Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim on Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Bill

Low crime does not mean no crime, and Singapore’s low crime rate does not spontaneously happen, said NMP Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim in Parliament on Wednesday (Apr 3). She said that while a law allowing detention or police supervision of people for alleged criminal links may curtail certain individual rights, it does help to “guarantee the collective freedom and well-being” of Singaporeans. She pointed out that Singapore’s size and population density mean that an escalation in crime would have an outsized impact on its society, economy and reputation. However, she felt that the Government should run a public education campaign on how the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act is applied, its checks and balances, and details such as detainee numbers and profiles, reasons for detention and the number and outcomes of appeals. Assoc Prof Razwana also sought clarification on detainees’ access to rehabilitation programmes and recidivism rates, as well as whether the authorities are looking into why people, including the young, still feel the need to join gangs.