Singapore has introduced caning as a new penalty for scammers, marking one of its toughest responses yet to a surge in online fraud.
In a bill presented by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann, the government moved to drastically expand penalties for scam-related offences.
The Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, passed by Parliament on Tuesday, allows for six to 24 strokes of the cane for convicted scammers and those who recruit individuals into scam networks, a punishment usually reserved for rapists and drug traffickers.
According to the NY Post, authorities say scams have become the country’s most widespread crime, with more than 51,000 cases reported in 2024, resulting in losses of at least Sh108 billion ($840 million)
The penalties will vary depending on the severity of the crime and are designed to strengthen deterrence amid a sharp rise in scam operations.
Individuals who facilitate scams by supplying SIM cards, bank accounts or other forms of operational support could also face caning under the new law.
Judicial caning was introduced during British colonial rule in the 19th century and, rather than phasing it out, Singapore has expanded its application in recent years.
A milder version of the punishment is also used in some boys’ schools.
Other countries that apply judicial caning include Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as states that follow Islamic legal systems such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
While caning may appear mild to the uninitiated, former prisoners have described the punishment, administered with a long rattan cane, as excruciating, often breaking the skin by the second or third lash.
Offenders are typically required to strip naked before being tied to a wooden trestle in a secluded area of the prison.
A medical examination is conducted before the sentence is carried out.
Women, girls and men above the age of 50 are exempt from caning.
The law, however, is not without challenges. In the past, rights groups have repeatedly criticised Singapore’s use of corporal punishment.
Organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International classify judicial caning as a form of torture under international law and have consistently urged the country to abolish it.
Singapore is, however, popular for unconventional and strict laws, from banning chewing gum sales to outlawing spitting in public.