CORROSIVE AND EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

4.50 p.m.

The Minister for Health and Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

It is necessary to amend the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act to provide for enhanced penalties for offences under this Act in view of the increase in gang violence and the widespread use of gangland weapons in the commission of crime. Further by enhancing the penalties for arms offences, as set out in the Arms Offences Bill, more criminals may now turn to the use of offensive weapons other than firearms and corrosive and explosive substances in the commission of offences.

Clause 2 of the Bill proposes to make caning mandatory where a person is found guilty of possessing any corrosive substances or offensive weapons in circumstances which raise a reasonable presumption that he intends to use these for causing hurt to another person. The offender will be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years in addition to caning of not less than six strokes for this offence.

Where a person is found guilty of using any corrosive substance or offensive weapon or any explosive substance to cause hurt against another person, clause 3 of this Bill proposes that he be caned with not less than six strokes in addition to life imprisonment which is already provided for this offence.

The Bill also proposes to increase the punishment for any offender who has in his possession or under his control or manufactures, sells or hires or lends or gives to any other person any scheduled weapon. Any person on conviction of this offence will be punished with imprisonment of up to five years and caned with not less than six strokes, instead of three years and/or a fine not exceeding $3,000 as provided under subsection (1) of section 7 of the existing Act. The punishment for a repeat offender is also increased by imprisonment for a term varying from two to eight years in addition to caning of not less than six strokes, instead of an imprisonment term of one to seven years as presently provided in the existing Act.

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 Chua Sian Chin].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.