Murali Pillai on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill

Singapore is moving to strengthen its international criminal cooperation regime, bolster its national strategy against money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing, and align itself with international standards. The measures will further improve its processes and capabilities to assist the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Minister of State for Law Murali Pillai said this in Parliament on Monday (Nov 11). A new Bill makes changes in the following areas. First, Singapore law enforcement authorities will be empowered to take statements from persons for the purposes of assisting foreign criminal investigations, and not only after criminal proceedings have been initiated. Second, Singapore can assist to identify, freeze, seize or confiscate property intended to be used in connection with the commission of a foreign offence. Third, the Bill clarifies when foreign proceedings are deemed to be concluded for the purposes of enforcing foreign confiscation orders. Fourth, Singapore will be able to enforce foreign confiscation orders made by a “competent authority” in addition to such orders made by a Court. The Bill also proposes measures aimed at preventing trusts from being misused by criminals. These include changes to the scope of information which trustees will need to obtain, powers to investigate trustees that breach their obligations and updating sanctions for non-compliance. Under the Bill, Singapore will also be able to make an extradition request to any territory by amending the definition of “foreign state”.