55 PERSONS INVESTIGATED FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES

The Police are investigating 55 men and women, aged between 14 and 73, for various offences, following a series of multi-agency enforcement operations conducted between 26 May 2023 and 15 June 2023.

The operations were led by Bedok Police Division and supported by officers from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Illegal gambling

On 10 June 2023, the Police conducted a joint enforcement operation at Bedok Central. 12 men and one woman, aged between 41 and 63, were arrested for their suspected involvement in unlawful conduct of betting operations, gaming or lotteries under Section 18(3) of Gambling Control Act 2022 while another 13 men and two women, aged between 14 and 35, were investigated for their suspected involvement in gambling with unlicensed gambling service provider or at unlawful gambling place under Section 20(1)(a) of Gambling Control Act 2022.

Illegal massage

Officers also conducted raids at massage establishments where three massage establishments were found to have purportedly carried on business of providing massage services in establishment for massage without licence under Section 5(4) of the Massage Establishment Act 2017. A 33-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly keeping, managing or assisting in the management of a place of assignation under Section 147(1A) of Women Charter 1961.

Illegal drugs & medicines

Officers also coordinated joint operations with HSA to conduct checks at Geylang and seized more than 17,000 units of unregistered health products consisting of cough syrup and various sexual enhancement medicines worth more than $7,000. One man was investigated for allegedly supplying unregistered health products under Section 15(1) of Health Products Act 2007.During the enhanced operations, Police have also stepped up our anti-crime patrols and roadblocks where a vehicle with improvised drug apparatus was detected and two men were apprehended. A 36-year-old man and a 37-year-old man were arrested for suspected drug-related offences. The 36-year-old man was also allegedly found to be in possession of 12 vape devices and 43 boxes of vape pods which is an offence under Section 16(3)(a) Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act.

Punishments

Under Section 18(3)(a) of the Gambling Control Act 2022, any person who conducts betting operations, gaming, or lotteries unlawfully, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $200,000 and imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

Under Section 20(1)(a) of the Gambling Control Act 2022, any person who gambles with an unlicensed gambling service provider or at an unlawful gambling place shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6six months, or both.

Under Section 15(1) of Health Products Act 2007, a person who supplies any unregistered health product is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

Under Section 5(4) of the Massage Establishment Act 2017, any person who carry on the business of providing massage services in an establishment for massage without a licence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both. For repeat offenders, the offence carries a fine not exceeding S$20,000, or imprisonment of up five years, or both.

Under Section 147(1A) of the Women’s Charter 1961, any person who keeps, manages or assists in the management of a place of assignation is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both; and where the person is a repeat offender, to a fine not exceeding $150,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, or both.

Under Section 8(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, any person convicted of the offence of possession of controlled drugs shall be liable to an imprisonment term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $20,000, or both. Under Section 8(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, any person convicted of the offence of consumption of controlled drugs shall be punishable with an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Under Section 9 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, any person found in possession of any pipe, syringe, utensil, apparatus or other article intended for the smoking, administration or consumption of a controlled drug, shall be liable to an imprisonment term of up to 3 years, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

Under Section 16(3) of Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993, any person who possesses, purchases or uses in Singapore any confectionary or other food product or any toy, device or article which resembles a tobacco product, that is capable of being smoked or may be used in such a way to mimic the act of smoking or associated with tobacco products, shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.7 Commander of Bedok Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Wong expressed his appreciation to all the agencies involved for their strong support and commended the officers for their professionalism and excellent teamwork during the operations.

Zero tolerance

The Police have zero tolerance towards illicit activities that threaten the public safety, peace, and good order of the community. The Police will continue to work closely with the relevant agencies and take enforcement action at public entertainment outlets to suppress vice and other illicit activities at the various nightlife establishments and popular congregation hotspots.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
14 July 2023 @ 2:00 PM

Singapore’s political landscape experienced a notable shift on Jul. 17, with there being four vacant seats in the Parliament. Despite this unprecedented situation, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has confirmed that there are no plans for an immediate general election to be called.

Resignations of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui

The day of Jul. 17 marked the resignations of two prominent Members of Parliament (MPs) affiliated with the People’s Action Party (PAP).

The two MPs in question were Tan Chuan-Jin, who also held the position of Parliament Speaker, and Cheng Li Hui, who were revealed to have been engaged in an inappropriate relationship.

Tan Chuan-Jin served as a member of the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC), while Cheng Li Hui represented the Tampines GRC.

Their resignations came after Prime Minister Lee disclosed an “inappropriate relationship” between the two MPs, which persisted even after they were advised to discontinue it, with Tan also being involved in a hot mic incident where he was caught muttering the phrase “f-ing populist” after WP MP Jamus Lim’s speech.

No Immediate General Election

Despite the significant departures of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui from their parliamentary roles, Prime Minister Lee firmly stated that he would not call for an immediate general election.

He highlighted that the next election is scheduled for 2025, and the present government’s term is only at its midpoint, with the recent opening of the Parliament.

PM Lee assured the public that the government has a comprehensive agenda for the current term, and they will focus on fulfilling their commitments to the nation.

Regarding the GRCs (Group Representation Constituencies) with missing members, he emphasized that the other members of the respective GRCs would step up to ensure effective representation and care for the constituents.

