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Laws Governing Security Guards To Be Amended 
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 12:00 PM

The Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, at the Security Indsutry Buyer Awareness Exhibition And Seminar, announced that amendments will be made to the Private Investigation and Security Agencies Act to strengthen regulatory controls. The exhibition was held the NTUC Auditorium on 11 Janaury 2006.


The text of the speech is as follows:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning. Mr Lim Swee Say, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General and I are happy to join you for this Security Industry Buyer Awareness Exhibition ***** seminar.

Uncertain Security Climate

2 Whilst Singapore remains amongst the safest destinations in the region and enjoys high investor confidence from the global business community, our continued growth and prosperity very much depends on preserving a conducive secure environment and maintaining our strong competitive advantage as an attractive destination.

3 The Bali bomb blasts in October last year, along with the Australian arrest of terror suspects in November, remind us that this region is very much open to a terrorist attack. Indeed Singapore remains a terrorist target. We must therefore remain vigilant and prepared to deal with any eventuality. This is especially so when regional affiliate networks retain the capacity to regenerate and conduct new attacks. For instance, the Jihadist Terrorist organisations have openly declared their intention to disrupt the economies of their targeted enemies and in so doing, threaten their social and religious harmony. As we continue to fortify our traditionally vital installations, there is a displacement of the threat to ‘soft’ civilian targets, which include commercial targets. Already, public train operators have taken ownership of the security concerns on the MRT with the deployment of private security guards. To complement the public train operators’ efforts, we have introduced the Police MRT Unit to conduct armed patrols in trains and MRT stations.

4 We cannot take threats to our security lightly. This is a national concern which the government and business community, as the main buyers of private security services must play a part. The adoption of preventive security measures to ‘harden’ commercial buildings is an integral part of our layered defence strategy against terrorist attacks. This augments the other efforts undertaken by the government in the areas of international and intelligence co-operation including border control; community mobilisation and enhancing crisis management capability.

5 Then-DPM Tony Tan and Minister Wong engaged business leaders in a dialogue early last year and encouraged them to do their part in maintaining Singapore’s security. I am pleased to note that 402 building owners and corporations have formed 63 security watch group clusters and made plans to "harden" their business premises. Part of community mobilization, these efforts have so far reached out to more than 15,000 people from various sectors, such as nightspot operators, hoteliers and building managers to apprise them of the need to enhance security. The community, and especially the business sector, is encouraged to take greater ownership of their own security and play expanded roles. Today’s seminar and exhibition underscores the need and business case for good security for businesses and how private security service providers can support this thrust.

6 At previous briefings to the business community in Sep 2003, a security handbook entitled “Guide to Securing Your Organisation’s Security’ was distributed to aid security practitioners in commercial organisations on enhancing their security and working with Home Team Agencies. For those who did not secure a copy of the handbook, an online version can be found on my Ministry’s website[1]. For today, MOM has produced customised guides and leaflets especially for buyers of private security services on enhancements to the standards in the security industry and how these will benefit business owners. Private security officers will also find the contents informative. These public education materials are being distributed today.

Remaking the Security Industry and setting standards

7 In the past year, the Ministry of Home Affairs has, together with strategic partners like National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and security associations such as the Association of Certified Security Agencies (ACSA) and the Security Association of Singapore (SAS), committed significant resources to enhance the overall level of professionalism of security officers in the private security industry. Their collective investment in raising the professionalism of the private security industry is essential as it is a strategic partner in the war against terror. With enhanced training and better qualified entrants, the security industry is now poised to provide a higher standard of security. As part of the enhancement of the private security industry, security guards employed to safeguard properties and premises are now formally trained and security screened before they can be deployed. Recognising their vital role in our national counter terrorism efforts in the private sector, security guards are also now designated security officers.

8 In raising the formal competency standards of all private security guards employed by security guard agencies, a set of skills standard under the National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) was introduced in 2005. Since 1 Jun 05, only security officers who are trained and certified to these standards can be deployed as security officers. In the year ahead, SPF will also be working out codes of conduct for all security officers and agencies. These codes will stipulate among other things, minimum levels of performance to enhance professionalism.

Regulatory Controls

9. To further drive the professional enhancement in the industry, the current Private Investigation and Security Agencies (PISA) Act will be amended to extend the regulatory reach to all security officers, including in-house security officers employed by hotels, shopping centers and commercial buildings. These in-house security officers will, in time to come, be subject to the security screening, formal training and performance standards within the new regulatory framework. To ease the transition, employers of such in-house security will be given adequate time to have their officers trained and licensed.

10 In March last year, as part of enhancing the security industry, NTUC, together with its strategic partners, introduced a Job Re-Creation Programme or JRP to improve the productivity, public image and working conditions of security jobs. In this way, with better job opportunities and career prospects, it was hoped that Singaporeans would find working as Security Officers more attractive and take steps to retrain themselves for the job.

11 As part of the JRP, a visible change will be the introduction of standardized uniforms for licensed security officers in Singapore. NTUC has, over the past months, been working with industry players on a new uniform which is both professional in image and functional in use. Such a uniform will facilitate easy recognition of a security officer and serve as a symbol of a transformed sector.

12 Concurrently, MOM and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board have stepped-up efforts to improve employment conditions in the security sector. This is being done through a combination of education and enforcement measures in collaboration with the SPF and the Union of Security Employees. To ensure that the mutual rights and obligation of employers and employees are observed, joint audits, inspections and investigations are conducted by MOM and SPF. This move will further raise employment standards and the professionalism of this sector.

Buyer Awareness

13 The Singapore Police Force will continue to provide buyers with adequate information to help them make informed decisions when procuring security services. This seminar which apprises business leaders on minimum levels of security which Security Agencies are expected to provide is one such platform. In the near future, there are plans to grade all licensed Security Guard Agencies according to prescribed professional standards so that buyers will be better informed on the quality of the security services they are procuring. These gradings will be published in the regulator’s website for easy access to all buyers.

Meeting Challenges Ahead

14 Our multi-layered defence strategy against terrorist attacks have been successful so far. However, the threat of terrorism will be with us for some time to come. Whilst the Government will spare no effort to counter the terrorism scourge, we need the public and especially you in the business community to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government as partners in this fight against terrorism. Essentially, everyone has a role to play.

15 It leaves me now to thank all those who have contributed to make this event a success. It gives me pleasure to declare the “Buyer Awareness Exhibition ***** seminar” open. I wish everyone a fruitful and enlightening seminar.

Thank you.