Addressing the impact of drug offences on the children of offenders is something that has to be done upstream, by tackling drug trafficking and distribution, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday.

He was responding to Workers' Party MP Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC), on the measures the Government takes to prevent the children of drug offenders from similarly becoming offenders themselves in future, and how the effectiveness of such programmes is evaluated.

Mr Shanmugam said that while Mr Perera was focusing on measures to engage such children, the primary issue is the movement and supply of drugs here.

"If we do not deal with these issues upstream before the harm is caused, by deterring and disrupting the supply of drugs, there will be serious consequences on the lives of people and their children. The children will suffer neglect at best and many will face the risk of getting into crime and drugs," he said. "Downstream efforts to help the children will be like fighting against the tide in such a situation."

He also noted that while there are cases of drug abuse or trafficking that are beyond an individual's control or the family's, in the majority of cases they are responsible for their own choices.

"We often see misplaced sympathy for drug traffickers who bring in drugs, while the people whose lives are destroyed by the drugs don't get a mention," he added.

He cited the case of a five-year-old boy who died after being scalded with hot water in 2016. His mother, a methamphetamine abuser for years, had thrown hot water on him after she suffered from withdrawal symptoms, as she was unable to buy drugs from her usual supplier.

The Government has tough policies on drugs to save the lives of such children, he said.

"But despite all our efforts, there will be persons who, despite our tough laws and stance, continue to abuse drugs and place their families at risk," he noted.

Mr Shanmugam also highlighted that "some have made statements which suggest that the real issue, for example, is that certain groups of Singaporeans are treated differently under the law, based on race, in drug cases".

He then sought Mr Perera's position on the matter.

In response, Mr Perera and his party chief, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, said they agreed with the Government's tough stance against drugs.

Mr Shanmugam also said the Government works closely with community partners to help offenders and their families.

For example, under the Yellow Ribbon Community Project, volunteers reach out to the families of inmates through home visits, and link them to various forms of social support.

"They also identify vulnerable children of inmates who may require support in their studies or counselling and refer them to relevant community programmes," he said, adding that they have supported more than 15,000 families to date.

The Singapore Prison Service also refers inmates and their families to family resource centres at the Prison Link Centre in Changi, where they can seek financial and social help. Some 4,000 inmates' families have received help in the last two years.

The minister said it is "very difficult to study" the effectiveness of these programmes due to factors beyond the authorities' control, such as the willingness of families to be involved fully in the programmes and social influences on children.

"While no specific quantification has been done, Prisons' assessment is that the programmes have helped the families which have a positive attitude to receiving such help," he said.