Baey Yam Keng
Singapore
“Our next generation will have far greater opportunities to make their mark here. The Government will also guide them into the transport sector through scholarships, training and career development pathways, so that they can put their talents to good use and contribute to society.”
“I would say that the greening of bus stop roofs may not be something that is practical across all bus stops. I do not have the exact figures, but I am sure we must have tens of thousands of bus stops in Singapore. So, there is a cost element.”
“Based on earlier trials conducted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), fans have a limited impact on the ambient temperature in an exposed bus stop environment. Commuter feedback from the trials was also unfavourable. Most bus stops are also shaded by surrounding buildings and trees, reducing the effectiveness of solar installations.”
“Certainly. Members would remember that over the years and decades, our bus stop designs have evolved. We have to take into consideration various factors, not just the comfort of commuters who are waiting there but also the practicality of sighting of buses coming ahead as well as maintenance, safety and different factors like that.”
“I thank Ms Gho for her concern for the arts and the artists. Indeed, it is part of our commitment to provide affordable, accessible spaces for artists and arts groups. We have announced last year that we are doing a study on how the arts spaces provision can be better improved and the study is ongoing.”
“Speaker, the median and maximum waiting time for pedestrians at signalised junctions are 120 seconds and 140 seconds respectively. Wait times for pedestrians depend on the nature of road, junction size and configuration, as well as prevailing traffic volume.”
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“I want to hear about what moves them and what they want for Singapore. I hope to share with more of them that they are in a good position to make a difference for Singapore and that the future is theirs to own. I hope to do so through more informal ways, including more kayaking or abseiling, if necessary. Over the last few years, as a Member of Parliament, I have found it useful to create such relatively informal channels to reach out to Singaporeans, through face-to-face conversations, social media and even exercising. Madam, since General Elections (GE) 2011, I have been holding monthly "KopiTalks" in a food court and online chats through my Facebook account. It is a way to connect with my residents in Tampines and the public at large. During these informal sessions, my residents raise questions as well as give feedback on improvements for the constituency. We also talk about ways to manage issues, from noisy neighbours to national topics like whether there should be free parking at national parks, which the Senior Minister of State talked about just now. It is all very casual and free-flowing. But from these regular check-ins with my residents, and even some non-residents, I get a good sense of what concerns them. What I have observed, over the last few years of such engagements is that Singaporeans are moving away from just giving feedback or complaints. Increasingly, I see offers to get involved, for example, the Hope Centre's monthly bread distribution to rental flat residents in Tampines North which started last year. Hope Centre and Tampines North grassroots organisations are now discussing and planning for a new free tuition service for children of needy families.”
“The run-away successes of Kickstarter, Uber and AirBnB for instance are not solely because of the technology or the products they offer. They manage to effectively match demand with supply and vice versa. Their apps bring people together for a mutually-beneficial outcome and their apps make it easy for people to see what is out there, seize it and achieve a better outcome for themselves. In the same way, SGfuture harnesses the wisdom of crowds. This idea of co-creating with the people is not entirely new. But SG50 has given us a renewed sense that Singaporeans want to be involved. This democracy of deeds will therefore be an integral part of this term of Government. This also means within the Government, public agencies will need to reorganise ourselves, in order to effectively involve and engage Singaporeans. The SGfuture engagements give a glimpse into how we are intending to do so by matching ideas with action and people with projects. As Members of the House, we also need to do more engagement with our residents, whether is it to decide on what to build and where to build in estate upgrading projects. Madam, one of the groups that I hope to involve closely in this, is our youths. They are vocal, energetic and teeming with ideas. I know many of them want to be involved in shaping the Singapore they hope to live in. I have been hearing from more of them since taking up my appointment at MCCY. Recently, I spent a day at Outward Bound Singapore on Pulau Ubin kayaking and abseiling with students from Bartley Secondary School and Tanjong Katong Girls' School. As I think about the time we spent together that day, I was encouraged by the display of teamwork and resilience in our youths. I hope to be able to catch up with more young Singaporeans in the coming months.”
“These are focused engagement sessions, aimed at looking into specific topics, including the arts, sports, volunteerism, environment and even hawker food culture. These are not just discussions, but brainstorm sessions to establish the next steps on matters that concern us. I attended one of the sessions last Thursday with over 70 youths. Their enthusiasm was infectious. Ideas came fast and furious, on ways to help other segments of society. For instance, one participant had the idea of building public gyms for people with special needs. Another suggested having retro disco parties for the elderly in the void decks of housing blocks. There are all ideas worth pursuing, so I encouraged them to take it further and, if necessary, consider how they can partner the relevant Government agencies and other organisations to turn these ideas into reality. Madam, I believe we have all seen on reality TV shows, how it is not just the celebrities, but also ordinary people who shape the plot and attract viewership. Not everyone can be on the show. But there is a role for the audience to play in deciding who gets to go, who gets to stay and who finally wins the contest. Hence, we should not sit passively to watch the Singapore Story unfold. Take part in one of the SGfuture sessions, or get involved in other forums that exist. We should take an interest in following the developments and better still, play a part in shaping the Singapore we want for our future generations. We have all seen the power and effectiveness of collective wisdom. Crowd-sourcing and crowd-funding, for instance, are concepts that have fuelled opportunities for many people and businesses.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion to thank the President for his Address. In his Address, the President highlighted the need for the Government to partner citizens to shape our common future. He also urged all Members to work closely with the people to write the next chapter together. We must and we shall. As a more diverse society emerges and with a more complex global environment to navigate, we should put our heads together, to take things forward as one people. Madam, in 2012, we held Our Singapore Conversation to listen to what mattered most to Singaporeans. We heard from some 47,000 Singaporeans, expressing views on matters concerning our livelihood, such as job opportunities and housing. We also heard calls for a more fulfilling pace of life, where we can pursue other aspirations outside of work. There was also interest among many to forge a stronger sense of a national identity and these are all important, and have guided the Government's work in the last few years. This is still work-in-progress. But we need to adapt how we, as Singaporeans, want Singapore to be run, with the new challenges we face. And as it is evolving quicker than ever, we need everyone to chip in, to make it work for all of us. As Minister Grace Fu said last week, we need all hands on deck to face the challenges ahead. It is time to take action. We want to build a democracy of deeds, where Singaporeans have a greater sense of ownership, responsibility and a greater connection to what it means to be Singaporean. That is the premise behind the SGfuture engagements launched last November. It is an opportunity for Singaporeans to come forward to share their views and suggestions on how to build a better future for Singapore.”
