SINGAPORE, July 3 — The Singapore Turf Club (STC) will help horse trainers and owners who are affected by the club’s impending closure in March 2027, such as to find new jobs or find new homes for their horses, Indranee Rajah, the Second Minister for Finance and National Development, said today.
Employees facing hardships who require extra help should sound out their concerns to their employers and STC so that the appropriate help can be extended, she added.
Indranee was speaking in Parliament in response to questions raised by several Members of Parliament (MPs) about the impact of the STC closure on workers and horses in the local racing industry.
Last month, it was announced that the 120ha land that the STC currently resides on would be returned to the Government for redevelopment into public housing and other leisure and recreational activities.
Declining interest and spectatorship in horse racing was a reason cited for the club’s closure, with an average attendance of 2,600 per race day following the club’s post-Covid reopening in 2022.
Apart from the 350 staff employed by STC, Indranee acknowledged that about 420 more workers employed by racehorse trainers in Singapore will also be affected, and that the necessary support will be provided to them.
“While these are not STC employees, STC will nevertheless lean forward to work with their employers, the trainers, to provide support to these workers and ease their transition,” she said, adding that STC will also be extending employment facilitation, skills training and career counselling to those affected.According to Indranee, a majority of STC staff will continue to be employed up until the last scheduled race in October 2024, with some continuing to work there until 2027 to handle administrative and payroll matters, which are part of the “winding down” process.
In response to a question by MP for Pioneer Single Member Constituency Patrick Tay on whether employees who are facing hardships can be rendered special assistance, Indranee said that she “would certainly encourage them to raise (their issues) with their employers and with STC... and we will lean forward to assist them.”
Addressing the concerns of some racehorse trainers that owners might abandon their horses in view of STC’s closure, Ms Indranee said in her opening speech that she would “caution any owner against so doing”, as owners have the responsibility to look after their horses.
According to Section 41(C) of the Animals and Birds Act 1965, every owner of an animal must not abandon the animal, or cause or permit the animal to be abandoned, whether permanently or temporarily, without reasonable cause or excuse.
If found guilty of such an offence, one may be subject to a fine of up to S$40,000 (RM138,274), or to imprisonment for up to two years, or both.
“STC is committed to working with owners to manage their horses in a responsible manner, such as through rehoming, either overseas or in a stable in Singapore,” Ms Indranee added.
Responding to MP for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency Gerald Giam’s queries regarding the future of about 700 horses residing in STC, Indranee said that the primary strategy is for horses to be exported to other countries like Malaysia or Australia, and that there will be further conversations with horse owners on what their preferences are.
“Bottom line, we will find homes for all the horses.” — TODAY
