TEENAGE NEWS-VENDORS (Prevention of practice of selling newspapers at major road junctions)

Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister for Defence whether he proposes to take steps to prevent teenage children from selling evening newspapers carrying results of big sweep draws (Mahpiewpo) at major road junctions as this practice not only causes danger to the children themselves, but also impedes the flow of vehicular traffic.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, the police has taken action to prevent teenagers from selling Mahpiewpo at busy traffic junctions and at known places where they congregate. I think there have been less of them, but we would like to prevent them altogether. I can assure the Member for Mountbatten that action has been taken and will be taken to see that these people do not hold up traffic unnecessarily and, at the same time, endanger their lives.