IMDA Imposes Financial Penalty Of $300,000 On SingPost For Not Meeting 2018 QoS Standards

SINGAPORE – 29 March 2019: The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has imposed a financial penalty of $300,000 on Singapore Post Limited (SingPost) for not meeting the postal Quality of Service (QoS) standards for delivery of local basic letters, registered basic letters and international basic letters in 2018. 

Delivery of local basic letters by the next working day

Under IMDA’s Postal QoS framework, SingPost is required to deliver 99% of local basic letters to an address within the Central Business District (CBD) and 98% of local basic letters to destinations outside the CBD by the next working day. 

SingPost did not deliver 99% of local basic letters within the CBD by the next working day in four months¹. 

SingPost also has to despatch 100% of processed outgoing basic letters to departing flights by the next working day.

SingPost did not meet the requirements for the delivery of international incoming basic letters within the CBD by the next working day in three months⁴.

Assessment of penalties for 2018 Postal QoS breaches

In assessing the penalties, IMDA took into account that SingPost had 20 incidents of non-compliance in 2018, as compared to nine incidents in 2017. IMDA also took into consideration that these were repeated failures, and in some cases involved lost letters. Nevertheless, IMDA also noted that the failure margins in 2018 were generally lower on average as compared to the year before.

Having considered all factors, IMDA has imposed a financial penalty of $300,000 on SingPost for the 20 incidents of non-compliance with IMDA’s QoS standards in the period from January to December 2018.

Outcome of investigation into 2018 case of postman discarding mail

IMDA has also completed its investigations of the case of the postman who had discarded returned mail and advertisement mails at Reflections at Keppel Bay in 2018. The postman, Mr Liu Zhengang, was dismissed by SingPost after the incident and has returned to China. IMDA’s investigation found the postman to have breached the Postal Services Act for discarding postal articles and has issued an advisory to him. He will be barred from employment in Singapore and will be arrested if he returns to Singapore. IMDA reserves the right to prosecute him. IMDA has also issued an advisory to SingPost to remind SingPost of its obligations to safeguard mail integrity and security and to train and educate its staff to perform their task properly.

IMDA takes a very serious view of any lapses in SingPost’s mail services and has directed SingPost to take urgent steps to improve its service standards and restore public confidence in its postal services.

To this end, IMDA notes that SingPost has actively implemented immediate measures such as hiring more postmen, extending delivery slots for basic mail parcels to weekday evenings and on Saturdays, and increasing the number of dedicated counters and staff at post offices for mail/package collection. SingPost has also pledged to conduct an overall review of its operations to improve its service standards and meet consumer expectations amid the changing postal landscape.

IMDA will continue to work with SingPost to improve the quality and reliability of its postal delivery services.   

¹ March, April, July and August 2018.
² January, February, March, April, June, July, August, November and December 2018.
³ February, March, April and September 2018.
⁴ March, April and June 2018.

About Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) leads Singapore’s digital transformation with infocomm media. To do this, IMDA will develop a dynamic digital economy and a cohesive digital society, driven by an exceptional infocomm media (ICM) ecosystem – by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore's ICM infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment, and enhances Singapore’s data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission. 

For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.

For media clarifications, please contact: 

(Mr) Jason Lee 
Senior Manager, Communications and Marketing 
Infocomm Media Development Authority 
DID: (65) 6751 2862 
Email: jason_lee@imda.gov.sg  

(Ms) Liow Ruo Yu
Assistant Manager, Communications and Marketing
Infocomm Media Development Authority
DID: (65) 6751 2828
Email: liow_ruo_yu@imda.gov.sg 

(Mr) Chua Hian Hou
Deputy Director, Communications and Marketing
Infocomm Media Development Authority
DID: (65) 6202 4956
Email: chua_hian_hou@imda.gov.sg