MHA COS 2025: Combatting Drugs, Enhancing Rehabilitation, Strengthening Reintegration

Highlights from the Committee of Supply speech by Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.

ADDRESSING SINGAPORE'S DRUG SITUATION

Singapore has in place tough laws and effective enforcement to curb drug supply. We also focus on reducing demand through creating strong public awareness of the harms of drugs through preventive drug education and helping drug abusers turn over a new leaf through evidence-based rehabilitation.


Strengthen Preventive Drug Education (PDE) for Youths 

The number of young drug abusers is on the rise and is an area of concern. The Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths will focus on:

1. strengthening our network of over 1,000 DrugFreeSG Champions, comprising educators, counsellors, youths, and healthcare workers, who help disseminate drug-free messages in the community;
2. promoting anti-drug awareness through the Drug Victims Remembrance Day, to be held on 16 May this year; and
3. stepping up engagements through schools and with parents.

The Ministry of Education will work with Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) to invite Parent Support Group leaders to participate in capability building sessions on drug-related topics and will continue making PDE resources available for all parents on the Parents Gateway portal.

ENHANCING REHABILITATION AND REINTEGRATION 

GRAPHIC: Amber Qua

More Effective and Efficient Reintegration of Ex-Drug Abusers

CNB will fully operationalise the “Supervision 2.0” regime that was piloted last year. It will be implemented in phases, with the aim of emplacing all supervisees on this regime by 2026. The regime, which includes using Hair Analysis Tests and getting supervisees to undergo Community Supervision sessions, will make supervision of ex-drug abusers more effective, efficient and less disruptive for supervisees, and hence facilitate their reintegration into society.  

New Initiatives to Support Rehabilitation of Inmates

Singapore Prison Service is conducting a trial of the Family Engagement Model, which aims to strengthen the ability of inmates and their family in building and maintaining relationships, through family reintegration programmes. Under this model, inmates will also attend support group sessions led by community partners and peer supporters who had completed the programme.

The Reinegration Hub has facilities like video call rooms (left) and interview rooms (centre). Volunteers conduct activities such as Pastel Nagomi Art at the Hub (right).
PHOTOS: Toh Rui Hao

To better prepare inmates for release, Prisons established the Reintegration Hub in September 2024 to better implement targeted reintegration-centric programmes and provide easier physical access for community partners and volunteers to support the inmates. The Hub has also implemented pre-emplacement programmes to provide motivation and encouragement.
Inmates are also being equipped with relevant skills to navigate an increasingly digitalised world. The Access for Inmate Digital Experience is a new initiative since September 2024, aimed at allowing inmates to familiarise themselves with and independently access citizenry e-services during incarceration.

Last month, Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) rolled out the revised curriculum for its ‘Career Circles’ programme - comprising facilitated sessions on various career-related topics, such as career planning and addressing common workplace challenges. This will assist ex-offenders in attaining their career goals.

Community Partnerships to Enhance Rehabilitation and Reintegration Efforts

The Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-offenders Network (CARE Network) celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year and will be unveiling its five-year workplan in coordinating efforts of over a hundred community partners who help transform the lives of ex-offenders.

Prisons and YRSG have strengthened their partnerships with various stakeholders, such as Prisons’ volunteers and Malay-Muslim and Indian community partners, to address the rehabilitation and reintegration needs of both inmates and ex-offenders. Initiatives include improving the recruitment of volunteers through engaging organisations with extensive networks, such as SINDA.

Prisons has introduced an enhanced Halfway House Service Model (HSM+) to provide enhanced step-down support for offenders. Under HSM+:

1. supervisees will undergo a longer duration of aftercare support;
2. Halfway House staff will be equipped with skills to work effectively with different profiles of supervisees; and
3. Infrastructural works will be carried out to improve accessibility for those with mobility issues.

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MHA Committee of Supply (COS) Debate 2025

Read the speech delivered by Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim. For more info on MHA COS 2025, visit the MHA COS 2025 webpage.