Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Sexual Offences on Minors by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will review the relevant legislation to enhance the sentences for all types of sexual offences, with or without penetration and with or without violence, committed on minors.

Mr Alex Yam Ziming: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider tabling new legislation or amending the Penal Code to introduce specific laws on child pornography.

Answer:

1. Mdm Speaker, MHA is working with other Ministries to review our laws relating to child pornography and sexual offences committed on minors, including whether the sentences need to be enhanced or whether new laws need to be drafted.

2. We have started the review, covering both whether existing approaches need to be looked at, whether additional laws need to be put in or whether punishments need to be enhanced. It is quite a comprehensive review, looking at the situation of minors. We will make an announcement when the review is completed.