Ministry of Home Affairs

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Teo Chee Hean): Safety and security are the foundation of Singapore's social well-being and economic growth. Over the past term of Parliament, our low crime rate was maintained and threats to our security were kept at bay. However, many challenges remain, and some new ones have emerged.

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At the global level, extremist violence continues to be a serious concern. While the leadership of Al-Qaeda has been severely disrupted, it remains a potent force, and its franchisees are active in many parts of the world. Within our region, although there have been some successes against extremist groups, terrorist violence remains a very real phenomenon. In the digital age, terrorist groups continue to leverage on the internet, not only to propagate their virulent ideologies but also to broadcast operational tactics and techniques. Recent events in Norway remind us that the threats are multi-faceted and do not necessarily emanate from known adversaries.

In recent years, non-traditional security issues, such as infectious disease pandemics and the Fukushima nuclear incident have come to the fore. Dealing with these incidents has challenged our response capabilities at the whole-of-government level, and tested the level of preparedness of our communities.

On the law and order front, crime remains under control. However, there are issues we must address. Youth gangs remain a serious concern. Loansharking syndicates have grown bolder and are employing more dangerous tactics. Drug abuse is rising, due in part to the greater supply of drugs in the region, and also to changes in attitudes towards drugs among segments of the younger generation. Advances in technology are enabling and encouraging new types of criminality, such as cross-border telecommunications fraud.

The current crime and security landscape is set against a societal backdrop of global economic uncertainty, rapid demographic change and rising public expectations. In many parts of the world, the balance between rights and duties, and the relationship between the individual and state are shifting. Some of these changes are being mirrored in our society, influencing the attitudes, lifestyle and modes of expression of our population.

Over the next term of Parliament, the Ministry of Home Affairs will expand and deepen the capabilities and competencies of the Home Team. We will pursue five main strategies to ensure that we are prepared for the future.

First, we will augment our physical infrastructure and manpower resources to cope with increasing demands from a larger and more diverse population, and a more connected world. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) will establish a new Land Division Headquarters in Woodlands New Town and two Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) at Punggol and Woodlands West. The Police's investigation resources will also be enhanced significantly, with investment in additional forensics capabilities.

To meet the needs of the increasing number of travellers passing through our borders, the manpower resources of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will be increased. We will also expand the operational capabilities of the Casino Regulatory Authority (CRA), to ensure that our casinos remain free of criminal influence, and that gaming is conducted fairly and honestly.

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Second, we will update our operating models. The SPF will revamp its community policing model, deepening its engagement with the community to ensure that a strong sense of safety and security is maintained. Special attention will also be paid to detecting, disrupting and dismantling organised criminal groups.

The Singapore Prisons Service (SPS) will expand its aftercare and rehabilitation efforts beyond the prison gates, calibrated to the inmate's risk of re-offending. It will also seek to develop targeted programmes to address the rehabilitation needs of those specific categories of inmates whose recidivism rates have been consistently poorer than the general mainstream inmate population. These include repeat drug offenders who also pose a contaminating influence to more vulnerable persons, especially the young, in our society. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) will strengthen its cooperation with regional counterparts to disrupt the inflow of drugs into Singapore. CNB will also study how to better engage repeat and potential drug users with different profiles and backgrounds. CNB will be guided by an Inter-Ministry Task Force chaired by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister of State for Home Affairs.

Third, we will build on our strong community networks and high levels of public trust. Over the years, our dedicated volunteers have worked alongside Home Team officers in policing, fire fighting, preventive drug education, rehabilitation of ex-offenders, and many other roles. We have built a 16,000-strong group of volunteers, and will engage even more people through the newly established Home Team Volunteers' Network.

The Community Engagement Programme (CEP), which celebrated its 5th Anniversary this year, will be expanded and deepened to reach a wider audience, including youths and new immigrants. We will empower communities to take greater ownership of their own safety, through self-help initiatives such as the Civil Defence Ready Home programme.

To help prisoners re-integrate into society, the SPS and the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) will partner community groups to enhance in-care and after-care efforts. They will mobilise grassroots volunteers to help families of inmates living in their district, and tap on community resources to act as role models for younger offenders.

We will continue to engage the private and people sectors through the Threat-Oriented Passenger Screening Integrated System Programme (TOPSIS), which brings together security and non-security personnel to improve the screening processes at our checkpoints against terrorist and other threats.

Fourth, we will increase investments in new technologies, and integrate the work of the Home Team departments more closely. We have created a geo-spatial "Operations Terrain Mapping" information sharing platform, which allows officers to have access to the combined terrain knowledge of all Home Team departments within each of their operational domains. The Police will introduce more CCTVs in local neighbourhoods to help prevent and solve crime. The ICA will test new screening devices and explore innovative clearance modes to clear travellers and cargo more efficiently, which will be implemented at new checkpoints in the coming years, including the International Cruise Terminal.

Fifth, we will continue to invest heavily in our people. We will significantly increase training in core areas, and create more opportunities for junior Home Team officers to pursue full-time academic upgrading programmes. To widen the pool of talent available and develop deep specialist expertise, MHA recently introduced the Home Team Specialist Scheme. We will create more specialist tracks in addition to the current areas of protective security, criminal intelligence and forensics.

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The Home Team will continue to upgrade and re-invent itself, developing new and integrated ways of operating which leverage on the unique strengths of each department, and also on the collective energies of our community and external partners. With the support of Singaporeans and all our friends, we will continue to make Singapore our safe and secure best home.