Chee Hong Tat
Singapore
“The National Parks Board (NParks) resumed crow shooting operations in March 2026 across nine districts, including Yishun. These sites were prioritised based on several factors, including the volume and severity of public feedback on crow-related issues, as well as the technical feasibility of conducting shooting operations safely at each…”
“To drive sustainable construction and reduce reliance on conventional diesel generators, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has required the use of battery energy storage systems (BESS) or synchronised generator set systems at Build-to-Order construction worksites for all building tenders called since February 2025.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) tracks resident feedback on maintenance-related issues, including spalling concrete and structural cracks within HDB flats. Such issues are much less common in younger flats, compared to older flats above 30 years old.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) provides resources on its website to guide building owners and Management Corporations Strata Title (MCSTs) on lift modernisation.”
“Private retail developments sold through the Government Land Sales Programme are intended to complement the commercial offerings in public developments undertaken by agencies, such as the Housing and Development Board.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) is reviewing both the Animals and Birds Act and the Code of Animal Welfare (COAW). The former will include pet sector businesses and the latter will include and start with pet groomers.”
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“Bus operators are required to submit details of public feedback received to the Land Transport Authority every month. In the first 11 months of 2024, out of close to four million daily bus trips by commuters, there was an average of around 10 pieces of public feedback per day relating to the driving behaviour of bus captains (BCs), including feedback on jerky driving. Based on investigations, the majority of such feedback were attributed to BCs reacting to other roads users, for example, BCs had to suddenly apply the brakes when other vehicles cut into the path of their buses. Bus operators regularly review the runtime of buses to allow BCs to keep to their schedule, while driving safely at a reasonable speed and within speed limits. BCs are not asked to speed up in order to regulate the intervals between buses. All newly-licensed BCs undergo a five-day Enhanced Vocational Licence Training Programme, which includes a module on safe driving techniques, followed by an additional five to six weeks of on-the-road training before they are deployed to drive public buses. BCs also attend regular safety briefings and go through refresher courses on safe driving techniques, such as the BC Drive Safe course, which incorporate techniques on smooth driving. Bus operators have also equipped their vehicles with telematics systems to monitor driving behaviour. BCs with good driving behaviour will be rewarded with additional incentives, while BCs with persistent driving issues will be sent for additional training and may be subject to disciplinary action. The Bus Safety Tripartite Taskforce was formed on 1 July 2024 to review how road safety may be enhanced for bus commuters, BCs and other road users in their interactions with public buses.”
“There are no plans to extend the Cross Island Line – Punggol Extension (CPE) beyond Punggol station. Residents in the Yio Chu Kang and Fernvale areas have access to the North-South Line, North East Line and Circle Line via several bus services and the Sengkang Light-Rail Transit. Under our Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme and rail expansion plans, residents in these areas will enjoy better access to public transport. For example, the upcoming Cross Island Line, which interchanges with the North-South Line at Ang Mo Kio and the North East Line at Hougang, will provide additional travel connections. Fernvale residents are also served by City Direct bus service 671, which was recently extended to call at additional bus stops in the Central Business District in November 2024. The Land Transport Authority will continue to assess the need for future transport infrastructure, taking into account factors, such as existing and future land use developments, travel demand and engineering considerations.”
“Passengers who are intoxicated and in an unsuitable condition to travel are prohibited from boarding public transport. An intoxicated passenger who exhibits disruptive behaviour may be asked to alight from the bus or train. Should the passenger be uncooperative, rowdy or aggressive, the Police will be activated. These passengers may also be issued with a Notification of Offence by the operators and could be liable to a fine. Over the past three years, there has been an average of around 34 reported incidents each month involving intoxicated passengers on public transport. Most of these cases did not require enforcement action by the rail operators, the Land Transport Authority or the Police, as the individuals were cooperative. Public transport staff are trained to manage situations involving intoxicated passengers. This includes identifying signs of intoxication, such as the smell of alcohol, slurred speech and difficulty in walking or standing, to determine if they are fit to travel on public transport. They are also trained on procedures for handling intoxicated passengers who are causing nuisance or danger to others.”
“There are established procedures for creditors to seek enforcement of the orders granted by the Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) and Small Claims Tribunals (SCT). If a business entity fails to comply with an ECT or SCT order, employees and consumers can apply to the Court to enforce the order. The Government does not require individuals to pay off the debts of their business entities before they can set up a new business entity. For business entities that have no separate legal personalities from their owners, such as sole proprietorships and partnerships, the business owners would remain personally liable for the debts of their businesses. For business entities with separate legal personalities, such as companies, shareholders have limited liability under the law, which is consistent with the legal structure in other jurisdictions. This limited liability does not preclude creditors from being paid. When a company is being wound up, its remaining assets will be distributed among its creditors in accordance with insolvency law, although there may not be sufficient remaining assets for all creditors to fully recover the debt that they are owed. Such limited liability fosters entrepreneurship, as individuals can embark on business ventures without facing the forfeiture of their personal assets in the event of corporate insolvency. That said, shareholders are likely to lose the amount they had invested. This balance between shareholder liability and creditor protection must be carefully managed to maintain our competitiveness vis-a-vis other jurisdictions in promoting entrepreneurship, which is important for developing a competitive economy and creating good jobs for our people.”
