Family violence laws under review after spate of abuse cases

SINGAPORE — In light of recent high-profile cases of child abuse, the laws are being reviewed to enhance deterrence of family violence and to ensure that those responsible are appropriately dealt with, said Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin yesterday.

“(We) need to look at our laws in terms of whether there is sufficient deterrence, whether the way consequences are meted out is the way we want to go,” said Mr Tan, who added that the Home Affairs Ministry and Law Ministry are looking into the issue.

Two weeks ago, a couple were jailed for their ruthless torture of a two-year-old toddler, Mohamad Daniel Mohamad Nasser, which led to his death last November.

The toddler’s mother, Zaidah, 41, was sentenced to 11 years’ jail for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and child abuse.

Her boyfriend Zaini Jamari, 46, was given a 10-year jail term and 12 strokes of the cane for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to, and ill-treating, the boy.

Two days after the verdict, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam posted on his Facebook page: “For cases like this, we need to see whether the current legal framework is adequate. They ruthlessly tortured the child for more than a month, and effectively killed him.”

He also said people must be encouraged to make a report “immediately” when they are aware of cases of abuse.

Expressing similar sentiments yesterday, Mr Tan said cases of family violence, including child and elderly abuse, often persist because bystanders have kept silent.

“We always wonder, ‘Why did it happen?’ ... You look at the rest of the people involved, you will always ask, ‘Why did you not say something? Why did you not step in, if you knew that something was amiss?’,” said Mr Tan, who was speaking on the sidelines of an inaugural social service summit at Mandarin Orchard hotel.

Enhancements in detection and reporting of child abuse cases by a host of agencies — ranging from schools to hospitals — have led to more cases being investigated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Child Protection Service (CPS).

Last year, the CPS looked into 551 serious abuse cases, almost half of which — 47.7 per cent — were instances of physical abuse, 37 per cent involved neglect, while the remaining involved sexual abuse.

Between 2012 and 2014, the CPS investigated between 380 and 400 cases of serious abuse per year.

In September last year, two former employees at Pertapis Children’s Home — a welfare and religious teacher, and a social service assistant — were convicted of abusing children under their charge.