cooling tips

In Parliament on 12 February 2019, Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong shared the considerations on how a public announcement from the Ministry of Health would not serve the interests of the affected individuals, when it first learnt of the data leak issue in 2016.

He reiterated the need to consider the impact of such an announcement, as a person’s HIV status can be a deeply emotional and personal matter.

In his Parliamentary Reply in Parliament on 6 May 2019, Education Minister Ong Ye Kung shared the number of sexual misconduct cases across autonomous universities. He also noted the number of cases where police action was taken, and where the universities carried out their own disciplinary processes. These range from an official reprimand, to suspensions and expulsions.

Minister Ong was of the view that the universities will need to review their disciplinary frameworks, to strengthen penalties. First, there is a need to better balance the objectives of deterrence and redress of the victims, against the rehabilitation of the offender. Second, we must recognise that voyeurism is a growing concern in Singapore. This may be because the young are exposed to the Internet from an early age, and technological advancements have made video recording easier and more undetectable.

As such, sexual misconduct has to be tackled in a holistic way. This includes tougher penalties for offenders, better physical security on campus, and better support and greater sensitivity for the needs of victims.