Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Data Usage Guidelines and Privacy Safeguards for AI-Enhanced Bus Camera System and Inter-Agency Access Permissions

Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Transport 

a.     whether the Ministry has established guidelines to ensure that data captured by the proposed AI-enhanced bus camera system is used solely for stated purposes instead of general surveillance; 

b.     whether other Government agencies can request for permission to access the captured data; 

c.     whether the AI technology will identify faces and link them to the NRIC database; and 

d.     if so, what safeguards are in place to protect individual privacy and allay mass surveillance concerns.

Reply by Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat:

1.     All public buses are currently fitted with cameras which record video footage from multiple perspectives during bus service hours. These cameras support the work of the Bus Captains to enhance passenger safety, and the video recordings can be used for investigations when an incident happens on and off the bus.

2.     To improve operational efficiency, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will use the existing road-facing cameras on board our buses, including detecting vehicles which encroach onto bus lanes and illegal parking, as well as road and infrastructure defects that could pose safety risks.

3.     LTA has no plans to use the video footage to identify faces and link them to the National Registration Identity Card database. Government agencies’ usage of data for official purposes are subject to prevailing laws, or where it may be in the public interest. Such usage must adhere to security guidelines that are in place.