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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“A senior household is one where the household decision maker is aged 65 years and above. For Housing and Development Board (HDB) sold flats, they must be the owner, co-owner or their spouse. For HDB rental flats, they must be the registered tenant or their spouse. Based on the 2023/2024 HDB Sample Household Survey (SHS) findings, the estimated number of senior households rose from around 260,000 in 2018 to 340,000 in 2023/2024. HDB does not collect information on the total number of seniors in these households in the SHS.”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the questions asked by Ms Jessica Tan on 14 January 2026. [Please refer to "Review of Enforcement Measures Against Pet Groomers and Proposal for Mandatory CCTV Recordings in Pet Grooming Facilities", Official Report, 14 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 14, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the questions asked by Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng and Mr Fadli Fawzi on 3 February 2026. [Please refer to "Moderating Shop Rental Increases in Heritage Precincts Such as Chinatown and Kampong Glam", Official Report, 3 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 15, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Minister-in-charge of the Community Relations Unit has the power to appoint public officers and employees of statutory bodies to issue mediation directions (MDs). These include Housing and Development Board (HDB) officers and Town Council officers. We are piloting the Directed Mediation framework in Tampines and HDB officers and officers from the Community Relations Unit are authorised to issue MDs for neighbour noise disputes. We will expand the MD framework to more towns. Given the nature of MDs and that non-compliance can result in a fine of up to $1,500, non-public officers have not been appointed to issue MDs. The Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) may consider any information that is relevant to the resolution of a CDRT claim. In this regard, the CDRT can ask a HDB or Town Council officer to provide information for the purposes of its proceedings.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) provides a range of assistance measures for flat owners who face genuine difficulties selling their flats when the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) quotas have been reached. This includes buying back flats from eligible EIP-constrained flat owners. HDB will assess requests for buyback assistance on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the household's specific circumstances, including whether they have tried to sell the flat at a reasonable asking price for at least six months. HDB will refer to prices of recently transacted flats with similar attributes to determine if the marketed price is reasonable. All past transaction prices are published on the "Check Resale Flat Prices" e-service on the HDB InfoWEB. For flat owners who are eligible for buyback assistance, HDB will appoint a professional licensed valuer to value the flat based on established valuation principles and make an offer for the flat at a fair price. Flat owners can take up to three months to consider HDB's buyback offer.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the combined reply given by the Ministry of National Development on 3 February 2026 to similar questions posed by Assoc Prof Terence Ho and Ms He Ting Ru on budget meals in Housing Development Board's coffee shops. [Please refer to "Reduction in Budget Meal Options for Lower-income Residents with Scrapping of Budget Meal Initiative at HDB Coffee Shops", Official Report, 3 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 15, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“All Build-to-Order projects are designed and constructed in accordance with prevailing building codes. This includes guidelines on building setbacks to ensure adequate spacing from adjacent developments. The Housing and Development Board also adopts designs that are sensitive to surrounding developments. These include the strategic placement and orientation of buildings, as well as landscaping along common boundaries. For instance, dense and tall trees are typically planted to enhance privacy and provide visual screening.”
“Singaporeans with non-resident spouses who have a Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) child are treated as Singaporean families for the purposes of access to Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. They can purchase flats of any size from HDB, subject to other eligibility conditions. Singaporeans with non-resident spouses and no Singaporean or SPR child can purchase a 2-room Flexi flat from HDB, if the Singaporean is a first-timer aged 35 and above. From 2023 to 2025, HDB received 16 appeals from such couples to purchase flats other than 2-room Flexi flats from HDB. HDB did not accede to these appeals because the appellants had alternative housing options.”
“Mr Speaker, I understand where Mr Foo is coming from. And the two groups of residents that he spoke about, I think many of us would have encountered them in our constituencies too. So, certainly I think the Ministry of National Development and HDB will take a look and see what are some of the appropriate ways that we can help these individuals. But I would say that in helping them, we got to be also mindful that we are helping them not just to find a house for the immediate period, but also for a home that can last them for life. And that is why I think this safeguard of ensuring that the remaining lease can last them till at least age 95 is an important one. If there are other ways in which we can help them, I think we are open to reviewing and looking at different possibilities.”
