Amy Khor Lean Suan
Singapore
“Sir, NEA does conduct inspections of these premises from time to time. For this particular premises, they actually did six inspections since 2021.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts enforcement actions against drivers who are found to have provided illegal car-pooling services. An individual who provides an illegal car-pooling service may face a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.”
“We will also provide the first 500 private heavy vehicle chargers co-funding of up to 50% of the charger installation cost, capped at $30,000 per charger. These measures will narrow the lifecycle cost gap between an electric and internal combustion engine heavy vehicle and spur adoption of electric heavy vehicles.”
“With regard to the extension of the lower speed limit to school zones for full day, we will work with the relevant agencies on the enhanced enforcements.”
“They will provide a certain amount of protection to the pedestrians because, as I have said, the bollards will absorb the impact of the collision from the vehicles. So, there is a protection. But ultimately, of course, road safety really depends on a multitude of factors, including road user behaviour.”
“The bollards installed at pedestrian crossings by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are not of the K4, K8 or K12 standards stated by the Member. Bollards of these standards are typically security bollards. They are installed to protect critical infrastructure or at high security areas, such as Changi Airport, to be unyielding.”
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“Second, taxis are important in serving commuters who may be less familiar with ride-hailing apps and prefer to flag down taxis, such as our seniors. And third, taxis are often critical in locations such as airports and ferry terminals, to serve both locals and tourists. As Minister earlier announced, we will introduce measures to facilitate a stable supply of street-hail services and taxis. Currently, taxis incur higher operating costs as they are subject to more stringent regulations compared to PHCs. For instance, taxis have a statutory lifespan of eight years and must undergo more frequent inspections due to higher mileage. Taxi operators must also meet certain service standards, such as maintaining a call-booking system. We will update the regulatory regime to reduce the operating costs of taxis and rationalise the inspection regimes for taxis and PHCs. First, we will extend the statutory lifespan of taxis to 10 years, up from the current eight years. We can do this as our taxi fleet is highly roadworthy. In 2023, taxis have a first inspection passing rate (FIPR) of 99.5%, well above the 98% passing standard for taxi operators. Extending the statutory lifespan will allow taxi operators to spread the vehicle cost over a longer period of time. LTA will work with taxi operators to ensure that cost savings are passed to the drivers. Second, for taxis less than three years old, we will reduce inspection frequency from once every six months to once a year, to reduce the downtime. These newer taxis are very well maintained, with an FIPR of 99.8% in 2023. 5.15 pm Third, for PHCs that are more than 10 years old, we will increase inspection frequency to half-yearly, up from yearly currently. In 2023, among PHCs aged above 10 years old, the FIPR was 84.5%.”
“LTA and the Traffic Police work closely with schools, the community and the Singapore Road Safety Council to engage all road users. LTA also regularly reviews traffic accident data to identify roads where we may need to put in additional safety measures such as traffic calming measures and pedestrian crossings. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Taken together, our efforts to expand Friendly Streets, build more commuter infrastructure and repurpose roads will make the first and last mile of our journeys safer and friendlier, for a more inclusive commute. But most importantly, we agree with Ms Pereira – everyone has an important part to play in ensuring road safety. The Government cannot do this alone. Next, on point-to-point (P2P) transport. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about the P2P sector review announced in September last year. MOT and LTA have been engaging relevant stakeholders on how we can enhance the availability, reliability, and inclusivity of P2P services. This will especially benefit our seniors, persons with disabilities and families with young children. The P2P landscape has evolved, with private hire cars and ride-hail services becoming more common. Between 2020 and 2023, the proportion of street-hail rides, where commuters flag a taxi along the street or at a taxi stand, declined from 23% to 12%. Over the same period, the number of taxis also declined from 15,800 to 13,600. Despite this shift, taxis and street-hail services continue to play an important role, particularly for certain commuter segments and in certain locations. First, taxis are an important supply of rides, especially late at night when it is often more difficult to secure a PHC.”
“These bus stops will have more seats with arm and back rests, rain screens and wheelchair-friendly waiting areas. Since 2013, we have also retrofitted 87 existing POBs with lifts, where at-grade crossings are unfeasible. To manage the high costs of retrofitting works, we prioritised those near major transport nodes and healthcare institutions. Going forward, we will expand our coverage to retrofit more POBs at areas with many seniors. In addition, we will continue with road repurposing to prioritise road space for pedestrians and cyclists. So far, we have completed four road repurposing projects at Havelock Road, the Civic District, Kampung Admiralty and Tiong Bahru. In end-2023, we started works to pedestrianise Choa Chu Kang Terrace and Yung Sheng Road. We will embark on two new road repurposing projects at Zion Road and Sims Place in 2024. Along Zion Road, we will widen footpaths and create a new cycling path by repurposing up to two of six road lanes, to improve the walking and cycling experience. We will also expand the bus shelter and provide sheltered connectivity towards Zion Riverside Food Centre. Stakeholders we engaged have welcomed the proposals. Along Sims Place, we will repurpose two of four road lanes to widen the footpath and create a cycling path, and construct a high covered linkway to provide shelter to amenities such as Sims Vista Market and Food Centre. Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Lim Biow Chuan spoke on the importance of road safety. Indeed, this is one of the reasons why we introduced Friendly Streets. We have also taken active steps to enhance road safety over the years, such as by improving the design of roads and raising road safety awareness.”
“For example, the upcoming Friendly Street in Sembawang will provide young families in the area a safer and more comfortable walk between the MRT station, bus interchange and Bukit Canberra Community Club. Next, in support of Age Well SG and Healthier SG, we will do even more to support walking as the first and last mile mode of commuting. Ms Poh Li San will be glad to know that we will enhance our commuter infrastructure over the next decade: first, by building more covered linkways; second, by upgrading more bus stops with senior-friendly features; and third, by retrofitting more pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs) with lifts. Besides helping seniors stay socially connected and active, these will create more comfortable commutes for all. Today, we have around 285 kilometers of covered linkways built by LTA connecting major transport nodes to key amenities within a 400-metre radius. Mr Ang Wei Neng will be glad to know that we will now expand this parameter, to also build covered linkways to connect MRT stations to more Friendly Streets that are largely within an 800-metre radius, and also to some key amenities nearby. LTA will conduct site studies to identify suitable locations for these covered linkways, including evaluating the many requests for covered linkways, such as Mr Faisal Manap's. We will also upgrade more bus stops to better accommodate seniors and those with mobility challenges. Under LTA’s Bus Stop Infrastructure Enhancement Programme, we have upgraded 255 bus stops to be barrier-free and senior-friendly, and expect to upgrade another 105 bus stops by 2025. We will go further to make even more bus stops senior-friendly, especially those near healthcare institutions or in areas with many seniors.”
