Political career
At the age of 29, Shanmugam entered politics when he joined the People's Action Party (PAP) team contesting in Sembawang GRC in the 1988 general election. The PAP team won and Shanmugam was elected the Member of Parliament representing the Chong Pang division of Sembawang GRC.
Shanmugam served as a Member of Parliament and continued to practise law until 2008 when he joined the Cabinet to replace S. Jayakumar as Minister for Law. [11] He was concurrently appointed Second Minister for Home Affairs in 2008, and succeeded Wong Kan Seng as Minister for Home Affairs in 2010.
Following the 2011 general election, Shanmugam relinquished his portfolio as Minister for Home Affairs and was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, while continuing to serve concurrently as Minister for Law. [12]
Shanmugam was returned as a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC in the 2015, 2020, and 2025 general elections. [13] He continued to serve in the Cabinet as Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law. [14] [15]
Following Shanmugam's remarks on changes to the qualifying criteria for Singapore's elected presidency, he was criticised by former presidential candidate Tan Cheng Bock for pre-empting the legislative process and the Presidential Elections Committee, which decides the eligibility of candidates for the presidential election. [16]
In February 2018, Shanmugam said that Singapore would change its criminal breach of trust (CBT) laws to address concerns that company directors and key officers of charities would face lower maximum penalties for CBT offences compared to their employees. [17]
Shanmugam was a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods formed in 2018. During the public hearings, he questioned Simon Milner, Facebook's Vice President of Public Policy for Asia-Pacific, about the misuse of online data by Cambridge Analytica., and crossed swords with historian Thum Ping Tjin over a paper about Operation Coldstore written by Thum in 2013. [18]
Shanmugam has long served on the Central Executive Committee of the PAP, which is the party's highest decision-making body. [19]
In 2021, after the passing of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021, [20] activist Thum Ping Tjin claimed that the bill was a "coup" attempt by Shanmugam as Minister for Home Affairs, making him "the most powerful man in Singapore". [21] Shanmugam has refuted the claim. [22]
In 2023, Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan were investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau for their rentals of state-owned bungalows at Ridout Road. The ministers called for an independent investigation, and then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong directed the CPIB to look into the matter. [23] [24] In June 2023, the CPIB found no evidence of corruption, wrongdoing, preferential treatment or abuse of position by the ministers. [25] It reported that the rental was made at market rates through a property agent. [26] The issue was discussed in Parliament in July 2023, where the Opposition accepted that there was no corruption, and it was noted that first generation of leaders under Mr Lee Kuan Yew had also rented similar state properties. [27] [28]
In August 2023, Shanmugam and Vivian Balakrishnan initiated legal proceedings in the Singapore High Court against Lee Hsien Yang, alleging defamation in relation to statements he made in a Facebook post regarding the rentals of the Ridout Road properties. [29] In November 2023, the High Court ruled that the statements were defamatory and issued judgment in favor of Shanmugam and Balakrishnan. [30] The CPIB subsequently found that neither Shanmugam nor Balakrishnan had committed any wrongdoing. [31]
In September 2024, Singapore Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan, in an open letter, expressed concern over the lack of transparency and media coverage of Shanmugam's sale of his Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill. [32] [33] [34] Despite the apparent conflict of interest, Shanmugam has refrained from commenting about the sale to the Singapore media. [35] [36] [37]
A voter sentiment survey conducted in June 2024 found that Shanmugam was the most polarising politician in Singapore. The gap in Shanmugam's likeability between PAP supporters and opposition supporters was found to be the highest. [38]
On 16 December 2024, Shanmugam announced that he was initiating legal action against various media outlets, including Bloomberg, in respect of an article about good class bungalow transactions in Singapore mentioning property transactions involving Shanmugam and Tan See Leng. Shanmugam and Tan both alleged that the article was libellous. [39]
On 12 March 2025, Shanmugam was confronted by two women at his Meet-The-People session to address Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma). The PAP said that they were members of the Monday of Palestine Solidarity group. [40]
During the 2025 general election, Shanmugam's team for Nee Soon GRC was dismantled with Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh and Louis Ng retiring and Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim moving to newly formed Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC. [41] Shanmugam formed a new team with newcomers Goh Hanyan, Jackson Lam, Lee Hui Ying and Syed Harun Alhabsyi to contest the GRC against Red Dot United. Shanmugam's team won the contest with 73.81% of the vote. [42]
As Minister for Law
As Minister for Law, Shanmugam has stated that he supports applying the law with empathy. [43] He has advocated for legal reforms aimed at making Singapore’s laws more compassionate and inclusive. [44] Shanmugam has also emphasized the importance of the Rule of Law, describing it as a foundational principle for Singapore's development and governance. [45]
