WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (Prosecutions)

Mr Ivan Baptist asked the Minister for Law, the Environment and Science and Technology (a) how many times every month during the last six months have the Weights and Measures office verified weighing and measuring instruments in markets, shops and other retail outlets; and (b) how many persons were prosecuted with regard to possession and use of faulty weights and short measure every month for the last six months in markets, shops and other retail outlets.

The Minister for Law, the Environment and Science and Technology (Mr E.W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, officers of the Weights and Measures office carry out regular checks on weighing and measuring instruments in markets, shops and other retail outlets. If the instruments are found to be incorrect or tampered with, they are brought back to the office for further inspection. Summonses are issued to the users if it is confirmed that their instruments are faulty.

Over the last six months, the office made spot checks on 60 days, or approximately 10 days per month. In all, about 9,300 weighing and measuring instruments were checked in various places. During the same period, that is to say, the last six months, between four and 11 offenders were prosecuted every month. Of the total of 38 persons prosecuted, 35 were convicted for possession and use of faulty instruments. The fines imposed ranged from $100 to $500. Under the Act, any person committing an offence is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three months or both. I mentioned that 38 persons were prosecuted. Of this number, three cases are still pending a hearing in court.

Mr Ivan Baptist: Sir, is the Weights and Measures office frequently triggered off by complaints from consumers? If so, how many inspections and prosecutions resulted from consumers' complaints?

Mr Barker: Sir, the office carries out regular checks. On receiving complaints, they make further checks. But I am afraid I cannot answer the last supplementary question as to how many prosecutions resulted from complaints as I do not have the figures here.

Dr Augustine H.H. Tan (Whampoa): Sir, having faulty instruments is one thing but having correct instruments but dishonest reading -

Mr Speaker: Dr Tan, are you asking a supplementary question?

Dr Augustine Tan: Yes. I am leading to a question, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Are you?

Dr Augustine Tan: Sir, the instruments may be correct but the people who read them are dishonest. Has the Minister got any such cases?

Mr Barker: Sir, not as far as I am aware of. But the Member has a point. The instrument may be correct but it is up to the consumer to check the instrument whenever he buys. The officer goes out to check whether the instruments are faulty. If there is blatant cheating going on, it is difficult to check unless the officer is there himself.

Dr Augustine Tan: Sir, a supplementary question. Since the daching particularly can be used for cheating purposes, is the Ministry considering banning the daching?

Mr Barker: Sir, we are not banning the daching because it has been used for more than 100 years in Singapore. There have been frequent cheatings on the daching, but the consumer too is becoming a little cleverer these days and most of them can read the daching.

Mr Ivan Baptist: Sir, on average how long would it take for the Weights and Measures office to respond to a consumer's complaint?

Mr Barker: I would say in a matter of two to three days.

Mr Ivan Baptist: Sir, would that not be too long because the retailer concerned could by then have removed the faulty weighing or measuring instrument or those bags of rice or sugar? So it will be impossible for the Weights and Measures office to check.

Mr Barker: Sir, it really depends. When I say "within two to three days", I do not mean that we go on the third day.