“The Travel Smart Journeys initiative was recently enhanced on 2 January 2025, focusing on certain stations along the North East Line. The Land Transport Authority will monitor the outcomes to assess its effectiveness before deciding whether to extend the initiative to other rail lines.”
“Parents or caregivers have the flexibility to board from either the front or rear doors and to decide whether they wish to leave their child in the stroller as they board. Parents or caregivers who prefer to use the ramp at the rear door can ask the bus captains for assistance. For passengers in wheelchairs who require the use of the ramp to board from the rear door, bus captains will deploy the ramp as a standard procedure. There is a difference for passengers in wheelchairs as many of them may be by themselves, unlike the case for children, and it may not be easy for someone in the wheelchair to alert the bus captain. Stroller restraints have been installed in the wheelchair bays of buses for families who prefer to keep their strollers open. Since 2014, all new bus interchanges are equipped with family-friendly features, such as baby care rooms and child-friendly facilities in toilets. For existing bus interchanges, we will include these family-friendly facilities during upgrading works where feasible. All stations along the Thomson-East Coast Line and the upcoming Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line are also equipped with similar features.”
“Mr Yip asked if the Government would consider reviewing the PT rate structure. We have indeed done so. At Budget 2024, the Government announced that in light of the market trends in the last two years, all Annual Value (AV) bands of the owner-occupier residential PT rates will be raised with effect from 1 January 2025. This means that the first AV band will be raised from $8,000 to $12,000, with corresponding adjustments to the other bands. As a result of both of these measures, all owner-occupied HDB flats and over 90% of owner-occupied private residential properties, will see lower PT in 2025 compared to 2024. Besides PT rebates, the Government has also rolled out measures to support all Singaporeans with their cost of living. In particular, we have enhanced the Assurance Package to more than $10 billion. The enhancements include measures, such as the Budget 2024 Cost-of-Living Special Payment that was disbursed in September 2024, Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers and additional utilities save (U-Save) and service and conservancy charges rebates. We will continue to ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible to all Singaporeans, and that our overall system of taxes and transfers remains fair and progressive so that those with greater means contribute more and more help is given to lower- and middle-income Singaporeans.”
“The Government is committed to keep public housing affordable, accessible and inclusive for Singaporeans. Eligible first-timer families buying a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat can receive up to $120,000 in housing grants, on top of significant market discount in the selling price of the BTO flat. Those buying a resale Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat can receive up to $230,000 in housing grants. Under the new flat classification framework implemented from October 2024, Plus and Prime BTO flats come with additional subsidies and tighter restrictions to ensure that flats in attractive locations remain affordable to a wider range of incomes, while maintaining a good social mix in our HDB estates and keeping the system fair for all buyers. To cater to private housing demand and maintain market stability, the Government closely monitors Government Land Sales supply and regularly releases land to meet market demand. The Government also introduced four rounds of cooling measures in December 2021, September 2022, April 2023 and August 2024 to stabilise prices in both the HDB resale market and the wider Singapore property market. Property Tax (PT) is a tax on property ownership and our principal means of taxing wealth. Over the years, we have taken steps to make our PT regime more progressive, such that those with high-value properties as well as those with non-owner-occupied properties, pay higher PT. This is in line with what Members from both sides of the House have asked for: more progressive taxation on wealth. To cushion the impact of a higher PT, the Government provided a PT rebate of 20% for owner-occupied HDB flats and 15%, capped at $1,000, for owner-occupied private residential properties in 2025.”
“We will review and take the necessary preventive actions as more information about the incident becomes available. Sir, CAAS has also checked the maintenance of relevant systems on our Boeing 737-800 aircraft – which is the same model as the aircraft that was involved in the incident – and they have found no anomalies or reliability issues. Based on the information that is currently available, the severity of the outcome was worsened because of the presence of a concrete structure at the end of the runway. I think there are some videos on social media showing the crash and how the plane ran into this concrete wall. Sir, I am glad to share with the House that there are no such concrete structures near runways at our airports. All equipment that are required for air navigation purposes that are located near our runways are designed to break off in the event of a collision.”