“Mr Speaker, our rules on Central Provident Fund (CPF) usage for property purchases are intended to encourage Singaporeans to buy a home for life, which safeguards their housing and retirement adequacy. Under the current Home for Life condition, the remaining lease must cover the youngest owner till at least age 95. So, if we set the requirement at 83.5 years, many seniors would live longer than this average lifespan.”
“The incentive system for budget meal provision is designed to be simple and operationally efficient, so funding support is not linked to the volume of budget meals purchased. Given the stallholders' busy workloads and the wide variation in locations and budget meal demand across different coffee shops, it will be administratively onerous to do so. To better meet residents' daily needs, HDB will standardise the scope of the budget meal requirement such that operators who offer budget meals have to provide three meal options: (a) an economy rice option consisting of rice with one meat dish and two vegetable dishes; (b) a halal meal option; and (c) a breakfast item. HDB also requires budget meals to be full meal options and operators are not allowed to limit the daily quantity available for purchase. We believe the new arrangement is fairer and more sustainable for operators, stallholders and consumers. HDB will continue to engage with coffee shop operators and monitor the response to assess whether further adjustments are needed.”
“Residents have access to a variety of cooked food options at Housing and Development Board (HDB) coffee shops and hawker centres. The People's Association and community partners have also implemented various support programmes to assist lower-income residents. Since the introduction of the budget meal initiative in 2018, HDB has been regularly engaging with operators, stallholders and residents to refine the scheme. Operators and stallholders have shared concerns that the budget meal initiative is not sustainable due to rising costs and low take-up rates. Residents have also given feedback that the quality of budget meals is uneven and portion sizes can be inconsistent. To address these concerns, HDB is offering more flexibility and funding support to operators and stallholders who choose to offer budget meals. From 10 January 2026, budget meals are optional for all HDB coffee shops when they renew their existing tenancies. Operators now have the flexibility to decide whether to participate in the initiative. Existing operators of rental coffee shops who are currently providing budget meals will continue to do so until the end of their current tenancy. Hence, there will not be a sudden change in the number of coffee shops offering budget meals. To encourage operators to participate in the scheme, HDB has tripled the funding support to operators who offer budget meals, by extending the 5% rental discount from the current one-year period to the full three-year tenancy term. To ensure that stallholders providing budget meals receive the rental discounts, coffee shop operators are required to pass on the discount in full to their stallholders providing budget meals.”
“The ABSD regime for licensed housing developers, also known as ABSD (HD), is intended to ensure the timely release of housing supply by developers. Since March 2025, we have extended the ABSD (HD) remission timelines for the commencement, sale and completion of complex projects, which include large en bloc redevelopments where the site yields at least 700 residential units upon redevelopment and the number of residential units upon redevelopment is at least 1.5 times the number of residential units of the existing development.”
“Over the last five years, we have received an annual average of about 22,000 cases of feedback on pest birds. The National Parks Board (NParks) has been working with the National Environment Agency, the Singapore Food Agency and Town Councils to step up its multi-pronged efforts to manage pest bird-related disamenities and safeguard public safety. For instance, under the pigeon management plan, agencies are working together to reduce human-generated food sources, carry out direct population control with enhanced trapping and removal methods, enforce against illegal bird feeding and carry out education and outreach efforts. To further mitigate crow-related disamenities, NParks has also stepped up its crow and crow nest removal efforts and is working closely with the Singapore Police Force to resume the shooting of crows.”
“While the 2023 African Swine Fever outbreak led to a reduction of the wild boar populations in Pulau Ubin and the western part of Singapore, they have since shown signs of recovery. The National Parks Board will continue to monitor and manage the wild boar population, including any impact to the biodiversity in these areas, as part of its science-based approach to wildlife management.”
