ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: The following Question stood in the name of Ms Indranee Rajah -

6. To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the total number of illegal immigrants caught trying to enter Singapore through the various checkpoints over the past two years and (b) what are the measures being taken to deal with the problem of persons trying to enter Singapore illegally.

Mr Arthur Fong (West Coast): Question No. 6, Sir.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Home Team arrested 81 illegal immigrants who tried to enter Singapore from the land and sea checkpoints in 2003, which is a drop of 45% compared to 147 arrested in 2002. In the first four months of this year, 24 illegal immigrants were arrested. Correspondingly, the overall illegal immigrant problem has been improving with about 5,500 illegal immigrants arrested in 2003, 30% fewer than the 7,860 arrested in 2002. Therefore, our resolute efforts in tackling the illegal immigrant problem appear to be paying off.

Sir, the stringent enforcement at our land checkpoints has resulted in illegal immigrants trying to enter Singapore by sea, in some instances, even swimming over to Singapore on floats. In the first four months of this year, Police arrested 75 illegal immigrants who tried to enter Singapore by sea compared to 49 and 133 arrested in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

While the overall immigration offender situation has been improving since 1998, the numbers are still significant.

Hence, the Home Team will press on with its efforts to keep out immigration offenders.

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As to measures taken to meet this challenge, I had in February and April this year outlined to the House the various strategies that MHA has adopted.

Firstly, at the land checkpoints, as part of our enhanced security measures, ICA officers now inspect the interior and exterior of all vehicles for any tell-tale signs of illegal immigrants hiding in concealed compartments. In addition, ICA , leveraging on technology, has deployed mobile X-ray machines to help detect illegal immigrants hiding in vehicles.

ICA also uses advanced forgery detection equipment to detect immigration offenders attempting to enter or depart Singapore using forged or tampered passports. In addition, Special Task Force Teams have been formed at the land checkpoints to profile travellers and vehicles that may be used to smuggle illegal immigrants and contraband items into Singapore .

Police and ICA also regularly exchange information with their foreign counterparts on the abuse of travel documents, the modus operandi and trends in human smuggling activities.

Other than the land checkpoints, we also take proactive measures to prevent illegal entries by sea. The Police Coast Guard (PCG) has stepped up both sea and coastal patrols, acquired new high-speed patrol boats, and uses advanced equipment such as radar and electro-optical surveillance systems to monitor our waters and to intercept illegal immigrants. In addition, physical barriers have been erected at the Northeast and Northwest coasts of Singapore to deter intrusions.

In addition to all these enforcement measures, we have also sought the assistance of foreign missions in Singapore to disseminate information of

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our strict immigration laws and our effective enforcement actions to their nationals, to discourage them from trying to enter Singapore illegally. Cases of illegal immigrants being cheated by the traffickers are also shared with foreign missions so that they can warn their nationals.

Sir, let me add that tackling the immigration offender problem does not lie with the Home Team alone. The public can play a critical role. Members of the public should not create a demand for immigration offenders by employing or harbouring them.

In short, Police and ICA have been working with the local media to raise public awareness on this issue. Our agencies regularly issue media releases when immigration offenders are arrested. We will continue to make use of programmes such as "Crime Watch" to feature the illegal immigration problem in Singapore and highlight the penalties imposed on immigration offenders, traffickers, harbourers and employers.