“Mr Speaker, on Mr Ang's first question, we expect overall passenger traffic to almost reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024 and we expect it to also further increase. So, in 2025, we are very likely to exceed pre-COVID-19 levels. Mr Ang is right that we do need to prepare for this increase in passenger volumes. If Changi does well, these passenger volumes will continue to grow. Before Terminal 5 is ready, it will have to rely on the existing handling capacity of Terminals 1 to 4. Sir, processes are in place to prepare ourselves for this increase in demand. The Changi Airport Group will invest $3 billion over the next six years in Singapore Changi Airport Terminals 1 to 4 to improve services such as baggage handling, check in and immigration. These investments will help Changi Airport to stay competitive and to meet rising demand for air travel before Terminal 5 is operational in the mid-2030s. The aviation workforce has also exceeded pre-COVID-19 levels. We look at aviation as a growth sector, which can provide many good jobs for Singaporeans. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is also undertaking a sectorial manpower study together with our tripartite partners to see how we can attract, retain and prepare our workers to be ready for this future growth. Sir, Mr Ang's second question is on the Jeju Air flight 2216 incident. It is an ongoing investigation. We are very sad to learn about this incident. We convey our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. The South Korean authorities are currently doing their investigations. CAAS is in touch with their counterpart, the Korean Civil Aviation Authority, as well as the United States Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.”
“Mr Speaker, between January and November 2024, Changi Airport handled about 61 million passengers. On an annualised basis, this is about 70% of Changi Airport’s annual handling capacity of 90 million passengers across Terminals 1 to 4. Terminal 5 will enhance our passenger handling capacity and strengthen Singapore’s status as a leading air hub. The construction of Terminal 5 is on track to begin in the first half of 2025. When Terminal 5 is operational in the mid-2030s, it will be able to handle an additional 50 million passengers a year.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) endeavours for covered linkways to be completed in tandem with the opening of new stations. For the recently opened Thomson-East Coast Line Stage 4 stations, covered linkways to nearby commuter infrastructure, that is, bus stop and pick-up/drop-off points, were mostly completed at the same time as the opening of the stations. Where we are unable to complete covered linkways in tandem with the station opening, this is typically due to site constraints and other ongoing construction works or because more time was needed to address concerns raised by local stakeholders in the community. LTA aims to complete the covered linkways quickly once these ground issues are resolved to provide residents sheltered access to mass rapid transit stations as soon as possible.”
“Since the adoption of the Bus Contracting Model in 2016, public bus operators have been offering more competitive salary packages and improving the working conditions and employment terms to attract and retain bus captains. In response to the tight manpower situation in the bus sector, public bus operators have continued to step up their efforts by offering higher pay, more flexible work arrangements and attractive sign-on and retention bonuses. The Land Transport Authority is also working closely with public bus operators and the National Transport Workers Union to further enhance the welfare and working conditions of bus captains.”
“The Land Transport Authority and the operator are reviewing the future service pattern for the Circle Line after the completion of Circle Line Stage 6 (CCL6) in 2026. Similar to today's service pattern, it will take into account current and projected ridership, including passenger demand along the Dhoby Ghaut to Promenade stretch, to ensure that capacity is optimised.”
“Six bus services operate between Woodlands Checkpoint and the Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub (ITH). Based on ridership data, there is sufficient capacity for these bus services to serve commuters travelling between Woodlands Checkpoint and Woodlands ITH. Out of these six services, services 903, 911 and 912 are feeder bus services that also serve local residents travelling to and from Woodlands ITH. Bus services 903 and 911 were recently enhanced to provide sufficient bus capacity for commuters who do not need to travel to Woodlands Checkpoint. During peak periods, short trips of service 911 skip the checkpoint, and more trips have been added to variant service 903M to serve the Marsiling area. These supplementary services have improved the bus service headways to two to five minutes during peak hours. Service 967 will also be introduced on 12 January 2025 to serve residents along Woodlands Avenue 1 travelling to and from Woodlands ITH, complementing the existing service 912.”
“The Traffic Police has commenced investigations into the accident. Preliminary investigations revealed that the lorry transported one heavy metal box with three workers in the rear deck of the lorry when the accident occurred. The driver is being investigated for Negligent Act causing death under section 304A of the Penal Code 1871. Upon completion of Police investigations, the findings will be presented during the Coroner's Inquiry. As investigations are ongoing, the Traffic Police is unable to comment further at this point of time. The Government will continue to work closely with stakeholders to improve the safety of all road users.”
“With the opening of Punggol Coast station and the addition of new trains serving the North East Line (NEL), the NEL will be able to support the operation of a maximum of 42 trains, up from 36 trains. The Land Transport Authority works with the operator to monitor ridership and will adjust NEL frequencies, within technical limits, to ensure that there is sufficient train capacity for commuters, taking into consideration the safety and reliability of the train services. This can vary throughout the day and during different periods of the week and year.”
