to an attack as a people is crucial because the injury that a terrorist incident inflicts on a society is deepest and long-lasting when it permanently scars communal relations with mistrust and animosities. In the event of a successful attack, we must not overreact hastily and in the heat of a moment overturn the entire system which has worked well and which has provided the safety and security to Singaporeans in the last 10 years. Hindsight is always perfect vision. The dots which are significant after an event are always most obvious. Even as we learn from mistakes, our response must always be rational, considered and carefully calibrated and deliberated. In the meantime, we will and must continue to refine and improve our defences through the Home Team working together with our foreign partners, as well as through our people, to keep up with the dynamics and evolving threat of jihadist terrorism. Assoc. Prof.”
“This is the reason why we have worked hard at developing our consequence-management capabilities even as we strengthen our intelligence and defence efforts to prevent an incident through early detection. In addition, even though we already enjoy a level of communal harmony, which is treasured by all Singaporeans and which has been noted and commented on by many visitors, we do not take this for granted and assume that an attack will never take place in Singapore which will affect our social cohesion. This is why we started a community engagement programme in 2006 to build networks of trust among the communities in order to shore up our resilience. Within our community, we are also fortunate to have our Muslim religious leaders who are rational and sensible and who have the moral courage and conviction to speak up against jihadist terrorism. This is most apparent with the members of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG). These members have actually interviewed and met the JI detainees and they understand fully the threat of terrorist doctrines and their implications on religious harmony and the security of Singapore if these are unchecked. Our Muslim religious leaders, whether it is in the RRG or other groups must together work with MUIS to press on to enhance the protection of the vulnerable members of our Muslim community from radicalisation. Our Muslim leaders have been and must continue also to be united against this fight.”
“Sir, I believe our Muslim community is moderate and not one where extremism freely thrives or is accommodated. However, what these recent arrests tell us is that notwithstanding this, there are individuals who may be susceptible to the dangers of radicalisation, and no society is immuned to this threat. Singapore, certainly, is no exception. We, therefore, cannot rule out the possibility of some Singaporeans being radicalised in future. There may also be already radicalised Singaporeans whom the security agencies are not aware of. The Home Team agencies will do their utmost to deal with the terrorist threat but there is no such thing as a perfect intelligence and enforcement system that can guarantee the detection of every threat and the prevention of every incident from occurring. Even in America and the United Kingdom, with the deep commitment and the enormous resources post 9-11 to tackle the jihadist terrorist threat and with the numerous successes they have had in foiling several plots, some attacks still manage to get launched. In the UK, it was fortunate that perpetrators of the Glasgow Airport attack in 2007 were ultimately unsuccessful, like the Christmas Day airline plot last year and the Time Square bombing plot this year. They were unsuccessful because the devices failed to detonate as intended. Unfortunately, in the case of the Fort Hood incident, the perpetrator successfully staged an attack. Lives were lost and innocent people were hurt. In Singapore, we have to be prepared for the possibility that one day, a terrorist could slip through our defences and carry out attacks in Singapore.”
“Sir, as for the concern about disunity in the society and community, over the years since we uncovered the JI in 2001, Singaporeans – Muslims and non-Muslims alike – have stood together in our efforts against terrorism. Non-Muslim Singaporeans have not looked with suspicion at fellow Singaporean Muslims because they understand that the JI members and self-radicals are just a few misguided individuals. Muslim Singaporeans have also undertaken many proactive measures to address the problem of radicalisation. I believe that there is good reason to be confident that Singaporeans will be resilient and will continue to stand together against the ever-evolving terrorist threat.”
“They must not turn a blind eye or be unwilling to heed warning signs. Fadil and Muhammad Thahir bin Shaik Dawood had let people close to them know that they were interested in militant jihad, and these people had noticed that they were surfing radical websites. However, none of them sought help from the religious or Government authorities. Instead, they brushed aside Fadil and Thahir’s jihadist talk as not serious. Had they contacted the authorities at an earlier stage, things might have turned out quite differently for Fadil and Thahir, and the two of them might not have had to be detained or placed on Restriction Orders. Early intervention is the best way to save a relative or friend from the road to radicalisation. It gives him the best chance to be guided back to the correct path. This is the socially and morally responsible thing to do; it should not be seen as betrayal, because such action helps both the individual and our society. We should not be paranoid. But as a community, we need to be discerning enough to distinguish mere "viewpoints" from "something more sinister", and have the moral courage to seek help from MUIS and the Government authorities when required. Not reporting suspicious warning signs could not only hurt innocent lives but also strain communal and familial relations if the individual becomes thoroughly radicalised and does something disastrous. Reporting warning signs is thus a necessary first step towards countering radicalisation in our midst, and I can assure you that no further action will be taken if it turns out to be a false alarm.”
