Help for Vendors Displaced by Closing of Sungei Road Hawking Zone

Mr Kok Heng Leun asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources after the closure of the Sungei Road flea market, how will the Ministry engage and monitor the mental health of the elderly vendors who are displaced after losing their stalls and livelihood.

Thank you. Street hawking, or the peddling of goods on the streets, was common in Singapore several decades ago. If we look at the old photos of street hawking, we can see the poor hygiene conditions, the pollution of waterways, the piles of waste that attracted pests, the potential fire hazards and the obstruction to traffic that resulted in disamenities to the residents at such localities. The Government thus undertook to relocate the street hawkers to purpose-built hawker centres and markets. Many street hawkers had made the transition well, making use of the sheltered facilities to sell their goods and going on to expand their offerings.

However, not all the street hawkers were resettled and 31 rag-and-bone men were given permits to continue their trade at the Sungei Road site in view of their chosen trade. In 2000, when their permits expired, the site was designated as the Sungei Road Hawking Zone (SRHZ). Only 11 of the 31 original permit holders still remain today.

Through the years, many others have taken the opportunity to peddle their goods for free at SRHZ. However, the activities of SRHZ have resulted in disamenities, such as the obstruction of roads and the storage of goods in surrounding areas, including the nearby drains and housing estate, posing risks to public health and incurring additional public resources for the upkeep of the public areas.

Despite this, we have continued to allow SRHZ to remain in operation for as long as we could, even though the area has been zoned for residential use. In fact, when the Jalan Besar Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station was being constructed in 2011, instead of removing the whole SRHZ, the size of SRHZ was reduced as required, so that SRHZ could continue to stay open.

We understand that SRHZ holds memories for some Singaporeans. The National Heritage Board (NHB), therefore, conducted research and documentation to preserve the memories of the site for future generations. A virtual tour of the site as well as other resources are available on NHB's heritage portal, "roots.sg". Singaporeans have also contributed their personal stories, photographs and videos on social media.

Since 2012, we have informed the Association for the Recycling of Second Hand Goods that notice would be given to the users of SRHZ to cease their operations once the development plans for the Sungei Road area are confirmed. This was also mentioned to this House in 2012. Now that the site where SRHZ is located is required by the Ministry of National Development (MND) for ground preparation works to facilitate future public housing development, the last day of operations of SRHZ will be 10 July 2017.

We note that there are calls, including a Petition presented earlier by the Member, Mr Kok Heng Leun, for SRHZ to be relocated. Indeed, SRHZ users who wish to continue their trade can do so at appropriate venues, such as hawker centres, where there are better facilities and necessary amenities for users to conduct their businesses, or at existing flea markets, where these activities can be properly managed. This is similar to how street hawkers in the past have moved on to purpose-built hawker centres and markets.

Users may also take advantage of the opportunities that these new business locations present. For example, Mdm Tan Guo Mei, who was featured in the news recently, took the opportunity when she moved to a lock-up stall at a hawker centre to expand her offerings to include new goods which she can sell at all times and not be exposed to the weather elements. Other SRHZ users who have taken up such stalls have also indicated that they intend to move on to also sell new items, such as shoes and accessories, beyond the second-hand items that they used to sell.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has set aside more than 40 lock-up stalls at hawker centres for those SRHZ users who wish to carry on their trade. To assist them in their transition, we have offered the 11 original permit holders a 100% rental rebate for the first year and a 50% rental rebate for the second year. For all other users, we have offered a 50% rental rebate for the first two years on a goodwill basis, provided they live in public housing and do not own more than one property. So far, 29 SRHZ users have been allocated a lock-up stall. Many of these stalls are clustered at two popular hawker centres not too far from SRHZ − the Chinatown Market and the Golden Mile Food Centre.

