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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“With regard to the first supplementary question from Mr Tiong, the reports that have surfaced, I mentioned in my main reply that the banks have also been taking action in monitoring the situation and we do reject some of the applications, and some of them, they withdrew after the banks asked questions. And there is also a system whereby the financial institutions would file Suspicious Transactions Reports (STRs). This was something that the banks, the financial institutions have been doing earlier. But we need to bear in mind that STRs on their own do not equate to offences being committed. It is just a suspicious transaction that is being highlighted. For the Police, the Police would have to take a look at these early signals, including the STRs that are filed, and conduct further enquiries on their own, including looking at financial intelligence that they have picked up. And this is what the Police had done. They had also worked with their foreign counterparts to gather further information on the case, because, as I mentioned in my main reply, this case involves not just Singapore, but many other jurisdictions. And after the news broke in October 2025, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) reached out to international counterparts to gather more information on criminality with nexus to Singapore to further these investigations and then took action on 30 October, as I mentioned in my main reply. Mr Tiong also asked, I think he made a comment that there are many flies in the house. I do not know which "house" Mr Tiong is referring to, but as far as we are aware, the house of Singapore, we do not have many flies. I mentioned earlier that the SFOs that are involved in money laundering and are convicted for money laundering, represent less than 1%.”
“Mr Speaker, I am disappointed that Mr Tiong chose to conduct this discussion in this manner. I only wanted to clarify the position so that I can give him a considered response. Earlier, some of his other colleagues, including Mr Pritam Singh, Leader of the Opposition, said that the WP will be a responsible opposition party. And I hope Mr Tiong bears that in mind in our future discourse. Sir, I thank the WP's Mr Tiong for agreeing with me that we should not adopt a zero-risk approach. I think that is the key point that I wanted to clarify. So, he could have just said that and not add on all the other additional comments. So, if we agree with that, that it is not practical to adopt a zero-risk approach, then I think we can take a look at what are some of the moves that we can make to maintain high standards on one hand, that is important, we want to remain a trusted financial centre; and at the same time, remain efficient and competitive. Having high standards is not at odds with being efficient and competitive. If Mr Tiong believes that being inefficient, being overly cumbersome, adopting a zero-risk approach, being overly risk adverse, is the right way to go, I think if we follow his advice, our financial hub status is at risk. We need to take a risk-proportionate, calibrated approach, just like all other major international financial centres – maintain high standards, deter bad actors, take action against them when we discover wrongdoings. No doubt about that. That is our position. But at the same time, welcome genuine investors, legitimate family offices who want to set up and tap our financial services industry here, and create jobs for our people. That is the approach that Singapore wants to take.”
“Sir, I think it is not quite appropriate for Mr Tiong to use the word "stupid" when we are having a discussion in this House. I asked him a question to clarify what is his position. And I respectfully ask him to withdraw that comment and to apologise.”
“Mr Speaker, before I answer the questions, may I ask Mr Tiong to clarify if the Workers' Party's (WP's) position is that we should adopt a zero-risk approach? Or would he agree with me that we should adopt a risk-proportionate approach, set high standards, but also maintain the efficiency and competitiveness of our financial system?”
“There are currently around 2,800 public playgrounds implemented by the Housing Development Board (HDB) and National Parks Board in HDB estates and parks. The number of playgrounds has increased over the years.”
“This question was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the questions asked by Mr Kenneth Tiong and Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik on 14 October 2025. [Please refer to "Criteria that Qualify for Intervention by Community Relations Unit and Unit's Effectiveness in Addressing Neighbourly Disputes", Official Report, 14 October 2025, Vol 96, Issue 7, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“To apply for a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat, flat buyers must first obtain a valid HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter. This letter provides personalised information on their eligibility to buy a new or resale flat, as well as the housing grant and HDB loan amount they may qualify for. For example, the HFE letter presents three personalised loan scenarios – prudent, moderate and maximum – to encourage informed decision-making. The HFE letter is valid for nine months, which strikes a balance between providing home buyers with greater convenience, while ensuring currency of eligibility assessments. There are no plans to introduce differentiated validity periods. Buyers can also leverage other planning tools, such as HDB's "Calculate Housing Budget" and "Find a Flat" e-services. Personalised information from the HFE letter can be auto-populated into these e-services, which, together, provide buyers a holistic understanding and personalised assessment of their housing and financing options. Recognising that some young couples may wish to settle down earlier before both parties have found stable employment, the Deferred Income Assessment scheme allows eligible couples to apply for a new flat first and defer their income assessment for grant and loan until nearer to key collection. HDB will continue to enhance its services and schemes to meet the diverse needs of flat buyers.”
