Securing Singapore through to the Future
I kicked off the MHA COS Debate by highlighting the wonderful work that our SCDF officers of the Operation Lionheart contingent did last month in saving lives and comforting many whilst being deployed at Türkiye following the devastating earthquake. I then proceeded to make the following points. First, I asked how we are measuring the effectiveness of the significant investments made in technology to allow the Home Team to do more with less. I also sought how we are developing the human capital within the Home Team. I also asked that MHA update the KPIs for the Police and, in particular, suggested that it measures the value of assets that it seized and returns to victims of crime. Turning to the security situation of Singapore, I asked whether there are sufficient legislative levers to ensure that MHA and ISD are able to tackle the scourge of radicalisation through online sources that lead to terrorism. Finally, I spoke about the good work of our prison officers and their partners in keeping recividism rate relatively low. I also made several suggestions in this regard. My speech may be accessed below.
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Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Mr Chairman, Sir, I beg leave to move, “That the total sum to be allocated for Head P of the Estimates be reduced by $100”.
On 18 February 2023, the Operation Lionheart contingent of SCDF, comprising 68 officers, which included two Full-time National Servicemen doctors, and four canines returned home after being deployed in Türkiye for search and rescue operations. This followed the devastating earthquake that has to-date killed more than 50,000 people in the region.
Our officers under the command of Col Chew Keng Tok, were activated to fly to Türkiye at short notice. There for 10 days, they operated in very difficult conditions. They had to contend with freezing temperatures, the ever-present threat of further collapse of buildings and the calamitous security situation. In fact, rescue officers from several other countries suspended their operations owing to the prevailing security situation. Despite these challenges, our officers persisted. They saved lives, comforted many and brought honour to our country.
That our officers were able to execute their duties in such a way as to win the admiration of the Turkish people is a testimony to their sterling standard of training and preparedness, strong sense of duty and purpose, excellent leadership and high morale.
Sir, I am sure all hon Members of this House will join me thanking our SCDF officers as well as that of their family members for their courage, and their spirit of sacrifice, in the name of our country.
From the reports that I have read, I note that our SCDF officers’ work was enabled by the technology of our Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) equipment such as fibre-optic scopes to detect lives.
It is clear to me that technology has and will continue to play an increasingly important role in securing better outcomes in operations. There are a number of factors that drive this including the reality that our Home Team’s manpower is likely to remain lean and the likelihood that our Singaporeans will constantly expect more of the Home Team over time. We must, in short, do more with less.
Over the years, the Home Team has invested heavily on technology. For instance, ICA officers leverage on video analytics and live tracking technology to maintain security at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. The Singapore Prison Service is trialling an unmanned and automated urine collection and screening system for its prison inmates.
Whilst it is correct that we in the House support the Home Team’s investment in technology to achieve operational efficiencies, we also need to be able to gauge the effectiveness of investments. I therefore wish to ask the hon Minister the following questions:
How much has the Home Team invested in technological solutions in the past five years? What has been the tangible returns from these investments? What lessons have been drawn? And what would be the framework under which further investments will be made?
I also wish to understand how the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, set up in 2019, has aided the development of cost-effective science and technological capabilities for our Home Team operations.
In addition, I wish to better understand how the Police’s effectiveness is being measured.
Several decades back, the Police relied on the prevalence of the five preventable crimes as a measure of its effectiveness.
Over time, these KPIs became less relevant with the emergence of new kinds of crime such as internet-based scams.
I had previously suggested that the Police publish how much it has seized pursuant to criminal investigations and how much is returned to victims of crime as a KPI. This is done in the UK.
The hon Minister informed that his Ministry does not track such data. I seek a review, as just a few days ago, the hon Minister of State announced in this House that over a five-month period in 2022, virtual assets amounting to $172.8 million were seized. Hence, it appears to me that there is an ability to track such data.
As I alluded to in my preceding paragraphs, even as I speak about the need for technology, I also see that there remains an irreducible human dimension in keeping Singapore safe and secure. We must ensure that our investment in developing our Home Team’s human capital is kept in tandem too. What is the hon Minister’s plan in this regard?
I now turn to Singapore’s security situation. It seems to me, by reference to the increasing number of recent cases of young persons being self-radicalised through access to harmful online content, that there is a case to take a relook at the legislative levers to ensure that our Home Team officers, particularly the Internal Security Department (ISD) have the tools to prevent the proliferation of such cases. Otherwise, the impact on Singapore can be significant and severe.
We should remind ourselves that terrorists need only be successful once. ISD, on the other hand, has to be successful all the time. In 2022, it was announced in this House that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will develop a framework that will tackle online criminal activity, including content inciting violence in our community, to complement the current legislative measures. I seek an update on this matter, please.
Let me now turn to the situation in our prisons. I commend the Singapore Prison Services (SPS) for spearheading efforts with its stakeholders to keep the recividism rate amongst desisters relatively low and stable. The five-year recividism rate of 39.9%, which I believe is being released for the first time this year, is an encouraging statistic even though there is a slight increase in the two-year recividism rate by 0.4% to 20.4%.
I was glad to note that the Government has announced in Budget 2023 the Uplifting Employment Credit (UEC) for companies to employ desisters. This was something I pushed for in this House when I suggested that the Jobs Growth Incentive for ex-offenders to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic be turned into a permanent scheme.
I think, from the experience of the JGI and the steps taken by SPS, we have an opportunity to aim for even lower recividism rates.
The Government’s UEC creates an important incentive for employers to seriously consider investing in our desisters. In turn, by gainfully employed in good jobs that have good prospects, it gives our desisters the best chance to break free from their past.
To effect permanent changes, we have to start with the individual and work with their families too. This will not be easy but has to be done. I understand that SPS has, over the years, built a substantial number of volunteers who are roped in to help with reintegration support for prison inmates and desisters. I believe that there is a case for SPS and its volunteers to partner the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Ministry of National Development (MND) and other Government agencies to co-create bespoke plans for each desister that has a series of incentives and disincentives during the supervision period of desisters. The purpose is to motivate desisters to be responsible family members and encourage reconciliation within their families. I truly believe that once our desisters are accepted back and reconciled with their families, the sky will be the limit for them.
As a broader point, our community must play its part to encourage our desisters to make strong contributions to their families and enrich the Singapore’s story. They have talent, knowledge and experience which Singapore can benefit from. We need to get behind them and signal to them that we will support them so long as they keep on the path of rehabilitation and reintegration. Early last year, I suggested in this House that our desisters be given an opportunity to perform at our National Day Parade. Having seen them perform, I know that they will be a hit amongst Singaporeans. I understood that my suggestion was made too late for National Day Parade (NDP) 2022. I wonder whether it was in time for NDP 2023 instead.
May I ask what strategies SPS will employ to leverage on the UEC, to help desisters overcome real-life challenges and lead crime-free lives? What is the permanent employment rate amongst our desisters? What would be the realistic stretch target for us to achieve in the years to come?
We also need to pay special attention to desisters with drug-abusing pasts. I understand that this is the group of persons who are more likely to re-offend as they struggle to steer clear from triggers that make them consume drugs in the first place. May I ask what new measures, if any, that SPS and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) are proposing to deal with this admittedly intractable issue?
Mr Chairman, Sir, I have spoken on what I see to be the three elements of securing Singapore for the future. Courage is beyond price, but technology and developing the talents of our men and women in the Home Team, these require constant investments and our continued support. I look forward to hearing from the Minister and her colleagues on the issues that I have raised.
