COE tweaks: Ensure new laws are enforceable

SINGAPORE - Some people have said that those who own more than one car deprive others of the chance to own a vehicle due to the limited number of certificates of entitlement (COEs) available.

I have some concerns about this argument.

First, how many people on the Land Transport Authority registers own more than one car? If there are not many, then passing a law to prohibit people from owning more than one car will have little effect.

Second, how will such a law be implemented and enforced? There is no law prohibiting someone who does not have a driving licence from buying a car. So, I can, for example, buy a second car under my daughter's name.

I am in favour of having luxury cars in a separate COE class and making them subject to a premium charge. In this way, you can buy your dream luxury or sports car; you just have to be prepared to pay a heftier price for it.

The relevant authorities who are pondering ways to fine-tune our COE system need to be careful about passing new laws that may be counter-productive or ineffective.

Matthew Ong Koon Lock