“Chairman, let me share how we will build a more inclusive and friendly transport system, for a more liveable and sustainable city. As the Minister earlier announced, we will set aside $1 billion of additional funding to expand the Friendly Streets initiative and build more commuter infrastructure. Let me elaborate. At last year’s COS, I announced the Friendly Streets initiative to make walking in our neighbourhoods safer and more comfortable, and roads more pedestrian friendly. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about the progress of this initiative. We began with five pilots, developing the Friendly Streets features with localised task forces comprising grassroots leaders and agencies to address needs on the ground. Works have already started at Bukit Batok West, Ang Mo Kio and Tampines, and will start at Toa Payoh and West Coast in the first half of this year. Residents will benefit from traffic-calming features, such as road humps, and inclusive features, such as barrier-free crossings and upgraded bus stops. Having sat in the taskforce meetings, I am heartened by the passion of stakeholders to create safer and more inclusive roads. We will expand the Friendly Streets initiative to all HDB towns by 2030, as well as to private estates with high-activity areas and key amenities nearby. Starting this year, we will begin engagements on 10 more Friendly Streets in Bedok, Buangkok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Pek Kio, Punggol, Holland/Buona Vista, Sembawang and Tiong Bahru/Havelock. These locations have a higher proportion of seniors or young families. We will work closely with the community to implement features to meet residents’ needs.”
“I thank the Member for the clarification. First, I think households are more likely to utilise the vouchers if they need to replace their old or faulty fittings and appliances. And, of course, many of these appliances would last a few years. Under the current CFHB, the vouchers are limited to three different types of products. Firstly, the refrigerators, and then shower fittings as well as lamps. Each of them has a fixed quantum. So, I think that does not allow a lot of flexibility. Although, when we sized it, it was based on how we can offset some of the differential upfront costs and the higher upfront costs for the more energy-efficient types, and these are the essential household appliances and fittings. What we have done now is to expand this from three to 10 products. So, a wider variety of household appliances and fittings, including 5-tick air condition, as well as a direct current fan and so on. We are expanding it to beyond the 1- to 3-room-HDB households to all HDB households, as well as the fact that, now, the $300 is not assigned to fixed products. There is more flexibility. They can use different denominations to purchase these products. We hope that with the expansion in scope in terms of coverage of products as well as households and with, more flexibility, we hope that utilisation rate will be higher. We are working with HDB, People's Association as well as with grassroots organisations and the retailers to reach out and raise awareness. 8.15 pm”
“To improve this, we will strengthen collaboration with retailers to further publicise their obligatory one-for-one takeback services to customers and continue to work with Town Councils through the quarterly collection drives. We seek everyone's continued support to deposit their e-waste via the various channels available. Last year, we amended the Resource Sustainability Act to put in place the legislative framework for the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS). We are working with stakeholders on scheme implementation and will share more details when ready. Beyond BCRS, we are exploring other initiatives to manage packaging waste. In 2021, we implemented the Mandatory Packaging Reporting scheme. This raises awareness amongst companies on the amount of packaging they generate and spurs them to reduce packaging use. Building on our current initiatives, we are exploring the feasibility of expanding the EPR approach to broader packaging waste types. We have awarded a consultancy study to review overseas best practices and recommend a suitable scheme for Singapore. We will consult stakeholders at an appropriate juncture. This study is expected to be completed by 2025. Chairman, to reach net-zero, everyone must pitch in. The Government will play its part in greening the Public Service and supporting businesses and households to contribute. Let us all embrace going green, which is not just environmentally friendly, but certainly can also be wallet friendly.”
“They can use the vouchers to purchase 10 types of energy-efficient and water-saving appliances and fittings, including direct current fans and washing machines, from participating retailers. Starting from 15 April 2024, one member of each household can go to redeem.gov.sg to claim the vouchers. Elderly residents and those who face difficulties with Internet access can seek assistance via NEA's hotline. (In English): Reducing waste will also reduce emissions and cut costs. We should thus seek to reduce wasteful consumption, which Ms Carrie Tan has spoken about. Sustainable consumption involves the responsible management of packaging and products at their end-of-life. Let me provide an update on two of our priority waste streams, namely, electrical and electronic waste, or e-waste, and packaging waste. On the e-waste Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, we are in our third year of implementation and have since collected over 16,000 tonnes of e-waste from over 800 collection points islandwide as of December 2023. This is a significant increase from the 9,000 tonnes collected as of December 2022. Overall, collection rates have improved, thanks to the close collaboration with ALBA, retailers and Town Councils to publicise the scheme and encourage participation. However, we must continue to double down on efforts to achieve our target collection rates of 60% of large household appliances and 20% of other regulated consumer products' put-to-market weight. Collection rates for lamps and household batteries have tripled to 4% and 10% respectively whilst the collection rate for ICT equipment increased slightly to 5%. However, the collection rate for large household appliances has declined from 18% to 15%.”
“To make it more convenient for households to use the Climate Vouchers, more retailers will come onboard the programme, taking the total number of participating retailers to 14, with about 300 stores islandwide. With these enhancements, we hope to incentivise more households to choose resource-efficient options from the outset or when their appliances and fittings are due for replacement. HDB households who have used the $225 vouchers under the current CFHP can also claim the new $300 vouchers under the enhanced CFHP following its commencement. Unlike the current CFHP where the voucher amount is fixed for each eligible product type, the enhanced CFHP will allow households to have more flexibility in using their vouchers and select different denominations when purchasing eligible appliances. 7.30 pm The enhanced Climate Vouchers will be available from 15 April 2024 via the RedeemSG platform and remain valid until 31 December 2027. Members of the public who need support in claiming the Climate Vouchers online may call NEA's hotline for assistance. Chairman, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] NEA will enhance the Climate Friendly Households Programme to encourage more households to adopt more environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyles. In the long run, using more energy-efficient and water-saving appliances and fittings can help households save on utility expenses. Through the enhanced programme, more households will benefit. The total amount of vouchers and the variety of eligible electrical appliances and fittings will also increase. All HDB households will receive $300 worth of Climate Vouchers.”