“The Qualifying Child Relief or Child Relief (Disability) and the Parenthood Tax Rebate can be claimed by either or both parents on the same child. When taxpayers first submit a claim for the relief or rebate, they will inform the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) how much of the relief or rebate is to be claimed by each parent. Taxpayers can adjust the apportionment for subsequent years of assessment. It is up to parents to decide how to share the relief or rebate, or both, in a manner that is aligned with their family circumstances. The Government does not interfere with the parents' decisions as long as qualifying conditions are met. Unlike tax reliefs which have to be claimed on a yearly basis, there is no expiration date for utilising the Parenthood Tax Rebate. Parents can carry forward any unutilised Parenthood Tax Rebate balance indefinitely for use in future years of assessment. There are several tools on the IRAS website to assist individuals in understanding and managing their tax obligations. The "Tax Reliefs Checker" helps individuals identify the tax reliefs they may be eligible for; the "Individual Income Tax Calculator" allows individuals to estimate their chargeable income and tax payable based on their income and relief claims; and myTax Portal offers a personalised view of an individual's tax matters, including filed returns and assessments. IRAS will continue to review its digital services to enhance user experience and provide more support to all taxpayers.”
“Based on the Ministry of Manpower's Labour Force in Singapore Advance Release 2024, real median income grew at 0.7% per annum from 2019 to 2024. Real income for lower-wage workers grew at a higher rate of 1.2% per annum. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely and, where required, we will make further moves to strengthen the support for our workers.”
“The Government regularly reviews the scope, coverage and payout quanta of our social support schemes. These reviews take into account macroeconomic trends, including inflation and wage growth, to ensure that our support is sized appropriately and targeted at those with greater needs. Over the past year, we have enhanced social support schemes that benefit lower- and middle-income workers. For example, we enhanced the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme from 1 January 2025, with the qualifying monthly income cap raised from $2,500 to $3,000 and the maximum WIS payments per year increased from $4,200 to $4,900. These enhancements ensure that WIS continues to support lower-income workers amidst the rising cost of living. The Government has also rolled out measures to support all Singaporeans with their cost of living, with more help given to lower- and middle-income families. In particular, we have enhanced the Assurance Package to more than $10 billion. The enhancements include measures, such as the Budget 2024 Cost-of-Living Special Payment that was disbursed in September 2024, Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers and additional utilities save (U-Save) and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates. While social support measures play an important role, the most effective way to help lower- and middle-income workers cope with the rising cost of living is to enable them to increase their real wages over time. This is why one of our priorities is to continue growing the economy to create more good jobs and support Singaporeans to take on these jobs through skills upgrading and lifelong learning. Our efforts have helped our workers increase their real income over time. This is the increase in their income, which is above the rate of inflation.”
“The www.govbenefits.gov.sg website allows citizens to conveniently login with their Singpass to check their eligibility and update their payment instructions for Government benefits, such as the GST Voucher, Majulah Package, Silver Support and Workfare Income Supplement schemes. Citizens will also be notified through SMS or hardcopy notifications after their benefits have been disbursed. In line with the "digital-first but not digital-only" approach, Singaporeans who need assistance can approach any of the nine ServiceSG centres or any community centres/clubs.”
“The Ministry of Transport's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau is participating in the marine safety investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States in accordance with the International Maritime Organization guidelines. The NTSB released its latest investigative update into the incident on 11 September 2024. Investigations by NTSB are still ongoing.”
“All concession cards require an identity verification check before they are activated. This is done in-person to ensure that the card has been received by the correct person before it can be used. Currently, children below age of seven enjoy free travel on public transport. Child concession cards serve as proof of concession status and are not necessary for children below 0.9 metres in height, who are assumed to be eligible. Parents of children who are below the age of seven but are taller than 0.9 metres, can obtain child concession cards to allow their children to travel for free. Parents can apply for the card and verify the identity of their child in person at any SimplyGo Ticket Office or Ticketing Service Counter and the card will be issued and activated on the spot. As switching to online applications will not remove the need for in-person verification, it does not make the process more convenient for parents who require child concession cards.”
“I thank the Members for their questions. These Questions have been addressed in the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 3 to 6 for Oral Answer at the 12 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to "Review of Zero Vehicle Growth Policy, Vehicle Quota System and Rebates Given High COE Prices, Increased E-vehicles Adoption and Roll-out of ERP 2.0", Official Report, 12 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 146, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“I thank the Members for their questions. These Questions have been addressed in the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 7 and 8 for Oral Answer at the 11 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to "Adequacy and Effectiveness of Oil Sighting and Alert Mechanisms, and Maritime Incident Response and Mitigation Strategies", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Government reviews the estimated liabilities and the utilisation trends of the Pioneer Generation (PG) and Merdeka Generation (MG) Funds to ensure the sufficiency of the Funds. Due to the long-term nature of the Funds, we do not seek to exactly match liabilities each year, but will top up these Funds, where necessary, to honour the commitments to our PG and MG seniors. As at 31 March 2024, the estimated liabilities of the PG Fund and MG Fund are $6.11 billion and $5.78 billion respectively. The fund balances of the PG Fund and MG Fund are at $5.52 billion and $5.55 billion respectively. The rate of return of the PG and MG Funds is pegged to the weighted average tenor of the monies in the respective funds. This information is published in the annual financial statements of the PG and MG Funds. The dollar value of the projected investment and interest income of the PG and MG Funds, over their remaining lifetimes, are not published as they are dependent on the utilisation of the funds and the remaining fund balances.”
