Protection from Harassment Act: Cover all private security officers, say labour MPs

Appeal comes in the light of stiffer penalties faced by the officers for errant behaviour

From Jan 1, security officers who sleep on the job, come to work drunk or display other errant behaviour can be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both. PHOTO: ST FILE
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Labour MPs Zainal Sapari and Patrick Tay have urged the Government to review the harassment protection law to cover all private security officers, in the light of harsher penalties they face for errant behaviour such as sleeping on the job.

"Perhaps it is about time the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reviews the (Protection) from Harassment Act (Poha) to cover all private security officers regardless of their worksite," Mr Zainal said in a Facebook post yesterday.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 11, 2019, with the headline Protection from Harassment Act: Cover all private security officers, say labour MPs. Subscribe