“As announced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, additional U-Save rebates will be disbursed to HDB households as part of the enhanced Assurance Package, cushioning increases in utility bills. We will enhance support for households wishing to be more energy- and water-efficient, which will also help lower their utility bills. Launched in 2020, the existing Climate Friendly Households Programme (CFHP) provides $225 worth of vouchers to 1- to 3-room HDB households, consisting of a $150 refrigerator voucher, $50 shower fittings voucher and $25 LED lighting voucher. As of January 2024, more than 141,000 households have registered for their Climate Vouchers and about 54,000 vouchers have been utilised. To give households more time to utilise their current set of Climate Vouchers, we have extended the qualifying redemption period to 20 March 2024. Mr Ng asked if we will be expanding the programme to include more households and appliances. As announced by Senior Minister Teo, we will enhance the CFHP. From 15 April 2024, we will expand the programme to all 1.1 million HDB households in Singapore, a more than three-fold increase in coverage. This is to encourage wider adoption of energy- and water-efficient products. Every HDB household will receive $300 worth of Climate Vouchers and the number of eligible product types will be expanded from three to 10, including four-tick washing machines. To Mr Gan's and Mr Ng's queries, other additions, like direct current fans, will help households keep cool in a more energy-efficient manner. The 10 eligible products contribute to around 60% of an average household's electricity consumption and around 90% of water consumption.”
“Businesses have suggested that it would be useful to appoint staff with formal training to champion the shift towards circular and zero-waste business models. In response, NEA has worked with training providers to introduce Zero Waste Manager (ZWM) courses to train participants to implement "3R" efforts and integrate them into their companies' organisational culture. The courses will also guide companies in fulfilling regulatory requirements, such as Mandatory Waste Reporting (MWR). Not only will the courses benefit some 750 companies covered under the MWR scheme, they can also equip other companies with the necessary knowledge to kickstart their waste reduction and recycling journeys. Additionally, the ZWM course will benefit employees and companies in the waste management sector looking to provide value-added services, such as waste consultancy and audit services. We encourage all companies to appoint and train staff to lead their waste management and "3R" efforts. These two- to three- day courses are developed and conducted in partnership with three training providers, the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore, Republic Polytechnic and NTUC Learning Hub. To ensure these courses are accessible and affordable, they will be subsidised by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and whitelisted under Workforce Singapore's (WSG) Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) for Sustainability Professionals. Mr Gan and Ms Hany Soh asked if there will be support for households which will face higher utility bills from the carbon tax increase. We remain committed to helping households cope with cost of living.”
“As refrigerators consume energy throughout the day, we encourage businesses to purchase energy-efficient models to enjoy long-term savings, such as inverter technology refrigerators that are on average 40% more energy-efficient. This will result in annual energy cost savings of about $700, with payback on capital expenditure within a year. Overall, the lifecycle cost of such efficient models are up to 60% lower than that of standard models. Furthermore, businesses can apply for the EEG to offset up to 70% of the upfront costs. In 2019, to optimise energy consumption at the systems-level, we introduced Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for water-cooled chilled water systems to encourage adoption of energy-efficient chilled water operations by industrial facilities. Mandatory MEES requirements were introduced for new industrial facilities in 2020. This has helped new facilities each save an average of $300,000 annually in electricity costs, recouping their initial outlay just after three years. We will amend the Energy Conservation Act this year to effect similar requirements for existing industrial facilities from December 2025. Existing industrial facilities can expect average energy savings of about $1.25 million per year per facility across the system's 15-year lifespan and to recover retrofitting and operating costs within five and a half years. Besides improving energy efficiency, pursuing sustainable waste management practices should also be a priority for organisations. By following the "3Rs" to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, businesses can increase efficiency and lower costs. Ms Poh asked how we are supporting businesses in building up capabilities to better manage their waste.”
“The expanded EEG will benefit more sectors, including construction, maritime and the data centres industry. It will adopt a two-tier structure, with higher support of up to 70% provided to companies that wish to make larger investments to drive greater energy efficiency. I would like to reassure Mr Ng that the Government is streamlining the application process by consolidating EEG applications across sectors on the Business Grants Portal. The Government will continue to work closely with the industry, including TACs, to proactively reach out to SMEs to promote awareness of the EEG. Adopting energy-efficient equipment will translate to significant cost savings for businesses and households. NEA’s energy efficiency labels and standards have helped companies and consumers make informed decisions since 2008. For instance, the average energy efficiency of air-conditioners and refrigerators improved by 59% and 42% respectively. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of about 405,000 4-room housing units and translates to annual overall household energy savings of more than $500 million. From 1 April 2025, we will be implementing labels and standards for two more equipment types, namely household water heaters and commercial storage refrigerators. Water heaters are the third-highest energy consuming household appliance. There are more energy-efficient options, such as instantaneous water heaters, which on average consume about 50% less electricity than electric storage water heaters. This enables homeowners to save on energy bills. Commercial storage refrigerators are prevalent in food and beverage establishments, like hawker centres, food courts and restaurants, and can account for about one-third of hawkers' electricity usage.”
“We will conduct industry consultations with key players, before finalising the details. Beyond the public sector, we will continue to facilitate the greening of businesses. We hope to encourage companies, particularly SMEs who are less well-resourced, to adopt sustainability practices while improving their bottom line. Miss Chan, Mr Louis Ng and Ms Poh Li San asked how the Government is supporting SMEs to implement green measures in the supply chain. The Government is providing local enterprises with more tools and resources to become sustainable. Companies can tap on capability-building programmes, such as courses and playbooks on decarbonisation, or funding support to do sustainability reporting and invest in energy-efficient equipment. As shared by Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, we have increased the carbon tax rate to $25 per tonne this year. We will progressively raise it to between $50 to $80 per tonne by 2030. This better prices the externality of carbon emissions, and nudges businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. Enhancing energy efficiency will help businesses cut energy costs. Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Ms Poh would be happy to know that NEA's E2F has been supporting SMEs in the manufacturing sector since 2017. Enhancements to the E2F from 2022 onwards, such as increasing the grant support cap from 50% to 70%, has increased take-up rate by four-fold to 48 projects. The amount of committed funding also increased from around $700,000 to around $2.1 million post-enhancement. The Government has reviewed existing energy efficiency grants by various agencies and will subsume the E2F under the expanded Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG), as announced at Budget 2024.”
