Model ID: 39f531d0-5343-4266-966a-b707a71f9625
Sitecore Context Id: 39f531d0-5343-4266-966a-b707a71f9625;
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I declare my interest as an Advisor to the Union of Security Employees (USE). There are two main features of the Bill. First, enhancing protection for security officers. Second, having the industry accredit security consultants. I will speak on these in turn.
First I would like to share some of USE’s findings and efforts regarding the protection of our security officers.
No one would disagree that security officers’ work is difficult. Long hours. Physically demanding. Mentally challenging. Uncomfortably juggling between protecting a site and providing quality customer service. Now, they also help in enforcing safe management measures. Yet, some people see them as inconvenient presence to bear at best.
USE’s Findings and Efforts
The stats state as such. USE commissioned SUSS to conduct a series of surveys from 2020. The most recent being in September and November of 2020. In the survey released in March 2021, 4 out of 10 security officers had faced some form of abuse. This is a 10% increase from an earlier survey just 8 months earlier. This increase has been attributed to security officers enforcing safe management measures (SMMs). And unfortunately, this seems to be their burden to for some time to come.
We need to stand by our security officers. They need our respect and they need our protection. We have come a very long way from calling them “jagahs” and “guards” and now rightfully, “security officers”. They are no longer just watchmen. They are critical to fighting terrorism. They are critical to combatting the spread of Covid. PWM has given them their rightful standing in the security landscape. Now we need to do more for them.
USE and MHA have been the vanguard in protecting our security officers. In clear cases of abuse of security officers, USE assists security officers in lodging police reports. Why? Because our older security officers may not be aware of their rights. They face more abuses.
We must also help to mediate disputes and steer away from litigation as much as possible. USE launched its Mediation Services in 2018 to resolve issues and disputes involving security officers. In recent years, the Services has seen a marked increase in cases. On average, it handles 200 cases yearly. In a recent case, an officer was tasked with managing entry into a club’s facilities room. A visitor, apparently upset with the verification process, vented his frustration, and dragged the officer from his chair. The matter was reported to the union and investigations are ongoing. But there should not be such disrespect in the first place. We can only hope that this case is the exception rather than the norm. We are taking no chances. We will launch a mobile application by the end of this year for officers to report cases quickly.
Enhanced Protection of SOs
We must reinforce this protection of our officers. We need enhanced penalties against abusers of security officers. There must be zero-tolerance for abuse. It is even more urgent now during Covid-19. Abusers must not breach our defense of SMMs. I would like to raise two points for the Ministry’s consideration.
Does liability attach if the offence is committed when an officer is off duty?
First, the proposed Section 17C makes it illegal for an individual to threaten and abuse a security officer. However, it seems that we can only prove liability if the offence is committed while the security officer is doing his duty. What if an abuser abuses and threatens an officer while the latter is off duty because of an earlier incident? Can the abuser be similarly punished?
Include Doxxing in Section 17C
Second, the elements of Section 17C is substantively in pari materia to Section 3(1)(a) and (b) of the Protection from Harassment Act (PHA) or POHA. However, Section 3(1)(c) of the POHA, which relates to the offence of doxxing, is not found within the proposed Section 17C. This appears to be a gap. Abusers can use social media to publish personal information to harass these officers and their families. Could the Ministry consider including the offence of doxxing in Section 3(1)(c) of the POHA within the proposed Section 17C?
Next, will the Ministry consider the inclusion of Section 5 of the POHA within the amendments as well? This section concerns causing fear, provocation, or facilitation of violence. Like Section 3 of POHA, Section 5 also relates to abusive behaviour which security officers may face during their course of duty.
Industry-led Accreditation of Consultants
Next, I would like to speak on the proposed shift to accredit security consultants by the industry. The security consultants must take Continuous Professional Development under the Security Consultants Accreditation Program (SCAP). They are subject to the yearly renewal of their accreditation.
This pivot ensures that Security Consultants are attuned to the new security trends and needs. These consultants can help guide service buyers on outcome-based security contracts as qualified persons by leveraging technology rather than manpower. This can improve security outcomes significantly. We can be more productive. This makes wage increases in the security PWM sustainable. Better jobs and better pay for the longer run. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please.
副议长女士，今天议论的法案将会改善和保障保安人员的工作权益和环境。 这是朝着正确的方向迈进一步。 保安人员是我国前线人员的一环，他们尽心尽力的维持社区安全。 他们应得到我们的尊敬和保护。 修正后的条规将会确保大众对保安人员的基本尊重，并使他们能够在安全的环境下操作。在新的法律下，侮辱和骚扰保安人员的民众将会受到加重的处罚。
保安人员也需要经常面对公众人士对他们非常不友善的行为和态度。我呼吁大家一起改变这种对保安人员鄙视的行为。 除了保安人员的雇主必需负起这个责任，我相信大家也应该一致的共同支持保障保安人员因有的基本尊重。 我们得对粗鲁的行为和鄙视的态度说不。
Conclusion
Mr Speaker, this Bill enhances the protection of our security officers. This is the right thing to do. Security officers are our frontline workers who have tirelessly kept Singapore safe and protected. They deserve our respect and protection. Imposing harsher punishments on abusers of our security officers will ensure that our officers can carry out their duties without the fear of repercussions or reprises.
However, there are subtler forms of abuse faced by our officers which are not captured by the law. Therefore, we must also stand up against such disrespect of security officers. Service buyers and employers are entrusted with this role. But we are all entrusted to preserving respect for our essential workers. Say no to disrespect.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, the union will continue to work with the Ministry to provide our security officers with the respect they deserve. I support the Bill.
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