“This question have been addressed in the reply to Question Nos 7 and 8 for Oral Answer at the 11 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to (a) "Adequacy and Effectiveness of Oil Sighting and Alert Mechanisms, and Maritime Incident Response and Mitigation Strategies", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section; and (b) "Inspection for Structural Integrity of Oil Pipelines, Measures to Prevent Oil Spills and Penalties for Recent Incidents", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“These questions have been addressed in the reply to Questions No 3 to 6 for Oral Answer at the 12 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to "Review of Zero Vehicle Growth Policy, Vehicle Quota System and Rebates Given High COE Prices, Increased E-vehicles Adoption and Rollout of ERP 2.0", Official Report, 12 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 146, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“This question was addressed in the written reply issued for Question No 50 for Oral Answer for the 12 November 2024 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Discouraging Commuters from Blaring Videos or Music Loudly from Mobile Devices while on Trains and Buses", Official Report, 12 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 146, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“Public transport is heavily subsidised in Singapore so as to keep fares affordable. The average monthly expenditure for adult commuters, based on per-card usage, is estimated to be about $45. Among Adult Monthly Travel Pass holders, their average expenditure without the pass would be about $140 per month. The Adult Monthly Travel Pass is to help heavy users of public transport manage their costs. The pricing of the pass is regularly reviewed by the Public Transport Council as part of its annual Fare Review Exercises. It is currently set at $128 and will remain unchanged in the latest fare adjustments.”
“Compassvale Crescent residents are currently served by 14 bus services along Sengkang East Road, Compassvale Street and Punggol Road, which connect them to the transport hub at Sengkang town centre and destinations, such as Punggol, Pasir Ris or Changi Airport. Residents living closer to Compassvale Street are also within a 10-minute walk to Sengkang Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station and Compassvale Light Rail Transit (LRT) station. The Land Transport Authority is progressively introducing enhancements to the bus network under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme and will take into consideration feedback from residents and community leaders.”
“Under the existing Active Mobility Code of Conduct for Users of Public Paths, guidelines are set out to encourage safe and gracious interactions between path users. For example, users of active mobility devices are advised to give way to pedestrians, slow down at intersections and crowded areas and use bells and lights in a manner which is considerate to other path users. Pedestrians are also advised on appropriate etiquette, such as to keep left when not overtaking. To enhance safety for path users, we are converting footpaths adjacent to cycling paths into pedestrian-only paths, with enforcement on converted pedestrian-only paths from 1 July 2025. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts public education and outreach to different user segments to propagate these guidelines and regulations. This includes public education campaigns, community engagements and school programmes. Publicity materials in vernacular languages are also available on LTA's website. On the ground, enforcement officers engage and educate path users on proper path etiquette. I am heartened that many members of the public also volunteer as Active Mobility Community Ambassadors to educate pedestrians and device users in their communities, on rules and gracious path sharing. Coming from different backgrounds and ethnicities, the volunteers help to reach out to diverse groups of users, from seniors to migrant workers, including using the vernacular languages.”
“I thank the Member for the Question. This Question has been addressed in the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 7 and 8 for Oral Answer at the 11 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to "Adequacy and Effectiveness of Oil Sighting and Alert Mechanisms, and Maritime Incident Response and Mitigation Strategies", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The disamenities seen at Tuas Link arose from illegal parking by Malaysia- and Singapore-registered tour buses, not inter-city express bus services. Foreign-registered tour buses are allowed to make multiple stops as they bring tourists around Singapore for sightseeing and tour purposes but are not permitted to pick up new passengers in Singapore. All Malaysia- and Singapore-registered tour buses must comply with the Road Traffic Act 1961 and the applicable rules when conducting passenger boarding and alighting activities. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) takes a serious view of tour buses that are parked illegally along roads, as they may impede traffic flow, pose safety risks to other road users and cause disamenities to the community. We will not hesitate to take action against motorists who do not comply with traffic regulations. As for inter-city express bus services between Malaysia and Singapore, each inter-city express bus service must have a fixed route and operating schedule and is allowed one stopping point in Singapore. These operators decide the stopping point in Singapore, based on commercial considerations, to meet travel demand between various locations in Malaysia and Singapore, including commercial areas and tourist attractions. Requiring all inter-city buses to utilise a centralised terminal would reduce their connectivity benefits. Instead, LTA will assess the proposed operating parameters, including the traffic conditions around the stopping point, before granting an operating licence.”
