Loke Kok Fai Channel NewsAsia 24 Jan 15;
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) is considering empowering community volunteers such that they can take direct enforcement action against people who commit a range of public health offences.
Since the Community Volunteer Scheme was launched in 2013, a total of 259 volunteers have been empowered by the ministry to remind litterbugs to clean up after themselves. Should they refuse, the volunteers have the authority to request for the offender's particulars for further action by the National Environment Agency (NEA).
To date, these volunteers have clocked a total of 830 engagements, with 10 cases of enforcement actions taken. Under the proposed changes, volunteers will be able to issue summons directly to not just litterbugs, but also to those who smoke in unauthorised places and those whose actions cause mosquitoes to breed.
As these volunteers hail from NGOs like the Singapore Environmental Council, Waterways Watch Society, Singapore Kindness Movement and the Cat Welfare Society. The ministry is also thinking of tapping their skills in areas such as such as outreach, training, and research.
Revealing this at a consultation session held on Saturday (24 Jan), ministry officials sought feedback from volunteers about the changes. "When we do patrolling, we're seeing more than littering,” said Mr Low Kok Peng, a member of the Singapore Environment Council. “We're seeing people smoking, spitting on the ground. I'm definitely supporting this expanded scope for volunteers."
Others said that volunteers would need more training to carry out enforcement correctly, especially to deal with people who are defiant and potentially violent. “More hands-on, on-the-job experience is also important to build up confidence levels and also your courage to execute the job correctly and systematically," Mr Low said.
Some spoke of a need for changes in mindsets. "The social norms will have to shift,” said Public Hygiene Council chairman Liak Teng Lit. “You would observe in Singapore, in certain places, almost nobody would litter. But in another context, another place, some of the people begin to litter a bit more. So if every Singaporean can treat the public like their own home, we won't have a problem."
"The majority of people are reasonable. When they know that they did something wrong, they would correct themselves," added Mr Liak. “But we need protection from the very small minority who may turn violent. Police backup should be nearby."
The session was conducted under Chatham House rules, which meant participants cannot be identified in reports. While volunteers were largely in favour of the proposed changes, a few said they needed more training to deal with people who are defiant and potentially violent.
Permanent Secretary of MEWR Choi Shing Kwok said the ministry would take the feedback into account. Mr Choi said it was not possible to legislate against everything, and that the key to a cleaner and safer environment will involve getting people to treat common facilities like their own homes.
- CNA/xq/ec
