Opening Remarks by Senior Minister of State for National Development and Transport, Ms Sun Xueling, at Press Conference on Release of Recommendations by Platform Workers Trilateral Group

1.     Good morning media friends. 

2.     The platform economy supports the livelihoods of over 67,000 platform workers. This includes delivery riders as well as private hire drivers. 

3.     We formed the Platform Workers Trilateral Workgroup to address concerns about illegal platform workers. This is to ensure that there is fair competition, as well as to safeguard the livelihoods and the well-being of our local platform workers. We know that our consumers also want to know that our platform workers who are delivering their food or parcels, or bringing them to their destinations, are safe and legitimate workers, and that they are being fairly treated. 

4.     We’ve had useful discussions with the various platform operators focused on practical and sustainable solutions to address the concerns of our local platform workers. Since July 2025, LTA has been proactively clamping down on illegal point-to-point services. Over 70 vehicles have been caught, most are impounded, and many will be forfeited after the processing of court charges. 

5.     Under current laws, those guilty of providing illegal point-to-point services face a fine of up to $3,000 and an imprisonment term of up to six months. Their vehicles may also be forfeited. We are considering increasing the penalties, increasing the fines, as well as extending imprisonment terms. This is to send a stronger deterrence signal.

6.     We will also continue to sustain strong enforcement operations at local hotspots as well as our land checkpoints. We are also considering banning those suspected of providing illegal point-to-point services from entering Singapore. The LTA has set up a dedicated reporting channel on OneMotoring to report sightings of suspected illegal point-to-point services. 

7.     We have also stepped-up efforts to disrupt the matching of illegal point-to-point services through online platforms. We looked into complaints about the app InDrive, and since last month, the app is no longer available for download in Singapore, and it is no longer possible to book illegal point-to-point service rides from Johor to Singapore. 

8.     There are also ongoing operations to disrupt illegal point-to-point services matched via unlicensed channels. In the past month, we have apprehended five drivers who have used a telegram hitch group to provide such illegal hitch rides. The LTA has also reached out to online platforms to take down the channels and advertisements for illegal point-to-point services. Where the platforms are uncooperative, we will strengthen our powers, including the use of legal levers, to compel the takedown of such advertising.

9.     We know that there is latent demand for legal point-to-point services, legal point-to-point cross-border services. There are those who want to go to Legoland with their families – they have young children, they desire a convenient way to bring their families across the border. There are also families who want to visit their relatives in Johor. There are also business people who shuttle between the two countries. We are reviewing improvements to the existing Cross-Border Taxi Scheme, and these include suggestions to expand boarding and alighting points to encourage more taxis, including more vehicle types, to come aboard the Cross-Border Taxi Scheme to serve different passenger needs and to have available a user-friendly app.

10.    In our discussions with our Malaysian counterparts, our key priorities are to better meet consumer demand while safeguarding the interest of our taxi drivers and our private hire drivers. That is why discussions also involve the installation of the OBU or the ERP 2.0 to ensure that travel journeys are legitimate. 

11.    We would like to highlight to consumers that illegal point-to-point service providers may not have the necessary vocational licences, -they may not even have the licence to drive. Insurance will also not cover such legal point-to-point service trips. It is thus important that we have a well-functioning, regulated, point-to-point sector to protect the interests of consumers and the livelihoods of taxi drivers and platform drivers. Thank you. 

12.    I would now like to say a few words in Chinese, please.

13.    平台经济支持着超过6.7万名平台工作人员的生计。

14.    三方合作小组自7月份以来, 深入探讨平台工作者对外国人滥用平台、非法送货及载客的担忧。 陆交局加强了取缔非法点对点服务的行动。

15.    自7月份查获了超过70辆涉嫌提供非法点对点服务的车辆。 我们计划加重提供非法点对点服务的刑罚。

16.    按照目前的法律, 一旦罪名成立,可被罚款高达3000元或被监禁长达6个月。 我们计划提高罚款和增加监禁时间, 车辆也可能被充公。

17.    我们也在考虑禁止涉嫌提供非法点对点服务的外国人进入新加坡。 陆交局也在取缔通过网络平台提供非法点对点拼车服务。 我们无法透露更多的讯息, 但我们可以说这几个星期以来, 我们已查获五宗通过Telegram群组进行的非法拼车服务。 

18.    我们希望提醒消费者, 提供非法点对点服务的司机可能没有适当的执照, 甚至可能没有驾驶执照。 另外, 他们的保险也不涵盖非法行程, 所以这会危害到消费者的安全。 

19.    希望我们能一起努力杜绝非法点对点服务, 更好地保障我们的消费者安全及平台工作人员的生计。

20.    谢谢!