“As announced at COS last year, we will consider the sustainability practices of companies that tender for Government projects, starting with large construction and ICT projects. This is on top of the sustainability requirements that we have imposed for the goods we procure. Miss Chan and Mr Wee also asked how we decided on the green Government procurement criteria for the construction and ICT sectors. Over the past year, we have consulted the industry and incorporated their feedback on the environmental sustainability-related evaluation criteria. Subsequently, we piloted the criteria by setting aside up to 5% of evaluation points for five construction tenders and one ICT bulk tender. For the pilot construction tenders, companies were assessed on whether they have carried out climate-related disclosures; adopted decarbonisation technologies, such as electric generators; incorporated low-carbon construction materials; and achieved relevant sustainability certifications. For the ICT sector, hardware suppliers were assessed based on criteria, such as sustainable packaging options and sustainability-related certifications. We also plan to include criteria for data centre operators and cloud service providers, such as whether companies have embarked on sustainability reporting and the power usage effectiveness of their data centres. We will continue to refine our environmental sustainability evaluation criteria for large construction and ICT tenders with minimum estimated procurement value of $50 million and $10 million respectively. To Mr Wee's query on the expansion timeline, we plan to expand this initiative to include companies that tender for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) and other events organised by the public sector from FY2025.”
“Chairman, while we push hard on public hygiene, which is the foundation for healthy, resilient communities, we must also press on with our efforts to confront climate change. Climate change has profound impacts on public hygiene and public health. Singapore is committed to peaking emissions before 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. We have taken concrete steps to reduce our carbon footprint. These include gradually increasing our carbon tax rate, facilitating renewable energy imports and promoting energy efficiency. Everyone needs to fight climate change – the Government, businesses and households. Let me start with the Government. In 2021, we launched GreenGov.SG, the public sector's sustainability movement, where we committed to ambitious carbon and resource efficiency targets. Last December, we published the inaugural GreenGov.SG report, which documented our sustainability efforts, progress and plans. Miss Cheryl Chan and Mr Don Wee asked about our plans for the next GreenGov.SG report and whether Scope 3 emissions would be included. The second report will be released this year and will include data on waste and waste reduction efforts. As there are wide-ranging sources of Scope 3 emissions from the Government's extensive activities and the sources that are deemed material vary across agencies, we are still studying the appropriate approach. Under GreenGov.SG, we are pursuing green Government procurement to spur more environmentally sustainable business practices and accelerate the supply of more environmentally friendly goods and services. We want to encourage companies to green their processes and products.”
“If for some reason they are not able to provide this documentary proof, they can appeal to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and we will assess this on a case-by-case basis.”
“Allow me to clarify. First of all, it has been a long-standing requirement for TDVL applicants to have basic English language proficiency. In fact, by 1979, the Registry of Vehicles had introduced an oral English proficiency assessment. For a more comprehensive and objective assessment of the English proficiency level of the applicants, we have required at least a D7 pass at the GCE "O" level or "N" level in the 1990s. The Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Assessment, which is in place of relevant certificates like the GCE "O" level, was in place since 2011. Prior to that, in place of relevant certificates, they could attend an oral English assessment interview. As I have said, this is because the taxi drivers need to communicate effectively with their passengers, who may not be able to speak in the vernacular languages or dialects. Also, let me clarify that for taxi drivers whose TDVL licences are revoked, they are revoked only if they have committed an offence – a court has sentenced them, for instance – or they have been disqualified or suspended from driving for one year or more, or they have accumulated more than 20 demerit points under the Chauffeured Private Hire Car and Taxi Vocational Licence Demerit Points System within 24 months. So, if their licence is revoked and they want to get back the licence, they will have to apply as a fresh applicant. Therefore, we require them to fulfil all the prevailing requirements, including English language proficiency. Having said that, because this requirement has been in place for such a long time, most of the TDVL licence holders would have already fulfilled this requirement and all they need to show is documentary proof that they have fulfilled the requirement.”
“Taxi drivers need to have basic proficiency in English to be able to serve their passengers well, as there are locals and foreign visitors who may not understand our local vernacular languages or dialects. That is why taxi drivers are required to have a GCE “O” or “N” level pass in English, or a Level 3 pass in the Listening, Reading and Speaking modules of the Workplace Literacy-computer Adaptive Test. The Workplace Literacy assessment could be completed in about two hours. Taxi drivers who had their Taxi Driver's Vocational Licences (TDVLs) revoked have to meet prevailing requirements when they apply for a new licence, including language proficiency.”
“I want to thank the Member for the supplementary question. As I have said earlier, we will continue to prioritise improving road safety and, indeed, we will be committing more resources to improving road infrastructure that will help to enhance road safety. Some of the road infrastructure improvements or road safety enhancement measures that we have been doing and will be doing some more, would be signalised pedestrian crossings, for instance, traffic calming measures which the Member has mentioned, like speed humps, three-dimensional road markings, road signages, narrow and meandering roads as well as, of course, as I have mentioned, School Zones and Silver Zones, that we will continue to implement where there is a high seniors profile, for instance, as well as the newly announced Friendly Street initiative, which we will bring to more residents as well as to all towns by 2030. In fact, presently, annually, about 1,000 road safety enhancement measures are introduced islandwide. And as I have said, we will be doing more.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) receives requests for road safety features from Members of Parliament (MP) through MP appeals, and from members of public through various channels, such as the One Service mobile application, emails and letters. LTA assesses every feedback received by conducting a technical assessment on the relevant stretch of road. The safety of pedestrians is a key consideration. For example, LTA reviews the pedestrian volumes, speed of vehicles, visibility for drivers and, more broadly, connectivity to key amenities and transport nodes, and the demographic profile of residents and stakeholders in the vicinity. Measures that are assessed to be helpful and practical will be designed and implemented to cater to localised needs, taking into consideration the impact on traffic. These could include traffic calming measures and additional crossings for pedestrians. Reviewing and implementing road safety features around schools and residential areas is one of LTA’s key priorities. We have implemented School Zones in the vicinity of every school. For residential areas, in particular, areas with a higher proportion of seniors, LTA has implemented Silver Zones. Both zones come with additional road safety features, such as lower speed limits, traffic calming measures and road signs. LTA monitors and re-evaluates requests for road safety measures to be put in place when there are material changes to the traffic and pedestrian volumes in the area, as well as when there are accidents involved.”
“The Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at NUS will be the Southeast Asia node of the Global Heat Health Information Network, an initiative by the World Health Organization and World Meteorological Organization. Even as the Government takes steps to address warming temperatures and the urban heat island effect, I would like to call on the public to join us on this journey to make Singapore and our communities more heat-resilient. Individually, we can take steps to reduce heat emissions by taking public transport and using less air-conditioning and more energy-efficient electrical appliances. As a community, we can look out for one another and co-create solutions, such as setting up community cool spaces, to beat the heat together.”
