PROHIBITION OF SPEEDING AND UNDESIRABLE DRIVING ADVERTISEMENTS OVER T.V. SINGAPURA

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs if he will consider prohibiting advertisements over T.V. Singapura in which speeding and undesirable types of driving are used to boost the sales of motor vehicles, as they run contrary to the campaigns of the National Safety First Council

The Minister of State for Culture (Mr Lee Khoon Choy) (for the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Department of Broadcasting is always vigilant in not allowing any type of undesirable advertisement to appear on television and all advertisement copies are strictly vetted to comply with our programme code. It cannot be accepted that just to show a speeding car by itself is undesirable, as this depends upon what context the car is speeding. Perhaps the hon. Member has in mind the advertisement sequence which shows cars taking part in a motor race. If this be the case, it will not be possible to prohibit advertisements in which speeding is part of the scene, as in a motor race only speeding cars have a place and not slow moving or stationary cars. If speeding and undesirable types of driving run contrary to the campaigns of the National Safety First Council, then the Singapore Grand Prix and advertisements connected therewith should also be prohibited. This is clearly not desirable.