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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“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I just wanted to add to what Minister Tong has said in response to Ms He Ting Ru that MAS has not approved the proposed capital reduction plan. That was what they put forth to MAS since the middle of July, but MAS has not approved the proposed capital reduction plan. In fact, Ms He may recall, when I responded to her on 6 August during the Sitting, I used the Chinese phrase to describe the situation that the deal still required MAS' regulatory approval. I said, "八字都还没一撇". So, this deal is not approved yet and it is something that is still subject to MAS' regulatory approval, including the capital reduction plan.”
“MAS was the one who provided this information to MCCY and said, "I think this is something you need to take a look at and whether this will fit with the terms of the earlier exemption that MCCY provided". And then, by working together, MAS, MCCY, in a whole-of-Government manner, and this is how we will work as a Government, we will work across different Ministries, across different departments for the benefit of Singapore and Singaporeans. Yes, initially, there was an information gap, as I explained. But once we shared the information, we work closely together, we work in a coordinated manner, and this is why we are bringing this Bill to Parliament for consideration.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I think the way Mr Leong has described what MAS colleagues have done is not accurate and I think it is not fair. I have explained earlier in my reply to Ms Pereira that MAS will look at the proposal from a prudential point of view. That is MAS' role as the prudential regulator for the insurance industry. So, when the MAS team looks at that, they at that point in time, were not privy to the details of the exemption, of MCCY's exemption from section 88. I had explained that earlier in my reply to Ms Pereira. So, from the MAS team's point of view, this is a proposal, they were assessing it from a prudential point of view and they looked at after the proposed capital reduction, would Income still be able to meet its necessary capital adequacy ratio? And if so, then from a prudential point of view, there is no reason for the regulator to object. And this goes back to the point that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim raised earlier. If we want to be a regulator of good standing internationally, we have got to operate in a rules-based system, looking at what our requirements are as regulator and apply them consistently and in an even-handed manner. So, regardless of who the entity is, we would have to apply those rules based on our considerations as a prudential regulator. So, this is what happened. I also explained earlier in my response to Ms Pereira that after the 6 August Parliament Sitting, the team from MAS that was looking at this proposal then recognised that there is a larger consideration beyond just prudential considerations alone. They then passed this information to MCCY, the information about the proposed capital reduction.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, MAS takes its international reputation very seriously and this is the reason why we want to handle this matter in an open and transparent manner, coming to Parliament to pass the amendments to the Insurance Act and to do so with urgency because the deal is under consideration by shareholders, as explained by Minister Tong earlier. The current provisions in the Insurance Act do not provide explicitly a provision for the Minister-in-charge of MAS, or for MAS to assess an application like this, based on non-prudential related considerations. So, this is why we need to make this amendment through the proposed Bill to give the Minister-in-charge of MAS these powers, to be able to factor in non-prudential related considerations. In this case, relating to co-ops and with views from the Minister for MCCY. I appreciate why Assoc Prof Lim asked this question because it is also something that is important to us. We want to make sure that when we regulate, we do so in an even-handed manner, in an open manner. And as Minister Tong mentioned earlier, and I would like to reiterate that, the reason why we have concerns about this particular deal is not because there is a foreign entity, Allianz in this case, and it is also not because we have concerns about Allianz being fit and proper and being a suitable partner for Income. I hope that clarifies.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to respond to Mr Choo by saying that the existing policy-holders of Income need not be concerned as MAS will continue to regulate Income as a licensee. Income has sufficient resources to meet the necessary capital adequacy ratio, which means it has enough capital to meet its liabilities and also to pay out to policy-holders. I also want to add, Mr Deputy Speaker, that MAS has not yet approved this proposal. I mentioned this in the August Sitting in response to Ms He Ting Ru that the deal is still subject to MAS regulatory approval. So, this is not something that MAS has approved. We are still going through the details. Minister Edwin Tong has explained why the Government has decided to make amendments to the Insurance Act to give the Minister-in-charge of MAS the powers to consider the views and concerns of the Minister for MCCY on public interest grounds. The best way to protect policy-holders in addition to ensuring that the licensees have sufficient capital to meet the necessary capital adequacy ratios is also to ensure that we have a competitive insurance industry. Because then, that will give choice and options to policy-holders to be able to choose what is the best product, the most competitive product, that can meet their needs.”