“Therefore, we felt that it is something that happens in real life and the play deserves to be staged, and also based on the feedback of ACP. But we wanted a post-show dialogue so that the audience would understand exactly what was the intent of the director. So, we will learn from this. Where we think we can be flexible, we will try, but we will have to decide based on the code that we have in place and ACP's views.”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Minister, in this case, was an R18 rating, with a post-show dialogue, considered a more onerous requirement on the producer or the play? Or is it a concession given? Otherwise, without that, the play would not be allowed to be staged in Singapore. And drawing from experience, were there any learning points using this approach with the "Chronology on Death"? Was there any adverse reaction from the public or audience? And is this the first time ever that this approach was used in Singapore and under what other conditions would the Ministry consider replicating this for other performances in Singapore? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Madam, to the last question, this is not the first time. We have had two shows before where we felt that they deserved a higher rating and yet at the same time a post-show dialogue would help to explain some of the sensitive points in the play. And in the instance of this play, from the report that I have from my officers, the discussion went on very smoothly and the director took time to explain why he decided to use such a theme for his play. In terms of the learning points, going forward, what we want to continue to do is to explore what other sort of flexibility we can allow but keeping within the classification code. In fact, the R18 rating does not call for post-show dialogue; it was a decision by MDA. Based on the content, we think it may require a bit of explanation. As I mentioned in my reply, anything that crosses the code, we will not allow it, especially when it denigrates religion, language and race. But in this instance, there were certain sensitivities involved, conversion and death.”
“Madam, I note the Ministry's approach to also welcome or encourage mental patients who do not need inpatient care to be integrated back into the community and to build the infrastructure to help them. But there will be patients, while they do not need inpatient care, may not be socially acceptable by the community or may not be able to keep jobs and appointments. Therefore, this would cause a strain on themselves as well as their family members. Is MOH able to give a more supportive or definitive sort of endorsement of patients' mental condition so that it gives them better access to assistance from the Government, which could be financial assistance, public housing or rental housing, for example?”
“I would like to urge the Parliamentary Secretary or the Ministry to consider, for those who have not bought any Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, the overflow savings perhaps allow for them to be flowed into their OA, so that they can use it to buy the flat. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member for the suggestion. As we move along our journey in developing Singapore, we always look at how we can refine the process and help each Singaporean to see how they can facilitate the process of buying a house and not forgetting to look at how retirement adequacy will be enhanced over the years. However, if Members have any residents who have issues that they strongly feel that we can help with and where we can make exceptional cases, I urge them to write to CPF Board or the Ministry concerned.”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he could elaborate on how CPF LIFE contributes towards MediSave and how will members benefit from that. And whether the Ministry will consider allowing members to continue putting money into the MA beyond the new BHS and then also to allow greater flexibility for these excess savings to be used by members for their own needs or for their families' healthcare needs. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Essentially, when a member receives the CPF LIFE amount, that additional money can be used for the healthcare needs as well. This is separate from the MediSave amount. With regard to BHS, it has a longer run compared to what we have today, so it is a refinement of MCC. This is in view of the current process where people are working longer. As such, this will provide more adequacy for Singaporeans. Page: 18 The Member gave a suggestion relating to the issue of overflows. We have to take into account the retirement adequacy of Singaporeans, which is important. One thing we can assure is that, in exceptional cases, if there are Singaporeans who need help, as I had mentioned earlier about reversal of MediSave, we will consider that and we will do it on a case-by-case basis. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Madam, I have a resident who is 35 years old, self-employed and his MediSave has reached the ceiling. He is appealing to have an overflow of MediSave into his Ordinary Account (OA) so that he can use it to buy his first flat. However, the appeal has been turned down.”
“Mdm Speaker. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State about the trials. We are trying to solve the issue of very few benefiting units, which cannot afford the cost, but why do we have these trials in commercial buildings or car parks where they are public areas and probably experience heavier usage? So, my question is whether the assessment would be equitable in an HDB housing setting. Second, I hear that the cost would be something that will be more favourable. May I know with these two new systems, what is the minimum number of benefiting units that can justify the cost? Lastly – among the 200 blocks in Singapore which do not have LUP, do they include blocks where most parts of the units have lifts but, due to segmentation, some units are not benefiting from those? I have a few in my area. Will these units be eligible and considered for this new LUP if these trials are successful?”
“Thank you, Madam. I would like to ask the Minister of State questions in three areas. First, he talked about the briefing sessions that HDB holds for DBSS developers about experience from past DBSS projects. May I ask, is there advisory given based on years of public housing experience that HDB has in terms of good design, so that the DBSS developers can refer to at the planning stage? Does HDB endorse, or is HDB even informed or briefed on the design before the project launch by the developer? So, this is question one. The second question is about the statistics about the reported defects. The Minister of State has shared about BTO projects. Are there similar statistics about the defects received by the DBSS BSCs over these 13 projects? And is that a trend that reflects flat quality or is it just a matter of changing buyer expectations? Is there a CONQUAS score for DBSS projects as well, on top of what the Minister of State shared for BTO projects? My last question is about HDB's role. If buyers have questions whether the DBSS developers have met the standards set by the various authorities, can HDB help to check and advise the buyers accordingly, or do we expect the buyers to pursue the matter at their own time, own effort and own cost?”
“I would like to ask the Minister of State, given the profile of the CHAS members and PG members, checking the website or even calling the hotline may not be something that is very accessible or something that they are used to. Is it possible, to minimise wastage or a lot of admin work, for the Ministry to provide yearly updates, consolidated accounts of the subsidy the members have enjoyed and the treatments that have been taken, so that they are kept abreast of what subsidy they have? And in the other scenario where there are general practitioners (GPs) who put in bogus additional treatments on top of a genuine consultation, for example, there needs to be a better way to check against this and prevent abuse of the two schemes.”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Minister to clarify, because I was looking at section 19 of the Rapid Transit Systems (RTS) Act. The penalty is up to $1 million or 10% of its annual fare revenue of a rail line. Does that refer to a particular line that has suffered some breakdown or disruption or the rail revenue for all rail operations under the PTO?”
