Sylvia Lim Calls for Fairness for Scam and Money-Laundering Suspects Who May Be Victims Themselves

Workers’ Party MP stresses the need for consideration of suspects’ mental state in money-laundering cases.

In Parliament on Monday (May 8), Workers’ Party MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC) highlighted the devastating impact of online crimes such as scams but also called for fairness for suspects who may be victims themselves, particularly those who could 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, Ms Lim voiced support for the Bills while raising a few concerns and clarifications.

“These Bills tighten the net around those who facilitate money-laundering, including letting their bank accounts and Singpass accounts be used for fund transfers. Reducing the opportunities for syndicates to re-direct the fruits of crime is a step in the right direction. As to how effective these provisions will be to disrupt the operations of criminal syndicates, only time will tell,” Ms Lim said.

A lawyer by training and former police inspector in the 1990s, Ms Lim has a deep understanding of criminal justice, having also been a law lecturer for over a decade. In her speech, she acknowledged the impact of scams, noting that many residents had not only lost significant sums of money but also faced mental anguish and guilt.

Despite the growing issue of scams in Singapore, Ms Lim raised concerns about the prosecution of money mules, citing the disparity between the number of money mules investigated (over 19,000) and the relatively few prosecutions (fewer than 250).

She asked, “Could MHA clarify whether the balance of 98.7 percent of cases were not prosecuted due to the difficulties in proving intention, or if other factors were at play?”

Additionally, Ms Lim addressed a provision in the Bill that criminalises certain acts facilitating money laundering, “regardless of a person’s mental state.” She expressed concern about individuals who may be manipulated into allowing others to use their bank accounts for suspicious transactions, especially if the person is mentally impaired.

She shared the story of a resident whose bank account had been frozen by the police for suspected involvement in a money laundering scheme, but who seemed confused and unable to explain how her account had been compromised. Ms Lim raised the question, “How will the authorities approach a case where the suspect appears to be mentally impaired?”

While supporting efforts to curb scams and money laundering, Ms Lim urged that suspects who may themselves be victims deserve fairness, emphasizing the importance of considering their mental state before taking legal action.

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