“The Housing and Development Board and the National Parks Board (NParks) adopt various measures to enhance thermal comfort for users of playgrounds and outdoor fitness stations while preserving the outdoor recreational experience. Agencies use tools, such as sun-shade analysis, to locate these facilities in the shadow zone of nearby buildings where feasible. Trees and greenery are also planted to provide shade and reduce ambient temperature. There are existing funding schemes and upgrading programmes for Town Councils and NParks to rejuvenate playgrounds and outdoor fitness stations, which may include providing more shade through greenery or shelters.”
“Since its introduction in 2001, the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) has been successfully implemented in the vast majority of more than 5,300 Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks originally built without direct lift access on every floor. In 2025, LUP was announced for six blocks. There are plans for LUP to be extended to about 40 more blocks progressively. Thereafter, there will be about 100 blocks which have not benefitted from LUP due to high costs, costing more than $200,000 per benefiting unit. HDB will continue to explore new technologies to provide direct lift access to remaining blocks, where feasible. To further support residents in these blocks who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or mobility reasons, the Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) has been raised from $30,000 to $80,000 in April 2025, for residents to buy another flat with direct lift access. In the eight months after the LHG enhancement in Apr 2025, HDB received 18 LHG applications. This is an increase from the 11 applications received per year prior to the enhancement. Residents staying in units without direct lift access who face mobility challenges can approach HDB for assistance on their LHG application.”
“The Hoarding Management Core Group (HMCG), led by the Municipal Services Office, coordinates efforts across Government agencies to resolve severe hoarding cases. HMCG assesses and prioritises cases based on the severity of hoarding and the impact on public health and safety. For example, if the hoarded unit is infested with rats, cockroaches or other vectors, the National Environment Agency may direct the hoarder to tackle the infestation, such as removing the clutter that is harbouring the vectors. Where there is severe clutter obstructing exits, agencies coordinate with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to ensure occupants have a passageway to exit the unit during an emergency. SCDF can also require the hoarder to cease hoarding flammable items. The New Environment Action Team has been working hard to identify cases early and address the underlying issues to provide more well-rounded support to hoarders and relief to their neighbours.”
“The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) addresses safety and common maintenance issues in older flats, when they are at around the 30-year mark. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will extend the programme to flats built after 1997, when the selection of older flats built before that has been substantially completed. The exact timeline for doing so will be contingent on budget availability and industry capacity. Over the years, HDB has progressively enhanced HIP and its processes, including polling and implementation. To improve voting convenience and HIP participation, residents who cannot be around during the HIP polling exercise may appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. HDB recognises the potential benefits of online voting. This will have to be studied further to ensure voting integrity, system reliability and cybersecurity. On implementation timelines, HDB announces the blocks selected for HIP as soon as a decision has been made, so that residents can plan their own renovations taking into consideration upcoming HIP works. The average duration between announcement and commencement is about one and a half years. The actual duration varies across projects, depending on the tender process, resident engagement and any site-specific complexities for the HIP works. HDB also needs to cater sufficient time for residents to select their preferred HIP optional items and designs, as well as for contractors to survey the existing flats and procure construction materials.”
“The Housing and Development Board blocks are designed and built in accordance with the prevailing Fire Code. Generally, each residential unit is designed as a fire compartment with concrete walls and floor and a fire-rated entrance door to minimise fire spread between units. However, there are situations where a fire-rated entrance door is not required. For example, the entrance door need not be fire-rated if it is more than three metres away from an exit staircase and facing an external corridor. This is because the external corridor is designed for efficient dispersion of heat and smoke, mitigating fire spread between units. Under the Home Improvement Programme, flats are provided with fire-rated doors only where required by the Fire Code. This approach ensures both regulatory compliance and financial prudence.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) typically lets out and renews tenancies of rental shops for a period of three years, which is in line with market practice. New tenants who secure an HDB shop after 10 January 2026 and choose to renew when their first tenancy term ends will have their rents maintained based on their winning bids for another three years. By requiring tenderers to commit to tendered rent over a longer period, tenderers are encouraged to submit more sustainable and prudent bids. Tenants can terminate their tenancies ahead of tenancy expiry with no penalty, as HDB recognises that there could be tenants who face genuine business challenges and financial constraints. Tenants who wish to terminate their tenancy early must provide HDB with one month's notice. Small and medium enterprises can tap on the suite of programmes offered by Government agencies, such as Enterprise Singapore and HDB, to help them increase cost competitiveness, as well as enhance their productivity and transform their business.”
