SINGAPORE BUS SERVICE LIMITED (Unroadworthy buses)

Encik Abdul Aziz Karim asked the Minister for Communications how many buses of the Singapore Bus Service (Private) Limited were certified as not roadworthy and their use considered dangerous to the general public, the passengers, the drivers and the conductors.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, all public service vehicles, including buses, are required to undergo inspection by the Registry of Vehicles (ROV) once every six months. They are summoned for such inspection according to a schedule drawn up by the ROV. At these half-yearly inspections, the following are the main items checked: -

(a) Steering;

(b) Brakes;

(c) Lighting;

(d) Tyres;

(e) Exhaust;

(f) Chassis, Body and Suspension

(g) Engine and Transmission

(h) Accessories - e.g, rear view mirror, windscreen wiper, horn, speedometer;

(i) General - e.g, impending failure of the vehicle or any of its equipment or fittings, condition of seating, paint work, bodywork and general condition.

Any bus which does not meet the minimum standards at these inspections is required to have the defects rectified and be presented again for re-inspection. There have been instances of buses having to be presented several times for re-inspection before being certified fit for use on the road. Sometimes, buses with serious defects are ordered to be scrapped.

Since the Singapore Bus Service Ltd, began operations in November last year and is a carry-over of operations from the three bus companies, a total of 1,047 of its buses were scheduled by the ROV for the half-yearly inspections up to the end of last month, February. Of these, 778 buses passed the inspections and were certified fit. Of the other 269, about 215 did not appear for inspection. This sometimes happens when a bus is undergoing repair or overhaul. In such cases, the ROV usually summons the bus for inspection again after one month. About 7 per cent of these buses which were summoned and appeared for inspection did not pass for a variety of defects. The owners were required to have the defects rectified and to present them again for reinspection. None of SBS's buses has, since 1st November last year, been found by the ROV at the inspections to be so unroadworthy that they had to be scrapped.

It should be stated, however, that 107 buses out of a total registered fleet of 2,081 under the name of SBS are officially laid-up, i.e, these 107 buses or 5.1 per cent are taken off the roads because they are either unroadworthy due to being badly damaged beyond repair or have exceeded the permissible age limit for public buses. They will be replaced under the replacement programme of 400 buses within three years from 1st November, 1973.

Encik Abdul Aziz: Mr Speaker, if I am to rely on statistics, there will be hardly any supplementary questions. Anyway, what is the explanation for the frequency of buses falling apart and condemned to the yard? Will the Minister for Communications bear the consequences of allowing unroadworthy vehicles on public roads, or will it be the ROV?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Sir, explanation has already been given as to the reasons why SBS would appear to be in difficulties and the efforts that are being made to put them right. It is no use for the Member for Kallang to repeat this matter over and over again.

Encik Abdul Aziz: Sir, one last supplementary question, as public safety is of great importance. Is there a list of authorised private motor workshops or repairers which the SBS can patronise for mechanical inspections of its buses, in lieu of inspection by the ROV? And is this the most satisfactory arrangement?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Once again, Mr Speaker, Sir, oral answers have been given to the hon. Member in which it has been indicated that SBS invited private motor repairers to deal with the buses. So I think I should leave it to them.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker. Sir, may I make this point for the benefit of hon. Members? The Government does not wish to be a protector of the Singapore Bus Service Ltd. It is put to the task of explaining the difficulties of SBS, because we have afforded it a licence. And because we have afforded it a licence, a certain rise in the rates of bus fares.

If Members feel that the matter should be more thoroughly debated because they are not satisfied with just answers to supplementary questions, then I suggest that they put down a formal motion for a thorough debate on the problems of public transport. I would urge this course because this obviously is a subject which not only concerns hon. Members of this House but also the people who buy 11 million tickets every day. It may be 500,000 or 700,000 people who travel on these buses. Perhaps that may be a more satisfactory way of dealing with the problem.

But I would like to give the Member for Kallang this advice. If he thinks that SBS is such a good buy because it is guaranteed 8 per cent with no entrepreneurial risk, I suggest he buys into SBS. The Government is unwilling. The Member for Kallang can raise the funds and buy into SBS.

Encik Abdul Aziz: Mr Speaker, in due course of time, I shall move a motion. I am now only gathering information on how the SBS is run and how it is supervised by the ROV.

Mr Speaker, let me inform this House that I am an ordinary worker, and there is no question of my buying the SBS, or even one-quarter of it. The Prime Minister knows me, and also my financial status.