“The external retractable clothes drying rack (ER-CDR) was introduced under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) in 2020. This was in view of past fall from height incidents involving usage of bamboo poles laden with wet laundry, and occurrences of falling bamboo poles due to reasons such as strong winds. With the ER-CDR, residents no longer need to lift heavy laundry loads on bamboo poles out of their windows and slot them into narrow pipe sockets. This is particularly beneficial for seniors and is increasingly important with our ageing population. Furthermore, as the installation of ER-CDR involves adding an external fixture to HDB flats, it is better for HDB to carry out the works across the board in one exercise. Therefore, the ER-CDR is an essential rather than optional component. Essential improvements under the HIP are fully funded by the Government for Singapore Citizen households. HDB has actively engaged residents undergoing HIP to explain the benefits of the ER-CDR, conducted demonstrations on its proper usage and gathered user feedback. In response to residents' feedback, HDB has made several improvements to the ER-CDR design, including increasing laundry capacity and improving ergonomics of the pole. HDB has also uploaded an instructional video on YouTube to provide residents with a step-by-step guide on using the rack, tips to maximise laundry capacity and advice on how to quickly collect laundry when it rains. Recent surveys conducted at selected completed HIP precincts showed that over 80% of residents considered the ER-CDR safe, while close to 70% found it easy to use. Some residents noted that they needed time to adjust to this new method of drying laundry. However, many have since adapted and accepted the ER-CDR's design and its benefits.”
“When considering requests to repurpose the Housing Development Board (HDB) multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) to other uses, HDB takes into account various factors, such as the demand for parking spaces over time, potential disamenities to residents and safety considerations. These include fire safety provisions, exit capacity and structural loading. Where suitable, HDB has supported such requests and converted the upper levels of some MSCPs to greenery and community gardens. HDB will also consider requests to repurpose MSCPs to other uses that benefit the community, subject to site-specific assessment on the technical feasibility and specific needs.”
“Landlords of commercial and industrial properties, both local or foreign, generally price their rents competitively to attract and retain tenants, given the costs and forgone rental income of leaving their properties vacant. Between 2020 to 2024, foreign buyers accounted for less than 20% of private commercial and industrial property transactions. Therefore, foreign buyers are not the main driver of commercial and industrial rent movements.”
“Protected wildlife species listed under the Wildlife Act are identified based on criteria such as their national conservation status, whether they are native to Singapore and international conservation frameworks, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For instance, otters are designated as protected wildlife species as they are native to Singapore and listed in CITES. National Parks Board (NParks) also assesses factors, such as the risk to public safety and health and disamenities, to guide its approach to wildlife management. To manage human-otter conflicts, NParks works closely with community partners, like the Otter Working Group, which includes Government agencies, academic experts and members of the nature community. We have jointly developed measures, such as trapping and relocating otters away from areas of intensified human-otter conflict, cordoning off areas where adult otters may display protective behaviour in the presence of young otters and using olfactory irritants to guide otters away from residential areas.”
“Currently, there are about 40,000 total Heavy Vehicle (HV) lots and 32,000 HVs registered under the Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC) scheme. Under the VPC scheme, every HV should have a designated overnight parking lot before it is allowed to be registered or have its road tax renewed. Heavy Vehicle Park (HVP) licence holders have the discretion to allocate VPCs for their HV lots, as the HV lots may be used for their own operating needs. Government agencies will take into consideration the availability of private HV lots open for public enquiry, when working with industry stakeholders such as the Singapore Transport Association to better address HV parking needs.”
“Agencies do not track the number of hoarding cases that result in enforcement action, because enforcement is only one of several measures to manage hoarding. The New Environmental Action Team (NEAT) comprises the People's Association (PA) and other Government agencies from the Hoarding Management Core Group, social service agencies, community groups and private organisations. PA's grassroots organisations, social service agencies and community volunteers play a key role in identifying at-risk cases, befriending hoarders and their families and helping address underlying social and personal issues like grief and trauma. NEAT also works closely with the Town Councils to safely and smoothly dispose of decluttered material from the Housing and Development Board flats.”
“The information which the Member asked for is not available.”
“The Courts may decide to impose a Mandatory Treatment Order, which requires the offender to undergo psychiatric treatment such as at the Institute of Mental Health, for animal cruelty and abuse cases.”
“The electrical wiring checks under the Home Improvement Programme and the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme prioritise key electrical components such as the Residual Current Circuit Breakers and water heaters, as the risk of electrical hazards is higher if these installations are non-compliant. Fires of electrical origin may also be related to user behaviour, such as overloading of electrical sockets and use of uncertified electrical devices. Flat owners are encouraged to refer to the Energy Market Authority's website for tips to keep themselves and their families safe from electrical-related accidents. Residents that face electrical wiring issues beyond those covered by the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) upgrading programmes should engage a Licensed Electrical Worker to assess and rectify the issues. HDB can also help to refer residents to the People's Association or social service agencies if they require financial assistance.”