“Madam, I have three questions as follow-up. First, looking at the past few years of financial figures for SMRT, we note that the revenues and earnings of SMRT, fare-based vs non fare-based, have shown a greater discrepancy. There are more profits generated from non-fare businesses. So, how does the Government ensure that the management's attention is not distracted, given that other businesses are bringing the company more profitability? The second question is regarding the fines. If we look at the fines imposed on SMRT over the last three years, they constitute about, at most, 2% of the overall profits that the company made. How is the Government able to ensure that this fine amount or the system of penalty is enough to make sure that the fines serve as an adequate deterrent and penalty for the public transport operators (PTOs)? My third question is: in today's Zaobao interview given by the Chief Executive Oficer (CEO) of SMRT, he claimed that the profits from non-fare businesses helped to keep public transport fares low. Is this just a goodwill gesture of the company, or is it featured in the Public Transport Council (PTC)'s assessment of any fare increase proposals by the PTOs? Page: 31 Could this goodwill be mandated as a condition for such PTOs to be allowed to diversify into other businesses so that the public interest of Singaporeans and commuters is protected?”
“I thank the Minister for the answer. I would like to ask: going back to the time when the Singapore telecoms industry was liberalised, the partners in M1 and StarHub did not necessarily have technical backgrounds in the telecoms sector. So, does the same rule apply then and now, in this new licence? I would appreciate it if the Minister could shed more light on this. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Madam, we have to see how the market has evolved and the experience that we have gained. For example, when we invited new entrants for the Page: 29 2013 4G spectrum auction, we had a prequalification phase where we ask the participants to declare their capital structure, financial proposal, technical capabilities and the proposed 4G systems and services, amongst others. Through these criteria, we prequalified them and then invited those prequalified to tender for the spectrum. We are likely to put in similar criteria for the next spectrum auction.”
“I would like to ask the Minister of State whether HDB could work with ECDA, for those in-fill BTO projects, to also consider demand from the existing neighbourhood because the existing facilities may not be suitable or conducive to build childcare or whatever community use purposes and, therefore, the new BTO precinct could possibly make up and compensate for the gap in the neighbourhood.”
“I would like to thank the new Second Minister for Home Affairs for his answer and the efforts to keep Singapore drug-free. I would like to ask the Minister whether such an assessment, based on the track record of the organiser of the festival, has been applied to other applicants for such events related to drug threats. The last Page: 20 question is: would the authority have recommended measures to the organisers to take such steps so that the threats of potential drug use are minimised or prevented?”
“Sure. Thank you. We wish Team Singapore athletes all the best. Last but not least, to wish our Minister Lawrence Wong a very fruitful trip to Bonn and, hopefully, he will bring us back a nice present for Singapore's Golden Jubilee. With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Page: 84 The sum of $1,779,933,200 for Head X ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $930,705,100 for Head X ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Page: 85”
“Thank you, Madam. I would like to thank Minister Yaacob, Minister Lawrence Wong, Minister of State Sam Tan and Parliamentary Secretary Low Yen Ling for sharing the Ministry's plans for the year and years ahead, and also taking time to clarify Members' queries. We are heartened to note that MCCY is not only investing in the "hardware" but also the "software" and "heartware" for Singapore and Singaporeans. I hope the Ministry will also continue to consider the various suggestions made by Members during this debate and incorporate them in its future plans and budgets. I would like to also thank the Permanent Secretary and staff of MCCY and its family for their hard work with the SG50 celebrations and the impending SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games. The staff must be very busy. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge Singaporeans and the public to support the Ministry's efforts in these arenas. Let us be good hosts for SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games —”
“Thank you, Madam. In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Minister of State mentioned that the Government will set aside $25 million to support traditional arts activities in the next five Page: 80 years. I am pleased to know that. I would like to ask the Minister of State what the Government is doing specifically to support local traditional arts. The Minister of State also mentioned that the Stamford Arts Centre will become a traditional arts centre. I know there are also non-traditional arts groups over there, for example, The Theatre Practice and Singapore Broadway Playhouse. Will these groups be relocated?”
“In return, the arts groups and artists can give back to the school by involving the students in their art making and creation process or provide a sneak preview into their art works and productions.”
“Mdm Chair, presently, under the Dual-Use Scheme, the Ministry, in cooperation with MOE, opens up sports facilities in schools for public use after school hours. This is a solution to the problem of our limited land supply. It is a productive and intensive use of a limited property resource. Page: 45 The Minister had shared with the House just two months ago that about half of our existing schools are already operating on this dual-use model and that eventually, all school sports facilities will be opened up to the public. In this year alone, 15 more indoor sports halls and 10 more school fields will join this scheme. Both Ministries have taken this approach even further by designing and building new schools with dual use in mind. I would imagine that appropriate segmentation will enable both convenient access by the public and enhanced security for the students. Besides the need to plan and redesign facilities for segregation, may I ask what are the other challenges faced in expanding the Dual-Use Scheme, with more schools on board? Mdm Chair, I would like to ask the Minister if the Dual-Use Scheme can be extended to include school auditoriums, dance studios and theatres for artists and arts groups. Finding venues for rehearsals is a challenge for many performing groups. Besides community centres, which are already so well-utilised, where else can arts groups go to? Theatre, dance, and musical groups have to compete for limited venues to practise and hone their crafts. As a supplement to arts housing, I urge the Ministry to consider this request to support our fledging amateur arts community.”