“The Member could refer to the written reply issued for Parliamentary Question No 14 for written answer for the 4 October 2022 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Expected Completion Date for Third Runway at Changi Airport and Impact on Passenger and Flight Handling Capacities", Official Report, 4 October 2022, Vol 95, Issue 70, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“Passengers should not make loud noises on public transport. Those who refuse to comply despite reminders by our public transport staff could be referred to the Police. Besides enforcement, the Land Transport Authority, the Public Transport Council and our public transport operators also collaborate with partners, such as the Singapore Kindness Movement, to promote gracious commuting behaviours through advisories displayed across the public transport network, social media as well as regular engagements with the community and schools. As part of the Graciousness on Public Transport Campaign, we remind passengers to keep their noise levels down so that others can enjoy a more pleasant ride.”
“These questions have been addressed in the reply to Questions 7 and 8 for Oral Answer at the 11 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to (a) "Adequacy and Effectiveness of Oil Sighting and Alert Mechanisms, and Maritime Incident Response and Mitigation Strategies", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section; and (b) "Inspection for Structural Integrity of Oil Pipelines, Measures to Prevent Oil Spills and Penalties for Recent Incidents", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Since the opening of Stage 4 of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) on 23 June 2024, the average weekday ridership of the TEL has increased from about 200,000 in May 2024, to more than 250,000 in October 2024. We expect ridership to continue growing as future developments are completed along the TEL corridor, and after TEL Stage 5 opens in 2026. We have observed traffic speed improvements of about 15% during peak hours along Marine Parade Road, which runs parallel to Stage 4 of TEL.”
“I shared previously that this is one area where we have formed a review group, together with industry players, to see what we can do to make improvements to Singapore as a destination for companies that want to seek listing. This is a work in progress. We are discussing some ideas with the industry, both looking at it from a supply point of view, from a demand point of view and from a regulatory framework point of view. So, we will provide some updates as we make progress. But if you look at the overall financial sector development, I think, in many areas, whether it is in the wealth management, debt markets, forex, in many, many aspects, I think, Singapore's financial sector has done well and is highly regarded. This is something that we will continue to work on it, together with our industry partners and also our sisters and brothers from the union, using our tripartite partnership to help us to do even better. Sir, I believe I have touched on the three key points that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has raised. So, Mr Speaker, I beg to move. 7.02 pm”
“The issuance limit, that is coming back to Parliament for approval, is another layer of checks and safeguards to ensure that the Government would borrow responsibly. We conduct regular reviews to monitor this and to ensure that the prevailing debt limit is sufficient. Each time the limits need to be raised, we will come back to Parliament to seek agreement to raise it through a resolution. This resolution will also require the President's concurrence. Sir, before I touch on the last point, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim also spoke about the changes in the external environment. Sir, I want to, maybe just for avoidance of doubt, make this point clear, that the debt that we issue is fully backed by our assets. So, I think that is an important point to bear in mind. Our financial assets are in excess of our debts and our net asset position can be seen from the positive Net Investment Returns Contribution to the annual Budget. The strength of our balance sheet is validated by our AAA credit rating from international credit rating agencies and that, in turn, actually allows us to be able to borrow at more favourable terms. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim's last point, I would put it this way: overall, if you look at how our financial sector, our financial markets have grown over the years, I think certainly this effort has contributed to the growth of our debt markets. The financial sector is a key provider of jobs for Singaporeans. It is also a key engine of growth and we do have plans, looking ahead, to see how we can further grow the sector, through different activities. One area where we are looking at how we can do better is the local equities market.”
“Mr Speaker, I want to start by thanking Assoc Prof Jamus Lim for sharing his views and also for indicating that he overall supports the Motion. His first question, I did mention it in my opening speech but let me say that again. More than 60% of the increase is expected to be issued as SSGS, with the primary purpose of meeting CPF's investment needs. So, that is how we have sized it, more than 60%. His second point is about the fiscal impact, if I understood Assoc Prof Jamus Lim correctly. Sir, we are raising the issuance limit to ensure there is sufficient headroom for the issuance of securities, partly to meet CPF's investments, but also to meet the Monetary Authority of Singapore's market development needs. When we last raised the issuance limit in 2021, we anticipated that it would be sufficient until 2025. So, our estimate was actually quite accurate, because this time round, the limit will be fully utilised in 2025. So, that is why we now are coming back to Parliament to seek approval to raise the limit further, which we estimate, will be sufficient to last us till 2029. The proposed $450 billion increase is in line with historical trends. Although the quantum of the increase is higher, as Assoc Prof Jamus Lim pointed out, the percentage of the increase over the outstanding issuance limit is comparable to the previous increase in 2021 at around 40%. In sizing the increase in CPF SSGS, for which SSGS is more than 60% of this increase in issuance limit, we took into consideration the expected resident workforce growth and also the CPF contribution rates. As I mentioned earlier in my speech, all borrowings made under the Government Securities Act are invested and are not used for spending. So, this is one of the key legislative safeguards.”
