Police instruction to Law Society on withholding audit committee report, legal basis and binding effect, and members' entitlement to report access

Question:

Ms Diana Pang Li Yen: To ask the Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Police instructed the Law Society to withhold its Audit Committee Report from members, and if so, under what legal provision; (b) whether this instruction is binding on the Law Society; and (c) whether Law Society members are entitled as of right to receive the said report.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Senior Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. The Police received a report with allegations that certain matters disclosed in the report by the Law Society of Singapore’s Audit Committee may disclose possible offences. Investigations are ongoing.

2. The Police have requested that the Law Society hold back distributing the report by the Audit Committee until further notice, as police investigations are ongoing. The Police will inform the relevant parties when it is assessed that the distribution of the report would not jeopardise or prejudice the ongoing investigation, or any proceedings, if initiated.

3. The disclosure of the report by the Law Society to its members is a matter for the Law Society to consider, having regard to proper governance and the gravity of the matters raised in the complaint as well as the findings in the report.