Singapore’s growing reliance on foreign auxiliary police officers (APOs) has become a heated topic after an image of the country’s first Filipino APO went viral on social media.
The image, featuring a banner welcoming the officer, has been widely shared on private messaging platforms.
While the authenticity of the photo and its date remains unconfirmed, it is a fact that Singapore is hiring auxiliary police officers from the Philippines as part of a broader effort to address manpower shortages in the security sector.
However, this move has sparked discussion on whether it compromises national security and local job opportunities.
While the government argues that foreign officers help meet rising security demands, critics question if outsourcing these roles weakens public confidence in law enforcement.
Lim Tean slams government over foreign APOs
The viral image gained further attention when opposition politician Lim Tean shared it on Facebook.
In his post, he criticised the government’s decision, stating that Singaporeans “must be policed by Singaporeans only” and accusing the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) of undermining the dignity of citizens.
He called on voters to express their dissatisfaction in the next General Election (GE2025), pledging that his party, the People’s Alliance for Reform (PAR), would reverse the policy if elected.
His post received strong reactions online, with over 500 comments and shares. Many netizens expressed frustration over the decision to hire foreign officers, seeing it as an erosion of national identity and security.
Some netizens questioned whether this move could set a precedent for other key roles in Singapore, with one remarking, “Maybe next time we’ll have a foreign prime minister and cabinet members.”
Others suggested that such outsourcing decisions could erode national identity and security, with a commenter stating, “Ministers should also be outsourced to foreigners as well.”
Others argued that outsourcing security functions should not be necessary if wages and working conditions were improved to attract local talent.
“The pay of an Auxiliary Police Officer is too low. That’s why no local Singaporeans want to do the job,” one user wrote, while another added, “If they paid better and treated local officers with more respect, we wouldn’t need to hire from overseas.”
At the same time, some pointed out that many Singaporeans are reluctant to take up jobs that require shift work and long hours, which could justify the government’s decision to hire foreign workers.
“Not supporting foreign talent taking local jobs, but let’s be honest—who here wants to work 12-hour shifts and deal with tough security duties?” one commenter noted.
There were also concerns about how this move might affect existing Malaysian APOs, who have traditionally made up a significant portion of the workforce. “The ones who should be worried are the Malaysians—they might lose their jobs next due to the quota system,” another wrote.
Beyond the issue of employment, some voiced worries about whether foreign APOs would have the same level of training and understanding of Singapore’s law enforcement culture as their local counterparts.
“How are they going to teach these guys the drills? In what language?” one user asked. Others raised concerns about security risks, with one commenter writing,
“I look forward to the day when a foreign auxiliary police officer misuses their firearm,” while another warned, “Never trust officers from certain countries—they don’t have the same discipline.”
Government’s stance on foreign APOs
The controversy over foreign APOs is not new. In a parliamentary debate on 4 March 2024, Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo defended the hiring of foreign officers, citing declining birth rates and intense competition for manpower.
She stated that the government was facing increasing challenges in recruiting Singaporeans for security roles, making foreign hires necessary to sustain the industry.
Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam had previously addressed this issue in a parliamentary reply in January 2024, emphasising the need for auxiliary police forces to recruit foreign officers to meet security demands.
He noted that historically, Singapore had relied on Malaysian and Taiwanese APOs, but the number of Taiwanese officers had declined due to difficulties in retaining them.
Currently, foreign APOs from countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Philippines, India, and China make up about 3% of the total auxiliary police workforce as of December 2024.
Challenges in hiring and retaining APOs
Foreign APOs have raised concerns over harsh working conditions, excessive overtime, and limited career progression.
A 2019 survey conducted among Taiwanese APOs highlighted key issues:
- Harsh working conditions: Many APOs faced long shifts under Singapore’s hot and humid climate, often standing for extended periods.
- Overtime dependence: While salaries appeared attractive, they were largely achieved through extensive overtime.
- Expectation vs. reality mismatch: Some recruits believed they would work in relatively relaxed airport security roles but found the job physically demanding.
- Lack of career growth: Many APOs, especially degree holders, saw limited career progression and viewed the job as a stepping stone to Singapore Permanent Residency.
- Contractual constraints: APOs worked under strict contracts, making it difficult to leave without financial or legal repercussions.
- Social integration challenges: Many felt isolated due to cultural and linguistic barriers.
These issues suggest that even as Singapore expands recruitment to new countries, fundamental concerns over working conditions and job satisfaction remain unresolved.
Concerns over working conditions and outsourcing
The recruitment of foreign APOs is part of a broader trend of outsourcing security functions to private firms such as Certis Cisco and AETOS, both subsidiaries of Temasek.
The issue has been raised in Parliament multiple times over the years, with Workers’ Party Chairman Sylvia Lim questioning whether the outsourcing of police and emergency services could compromise quality and cost-effectiveness.
She highlighted in a 2014 parliamentary speech that regular police officers undergo six months of training at the Home Team Academy, whereas APOs receive shorter in-house training from private firms like Aetos or Certis Cisco. This difference in training standards has raised concerns about whether outsourced officers are as adequately prepared to handle complex law enforcement tasks.
Lim also warned that excessive reliance on outsourced security personnel could lead to inefficiencies, as public agencies would still need to conduct audits and supervision to ensure private security officers meet the required standards.
Future of security staffing in Singapore
With Singapore’s fertility rate remaining at a record low of 0.97 in 2024, manpower shortages in the security sector are expected to persist.
Beyond hiring foreign officers, the government is also exploring artificial intelligence and automation to improve efficiency within law enforcement.
Additionally, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will start hiring foreign paramedics and emergency medical technicians from March 2024, reflecting a broader shift towards foreign recruitment in essential services.
While the reliance on foreign hires addresses immediate manpower gaps, concerns over job satisfaction, working conditions, and national security remain ongoing points of contention.
As Singapore heads towards GE2025, the issue is expected to remain a key topic in political discussions.
The question remains whether Singapore should continue its reliance on outsourcing security services or invest more in local recruitment and retention efforts.
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