VOCATIONAL LICENCES FOR PUBLIC BUSES AND TAXIS (Debarment for applicants with criminal or drug abuse records)

Mr Heng Chiang Meng asked the Minister for Communications and Information what is the rationale for the Registry of Vehicles' policy of debarring applicants from obtaining vocational licences for public buses and taxis if such applicants have criminal or drug abuse records.

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, on behalf of my Minister. Sir, the Registry of Vehicles has a responsibility to ensure the safety of the commuting public. This is because more than 3.5 million passenger trips are made on buses and taxis each day. For this reason, persons who have adverse criminal or drug abuse records are generally not allowed to hold bus and taxi drivers' vocational licences. However, the Registry is prepared to consider applicants with less serious criminal offences, provided that public safety is not compromised.

Mr Heng Chiang Meng (Cheng San GRC): Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether he is aware that if the Government's licensing authorities and departments were to adopt the same policy in the interest of public safety, let us say, Ministry of the Environment adopting this policy for hawkers, and since many jobs and vocations in Singapore are governed by licensing rules, can he tell us how these people can be absorbed into the normal stream of society if they are not given a chance to earn an honest living?

In the same light I would like to ask why the ROV insist on punishing these people twice since they have already paid their debts to society and they actually qualify in all other respects in terms of licensing requirements? And should not the ROV take into consideration that they are after all the licensing department and not really the employer? Perhaps in cases like this, they should leave it to the market, ie, the employers, to decide whether they want to employ these ex-drug addicts or ex-criminals with adverse criminal records.

Finally, Sir, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned about less serious offences. I would like to know what these less serious offences are? Because I do know of cases where people now in their 40's with families are denied such vocational licences.

Mr Speaker: Mr Heng, are you making a speech?

Mr Heng Chiang Meng: I am not, Sir. In asking the question I am giving an example to illustrate the purpose of my question.

Mr Speaker: Complete your question, please.

Mr Heng Chiang Meng: I would like to know what these lesser offences are because I know of cases where people in their 40's with families are denied such licences when their only offences were perhaps drug-taking when they were 18 years old or in their teen-age years and they have been given a clean bill of health by the Central Narcotics Bureau.

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Sir, I share the sentiments expressed by the Member. I cannot speak for other Ministries. As far as my Ministry is concerned, I do not think public safety should be compromised.

As regards less serious criminal offences, if the Member were to let me have details of the cases, I will certainly ask the Registry of Vehicles to look into them again. Each case will be considered on its own merit.

Mr Heng Chiang Meng: Sir, I do not really understand what the Senior Parliamentary Secretary meant by public safety because, as I said earlier, these people do satisfy all licensing requirements except that during their teen-age years they may have an adverse record but they are today cured of such ailments. So I do not understand what he meant by public safety. Unless he says it is an on-going offence; by that, if he means that the applicant continues to take drugs. That I can understand. But I am talking about ex-drug addicts, Sir.

Mr Ho Kah Leong: Public safety includes the safety of the commuters as well as other road users. For example, school bus commuters are school children and we are particularly concerned about the safety of our school children. Nevertheless, the points expressed by the Member are taken and I shall pass them to the Registry for consideration.