Legal and Diplomacy
Ensuring access to justice and navigating a complex world
Last updated 8 November 2024
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Securing our interests and sovereignty
The world faces unprecedented volatility, uncertainty, and fragmentation, posing risks to global order, prosperity, and security. Amid these challenges, Singapore upheld a strong rule of law at home and internationally, broadened our strategic space, and embraced multilateralism to secure our interests and sovereignty.
Strengthening the rule of law and access to justice
Singapore remains committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. In 2024, Singapore ranked third globally for Rule of Law and fifth for Justice in the International Institute for Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook.
We reviewed our legal frameworks to enhance access to justice.
In 2023, we amended the Family Justice Reform Act to strengthen therapeutic justice, achieve more sustainable maintenance outcomes for affected parties, and reduce repeat enforcement applications. In 2024, we worked closely with the Family Justice Courts to complete preparations for the operationalisation of the new Maintenance Enforcement Process in early 2025. Under this new process, the Family Justice Courts may refer maintenance enforcement applications to Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs). When an application has been referred, MEOs will investigate the respondent’s ability to pay and report to the Court, facilitate discussions between parties to arrive at amicable arrangements, and refer suitable parties for financial assistance.
In 2024, the Government introduced the Criminal Procedure (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act to protect the public by strengthening our levers to tackle crime and enhance transparency and fairness in our criminal court processes. For example, the Act allows the Police to require accused persons to undergo forensic medical examinations where relevant to the investigation and provides enhanced sentencing options to better protect the public from dangerous offenders. The Act also allows more accused persons to be released on personal bond instead of bail.
Since its establishment in 2022, the Sentencing Advisory Panel has published Information Notes on General Sentencing Principles, Guidelines on Reduction in Sentences for Guilty Pleas, and Guidelines for Scams-Related Offences. These have allowed the public to better understand sentencing principles and outcomes, and promoted greater consistency and transparency in sentencing.
We also partnered with the legal fraternity and community to enhance access to legal resources.
Between 2023 and 2024, we supported Pro Bono SG (PBSG) in launching the LawGoWhere Portal, to empower Singaporeans facing legal issues with access to legal information, law awareness resources, and legal services.
In collaboration with local community organisations, two Community Law Centres were launched at Hougang and Woodlands in 2023 and 2024 respectively, bringing legal assistance closer to the heartlands. As at June 2024, these two Centres have served over 1,500 users regarding their legal issues, such as family, estate, mental capacity, and personal injury matters.
Between January 2023 and June 2024, the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) helped 5,500 vulnerable Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) in civil legal matters, including matrimonial, monetary claims, and probate cases. LAB has developed a suite of digital tools to enable applicants to self-help for certain legal processes or queries. One such tool is eBantu, launched in November 2023, to guide users in filling up Syariah Court divorce documents and provide information on Syariah Court divorce issues.
Criminal defence aid is co-delivered by the Public Defender’s Office (PDO), and PBSG’s Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) for Singaporeans and PRs. Between January 2023 and June 2024, PDO and CLAS represented more than 1,100 eligible accused persons.
Feature Story: Enhancing access to justice, especially for the vulnerable
Mr N, a delivery driver, is the primary caregiver to his two young children with special needs. To urgently cover day-to-day expenses and his children’s therapy sessions, he borrowed $1,000 from an unlicensed moneylender. As threats were made against his children, Mr N felt he had no choice but to assist the unlicensed moneylender in its illegal operations, which resulted in his arrest. PDO provided legal representation and pleaded with the Court for a lighter sentence based on his circumstances. PDO also referred Mr N to a Social Service Agency to develop a care plan for his children. The Court agreed to defer his sentence to allow Mr N to ease his child’s transition into Primary 1 at a special needs school.
Read more: Social Safety Nets | Government and Regulations
Defending Singapore and Singaporeans
To advance Singapore’s strategic security interests, we strengthened cooperation with regional and international defence partners.
With Indonesia, the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) entered into force in March 2024, as part of the Expanded Framework Agreement between Singapore and Indonesia. The DCA clarifies the arrangements for the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to continue to conduct military training in Indonesian waters and airspace, while respecting its sovereignty and in accordance with international law. The armed forces of both countries expanded collaborations in training and exercises. In November 2023, the two air forces conducted joint air-to-air refuelling for the first time during Exercise Elang Indopura.
