Spot Checks to Ensure Drivers of Commercial Vehicles Hold Valid Driving Licences
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the verification of commercial vehicle drivers' licenses and the statistics regarding foreign drivers found operating without valid licenses. MP Yip Hon Weng inquired about worksite spot checks and proposed stricter penalties for companies that fail to ensure their drivers are properly licensed. Minister of State for Home Affairs Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim clarified that checks are conducted on public roads, reporting a 47% spike in unlicensed foreign motorists in 2024. He detailed ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Manpower to engage industry stakeholders and delivery sectors through outreach and public education. The Minister of State also stressed that employers face the same penalties as drivers for unlicensed offenses and affirmed that enforcement will be stepped up.
Transcript
6 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how frequently does the Traffic Police conduct spot checks at work sites or workplaces to verify that drivers of commercial vehicles, particularly foreigners, hold valid driving licences; and (b) how many of such drivers have been found to be working without a valid driving licence in the past five years.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, the Traffic Police (TP) does not conduct spot checks at work sites or workplaces to verify drivers' licences. Instead, checks of commercial vehicle drivers, including foreign drivers, are conducted on public roads during patrol operations.
In the past five years, an average of 270 foreign motorists per year were found to have been driving a commercial vehicle without a valid driving licence. In 2024, there was a spike in the number of cases by 47%, to 292 cases. TP is concerned about this trend, and has been stepping up its enforcement and public education efforts.
Mr Speaker: Mr Yip.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State of his reply. My concern is really about road safety, especially when many of these drivers do not have valid driving licences. What measures are in place to hold employers accountable for ensuring that their commercial vehicle drivers possess valid licences? And has the Ministry considered implementing stricter penalties for companies that fail to comply with these regulations?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions and also for the suggestions he made relating to how we can work with the employers. Indeed, TP has already been working with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on this issue and will continue to do so, such as through tapping on their outreach channels and also engaging industry stakeholders, such as those in the food delivery and goods delivery sectors.
This is regardless of whether it is the driver or the employer of the driver who committed the offence, because the penalties that are upon the driver also apply to any person who employs or permits another person to drive a motor vehicle on the road without a valid licence.
So, we continue to engage the employers and also would want to remind them that at the end of the day, it is about road safety as well. We are very concerned about this spike, so we will continue to engage the community, the stakeholders and at the same time, enhance our enforcement efforts and in reaching out to the people.