“The incentive system for budget meal provision is designed to be simple and operationally efficient, so funding support is not linked to the volume of budget meals purchased. Given the stallholders' busy workloads and the wide variation in locations and budget meal demand across different coffee shops, it will be administratively onerous to do so. To better meet residents' daily needs, HDB will standardise the scope of the budget meal requirement such that operators who offer budget meals have to provide three meal options: (i) an economy rice option consisting of rice with one meat dish and two vegetable dishes, (ii) a halal meal option, and (iii) a breakfast item. HDB also requires budget meals to be full meal options, and operators are not allowed to limit the daily quantity available for purchase. We believe the new arrangement is fairer and more sustainable for operators, stallholders and consumers. HDB will continue to engage with coffee shop operators and monitor the response to assess whether further adjustments are needed.”
“Residents have access to a variety of cooked food options at the Housing and Development Board (HDB) coffee shops and hawker centres. The People's Association and community partners have also implemented various support programmes to assist lower-income residents. Since the introduction of the budget meal initiative in 2018, HDB has been regularly engaging with operators, stallholders and residents to refine the scheme. Operators and stallholders have shared concerns that the budget meal initiative is not sustainable due to rising costs and low take-up rates. Residents have also given feedback that the quality of budget meals is uneven and portion sizes can be inconsistent. To address these concerns, HDB is offering more flexibility and funding support to operators and stallholders who choose to offer budget meals. From 10 January 2026, budget meals are optional for all HDB coffee shops when they renew their existing tenancies. Operators now have the flexibility to decide whether to participate in the initiative. Existing operators of rental coffee shops who are currently providing budget meals will continue to do so until the end of their current tenancy. Hence, there will not be a sudden change in the number of coffee shops offering budget meals. To encourage operators to participate in the scheme, HDB has tripled the funding support to operators who offer budget meals, by extending the 5% rental discount from the current one-year period to the full three-year tenancy term. To ensure that stallholders providing budget meals receive the rental discounts, coffee shop operators are required to pass on the discount in full to their stallholders providing budget meals.”
“The Free Parking Scheme (FPS) aims to promote social interaction and foster stronger family ties by providing free parking at suitable Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks from 7.00am to 10.30pm on Sundays and public holidays. HDB car parks are provided primarily to serve the parking needs of HDB residents. HDB will consider implementing FPS after the parking demand from the residents has stabilised and where there are sufficient parking lots to cater to residents’ needs and the expected increase in parking demand from visitors due to FPS. HDB has been monitoring the parking demand at the new car parks in Tengah and has started to offer FPS at suitable car parks progressively from 1 February 2026.”
“That is how our market will earn capital and participation in a sustainable way. Mr Speaker, developing a vibrant equities market is not a one‑off campaign. It is a multi‑year effort that requires discipline, willingness to innovate sensibly and committed partnership among Government, regulators, exchanges, intermediaries, investors and listed companies. We have laid the foundations and set in motion a comprehensive programme. If we keep at this work together in close partnership between Government and industry, and with the right incentives and a clear focus on quality and sustainability, I am confident that Singapore's equities market will grow in depth, resilience and attractiveness in the years ahead. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)]”
“We are also not trying to force outcomes through quotas or administrative allocation. We are building capabilities – in fund management, in listed companies' ability to enhance shareholder value, to engage investors, we are investing in market infrastructure – so that investors and issuers choose Singapore because they are convinced that this makes commercial sense and this has longer-term strategic value for them. Our goal is to build an equities market where companies sharpen their attention on shareholder value creation, communicate their strategies clearly, optimise capital allocation and thus deliver good shareholder returns. Assoc Prof Lim is right that we also need to look at how the market can facilitate companies to grow. But I hope Assoc Prof Lim will agree with me that if you do not have good shareholder returns, you would not be able to achieve that outcome. So, the two are not mutually exclusive, they go hand-in-hand. We also want an equities market where research coverage is broader and more insightful, where market makers operate with clarity and confidence and where trading and post‑trade are efficient and user‑friendly.”
