“Sylvia Lim Advocates for Fair Treatment of Scam and Money-Laundering Suspects in Parliament “

SINGAPORE: In Parliament on May 8, Workers’ Party MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) addressed the devastating impact of online crimes, such as scams, while advocating for fairness towards certain suspects who may themselves be victims, particularly those who may be mentally impaired.

During the debate on the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) (Amendment) Bill and the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill, Lim voiced her support for the proposed legislation while raising important clarifications and concerns.

“These Bills tighten the net around those who facilitate money laundering, including allowing their bank accounts and Singpass accounts to be used for fund transfers. Reducing opportunities for syndicates to redirect the fruits of crime is a step in the right direction. However, the effectiveness of these provisions in disrupting criminal syndicates remains to be seen,” Ms. Lim stated.

A trained lawyer with experience as a police inspector in the 1990s, Lim also holds a master’s degree in criminal justice and has served as a law lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic for over a decade.

In her address, Lim highlighted the significant distress faced by residents affected by scams, who not only suffered financial losses but also experienced mental anguish and guilt. She pointed out that scams have become a significant crime issue in Singapore, leading her to seek clarification on several matters.

Notably, she referred to the challenges of prosecuting money mules, noting that while over 19,000 money mules had been investigated, fewer than 250 cases were prosecuted. “Could the Ministry of Home Affairs clarify whether the remaining 98.7% of cases were not prosecuted due to difficulties in proving intent or other grounds?” she asked.

Lim also expressed concern about the Bill’s provisions that criminalize actions facilitating money laundering “regardless of a person’s mental state.”

“My concern lies with individuals who may be manipulated into allowing others to use their bank accounts for money transfers. I recently encountered a resident whose bank account had been frozen by the police due to suspicious fund transfers. When I asked her how her account was compromised, she struggled to respond coherently, appearing confused and cognitively impaired,” Lim explained.

She emphasized that the law expects a suspected money mule to make a reasoned assessment about the nature of the transaction, raising the question of how authorities would handle cases involving mentally impaired individuals.

“While we want to curtail scams and money laundering, we also need to ensure fairness for suspects who may also be victims themselves,” Lim concluded.