DRIVING TESTERS

Mr Sim Boon Woo asked the Minister of State (Prime Minister's Department) if applicants for driving licences have a choice in the identity of their testers; if he is aware that certain applicants for driving licences are refusing to be examined or are otherwise avoiding being tested by particular testers; whether he will inquire into the causes for such refusals; and what steps he proposes to take to remove those causes.

Tuan Haji Yaacob: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, applicants for driving licences cannot choose their driving tester. There are 20 driving testers and the applicant for a driving licence has to take whichever driving tester is assigned to him by the Licensing Officer.

It is obviously very undesirable to allow the applicant for a driving licence to choose the driving tester who is to test him. A person who has refused a driving test by one tester cannot be assigned another driving tester. If the department is to allow this, an applicant, by refusing several driving testers, may finally get a tester of his choice.

I am aware that certain applicants for driving licences have withdrawn from taking their driving test when they have been assigned a particular driving tester.

I have enquired into the cause of their withdrawals. It is not the applicants who have refused to be tested by a particular tester but it is their driving instructors who have refused to allow them the use of the instructors' vehicles when applicants are assigned to a particular tester. I have also enquired into the reasons for this action by certain driving instructors. These instructors had made certain general complaints against a particular tester. In view of the generality of the complaints, the instructors concerned were requested to submit specific complaints for investigation by the Registrar of Vehicles. A few specific complaints were subsequently made and, on investigation, it was found that they had either been settled previously or were unjustified.

I would like to add that the method chosen by certain driving instructors to redress their grievances is most improper. My Ministry is prepared to, and will, investigate specific complaints of misbehaviour or misconduct against any tester, but we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated or pressurised by individuals or groups of individuals who have seen fit to choose strong-arm methods for the redress of alleged grievances.

Mr Sim Boon Woo (Changi): Can the Minister tell this House why is it that this is a complaint of the Driving Testers' Association and not an individual complaint? I would ask the Minister to inform this House whether he will take into consideration the complaints of this Association?

Tuan Haji Yaacob: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry has received the complaints referred to by the hon. Member just now, but we must judge the complaints on their merits. It is because the nature of the complaints is general that my Ministry has no alternative but to turn down the allegation made by the Association.

Mr Sim Boon Woo: Just now the Minister of State has stated that there are 20 driving testers. Why is it that only one particular tester is being boycotted by the driving instructors and why are the other 19 not boycotted? What is the reason for it?

Tuan Haji Yaacob: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, the answer is simple. If a person is firm, then he becomes unpopular; but if he is flexible, then he will be liked by all.