With Malaysia, we maintained high-level exchanges at the ministerial- and senior official-levels, as well as professional interactions between both militaries. In August 2024, both armies conducted the 28th edition of Exercise Semangat Bersatu. Both air forces also successfully conducted Exercise Sarex Malsing in May 2024. Both navies will conduct Exercise Malapura in November 2024, marking the 40th anniversary of this bilateral naval exercise.
With the United States, we signed a Security of Supply Arrangement in December 2023 to better address unanticipated defence supply chain disruptions. We expanded cooperation in new and emerging areas, with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Defence Innovation Cooperation in June 2024 to leverage commercial technologies and innovative solutions to address military challenges, and the signing of the Statement of Intent on Data, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cooperation in July 2024.
With Australia, we renewed the MOU for cooperation in defence science and technology in September 2024. From September to November 2024, we conducted Exercise Wallaby, the SAF’s largest overseas unilateral exercise. We also made good progress towards successfully completing the first phase of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area's expansion, to better meet long-term training requirements.
With China, we signed the MOU on the Establishment of a Secure Defence Telephone Link in June 2023, to enhance communications between defence leaders. We held two ministerial-level dialogues on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2023 and 2024. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) participated in the bilateral Exercise Maritime Cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army (Navy) from April to May 2023, and in September 2024.
We enhanced our defence capabilities through deepened bilateral relations with other key partners.
With India, we conducted bilateral exercises such as Exercise Bold Kurukshetra, and the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, which marked India’s longest-running bilateral exercise with any country. We also served as the country coordinator for ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations from 2021 to 2024, during which we co-hosted the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise in 2023.
With Japan, we signed an agreement concerning the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology in June 2023, establishing the legal framework for the import and export of defence equipment and technology.
With the Philippines, we signed the MOU on Defence Cooperation in July 2024, to promote cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as military education and anti-terrorism.
With Vietnam, the RSN and Vietnam People’s Navy signed the Submarine Rescue Memorandum of Agreement, establishing a framework for mutual submarine rescue support and cooperation.
With France, we signed an agreement to establish a Joint Research & Development (R&D) Laboratory in April 2023 to develop AI capabilities for defence applications, as well as a Terms of Reference document for Supply Chain Collaboration in September 2024.
With the Netherlands, we signed a MOU in November 2023 to deepen defence technology collaboration in areas such as maritime, autonomous systems, dual-use technologies, and R&D.
We contributed in regional and international platforms to strengthen regional security and address transnational threats such as those in emerging technology domains.
In February 2024, we hosted the inaugural Responsible AI in the Military Domain Regional Consultations (Asia) Workshop with the Republic of Korea and the Netherlands, to foster dialogue on strategies to strengthen responsible AI governance and build consensus on a military AI governance framework.
In May 2024, Singapore successfully hosted the 12th Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, where member-states reaffirmed their commitment to the FPDA and committed to enhancing the operational value of its exercises by incorporating next-generation capabilities.
In July 2024, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence co-hosted the 2nd Digital Defence Symposium (DDS) in Singapore. The DDS promotes regional and international collaboration in addressing challenges in the cybersecurity and information domains, such as cyber attacks, misinformation, and disinformation.
Read more: External and Homeland Security
Contributing to the global commons
As a small country, we actively contributed to upholding and shaping global norms and rules in areas such as international maritime law and cybersecurity.
In March 2023, Singapore’s Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea presided over the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement. The BBNJ Agreement was a significant step in managing and regulating the global maritime commons, including capacity building for countries to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity.
Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York serves as the Chair of the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the security of and in the use of information and communications technologies from 2021 to 2025. This OEWG is mandated to further develop the rules, norms, and principles for responsible behaviour of states in cyberspace.
Through the Singapore Cooperation Programme, we continued to play our role as a constructive partner by supporting capacity-building efforts of fellow developing countries and fostering international collaboration.
Read more: Environment and Sustainability | Economic Opportunities
Supporting overseas Singaporeans
In 2024, we developed a Consular Case Management System, enhancing our management of consular cases and coordination of more timely and effective consular assistance to overseas Singaporeans.
With the establishment of the Consular Response Centre in 2021 and a dedicated team of professional first responders operating 24/7, we have responded more swiftly and effectively to consular requests and emergencies involving Singaporeans overseas.
These enhancements have helped us manage over 4,400 consular cases in 2023.
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Safeguarding Singapore’s future
Amid a volatile global landscape, Singapore reaffirms our commitment to the rule of law and multilateralism, contributing to regional stability and global order while safeguarding our nation’s future.
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