Four Vacant Seats: A Closer Look

The departure of Tan Chuan-Jin and Cheng Li Hui created vacancies in their respective GRCs, which will be temporarily covered by Minister of Culture, Community, and Youth, Edwin Tong and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a former Cabinet member, resigned from his position as Senior Minister and relinquished his membership in the PAP to run for the Singaporean Presidency, leaving his seat in Jurong GRC vacant, making it three vacant seats.

The fourth vacant seat was vacated by Workers’ Party member, Raeesah Khan, elected in the 2020 general election who stepped down in Nov. 2021 from her party and Parliament roles after a lengthy scandal where she was caught lying in Parliament.

No by-election took place in Sengkang, and her Compassvale ward was divided among other Sengkang MPs who took over and covered her duties.

Additionally, West Coast GRC is operating without its full complement of MPs as Transport Minister S Iswaran was asked to take a leave of absence by PM Lee after being arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and released on bail, with ongoing assistance in investigations.

As a result, the other MPs from West Coast GRC will be covering Iswaran’s duties during his leave of absence, although whether he returns to parliament will depend on the investigations.

8 new Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) will be appointed by President Halimah Yacob on 24 July, with another 1 more coming back for a second term.

The 9 NMPs will take their oaths in August next month, during the next parliament sitting.

Parliament’s press release

The Special Select Committee had invited the general public and functional groups to submit names of persons for its consideration for appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) on 16 March 2023.

Submissions closed on 19 April 2023 at 4.30 pm and a total of 30 proposal forms were received. The Committee
considered all eligible candidates in its assessment of suitable candidates for appointment as NMPs.

At the conclusion of its deliberations, the Special Select Committee nominated the following nine persons to the President to fill the NMP vacancies:

(1) Ms Chandradas Usha Ranee
(2) Mr Chua Tiang Choon Keith
(3) Mr Mark Lee Kean Phi
(4) Mr Ong Hua Han
(5) Mr Parekh Nimil Rajnikant
(6) Mr Joshua Thomas Raj
(7) Associate Professor Razwana Begum Bt Abdul Rahim
(8) Ms See Jinli
(9) Dr Syed Harun Bin Taha Alhabsyi

The Report of the Special Select Committee [Parl 17 of 2023] is attached.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Speaker of Parliament and the Chairman of the Committee said, “Many exceptional candidates have come forward to put their names up for consideration.

After careful deliberation, we have determined that the nine nominees have fulfilled all Constitutional criteria and are eligible for appointment.

They also have notable achievements in their respective domains and a strong understanding of the issues they are passionate about.

We are assured that they will enrich Parliamentary debates by bringing to the House a diversity of independent perspectives, views and insights.”.

Ms Indranee Rajah, Leader of the House and a member of the Committee said “We are pleased to welcome to this House the new cohort of NMPs who have made significant contributions to society and excelled in their respective domains.

We look forward to their participation which will add to the spectrum of views and experiences shared in the House. I would also like to thank all applicants for their time and interest.

The Committee is heartened by their passion and enthusiasm to contribute to the
betterment of Singapore.”.

Office of the Clerk of Parliament
17 July 2023

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The President will be presenting the Instruments of Appointment to the NMPs at the
Istana on Monday, 24 July 2023. The NMPs will take their oath at the next sitting
of Parliament in August 2023.

LIST OF PERSONS TO BE APPOINTED AS NOMINATED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Source: Parliament

On Sunday (16 July), a tragic incident occurred along Bedok North Road, resulting in the death of a 38-year-old motorcyclist. The unfortunate accident involved a collision with a lorry, causing severe injuries that proved fatal for the motorcyclist, according to Shin Min Daily News.

At approximately 3 pm on 16th July, the motorcyclist was riding along Bedok North Road towards Tampines Avenue 10 when the collision with the lorry took place.

The impact of the accident was so severe that the motorcyclist was thrown from his bike onto the road. Tragically, the lorry continued moving, running over the motorcyclist and dragging him for several meters before coming to a stop.

Paramedics were immediately dispatched to the scene upon receiving a call for help. However, despite their best efforts, they pronounced the motorcyclist dead on-site.

The accident caused a commotion, with onlookers gathering around the scene, while police cars and ambulances arrived promptly to provide assistance.

The location of the accident was near Bedok North MRT station, and the pictures taken by witnesses the deceased motorcyclist’s bike was found lying in the center lane, with signs of blood underneath it.

According to the reports, the lorry involved in the accident was in the rightmost lane and a blue tent was noticed next to the lorry, covering the body of the unfortunate motorcyclist. The presence of what appears to be a pool of blood beneath the lorry added to the grim scene.

The distance between the lorry and the motorcycle was estimated to be approximately 30 meters, indicating the severity of the collision. Tire tracks visible on the road led investigators to believe that the motorcyclist had been dragged along the gravel after the initial impact.

A resident living in the vicinity spoke to Shin Min Daily News, describing the harrowing event. The witness reported hearing a loud noise and immediately rushed to the street to investigate. The sight that greeted them was one of devastation, with police cars, ambulances, and a crowd of onlookers gathered around the scene.

Police investigations into the accident are currently underway.