JURONG FISHING PORT (Bar on entry for vehicles carrying second-hand goods)

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for National Development why it is necessary to bar vehicles carrying second-hand goods from entering Jurong Fishing Port and whether the authority has considered the effects of such measure on the livelihood of second-hand goods dealers.

The Minister of State for National Development (Dr John Chen Seow Phun) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Jurong Fishing Port (JFP) is for fishing vessels to land their fish. It is not designed as a port to handle general cargo, including second-hand goods. The steep increase in second-hand goods trading activities at JFP in recent years has also resulted in congestion at the fishing port and affected the efficient operation of the fish landing activities for which the port was built. For these reasons, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which operates the Jurong Fishing Port (JFP), has decided to bar vehicles carrying second-hand goods from entering the fishing port with effect from 1st May 2001.

Second-hand goods dealers can continue their business using the nearby Jurong Port or the Pasir Panjang Multi-purpose Terminal, which are properly equipped to handle general cargo. AVA has given the dealers three months' notice to allow them to make alternative arrangements.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, when did the AVA decide that the Jurong Fishing Port is not the proper place for trading in second-hand goods?

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, the decision not to allow this trade was made early this year, and a notice was given in February giving the traders three months' notice. But it is a known fact that the port is not designed to cater for general cargo.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Is the Minister of State aware that on 1st February, a letter sent by AVA to the second-hand goods traders stated that the reason for barring vehicles carrying second-hand goods was because of traffic congestion? The reason is not because the port is not suitable for the trading of second-hand goods. In January 1992, the then PPD wrote to the second-hand goods traders to say that if they wished to deliver their goods, they could do so, and they were given the procedures. How did the Government suddenly find out that the Jurong Fishing Port is not the proper place for carrying on this trade?

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, in the early days when the fish landing activities were not very active, the then PPD gave special consideration for the second-hand goods dealers to use the port. But since then, the fish trading activities have increased. In fact, it is not just for fishing vessels. We also have trucks from Malaysia and Thailand bringing fish to the port. So the port is pretty congested now and therefore by allowing these second-hand goods dealers to continue buying and selling second-hand goods there, it does contribute to unacceptable congestion and therefore affecting the efficient operation of the port.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Does the Ministry consider that since the second-hand goods traders are allowed to trade, and they have been trading there since the early days, the decision suddenly to bar them from entry, effectively, it is to say that they have to get out of the trade? That is the first question.

The second question is that I understand that the port still allows vehicles to deliver goods like rice, etc, to the fishing boats. Is this an attempt by the Government to phase out the second-hand goods traders?

Thirdly, I understand that no alternative arrangement has been made. You just tell them to go to Jurong Port or whatever. How do you expect these second-hand goods traders to make their own arrangements? Their livelihood is being affected, and quite a number of them are facing financial difficulties because of that.

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member has not listened to my earlier reply. It is not that they will have to terminate their activities and have no place to go to. The Jurong Port and the Pasir Panjang Multi-purpose Terminal are not far away. Yes, they will have to pay higher charges, but it is not exorbitant. But to stay behind would cause difficulty to the fishing port, and therefore it is best that we regularise the activities and ask them to go to the port which is designed for such activities.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, the question is that you suddenly decided to bar these second-hand goods traders from entry. AVA has not made any alternative arrangements either with Jurong Port or whatever port to show them that they have an alternative. Is that fair to the traders?

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, it is not difficult to go to another port and to fill up the forms and to say that you want to load and unload your cargo. I do not think that is a difficult thing to do. Businessmen have been doing this all the time. So it is not true that AVA is coming down hard on the second-hand goods dealers. The fact of the matter is that there is a steep increase in the second-hand goods trading activities in recent years, and this cannot continue. Because if it continues, it will affect the fishing port operations. So they must be asked to go to a place where such activities can be properly carried out.

Assoc. Prof. Toh See Kiat: Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether this issue is the result of Indonesian fishermen wanting to fill their boats with second-hand goods after they have delivered fish, and the result of barter trade that they conducted in the past. If so, is it not unhygienic for food to be mixed with second-hand goods and, therefore, yet another reason for stopping this practice?

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, I guess there is a role for barter trade, but the important thing is that it must be conducted at the proper place. That is the reason. Should we convert the fishing port to do such a thing when we already have such facilities at Jurong Port and Pasir Panjang Multi-purpose Terminal? It does not make sense. It costs money to equip the port with proper CIQ, lifting facilities and so on and so forth. It is wise to make sure that they are channelled to the proper place.

Mr Speaker: Mr Low, unless you have fresh points to make, I propose to move on.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, I wonder whether the Government has the moral obligation to help these second-hand goods traders, since the measure has now affected their livelihood. Secondly, will the Minister of State consider making some alternative arrangements within the port to allow second-hand goods traders to continue to trade and deliver second-hand goods into the fishing vessels. I think it not only affects Singapore's second-hand goods traders but also the Indonesian fishermen as well.

Dr John Chen Seow Phun: Sir, as I said, their livelihood is not threatened because they have an alternative arrangement. For instance, if they go to the Jurong Port, they probably have to pay a few hundred dollars a month in fees to enter. So I do not think it is a case where they would not be able to survive if they are asked to go to the proper place. As for the Indonesian vessels, they are here to land their fish. And let me inform the Member that every vessel that they land, it can fetch up to $14,000 of fish, and this is a lot of money. The incentive is good enough for them to land their fishing vessels in Singapore.