MPs ask about better protection for children and youth; impact of western island reclamation plans

Parliament will also debate four bills including new anti-scam laws.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Published Sep 07, 2026, 09:04 PM

Updated Sep 07, 2026, 09:05 PM

SINGAPORE - Protections for children and youth and plans to merge several southern islands through reclamation will be on the agenda when Parliament sits this week.

MPs have filed at least 11 questions relating to a recent case of a self-styled “religious influencer” who was sentenced for sexually abusing two young boys between 2022 and 2024.

The man had conducted religious classes for the victims at a mosque they attended, despite not being a mosque staff member, volunteer or an accredited religious teacher.

MPs’ questions centre on how the man was allowed to conduct the lessons; what existing safeguards are in place at mosques; and whether additional measures, such as new mechanisms to screen individuals working with children, can be introduced.

PAP MP Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah (Jalan Besar GRC) asked whether the authorities will consider a controlled screening facility for roles involving unsupervised access to children, while Hazlina Abdul Halim (East Coast GRC) asked what safeguards the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) is implementing to prevent similar incidents.

WP MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) asked if the authorities would consider a mechanism via SingPass that could verify if prospective instructors, coaches, tutors and volunteers have any past child sexual offence convictions, without requiring them to share their full criminal histories.

Following the man’s sentencing on Aug 17, MUIS said it will strengthen protections for children and youth at mosques through a common framework .

Wan Rizal and Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) sought more details about MUIS’ ongoing review of safeguarding measures at mosques , including when it will be completed and if the findings will be published.

Plans to create a new “western island” by reclaiming land to merge several southern islands will also come under scrutiny, with at least seven questions filed on the topic.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had announced at the 2026 National Day Rally that an island for industry, energy and defence needs would be reclaimed in coming decades.

The area for potential reclamation, which covers about 592.8ha, contains marine habitats like coral reefs and seagrass meadows.

PAP’s Charlene Chen (Tampines GRC) asked if the Government will consider conducting cumulative environmental impact assessments where multiple reclamation, dredging or coastal development projects may affect the same marine ecosystems.

WP’s He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC) asked how government agencies are engaging with former residents of the islands affected by the planned reclamation. She also asked how heritage and community considerations arising from the islands’ history will be factored into land use and design plans for the reclaimed area.

Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) investment in Air India will also be raised, with WP’s Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC) asking whether losses from SIA’s foreign associates have been assessed against the airline’s capacity to provide essential transport services, given its status as a designated operating entity.

He also asked if such losses or a continuing pattern of losses would trigger a notification requirement under the law, which states that designated operating entities must inform the authorities of any event that could impede its ability to provide essential transport services, such as a lawsuit or an insolvency.

This follows online debate over SIA’s stake in Air India, which was reportedly seeking about US$1.5 billion (S$1.9 billion) of investment from shareholders including SIA which owns 25.1 per cent.

Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said on Sept 5 that SIA should be left to make investment decisions based on its professional judgement and resources . Temasek - which has a majority stake in the airline - will expect SIA to make such decisions responsibly, he added.

Proposed changes to political salaries, including those of ministers, are also set to be raised in the House. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing will make statements on the issue on Sept 8, before MPs debate the matter on Sept 10.

Parliament will also debate four Bills, including one that could grant the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) more powers and another set of anti-scam laws to target online account mules.

HSA regulates health products like medicines, cosmetic products, medical devices and tobacco products. It also manages the national blood bank, transfusion medicine and forensic medicine expertise, and provides forensic and analytical laboratory services.

New laws, if passed, could give HSA more regulatory and investigative powers , such as in overseeing how human biomedical research is conducted, and managing the licensing of healthcare services to ensure patient safety and public interest.

Meanwhile, the proposed anti-scam laws target those who supply online accounts on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok and Carousell for scams.

It will be an offence to provide one’s personal details for the creation of such accounts, and to supply or buy such accounts for crime.

Wong Yang is a journalist who covers politics and policy.