The Hawkers' Associations at these two centres have, in fact, invited the SRHZ users who have taken up stalls there to join them, which is an important step to help the users integrate into the local hawker centre community. To further assist these SRHZ users in their transition to the new business environment, NEA will facilitate training for those interested in getting tips on merchandising and display of their items for sale. NEA has also put out information on their new business locations so that the SRHZ users' clientele and those who wish to buy second-hand goods can go to these locations after SRHZ closes.

Today, the sale of second-hand goods in Singapore is not limited to SRHZ. Nor does it have to be done solely at hawker centres. For example, in some existing flea markets, such as that at Kreta Ayer, which have been in existence for some 15 years, there have always been vendors who sell second-hand goods items.

We also recognise that some of the users would prefer not to operate daily and wish to sell their goods at flea markets instead of operating a lock-up stall. To this end, NEA has worked with the People's Association (PA) and the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) to assist the SRHZ users to tap on existing flea markets. So far, 16 SRHZ users have applied for stalls at the flea markets at various locations, including those near their homes. A majority of those who have chosen to continue their trade at flea markets have, in fact, moved to the Kreta Ayer flea market which is located between Block 4 Sago Lane and Chinatown Complex.

I note that there have also been calls for the Government to engage the users of SRHZ deeply. I would like to take this opportunity to share that we have, indeed, been doing so. Over the past few months, NEA has been working with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Workforce Singapore (WSG) and Central Singapore CDC to proactively engage the SRHZ users onsite, as well as offsite, to offer various forms of assistance after the closure of the site.

Besides assistance with getting stalls at hawker centres and flea markets, WSG has been providing job placement assistance to the SRHZ users who wish to seek employment. MSF and the Central Singapore CDC have also been actively helping those who require financial assistance to get financial help through the ComCare scheme and other schemes. So far, 18 out of the 23 individuals who applied for financial assistance are assessed to be eligible and have received financial assistance. For example, one of them is a 61-year-old man who is receiving assistance while he makes the transition to his new job as a cleaner at a primary school.

All in, the agencies have engaged about 200 users of SRHZ, most of whom are between the ages of 40 and 65. All SRHZ users who are in need of help and have come forward are being assisted. More than 60 of them are now receiving some form of Government assistance, including those who have been allocated stalls. Another 70 or so had earlier indicated interest to receive assistance. However, they have not yet come forward to apply as many of them have indicated that they will decide on their future plans only after the closure of SRHZ.

More than 80 SRHZ users, however, have told us that they do not require any assistance after the closure of SRHZ. This is because they are able to support themselves, or their families can support them, or they have full-time jobs elsewhere. Some have shared that they have been plying their trade at SRHZ as a hobby occasionally on the weekends and will discontinue doing so once SRHZ closes.

Besides the assistance given by Government agencies, many Grassroots Advisers and community leaders have also been visiting the SRHZ users residing in their constituencies on a one-on-one basis in their homes to see if they require further community assistance. Those in need have been offered community support, such as job referrals and financial help, to tide them over the transition period. Others have also been encouraged to join the health and wellness programmes organised by their Residents' Committee (RC) as a good way to stay active after the closure of SRHZ.

We would like to thank all who have given their views and suggestions in support of the SRHZ users. I would like to assure Members of the House that my Ministry will continue to work with the relevant agencies to engage and support the SRHZ users through their transition and ensure that necessary help is rendered to them even after the closure of SRHZ. We would also like to encourage the community to continue to support the SRHZ users, for example, by patronising their stalls in hawker centres and flea markets.

Mdm Speaker, I have two supplementary questions. First, how can we help those who have expressed concern that there had been a decline in earnings after moving to hawker centres and flea markets? Is there any further help in their set-up cost or further rebates? Question two is whether the Government is following up on the SRHZ users who have not come forward for assistance and say they will wait until the SRHZ closes.

I would like to thank the Member for her supplementary questions. Regarding the first question, about how we can ensure that they succeed in the lock-up stalls in the hawker centres or markets or in the flea markets, as I have said earlier, we understand that in any change of business, for instance, business locations, a transition is required and it is not unexpected that business could be slow in the beginning. So, to ease them into the transition, we have provided, as I have said, rental rebates as well as offer short training courses that will provide them with tips on merchandising, display and so on at the shops, as well as, of course, now we have put up information at the SRHZ itself to tell the customers there where some of these stalls or these users have relocated to. We are also working with them to come up with flyers that they can distribute to let their customers know where they are.

