ROAD TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT NO. 2) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.26 p.m.

The Minister for Communications (Mr Yong Nyuk Lin): Mr Speaker. Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The main object of this Bill is to provide for more effective eradication of "pirate" taxis. This will be effected under clause 4 of the Bill by making "pirate" taxi operations a seizable offence, i.e., "pirate" taxi operators can be arrested on the spot, without warrant, detained at the police station, and produced in court and charged the next day without the time-consuming process of applying for and issuing summons for them to appear in court.

Members may recall that this amending legislation was contemplated in paragraph 7.6 (d) of the White Paper on Reorganisation of the Motor Transport Service of Singapore (Command 21 of 1970) as one of a number of strong measures which "will be taken by Government to squeeze out `pirate' taxis from our midst" as from 1st July this year.

Another object of this Bill is to introduce a new "ticket" system in respect of certain traffic offences to be prescribed by the Minister. Such a system provided under clause 5 of the Bill will reduce the enormous volume of paper work involved under the present procedure of processing all reports of traffic offences at a central office and then issuing offers of composition in cases of compoundable offences which form the vast majority of reported offences. Under the proposed ticket system a police officer may issue a prescribed notice on the spot to the offender, or affix such notice on the vehicle concerned, which will specify the offence alleged and the fixed penalty to be paid. The offender is generally given two weeks to pay the penalty, and if he does so, no further proceedings will be taken against him for the alleged offence. However, should he fail to pay the penalty or to furnish a satisfactory explanation, he will then be liable to prosecution for the alleged offence. For this purpose a traffic ticket summons may be issued against him by a police officer not below the rank of Inspector. The Minister is empowered to make rules to prescribe the offences to which the ticket system will apply and to provide for any matter incidental to such a system.

Clause 2 of the Bill also seeks to amend section 32 of the Ordinance so as to remove any doubt that furnishing false or misleading information under this section will be an offence and to increase the penalty for an offence under that clause. To facilitate the use of information furnished under this clause, it is also provided that such information may be used as evidence, without proof of signature.

The Bill also extends the period during which a notice of intended prosecution must be given from 14 days to 30 days, vide clause 3 of the Bill.

Certain consequential amendments under clause 6 of the Bill are being made as a result of the repeal of the Singapore Traction Ordinance (Chapter III) by the Bus Services Licensing Authority Bill, which has just been considered by the House.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. -[Mr Yong Nyuk Lin].

Bill considered in Committee.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

3.31 p.m.

Clause 1 -

The Chairman: The citation of the Bill will be amended to read "Road Traffic (Amendment No. 2) Act, 1971".

Clause 1 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 2 to 6 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill.

The Schedule ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Bill reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.