“Thank you. Mr Deputy Speaker, Allianz submitted the capital reduction plan to MAS in mid-July this year. At that time, MAS had reviewed the high-level submitted information based on prudential grounds, focusing on whether Allianz was fit and proper, looking at its financial strength and track record, and looking at the interests of Income's policy-holders and ensuring that this will be safeguarded with a new, strong, substantial shareholder. So, those were the elements of what MAS was looking at when they received this plan and they received the proposal from Allianz. The information received by MAS to perform its regulatory functions is generally not shared with other Government agencies and at that time, MAS was not aware of MCCY's considerations when MCCY issued the section 88 exemption and hence, it did not link the proposal from Allianz with the exemption that MCCY had provided earlier. As the MAS team were still doing their technical assessments at that time, they did not surface the details, including the capital reduction plan, to the MAS Board before the 6 August Parliament Sitting. It was only after the 6 August Parliament Sitting that the MAS team that was assessing this matter saw that this plan to optimise the capital could be relevant to MCCY's views on the proposed transaction. That is when MAS then decided that there were grounds to share the information with MCCY and that it was appropriate for MAS to do so – and that was what happened. So, I hope that clarifies the questions that Ms Pereira asked.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I answer Question Nos 1 to 19 for oral answer and Question Nos 45 to 48 for written answer in my Ministerial Statement which I will deliver at tomorrow's Sitting?”
“All vehicles, including goods vehicles, are permitted to park along public roads without parking restriction lines, including roads in private estates. Notwithstanding the above, if parked vehicles cause obstruction or pose safety risks to other road users, the Land Transport Authority will work with the local community and take appropriate actions, including prohibiting parking along the roadside by implementing road markings, such as double yellow lines. For heavy goods vehicles with Maximum Laden Weight that exceeds 5,000 kg, they are mandated to park at designated heavy vehicle parks from 12am to 6am, given the additional safety and noise considerations posed by such vehicles parking at residential areas overnight.”
“As part of the tender requirements for ERP 2.0, the contractor was required to ensure that all the specified test certifications and standards are met, including the need for the On-Board Unit (OBU) to achieve IEC-60068 and IEC-60529 qualifications. The tender requirements also specified that, the OBU shall be fit for use in an automotive environment based on Singapore's environmental conditions.”
“The average ridership of Service 825 is about 400 passengers per day. On a per passenger basis, the cost of running Service 825 is higher than the average feeder bus service, which has a ridership of around 4,500 passengers per day. As previously explained in a reply to a Parliamentary Question filed by Assoc Prof Jamus Lim in September 2023, we do not intend to proliferate the use of smaller-capacity buses in our public bus network. Procuring a separate fleet of mini-buses with a different operating and maintenance regime from the current public bus fleet and the need for more bus captains to operate a large fleet of mini-buses, will result in higher operating costs that will be borne by commuters or taxpayers.”
“Under Bus Contracting Model (BCM) standards, bus services operate at scheduled headways of no more than 15 minutes during peak periods, with at least half of the bus services having shorter scheduled headways of no more than 10 minutes. The average observed headways for Services 180, 992 and 993 are eight minutes, five minutes and 14 minutes, respectively. With residents moving into the new Tengah town progressively, ridership on Services 180 and 992 has increased to over 50% of capacity. In June and July 2024, more buses, including double-deckers, were added to these two services to reduce waiting times and increase capacity. For Service 993, loading remains relatively low. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the bus operators will continue to monitor ridership and make necessary adjustments. There are ongoing improvement works being carried out along Bukit Batok Road to improve traffic flow. Based on LTA's assessment, traffic flow along Bukit Batok Road is acceptable today. Vehicles, including buses, are generally able to clear most junctions along Bukit Batok Road in one or two traffic light cycles during peak hours.”
