Parliament passes law banning online sales and ads for non-compliant active mobility devices

MPs also asked about scope for expanding responsibility to the operators of online marketplaces.

“When an overseas or anonymous seller cannot be reached, will LTA have a direct and sufficiently broad power to require the operator to disable access to the offending product listing in Singapore?” asked MP Charlene Chen (PAP-Tampines).

A few MPs made reference to directives that authorities can issue under the Online Criminal Harms Act for online platforms to disable Singapore users’ access to offending content. They asked if a similar mechanism could be put in place for errant listings.

Mr Baey said the rules will not be able to apply to foreign-based sellers with no Singapore presence as they fall outside the country’s jurisdiction.

He added that the legislation was calibrated to balance the compliance burden on operators of online marketplaces.

He noted that the Online Criminal Harms Act addresses serious criminal offences affecting national security, national harmony or individual safety with an online nexus.

“For non-compliant active mobility devices, we will rely on other levers, including continuing to work with platforms to remove non-compliant listings and advertisements,” he said.

MPs raised other areas the rules could target.

MP Ng Shi Xuan (PAP-Sembawang) asked LTA to consider whether “greater traceability from manufacturer or importer to seller” would help to identify the source of non-compliant batteries and strengthen enforcement against illicit sellers.

MP Kenneth Tiong (WP-Aljunied) urged separate consideration of the compliance of battery chargers, giving examples of instances where fires started because of third-party, incompatible chargers with original batteries.

LIST OF APPROVED RETAILERS

Several MPs asked how consumers could easily determine whether batteries were compliant under the new rules.

MP Hazlina Abdul Halim (PAP-East Coast) proposed a standardised compatibility label showing which devices a battery could be used with, so consumers would not need technical expertise to identify a suitable battery.

MP Tin Pei Ling (PAP-Marine Parade–Braddell Heights), who is also chair of the transport government parliamentary committee, asked if there could be a clear list of approved models and compatible batteries.

This could be in the form of a searchable online register or a QR code.

She also asked for support to help existing users of non-compliant batteries transition to the new rules, noting that some may rely on their devices for their livelihoods or daily living.