Stiffer penalties for trespassing, new powers for SLA officers under proposed laws
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The State Lands Protection Bill proposes raising the maximum fine to $50,000, from the current $5,000.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
SINGAPORE - People who trespass or carry out unauthorised activities on state land will face stiffer penalties under proposed changes to the law.
The State Lands Protection Bill, introduced in Parliament on Monday, proposes raising the maximum fine to $50,000, from the current $5,000. The jail term of up to six months remains unchanged.
If passed, the new laws will replace the existing State Lands Encroachments Act (SLEA), which was last reviewed in 1974.
In a statement, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said: “Since then, the types of encroachments and misuse of state land have evolved, rendering many of the SLEA’s provisions outdated and ineffective.”
The amendments in the Bill will “ensure that state land is better protected from damage and improper use that can impede development, create public safety issues, and affect public enjoyment of our scarce land resources”, it added.
Offenders who continue to break the law even after conviction will face a fine of up to $500 per day.
The Bill also proposes a maximum fine of $100,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months for the repeat offence of illegal dumping using a vehicle.
The Bill comes as SLA handles an average of 180 encroachment cases per year, its spokesman said. These include the placement of items such as shop displays on state land.
Other changes include giving SLA officers the power to enter and inspect any land without a warrant, if there is reason to suspect unauthorised activities.
SLA officers will also be able to issue fines for minor offences, and directly issue notices for offences relating to unlawful activity on state land as well.
Currently, they are required to file a complaint to the courts before a summons is issued.
Another change will enable SLA officers to remove or demolish unlawful structures on state land and make offenders pay for any expenses involved.
In 2021, a couple were fined $4,000 and $3,000 for trespassing after parts of their landed home in Jalan Tari Zapin in Seletar were found to have encroached on state land. Part of their swimming pool also jutted onto the enclosed land.
While the encroachments were discovered in 2013, the structures were removed only in 2019 following numerous requests and demands by the authorities.
National water agency PUB also incurred about $24,000 to come up with temporary flooding measures.
The proposed changes will allow the court to order offenders to pay SLA a broader range of damages, such as the value of any substance or forest products taken from state land, the costs of clearance or reinstatement, and compensation for any loss or damages.
Offenders may also be ordered to take steps to prevent the offence from recurring.
Currently, offenders have to pay only the value of any timber or government property destroyed during unlawful occupation.
The Bill also introduces a new offence of unauthorised parking of vehicles on state land. It will remove the offence of depasturing horse or cattle on state lands, which is no longer relevant.
Under the changes, land abandoned for three years or more will be forfeited to the state if no party claims it within three months from the gazetted date, down from the current six months.
Other amendments will allow SLA to have officers from other public sector agencies or auxiliary police officers act as enforcement officers.
