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WHY IT MATTERS Ms Sim referred to scams as "the most prevalent crime type" in Singapore today. Between 2020 and the first half of 2025, about 190,000 scam cases were reported, with losses amounting to about S$3.7 billion (US$2.8 million). Scams constitute 60 per cent of all reported crimes, she said, and likened the amount lost to more than three-and-a-half times the cost of building Woodlands Health Campus. The issue has taken on increased urgency following recent headlines about a Cambodia-based scam syndicate that targets Singapore victims in government official impersonation scams. Twenty-seven Singaporeans and seven Malaysians are wanted by the police for alleged links to the syndicate, which is believed to be responsible for losses of at least S$41 million. MP CONCERNS Several MPs argued for even tougher penalties for scams. Mr Xie Yao Quan (PAP-Jurong Central) called for the penalties for such offences to be increased and aligned with drug offences. "If drugs destroy lives, scams destroy life savings," he said. Ms Sim responded that while scammers do rely heavily on scam mules to carry out their ploys, MHA has to be "calibrated" in its approach because "in reality, scam mules have a range of culpability". "Therefore, we have proposed for caning to be discretionary, to allow the courts to decide if the facts of the case warrant the application of caning," she said. Mr Fadli Fawzi (WP-Aljunied GRC) asked if leniency could be shown for mules who step forward as informants, to which Ms Sim explained that an offender’s cooperation with the authorities and degree of remorse are already mitigating factors considered by the courts. While Mr Cai Yinzhou (PAP-Bishan GRC) noted that scam mules are often from vulnerable backgrounds and incentivised to commit crime because of financial hardship, Ms Sim said there are already many government measures to uplift and support those in financial need. "MHA’s view on this matter, therefore, is that financial hardship cannot be used as a justification to facilitate or commit scams, or any crime for that matter," she said. Ms Lee Hui Ying (PAP-Nee Soon GRC) questioned whether the age limit for caning should be raised from 50 to 60 years old, given longer healthy lifespans and an ageing society. Ms Sim said the government does not intend to change the limit, noting that men above 50 at the time of arrest for serious offences requiring caning represent a significantly smaller number than those 50 and younger. An additional jail term of up to 12 months can be imposed in lieu of caning, she added.
