Checks on Hawkers to Prevent Touting

62 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether the Ministry conducts checks on hawkers in food centres and other public areas, such as Lau Pa Sat, on a regular basis to ensure that there is no touting; and (b) what are the consequences when hawkers and their assistants are found to be doing so.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) does not have the mandate to enforce against touting in privately-managed food centres, such as Lau Pa Sat, coffeeshops or foodcourts in shopping malls.

However, in the 110 hawker centres owned and managed by the Government, touting is expressly disallowed and NEA officers will keep a lookout for touting activities during their inspections. Those hawkers and hawker assistants who are found touting and harassing customers could have their tenancies terminated. Members of the public who want to provide feedback on touting in these centres can do so via NEA's website, the myENV mobile application and NEA's 24-hour Call Centre.