“There are around 13,000 free-roaming cats in publicly accessible areas in Singapore. The National Parks Board targets to achieve a sterilisation rate of at least 70% by end-2030 to manage the population sustainably.”
“In assessing the type of lifts to install under the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), the Housing and Development Board takes a holistic approach to design for technical feasibility and cost effectiveness. The smaller-capacity lifts were installed for low-rise blocks with few units, such as those at Choa Chu Kang Ave 3. These smaller capacity lifts were designed to be wide enough to accommodate a standard wheelchair easily. While these lifts cannot accommodate Singapore Civil Defence Force's stretcher, SCDF will use alternative methods of evacuation, such as a soft carrying canvas or staircase evacuation. For all LUP projects, including those conducted for blocks at Choa Chu Kang Ave 3, the lift dimensions were communicated to residents through brochures and posters as part of the polling process.”
“A similar question was filed by former Member of Parliament Dr Lim Wee Kiak in February 2023. As buildings age, wear and tear is expected. Higher heat and more intense rainfall from climate change may result in more cases of spalling concrete, peeling paint, or mould growth. With regular inspections, timely repairs and adoption of new technologies, our buildings, including Housing and Development Board flats, continue to be structurally safe. The Building and Construction Authority has mandatory inspection regimes to ensure that defects are detected and rectified early. Since 2022, older buildings more than 20 years of age and above 13 metres in height must undergo a façade inspection every seven years. Periodic structural inspections are also required every ten years for all residential buildings. By using technology, such as drones and structural scanners, defects can also be identified more quickly and safely. Town Councils maintain the building facade by planning and carrying out Repair and Redecoration works, which include repainting and addressing peeling surfaces and mould growth. They may bring forward such works depending on the building’s condition.”
“About 4,600 public rental flats are expected to complete over the next five years.”
“The Ministry of National Development monitors Town Councils' overall arrears rates but does not have data to the level of granularity requested by the Member.”
“From January to June 2025, 1,170 senior households have joined the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS). The scheme is designed to help seniors unlock the value of their homes by selling a portion of their flat's remaining lease to the Government while continuing to live in their flats. The proceeds are used to top up their Central Provident Fund (CPF) Retirement Accounts, and seniors receive a lifetime stream of monthly payouts via CPF LIFE to support their retirement needs. Seniors who would like to supplement their retirement incomes should continue to consider LBS as a possible option, without worrying about whether their block will go through the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). If a senior joins LBS and his block subsequently goes through VERS, the Government will ensure that he receives a fair package, which takes into account the value of the remaining retained lease of his flat.”
“The Building and Construction Authority's (BCA's) Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment sets out the minimum design requirements for accessible and inclusive buildings. Usage of these accessible features, including nursing and lactation rooms, is managed by building owners and facility managers. In this regard, they may implement various measures, such as installing access controls and conducting regular monitoring, to ensure the facilities are not misused. We encourage all users of such facilities to be civic-minded. Building owners are also encouraged to provide clear signage to inform users of the proper usage of these facilities.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will continue to provide a range of housing options for our seniors, which enable them to have a home for life. This includes Community Care Apartments (CCA) that integrate senior-friendly design features with care services. We have launched five CCA projects since 2021, including a new project in Sengkang in the October 2025 Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise, and will launch another CCA in Toa Payoh next year. The recently announced Age Well Neighbourhoods is another step towards helping our seniors age in the community. Short-lease 2-room flexi flats are also popular with our seniors. In each BTO project, we set aside for seniors at least 40% of the 2-room flexi flats. Seniors who had previously bought two subsidised flats are still eligible for the short-lease 2-room flexi flat or CCA if they had not purchased one previously. Our efforts to improve housing mobility for seniors include the enhancements to the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) for eligible seniors right-sizing to a 3-room or smaller flat. From 1 December 2025: (a) HDB will provide an additional $10,000 cash bonus to seniors who right-size to 2-room flats or CCAs, raising the maximum bonus from $30,000 to $40,000; (b) the SHB will be extended to more seniors living in private residential properties, with annual values between $21,000 and $31,000; (c) in addition, seniors will qualify for the SHB as long as they commit to a net increase in their Central Provident Fund (CPF) Retirement Account after right-sizing. As this amount can come from their CPF housing refunds, seniors may no longer need to make a cash top-up to their CPF Retirement Account to qualify for the SHB.”