“Safety is a key priority and public transport operators have to meet stringent safety standards. In addition, the Land Transport Authority provides regular guidance on bus safety to the public transport operators, including guidelines for bus captains as well as quarterly safety bulletins to share learning points. These include stopping the bus close to the kerb when possible, looking out for passengers onboard before moving off and the importance of practicing safe and defensive driving techniques to provide smoother and safer rides. These safety messages are reinforced as part of the training for new bus captains and disseminated by operators to existing bus captains through various platforms, such as staff mobile applications and safety briefings. The operators have also installed telematics systems onboard buses to monitor bus captains' driving behaviours, which can provide immediate feedback to bus captains and allow operators to identify bus captains who may require coaching or remedial training. For example, SMRT has upgraded their fleet with a system that is able to provide safety alerts to bus captains if it senses that they are distracted or if they perform abrupt lane-changes.”
“Singapore's road network occupies around 12% of our total land area today and this proportion has remained stable over the last decade. It includes roads that serve new housing, commercial and industrial developments. Where feasible, we have repurposed roads for commuter facilities, including wider paths for pedestrians and community placemaking. Carparks are generally provided by developers as part of their developments, based on parking provision standards. The percentage of land allocated to carparks is not tracked as many are sited within housing, commercial and industrial developments.”
“In planning for public transport, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) adopts a holistic approach by considering both travel demand and existing public transport options using indicators, such as ridership data, land use plans and projections of travel patterns. The Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL) is a purely supply-side indicator, measuring the availability of public transport for a given location. However, it does not account for travel demand and ridership patterns and does not fully reflect whether an area is well-served by public transport. For individual commuters, the PTAL score for a given area will not indicate how well their specific travel needs will be met. In addition, PTAL scores are a static measure of existing levels of public transport provision at the time of calculation. It is, therefore, not meaningful to provide a PTAL score to prospective Build-To-Order (BTO) applicants at the point of launch as LTA and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will typically develop additional transport infrastructure to support new BTO developments as they are completed. Instead, to help prospective flat buyers make an informed decision, LTA works with HDB to provide information to BTO applicants in HDB's sales collaterals on existing and future transport nodes around new housing developments, such as Mass Rapid Transit stations, Light Rail Transit stations and bus interchanges.”
“The Traffic Police does not track incidences of near-miss or accidents without injury, nor incidences where no police report is lodged. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) monitors vehicular traffic along expressways and arterial roads through surveillance cameras. LTA also analyses road infrastructure which are damaged on arterial roads and expressways. The data allows LTA to identify higher-risk roads so that measures can be implemented to further enhance road safety. LTA also installs portable close circuit television cameras at selected roads and traffic junctions, such as those with a higher risk of accidents, and where there has been public feedback on safety concerns, to enhance detection and analysis.”
“Members of the public have been able to lodge reports via MyTransport app since 31 July 2019. Since then, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had received 3,093 reports in 2019, 3,402 reports in 2020, 955 reports in 2021, 899 reports in 2022 and 747 reports in 2023. These reports make up about 36% of the 25,551 reports on errant users received between 31 July 2019 and 31 December 2023. Members of the public can also use the OneService App to report such cases of errant users. For those who prefer not to use mobile apps, they can call the LTA hotline at 1800 2255 582 or submit the feedback form on LTA’s website.”
“Commuters must not bring any items that may pose fire risks on to Mass Rapid Transit trains and buses. Only approved Active Mobility Devices that comply with the relevant size limits can be brought on to trains and buses. Power-assisted bicycles and motorised personal mobility devices must also be powered off completely, with foldable devices folded at all times. I would like to assure the Member that all of our trains and buses have passenger compartments that are built using non-combustible materials to minimise the spread of fire. Our train stations and tunnels are also compliant with the relevant fire safety codes, and are equipped with systems to facilitate the safe evacuation of commuters in emergency situations. In the event of a fire, our rail and bus operators have established standard operating procedures (SOPs) to respond to the situation. Our rail and bus operators will prioritise the safe evacuation of all commuters. All trains and buses are equipped with fire extinguishers, and public transport staff are trained to use them. Our operators conduct regular emergency drills and exercises, in collaboration with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, to ensure that their staff are familiar with SOPs and are well-prepared to handle fire incidents.”