“Having access to such professional services will also enable our artists to focus on what they do best, just honing their crafts and delivering the works of inspiration to the public. I know NAC grants already support expenditure in such areas. However, not all artists and arts groups know where to find good service providers. By ring-fencing specific funds to support the engagement of such services, it would also encourage arts community to pay attention in keeping their finances in order, and raising awareness of their artistic works, in addition to their primary focus on arts creation. This will help Singapore arts to flourish further. Profiling Singapore Arts Abroad”
“A capacity of about 1,000 to 1,200 will be a good balance. Page: 36 12.45 pm I would like to ask the Minister if there are any updates on the development of two mid-sized theatres as part of the next phase of development for Esplanade. Since the 2012 report by the Arts and Culture Strategic Review in which the call to build these theatres was made, how much progress has been made in the evaluation? Can the Ministry expedite the plan or are there plans to build additional mid-sized theatres elsewhere? Shared Services for Arts Groups Late last year, MCCY launched "The A List", a new guide to our arts and cultural scene. The website a-list.sg provides details of arts and cultural events and activities island-wide and has features to facilitate online discussions and awareness building. There are also fortnightly issues of The A List magazine which are distributed free of charge islandwide at various locations. This is an excellent way to promote and support the myriad of arts and cultural groups, each of which is too small to publicise on such a scale on their own. Similarly, I would like to ask the Ministry to consider setting up and funding a framework to provide subsidised common shared facilities for our arts and cultural groups. This could be a panel of professional service providers which are familiar with and passionate about the arts. Services required could include financial management, accounting, sponsorship, human resources, publicity, marketing, IT, just to name a few. This consolidation of such operations and the pooling of resources will enable our arts and cultural groups to benefit from lower costs and economies of scale.”
“Mdm Chair, the refurbished Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall are welcomed by artists, arts groups and audiences. Its significance as the premiere performing venue in Singapore is unsurpassed by other newer and more modern purpose-built venues. Personally, I like the preservation of the old seats in the form of an art installation, the new atrium area and the heritage gallery. However, I am disappointed that the capacity of Victoria Theatre has been reduced from 904 to 614. I understand that this adjustment was necessary for better acoustics. However, this means that we now have a high concentration of venues with capacity of up to about 600. We have the small spaces like The Substation Theatre, Arts House Play Den, SOTA Studio Theatre, Esplanade Recital Studio and Drama Centre Blackbox with about 100-200 seats. Next, Raffles Hotel Jubilee Hall, most theatres in the educational institutes like University Cultural Centre, LaSalle, NAFA and SOTA all have about 300-400 seats each. After that, it is the 600-seaters of Drama Centre Theatre and Victoria Theatre. Beyond that, there is a big jump to the 1,600 at RWS Theatre, which is a commercial and producing, not receiving, theatre; and then to the 2,000 seats at the Esplanade Theatre and MBS Theatre. Of course, the biggest of all is the Star Theatre with 5,000 seats. There is a glaring gap between 600 and 1,600. This is the range of capacity our local arts groups are most interested in, especially if it is located in the central area. This is because they offer the right combination of scale and intimacy for many productions. When it is too small, the production cost per seat is usually disproportionately much higher, and when it is too big, most local groups do not have the audience to fill the hall.”
“Without loyalty or love for our nation, Singapore will be no more than a hotel where residents check in and check out freely or, worse still, a Facebook page that one can like and dislike anytime. Page: 156 Hence, I would like to ask the Minister to share what have been the feedback and contributions and what will be done to preserve these icons and institutions that bind Singapore. The jubilee babies born this year will see SG50. Will they celebrate SG50? What will they celebrate? In fact, most of them will see the turn of the next century in 85 years' time. What will Singapore be like in the 22nd century? Will it still be around? Not just physically, but also the culture, spirit and identity of Singapore and Singaporeans. What we do today on the occasion of SG50 will define the future of Singapore. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Strengthening Foundations, Expanding Opportunities Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, our community has a large youth base. They are an asset to our community and if they are nurtured properly, they represent opportunities for us to develop a community of excellence for our future generations. MENDAKI has introduced various education and development programmes for our youths, including its flagship MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and the Youth-in-Action mentorship programme. Given the increase in student participation in the Mendaki Tuition Scheme, I would like to ask the Minister if MENDAKI has plans to expand its facilities or its tuition centres to accommodate this growth in demand. I would also like to know if MENDAKI regularly monitors or reviews the tuition scheme in order to ensure its quality. Pre-school Education in the Malay/Muslim Community”
“It is more about the Singapore society and our identity being immortalised in music and lyrics. It is the passion and pursuit of people with ideas and creativity who took it upon themselves to write their own songs they want to sing, with the voice they want to have. Without any top-down initiative or Government resources, xinyao is rightfully and better celebrated today as a ground-up people's movement. Chairman, the same can be said of getais. They used to be known only as the loud and crass roadside stage shows frequented by uncles and aunties. This is really uniquely Singaporean, not just getais – but the uncles and aunties as well. Today, getais have kept up with the times, with huge LED screens, Facebook pages, Youtube channels and young fans. The Government has also realised that it is a good channel for public communications. It is not just the genre of commentaries, documentaries, news and current affairs programmes in mainstream media that help with public messaging; it is street life, coffee shop talk, what an average Singaporean does every day. It is important that we identify what defines us as Singaporeans. What reaches and touches the mind, heart and soul of Singaporeans and binds Singaporeans to Singapore? It cannot be something we do or evoke a celebratory mood every 50 years, or even every year during National Day. The Government has invited Singaporeans to share their thoughts about SG50. Once we have identified these entities or causes, you need to consider and evaluate how they could be nurtured or supported, and craft future policies to invest in them and promote them.”