“So, that is one of the challenges that we face. It is in deciding what would be the amount that you need to transfer in terms of the supply to this new separate category. And so, it is something that I think we need to take a look at carefully. If there are other ways to address the concerns with COE supply, we should also be open to looking at those other options too.”
“Mr Speaker, first of all, Table 2 for the PHCs, car leasing companies, in terms of percentage of bids won by the car leasing companies, if we look at 2022 versus 2024, that percentage has come down. But the COE price in 2024 compared to 2022 has actually gone higher up. So, this is one indication that the main driver for the increase in the COE price is unlikely to be due to the PHC car leasing companies. Having said that, I am certainly not saying that they do not contribute to the overall demand. They do. That is a fact. They do. But the point I am making is, what are the key drivers that are contributing to the increase in demand? What I have also explained in my main reply is that if we look at having a separate category – we are not ruling out that possibility, we are studying it. However, I hope Mr Chua agrees with me on this, that by having a separate category, it does not mean that you have suddenly got a windfall of COE supply dropping from the sky. It means you have to transfer existing quotas from Cat A and Cat B to this new category. So, that process of deciding how much to transfer is not so straightforward. We did it for taxis, but there is a difference between taxis and PHCs. PHCs, some of them, or in fact, quite a number of them, are used also as private vehicles by the owners. They come in part-time during peak hours, for example, but during other parts of the day, they may use it as a private vehicle. So, it is not so clear-cut that these are just point-to-point vehicles or private vehicles – it is a bit of a hybrid, they use it for dual purposes. Because of that, it is not so easy to ascertain what is this total number that would then fit into this separate category, if we decide to have a separate category.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Assoc Prof Lim for his clarification. Let me address his first supplementary question. The intent that we explained when we did the "cut and fill" last year, was indeed to try and reduce the peak-to-trough ratio. If we could add to this direction by having this additional injection of about 20,000 COEs over the next few years, I think it will certainly help to make a further step towards reducing the peak-to-trough ratio. We are not doing this injection only because of the 6%. I think the 6% reduction in the vehicular usage is one factor. For that, I would not link it to ERP 2.0 per se. I think it is more driven by the changes in the travel patterns after COVID-19. Because we are already seeing that, even though we are still in the initial stages of installing ERP 2.0, we now have 150,000 to 160,000 vehicles, which is less than 20% of the total vehicle population. So, the drop in the vehicular usage is more likely linked to the changes in the usage patterns after the pandemic. But I agree with Assoc Prof Lim that with ERP 2.0, when we collect the data, if it shows that we are better able and more confident to manage traffic congestion and avoid gridlocks, there is scope to look at whether we can further increase the COE supply. If we look at distance-based charging as an additional usage-based pricing tool, that will give us further leeway to do that. But the objectives are similar. We are looking at different usage-based pricing tools to avoid congestion. If we are confident in achieving that outcome, then increasing the car population by relaxing ownership controls would not be a worry.”
“Mr Speaker, could I seek your permission to request Assoc Prof Lim to clarify the last part of his second question? The Member mentioned about carrying capacity. Maybe I could just hear from Assoc Prof Lim what he meant. Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: So, very quickly, my understanding is that the total number of vehicles currently in the vehicle quota system is something in the order of one million in Singapore. So, the question, in a sense, is that with ERP 2.0, if the intensity of usage falls, whether we could allow for the possibility of an increase in that total number, or if we do not, then naturally that reduced usage would also imply a reduction in COE prices.”
“It is still too early for me to go into the details, but we do recognise that there could be certain groups of drivers who need to drive for work purposes and they travel longer distances. So, what is the impact on this group? That is one of the key considerations that we are looking at in designing the distance-based charging policies. We want to look at it because it is one of the tools that will allow us to calibrate between ownership control and usage-based pricing. If we are able to do it in a way which can be acceptable to the stakeholders, the upside of introducing distance-based charging as an additional tool for traffic management is that we can then have greater leeway to introduce more COEs. So, we can relax on the ownership controls, but then you have to tighten up on the usage-based pricing.”
