Question

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Government has information on the number of micro enterprises and small businesses that are (i) affected by or (ii) facing cash flow difficulties due to unfulfilled payments from the Qoo10 e-commerce platform; (b) what is the current median waiting time for a Small Claims Tribunal hearing for claimants filing against Qoo10 on such matters; and (c) what support is available to small business owners facing cash flow difficulties and are concerned about timely recovery of the amounts due from Qoo10.

Written Answer by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong

1. The Government has been engaging Qoo10 and the affected merchants who have approached us for assistance. While we do not have information on the total number of micro enterprises and small businesses affected by Qoo10’s unfulfilled payments, we have raised the cases that we were aware of to Qoo10 to resolve.

2. There are established processes for Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) hearings, and cases are usually resolved within four months of filing. Parties involved in a SCT claim must first attend a consultation. If the matter cannot be settled, the claim may proceed to a hearing before a tribunal magistrate, which is generally scheduled within 28 working days.

3. Merchants who face cash flow difficulties may contact any of the participating Financial Institutions listed on Enterprise Singapore’s website to apply for the Enterprise Financing Scheme-Working Capital Loan.