“So, the result is that while we do not seem to have anything very distinctive culturally, but what we do have, like Singlish or local hawker food, these are gaining recognition. In fact, what is uniquely Singaporean and deserving of being celebrated? Well, we just celebrated Chinese New Year and had many tossings of yusheng. Yusheng is unique to this part of the world, although there are claims that the modern version of this dish originated in Malaysia. The controversy over the origins of our many hawker food dishes has also not been resolved. Is it Malaysia, is it Singapore? Will it ever be resolved? Is it necessary? Our histories are intertwined, so are our cultures and food. That is why it is the easiest for a Page: 155 Malaysian to integrate into Singapore society. When there is negative feedback on foreigners in Singapore, it is very rarely about Malaysians. When it was announced that the dragon playground in Toa Payoh will be preserved, people celebrate. It is not the children who celebrate, as the children of today prefer the modern playground with more sophisticated features or maybe electronic games. It is the children of yesteryears who celebrate the retention of their past in physical form, and not just in memories. When the Prime Minister sang 细水长流 at his National Day Rally last year, it fuelled a stronger interest in "xinyao". When the ban was lifted for 麻雀衔竹枝, a xinyao song with dialect lyrics, people celebrated. The unofficial xinyao concert at Bras Basah Complex last year drew thousands of fans who braved the rain and celebrated xinyao. The revival of xinyao, perhaps even with a vengeance, reminded us that xinyao is not just about songs written and performed by young people in the 1980s.”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head X of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Chairman, every anniversary is an opportunity for celebration and reflection. A golden jubilee is special. Fifty years of Independence for a small country is even more special. Hence, the Government is putting a lot of efforts into our SG50 celebrations. It so happens that the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will be back in Singapore after 22 years. This will be an important and memorable part of our celebrations. I would like to ask the Minister for more details about the SEA Games and updates on our SG50 celebrations. With so many events lined up for SG50, it is natural for Singaporeans to be swept up in the mood of celebration and even waves of patriotism. The question is: can we sustain the impact of SG50 and channel these positive energies into building a stronger, more united Singapore for the next 50 years? For citizens of countries with longer histories, feelings of patriotism come naturally. For many, their national identities are tied up with their racial and cultural identities. Take our neighbouring countries, for example. The Malaysians, Indonesians, Filipinos, Thais, Chinese, Indians, Japanese, Koreans – it is a long list. Regardless of the state of their nations, "in sickness and in health" as they say in wedding vows, citizens of these countries are loyal to and strongly protective of their motherlands. I hope we have reached the same state of loyalty and unity among our people in half a century of nation-building. Many of us being descendants of immigrants, some of mixed parentage, our racial and cultural identities are actually quite distinct. Yet, we embrace and accept all as being part of Singaporean.”
“Next, it is important that our Government supports translators who choose to join the Civil Service with attractive career paths and salaries. In addition, when procuring such services, where appropriate, there should be a good framework to demand, respect and pay for professional translation services. The Civil Service should take the lead in demonstrating our commitment to maintaining high standards in this field. So, I would like to ask the Ministry how it intends to do so. Madam, our four national languages – English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil – are major languages in the world. We have close links to regional economic powerhouses which use these languages. Not only should we raise the level of our current expertise, we should also explore niche areas, such as Chinese-Malay translation services. Page: 26 While it is true that the majority of commercial clients may focus on the price and speed of translation services and treat it as a commodity, the bigger corporations will not take such a risk and would demand quality work. We should focus on this segment of the market and avoid competing with cheap translation services offshore.”
“Page: 25 According to research firm Common Sense Advisory, Singapore's language service providers (LSPs) earn most of their revenue from finance, insurance, wholesale and retail trade. Their main clients are multinational corporations and Government agencies. The clientele profile is not surprising as the standard of translation required for Government work and businesses is expected to be higher. Although there have been quite a number of glaring and humiliating mistranslations by some Government agencies in recent years which I had spoken about in this House, most of the translated materials are of an acceptable standard. I am sure our various Government agencies would have learnt by now that translation is not a job for amateurs, foreign service providers or translation software. Besides terminology unique to each sector and industry, there are also regional differences, national, cultural and contextual nuances which must be taken into account in order to achieve accurate and appropriate translations. While official figures are not available, the Business Times had estimated from local translation companies it researched that this sector has been growing at a high single-digit rate in recent years. The highest demand has been for simplified Chinese-English translations due to "Singapore's strong economic ties with China". We should ride this trend and nurture and upgrade our local translation expertise. I would like to ask the Ministry for an update on the plans to nurture future translators and professionalise the industry through measures, such as accreditation. I would also like to ask if the Ministry could share with this House data on the size and profile of our translation sector.”
“Madam, our National Archives has a rich repository of materials, including audio-visual and sound recordings, Government records, maps and building plans, photographs and posters. Presently, researchers can request to reproduce copies of records, subject to prior approval, I quote, "if this is required from transferring agencies and donors". This is according to the National Archives' website. I would like to ask under what conditions approval would be granted and whether the Government would consider making it easier and cheaper for users to use these materials in artistic endeavours and non-profit, non-commercial projects, especially when the project would help to raise awareness of Singapore's history and promote patriotism. Examples of projects could include short films, memes and use of icons to raise funds for charity. I would like to seek clarification regarding the use of such materials online. For example, when a certain image is uploaded onto a blog or website, would that be permitted? In addition, would the creation of images involving modifications to icons, such as Teamy the Productivity Bee or Singa the Lion, be allowed? Next, is there a time limit after which the copyright on any image or material will expire and be freely available to be used by the public? For example, if a photo had been donated to the Archives by Singapore Press Holdings, would that be free for reproduction after a certain number of years, making it more accessible for the public to make use of these materials? Higher Translation Standards Next cut, on translation. Madam, with increasing globalisation, demand for translation services has been growing steadily at 5% annually worldwide. The global market was valued at US$34.7 billion last year.”
“Madam, we all know what trolls are. Recently, I learned a new term, "broll". It is a meaningful project by a group of NTU students to promote greater civility online. Based on its website, a "broll" is "the bro (brother) who always has your back online. He likes frequently, shares great deals and always comments sensibly" – basically, the opposite of a troll. They even have a broll pledge: Page: 12 "We, the Brolls of the Internet, Pledge ourselves to be responsible netizens, Regardless of channel, platform or medium, To always have our friends' backs, Minimise hate-mongering and share meaningful content, So as to achieve brollgress for our future." Such ground-up initiatives are great. I believe that the Government can also take the lead in terms of promoting and facilitating a harmonious cyber community based on mutual respect, as well as any new measures to counteract increasing polarisation of views. Public discourse is an integral part of democracy. Increasingly, people are engaging online and, the anonymity, while enabling greater freedom of expression and disclosure, has also promoted uncivil behaviour, ranging from rude remarks to vicious, cyberbullying and attacks, sometimes with fatal results. Has the Ministry had the opportunity to study measures and policies in other countries to tackle this problem and, if so, what are the best practices we can adopt for our cyber communities? The younger generation is engaging online not only through their computers but also all kinds of mobile devices and are, thus, particularly vulnerable. I would also like to know more about recent measures to promote cyber wellness among our young and students.”