“Our seat belt regulations are to keep drivers and passengers safe. Under the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Wearing of Seat Belts) Rules, the driver and passengers of a motor vehicle, including taxis and private hire cars, are required to wear a seat belt or a lap belt unless they have a valid medical exemption or are below 1.35 metres in height and would generally be required to wear a child restraint instead. Drivers and passengers who fail to do so may face a penalty of $150. In addition, the driver will receive three demerit points under the Driver Improvement Points System. In cases where the driver fails to ensure compliance by passengers, the driver of the vehicle may in addition be subject to the composition sum and receive demerit points. Taxi and private hire car drivers are not exempt from this law and should remind their passengers to comply with the seat belt requirement. If passengers refuse to wear their seat belts or unfasten their seat belts mid-trip despite reminders, taxi and private hire car drivers can refuse to convey them and can terminate the trip. Taxi and private hire car drivers will not be penalised for terminating such trips, as long as it is done safely, for example, by stopping at a location that is safe for the passenger to alight.”
“The Port of Singapore has faced increased demand and complexity of container handling, as shipping lines rely on Singapore as a key transshipment port to mitigate their commercial challenges. From January to July this year, we handled 23.82 million twenty-foot equivalent units, an increase of 6.1% from the same period last year. The Member may refer to the Ministry of Transport’s reply at the 2 July 2024 Sitting for the measures we continue to take to address the additional demand for container handling capacity at our port. [Please refer to "Adequacy of Singapore’s Seaports to Anticipate and Manage Severe Cargo Congestion", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] The average vessel wait time for container berths within our port has been reduced from between two to three days in May 2024 – which was the highest we observed this year – to half a day in August 2024. This is comparable to average wait times observed pre-Red Sea Crisis.”
“As EV technology continues to evolve, we will continue to monitor developments locally and abroad to formulate our policies and safety protocols.”
“International studies thus far have shown that the rate of fire incidents for electric vehicle (EVs) is much lower than those for internal combustion engine vehicles and hybrid vehicles. Nonetheless, as safety is of paramount importance, a multi-agency EV Safety Taskforce co-chaired by the Land Transport Authority and Singapore Civil Defence Force was established in 2023 to manage EV fire risks. We have also put in place a suite of existing regulations to mitigate the risk of EV fires. All vehicles, including EVs, are required to meet internationally recognised vehicle safety standards such as those issued by the United Nations1 before they are approved for use on our roads, and have to be regularly inspected. The standards prescribe safety requirements for the electric power train and EV traction battery, including protective features against overcharging, short-circuits, thermal runaway and mechanical impacts. Further, all EV charging systems (EVCS) must comply with our national charging standard, the Technical Reference 25 (TR25), as stipulated by the Electric Vehicle Charging Act. TR25 takes reference from international safety standards and mandates installation, certification and maintenance requirements for EVCS. Beyond regulations at the vehicle- and charger-level, building regulations also reduce the impact of fire before the arrival of first responders. For instance, car parks are designed to the Fire Code. These includes the use of fire-rated walls and doors to contain fire spread, and ventilation systems to disperse smoke, heat and gases emitted during a fire. For enclosed basement car parks, sprinklers are also required. These fire safety systems have to undergo regular maintenance and inspection.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also continued to enforce against errant PMA users. In 2023, LTA took enforcement actions against four PMA users for riding their PMAs on roads. In 2024, as of August, LTA has enforced against 10 PMA users for riding their PMAs on roads and impounded four of the PMAs involved.”
“In March 2024, the Government accepted recommendations by the Active Mobility Advisory Panel on various regulations for personal mobility aids (PMAs) such as to: (a) allow only users certified with relevant medical needs or walking difficulties to use mobility scooters; (b) reduce the speed limit of motorised PMAs from 10 kilometres per hour (km/h) to six km/h; and (c) align dimension restrictions for all PMAs used on public paths with that allowed for use on public transport. We also said there is a transition period of at least one year, to provide ample time for affected stakeholders, such as retailers and PMA users, to adjust to the new regulations. During this transition, we have continued to work on various fronts. First, on requiring the certificate of medical need for mobility scooter users. We have been working with relevant public agencies, healthcare institutions and voluntary welfare organisations on the operational details of this requirement, including how existing certification can be recognised to make it more convenient for PMA users with genuine needs and to reduce the workload for healthcare institutions. Second, on reducing the speed limit for PMAs from 10 km/h to six km/h. For retailers, we had earlier highlighted that they should start making adjustments and not bring in new PMAs that do not comply with the revised speed limit. From our engagements, we are glad that retailers have already started doing so. For PMA users who depend on using PMAs for their livelihoods, we are working with stakeholders, such as food delivery companies, the National Delivery Champions Association and social service agencies, on how they will be able to support affected persons in making the transition.”