“To maintain trust and confidence in our markets, MAS and the relevant authorities in Singapore will continue to work closely on robust investigation, market surveillance and timely enforcement against breaches of disclosure requirements and market misconduct. We have also made decisive moves to enhance international connectivity. The SGX-Nasdaq Global Listing Board, when implemented later this year, will enable eligible companies to simultaneously list on both exchanges with one set of prospectus. This can help support their growth plans, widen their investor base and enhance liquidity across time zones. Third, improving competitiveness is a never-ending journey. It is like a never-ending marathon that you just have to keep running. We will continue to listen, adapt and raise our game in partnership with the industry. And I certainly also welcome feedback and suggestions from Mr Chua, from Assoc Prof Lim and their colleagues from the Workers' Party. Although our efforts have yielded some initial success, we cannot stand still and rest on our laurels because the competition for global capital is intense and fast evolving. We must continue to play to our strengths and we must continue to innovate to stay ahead, or we will risk falling behind and being over-taken. It is like the Chinese saying, "逆水行舟不进则退". (In English): Learning is like rowing upstream; to not advance is to fall behind. Sir, our strategy is to make Singapore's market more attractive on its own merits, so that capital flows here because the opportunities are attractive and our ecosystem, as a whole, is strong. This philosophy underpins our different measures. We are not trying to go for a silver bullet that can, on its own, solve all the problems. There is no magic pill.”
“We will devote more resources into public and investor education, working with partners, like the SGX Academy and the Securities Investors Association (Singapore), so that stakeholders understand that while taking more risks could yield higher investment returns, they are also prepared to face greater market volatility. This trade-off is relevant when we decide on our personal and family investments. It is also applicable when we decide on the level of risks we want to collectively take as a country. When we shift towards a more disclosure-based regime, with regulation that is more focused and facilitative, we will continue to seek high quality listings and provide adequate and timely information for investors to make their decisions. Key stakeholders in the ecosystem must also exercise their respective areas of expertise and responsibility – IPO professionals and research analysts have to uphold high standards of due diligence and analysis to support investors in making informed decisions. MAS will take steps to strengthen investor confidence, such as encouraging transparency and shareholder engagements through initiatives under the Value Unlock Programme, while enhancing investor protection mechanisms, especially for retail investors, such as strengthening their options for recourse against misconduct. I take Mr Louis Chua's point that some requirements may have to be mandatory, and we are certainly open to looking at these examples. But I hope Mr Chua will agree with me that not everything that can add value to the company needs to be mandated because the companies themselves would have strong commercial interest to want to make sure they can increase their market value.”
“We have worked closely with the industry to co-create solutions and implement a holistic package that strengthens both demand and supply, as well as enhancing greater connectivity that supports efficient trading. Over the past 18 months, the Equities Market Review Group engaged widely with brokers, banks, asset managers, listed companies, prospective issuers, research providers and industry bodies and this process helped us to move beyond making individual tweaks towards a comprehensive set of mutually reinforcing moves, to get the momentum of the flywheel going. Sir, there are three guiding principles that will continue to anchor our work. First, implementation is key. We will focus on effective and timely implementation to translate policy ideas into market outcomes. To support this important area of work, we have established an Equity Market Implementation Committee, co-chaired by MAS and SGX. Some of the measures have already been rolled out. For instance, we have allocated $3.95 billion across nine asset managers under EQDP to develop our fund management industry and to increase investor participation in our market. Other initiatives are on track and will be implemented over the course of the year as we modernise market infrastructure and launch new market connectivity initiatives. Second, innovation in policy requires taking calculated risks. We adopted an approach of allowing for more risk-taking in the equities market review, and with support from Singaporeans and Members of this House, the Government will do likewise for other areas too. As we push boundaries and take bold steps to try new ideas, we will put in place guardrails, where necessary, to protect against downside risks.