“Mr Speaker, I understand where Mr Melvin Yong is coming from with his first question. These are trends which can change over time. Certainly, we have to carefully monitor the road usage and the traffic patterns, with or without the injection of these additional COEs. Because, as we know, even at this moment, we still do not see a need to turn on the ERP gantries entering into the CBD or in the arterial roads. This assessment is arrived at, based on that careful monitoring of road conditions and travel speeds. If, indeed, there is a change, whether it is due to removal of flexible work arrangements or other reasons, then we will have to respond accordingly using this tool that we have, which is usage-based pricing. ERP 2.0 gives us additional capabilities to do so in a more responsive and quicker manner. I certainly hope that the companies that are asking their employees to come back to work in the office would also remember that while there may be some benefits of coming back to work, I think a lot of employees do appreciate flexi-work arrangements to have a better work-life balance. In some instances, it can also be more productive. So, in the public sector, for example, we have implemented flexi-work and it is something which we hope can continue, because it is appreciated and welcomed by our public officers. The second question on distance-based charging and what are some of the considerations, I mentioned in my main reply that it is a difficult set of trade-offs. There are different stakeholder groups that will be affected differently when we implement distance-based charging – of course, depending on how we design the charges.”
“Mr Speaker, the traffic congestion, the road conditions, travel speeds, these are things which LTA will continue to monitor carefully. As I mentioned in my main reply, after we progressively inject the 20,000 COEs over time, this is over a few years, we will, of course, continue to monitor carefully. If there are certain stretches of roads that require intervention, we can do so through the use of usage-based pricing. With ERP 2.0, we no longer need to set up a physical gantry. We can more quickly and in a more responsive manner introduce virtual gantries, if necessary. On the second question, I wanted to clarify, Sir, that a car-lite vision does not mean no cars. It also does not mean that we want to reduce the total car population. What we want to manage is the congestion. We do not want congestion to happen. You can, through a combination of ownership control, which is what COE is, and usage-based pricing, which is, for example, ERP, achieve this balance between the needs of different stakeholder groups. Importantly, we want to also continue to invest in our public transport network, both MRT and bus, building more MRT lines. The Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme will allow us to introduce more bus services. Even for car owners, they may decide not to drive their car during peak hours or during weekdays. They may park their car at home and then use public transport. So, car-lite, we should look at it in that perspective. It is about increasing the walk-cycle-ride and the public transport mode share.”
“The price difference may narrow and even disappear in future, when technology evolves and EV prices decrease further. EV subsidies on their own do not induce new demand for cars. They are intended to encourage a car buyer to consider buying an electric car instead of an ICE or hybrid car, by reducing the upfront costs of an electric car. Second, it is a business decision for motor dealers when they decide how to price their vehicles, electric or otherwise. The COE is an input cost to the dealers. If they submit higher COE bids than what they had included in their pricing, it will eat into their profit margins. Hence, there is no commercial incentive for electric car dealers to excessively mark up their prices or bid for higher COE just because of the EV subsidies. Marking up their prices by too much will affect their competitiveness versus other car brands, while bidding for higher COE will erode their profit margins. Finally, we introduced the power rating criterion for COE categories A and B in 2013, so that car COE categories were no longer differentiated only by engine capacity. In 2022, we increased the power rating threshold for Cat A cars, to right-site mass-market electric car models. We acknowledge the concerns about how some higher-end cars have lowered their engine capacity and power ratings to come under Cat A instead of Cat B. Members including Mr Ang Wei Neng, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Leong Mun Wai had previously asked if we could determine the COE category using the vehicle's Open Market Value. We understand the rationale of this suggestion and will continue to review our criteria as technology and market trends evolve.”
“As I explained in this House previously, if we move too much of the existing quota from Cat A and B to this new category for PHCs, it would reduce the supply in Cat A and B vis-a-vis the demand from non-PHC buyers and could lead to an increase in COE prices in these categories. On the other hand, if we underestimated the quota to be moved to the separate category for PHCs, it would lead to insufficient PHC supply which would in turn cause an increase in PHC prices and reduce accessibility for point-to-point commuters. There are the difficult trade-offs and it is not a straightforward exercise. So, we are still carefully assessing this option. Mr Speaker, let me now address the questions from Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Yip Hon Weng on the impact of EV subsidies on COE prices. We currently provide up to $40,000 in tax rebates for electric cars. This amount is deducted off the Additional Registration Fee when registering a new electric car. The subsidies are intended to reduce the difference in the total cost of ownership between a mass market electric car and its internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid equivalents. In many instances, the upfront cost of an electric car remains slightly above an ICE or hybrid equivalent even after the EV subsidies. With this context, please allow me to clarify a few points. First, the demand of COE is driven by how many people want to buy cars. It does not matter whether the buyer is buying an electric, ICE or hybrid car. But when someone decides to buy a car, the EV subsidies serve to nudge him or her towards considering an electric car, instead of an ICE car. This is because without such subsidies, the electric car will be more expensive than its ICE equivalent at this time.”