CLOSURE OF POST OFFICE BRANCHES

CLOSURE OF POST OFFICE BRANCHES: * * *

31.

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (a) how many post office branches have been shut down in the last five years; (b) what provisions have been made for people who rely only on the post office counter facility to pay their bills for public services; and (c) whether the Ministry has considered asking other government offices with counter facilities (eg HDB branch offices, community centres) to take over such functions to serve areas affected by closures of post offices.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: I thank the Member for his queries on the use of post offices as a means for the public to pay their bills for public services.

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As at end 2008, there were 102 post offices located throughout Singapore, comprising 62 main post offices and 40 smaller branches. Over the past five years, four post offices were closed, while six new post offices were opened, resulting in a slight increase in the number of post offices during this period.

To ensure that Singaporeans continue to have convenient access to post offices, the IDA has guidelines which SingPost, as the Public Postal Licensee, has to comply with. These guidelines ensure that there are sufficient post offices located within or near residential, commercial and industrial estates. In particular, a post office must be sited in every HDB New Town. In cases where the town population exceeds 100,000, there must be a second post office that is at least 3 km from the original outlet 6 .

Apart from post offices, there is a range of other options the public can choose to pay bills for public services. Bills can be paid at counters set up at the respective government agencies. As an alternative, members of the public can also use Internet e-banking, SingPost’s Self-service Automated Machines (SAMs) and AXS automated payment machines. There are currently about 270 SAMs and 560 AXS machines throughout Singapore. Most are accessible 24 hours, seven days a week.

The current density of post office branches, the network of self-service machines and increasing availability of Internet e-payment, have been adequate in enabling Singaporeans to conveniently pay bills for public services. Nevertheless, should Mr Baey have any specific concerns, we can look further into the issue.

6 The other guidelines are that there must be a post office sited within 5 km of every private residential estate and within 1 km of any commercial or industrial estate.

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