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank Mr Louis Chua and Assoc Prof Jamus Lim for their interest and suggestions in strengthening Singapore's equities market. We welcome such feedback as part of the ongoing efforts to make our equities market more competitive. I am pleased to report that we are making good progress with our review and have achieved some initial success. The average daily traded value of securities on SGX grew more than 20% year-on-year to almost $1.8 billion in November 2025. The average daily traded value of securities in 2025 was the highest since 2010. Recently, the number of Singapore-listed stocks with at least $1 million in average daily trading turnover has risen to 100. This is an increase of 40% compared to August 2024 when we formed the review group. The IPO activity rebounded significantly last year, with more than $2.4 billion in total funds raised, which is the highest level since 2019. The total market value of listed companies on SGX also crossed the $1 trillion mark. Sir, the growth has benefited many listed companies, many investors and these companies include both the large-capitalisation and also the small- and mid-caps. Despite global uncertainties, the Straits Times Index (STI) delivered strong returns last year, with over 28% total returns. And over five years, STI's total returns exceeded 100% in Singapore-dollars terms, outperforming many regional markets. As global investors rebalance and diversify across Asia, Singapore's reputation as a safe, trusted financial centre, with a strong and stable Singapore dollar, has drawn growing interest. I hope this positive momentum continues. But we know markets have ups and downs. Our focus, therefore, must be to continue strengthening the competitiveness and attractiveness of our ecosystem.”
“For both assistance schemes, HDB will co-pay part of the repair or installation costs for eligible households.”
“The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) aims to address safety and common maintenance issues that arise due to wear and tear in older flats. For HIP to proceed, majority consent of 75% of eligible Singaporean households in the block is required. In the last 10 years, six residential Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks did not garner more than 75% of votes from eligible Singapore Citizen households for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). These include one block at Serangoon Ave 2 in 2017 and three blocks at Lengkong Tiga in 2023. More recently, two blocks in Tiong Bahru polled unsuccessfully in November 2025. For the four blocks at Serangoon and Lengkong Tiga, HDB received appeals from the flat owners and Advisers for a re-poll. After careful review, HDB allowed these blocks to re-poll after about one year from the first poll. All four blocks re-polled successfully for the HIP. We understand that under the current voting process, blocks with fewer eligible units may face greater risks of not reaching 75% of votes to proceed with HIP. We will review the voting process for such blocks to balance between helping older estates to benefit from the HIP, while respecting the decision of flat owners. One option we are studying is to group the blocks with fewer units to vote together as one cluster, so that there are sufficient number of households taking part in the voting process. Outside of HIP, HDB supports flat owners who require assistance with ceiling leaks and spalling concrete issues through the Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme. Households with seniors who meet the eligibility criteria may also apply directly to HDB for the installation of senior-friendly fittings and accessibility solutions via the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme.”
“On average, over the last five years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received requests for public rental from about 4,000 singles a year, with around 35% being successful. Applications to HDB for a public rental flat that do not meet the eligibility criteria, including the minimum age requirement for singles, would be unsuccessful. This notwithstanding, each request is also assessed holistically and takes into account the applicant's individual circumstances and needs, housing options, level of family support and input from social workers. In the last five years, HDB has assisted about 150 singles aged below 35, including widowed and orphaned applicants, secure public rental flats considering their needs and exceptional circumstances.”
“From 2021 to 2025, around four in 10 Executive Condominium (EC) purchasers were first timers. The Housing and Development Board does not track loan-to-value ratios for EC purchases as these are financed by housing loans from financial institutions.”
