FALSE IDENTITY CARDS

Madam Chan Choy Siong asked the Minister for Labour how many cases of false identity cards were discovered in the last two months and what action he intends to take in the matter.

Mr Jek Yeun Thong: Mr Speaker. Sir, eight cases of Singapore identity cards which had been tampered with for illegal use were discovered during the last two months. The persons have been prosecuted and convicted. The eight identity cards in these cases were reported lost by their rightful holders. These are the only cases that have been discovered since the issue of the new plastic laminated identity cards. The plastic laminated identity cards cannot be easily forged. Hence in all these cases genuine identity cards have been used. Only part of the cards had been tampered with to fit in with the features of the illegal holders. As in all these cases, the identity cards had either been pick-pocketed or stolen from the rightful owners. One effective way of control is to warn the public to take great care in carrying their identity cards.

Further, the National Registration Office has taken steps to have very strict scrutiny of persons who make frequent reports of loss of identity cards. Officers in Government departments and statutory boards who inspect identity cards in the course of their duties have also been advised on how to detect identity cards that have been tampered with.

Madam Chan Choy Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, is the Minister aware that recently there has been talk around town that there is a racket involved in the fabrication of false identity cards for persons from outside Singapore and inducing them, particularly women folk, to conic here and work as bar waitresses, dance hostesses and in other undignified professions? At the same time, is the Minister aware, too, that these people are making use of a loophole in the laminated plastic identity cards for illegal purposes? The loophole is that there is no seal or chop over the photograph. That means the photograph can be re placed or substituted easily with that of the false holder of the identity card. Has the Minister any means to deal with the situation?

Mr Jek Yeun Thong: Mr Speaker, I have not received any information of whether there is a racket in forging identity cards. As I have pointed out just now, this laminated identity card cannot be easily forged. So the only thing that these racketeers can do is to tamper with the identity card in the way the Member for Delta has mentioned just now. They may take out the photograph from the identity card and substitute it with another one which would fit in with the illegal immigrant. But in doing this, the tampered identity card will be very easily detected as there will be a hole and an uneven surface will be present on the card.