Singapore's low crime rate is underpinned by public trust at all levels of government, without which things would become "much, much more difficult", said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam.

Addressing police officers at the Singapore Police Force workplan seminar yesterday, he also highlighted that increasingly, new legislation is being opposed by a small but vocal minority.

But that should not distract the Government "if we believe that it is right and if we believe that majority sentiment is with us", he said, pointing to the Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act that was passed earlier this year and gives the police expanded powers to deal with terror attacks.

He revealed that a survey conducted by government feedback unit Reach showed 82 per cent of the 1,038 people polled supported the Act.

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