Ministers have 'ultimate decision-making responsibility', must not be sidetracked by
SINGAPORE: Ministers have the "ultimate decision-making responsibility" to consider what is right, what is good for society, and not be sidetracked by a vocal minority, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Thursday (May 3).
Speaking at the annual Police Workplan Seminar, Mr Shanmugam raised the example of the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act (POSSPA), saying some sentiments expressed online had created the impression that there was "a lot of opposition" to it.
The Act, which was passed in March, gives the police special powers to deal with serious incidents like terror attacks. For instance, the authorities can order people in the area to stop taking or sharing pictures and videos of the incident area that could compromise security operations.
Mr Shanmugam made clear he is confident that enacting POSSPA was the right thing to do, citing the example of the 2011 UK riots which killed five people and injured 205, of which nearly 190 were police officers.
“(POSSPA) gives a lot of powers to the police. It is probably legislation that is not very doable in many countries," he said. "I believed it was doable in Singapore because people trust the police that they will exercise their powers responsibly, and we need those powers to deal with the situations that are evolving.”
Mr Shanmugam noted that increasingly, legislation proposed gets opposed by "a small but vocal minority".
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Some of the opposition is principled, some just opposing for the sake of opposing," added. "My duty in these things, as having the ultimate decision-making responsibility, is really having the common sense to distinguish between first of all what is right."
Mr Shanmugam continued: "We have to be confident about what we do – as long as we believe honestly that it is the right thing to do. As for opposing viewpoints, we have a duty to look into them. Some of them can be principled, and if the viewpoints are valid, we have to consider, adapt, make the necessary changes, and then when we make up our mind, proceed."
Citing a recent survey by Government feedback unit REACH, Mr Shanmugam said 82 per cent of Singaporeans polled said they agreed with POSSPA.
The survey, which polled 1,038 citizens and permanent residents, also found that 76 per cent of respondents agreed that POSSPA was necessary to enable the police to handle major security incidents effectively, while 67 per cent thought it was reasonable for the police to have powers to stop individuals from taking or sharing pictures or videos of ongoing security operations.
PUBLIC TRUST KEY TO POLICING: SHANMUGAM
Addressing about 1,000 guests, including police officers and community partners, the minister said that public trust in the police, Government and criminal justice system forms the bedrock of successful policing.
“We have seen in other countries how easily trust in police can break down. When that happens, law and order breaks down too,” he said. “We are fortunate that people trust in the system, allowing the police to be an effective force.”
He gave the example of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and the Blue Lives Matter countermovement, noting the disparate cultural context.
"The police in particular, often in every society, are as seen as that instrument of the state which people most directly come into contact with. Everything they feel about the state is often reflected onto the police force.
"That fortunately is not the situation here. None of the communities feel specifically targeted or oppressed by the police force, and it is both because the police force has been corrupt-free, has been rigorous in the way it handles its duties and has been strict with its own people when they transgress."
TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
Mr Shanmugam also stressed the importance of trust between the police and ministerial leadership in the face of “tough situations” and in dealing with legislation thought of as necessary.
He highlighted the resignation of UK Home Affairs Minister Amber Rudd, following her comments on the government’s immigration policies, which Mr Shanmugam said “put a distance between the political leadership and the civil service carrying out policies”.
While he said that it was not for Singapore to comment on the matter due to different political systems and cultures, he said that the Singapore Government's approach is "slightly different".
Accountability and responsibility to the public lies with the ministers, said Mr Shanmugam.
"The services need to know that very clearly. So that you can go about your work confidently, do your duty, have faith and trust in the system. Leave the rest to us, and be assured that we will answer the questions and shield you from political attacks."
He referenced his 2016 ministerial statement in Parliament on the case of 14-year-old Benjamin Lim, who was found dead after he was questioned by police on a case of outrage of modesty.
Mr Shanmugam had in his statement said that his ministry is responsible for the protocols in place: "Ultimately, responsibility is with me as the minister. It is not with individual police officers, their responsibility is to act according to protocols in place. If there are issues with the protocols, the responsibility is mine, let's not attack the police officers who cannot defend themselves. They are doing their job every day in difficult circumstances."
Reiterating his stand on Thursday, Mr Shanmugam said: "To be clear, that will be our approach, that would be the position that our ministers will take. If something goes wrong operationally, we have to sort it out. Try and make sure that we don't repeat it."
