Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on the Closing and Expunging of Police Reports Made by Private Parties Against Other Private Parties but Not Pursued, by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Mr Kok Heng Leun: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether police reports made by private parties against other private parties are closed or expunged when no investigation of the allegations follows or when there is insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation; (b) if so, how long before they are closed or expunged; and (c) whether police reports containing unproven allegations are firewalled from ICA decisions in respect of the person's applications for social visit passes, student passes and work passes in accordance with the principle of "innocent until proven guilty".

Answer:

1. The Police will review Police reports to assess if an offence could have been committed, and whether further investigations are warranted. Where Police investigations are initiated, the facts of the case will be examined, and investigations conducted.

2. Police reports and findings from investigations are retained.There are several good reasons for retaining the reports. For example, if there is a need to relook at what had happened, the records will be important.

3. Immigration facilities and Work Passes are assessed on the individual merits of the case. The factors taken into consideration include, among other things, criminal and security antecedents, if any.

4. The NMP’s question appears to be related to foreigners who apply for Short-Term Visit Passes, Work Passes, and Student’s Passes.

5. Foreigners have no absolute right to demand such immigration facilities in Singapore. It is for ICA and MOM to assess their eligibility for such facilities. Where a foreigner is being investigated in respect of a criminal offence, an application for an immigration facility, as mentioned by the NMP, will be held back, until the investigations are concluded. The investigations are obviously a relevant factor to consider. We assume that the NMP will not advocate that ICA or MOM grant an immigration pass to a foreigner who is being investigated (by way of an example) for committing a criminal offence like cheating people.