SINGAPORE: The Home Team departments and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) headquarters have investigated 310 cases of workplace discrimination in the last five years, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Monday (Sep 18).

Of these cases, 131 cases were substantiated and the offending officers were subject to disciplinary actions, the minister said in a written parliamentary answer. Nine cases were reported directly to the Public Service Division and the ministry headquarters.

Mr Shanmugam was responding to questions from two Members of Parliament on how Home Team officers can raise complaints about workplace difficulties.

This came after a Singapore Police Force (SPF) officer, who had made allegations of racism and workplace bullying, was found dead at the foot of a Housing Board block in Yishun in July.

Mr Shanmugam subsequently said the police would thoroughly investigate the officer’s claims that he was bullied by his superiors and subjected to ethnic slurs by his teammates. SPF also said these allegations, dating back to 2015, were previously looked into and found to be unsubstantiated.

SPF is one of seven Home Team departments under MHA. The others are the Central Narcotics Bureau, Home Team Academy, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Internal Security Department, Singapore Civil Defence Force, and Singapore Prison Service.

MHA also comprises its headquarters and three statutory boards – Home Team Science and Technology, Gambling Regulatory Authority, and Yellow Ribbon Singapore.

In his written answer on Monday, Mr Shanmugam said: "MHA takes a firm stance against workplace discrimination. All allegations of such nature are treated seriously and investigated. If we find wrongdoing, the culpable officers will be taken to task, regardless of seniority."

He did not specify where the offending officers worked within MHA or what kind of disciplinary action was taken against them.

HOW MHA OFFICERS CAN REPORT DISCRIMINATION

Mr Shanmugam also laid out the “established channels” that officers can use to raise grievances or report wrongd...