Oral Answer by Minister of State for Law Murali Pillai to PQ on Enforcing Orders of the Small Claims Tribunal

08 APR 2025

8 April 2025 Posted in Parliamentary speeches and responses

Question for Oral Answer

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang SMC)

Question:
To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether the Ministry can provide assistance to claimants to seek recourse from retailers who ignore and refuse to comply with the enforcement order of the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT); and (b) whether the SCT has the means to carry out enforcement actions.

Oral Answer:

  1. Orders of the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) are like any other court orders, and are enforced through the State Courts.
  1. The process of applying for enforcement orders has been simplified with the introduction of the revised Rules of Court in 2021. It is now only necessary to file a single application for an enforcement order in the District Court.
  1. Claimants who wish to enforce an order of the SCT also have the following means of assistance:

(a) Individuals with limited means may apply for legal advice and legal aid from the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB). More information on the eligibility criteria can be found at the LAB E-Services Portal on the Ministry of Law’s website.

(b) Parties who are unclear about the process can also seek advice from the Community Justice Centre, which is located on-site at the State Courts.

  1. There are also legal clinics (like those organised by the Law Society Pro Bono SG and supported by the Ministry of Law) which provide assistance and advice in specific cases. More information on legal assistance can be found on the Ministry of Law’s website link to “Legal Support Resources Available to Members of the Public”.
  1. The Ministry of Law is working with stakeholders on further changes to make enforcement of civil judgments, including SCT orders, easier, as was mentioned by the Honourable Second Minister for Law at the COS debate earlier this year.

Last updated on 8 April 2025