“The same Internet that empowers ordinary individuals unfortunately also serves radicals. Since we cannot expect to perfectly shield Singaporeans from exposure to jihadist ideology, education is critical to inoculate our society against jihadist ideology. For many years now, ISD has held briefings and talks to schools and community groups, to share its concerns about radicalisation. The Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) too has used public talks, forums, media interviews and written articles to alert the general Muslim public to the falsehoods of jihadist ideology. Several other Muslim leaders and organisations have also initiated and organised community counter-ideology programmes. The common goal of these efforts is to help Singaporeans who chance across radical teachings in the guise of religion to see through the falsehood and not be led astray. These community efforts are a positive development and we hope even more community organisations and leaders will step forward to do likewise. As for Muslim Singaporeans who may be radicalised while pursuing studies overseas, MUIS will strengthen its capacity and resources to reach out to them, and hopefully convince them not to enrol in radical institutions where they are at risk of being subverted by radical ideas. This would include more measures to advise on the choice of schools, as many commentators in the media have suggested, and stationing officers overseas to keep in close touch with young Muslim Singaporeans studying there, to ensure that they are rightly guided, supported and remain connected to Singapore’s development and contemporary issues. Singaporeans themselves must play their part to help loved ones turn away from the path of radicalisation.”
“Muhammad Anwar Jailani’s case has shown that attention must be paid to religious teachers who preach and instruct others. Local Islamic institutions and Muslims should only engage properly qualified teachers accredited under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme, which MUIS introduced in 2005. More and sustained publicity for this scheme is needed to raise awareness, so that Singaporeans know to check the list of accredited persons before engaging a religious teacher. MUIS will also explore other ways, including legal options, to ensure that Islamic institutions do not engage or allow unaccredited individuals to conduct religious activities. ISD has also worked with MDA to reach out to bookstores to ensure that they do not carry extremist literature, whether in paper or electronic form. These efforts will be stepped up and firm action against errant distributors and retailers will be taken. Terrorists are increasingly exploiting the Internet as an effective means to propagate their radical ideology, promote their cause and recruit potential operatives. To extend their reach, their messages have been posted online in different languages, including English. There have been suggestions that the Government should block these radical websites. However, this would be a futile exercise. The architecture and reach of the Internet make it practically impossible to interdict all radical websites. Moreover, there are several thousand such sites and the number continues to grow. If we bring down one website, it can easily resurface under another name or in another jurisdiction. To be effective, we would not only have to block terrorist websites but also popular social networking platforms like YouTube and Facebook, which would clearly not be practicable.”
“Sir, jihadist radicalisation has become a global phenomenon of concern, and Singapore is certainly not immune from it. Some radicals, including many members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group, are actively indoctrinated and recruited by extremist groups. Others, like Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid, are radicalised in the course of their individual quests for answers to personal religious and ideological questions, which unfortunately led them down a misguided and dangerous road towards deviant teachings that advocate violence. Self-radicalised individuals are no less dangerous to society than those indoctrinated by extremist groups. Such individuals include Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Christmas Day bomber who tried to set off a bomb on an aircraft flying to Detroit, and Faisal Shazad, who tried to set off a bomb in Times Square, New York. Both started out as self-radicalised individuals and because they were unchecked, went on to establish links with terrorist groups which facilitated their bid to undertake militant jihad. Fortunately, in both cases, their bombing attempts were unsuccessful. Had they succeeded, the outcomes would have been horrific. To counter the spread and influence of jihadist ideology in Singapore, we must take a multi-pronged approach. We must not allow radicals to spread their ideas here. Our mosques and other Islamic institutions must be vigilant, and keep a close watch on individuals who teach, preach or conduct activities at their premises. Foreign religious teachers and speakers need to obtain a letter of support from MUIS before the Ministry of Manpower will grant them an Employment Pass or a Work Pass to teach or give speeches on religion here.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, with your permission, may I take Question Nos. 1 and 2 together?”
“We have to decide on the kind of society we want and we know that we have a shortage of babies – the TFR (Total Fertility Rate) is very low; Singaporeans are marrying late; they do not have enough children or have too few children. We do face a problem in our demographics. Our people are getting older and, yet, we do not have enough babies to replace them. The alternative must be to ensure that our doors are open for the talented and for those who are skilled enough to find a job here and to remain here and to become our citizens. They will top up our population. That is the whole intent of this policy. The idea is not to force anyone to be a PR or to be a citizen. EFFECTIVENESS OF FAMILY SERVICE CENTRES (Update) 2. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if he will give an update on the progress and locations of new Family Service Centres (FSCs); (b) whether factors such as FSCs having limited outreach capabilities due to limited manpower and needy families having difficulties in travelling to FSCs are taken into account when building the new FSCs; and (c) whether he will consider establishing satellite FSCs nearer to the needy such as at Community Clubs and Residents Committee Centres.”
