The Government’s intention to enact legislation to enhance police powers, following the Little India riot, is worrying.

Among the proposed measures, police officers would be allowed to strip-search a person for alcohol, and raid any place within the “special zone” without a warrant, if there are grounds to believe that an offence is likely to be committed.

The Public Order (Additional Temporary Measures) Bill proposes also that authorities may ban persons from entering Little India for up to 30 days, if their presence or actions are thought likely to threaten public order.

We are alarmed that the wide-ranging powers may result in abuse. Discretionary power may lead to racial profiling, a lower standard of evidence in police enforcement and, in turn, unjustified harassment of the Indian community.

The causes of the riot have not yet been determined. Security is not guaranteed when measures with little basis in relevant data are implemented.

Moreover, this legislation sends the message that members of the Indian community, whether migrant or local, must be controlled via draconian measures. If left unchecked, these may stir up hostilities between enforcement officers and the community, both local and migrant.

Current public order legislation provides sufficient powers to deal with the threat of disorder.

The experience, for example, of the United States and United Kingdom over many decades has shown that profiling a particular ethnic community leads to an increase in hostilities, and weakens community ties instead of strengthening them.

While we acknowledge the importance of community security, the role of the police should be to uphold justice. This Bill is heavy-handed, disproportionate and should be reconsidered.