Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether there are plans to expand the scope of the myResponder app to also include alerts for HDB fires and missing persons with disabilities, such as elderly persons with dementia or children with autism, to facilitate community-assisted response.

Mr K Shanmugam: The myResponder app alerts Community First Responders (CFRs) to nearby minor fires and medical cases. 

Missing person cases are very different in nature and require different capabilities. The Police already have an established process to locate missing persons, including appealing for information from the public where appropriate. Such appeals are published through various channels, including social media. There are therefore currently no plans to expand the myResponder app to include appeals for information from the public on missing persons.

Link to Hansard: Link

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry has conducted an assessment to align penalties for possessing manufacturing equipment under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 with those under the Guns, Explosive and Weapons Control Act 2021, which targets unauthorised possession of digital blueprints and major parts of firearms, to effectively combat domestic production of harmful drug-delivery systems.

Mr K Shanmugam: The Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) criminalises the manufacture, supply, possession, import and export of equipment, materials or substances used for manufacturing controlled drugs. We do not criminalise the manufacturing of drug delivery systems, since paraphernalia that are misused for drug abuse could have legitimate uses. For example, syringes are used in medical settings.

We assess that the current provisions are adequate and it is not necessary to align the penalties between the MDA and the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021.

Link to Hansard: Link

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will review and increase penalties and powers of seizure for the unauthorised possession or manufacture of equipment, including tools like 3D printers, specifically designed or adapted for the illegal mixing of controlled substances into vapes, even if the tools themselves are free of controlled substances.

Mr K Shanmugam: Under section 10A of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA), it is an offence to manufacture, supply, possess, import or export any equipment to be used to manufacture a controlled drug. Offenders can face imprisonment for up to 20 years or a fine of up to $200,000 or both. This is regardless of how the equipment is designed or how the controlled drugs are mixed.

Under section 24 of the MDA, Central Narcotics Bureau officers are empowered to seize any item, including equipment and tools, that are used to commit an MDA offence, or if they contain or constitute evidence of such an offence.

We assess that there is no need to review the penalties or powers of seizure, for now. 

Link to Hansard: Link

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider incorporating standard first aid and automated external defibrillator (AED) skills training, leading to certification, into the Secondary Four school syllabus, to equip students with life-saving abilities and promote emergency preparedness among youth.

Mr K Shanmugam: Upper primary and lower secondary students in Ministry of Education (MOE) schools are already being taught basic first aid skills, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators as part of Physical Education lessons. Several uniformed group Co-Curricular Activities also incorporate such training in their programmes. MOE and the Singapore Civil Defence Force will regularly review the adequacy of these training.