FORMER DRUG ADDICTS (Grant of taxi licence)

Encik Harun bin A Ghani asked the Minister for Communications whether he will consider giving a taxi licence to remorseful or repentant former drug addicts after they have led a drug-free life for at least five years after their release from drug rehabilitation centres.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Mr Speaker, Sir, in order to make sure that the public can take taxis and other public service vehicles without worrying about their safety, ROV ensures that drivers of these vehicles have clean and safe driving as well as criminal records.

However, it does not mean that applicants with adverse records are barred forever. ROV considers such applications on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the offence and other special circumstances. Since January 1992, based on the recommendations of the Central Narcotics Bureau and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association, ROV has approved 88 applications for taxi driver's vocational licence from former drug addicts.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, how many applicants applied for licences, whereby 88 were approved?

Mr Mah Bow Tan: I am afraid I do not have the figure offhand, but I can make it available.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Is it 1,000 or 2,000? Or the Minister really does not know.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: I have no idea.

Dr Toh Keng Kiat (Nominated Member): Sir, does the ROV go into the medical history of a prospective taxi driver? For example, will an epileptic be allowed to drive a taxi?

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Sir, taxi drivers go for medical check-ups and beyond a certain age, the medical check-up becomes more and more thorough in order to make sure that they are able to withstand the stress of driving taxis.

Mr Chng Hee Kok: Sir, will the Minister indicate whether there are any relapse cases out of the 88 ex-drug addicts who were given licences? In other words, were any of these licences withdrawn since then?

Mr Mah Bow Tan: I do not have any records so far of any relapse cases among the 88 ex-drug addicts. If there have been any relapse cases, they would be drawn to my attention. But so far, I have not received any such evidence.

Mr Chng Hee Kok: Will the Ministry be more liberal in considering the applications of these people if the number of relapse cases is very small?

Mr Mah Bow Tan: As I said, on the one hand, the ROV has to make sure that the people who drive taxis on the road do have a clean record in order to ensure that commuters are able to take taxis with complete ease of mind. At the same time, we do recognise that there are special circumstances and because of that, we do grant special dispensation. But this has to be done on a case-by-case basis. It cannot be a blanket regulation.