TAXIS AND TAXI DRIVER LICENCES (Figures)

Mr Chng Hee Kok asked the Minister for Communications and Information (a) how many new taxis were registered in 1985; (b) how many taxi driver licences were issued in 1985; and (c) whether there are plans to de-register dormant licences.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications and Information (Mr Ho Kah Leong) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer to the Member's question is as follows:

(a) 90 new taxis were registered in 1985, all by Singapore Commuters Pte Ltd (SCL);

(b) 3,044 taxi driver licences were issued in 1985; and

(c) As with other licences, taxi driver licences not renewed are cancelled.

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): May I ask a supplementary question, Sir, of the Senior Parliamentary Secretary: whether there is any change in the policy of the Government as regards the transferability of licences for the yellow top taxis.

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Sir, the policy has not changed.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask whether consideration will be given to the transferability of these licences because I hear complaints from drivers of yellow top taxis about the rigidity of this rule, which is adversely affecting their livelihood and their interests?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Sir, the policy has not changed. It is fair to everybody.

Mr Bernard Chen (Clementi): Will the Ministry consider de-registering the dormant licences even though they have been renewed, as otherwise the total figure would be inflated?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Mr Speaker, Sir, let me explain. A taxi driver licence is just a vocational licence which permits the licensee to perform a certain type of vocation, in this case taxi driving. Unlike licensed hawkers whereby they are allocated hawker stalls, licensed taxi drivers are not given taxis to drive. In the case of a licensed hawker, if he does not do business, then he is depriving someone else of chance to do business at that hawker stall. In the case of a dormant taxi licensee, he is not in any way depriving anyone else of a chance to have a taxi driver licence as we do not impose a limit on the application for taxi driver licences. So the dormant licensees do not jeopardize the chances of new applications being approved. In fact, though not in a very substantial way, the dormant licensees do contribute towards the revenue of our State by way of payment of licence fees.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary saying that this policy of non-transferability for the yellow top taxi licences is not causing any hardship or is not unfair to anybody? May I ask whether the Registrar of Vehicles has consulted the owners of these yellow top taxis for their views and whether they are very happy at the moment with this inflexible rule against transfers? Has there been any survey carried out among these taxi owners and drivers?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Sir, here we have to distinguish between a taxi licence and a taxi driver licence. In the case of taxi driver licences we do not impose a limit. But in the case of a taxi licence we do impose a limit because we do not want our city to be over-supplied with taxis.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Does the Parliamentary Secretary realize that it is not a question of over-supply? This is a question of transferability, an owner transferring his taxi to somebody else, I have brought up cases of a father wishing to transfer the taxi licence to his son. And this has been refused. Have their views been sought at all or not?

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Sir, those who want to apply for a new taxi can approach either the NTUC Comfort or SCL for a new taxi, and their applications will be considered.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Why is the Registry not in favour of issuing licences to individuals? Why should they be driven into the arms of the NTUC and to this Ministry of Defence's company, or to the SBS company? What is so wrong about individuals operating their own taxis?

The Minister for Communications and Information (Dr Yeo Ning Hong): Mr Speaker, Sir, if I could just take up the question by the Member for Anson.

The licence to operate a taxi is not an entitlement for which the driver can then pass on from generation to generation.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Why should they not be?

Dr Yeo Ning Hong: Because there is nothing that entitles them to that particular taxi. Sir, we have to try to be fair to as many Singaporeans as possible so that those who seek to make a living out of taxi driving will be entitled in due course to a taxi. Having had this driving licence to drive a taxi and having had the licence to operate the taxi, if we were to allow transferability from father to son, from son to grandson, then we would be locking up the entire taxi industry into the hands of a few privileged people. In other countries, Sir, they do practise a system like this and the licence to operate a taxi is sold for up to $200,000 or $300,000. This is not the system that we wish to follow.