“And for our delivery workers, Grab and Foodpanda remind riders on heat stress. Deliveroo provides water for riders at its delivery-only kitchens and encourages merchants to do so too. Finally, on deepening our scientific understanding. Our heat-resilience strategies are based on science. For instance, we set the Heat Stress Advisory thresholds in consultation with experts and we are reviewing our heat resilience plans, based on the climate projections from our Third National Climate Change study. We leverage R&D to design more effective heat-resilience strategies. For example, the Cooling Singapore 2.0 project is developing a digital model, to simulate Singapore's urban climate and assess the effectiveness of various cooling strategies. Researchers in NUS are also investigating the impact of warmer and more humid nights on sleep quality, to develop novel cooling solutions, such as smart systems that can adjust fan wind speed and air-con temperature. This will ensure that rising temperatures do not take a toll on people's rest while we remain energy efficient. The Cooling Singapore 2.0 project also investigates the impact of heat on different segments of the population, such as the elderly and children. We may also consider studying other relevant social-economic dimensions in the future. Through the Climate Impact Science Research Programme, we will examine the effects of rising temperatures on our physical and mental health as well as second-order effects, such as increased mosquito population. We also cooperate with international partners on future collaborations and knowledge-sharing.”
“Similar to the other weather data on the myENV app, readings shown are based on the monitoring station nearest to the app user automatically. We currently have nine WBGT stations island-wide and will be expanding our network. Access to water is important to address heat stress. We have easy access to clean drinking water. Singapore's tap water is perfectly safe for direct consumption, without the need for boiling or water filters. Furthermore, water dispensers are widely available at our hawker centres, parks, bus interchanges and terminals. In fact, a Singapore University of Social Sciences undergraduate, Tng Ming Kang, has created a crowd-sourced map on these existing water dispensers in Singapore. We also have targeted sector-specific guidelines for various groups, including outdoor workers, athletes, uniformed personnel, residential homes and schools. Let me illustrate. MOM introduced an enhanced set of measures to reduce the risk of heat stress for outdoor workers last year. These include measures focusing on four aspects: acclimatise, drink, rest and shade. Of note, employers are required to provide a minimum rest break of 10 minutes hourly under shade, for workers carrying out heavy physical activities when the WBGT is 32 or higher. Employers should also reschedule outdoor work to cooler parts of the day where feasible and re-deploy workers vulnerable to heat stress. Beyond MOM's guidelines, we are also heartened that organisations have taken additional steps to protect outdoor workers. For instance, Changi Airport Group provides refresh pods at staff rest areas, which circulate cool air at the touch of a button. They also deploy trucks with isotonic drinks to remind workers to stay hydrated.”
“As part of greenery intensification efforts, under the Green Towns Programme, suitable top decks of HDB multi-storey car parks are converted to greenery and community or allotment gardens. We are also deploying other cooling strategies across the island. The Member may be aware, from the Ministry of National Development's Parliamentary Question response yesterday, that HDB conducts environmental modelling for new towns and estates. This enables us to site new flats and orientate blocks to optimise wind flow and reduce heat gain. For existing towns, under HDB's Green Towns Programme, we are studying the application of cool coatings. Besides these broad-based measures, there are also specific measures to help various vulnerable groups cope with the impact of higher temperatures. For instance, HDB has created more openings along corridors in some older rental blocks, by removing some units from each floor. This enhances airflow and natural ventilation in these blocks. Migrant worker dormitories are required to be provided with adequate fans to ensure good air circulation and ventilation in the dormitory rooms and recreation centres. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is also installing ice machines in recreation centres. Second, we have taken steps to empower the community to cope with a warming world. We launched the Heat Stress Advisory in July last year, to guide the public on ways to minimise the risk of heat stress. The public can easily check the prevailing heat stress levels on the myENV app before, embarking on outdoor activities and take simple steps to protect ourselves. This is no different from checking the weather forecast for rain, in deciding whether to bring an umbrella.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, indeed, heat resilience is an important issue for Singapore. Rising temperatures will be compounded by the urban heat island (UHI) effect, as our densely built-up environment absorbs and retains heat; and activities, such as transportation and industrial works, generate heat. Various Members had previously filed questions on heat resilience, including just yesterday. We would like to assure this House that the Government has, for some time now, and will continue to address this as part of our overall climate resilience efforts. The Government adopts a science-based and proactive heat resilience strategy, which has three prongs: first, implementing national-level cooling strategies to benefit all segments of our society, including the vulnerable; second, strengthening the community's resilience, especially among more vulnerable population segments; and, third, deepening our scientific understanding of the impact of rising temperatures. First, cooling strategies aim to keep us cool in our warm climate. Greening Singapore is a key strategy that has multiple benefits, including providing shade and reducing ambient temperatures of our surroundings. As we transform Singapore into a City in Nature, we are setting in place a network of green spaces across the island; and as the Member has said, by 2030, every household will be within a 10-minute walk from a park. We are also intensifying greening, beyond just our parks. This includes planting trees along roads. Under our OneMillionTrees Movement, with the help of our partners and the community, we have planted over 630,000 trees. Other greening measures include increasing skyrise greenery and greenery on building facades, such as through the URA's Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises (LUSH) scheme.”
“As mentioned before by the Minister for Transport both in this House and to the press, we are not ruling out the idea of having a separate COE category for private hire cars. But there are trade-offs with this idea and, therefore, we need to study this further. It also requires careful consideration. The key challenge is in sizing the quota to be set aside for this category, especially since the demand for private hire car services continues to evolve. Given the current sizeable population of private hire cars, what it means is that we will have to reallocate the existing quotas from Category A and Category B for this separate category. If we overestimate the demand, that would mean that there will be a tight quota constraint on Categories A and B, and that, of course, would have a knock-on effect on COE prices. On the other hand, if we underestimate the demand, that means, we size the quota smaller than what it ought to be, then that could result in insufficient private hire car supply, and that could impact ride hail fare prices. So, indeed, this is something that we are working on and studying. But it is not something that we should take lightly. Beyond that, as I have said in my main reply, the review for the P2P sector is not just about this idea of a special category or separate category for private hire cars, nor is it just purely about private hire cars. It is about the P2P services, the industry structure and regulatory framework. It is much broader. It covers the availability, resilience and inclusivity of P2P services, and how our rules and regulations should change to meet the needs of commuters and drivers.”
