REDUCTION OF PRICES AT HAWKER CENTRES

Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for the Environment if he will appeal to stallholders in hawker centres to reduce their price in view of the Government's recent measures to cut costs.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Rental rebates for hawker stalls are only given to those hawkers who are paying market rates. These are the hawkers who were allocated stalls at market rates or obtained their stalls through the public tendering system. They represent about 9% of the total hawker population in the Government hawker centres.

Those who are paying rents below market rates are not given any rental rebates.

Food prices are best left to the hawkers individually to set. Hawkers are, however, required to display price tags and sell their food according to the prices indicated. I am sure hawkers will be prudent in setting their prices; otherwise they may end up pricing themselves out of business, especially under the present economic situation.