Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This clarification concerns a factual correction made by Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan regarding hawker stall rental revisions for the April to June 2022 review period. Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan amended her previous statement to reflect that 94% of hawker stalls, instead of 96%, would experience no rental revision or a rental reduction. She specified that 58% of these stalls would receive reductions ranging from $20 to over $2,400, while only 14 stalls would face an upward revision. Any rental increases are moderated and capped at $300, following a freeze on revisions implemented during the period of dining restrictions to support hawkers. This written statement was circulated to ensure the official records accurately represent the impact of rental reviews on hawker stallholders’ business costs.
Transcript
The following statements were in the reply given by the Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) at the Sitting of 4 April 2022:
The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan): With regard to the last question about rental revision, let me share that we had frozen rental revision for a period when we had the dining restrictions. Actually, when the leases come up for review, the majority – in fact, for the upcoming review from April to June – 96% of the hawker stalls that are up for rental review are either going to experience no rental revision or actually a rental reduction. In fact, 58% of those are actually rental reduction and only about 6% or so, or 14 stalls, would have a rental revision upwards, but that is moderated. So, any rental revision upwards is moderated, capped at about $300, whereas a rental reduction is between $20 and $2,400-odd. [Please refer to “Impact of Higher Electricity and Ingredient Prices on Earnings of Hawkers”, Official Report, 4 April 2022, Vol 95, Issue No 60, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
Written statement by Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5):
I wish to make the following factual correction to my reply given at the Sitting of 4 April 2022. My reply should read as follows:
The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan): With regard to the last question about rental revision, let me share that we had frozen rental revision for a period when we had the dining restrictions. Actually, when the leases come up for review, the majority – in fact, for the upcoming review from April to June – 94% of the hawker stalls that are up for rental review are either going to experience no rental revision or actually a rental reduction. In fact, 58% of those are actually rental reduction and only about 6% or so, or 14 stalls, would have a rental revision upwards, but that is moderated. So, any rental revision upwards is moderated, capped at about $300, whereas a rental reduction is between $20 and $2,400-odd.