Last year, Sengkang GRC MP Jamus Lim raised an issue regarding ex-convicts of non-violent crimes and wanted to discuss the possibility of eliminating their criminal records.
This is so that they may be successfully reintegrated into society and need not report their past for employment purposes.
When Prof Lim raised this topic again, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K Shanmugam rejected the idea, saying that the government remains clear-eyed about protecting the vulnerable in society.
In Parliament on Tuesday (5 Apr), Prof Lim reiterated that the parliamentary question he posted last year applied specifically to non-violent offenders.
His proposal suggested that non-violent ex-offenders should have their criminal records erased and made inaccessible to employers.
Therefore, he felt it was a “mischaracterisation” to argue that it was about “letting paedophiles back into the system”.
Mr Shanmugam responded by saying that fraud and cheating are also considered non-violent crimes. He then asked Prof Lim if he would be willing to allow those guilty of such crimes to become security officers.
Mr Shanmugam added that looking at child pornography is also a non-violent crime. He posed a second question to Prof Lim, asking if he would agree to allow such offenders to become kindergarten teachers.
The minister stressed,
Government is very focused in trying to assist but we are also very clear-eyed about trying to make sure that the vulnerable are protected.
Expounding on the issue in a Facebook post, Mr Shanmugam said helping ex-offenders with a second chance in life mustn’t come at the expense of the vulnerable.
There are ongoing efforts to find suitable jobs for ex-offenders, such as Yellow Ribbon Singapore. Thanks to their efforts, he pointed out that “thousands of jobs” have been found for ex-offenders.
Everyone makes mistakes. Some of them ended up paying a high price for their blunders by landing themselves behind bars. Hence, it is sensible to explore realistic prospects of giving ex-offenders a second chance in life.
No matter the outcome of this ongoing debate between Mr Shanmugam and Prof Lim, we believe that ex-offenders will require ample support in returning to society.
Having their criminal records stay accessible to employers has pros and cons. But ultimately, the onus is on all parties – the government, the employers, and the ex-offenders – to make this process work smoothly.
What do you think of Mr Shanmugan and Prof Lim’s takes on the issue? Let us know in the comments below.
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Featured image adapted from K Shanmugam on Facebook.
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