SALE OF HELLO KITTY DOLLS IN FAST FOOD OUTLETS

Mr Goh Choon Kang asked the Minister for the Environment whether fast food outlets like McDonald's will be allowed to continue to sell toys like Hello Kitty dolls.

The Minister for the Environment (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry does not regulate what can or cannot be sold by McDonald's, or any other shop for that matter. We are only concerned with the hygiene and safety of food sold at food retail outlets.

During the large gathering at McDonald's, we stepped in to deal with the littering problem that occurred.

Mr Goh Choon Kang (Marine Parade): Sir, I am surprised to hear from the Minister that his Ministry does not regulate this matter but I read in the newspapers that the Ministry's spokesman was quoted as saying that it was all right for McDonald's to sell dolls at the same time. Can I take it to mean that other shops, for example, a shop selling dolls can also at the same time sell McDonald's food?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: My point is that we are basically concerned only with the hygiene and littering. In fact, when the question was directed to me, I was wondering which Ministry really decides what to be sold and where. If it is in HDB shops, I suppose HDB will have a say and Building Control Division will say where you can have retail sale and so forth. But really it is not under my purview.