“Based on projections of travel demand, there are currently no plans to build a Mass Rapid Transit extension to Tuas South. The two unused platforms at Gul Circle Station will be activated should projected travel demand make the extension viable in future.”
“As there is a wide range of adaptive driving aids and equipment available to cater to various disabilities, vehicles suitable for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are often customised to meet each driver’s specific needs. This may make it challenging for rental companies to offer cars with the suitable assistive driving equipment for a range of users. To ensure that PwDs have good transport options, we have invested significantly in making our public buses and trains accessible to commuters with different disabilities, including ramps and step-free access for wheelchair users and wayfinding tools for the visually- or hearing-impaired. We are also working with taxi and ride-hail operators to ensure that PwDs who require point-to-point transport services can indicate their requirements more easily when booking a taxi or private hire car. PwDs who are unable to use public transport and require a private car to travel to work may apply through the means-tested Disabled Persons Scheme. This scheme allows them to register a vehicle customised to their needs without having to pay the Additional Registration Fee or for a Certificate of Entitlement.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been implementing Friendly Streets and Silver Zones, which have road features to slow down motorists so that pedestrians can have a safer walking environment. Works for two of the five pilot Friendly Streets have been completed and works for the remaining three sites are ongoing. We have implemented Silver Zones since 2014. We have seen an 80% reduction in the accident rate among senior pedestrians within Silver Zones. Prior to implementation, LTA engages the community when developing features within the Friendly Streets and Silver Zones. We have received positive responses. For example, nine in 10 respondents living near the five pilot Friendly Streets felt that the traffic calming measures and pedestrian-friendly features would further improve safety in their neighbourhoods. More than 80% of motorists and pedestrians felt that the Silver Zone implemented at Circuit Road contributed to a safer road environment and are supportive of the various improvements within the zone.”
“Buses and trains that serve the airport also serve other areas, and the installation of dedicated luggage racks would reduce space available for other passengers, including for wheelchair users and prams. Our public transport operators do allow luggage to be placed in shared spaces when these are not occupied by wheelchairs and prams.”
“To enhance safety for path users, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be converting footpaths adjacent to cycling paths into pedestrian-only paths. Bicycles and non-motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) will no longer be allowed on these footpaths. Physical markings, including pedestrian logos and "Pedestrians-Only" wordings, will be imprinted on these paths at regular intervals to alert path users. To provide sufficient time for path users to make adjustments, there will be a grace period for the transition. Currently, LTA’s Active Mobility Enforcement Officers have started engaging and educating cyclists and non-motorised PMD users at locations with upcoming pedestrian-only paths. From 1 July 2025, LTA will begin enforcing against riding on these new pedestrian-only paths, converted from footpaths that are adjacent to cycling paths. LTA will deploy Active Mobility Enforcement Officers on regular patrols, and mobile closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) at popular hotspots, to deter and enforce against errant riders. LTA will exercise discretion on the ground when riders are using pedestrian-only paths momentarily to overtake someone or bypass an obstruction on the cycling path, or to transit to an adjoining path. Pedestrian-only paths are not new. For existing pedestrian-only paths, such as on pedestrian overhead bridges, LTA already enforces against the wrong use of active mobility devices. First-time offenders convicted of riding on a pedestrian-only path may be fined up to $2,000 or jailed up to three months, or both.”
“Currently, residents at Rivervale Shores are served by bus Services 50, 62 and 85 along Sengkang East Drive which connect them to the transport hub at Sengkang town centre, as well as to other places like Punggol, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Upper Paya Lebar and Yishun. As the Ministry of Transport announced last month, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will make enhancements to bus services under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme to better serve the needs of commuters, including residents from newer estates. LTA will share more details as they progressively introduce these enhancements in consultation with the grassroots advisers.”
