Poll shows 82% support new law for major security incidents: Shanmugam

Eighty-two per cent of the Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) polled by the government’s feedback unit Reach support the newly implemented Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act, also known as POSSPA.

This is according to Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who was speaking at the Police Workplan Seminar held at the Singapore University of Technology and Design on Thursday (3 May) morning.

The POSSPA, which was approved by Parliament in March, grants the police special powers to deal with major security incidents such as acts of terrorism. Among these powers is the right to impose a communications stop order which forbids the media and members of the public from taking or sharing pictures, videos or text messages about ongoing security operations.

The Reach poll, based on a sample size of 1,083 Singaporeans and PRs aged 15 and above, also found 76 per cent of respondents agreeing that the POSSPA was necessary to enable the police to deal with serious security incidents effectively.

Sixty-seven per cent of those polled thought it was reasonable for the police to be empowered to stop people from communicating information about ongoing security operations, while 78 per cent felt that the police would use these powers fairly.

Shanmugam raised the poll results while addressing the issue of the government’s approach towards legislation.

“We are increasingly in a situation where legislation we propose gets opposed by a small but vocal minority,” said the minister, who noted that while some of this opposition is “principled”, some parties also seek to “paint a false picture” of Singapore and the police for their own “political ends”.

When it comes to policy-making, ministers here must be able to establish what is right and good for society – while taking into account what the majority thinks – and not be “side-tracked” by an outspoken minority of voices, said the 59-year-old Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC.

Elsewhere in his speech, the minister also emphasised the importance of public trust in the police and how this forms the “bedrock” for effective policing. Citing a 2016 Public Perception Survey that found 94 per cent of respondents believing the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to be a trusted organisation, he added that this “painstakingly earned” trust must not be taken for granted.

He also reassured the hundreds of police officers present that they would be “shielded from political attacks” and that he, along with other ministers, would bear the responsibility for tackling any issues regarding government policy. He added that it is important for officers to be aware of this so that they can carry out their duties with confidence.

During the event, Shanmugam also officially launched the new police smartphone, which is aimed at providing officers with real-time access to information that will help them carry out their duties more effectively on the ground. The devices – which will include customised SPF applications hosted on a secure platform – is set to be issued to 8,000 frontline officers and will allow them to work, learn or train anywhere and at any time.

Also on display at SUTD were the SPF’s high-tech tools such as drones, virtual reality training simulators and robots, including the new Multi-purpose All Terrain Autonomous Robot (MATAR) 2.0.

Related stories:

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Communications stop order for serious incidents ‘not an information blackout’: Josephine Teo