Singapore Parliament

Crimes against children/minors

议会还将辩论四项法案，其中包括新的反诈骗法。

ST 照片：林耀辉

发布于 2026 年 9 月 7 日晚上 9:04

更新于2026年9月7日晚上9:05

新加坡——保护儿童和青少年权益以及通过填海造地合并南部几个岛屿的计划将列入本周国会的议程。

议员们至少提出了 11 个问题，这些问题与最近一起案件有关，一名自称“宗教影响者”的人因在 2022 年至 2024 年间性侵两名幼童而被判刑。

该男子在受害者常去的清真寺为他们开设宗教课程，尽管他既不是清真寺的工作人员，也不是志愿者，更不是合格的宗教教师。

议员们的提问主要集中在以下几个方面：为什么允许该男子进行授课；清真寺目前有哪些保障措施；以及是否可以引入其他措施，例如新的机制来筛选与儿童一起工作的人员。

人民行动党议员旺里扎尔·旺·扎卡利亚（惹兰勿刹集选区）询问当局是否会考虑为那些需要在无人监管的情况下接触儿童的职位设立受控筛选设施，而哈兹丽娜·阿卜杜勒·哈利姆（东海岸集选区）则询问新加坡伊斯兰宗教理事会（MUIS）正在实施哪些保障措施来防止类似事件的发生。

工人党议员严燕松（阿裕尼集选区）询问当局是否会考虑通过 SingPass 建立一种机制，以核实未来的教练、辅导员、家教和志愿者是否有过性侵儿童的犯罪记录，而无需他们提供完整的犯罪记录。

8 月 17 日该男子被判刑后，伊斯兰宗教理事会表示，将通过共同框架加强对清真寺内儿童和青少年的保护。

万里扎尔和沙拉尔·塔哈（巴西立-樟宜集选区）要求了解更多有关伊斯兰宗教理事会正在进行的清真寺安全措施审查的细节，包括何时完成以及审查结果是否会公​​布。

通过填海造地合并几个南部岛屿来创建一个新的“西部岛屿”的计划也将受到审查，目前至少有七个问题与此有关。

总理黄循财在2026年国庆群众大会上宣布，未来几十年将填海造陆，建造一座岛屿以满足工业、能源和国防需求。

潜在填海区面积约 592.8 公顷，包含珊瑚礁和海草床等海洋栖息地。

人民行动党议员陈嘉琳（淡滨尼集选区）询问政府是否会考虑对可能影响同一海洋生态系统的多个填海、疏浚或沿海开发项目进行累积环境影响评估。

工人党议员何婷茹（盛港集选区）询问政府机构如何与受填海计划影响的岛屿原居民进行沟通。她还询问，如何将岛屿历史遗留的文化遗产和社区因素纳入填海区的土地利用和设计规划中。

新加坡航空公司（新航）对印度航空的投资问题也将被提上议程，工人党议员张建宗（阿裕尼集选区）质问，鉴于新航作为指定运营实体的地位，其外国关联公司的亏损是否已根据新航提供基本运输服务的能力进行评估。

他还询问，此类损失或持续的损失模式是否会触发法律规定的通知要求。该法律规定，指定的运营实体必须将任何可能妨碍其提供基本运输服务的事件（例如诉讼或破产）告知当局。

此前，网上曾就新加坡航空持有印度航空股份一事展开辩论，据报道，印度航空正在寻求从包括持有25.1%股份的新加坡航空在内的股东那里获得约15亿美元（19亿新元）的投资。

9月5日，高级部长尚穆根表示，应允许新加坡航空公司根据其专业判断和资源做出投资决策。他还补充说，持有新加坡航空公司多数股权的淡马锡控股公司希望新航能够负责任地做出此类决策。

国会还将讨论调整政治人物薪酬（包括部长薪酬）的提案。总理黄循财和公共服务统筹部长陈振声将于9月8日就此发表声明，随后议员们将于9月10日就此进行辩论。

议会还将辩论四项法案，其中包括一项可能赋予卫生科学局 (HSA) 更多权力的法案，以及另一套旨在打击网络账户洗钱者的反诈骗法律。

新加坡卫生科学局 (HSA) 负责监管药品、化妆品、医疗器械和烟草制品等健康产品。它还管理国家血库、输血医学和法医医学专业技术，并提供法医和分析实验室服务。

如果新法律获得通过，可能会赋予 HSA 更大的监管和调查权力，例如监督人类生物医学研究的开展方式，以及管理医疗保健服务的许可，以确保患者安全和公共利益。

与此同时，拟议的反诈骗法针对的是那些在 Facebook、Instagram、WhatsApp、Telegram、TikTok 和 Carousell 等平台上提供在线账户进行诈骗的人。

提供个人信息以创建此类账户，以及为犯罪目的提供或购买此类账户，均属违法行为。

黄阳是一位报道政治和政策的记者。

新加坡国会

侵害儿童/未成年人的犯罪