“Vehicles are generally not allowed to don decals that result in them resembling vehicles from the Government agencies. This is to avoid misleading members of the public. For example, the unauthorised use of the Land Transport Authority’s symbol is prohibited under section 42 of the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act 1995. The unauthorised use of Police insignia, which includes the affixing of Police logos or symbols on vehicles, with the intent to impersonate a Police officer, is also prohibited under section 120A of the Police Force Act 2004.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) continually uses data from sources such as traffic accident reports from Traffic Police, as well as feedback from local communities and road users, to implement localised road safety enhancements, especially at accident hotspots. For example, since 2018, LTA has progressively implemented Red-Amber-Green (RAG) arrows to replace discretionary right turns at over 1,200 traffic junctions. Junctions with RAG arrows have shown a 40% reduction in traffic accidents. The work is ongoing and will extend to more traffic junctions. The Traffic Police, the Singapore Road Safety Council and LTA have been putting up road safety signs and banners to alert motorists to slow down, and remind pedestrians to cross safely at busy roads and junctions. Road safety events and campaigns are also organised to promote road safety and enhance outreach to the public.”
“Electric vehicles can be identified by first responders through distinguishable features, such as the logo of electric vehicle-only manufacturers and an absence of exhaust piping. We understand the merits of the Member’s proposal and are studying the need for special licence plates for electric vehicles together with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.”
“All foreign-registered cars that enter Singapore must obtain a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Each VEP is tied to the vehicle’s road tax and insurance and is valid for up to one year. LTA issues Autopass cards to foreign-registered cars with a valid VEP, to facilitate the payment of requisite fees, including tolls and road charges, at the land checkpoints. Of the foreign-registered cars that entered Singapore in 2023, a majority stayed in Singapore for a total of less than seven days. The average number of foreign-registered cars in Singapore each day is less than 1% of our local vehicle population.”
“Other Members, such as Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Ms Sun Xueling, had previously asked Parliamentary Questions in this House about public transport connectivity in the North East Region, in view of the housing developments. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) closely monitors housing development plans, together with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Housing and Development Board, and works with public transport operators to provide additional capacity to meet increases in travel demand. This includes deploying additional trains, where possible, to improve Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) frequency during peak hours. LTA has also introduced new bus services or adjusted existing bus routes to serve new housing developments. Since 24 June 2024, LTA introduced short-trip Services 86A and 86B to connect Fernvale residents to Yio Chu Kang station on the North-South Line during weekday morning and evening peak hours. As an additional option during peak hours, Fernvale residents can also travel to and from the Central Business District via City Direct Service 671. Under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme that was announced last month, LTA will introduce more peak-hour express bus services as an alternative option for residents. When the Cross Island Line and the Cross Island Line Punggol Extension are completed, these will also provide additional public transport options and capacity for residents in the North East. In her question, Ms He mentioned that URA plans to develop up to 10,000 new homes in Fernvale North in Sengkang. The Member may wish to note that the number of dwelling units she mentioned did not come from URA or other Government agencies.”
“The suggestion to use Open Market Value (OMV) to differentiate between Category A and B Certificate of Entitlement (COE) has been raised several times both in and out of this House, including by Mr Ang Wei Neng in 2013. The proposal to use OMV has its merits, but also comes with some challenges as these values can fluctuate quite significantly for different batches of the same car model, depending on movements in exchange rates and the prices set by the car manufacturer. This means that the same car model with similar specifications may require a Category A COE at one point in time and a Category B COE at another time.”
“The Government does not regulate the pricing of airfares as there is sufficient market competition in the airline industry and airlines would set their airfares based on commercial considerations.”
“We are working with relevant stakeholders to improve safety for workers and other road users and will provide further updates when ready.”
“In March 2019, a Traffic Impact Assessment was carried out in the Faber Hills estate to study the impact of the new housing development, Parc Clementis, on traffic in the area. To meet the expected increase in vehicular traffic, road improvement measures were implemented at various areas throughout the estate. At the Jalan Lempeng and Faber Drive cross junction, there were no reported accidents from 2018 to 2023. With the completion of Parc Clementis in 2024, traffic has picked up. This year, there had been two accidents in February and March 2024 reported to Traffic Police, which involved the collision of vehicles. The accidents were due to careless driving without reasonable consideration, despite there being road humps and warning signs along both roads that remind motorists to slow down when approaching the junction. To enhance safety, between April and July 2024, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) took further steps to narrow the junction, construct more road humps and enlarge the "Stop" signs to slow down traffic. LTA has also constructed new pedestrian footpaths in the area to direct pedestrians away from the junction to the signalised crossings that are further up Jalan Lempeng. LTA will continue to monitor the traffic condition and road safety in the area.”
