CERTIFICATE OF ENTITLEMENT (Exemption for vans and mini-buses purchased by Handicaps Welfare Association)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Lau Ping Sum ---

Mr Lau Ping Sum: To ask the Minister for Communications whether exemption from the Certificate of Entitlement will be granted for vans and mini-buses purchased by the Handicaps Welfare Association and other voluntary welfare associations which provide transport services for the handicapped.

Mr Heng Chiang Meng (Cheng San GRC): Question No. 1, Sir.

The Minister for Communications (Mr Mah Bow Tan): Mr Speaker, Sir, as a general traffic management policy, all vehicles which contribute to traffic congestion should be subject to the same level of restraint. Exempting any particular group from such restraint would mean that the rest will have to bear a relatively heavier burden. My Ministry has therefore been very stringent in granting exemption from vehicle restraint measures like Additional Registration Fees (ARF) and Certificate of Entitlement (COE).

At present, all voluntary welfare organisations have been exempted from registration fee, ARF and import duty. We are currently reviewing this policy together with the Ministry of Community Development (MCD). In particular, we will study with MCD how best to help those organisations which provide special transport services for the disabled.