HAWKER INSPECTORS (Seizure of goods of hawkers who have committed offences)

Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for Health if he will consider the issue of instructions to Hawker Inspectors not to take away the goods, etc., of hawkers to whom they have issued notices of offence for causing obstruction.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Govindasamy, Sir, the seizure of goods of hawkers who have committed offences is only resorted to in cases where they belong to incorrigible hawkers who choose persistently to flout the law.

In normal circumstances, the Hawker Inspectorate only issue notices to offenders for committing an offence under the hawkers' law.

The law provides for seizure of goods in addition to a fine, for certain good reasons, for example, to prevent hawkers selling at unspecified sites and prohibited areas which invariably are areas which have been cleared of hawkers. It would be extremely unfair to the hawkers who had vacated the cleared areas if the authorities were to allow new or other hawkers to occupy the places they had vacated. Thus, in fairness, there should be very much heavier penalties, including the seizure of goods, for hawkers who persistently flout the law by hawking in cleared and prohibited areas.

Thus, unless the Hawkers Department take firm action, including seizure of goods, against such offenders, they would not be doing justice to the hawker community as a whole and would be guilty of abdicating their responsibilities.

Mr Ho See Beng (Bras Basah): Sir, how many times has a hawker to be served with notices of offence for obstruction before he is termed "incorrigible"? Has that occurred to the Minister?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Govindasamy, Sir, that has occurred to me and I can say that a general definition of what is termed "incorrigible" cannot be given. Each case is interpreted on its own merits.

Mr Ho See Beng: Has the Minister ever issued instructions to the Hawker Inspectors that goods can only be taken away from the hawkers under certain circumstances when serving them with notices of offence.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Govindasamy, Sir, as the Minister I do not issue such instructions, because I have good faith in the common sense and fairness of my inspectors.