We refer to the Association of Women for Action and Research's letter, "When must an organisation report sexual offence case to police?" (June 16).

Section 424 of the Criminal Procedure Code requires all parties to report certain crimes promptly, unless there is a reasonable excuse.

What may or may not constitute a reasonable excuse will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case, and we have been reviewing if and how we could clarify the scope of "reasonable excuse".

The intent of Section 424 is to ensure the timely reporting of crimes, particularly serious crimes, to the police.

This will enable the police to assess if a crime has been committed, and if so, take the perpetrator to task.

Otherwise, the perpetrator may not only get away with the crime, but also commit further offences and harm other people.

We urge organisations and members of the public, when in doubt, to report the matter to the police.

Police investigations are confidential, and police officers are trained to manage victims sensitively and appropriately.

Under the Victim Care Cadre Programme, volunteers with relevant qualifications and experience in psychology, counselling or social work are available to provide emotional support to victims throughout the criminal justice process.

Chong Zunjie

Director, Joint Operations Management and Policy

Ministry of Home Affairs