In addition, I understand that there is also help, for instance, from Central CDC, from Mayor Denis Phua and her team, in transitional assistance to help them at the flea market and also at the stalls, and various schemes. And I know also, as I have said, that the Hawkers' Association at Chinatown as well as at Golden Mile have actually welcomed the SRHZ users who are going to set up stalls there and even offered them membership into the Hawkers' Association so that they can integrate into the community.

With regard to the 70 who have said that they will only decide after the closure of SRHZ, for those who have given us their contact information, we will continue to engage them even after the closure and see what kind of assistance they need. If they require flea market stalls and so on, we will help them to apply. If they require other assistance, for instance, if they decide to change trade to look for a job, we will also work with the agencies to help them with that.

For those who have not given us their contact information, they can come forward to NEA and we will coordinate this on a whole-of-Government basis.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply. I just want to ask if the Ministry would still consider the relocation plans that the grassroots committee has actually presented. In fact, they have the "Robinson Petang 2.0", where they have suggested alternative sites, including how to manage the disamenities.

It is important to know that what happened here in Sungei Road is that it is a place-making that is very, very genuine and real. By removing it, we are actually taking away that place-making possibility. If there is something that is already ground-up and alive, why take it away? Why not have a relocation, put them there and, at the same time, manage the disamenities which I think is something that we can do?

I would like to thank the Member for his supplementary question. As I have said earlier, we understand that SRHZ holds fond memories for a number of Singaporeans. In fact, because of that, we have got NHB to do research as well as documentation and put this up together with the virtual tour on their heritage portal.

SRHZ used to be a place where you could find very unique antiques, knick-knacks and so on but, over time, the nature of the site has changed, both in terms of the profile of the users of the site, as well as the buyers and the type of goods sold. In fact, if you go to SHRZ now, the most common type of goods sold there, are not necessarily second-hand goods, but second-hand goods, such as clothes, watches, handphone covers, cables, as well as shoes, that is, goods that are not unique to or only sold at SRHZ. In fact, you can find them in neighbourhood shops, too. Indeed, the sale of second-hand goods is not limited to SRHZ. There are already existing avenues where such goods are sold, say, in the existing flea markets, which are also ground-up initiatives from the community mostly, and also online.

So, in view of that, for SRHZ users who want to continue to ply the trade, we are offering them relocation alternatives, concrete relocation alternatives, either in lock-up stalls in the hawker centres and markets, or at existing flea markets where the goods sold are not incompatible with what the SRHZ users want to sell. In fact, by offering them, say, lock-up stalls, it is a more sustainable permanent solution, and they can actually use it to expand their offerings beyond what they are selling currently.

As I have said, during transition, there is bound to be some uncertainties, and we are doing our very best to help them. So, notwithstanding this, obviously, if there are other ground-up efforts in terms of flea markets that the community wants to create and put up, some of these SRHZ users conceivably can also join them.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive answer. I have to declare that I have residents in the nearby neighbourhood who have objections to the disamenities caused by the zone for many years, but I also have some residents who are the zone users themselves. I have three supplementary questions.

It has been said that the users are elderly and dependent on the business at SRHZ for a living. Some also said that it is good for the elderly to be active, to push the carts in the elements and set up stalls elsewhere. I wonder what is the Government's specific response to these needs, especially for the elderly? Also, how many users has the Ministry found who are actually dependent on the zone for a livelihood?

Second, I would like to ask if the Ministry has analysed the reasons, as what my colleague Er Dr Lee has mentioned, and identified further solutions on how to address the grouses of poorer business by the current users who have moved or are going to move to lock-up stalls that are provided by NEA. And by giving such priority, are there also objections to these priorities given? Can other community groups at the grassroots level also be engaged to help resolve these issues?

