TOUTING (Measures to discourage)

Dr Wong Kwei Cheong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) if he will give a progress report on measures taken by the Government to discourage touts from harassing tourists in the Orchard Road shopping belt; and (b) when amending legislation will be introduced to deal with the touting problem adequately.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Dr Lee Boon Yang) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, last year my Minister informed this House that the Government took a serious view of the problem of touts and had adopted a multi-pronged approach to tackle it.

The Police have intensified their enforcement action against touts by deploying officers on anti-tout rounds and mounting regular blitzes. From July to December 1988, 157 touts as well as persons selling counterfeit goods were arrested and charged in court. 133 pleaded guilty and were fined between $600 and $1,000 under the Trade Marks Act and from $120 to $160 under the Penal Code. Sir, in the first nine days of this year, 49 touts were arrested and charged in court.

We also took enforcement action against shopsengaging touts to sell counterfeit goods. The Police have worked very closely with the management of shopping complexes and interested organizations to keep shops selling counterfeit goods in check. The close cooperation has resulted in many successful raids under the Trade Marks Act.

The Police have also recently invoked against touts Section 105 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cap. 68) which smpowers a District Court to order any person not to repeat or continue a public nuisance, a breach of which would enable the Police to prosecute against a recalcitrant tout under section 291 of the Penal Code (Cap. 224). Any tout convicted under this section shall be punished with a fine or up to six months' imprisonment or both.

Sir, other agencies are also involved in tackling this problem. The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board adopted the "carrot approach" jointly with the Consumers Association in the promotion of the Associate Membership Scheme in 1986. This is a long-term measure to discourage shops from engaging the services of touts.

All these efforts cannot effectively curb the problem of touts because the existing provisions of the law against touting are inadequate. To deal with the touts more effectively, the Government has therefore decided to amend the Minor Offences Act to make touting in a public place a specific offence and to provide for severe punishment for offenders. These amendments have been finalized and the Bill will be introduced tomorrow.

The Government, at the same time, has also decided to amend the Trade Marks Act to increase the penalties for the sale of counterfeit goods. These amendments, as well as other amendments to the Trade Marks Act, are now being drafted.