ROV ENFORCEMENT SQUAD (Particulars)

Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Communications what the actual strength is, in terms of personnel and machines, of the Enforcement Squad of the Registry of Vehicles, and whether it is sufficient for current traffic conditions.

The Minister of State for Communications (Dr Ang Kok Peng) (for the Minister for Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, a total strength of 80 men is provided for the Enforcement Squad for this financial year (1972-73). At the moment, the Enforcement Squad is functioning with 32 men. Details of the number of authorised posts available for this year and the number of posts filled so far are as follows: Post Number of Posts filled of Authorised Posts to-date (1972/1973) Asst.Superintendent of Police 1 1 Inspector 1 1 Staff Sergeants 2 - Sergeants 4 2 Corporals 12 - Constables 60 28 -- -- 80 32 == ==

Many of the posts are vacant due to difficulty in recruitment faced by the Police Force. The posts of Staff Sergeants and Corporals are to be regarded in line with the recommendations of the Lee Soo Ann Report on the Police Force.

The ROV Enforcement Squad has a fleet of 40 motor-cycles, which is the number authorised for this financial year.

The ROV Enforcement Squad is a supplementary force to the Mobile Squad of the Traffic Police. It was established primarily to deal with offences relating to the duties and responsibilities of the ROV. These include monitoring the conduct and behaviour of operators of public service vehicles, dealing with road tax offences and other enforcement action as well as assisting in the implementation of certain policies recommended in the White Paper on "Reorganisation of the Motor Transport Service of Singapore" (Command Paper 21 of 1970).

If all the vacant posts could be filled, the force of 80 men and 40 motor-cycles would be sufficient. However, in spite of the shortage of manpower, every effort is being made to see that the Squad functions as efficiently as possible. In the month of September, for instance, a total of 765 vehicles were interdicted by the ROV for the following offences: Type of Offences Number of Vehicles Interdicted Non-Payment of Road Tax 247 Smoky Exhaust 190 Noisy Exhaust 8 General Condition 113 Overloading 202 Others 5 --- 765 ===

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): Sir, will the Minister of State for Communications consider the staggering of office hours to ease traffic congestion in the city area?

Dr Ang Kok Peng: Sir, to some extent, office hours in the city area have already been staggered. Perhaps a greater measure of it would help to ease the traffic.

Mr J. F. Conceicao (Katong): Mr Speaker, Sir, would the Minister of State not agree that, in respect of monitoring the conduct and behaviour of operators of public service vehicles, an expeditious increase in the present corps of ROV personnel would serve to act as a disciplinary measure against the behaviour of bus operators, especially along public roads?

Dr Ang Kok Peng: Since the Member for Katong has mentioned the behaviour of public bus operators, which leaves much to be desired, let me say that we have been trying our best to solve this problem, and a certain amount of measure has been taken. Recently we have introduced a nation-wide campaign to encourage road courtesy, with greater emphasis on road safety.

Mr Hwang Soo Jin (Jalan Kayu): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State if he would inform this House as to the criterion adopted by the Ministry in judging the efficiency of the personnel attached to the ROV. I hope it is not based just on the number of summonses issued!

Dr Ang Kok Peng: As I have pointed out in my answer, we are actually operating with 32 men out of an authorised strength of 80, from the efforts put in by these 32 men in keeping order on our roads, one could grant that there is efficiency in this Force.

Mr Conceicao: In view of the sterling efforts that have been shown by the 32 men, would it not be better if we have the full complement of this Enforcement Squad as early as possible, and will the Ministry make all efforts to see that this complement is reached?

Dr Ang Kok Peng: The difficulty of recruitment into this Enforcement Squad is something that is beyond our control. This problem is also faced by the Police Force as a whole. It is, of course, desirable that we get our full complement of officers as soon as possible.