LAMINATED DRIVING LICENCES (Issue of, and insertion of date of original issue)

Mr Teong Eng Siong asked the Minister for Communications if he will consider the issue of laminated driving licences and the insertion of the date of original issue in such licences so as to indicate the driving experience of holders.

Mr Chai Chong Yii (for the Minister for Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir. it is the intention of the Registrar of Vehicles to issue laminated driving licences with the inclusion of the date of original issue of a driving licence to indicate the driving experience of the holder of such a licence. As priority is given to public bus transport, the vocational and driving licences of bus drivers and conductors are being replaced first. The exercise to replace existing licences started on 15th July, 1974, and as on 19th August, 1974, 2,935 or 63 per cent of bus drivers and 2,648 or 65 per cent of conductors have been issued with laminated licences.

In the second phase, the vocational licences of taxi-drivers and general driving licences will be replaced. As there are 14,397 taxi-drivers and 533,631 general driving licences as at 31st March, 1974, officers in the Registry of Vehicles and Computer Services Department of the Ministry of Finance will be making a joint study on the implementation of this phase.