Appeals for Lower Fines by Parking Offenders on Grounds of Financial Hardship

62 Mr Leon Perera asked the Prime Minister (a) in each of the past 10 years, what proportion of offenders who have been imposed fines for regulatory offences like parking violations have appealed for lower fines on grounds of financial hardship; (b) what proportion of such appeals have been successful; and (c) what proportion of offenders have not paid such fines on grounds of financial hardship.

Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): Fines for regulatory offences, such as parking violations, are imposed as a deterrent when an individual acts in a manner which contravenes existing regulations and impact public interest.

Accordingly, any appeal against fines is considered judiciously. Agencies carefully consider every appeal, taking into consideration factors, such as the nature and severity of the offence, size of the fine, the offender's record, the offender's means to make payment, amongst other factors.

We do not collect the data as requested by the Member. The proportions of fines waived by different agencies can vary significantly across offences, time and circumstances.

Besides the lowering of fines, other options, such as extending the deadline for payment of the fine or instalment plans, are also possible options for those facing financial challenges.