“The ongoing review of the point-to-point (P2P) industry structure and regulatory framework covers the availability, resilience and inclusivity of P2P services. As part of the review, we have been engaging the tripartite partners, as well as commuters and drivers. We target to complete the review by the second half of 2024.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. We understand the concerns and in fact, that is the reason why we have been engaging the taxi operators as well as the NTA drivers to look at how we can minimise downtime for the taxi drivers. For the taxi operators, some of them are planning to dovetail the new OBU installation with the regular taxi maintenance servicing schedule, so as to reduce the need to go to the workshop another time and hence, minimise the downtime for the taxi drivers. Some other taxi operators are planning to recall the taxis for the new OBU installation on days when the workshops are free. Again, that will help to minimise downtime because it will minimise wait time at the workshop. The time taken to install the OBU depends on the vehicle type and make or model of the vehicle. So, it will vary. The workshop will give an estimate of the duration of the installation time required when the driver makes the installation appointment and after they have assessed the vehicle type or model. As I have said in my main reply, the taxi operators have agreed to compensate the taxi drivers for the downtime incurred in the form of rental rebate to offset the downtime. For the private hire cars, which are either leased from the rental companies or they may be individually owned, we will be commencing installation of the OBU later. And we will, in the same vein, engage the relevant stakeholders – whether it is the ride hail operators or the drivers' association – and look at issues, including ways to minimise the downtime for them.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been engaging taxi operators and the National Taxi Association (NTA) on plans for the installation of the new On-Board Unit (OBU) in taxis. All taxi operators have agreed to compensate taxi drivers for the downtime incurred during the installation of the new OBU. Private hire cars, which are either leased from car rental companies or owned by drivers themselves, will be scheduled for the OBU installation later. LTA will engage the relevant stakeholders closer to the scheduled period.”
“LTA will closely monitor the developments of this issue and subsequently, if we do find any affected vehicles and if they are identified, we will work with the Toyota Motor Asia Pacific as well as the relevant authorised motor dealers for the necessary follow-up actions. The follow-up actions will be that these dealers and importers are mandated under law to notify us, LTA, as well as the affected owners and then take the necessary steps to rectify the defects. The vehicle owners can also check our OneMotoring website because we maintain an electronic vehicle recall system and the vehicle owners can check if their vehicles are affected under this system. If so, they will also be updated on the progress of the rectification works. This is also mandated by LTA that the dealers have to update the rectification works progress. In addition, OneMotoring also has a report of all the recalls submitted over the last six months.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. First, let me say that this issue first surfaced in April 2023 when Daihatsu, a unit of Toyota, made a public announcement regarding procedural irregularities, firstly, to pass certification tests. This consisted of unapproved modification of door trim for side collision tests and using passengers side data as driver side data for pole-collision tests. An independent third-party committee was then commissioned by Daihatsu in May last year to investigate these irregularities. The committee, as the Member has noted, identified 64 vehicle models, which included the Daihatsu models as well as models produced by Daihatsu but supplied as OEM models to Toyota, Mazda and Subaru, and sold as the respective makes. Three engines, including those that had already been discontinued were affected. But, as mentioned in my reply, the LTA checked and there was no vehicle registered in Singapore that fall within the affected chassis range reported in the recall of these vehicles. In fact, what happened was Daihatsu and Toyota followed up an initiated recall for their Cast and Pixis Joy models in January this year. Beyond just checking our vehicle register, we reached out to Toyota Motor Asia Pacific as well as their authorised motor dealers for the various mix to confirm that they have not sold any of these affected vehicles to date. So, as it is, there is no cause for concern in this respect. But regardless, what is important is for the owners to maintain their vehicles regularly and then consult the dealers if they notice any safety issues. As the Member has rightly pointed out, in future, this is an evolving issue over time.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is aware of the admitted falsification of crash test results by a Japanese vehicle manufacturer – Daihatsu – and has taken action to identify whether any of the affected cars are sold and driven in Singapore. First, LTA cross-checked against its vehicle records and found that none of the affected vehicles, based on the published chassis numbers by the vehicle manufacturer, have been registered in Singapore to date. Second, the relevant motor dealers have confirmed that they did not sell any of the affected vehicles.”
“Since 2019, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has allowed taxi and private hire car drivers to install passenger-facing video recorders with audio functions in their vehicles, with prior permission from LTA, and only at LTA-authorised installation centres. To protect passengers' privacy and guard against misuse, recordings made by these devices can only be accessed for investigation and enforcement purposes, such as in fare-related disputes and by authorised Government personnel and LTA-authorised persons only. They must also be stored securely. Vehicles with such devices must be affixed with a notice to inform passengers and passengers must also be informed by operators should such a vehicle be matched to them. This is to give passengers a choice on whether they wish to take a vehicle equipped with such a recording device. Taxi and private hire car drivers may not install and use unauthorised recording devices, such as their personal mobile phones, to record audio and/or video within their vehicles. We encourage both point-to-point (P2P) drivers and commuters to treat each other with respect and act graciously when providing or using P2P services. In cases where drivers have been harassed by passengers who have used recording devices and shared these recordings online without the drivers' consent, drivers may seek recourse, including under the Protection from Harassment Act.”
“It is also crucial to ensure that there are strict safeguards for data collection and storage. The OBU has been designed with robust security measures and tested extensively to ensure that it can handle real-time charging transactions and data securely. Data stored in the OBU cannot be directly accessed by motorists or external mobile applications and are designed to be tamper-proof, with a high level of security and encryption. The OBU is also designed for one-way communication to ensure better security. Therefore, while the OBU can broadcast data, it is not designed to receive data or instructions from an external mobile application. For the second function, to allow the smartphone to process the ERP transactions, motorists will have to start their mobile apps, key in their passcode or use biometric authentication to enable ERP charging each and every time they travel. This is inconvenient to motorists and some may inevitably forget to start their mobile apps for the ERP. For the third function, LTA has taken on board earlier feedback and a mobile interface has since been developed, allowing motorists to opt out of installing the accompanying touchscreen of the OBU and use their smartphones for information display. 12.04 pm”
“Ms He Ting Ru asked whether our considerations on data usage had been updated. Our reply to her on this issue in 2020 remains valid. To reiterate, there are strict safeguards in place to govern the collection, usage and storage of data. For instance, LTA will only use anonymised or aggregated data for traffic management and transport planning purposes. For vehicle-specific data, LTA will only use it for payment, charges and enforcement, such as against non-payment of ERP charges. LTA also adheres to Government-wide standards for data security, including strict guidelines on data sharing with other Government agencies. Robust safeguards are in place to prevent unauthorised access. There are also criminal penalties for unauthorised disclosure and improper use of information. The Ministry of Home Affairs is replying to a separate Parliamentary Question on the use of ERP 2.0 data by the Singapore Police Force and intelligence agencies. Mr Yip Hon Weng also asked if LTA had access if the ERP 2.0 system could be wholly replaced using a smartphone. The OBU has three key functions. First, to identify the vehicle's location and communicate with the ERP system. Second, to process transactions in real time safely and securely. Third, to notify motorists on the ERP charge and other key traffic information. For the first function, the precision of smartphone location data can vary across different devices and increases the risk of erroneous charging. As a common and trusted standard issue device for all Singapore-registered vehicles, the OBU can better ensure reliability and performance and reduce significant downstream operational challenges, such as disputes regarding charging inaccuracies.”