“As of 31 December 2025, there are about 2,000 (3.2%) vacant rental flats undergoing sprucing works after the previous tenants had moved out and about 1,600 (2.6%) vacant rental flats to be included in upcoming allocation exercises. The number and percentage of such vacant flats have reduced from about 4,800 (7.7%) in December 2023 and 4,000 (6.5%) in December 2024. There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria for the Public Rental Scheme. The criteria are set to ensure fair and prudent use of public resources, which are funded by taxpayers, and it should not be conflated with rental flat vacancies. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) takes a needs-based approach and reviews all requests for rental housing holistically. For households that do not meet the eligibility criteria, HDB will look into their individual circumstances and assist them with rental housing if they are unable to buy a flat and have no other housing options and no family support.”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the question asked by Mr Kenneth Tiong on 12 January 2026. [Please refer to "Piloting Installation of Fire-rated Outdoor Charging Cabinets within Communal Facilities for PMDs", Official Report, 12 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 12, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is currently focused on rolling out the wireless Alert Alarm System (wAAS) to seniors staying in public rental housing. The setup of the wAAS involves not only the installation of physical hardware like the alert buttons but also ensuring that operators who are providing the round-the-clock response service have adequate resources to do so. As part of our ongoing efforts to promote ageing-in-place, HDB has partnered with commercial vendors who work with care service providers to offer fall detection and response packages that residents living in sold flats may subscribe to. In the event of a fall, the fall detector would detect and automatically alert the next-of-kin or trained care service providers. The care service providers will assess the situation and activate an ambulance where necessary. Eligible seniors living in sold flats may also tap on the 24/7 technology-enabled monitoring and response element for fall detection offered under the Ministry of Health's Enhanced Home Personal Care service, which will be rolled out islandwide later this year.”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the question asked by Ms Lee Hui Ying on 12 January 2026. [Please refer to "Animal Welfare Groups' Involvement in Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage Programme", Official Report, 12 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 12, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Sample Household Survey is conducted every five years, to better understand residents' changing needs and improve the public housing experience. Over 7,000 households across Singapore participated in the 2023/2024 survey. Based on the survey, more than nine in 10 households were satisfied with their flat, neighbourhood and estate facilities. On flat sizes and privacy within flat, around nine in 10 households expressed satisfaction. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will continue to offer various flat types from 2-room Flexi to 3-Generation flats to meet the different needs of flat buyers. To enhance privacy, HDB ensures adequate spacing between blocks, designs flats with windows facing external landscapes rather than corridors and incorporates features, such as frosted glass panels for toilets and visual screens along common corridors. For noise and cleanliness, three in four households expressed satisfaction, similar to the 2018 survey. Blocks near major roads and mass rapid transit tracks are orientated away from noise sources where possible. Town Councils are responsible for the cleanliness of their estates and the Ministry of National Development (MND) publishes an annual report on their performance. MND and HDB will continue to improve the living environment for our residents, to maintain a high satisfaction level in public housing.”
“Where suitable, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has converted the upper levels of HDB multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) to greenery and community gardens. HDB has also repurposed spaces at several multi-storey car park (MSCPs) into courier hubs under the Courier Hub Scheme, where delivery companies can sort and handle parcels. HDB will consider requests to repurpose MSCPs to other uses that benefit the community, subject to site-specific assessments on technical feasibility and safety considerations.”
“This question was addressed in MND's reply to the question asked by Mr Kenneth Tiong on 12 January 2026. [Please refer to "Piloting Installation of Fire-rated Outdoor Charging Cabinets within Communal Facilities for PMDs", Official Report, 12 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 12, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks are designed and built to comply with the prevailing Fire Code. For example, fire escape routes, such as common corridors and staircases, need to be well-ventilated to aid smoke dispersal during a fire. Exit staircases are also located to provide residents with safe escape routes. If a fire escape route becomes temporarily inaccessible, residents should remain in an unaffected room within their unit, staying as far away from the fire as possible, close the main door which is a fire-proof door and call 995 for assistance. While awaiting rescue, residents should stay low, seal gaps beneath the door with wet towels or fabric to prevent smoke from entering. Fire drill exercises in HDB estates are not mandated under the Fire Safety Act. Nevertheless, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the People's Association’s Community Emergency and Engagement Committees conduct HDB block-level fire evacuation exercises from time to time to help residents familiarise themselves with the escape routes.”
“Between 2024 and 2025, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has trialed the use of microwave scanning technology at 68 HDB flats which encountered water seepage issues. The technology helps detect and trace sources of water seepage in more complex cases. HDB is currently assessing the trial results, including whether the technology can be scaled up for wider use in a cost-effective manner and how its use can complement other methods.”
