Reasons for Non-detection of Overstayer who Surrendered Passport in 1996 and Measures to Prevent Similar Incidents
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song's inquiry into how a woman who surrendered her passport in 1996 managed to overstay for 28 years and how her daughter applied for permanent residency undetected. Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam explained that the individual deliberately evaded detection by maintaining a low profile, avoiding formal employment, bank accounts, and public services requiring identity authentication. The Minister noted that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is currently investigating the daughter's residency application for potential fraud or harbouring offences. He emphasized that while regular ground operations are conducted, some deliberate overstayers manage to circumvent enforcement by avoiding a fixed place of stay. Consequently, ICA will continue to enhance its measures to detect and arrest such individuals to ensure the integrity of Singapore's immigration system.
Transcript
84 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) why a woman who surrendered her passport to ICA in 1996 was not monitored more closely, allowing her to overstay for more than 28 years; (b) what specific vulnerabilities enabled her to live in Singapore and for her daughter to apply for permanent residency without detection; and (c) what new measures have been implemented to prevent a similar incident.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) takes a very serious view of overstayers and those who harbour them. ICA conducts regular ground operations to try to detect and enforce against overstaying. But sometimes, deliberate overstayers manage to evade the enforcement actions.
Specific to this case involving Yu Zefang, which I understand the Member is referring to, she deliberately maintained a very low profile in Singapore, which made it difficult for the agencies to detect her. She did not maintain a fixed place of stay, did not engage in any formal employment, did not have any local bank account and did not utilise any Government services, such as public healthcare, which would have required her identity to be authenticated.
ICA is looking into the circumstances around her daughter's Permanent Residence (PR) application. We will take action if there was any fraud committed in the application or if other immigration offences, such as harbouring of overstayers, are disclosed.
ICA will continue to try to improve its measures to detect and arrest overstayers.