MHA to boost laws to tackle Kpods, foreign threats, road safety concerns

It will also deepen partnerships, use tech to tackle threats: Shanmugam

- David Sun Crime Correspondent

Singapore’s foreign interference law will be amended to counter evolving tactics on that front, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on Sept 19.

The Road Traffic Act will also be updated to deal with the worsening road safety situation, he said in his ministry’s addendum to the President’s Address.

Mr Shanmugam noted that ongoing conflicts in regions like the Middle East have heightened the threats of foreign interference and terrorism.

Singapore also faces domestic challenges, from scams to the growing problem of drug abuse, including the recent surge in drug-laced vapes.

To respond to these threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will continue to strengthen laws, deepen partnerships and harness technology aggressively, Mr Shanmugam said.

The Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, or Fica, was passed in 2021 to tackle foreign meddling in domestic politics through hostile information campaigns and the use of local proxies.

The law allows a person to be deemed a politically significant person, requiring them to disclose political donations and foreign affiliations.