Parliament in brief: 4 things you need to know, from ticket scalping to smoking spots

SINGAPORE — Members of Parliament (MPs) raised questions on a wide range of topics on Monday (Feb 11), including ticket scalpers, the Thomson-East Coast Line and enclosed smoking facilities in residential precincts or housing clusters.

Here are some snippets from the Parliament sitting:

1. Government will not prescribe profit margins for ticket resales

The Government should not prescribe profit margins for ticket resales, and consumers should take steps to protect themselves before buying tickets, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.

He was responding to a question from Mr Ong Teng Koon, MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee Group Representative Constituency (GRC), who asked if the ministry would consider enacting legislation to prevent professional scalpers from profiteering by reselling tickets at higher prices.

Generally, it is not illegal to resell goods and services — including concert and sports event tickets — that are subject to the terms and conditions of the original seller, Mr Chan noted.

“The margin which resellers can command is freely determined between willing buyers and sellers. This means that the resale price can end up being higher or lower than the original price,” he added.

Ticket scalpers quoting sky-high prices have made headlines in recent years, especially when popular artistes such as Korean boyband BTS and British singer songwriter Ed Sheeran perform in Singapore.

What consumers can do:

• Check the terms and conditions of tickets carefully before buying them

• Compare the resale price with the original price

• Approach the official event organisers to verify the legitimacy of the tickets so they do not buy tickets that may be subsequently voided

• Approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) with details of unfair trading practices, such as false and misleading claims so Case can help in seeking redress from the suppliers.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore can take action against errant suppliers under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act. The police can also investigate if there is fraudulent activity involved in the sale of tickets.

2. Cross Island Line could be extended to Pasir Ris and Punggol areas

While there are no plans to extend the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) to Pasir Ris and Punggol, the Land Transport Authority is studying the feasibility of extending the proposed Cross Island Line (CRL) to these areas.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said this in response to questions by Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Gan Thiam Poh on the TEL. Mr Gan asked whether it would be operational ahead of schedule, and whether it could be extended to Pasir Ris and Punggol to better serve residents in the north-east region.

Mr Khaw said that it is “unlikely that we can expedite the opening of the TEL further”. “Constructing a rail line is a complex operation. The implementation timelines are carefully planned to ensure safety is not compromised,” he added.

The TEL is set to open in stages starting from December this year and will be fully operational by 2024.

In addition, engineering studies for the Pasir Ris-Punggol stretch of the CRL are ongoing, Mr Khaw said.

Construction on the first phase of the CRL is expected to begin next year and will be completed by 2029. There will be 12 MRT stations to begin with: Bright Hill, Teck Ghee, Ang Mo Kio, Tavistock, Serangoon North, Hougang, Defu, Tampines North, Pasir Ris, Pasir Ris East, Loyang and the Aviation Park in Changi. 

3. No plans for smoking facilities in residential precincts or housing clusters

Amid several recent measures rolled out or proposed to curb smoking in Singapore, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said that the Government has no plans to mandate the provision of smoking facilities in residential precincts or housing clusters.

Facilities such as smoking rooms and pavilions cannot completely eliminate the risks of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, he added.

They are also “likely to become congregation points for smokers”, which could “inadvertently give our youth the impression that it is normal to smoke”, said Mr Masagos.

In order to protect residents from second-hand smoke, the Government has progressively extended the smoking ban to as many public areas as possible. These include sheltered walkways, exercise areas, playgrounds and common areas such as void decks and lift lobbies.

4. Number of allied educators for learning and behavioural support has risen

Over the last five years, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has grown the number of allied educators for learning and behavioural support by more than 40 per cent, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung.

The Government has also increased the number of school counsellors and introduced more student welfare officers to better support students with attendance issues.

There are about 2,000 allied educators in mainstream schools now, including school counsellors and student welfare officers, Mr Ong added. On average, each school has a team comprising a student counsellor, and one to two allied educators for learning and behavioural support.

Last year, these teams attended to about 67,000 students, or about 15 per cent of Singapore’s student population.

“MOE intends to announce a more detailed plan in the near future on how we will better support the students in our schools who need the most help,” Mr Ong said.