During Shanmugam's tenure as Minister for Law, Shanmugam has been involved in legal sector reforms in Singapore. [46] These efforts have included measures aimed at improving court accessibility, streamlining legal proceedings, and addressing potential misuse of court processes. [47] He has also supported initiatives intended to develop Singapore’s role as an international dispute resolution centre. [46] These include:
- Overhaul of the existing Penal Code, to modernise Singapore's criminal laws and enhance protection for the vulnerable in society, such as women and children. [48]
- Enactment of the Protection from Harassment Act, to provide remedies and recourse for victims of harassment, online bullying and stalking. Subsequent amendments fortified the Act by establishing a stand-alone Protection from Harassment Court to allow protection to be obtained expediently by victims, including that of intimate partner violence. [49]
- Enhancing access to justice through government funding for legal representation of accused persons. [50]
- Introducing measures aimed at protecting victims of sexual or child abuse offences during investigations and legal proceedings, including increased judicial oversight of cross-examination and restrictions on publishing information that could lead to the identification of victims. [51] [52]
- Major changes to the family justice system, in which the child's welfare and best interests are placed at the centre of the system. Changes also include helping families navigate the court system with less costs and delays by handling family disputes in less rancorous ways. [53]
- Introduction of community-based sentences to tap on community resources in the rehabilitation of offenders. [54]
- Review of the mandatory death penalty to give judges discretion to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment in cases involving unintentional homicide and drug trafficking by couriers, if the stipulated conditions for such are met. [55]
- Amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act to fortify Singapore's drug rehabilitation regime through a more calibrated approach. [56]
- In 2023, a Sentencing Advisory Panel (SAP) was established to develop non-binding guidelines on sentencing. [57] These guidelines may be referenced by parties in court and serve as a resource for public education. [57] [58] The panel issued its first set of guidelines the same year, aiming to enhance clarity, consistency, and transparency in sentencing practices. [57] [59]
- The Public Defender's Office was established to improve access to legal representation for individuals facing criminal charges. [60] The income threshold for eligibility for criminal defence aid was increased, and the scope of offences covered was expanded. [61] These changes supplemented existing civil legal aid services provided by the Legal Aid Bureau. [62]
- Efforts were made to develop Singapore as a centre for international arbitration. [63] These included creating an arbitration-friendly legal framework, internationalising the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) Board and Court, and establishing dedicated infrastructure such as Maxwell Chambers. [63] In 2021, an international survey ranked Singapore jointly with London as the most preferred seat of arbitration. [64] SIAC was also ranked as the most preferred arbitral institution in the Asia-Pacific and the second most preferred globally. [65]
- The Singapore International Commercial Court and the Singapore International Mediation Centre were established as part of efforts to develop Singapore as a centre for international dispute resolution. [66] [67] In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Singapore Convention on Mediation, the first UN treaty named after Singapore. [68] When the Convention opened for signature in August 2019, it was signed by 46 states, including China, India, and the United States. [69]
As Minister for Home Affairs
As Minister for Home Affairs, Shanmugam has focused on enhancing Singapore's safety, security, and unity, addressing emerging threats such as cybercrime, terrorism, transnational crime, foreign interference, and challenges to racial and religious harmony. [70] [71] [72]
Shanmugam has also led the transformation of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through the integration of technology across its departments. [73] In 2019, he oversaw the establishment of the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, which brings together engineers, scientists, and technicians to develop technology solutions for homeland security, including biometrics, smart sensors, and robotics. [73] [74] [75]
The repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code, a law dating from the colonial era that criminalised sex between men, was carried out following a consultative process. [76] Over the course of more than nine months, the government engaged with over 20 groups, including members of the public, LGBT advocacy groups, business leaders, grassroot leaders, religious organisations, youth organisations, academics and the community. [77] [78]
Singapore has introduced reforms to its drug control framework, including updates to rehabilitation policies, new legislation, and expanded preventive education. [79] Since 2019, individuals identified as "pure" drug abusers—those who consume drugs without committing other serious offences—may undergo treatment without receiving a criminal record, regardless of repeat offences. [79] Additional measures include the use of hair and saliva tests for detection, stricter penalties for possession of larger quantities of harmful drugs, and laws targeting the promotion of drug use and psychoactive substances. [80] Preventive initiatives include the formation of the Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths and the establishment of Drug Victims Remembrance Day, first observed on 17 May 2024. [81]