“Media consumption trends have changed dramatically in the last decade. Besides the regular news, drama, variety, infotainment and documentary Page: 161 in newspapers, on TV or radio, there is a new breed of content gaining traction with consumers, especially the young, for example, SGAG memes and YouTube channels of Wah! Banana, and Night Owl Cinematics. Advancement in technologies such as smart phones and the Internet have enabled consumers to have more control over the range of content, mode and time of delivery. New media content production also requires brainstorming, research, script writing, shooting, editing, graphic design – there is actually a lot of hard work behind the videos and the visuals that are being produced. Whether for mainstream or social media, the same level of creativity is required, although it might be a different form of creativity, with a dose of humour. Given these developments, I would like to ask MCI how it intends to strengthen our media industry's capabilities so that they are kept updated and relevant.”
“So, just 10 minutes a day will not only teach students practical life skills and foster teamwork but also inculcate in them respect and appreciation for manual work. So, Madam, today, where we no longer write on blackboards, we can write duty rosters. While we no longer use chalk dusters, we can put cleaning rosters to good use. Promote Social Innovation via CCAs and Values in Action (VIA)”
“Madam, parents hold primary responsibility for building good values in their children. However, they need the support of the community and our schools are an integral part of this community. Schools are where our children spend most of their waking time and also can provide a more systematic framework than the home environment. Page: 61 I would like to make a suggestion how schools can help to build good values in students. But, not to worry, this does not require curriculum development, homework, examinations or extra lesson time. It just takes 10 minutes a day. 2.00 pm When I was in primary and secondary schools, we had duty rosters to sweep the floor, empty the dustbin, clean the windows and clean the blackboard. Members would remember the days when we still used chalk blackboards. To clean the blackboards thoroughly, we had to use a wet cloth so we had to bring rags from home; we had to fetch water in pails and, after cleaning, had to hang the rags to dry. I am not sure if the duty roster practice was a standard one during those years but, today, based on a random check with my own children – three children in three different schools – it is not done consistently. Singaporeans have become used to a "cleaned" city instead of being a clean one. With more children growing up in homes with domestic helpers and our worsening littering problem, I would like to suggest that we emulate the daily cleaning routines in Japanese and Taiwanese schools. There should be a compulsory standard system for all primary and secondary students to be responsible for their own classroom's cleanliness. A roster needs to be drawn up for the different tasks and time be allocated before a lesson for the cleaning duties.”
“And I am also very sure that our friends in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan also would not know the meaning, even if the same characters were said in perfect Mandarin. We have made exceptions for Hong Kong and Taiwanese artistes when they come to Singapore to attend and support our TV charity shows to speak and sing in Cantonese and Hokkien. Let us not just do it for charity. Even as young people like Ken do not understand dialects well – and I do not think they ever will – there are many elderly and Pioneer Generation Singaporeans who are still very attached to our dialects. I hope that we can be slightly more flexible in our language policy implementation when it is about our own movies, about Singapore's own culture and sense of belonging. Just as what we did – we used dialects to communicate better on the Pioneer Generation Package – it is also befitting that on the occasion of SG50, let us have the courage and confidence to celebrate the diversity and heritage of Singapore culture and what truly defines and binds us. I would like to end with an appeal to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance to consider allotting a greater portion of our future Budgets to develop our cultural segments, our cultural identity or cultural heritage, as they are essential to our national identity. With that, I support the Budget. 1.06 pm”
“It is obvious, at least to me, that the third movie is the best and that Jack Neo has, indeed, improved his story-telling and film-making craft. It was a better plot with better and deeper character development. I also wondered whether I enjoyed the third movie more because I watched it on the big screen in the cinema and not at home where obviously my TV screen is not as big as that in the cinema. But I think one main reason is because the cinema version was not dubbed in perfect Mandarin. The NS boys spoke a combination of English, Mandarin, Malay and Chinese dialects in the movie, just like what one would do in National Service. However, when the films were broadcast on TV, they just spoke English and Mandarin. Page: 31 I can understand and I do support our language policies that there should not be dialects on national TV. While we may lose the authentic flavour and culture, it is important that another Chinese audience from China or Taiwan understands our dubbed Mandarin. In the televised version, there was a scene where the mother, played by Irene Ang, told her son, the main character, Recruit Ken Chow, in Mandarin, "你不可以铁牙". "铁牙" literally means "metal teeth" in Mandarin. So, I thought that Mrs Chow did not want her son to have braces. Ken apparently did not understand his mother and also asked her what she meant. Mrs Chow explained that "铁牙" means "stubborn". She was chiding her son for being stubborn. I suddenly realised that it was actually the Hokkien phrase "Tee Kee". Honestly, it sounded very odd on TV to hear it as "铁牙" in Mandarin. So, well, definitely Recruit Ken Chow did not understand – probably, he also did not understand the Hokkien phrase. But I believe most Singaporeans also took a while to get it, to understand exactly what it means.”
“They Page: 30 are uniquely Singaporean and even foreign visitors find them charming and appealing. We should embrace and support the development of our cultural heritage and icons. In 2012, I spoke about the uniqueness and importance of the getai culture. I am happy to note that over the last few years, the Government and various organisations have been working with getai as a channel of public communications and tapping on getai personalities to spread information like the Pioneer Generation Package. We can do more and in more areas. Outstanding hawkers, for example, can be awarded Singapore's equivalent of Michelin stars and given national honours. We should give our creative talents support and regular platforms to showcase their talent. How do we create another wave of the xinyao movement? How do we develop the next generation of composers, performers and audience to create and appreciate works that reflect the Singapore culture? Countries, such as France and South Korea, punch above their weight on the world stage in terms of cultural influence, thanks to the long-term strategic planning and generous support of their governments for their various cultural pursuits. These countries not only ensure that their national and cultural identities are not overwhelmed and eroded due to the influence of countries with much bigger populations. They even managed to secure economic benefits from their cultural exports and goodwill from other nations. They offer us important and valuable lessons in this area. Madam, recently, I watched the film "Ah Boys to Men 3" at the cinema and also caught "Ah Boys to Men 1" and "Ah Boys to Men 2" again on Channel 8. The genre and content endear to many Singaporeans and only a local director like Jack Neo could tell such a story well.”