“Power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and motorised personal mobility devices (PMDs) must comply with the EN15194 standard and UL2272 standard respectively before they can be used in Singapore. These standards serve to reduce the potential fire risk posed by such devices. The Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) Active Mobility enforcement officers conduct checks on active mobility devices, such as PABs and motorised PMDs, along public paths to ensure that the devices meet the stipulated requirements. Non-compliant devices that are detected will be seized and forfeited. In Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and trains, commuters must not bring any items that may pose a danger to other commuters, including non-compliant PABs and motorised PMDs which may pose fire risks. Only approved PABs and motorised PMDs that comply with size limits can be brought within MRT premises and on trains, and such devices must be switched off, with foldable devices folded at all times. The devices cannot be used or ridden within MRT premises and on trains. Commuters who do not comply with the rules will be made to leave the MRT premises and may also be fined up to $500.”
“Based on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31 March 2023, total quoted investments are higher than that of total unquoted investments, contrary to what was stated in the question. This is because total quoted investments include not just the line “Other Investments – Quoted”, but also “Government Stocks”. I thank Mr Leong for the opportunity to clarify this point.”
“In 2023, there was one electric vehicle (EV) fire incident across all vehicle segments. This is compared to two incidents in 2022 and one incident in 2021. The number of EV fire incidents has remained low even as EV adoption has grown. We will continue to work with our partner agencies and the industry to ensure that vehicle electrification proceeds safely.”
“Over the last six months of 2024, about one in three new cars sold in Singapore was an electric vehicle (EV). A third of these new EVs were registered by Housing and Development Board (HDB) owners. As of July 2024, the stock of EVs registered by HDB owners has doubled to around 4,000, compared to just under 2,000 at the end of 2023. Singapore’s EV charging infrastructure is expanding to support the EV transition. We are on track for every HDB town to be equipped with charging points by 2025, with around one in two HDB carparks already equipped with charging points today. Charger utilisation is relatively low but is expected to increase over time as EV adoption grows. In addition to slow chargers, we are also installing fast chargers. The Ministry of Transport announced at the Committee of Supply earlier this year that 120 fast chargers will be deployed at about 60 carparks in HDB Town Centres and JTC’s industrial premises. This will allow taxi and fleet drivers to do a fast charge during their breaks at these areas. The first two public fast charger contracts were awarded in June 2024, with more tenders to be launched in the coming months.”
“There are no current plans to phase out the sale of internal combustion engine motorcycles by 2030 as the electric motorcycle market segment is relatively nascent. Similar to electric cars, the availability of safe and reliable charging infrastructure is critical in enabling the adoption of electric motorcycles. Compatible electric motorcycles with fixed batteries can charge at the electric vehicles charging points deployed at Housing and Development Board carparks. However, many popular electric motorcycle models abroad have detachable batteries and inappropriate charging of such batteries may result in serious fire hazards. We are thus working with the industry to facilitate safe modes of charging for such models, including battery charge and swap stations (BCSS) and controlled off-board charging environments. To date, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has approved two BCSS applications from industry players. The Ministry of Transport/LTA will continue to work with the industry to explore charging solutions that meet our local needs, with safety being a paramount consideration.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I just wanted to respond quickly to two of the points that Mr Pritam Singh mentioned earlier in his questions. First, as Minister of State Alvin Tan mentioned, this shuttle bus at Marine Parade is a pilot community initiative. It is therefore separate from the public transport network. So, when we responded earlier to Mr Gerald Giam's suggestion to have shuttle buses be part of the public transport network, we explained that that would not fit well because you would still need to hire a driver and the capacity may not be enough to run as a public bus, part of our public transport network. The second clarification to what Mr Singh mentioned earlier, we will continue to do rationalisation and optimisation of bus routes that run parallel to the MRT lines. I have mentioned this when we announced the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, because this is part of how we make better use of our limited resources. So, the savings from the optimisation of the bus routes, the long trunk routes, can then be used to support new bus services that are needed because we have new estates coming up in different parts of Singapore. But our assessment is that doing that alone would not be adequate because we have more demand than what we can rationalise. Therefore, we are pumping in an additional up to $900 million over eight years to be able to support more buses, hire more bus captains, so that we are able to meet the connectivity needs of our residents in both existing towns, but also in the newer estates.”
