Question:
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether CNB retains any information or data obtained from the administration of quick drug-testing saliva tests where the outcome is negative; (b) if yes, what is the length of such retention; and (c) what is the disposal or deletion process.
Answer:
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:
1. The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) administers the saliva test as an on-site screening tool. Where the results are positive, the suspect will be subjected to confirmatory tests such as a urine test. The saliva test results are not used as the basis for prosecution or for committing a person for rehabilitation.
2. The results of saliva tests, both positive and negative outcomes, are retained as they may be relevant in subsequent investigations.
3. For avoidance of doubt, CNB does not retain the test kit containing the person’s saliva, if it is a negative result. It is disposed of immediately after the test.