“As our society becomes more diversified and perhaps even stratified and the public more articulate and active in civic participation, decision making gets more complicated. So, how is the Government to make sense of all the different views and perspectives? What if the preference of the majority is detriment to society at large, such as the manifestations of not-in-my-backyard syndrome? What happens if the personal values and judgements of key decision makers are in conflict with the other stakeholders? Policies and decisions should not be based on who speaks the loudest, the most frequently or even the most eloquently. The Government must know when to take the lead to shape sentiments and make difficult choices if necessary and when to realise that the landscape has shifted and policies need to reflect changing demographics and worldwide trends. There is a very fine balance between a diversified society where a hundred flowers bloom and a polarised society where people cannot see eye to eye with one another, or with the Government. Certain policies may not be equitable but Singaporeans must be prepared to respect the decisions made and accommodate one another. Without this social contract, it would be very difficult to stay united as a people and build a harmonious nation. Madam, finally, let us also remember that for all the hard-headed decisions and sacrifices we have to make for our motherland, it is the soft power of her sights and sounds, smells and tastes which binds our hearts. Singaporeans overseas, even for a short holiday away from home, would testify that when they are away, what they miss are the tastes of Singapore food and the heart-warming sounds of Singlish. These have become integral components of the Singapore identity.”
“Particularly, extraordinary success in governance. It is not a "nice to have" for us; in fact, it is essential for us in Singapore – the survival of our country. Our Ministries and agencies evaluate themselves against key performance indicators (KPIs). Do we have a set of KPIs for adopting a whole-of-Government approach? If we do, how can we recalibrate or include new indicators to ensure tighter coordination and better cooperation among Government bodies? We would have arrived when we no longer need the Municipal Services Office to clear a fishball stick. We would have arrived when it is not just about building a bridge to connect to a building, but having the mindset to bridge gaps and silo mentalities. We would then be able to tap on the wealth of data and capabilities from our SMART Nation initiative to better integrate planning among Government agencies and not end up Page: 29 hoarding information and expertise. Madam, next, I would like to touch on how the Government is managing feedback and making decisions. Collecting feedback and opinions from stakeholders is an onerous task. First, we have administrative, budgetary and logistics considerations, from how we initiate the process, organise the publicity and raise awareness, ensure adequate participation, select discussion platforms and venues, decide on modes of information collection, whether online or face to face, compile, summarise and analyse the feedback and so forth. It is a time-consuming process and at the end of it, decisions have to be made based not only on the feedback collected but also on current information possessed by planners and assessments of likely outcomes and future impact.”
“There has been much feedback over the challenge of elderly residents having to climb the high staircase to cross the road. However, due to site constraints, it was not possible to add ramps to the overhead bridge. After election 2006 when I became the Member of Parliament in Queenstown, the construction of the Queenstown Polyclinic was already underway at the Stirling Road end of the overhead bridge. Ideally, when constructing the polyclinic, an extension from the existing overhead bridge could be built to join the polyclinic probably at the second level, so that visitors to the polyclinic could enter it directly and need not have to climb the stairs down and make the way round to the front entrance and enter the polyclinic. After the polyclinic's opening hours, access from the overhead bridge could be closed for security reasons. But such a connection would require coordination and budgeting between LTA and MOH. It would appear that planning could have been more holistic and better efforts been made for better integration of public amenities. Madam, integration is only possible with cooperation and coordination among Government agencies. I think we are already doing a great job as a nation in this respect; otherwise, we would not have come so far and achieved so much with our lack of resources. However, going forward, to just maintain our current position in the amazing race of nations, we have to be more than good in our teamwork. We have to be extraordinarily good. At a forum organised by the Institute of Policy Studies last month, Ambassador-at-Large and policy adviser of MFA, Mr Bilahari Kausikan, mentioned that Singapore's ability to remain relevant depends on us being an extraordinary success. This resonated with me and, I believe, with many others as well.”
“For individuals aged 21 and above whose assessable incomes for Year of Assessment 2014 are below $26,000 and who live in properties which have annual values below $21,000, they will receive GST vouchers of $150 or $300 in cash, depending on their homes' annual values. While those living in bigger properties will not receive these GST vouchers, I would like to mention that 21 is the age of independence. After one's 21st birthday, one can watch R21 movies, vote at the elections, open one's own bank account and apply for an HDB flat if he or she has a sweetheart. The 21st birthday cake is usually a key design to signal the key to freedom and, most importantly, adulthood and independence. I am not sure whether this is well intended by the Minister for Finance – the Government is giving absolute freedom for our new full-fledged adult Singaporeans to strive for themselves in the first four years of adulthood. Madam, we will be embarking on many significant infrastructural projects, with the development of Changi Airport's new terminal, T5, the Tuas seaport and improvement works on our public transport and in our HDB heartlands. It is important at this juncture that we pause and consider how we can improve our modus operandi in terms of taking a holistic approach in our infrastructural works to reduce wastage and duplication and, more importantly, to optimise land use and limited resources. Whenever possible, different stakeholders should be involved and consulted, and the surrounding environment and external needs taken into account before plans are finalised. Let me share an example from my previous constituency – Queenstown. There is an overhead pedestrian bridge spanning over a busy road, Queensway, linking HDB blocks 24 Page: 28 to 32 in Tanglin Halt to Stirling Road.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of this year's Budget. Many have hailed it as a Budget for the future and I agree with them. This Budget, coming in the year of our Golden Jubilee, is appropriately about building upon our cumulative achievements of the last 50 years for the future. The new wave of investments in our infrastructure and our people, the fresh subsidies to help families and the elderly, the incentives to grow our companies – this is a Budget which has gained widespread approval and I am proud to note that Standard & Poor's Rating Services (S&P) has rated this Budget "AAA" for showing "the strength of the government's institutional and governance effectiveness". This year's Budget is all encompassing and benefits practically all age groups. Starting from birth, the Child Development Accounts will be topped up and can be used until the Page: 27 children are six years old. For schooling Singaporeans, their Edusave accounts and Post Secondary Education Accounts will also be topped up, covering those seven to 20 years old. And the Government will be starting the SkillsFuture Programme, starting an account for every Singaporean from 25 years old with $500 for upgrading and training, with future top-ups expected. For more mature Singaporeans above 50 years old, they will see their retirement funds being enhanced with increased CPF contributions. And for 30% of Singaporeans above 65 years old, they will receive the new Silver Support bonuses for life, as announced by the Prime Minister last year. This is really from cradle to grave. Well, almost. Someone pointed out to me that those between 21 and 25 years old do not seem to be benefiting directly from this year's Budget. After rescanning the details of Budget 2015, I have to disagree.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of State about SACs located at rental blocks. I understand some of them have difficulties doing outreach to the senior citizens, because they do not have access to the database of residents staying there. Is HDB able to facilitate this outreach, for example, by writing to the senior residents based on HDB's records – just a letter from HDB, perhaps in four languages, to inform residents that there is this new facility and encourage them to take part in the activities over at the SACs?”
