STATEMENT BY MR LEE HUAN TING, DELEGATE TO THE 72ND SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 107 and 108, ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND INTERNATIONAL DRUG CONTROL THIRD COMMITTEE, 4 OCTOBER 2017

Mr Chair,

1        Thank you for giving me the floor. Today I wish to speak about two pressing issues on our collective agenda. The first is the world drug problem, and the second is cybercrime. Both are complex transnational issues that require countries to work together in close partnership to tackle effectively.

Mr Chair,

2        Despite some tangible progress made, the world drug problem continues to persist. According to the 2017 World Drug Report, harm caused by drug use remains considerable.  And methamphetamine has been identified in the report as the greatest global health threat especially in Asia. We therefore need effective and collective action to deal with this problem.  Specifically, fighting drug trafficking has to be part of our efforts to addressing the growing methamphetamine problem and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, notably SDG 16.

3        For Singapore, our close proximity to the Golden Triangle, coupled with our position as a transport hub, puts us at the forefront of the struggle against drugs, both as a transit country and as a destination country. We cannot afford to let our guard down, as the effects on society can be disastrous.  Singapore therefore believes in a drug-free society, not a drug-tolerant one. To achieve this, we have taken a comprehensive, balanced, sustained and tough approach to tackling both drug supply and demand.  This includes preventive drug education, strong laws and robust enforcement to deter traffickers and abusers, as well as a structured and evidence-based rehabilitation framework that relies on community and family support, and counselling. As part of this approach, we have adopted a comprehensive harm prevention strategy to address law and order issues, social problems and the public health impact of drugs.

4        This comprehensive approach to drugs has brought about a steady decline in drug abusers in Singapore. In 2016, the number of drug abusers detected in Singapore decreased by 3% compared to the previous year. Today, drug abusers comprised less than 0.1% of our population. But we cannot afford to rest on our laurels: while the overall number of abusers has decreased in absolute terms, young persons below the age of 30 made up 2/3 of new abusers in 2016.

5        To address a global problem, we require a global effort. Singapore therefore strongly supports the centrality of the three international drug control conventions which serve as the cornerstone of global drug policy.  At UNGASS, we reached consensus on operational recommendations to guide all countries in the fight against the drug problem, and aspire to be drug-free societies. We should all work hard to actively implement the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action.

Mr Chair,

6        While drugs are an age-old problem, cybercrime is an emerging transnational concern, as highlighted in the Report of the Secretary-General in document A/72/125.  It has been estimated that cybercrime cost the global economy a staggering $450 billion in 2016 alone. It is the fastest growing transnational crime. 

7        Nationally, Singapore launched our National Cybercrime Action Plan in 2016, which outlined four key principles, namely: educating the public to stay safe in cyber space, enhancing capacity to combat cybercrime, strengthening legislative framework, and stepping up international partnerships.

8        In the region, Singapore, as the ASEAN Voluntary Lead Shepherd for Cybercrime, is responsible for facilitating ASEAN’s initiatives against cybercrime, including organising several ASEAN Plus Three cybercrime workshops to focus on the sharing of best practices.

9        At the international level, Singapore has been partnering INTERPOL, through the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation, to work on operational collaborations and capacity building to help countries better confront the increasingly sophisticated challenges of cybercrime.

Mr Chair,

10      Singapore is committed to working closely with the international community to tackle transnational crime. We are an active participant in international processes and have acceded to key UN Conventions aimed at addressing transnational crime.  We are also continuously strengthening our cooperation with international law enforcement agencies. Through our collective efforts, we are confident that we will be able to make the world a safer and more secure place for all of us.

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