Third, what is the Government's specific response to some of the requests of the users and supporters for relocations to several suggested replacement sites in the cities, or other preferred sites for free or very low rent with provision for storage space and shelter, and what is the Government's response if there are also other similar needs?

I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. With regard to the first question on how many users rely on SRHZ for their livelihoods, based on our engagement with these users on the ground as well as how the health of the SRHZ users would be affected with the closure of SRHZ, let me say, as I have replied in my response earlier, that we have engaged more than 200 SRHZ users. Just by way of comparison, during the weekends, which is the peak of SRHZ when most of the users will be there to ply their trade and sell their goods, there are usually about 200 SRHZ users. So, our engagement has been quite comprehensive.

Of the more than 200 that we have engaged, actually more than 80 have said that they do not need assistance after the closure of SRHZ. They have given various reasons. Some say they can support themselves. Some say their family can support them. For others, they have full-time jobs. They go to SRHZ to ply their goods perhaps on the weekends. For some, they say they ply their goods as a hobby and they have decided to stop after the closure of SRHZ although, if they wish to, they can actually continue at the flea markets.

We have helped all those who have come forward to ask for assistance. More than 60 have been assisted, one way or the other. Some have been allocated lock-up stalls. As I have said, 29 have been allocated lock-up stalls, including Mr Tang Kong Yuen who is the Vice President of the Association for the Recycling of Second-hand Goods, and 11 of them have already started operating their lock-up stalls. Sixteen have been given flea market stalls, and some have already started operating. These users have the entrepreneurial spirit. They have embraced change and decided to move on and have, in fact, started operating their stalls. We should encourage and help them. Members of the community who are concerned could also help them, for instance, by patronising their stalls.

For the other 70, they have actually come forward and said they may need help, but that they want to wait until after the closure of SRHZ to decide and, as I have said earlier, we will help them. We will continue to see how we can assist them after the closure. I think that the users of SRHZ do not need to ply their trade in order to stay healthy. In fact, pushing the cart and so on may actually be detrimental to their health if they do not do it properly. We have many programmes in the community, for instance, the PA's health and wellness programmes that our seniors can participate in to stay socially active and engaged, and also physically active.

Regarding the second question, which is quite similar to Er Dr Lee Bee Wah's question about how to ensure that they continue to be supported, first, let me place on record that we want to thank Mayor Denise Phua and the Central CDC for the tremendous help that her officers and herself have given during the last few months in engaging the SRHZ users, not just onsite, nearly every week onsite, but also offsite through phone calls, visits to the SRHZ users to see what kind of assistance could be rendered.

I know that besides the assistance that we have given in terms of rental rebate, for instance, the service and conservancy charges rebates for two months as well as various other help that I have mentioned, the Central CDC has come up with various schemes to help them, including a transitional assistance programme and another new scheme that they are coming up with to help ensure or to help the SRHZ users at the lock-up stalls to give them a good chance to make sure that they can carry on their business there.

In addition to that, she also asked how we can make sure that we continue to engage them. Actually, our place managers do visit the SRHZ users who have already set up stalls at the markets and even at the flea markets to see how they are doing, and to see if additional assistance needs to be rendered.

Regarding relocation, I think I have answered that earlier. Mr Kok Heng Leun also asked about relocation. As I have said, the nature of SRHZ has changed over the years. In fact, we have allowed SRHZ to continue for as long as possible, but now that it is needed for redevelopment and we have to close it, plus the nature of the site has changed over the years and given that the sale of such goods is not just limited to SRHZ, we have helped them to relocate to other areas, like hawker centres as well as flea markets.

I have also noted that there is a natural clustering now. Most of the SRHZ users are now relocated either in Chinatown Market or in Golden Mile Food Centre, as well as the Kreta Ayer flea market, all of which are actually very near SRHZ and all of which, if you look at it, the goods sold are not really incompatible with what the SRHZ users are selling.