Shanmugam has led the SGSecure national movement since its launch in 2016, with the aim of enhancing community resilience and preparedness against potential terrorist threats in Singapore. [82] The initiative focuses on raising public awareness and promoting institutional and individual preparedness to respond to such threats. [83]
The Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) was enacted in Singapore to address concerns about foreign involvement in domestic politics and to counter hostile information campaigns. [84] Under the law, individuals and entities considered at risk of being influenced by foreign principals in ways that could affect Singapore’s political sovereignty or national security may be designated as Politically Significant Persons (PSPs). [85] Since its enactment, one individual and three entities have been designated as PSPs. [86]
FICA has also been invoked in response to suspected information operations. [87] On 19 July 2024, Shanmugam, in his capacity as Minister for Home Affairs, authorised the issuance of Account Restriction Directions (ARDs) to five social media platforms. [88] These directions required the platforms to block 95 online accounts from being accessible to users in Singapore. [89] According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), there were grounds to believe that the network of accounts could be used to conduct a hostile information campaign targeting Singapore. [90]
The Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) was established to apply science and technology to enhance homeland security in Singapore. [91] Its initiatives have supported the development of various capabilities across agencies. [91] Examples include:
- HTX has contributed to the development of capabilities for addressing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) threats. [92] This includes a network of laboratories located at border checkpoints to support the detection of illicit substances. [92]
- The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has incorporated artificial intelligence into its automated border control systems to verify travellers' biometrics. [93] As of September 2024, passport-less clearance was implemented across all terminals at Changi Airport, reportedly reducing the average clearance time per traveller by 60%, from approximately 25 seconds to 10 seconds. [94]
- The Singapore Police Force uses video analytics as part of its police camera network, which is intended to support crime detection and investigation. [95]
- The Singapore Prison Service has implemented video analytics technology to assist in monitoring inmate behaviour within cells. [96] The system is designed to help identify patterns that may indicate abnormal behaviour, enabling earlier intervention when necessary. [96]
In September 2020, Shanmugam launched the “Conversations on Singapore Women’s Development,” a national consultation involving about 6,000 participants. [97] The year-long effort concluded with a White Paper proposing measures such as increasing caregiver support, enhancing protection against online harm, legalising elective egg freezing, and promoting flexible work. [98]
Women's rights
As Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law, Shanmugam has spoken on issues related to women's rights and legal protections. [99] He has expressed support for initiatives aimed at improving the position of women and has supported various social efforts in this area. [100] [101] During his tenure, legal reforms were introduced that aimed to enhance protections for women and improve access to the courts for family-related matters. [102] These include:
Legal reforms and initiatives related to harm and violence prevention:
- Amendments were made to the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act to reduce the potential trauma experienced by victims of sexual offences during the criminal justice process. [103] These included provisions for in-camera hearings and restrictions on certain lines of questioning by defence lawyers. [104]
- The Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) was amended to establish a specialist Protection from Harassment Court. [105] The changes were intended to streamline the process of obtaining Protection Orders, facilitating quicker access to relief for individuals facing harassment, including both offline and online contexts. [106]
Laws and initiatives related to marital breakdown:
- The introduction of the Simplified Track for divorce cases allows parties to proceed with a divorce without attending court, provided they agree on the grounds for divorce and all ancillary matters. [107]
- A new Maintenance Enforcement Process was introduced to strengthen deterrence against maintenance defaulters, facilitate more sustainable outcomes, and improve access to justice for applicants, particularly those who are unrepresented. [108]
- Amendments to the Family Justice Act and related legislation aim to simplify family proceedings, improve efficiency, and enhance the application of therapeutic justice within the family justice system. [109]
Animal rights
Shanmugam has expressed support for animal welfare initiatives and has spoken in favor of legislative changes addressing animal abuse. [110] On 9 May 2025, he condemned the abuse and killing of a community cat in Yishun, describing the act as 'gruesome' and 'sick,' and urged residents to come forward with information. [111] [112] [113] He has encouraged public and organizational support for animal welfare groups and has advocated for pet adoption. [114] He has also adopted dogs from animal shelters. [110] [115] [116]