“Sir, the questions are all related. Surely, the intent of the policy is to make sure that there are distinctions in benefits and privileges given to PRs and citizens. After all, citizens do have some basic rights in Singapore which PRs do not have. A simple one is that of voting. Others are the kind of support, financial assistance, top-up schemes that the Government gives from time to time to citizens and not to PRs. As to whether this differentiation is to persuade them to be citizens or not, I think the decision is very much left to the PRs, who will then have to decide whether they want to remain here as long-term PRs because of their loyalty to their own country or because of some other personal reason that they do not want to be citizens, then whether they want to be citizens or not is a calculation they have to make. But I have heard some anecdotal feedback from some PRs to say that with differentiations like these, some are thinking about becoming citizens. So I encourage them, and say that if they want to become citizens, then by all means do so, and if they do not want to be, then by all means remain a PR but the differentiation will remain. For the larger pool of foreigners who are here, while our schemes are transparent, they know that they can apply to be PRs and those who are eligible will be considered and eventually, if they qualify, they will be approved and will remain as PRs. After some time, some of them may decide to become citizens. The decision is left entirely to PRs and foreigners whether they want to convert to become citizens or to apply to be PRs.”
“Offences that are classified under section 13A or 13B of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, are more commonly incidents of using threatening or abusive words, or displays of writing, signs or visual representations in order to cause harassment, alarm or distress. The Police does not keep track of the number of persons prosecuted for sexual harassment under these sections. Nonetheless, if a report of a sexual harassment is lodged, Police will conduct initial investigation and interview the relevant parties to obtain the facts of the case. Subsequent police action will be contingent on the facts uncovered of the case. For example, Police will classify the case under section 354 or section 509 of the Penal Code if the victim's modesty had been outraged through assault or use of criminal force or through a word or gesture that is intended to insult the modesty of a woman. Prosecution action would be initiated thereafter where appropriate. The Ministry's assessment is that the current laws are adequate to deal with sexual harassment cases. CLOSURE OF MUSTAFA CENTRE (Review for existing commercial buildings) 3. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for National Development in view of the recent closure of Mustafa Centre's ground floor for overcrowding and safety issues (a) how does the Ministry calculate and approve building development plans with regard to maximum payload and human traffic flow within a building; and (b) will there be a review done for future and existing commercial buildings.”
“The Corruption, Drug Trafficking and other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA) criminalises the laundering of benefits derived from corruption, drug trafficking and other serious crimes. Persons convicted under sections 43, 44, 46 and 47 of the CDSA can be fined a maximum of $500,000, or imprisoned for up to seven years or both. Non-individual persons (eg, a corporate or business entity) can be fined up to $1 million. Over the past three years, a total of 66 persons have been charged in court for money laundering offences under the CDSA (17 in 2007, 23 in 2008, 26 in 2009). Of these 66, 45 were Singaporeans, two were Permanent Residents and 19 were foreigners. So far, a total of 63 persons have been convicted, while the remaining three cases are still pending in Court. In these money laundering cases, the sums involved in each transaction ranged from about S$1,000 to about S$500,000, while the sentences vary from two months imprisonment to 54 months imprisonment. SEXUAL HARASSMENT OFFENCES 2. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs how many people have been prosecuted for sexual harassment under section 13A or 13B of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act in the last five years and whether there is a need to strengthen this law to ensure better protection for women against sexual harassment.”
“Now, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time."”
“Now, we can understand Mr Low better. He is trying to open the back door.”
“Can he stand on his principle? His Chairman did not.”
“Mr Low can easily refuse to take up the seat if, unfortunately, he happens to be one of the best losing candidates and not be brought back to Parliament.”
“Maybe he cannot understand what he is trying to say but let me put it this way. He does not mind coming here as an NCMP or his Party does not mind, even though the Party will vote against this Bill today. That basically is it.”
“No, we do not need the Workers' Party here to be a wallflower. The question is very simple. Is the Workers' Party going to take up the seats if we do not have enough Opposition Members elected to this Parliament at the next General Election? That is very clear-cut, simple, straightforward. Either a "yes" or "no", but not just taking up one seat and not eight – it cannot be that way.”