“The Red Sea crisis has caused vessels on the Europe-Asia route to divert to the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope. This has disrupted many shipping companies' sailing networks and caused off-schedule vessel arrivals and "vessel bunching" at ports, resulting in congestion at ports worldwide. At the Port of Singapore, we face increased complexity and additional demand for container handling, as shipping lines rely on Singapore as a key transhipment port to mitigate delays. In the first half of 2024, the Port of Singapore handled 20.25 million twenty-foot equivalent units, an increase of 6.4% from the same period last year, a record high. The average wait time at our port has reduced from between two to three days in May 2024 to less than two days in June 2024. Container shipping lines have added 24% more capacity on the Asia-Europe route on a year-on-year basis in June in response to a shortage of shipping capacity servicing this route. The Member may refer to the Ministry of Transport's reply at the 2 July 2024 Parliament Sitting, for the measures we have taken to address the additional demand for container handling capacity at our port. [Please refer to "Adequacy of Singapore’s Seaports to Anticipate and Manage Severe Cargo Congestion", Official Report, 2 July 2024, Vol 95, Issue 137, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“In consultation with the community and agencies such as the Housing and Development Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Land Transport Authority will continue to review roadside parking to support walking and cycling in the area. Over the last few years, we have done so at Havelock Road, Tiong Bahru and the Ang Mo Kio Street 31 Friendly Street.”
“The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore works closely with relevant States of Design, including the Federal Aviation Administration and aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, to ensure that aircraft operated by Singapore air operators meet all applicable airworthiness standards. Our air operators are also required to comply with any Airworthiness Directives issued by the States of Design to address any potential safety concerns.”
“Based on industry standards, an aircraft is delayed if it departs or arrives more than 15 minutes past its scheduled departure or arrival time. From 2021 to 2023, the proportion of commercial passenger flights delayed annually was 13.4%, 27.1% and 24.7% respectively, compared to 19.5% in 2019. The proportion of commercial passenger flights cancelled annually was 1.5%, 0.9% and 0.6% respectively, compared to 1.2% in 2019. Flight delays and cancellations are primarily caused by delays in upstream connections, which cause downstream effects on connecting flights, as well as adverse weather conditions. These factors may differ from year to year. In 2020 and 2021, there was a decrease in delays likely due to a reduction in overall traffic during the pandemic, resulting in fewer upstream delays. With the subsequent recovery of the aviation sector, delays saw an uptick as global flight operations rebounded.”
“Both Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforcement officers and Traffic Police (TP) officers conduct enforcement under the Road Traffic Act. LTA’s enforcement focuses on regulatory offences related to vehicle standards, registration and roadworthiness, while TP’s enforcement focuses on behavioural offences related to road accident and road conduct, including speeding, reckless driving and drink driving. LTA enforcement officers undergo an Enforcement Riding course conducted by TP. The course equips them with skills, such as defensive riding techniques, as well as stopping and engaging traffic violators, to enable officers to carry out their enforcement roles on motorcycles safely and effectively.”
“On 19 July 2024 at about 6.15 am, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was alerted to a fire on board both Hafnia Nile, a Singapore-flagged tanker, and Ceres I, a São Tomé and Príncipe-flagged tanker, about 55 kilometres northeast of Pedra Branca within Singapore’s Maritime Search and Rescue Region. MPA was the coordinator for the search and rescue operations. MPA put out two media statements on 19 July 2024 and an additional media statement on 24 July 2024 on the incident. The Member may wish to refer to the media statements on the MPA website for the details of the incident. Navigational traffic in the vicinity of the incident was not affected. The owner of Hafnia Nile informed MPA on 23 July of light oil sheens near the vessel. The owner has undertaken measures for containment and clean-up of the localised seepage, such as deploying an oil boom around the damaged area of the vessel. To date, we have not detected oil pollution arising from the incident to the coastline of Singapore.”