Question:Mr Derrick Goh: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) to date, whether there are more reports of criminal cases arising from the use of gel-blasters or imitation guns as fake firearms in Singapore; (b) whether there has been an uptick of police cases and reported injuries due to the use of gel-blasters in public spaces; and (c) whether the Ministry foresees emerging concerns about gel-blasters in relation to public safety and criminal activities.
Answer:
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:
1. The number of cases involving the use of imitation arms,
including toy guns like gel-blasters, remains low in Singapore. In the past 10 years, there
were two convictions involving imitation arms, for offences under the Arms Offences
Act, Arms and Explosives Act, and the Penal Code. There were no injuries reported.
2. Using imitation arms to commit robbery or extortion is a serious offence under the
Arms Offences Act. The offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and be liable for caning
of no fewer than three strokes.
