On the 19th, the Singapore government announced that, in accordance with amendments to the penal code passed by Parliament in November to combat the surge in fraud cases, mandatory caning of up to 24 strokes for scam offenders will take effect starting December 30th.
On the 19th, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement noting that certain provisions of the Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, which was passed at third reading in Parliament on November 4th, will come into effect on December 30th.
Previously, scam offenders in Singapore faced penalties such as imprisonment and fines, but now caning has been added.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the enhanced penalties "ensure our criminal law remains effective, fair, and responsive in the face of emerging challenges."
Under the new law, scam offenders in Singapore face a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 24 strokes of the cane. Scam offenders also include those who recruit personnel for scam operations, as well as members of scam syndicates.
In addition to the masterminds, gang members, and recruiters of scams, those who assist with money laundering or provide offenders with conveniences such as SIM cards or Singpass (Singapore's digital personal identification) data, may also be sentenced by the courts to up to 12 strokes of the cane at their discretion. Other forms of fraudulent conduct may also face discretionary caning.
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann previously told Parliament that, from 2020 to the first half of this year, Singapore reported around 190,000 fraud cases, accounting for 60% of all criminal cases, with total losses amounting to nearly 3.7 billion Singapore dollars (about 11.66 billion ringgit).
The Ministry of Home Affairs said authorities will continue to review whether the penalties for scam masterminds and related criminal acts are sufficient to provide the intended deterrence.