“There will be signages which demarcate the points at which ERP will be charged and the OBU will provide an alert when the vehicle approaches an ERP-charging location and indicate the relevant charges. For motorists who choose not to install the OBU screen, this information will be made available through compatible mobile applications on smartphones. Information on ERP charged locations and ERP rates will also be announced and made available publicly on the OneMotoring website, which is similar to the current practice. Mr Lim Biow Chuan also asked whether the OBU will be aligned to the car park payment options. The short answer is yes. The OBU is designed to work with existing systems, including ERP and Electronic Parking System carparks. Motorists can continue to pay via valid Contactless e-Purse Application (CEPAS) cards such as EZ-Link Motoring Card, NETS Flashpay and NETS Motoring Card, but not cash cards, as these are being phased out. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked on the comparative costs between the IU and OBU. For all eligible existing Singapore-registered vehicles, the OBU will be installed free of charge if completed within the two-month period stated in LTA's notification. It will also come with a five-year warranty. All new vehicles purchased from first quarter of next year will be fitted with the new OBUs. The costs of the new OBU are being finalised and will be announced in due course. Mr Louis Chua asked when does the Government intend to commence the implementation of distance-based charging. LTA has no immediate plans to introduce distance-based charging. Distance-based charging is a different approach for congestion management and any plans to implement it must take many factors into consideration.”
“Thank you, Sir. The current Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system has served us well for 25 years, since 1998, in mitigating traffic congestion and keeping traffic smooth along key roads. However, it is reaching the end of its operational lifespan. Obsolete parts in the gantries as well as the existing in-vehicle unit (IU) would require customised production or the use of less reliable substitutes which could affect the effectiveness and reliability of the system. Running such an ageing system will not be cost effective. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had assessed that it is less costly to replace the current ERP system with ERP 2.0 based on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology, compared to extending the existing system. The new system allows LTA to be more agile in managing congestion. LTA will have valuable insights into our traffic conditions to make quicker interventions without the need to build costly physical gantries in land-scarce Singapore. ERP 2.0 is planned with long-term use in mind. The system architecture is based on open standards and a modular design, which will allow for future upgrades, that will help keep ERP 2.0 relevant and up-to-date. Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked how motorists would be aware of ERP charges with the new on-board unit (OBU). Under ERP 1.0, the charge is displayed on the IU when the vehicle crosses the gantry. During the transition from ERP 1.0 to ERP 2.0, when the new OBUs are being progressively installed, there will be no change to how motorists will be charged as charging will continue to be carried out by the gantries. When the transition to ERP 2.0 is completed, charging will be carried out through GNSS as the physical gantries are progressively decommissioned.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 55 to 58 on today's Order Paper?”
“First, let me say that water-intensive industries or large users or consumers of water do not necessarily use water inefficiently. It may be because of the nature of the industry and the processes needed, like our wafer fabrication factories for instance, where water is needed. But it does not mean that they are not using water efficiently. Having said that, indeed, we continue to work with the industries. The mix of industries is something that the economic agencies, together with us, will have to continue to study. In addition to that, within each industry, PUB also works with them to look at how we can help them to improve their water efficiency, as well as, where it is possible, to recycle water as much as possible. That is why for new projects in wafer fabrication, we are mandating 50% minimum water recycling requirements next year. And for the other industries, we will continue to work with them and see what we can do, in terms of technologies and projects. And that is also the reason why our Water Efficiency Fund funding cap has gone up to $5 million.”
“But if we look at the revenue, the net income generated, whatever is generated, is actually ploughed back, reinvested, to fund the operating expenditure of the water system and, as I have said, in terms of ongoing investments, as well as additional investments. In fact, it is not enough. By way of illustration, if you accrue the net income after Government grants for fiscal years 2018 to 2022, it is $1.5 billion. Some people talk about $2.4 billion and so on, of net surplus. Between 2018 and 2022, it is $1.5 billion, but that is really needed, as I have said, to fund the operating expenditure as well as investments. But it is not enough. In fact, the capital investments required then to meet future demand was $3 billion. Therefore, PUB has had to, in addition, borrow from the market and issue bonds. For instance, last year, in 2022, we issued $800 million in green bonds. We borrowed from the market for long-term infrastructure projects. So, there is no profit; everything is actually reinvested or used. With regard to whether it is better to use water efficiency features to incentivise water conservation efforts instead of the water conservation tax, first of all, the water conservation tax, is a tax, as the Member has rightly noted, to reflect the scarcity value as well as to incentivise consumers to use water wisely. But the water tariff, together with the water conservation tax, is actually part of the price of water, which reflects the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water. So, it is actually part of the water price. Then, the waterborne tax is a tax contribution to the used water system. Speaker, maybe I would just add, too – because I did not reply to water efficiency features – I would say that both are needed.”
“With regard to the first question about the earlier increase of 30% in 2017 and the current increase of 18%, as I have explained earlier in my reply, the latest revision in water price which would actually only take effect from 1 April 2024 and not now – is really due to external cost pressures. And I have listed the increase in costs: due to electricity cost, which increased by 37%, and construction cost which increased by 35%. The electricity cost increase is just from tariff increase. Actual increases could be higher, depending on when we contracted our energy contracts and so on. And then, there are maintenance cost increases due to increased manpower as well as chemical costs. So, that is the reason why the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water has exceeded our current water price and there is a need to have a price revision in order to ensure that PUB can continue to sustainably cover its operating costs as well as continue to make investments in water infrastructure to ensure reliable water supply as well as water security. And we will continue to review our water price regularly, taking into account, of course, costs and other factors. The Member was talking about profits. Let me clarify that, actually, if we look at the financial statements of PUB, in 2020, net operating income was positive, $10 million. But in FY2021, net operating income, before Government grants, was negative $109 million and it has actually widened to negative $264 million. After Government grants, it has become positive.”
“With regard to the Member's second question on whether the cost of producing water, say, from the local catchment has been fully priced, as I have said, the price of water is pegged to the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water. And to ensure water security, we have a blend of water, not just from local catchment, imported water, but also desalinated and NEWater. That has to be taken into account. When I say the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water, as I have said, we also take into account long-term investments to meet future water demand and that will take into account the fact that water demand will increase and we will have to invest in additional capacities.”
