Allegation of Police Behaviour towards Victim of Sexual Assault

12.30 pm

Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Speaker, point of order, please.

Mr Speaker: Mr Leong Mun Wai.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Mr Speaker, I propose an amendment to the question that the Bill be now read a Second time. To leave out the word "now" and add —

Mr Speaker: Mr Leong, what are you referring to?

Mr Leong Mun Wai: I am referring to the Bill that we are going to debate.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin: No, Minister Shanmugam has something else to raise.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: Oh, I beg your pardon.

12.30 pm

The Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law (Mr K Shanmugam): Mr Speaker, Sir, I had given Mr Speaker Notice that I wanted to make a short Ministerial Statement. This relates to something that was said in the Parliamentary Sitting on 3 August 2021, this year, by one of the Members of Parliament, Ms Raeesah Khan, on the Workers' Party's (WP's) Motion on Empowering Women.

Ms Khan had said that three years ago, she had accompanied a 25-year-old survivor to file a Police report against a rape and that she saw the survivor coming out crying. The survivor told her that the Police officer had made comments about her dressing and the fact that she had been drinking. Ms Khan also shared her experience with this House about going with the victim to the Police, what she saw after she had filed the report and she cited it as an example of how law enforcement needs to ensure better treatment of sexual assault survivors.

My colleague, Minister of State Desmond Tan, then asked for more details about the incident so that the Government can investigate what happened. He explained that MHA takes these allegations very seriously and said that they had to be looked into to check if the case had been handled properly by the Police and that they should not be swept aside without further investigations.

Ms Khan's response was that she had raised the example as it was her personal experience with the rape survivor. She also stated her belief that these anecdotes are not isolated and expressed the hope that such incidents could start further discussions about how victims are treated. She went on to say that the incident happened three years ago and she did not wish to re-traumatise this survivor whom she had accompanied.

Later in the debate, Ms Khan rose again to further clarify that she raised the example because it was her experience with the survivor and that the episode took place three years ago and she had been unsuccessful in getting in touch with the victim. She said this in the context that and, I quote, "consent is imperative not least to avoid re-victimisation."

We take such allegations concerning the Police very seriously. Ms Khan had said that she did not want the victim to be re-traumatised or re-victimised. I understand and empathise with that and we will bear that in mind as we seek to investigate what happened, especially since a Member has raised this here in Parliament, to make sure that we know what happened and, if necessary, discipline the Police officers involved. This does not have to mean naming the victim. We will consider carefully how to protect the victim and deal with these matters sensitively.

What is extremely important is that we identify the Police station, the officers involved. I have given very clear instructions to the Police that we have to identify the officers involved, get their versions, to be fair to them. What further steps are taken, depend on the facts.

The Government is very serious about making sure that the Police do the right thing. So, if they have not behaved well, then we must discipline them. That means investigating what happened, identifying the officers involved. That is how we have maintained an excellent Home Team.

As I have said, this does not have to mean that the victim has to be named publicly. We will consider carefully how to proceed so as not to re-traumatise the victim. And for us to take this further, we need more details.

So, can the Member – I ask the Member through you, Sir – to tell us at the very least the Police station that she went to with the victim and, if possible, the names of the Police officer or officers who attended to the victim and the Member. And if she cannot remember the names, then some details: how many officers were there, some description of them, rough age, race, male or female. Whatever details she can give.

And when the Member saw the victim come out crying after her interview, did the Member bring this to the Police officers' attention? What did the Member say to the officers? How did the officers respond when alerted to the victim's reaction? And did the Member lodge a complaint about what happened, either at that time or after that? And I think the Member should be able to remember the month, the year when this happened when she went to the Police station. She told Parliament three times that this happened three years ago. Can she confirm that this took place in 2018?

I should add that since we take very seriously all these points, Police has spent a lot of time searching their records since this point was made. They do not seem to be able to identify a case where Ms Khan was present with the victim. It is entirely possible that they did not note down Ms Khan's name. But it is most important that the matter is not left hanging, with doubt over what may or may not have happened.

And as I have said, our focus is on the Police officers, the reputation of Singapore Police Force to help the victim and for us to find out what happened and to try and make sure that Police officers understand better, if, indeed, it happened in this way, and change their behaviour, if necessary, and for the message to go out to all Police officers.

So, Sir, through you, may I ask Ms Khan for those details.

Mr Speaker: Ms Raeesah Khan, if you can furnish the details, please. Thank you.

Ms Raeesah Khan (Sengkang): I thank the Minister for the clarifications. Like I said, it did happen three years ago and I have not been successful getting in touch with the person that I accompanied, and with regard to confidentiality, I would prefer for it to remain that way.

Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, I asked which Police station, which month and the identities of the officers, to the extent Ms Khan knows them.

Mr Speaker: Ms Khan, to facilitate the investigation by the Police, to check.

Ms Raeesah Khan: Thank you. I do not know the identity of the Police officers.

Mr Speaker: But the questions on Police station, date and so on?

Ms Raeesah Khan: With regard to confidentiality, with the survivor, I wiould not like to reveal any of this information. Thank you.

Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, we are talking about the Police station. That has got nothing to do with the confidentiality.

Mr Speaker: Understand. Ms Raeesah Khan, the Minister is not asking about the identity of the individual.

Ms Raeesah Khan: I understand but, with regard to confidentiality, I will not be revealing any other information. Thank you.

Mr Speaker: Minister.

Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, I have to say that, perhaps, Mr Speaker has the power to direct answers since the matter has been raised and, through you, Sir, I ask for the direction to be given that we be told which Police station and the month; if not the date, at least the month and which Police station.

Mr Speaker: Ms Khan, I think that is a fair question. Would you like to respond or are you holding to the same position? The reason is that certain allegations have been made which I think are fair and serious. The Police, I understand, would like to follow up to check to make sure that they can rectify the situation. So, any leads would be useful without divulging the name of the lady concerned.

Ms Raeesah Khan: Thank you. I would still like for it to remain confidential. Thank you.

Mr Speaker: Minister.

Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, I do not understand this point about confidentiality. Can I ask through you, Sir, for Ms Khan to confirm in this House that everything she has told us is accurate, that she did accompany such a person and such an incident did happen?

Mr Speaker: Ms Khan.

Ms Raeesah Khan: Yes.

Mr K Shanmugam: Sir, we have checked our records. We have no such case that fits in with the description that has been given by the Member. I wanted to give her the option of giving us the best information she has but she confirms that such an incident happened that she accompanied this victim to the Police station and that she does not wish to divulge the information only because of confidentiality.

Speaker and Members will know that confidentiality does not extend to not telling us which Police station.

Sir, I will leave it here for now but that does not mean the matter rests. The Police will investigate this very serious matter further. The officers in-charge and the Police will interview Ms Khan and any allegations of misconduct concerning specific officers will be referred to SPF's Internal Affairs Office for further investigation.

I will say to Ms Khan, through you, Sir, that, at the very least, she must remember which Police station, which year this happened and which month and some details of the number and the ages and the races of the Police officers whom she says, and she has confirmed for us, that she did see them. Thank you, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Introduction of Government Bills. Minister Lawrence Wong.