Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng said in the legislature’s hemicycle yesterday that he agrees with the view raised in civil society that illegal inns should be criminalised – by amending the law on the illegal provision of accommodation services.
Tam made the remarks when answering questions from directly-elected lawmakers Becky Song Pek Kei and Jose Maria Pereira Coutinho on the last day of a two-day Q&A session about his portfolio’s policy guidelines for next year.
Song noted the various kinds of disturbances caused to residents by the operation of illegal inns in residential buildings. She said that merely imposing a fine on those running an illegal inn does not act as a sufficient deterrent, adding that often the offenders simply open a new illegal inn soon after their previous one was sealed off by the authorities.
Accompanied by officials under his portfolio, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam Chon Weng (first from right) addresses yesterday’s Q&A session about his portfolio’s 2019 policy guidelines in the legislature’s hemicycle. Photo: GCS