“With regard to right pricing, first, I am happy to note that the Member said that he agrees with us that we need to right price water. But perhaps the Member's concept would differ from what we mean by "right pricing". When we say "right pricing", we mean we want to reflect the scarcity value of water, that every drop of water is precious and, therefore, the price of water is pegged to the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water. And that will also take into account investments in additional facilities, additional water infrastructure, as well as renewing existing water infrastructure. As to the Member's question about tiered pricing – I think that is what the Member is saying – beyond the threshold of 40 cubic metres and above, as I have said, when we say "right price" water, we want to reflect the scarcity value of water, that water is precious from the very first drop. So, in order to do that and encourage consumers to save water and use water wisely, we need to price it properly. And that is the price of the next drop, the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water. Therefore, everybody, whether it is individuals, households, businesses and communities, ought to pay the right price for water and that is why we do not have additional bands. Having said that, an average household uses about 15 cubic metres of water monthly. For a four-person household, it is maybe about 18 cubic metres. We have a higher tariff for those who use above 40 cubic metres. The percentage of households that would be affected by this higher tariff is less than 4%. The higher tariff is in place to encourage and incentivise households to use water wisely and conserve water.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. First, let me also say that in addition to the fact that three-quarters of households will see a less than $10 per month increase in their utility bills without the U-Save rebate by 2025, actually 75% or three-quarters of businesses will also see a less than $25 per month increase in their utility bills as a result of the price revision. Obviously, it varies from business to business and it will impact the more water-intensive industries more. But in that sense, for the water-intensive users, companies that use more water, it is to their benefit and they are incentivised to look into water conservation projects and improve their water efficiency. Therefore, we have upped our Water Efficiency Fund in order for them to implement such water recycling projects. In fact, from next year, there will be mandatory water recycling requirements, say, for wafer fabrication plants, a minimum 50% water recycling rate and, for the biomedical and electronics industries, specific waterwaste streams must be recycled. In addition to that, as the Member has said, there will probably be some existing infrastructure. Indeed, the Water Efficiency Fund is also available for innovative technologies to be implemented, for instance, in order to conserve or save water usage as well as, of course, to audit and identify where else there are opportunities for water savings.”
“Besides right-pricing water to safeguard our water security, it is also important that we manage the growth in our water demand. This is especially so in the non-domestic sector, which will account for about two-thirds of our water demand by 2065. Ms Poh Li San asked about water recycling requirements for companies which are large water users and Government support for them. From January next year, PUB will mandate minimum water efficiency requirements on new projects in water-intensive industries, with high potential for water recycling. By recycling water, companies can recover the cost of their investments over time and enjoy cost savings in the longer term through reduced water usage. Based on our estimates, the payback period for installing such recycling infrastructure ranges from two to four years for wafer fabrication companies and less than one year for the electronics and biomedical companies. To better support businesses, PUB has also recently enhanced its Water Efficiency Fund, which businesses can tap on to implement water recycling, adopt innovative technologies for water conservation and conduct studies to identify water-saving opportunities in their operations. This includes an increased funding cap of up to $5 million to support large-scale recycling projects in water-intensive industries. PUB also works with businesses with high water consumption to identify ways to reduce consumption through their Water Efficiency Management Plans, or WEMP. Everyone – individuals, households, community and businesses – has a part to play in conserving and using water wisely. With right pricing and sustainable growth in water demand, we can continue to ensure a sustainable water system and safeguard water security for Singapore.”
“TWRP will also generate 80% of the energy it requires for used water treatment, compared to only 25% for the conventional Ulu Pandan and Jurong WRPs it will replace, through enhanced primary treatment of used water and synergies from co-locating with the Integrated Waste Management Facility. Despite such cost-saving measures, the cost of producing and supplying water, and collecting and treating our used water, remains significantly higher than the current water price. An increase in water price is thus necessary to catch up with rising costs. This is why the Government has announced the revision of water price by 50 cents per cubic metre in two phases, over 2024 and 2025, with a smaller increase in the first phase after due consideration for the current inflationary pressures. The Government will continue to review the water price regularly to ensure that water is right-priced. With the full increase in water price by 2025, three-quarters of households will see an increase of less than $10 per month in their water bill. As announced by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) last week, the Government will provide financial support to mitigate the impact of the water price increase and other cost of living concerns, especially for lower- and middle-income households. This includes additional U-Save rebates of $20 per quarter in 2024 and 2025 for all Singaporean HDB households. The additional rebates will, on average, fully offset the increase in utility bills for 1- to 2-room HDB households and offset about 80% of the increase in utility bills for 3- to 4-room HDB households during this period. With these rebates, 3- and 4-room households will see increases of only about $2 per month in their utility bills.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. In Singapore, the water price is pegged to the cost of producing and supplying the next drop of water. This includes the cost of building and upgrading water infrastructure. Pricing water on this basis allows the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore's national water agency, to finance its long-term investments sustainably to meet future water demand and safeguard Singapore’s water security. The cost of producing and supplying water has increased substantially since the last price revision in 2017. Average electricity tariffs have increased by 37%. Operating expenses for chemicals needed for water production have grown by 33% due to global supply chain disruption and higher transportation cost. Maintenance expenses have risen by 18% due to higher costs for contracted services. Construction costs have also gone up by 35%. Together, these cost pressures have led to an increase in PUB’s operating expenditure by around 30% since the last water price revision in 2017. PUB has undertaken various measures to moderate the impact of these cost drivers. These include leveraging energy-efficient technologies to reduce energy consumption, harnessing engineering solutions to offset higher construction costs and optimising and digitalising processes to reduce chemical and maintenance expenses. PUB’s efforts have borne some fruit. For example, at the new Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP), PUB avoided the construction of a long deep-sea outfall costing $650 million by adopting membrane bio-reactor technology to treat used water to an adequate standard for near-shore discharge.”
“Let me say that it is part of a suite of measures. So, basically, you cannot strip one out from the other. But having said that, the low number is an indication, a suggestion, that it remains useful and relevant. But we continue to monitor the various policies we have to counter COE speculation.”
“I am also aware that the Member has an appeal case on this. Indeed, we have told the appellant that there is this route that she could take, by transferring it to the registered motorcar dealer. We do have some 2,000 of these registered motorcar dealers. And our advice would usually be that they should approach CaseTrust- Singapore Vehicle Traders Association-accredited dealers for such an option. Most of them would be registered.”