“Currently, when organisations, such as temples, community or commercial groups, apply for a permit, they have to agree to end their activities by 10.30 pm. However, there would usually be auction of items at such events; people can get enthusiastic and it would overrun past 10.30 pm sometimes. The organisers will tone down the volume after 10:30 pm so that it will not disturb the nearby residents. People are generally tolerant of this. Public areas with tentage are also considered a public space. I would like to ask the Minister, upon reaching 10.30 pm, do they have to clear or pour all the alcohol on the tables? Or is it considered not an offence as long as they do not drink alcohol? It is easy to simply turn the knobs on the sound system but not so easy to clear glasses on dozens, or even hundreds of tables quickly. Can they apply to drink after 10.30 pm? What documents are required – the number of people, their names, the type and quantity of the alcohol? How long beforehand do they have to apply and how long will the authorities take to make a decision? Page: 32 Four months after the new Bill comes into effect will be the Seventh Month of the lunar calendar. So, I hope the Ministry would provide the detailed information as early as possible so that people can get ready in good time. Mdm Speaker, I support this Bill. 2.42 pm”
“The Geylang Zone, however, may benefit from an enlarged buffer zone in the north and south as there are a number of residences beyond Sims Avenue and Guillemard Road. Page: 31 I would also request that the Ministry ensure that approval for extended hours of drinking at social activities, such as barbecue parties, be simple and easy to obtain. Regulations should spell out clearly under what circumstances an application would be rejected. It should also be made clear what constitutes a public place. For example, are chalets public or private places? Now, Madam, I would like to continue my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, drinking can put you in a happy mood but it can also make you lose self-control. So, the aim of this Bill is to control the latter, not the former. Some people take to drinking to forget their sorrows but they get even more sorrowful. We also do not want people to live a befuddled life, getting drunk whenever alcohol is available or to be emboldened by alcohol to commit dangerous acts. To have a few drinks, get slightly tipsy but still in full control of oneself is a good way to be relaxed and to enjoy life. In modern city living, the pace of life is fast and, after a long week of work, on a Friday or weekend night, you would want to relax. But after 1 April, after 10.30 pm, you can only do so in licensed coffee shops, restaurants and bars. Some low-income people may not be able to afford this. Of course, you can drink at home, but you must buy the alcohol before 10.30 pm. What I am more concerned about is the impact on some of the Chinese traditions, such as the Seventh Month dinners.”
“Singaporeans do not have a drinking problem. To deal with the minority who create trouble, the Bill is taking pre-emptive measures several steps upstream. If one drinks in public after 10.30 pm, one might get drunk, hence, one might end up with undesirable anti-social behaviour, therefore, no public drinking after 10.30 pm. Perhaps, the solution is not a ban but an increase in our efforts in public education. The focus should also be on managing the law breakers instead of imposing a blanket ban. Or we could reduce the number of retail stores that could sell alcohol, especially in residential areas. So, while the good intent of this Bill is clear, it, unfortunately, sends a dampening message. Therefore, Madam, I would like to make a suggestion. Instead of a nationwide ban, we could increase the number of Liquor Control Zones. In addition to Little India and Geylang, other areas may include Clarke Quay, Boat Quay, Chinatown, Golden Mile Complex and locations with existing problems of frequent public nuisances due to drinking. The law could empower the Minister to designate additional areas as Liquor Control Zones, as and when necessary. We hear the problem of displacement. So, therefore, the Ministry may consider increasing the buffer zone by between 500 m and 1 km. The Little India Liquor Control Zone has a well-delineated border surrounded by commercial and Government buildings which contains potential displacement. For example, a 500-m buffer zone around Little India would cover areas up to Orchard Road, Kallang Road, Boon Keng Road and the CTE. It is unlikely that people who frequent Little India for the shops, services and activities would spill over to these areas just to drink in public.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. This Bill is the result of a one-year long public consultation by MHA to counter problems caused by public drinking. Eighty percent had supported a partial ban on alcohol consumption and sales. I, too, support a partial ban and find the Bill's current form overly restrictive. In fact, according to a recent Straits Times online poll, over 75% of the 12,000 participants indicated that they did not support the Bill. The main concerns were "over-regulation and discriminatory practices". However, 81% of a recent REACH survey involving 1,145 respondents supported the Bill. As these are randomly selected Singaporeans and Permanent Residents and data had been Page: 30 weighted to ensure it represented the demographics of Singapore, it does show that the majority of the general public is supportive of such a law. However, most netizens have painted a different picture. Just on my own social media pages, I have received comments, such as "This law is silly", "Singapore is again a nanny state, with a drinking curfew", "It is nice to know that the Government wants to take care of us but please do not treat us as small kids". Is this merely a difference between online and offline comments and maybe, between younger and older members of the public? So, I do not think that these people who find the law restrictive are frequent or even regular drinkers, but they feel that if Singapore wants to be a mature society, this measure is regressive, drastic and unnecessary. While I have no issue with stopping retail alcohol sales at 10.30 pm, I do not think that it is necessary to ban alcohol consumption in all public areas from 10.30 pm to 7.00 am. Generally, most drinkers here are responsible.”
“Mdm Speaker, I appreciate that HDB wants to give flexibility for property owners to decide on insurance coverage. In the unfortunate event of a fire, it is not only the owner but, sometimes, third parties are also involved. Relations can be strained because of claims or compensation, especially when the victims are not insured or adequately insured. Can I ask how is HDB encouraging property owners or flat owners to purchase fire insurance, what is the success rate and what is the proportion of flat owners who buy fire insurance even when they are not still servicing their housing loans?”