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The Second Reading Speech for Immigration
Amendment Bill 2004 - Speech by AP Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State, 16
November 2004 |
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Amendments to the Immigration Act |
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Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Bill be
now read a second time. |
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Introduction |
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Sir, Singapore is a small country with limited
resources. The presence of immigration offenders such as illegal immigrants
and overstayers poses a serious social problem, and compromises our safety and
security. |
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MHA has taken, and will continue to take, a tough
stance against all immigration offenders as well as anyone who harbours,
employs or assists them to enter or remain unlawfully in Singapore. |
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The Immigration Act regulates the entry, stay and
exit of foreigners into and out of Singapore. This Bill amends the Act to
enhance the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's (ICA) operational powers
to tackle the immigration offender problem. |
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The Immigration Offender Situation |
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The widespread publicity on the harbouring of
immigration offenders has helped to raise public awareness of the problem. |
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Through our public education efforts like
Crimewatch and the circulation of information leaflets, as well as media
publicity on the tough sentences meted out to harbourers, the public is
well-aware of our tough stance on the harbouring of immigration offenders. |
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Our concerted efforts have resulted in a 40% drop
of harbourers arrested - from 527 in 2000, to 333 last year. |
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Sir, this drop is the result of the measures taken
over the past 4 to 5 years. Our efforts have therefore borne fruit. While we
arrested some 16,500 illegal immigrants and overstayers in 2000, this number
fell to 11,900 last year, a drop of almost 30% over 3 years. But we cannot be
complacent. |
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In strengthening our multi-pronged approach to
deal with the supply and demand of immigration offenders, MHA has reviewed the
Immigration Act to ensure that the current provisions remain relevant. |
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This amendment Bill is a result of this review.
Let me now elaborate on the key amendments. |
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A. Harbouring of Immigration Offenders |
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Lower Limb for Harbouring of immigration
offenders |
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Sir, when the due diligence requirements were
introduced more than 10 years ago in 1993, the clearly spelt out checks helped
landlords to verify the identity and immigration status of their foreign
tenants. |
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These checks not only play a vital role in keeping
Singapore safe, but they also ensure the personal safety of the landlords
especially since they are renting out their premises to strangers. |
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Now we have previously informed the House that
Police and ICA have in place a set of internal guidelines to determine whether
landlords caught for harbouring immigration offenders should be charged in
court. |
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Over the years, we have constantly reviewed and
fine-tuned these guidelines to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.
Consequently, between 2000 and 2003, about half of the harbourers arrested
were prosecuted while the rest were issued with a stern warning. Those
prosecuted, if convicted, faced mandatory imprisonment of 6 months or more. |
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Now, given the seriousness of the harbouring
offence, we will retain the current mandatory jail sentence to provide a clear
deterrence to and aid the prosecution of defiant or recalcitrant offenders who
knowingly or recklessly harbour immigration offenders. |
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What is new in these amendments is that those
found guilty of negligently harbouring an immigration offender will not face
mandatory imprisonment. |
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This will therefore bridge the gap in the current
Act where the prosecution either has to prosecute offenders for an offence
that carries a mandatory imprisonment sentence, or let them off with a stern
warning. Also, the courts will have some leeway not to have to send an
offender to jail, if found guilty. |
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More..... |
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Source:
Ministry of Home Affairs Press Release 16
Nov 2004 |
Amendments to the Immigration Act