“For both assistance schemes, HDB will co-pay part of the repair or installation costs for eligible households.”
“The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) aims to address safety and common maintenance issues that arise due to wear and tear in older flats. For HIP to proceed, majority consent of 75% of eligible Singaporean households in the block is required. In the last 10 years, six residential Housing Development Board (HDB) blocks did not garner more than 75% of votes from eligible Singapore Citizen households for the HIP. These include one block at Serangoon Ave 2 in 2017 and three blocks at Lengkong Tiga in 2023. More recently, two blocks in Tiong Bahru polled unsuccessfully in November 2025. For the four blocks at Serangoon and Lengkong Tiga, HDB received appeals from the flat owners and Advisers for a re-poll. After careful review, HDB allowed these blocks to re-poll after about one year from the first poll. All four blocks re-polled successfully for the HIP. We understand that under the current voting process, blocks with fewer eligible units may face greater risks of not reaching 75% of votes to proceed with HIP. We will review the voting process for such blocks to balance between helping older estates to benefit from the HIP, while respecting the decision of flat owners. One option we are studying is to group the blocks with fewer units to vote together as one cluster, so that there are sufficient number of households taking part in the voting process. Outside of HIP, HDB supports flat owners who require assistance with ceiling leaks and spalling concrete issues through the Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme. Households with seniors who meet the eligibility criteria may also apply directly to HDB for the installation of senior-friendly fittings and accessibility solutions via the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme.”
“Over each of the past five years, there was an average of about 2,000 instances of feedback related to free-ranging chickens in residential estates. The National Parks Board (NParks) adopts a community- and science-based approach to manage the free-ranging chicken population. This includes working with Town Councils and grassroots organisations on population control measures, habitat modification to prevent chickens from roosting close to residential units and public education efforts to discourage releasing and feeding of free-ranging chickens. NParks does not have plans to relocate chickens to other spaces.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) conducts regular surveys to track the prices of common dishes and drinks offered in HDB coffee shops. HDB does not directly regulate food prices. Instead, HDB strives to provide adequate supply of coffee shops in every HDB town, complementing the network of hawker centres, to offer a range of cooked food options for residents. HDB requires budget meals to be a full meal option. We recently made some changes to the budget meal initiative, to provide enhanced funding support for participating operators who choose to offer budget meals in their eating houses. Part of the changes include requiring the operator to provide three meal options: (a) an economy rice option consisting of rice with one meat dish and two vegetable dishes; (b) a halal meal option; and (c) a breakfast item. Beyond these guidelines, it is not feasible to impose nutritional requirements on budget meals, just as we do not impose such requirements on hawker stalls in general.”
“Under the current resale levy policy, in place since March 2006, second-timers (STs) pay a resale levy upon the sale of the first subsidised flat or on the collection of keys to the second flat, whichever is later. There is no interest component. Under an earlier policy, ST households who sold their first subsidised flat between May 1997 and March 2006 could defer resale levy payment until the collection of keys to their second subsidised flat, subject to an interest of 5% per annum. Nonetheless, since 2015, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has waived the accrued interest on the resale levy payable by all ST seniors right-sizing to a smaller flat. HDB has also been exercising flexibility for other affected STs upon appeal. Following the implementation of the HDB Flat Eligibility letter in 2023, HDB has automatically waived the accrued interest for ST households without requiring an appeal.”
“Buildings in Singapore are required to be designed according to the relevant building codes to be sufficiently robust to withstand lateral forces, including tremors from distant earthquakes. Singapore is classified as a low-seismicity region under the Eurocode design framework, based on our distance from active seismic fault lines. Due to our low-seismicity context, seismic design considerations apply only to new buildings above 20 metres in height, about seven storeys, that are located on soft soil and there are currently no plans to extend the requirements to buildings which are 20 metres and below in height. The Building and Construction Authority will continue to review building design and safety requirements, where necessary, in line with latest scientific evidence, international standards and environment conditions.”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the question asked by Ms Lee Hui Ying on 12 January 2026. [Please refer to "Animal Welfare Groups' Involvement in Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release-Manage Programme", Official Report, 12 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 12, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”