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SINGAPORE: Ministers have the "ultimate decision-making responsibility" to consider what is right, what is good for society, and not be sidetracked by a vocal minority, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Thursday (May 3).
Speaking at the annual Police Workplan Seminar, Mr Shanmugam raised the example of the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act (POSSPA), saying some sentiments expressed online had created the impression that there was "a lot of opposition" to it.
The Act, which was passed in March, gives the police special powers to deal with serious incidents like terror attacks. For instance, the authorities can order people in the area to stop taking or sharing pictures and videos of the incident area that could compromise security operations.
Mr Shanmugam made clear he is confident that enacting POSSPA was the right thing to do, citing the example of the 2011 UK riots which killed five people and injured 205, of which nearly 190 were police officers.
“(POSSPA) gives a lot of powers to the police. It is probably legislation that is not very doable in many countries," he said. "I believed it was doable in Singapore because people trust the police that they will exercise their powers responsibly, and we need those powers to deal with the situations that are evolving.”
Mr Shanmugam noted that increasingly, legislation proposed gets opposed by "a small but vocal minority".
AdvertisementAdvertisement"Some of the opposition is principled, some just opposing for the sake of opposing," added. "My duty in these things, as having the ultimate decision-making responsibility, is really having the common sense to distinguish between first of all what is right."
Mr Shanmugam continued: "We have to be confident about what we do – as long as we believe honestly that it is the right thing to do. As for opposing viewpoints, we have a duty to look into them. Some of them can be principled, and if the viewpoints are valid, we have to consider, adapt, make the necessary changes, and then when we make up our mind, proceed."
Citing a recent survey by Government feedback unit REACH, Mr Shanmugam said 82 per cent of Singaporeans polled said they agreed with POSSPA.
The survey, which polled 1,038 citizens and permanent residents, also found that 76 per cent of respondents agreed that POSSPA was necessary to enable the police to handle major security incidents effectively, while 67 per cent thought it was reasonable for the police to have powers to stop individuals from taking or sharing pictures or videos of ongoing security operations.
PUBLIC TRUST KEY TO POLICING: SHANMUGAM
Addressing about 1,000 guests, including police officers and community partners, the minister said that public trust in the police, Government and criminal justice system forms the bedrock of successful policing.
“We have seen in other countries how easily trust in police can break down. When that happens, law and order breaks down too,” he said. “We are fortunate that people trust in the system, allowing the police to be an effective force.”
He gave the example of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US and the Blue Lives Matter countermovement, noting the disparate cultural context.
"The police in particular, often in every society, are as seen as that instrument of the state which people most directly come into contact with. Everything they feel about the state is often reflected onto the police force.
"That fortunately is not the situation here. None of the communities feel specifically targeted or oppressed by the police force, and it is both because the police force has been corrupt-free, has been rigorous in the way it handles its duties and has been strict with its own people when they transgress."
TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
Mr Shanmugam also stressed the importance of trust between the police and ministerial leadership in the face of “tough situations” and in dealing with legislation thought of as necessary.
He highlighted the resignation of UK Home Affairs Minister Amber Rudd, following her comments on the government’s immigration policies, which Mr Shanmugam said “put a distance between the political leadership and the civil service carrying out policies”.
While he said that it was not for Singapore to comment on the matter due to different political systems and cultures, he said that the Singapore Government's approach is "slightly different".
Accountability and responsibility to the public lies with the ministers, said Mr Shanmugam.
"The services need to know that very clearly. So that you can go about your work confidently, do your duty, have faith and trust in the system. Leave the rest to us, and be assured that we will answer the questions and shield you from political attacks."
He referenced his 2016 ministerial statement in Parliament on the case of 14-year-old Benjamin Lim, who was found dead after he was questioned by police on a case of outrage of modesty.
Mr Shanmugam had in his statement said that his ministry is responsible for the protocols in place: "Ultimately, responsibility is with me as the minister. It is not with individual police officers, their responsibility is to act according to protocols in place. If there are issues with the protocols, the responsibility is mine, let's not attack the police officers who cannot defend themselves. They are doing their job every day in difficult circumstances."
Reiterating his stand on Thursday, Mr Shanmugam said: "To be clear, that will be our approach, that would be the position that our ministers will take. If something goes wrong operationally, we have to sort it out. Try and make sure that we don't repeat it."
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