“Since 2005, for all new or vacant Housing and Development Board (HDB) rental coffee shops, operators are required to provide at least one halal stall. This ensures that residents have convenient access to halal food, and that HDB coffee shops remain inclusive social spaces that cater to residents of all ethnicities. Should any halal stallholder cease operations, HDB requires the coffee shop operator to find a replacement within the tenancy period. The requirement to provide at least one halal stall does not distinguish between the type of cuisine served. We have a variety of halal cuisines in our HDB heartlands, including Malay, Indian, Chinese, Western and Japanese. The coffee shop operators or stallholders can decide on the type of cuisine they wish to serve, so as to best meet local demand. In Sengkang town, there are 19 HDB rental coffee shops. Two of these are fully halal coffee shops where all of their stalls provide halal options. Another 14 are coffee shops with halal stalls providing a variety of options, eight Indian-Muslim stalls, five Malay/Muslim stalls, and three Western Halal stalls. The remaining three halal stalls ceased operations this year. HDB is working with the operators to ensure that replacements are found as soon as possible. Apart from HDB coffee shops, residents are also served by halal food options in nearby hawker centres, food courts and shopping malls.”
“The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) (Open Market) Voucher is a temporary measure to support eligible families who rent Housing and Development Board flats or bedrooms on the open market, while HDB ramps up the PPHS supply to 4,000 units by the end of this year. There are no plans to extend the Voucher as the ramp-up of PPHS supply is on track. In recent exercises, all married applicants with at least one child aged 18 or below, including those expecting a child, were offered the opportunity to select a PPHS flat.”
“As a result, the application rate has come down significantly and since June 2023, all eligible applicants who are married with a child aged 18 and below, including expectant parents, have been invited to select a PPHS flat.”
“Mr Speaker, I do agree with the Member that where we can we want to try and shorten the waiting times for flat buyers. My guidance to my colleagues in the Ministry of National Development and HDB is to build more and build faster so that we can keep up a robust supply of new HDB flats. Sir, it is in the interest of contractors to complete projects ahead of schedule if they can because this allows them to recover and reinvest their capital more quickly. It also helps with the re-allocation of resources across projects that the contractors are undertaking. So, HDB will indeed continue to work closely with the agencies and the contractors to expedite the approvals and to support timely project completion. We bring forward development where feasible to deliver more Shorter Waiting Time flats to Singaporeans. We have increased the supply of such flats from 2,800 last year to 4,690 this year – which exceeded our commitment of 4,500 – and we will continue to build more of such Shorter Waiting Time flats. However, there are sites with longer development timelines because they may include sites that require more complex preparatory works which then limit how early we can start and we will continue to look at how we can optimise the timelines while ensuring a steady quality supply of homes. Sir, we also recognise that longer waiting times can affect home buyers including those who are looking to start a family, those who have children. So, to help them, to support them HDB offers Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) which provides a temporary housing option for eligible families while they wait for their BTO flats. HDB has been ramping the supply of PPHS flats from 800 in 2021 to about 4,000 by the end of this year.”
“Mr Speaker, to help Singaporeans secure their homes more quickly, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has introduced measures to reduce the waiting times for new Build-To-Order (BTO) projects. These include prioritising sites that are ready for immediate construction, adopting innovative procurement practices to shorten project duration, and working with authorities and relevant stakeholders to expedite approvals. Through these efforts, close to 70% of flats launched in 2023 and 2024, as well as those that are launched thus far in 2025, had waiting times of four years or less. HDB has also committed to launch more Shorter Waiting Time flats, with waiting times of less than three years. The construction time for each BTO project would vary based on the project’s attributes, such as the design complexity, the site conditions, the number of storeys. At each BTO sales launch, HDB would offer multiple housing projects at different locations, with different designs, flat types, prices and waiting times, to suit the varying needs of flat buyers. Because we do have a large group of different flat buyers with diverse needs. This information is made available at project launch so that buyers can make considered decisions when they are applying for their BTO flats. Sir, HDB will continue to work closely with the project contractors and consultants to expedite construction works as much as possible, while maintaining the safety and well-being of our workers, as well as ensuring project quality of the flats.”
“So, we offer higher chances to certain groups of buyers but to be candid, balloting outcomes cannot be guaranteed because there is an element of luck. This is especially so in popular projects, like the one that Ms Tan mentioned, and also in the larger flats such as 5-room flats or SBF flats, which the supply is smaller but the demand is high. To improve the chances of more people being able to get the flat, we are building more flats. We are trying to launch more. We just announced the October launch, more than 9,000 flats, in total, including Shorter Waiting Time flats. And we want to encourage applicants to also consider applying for projects where there are larger supplies because the application rate would then be better. During the application process, the application rates by estate and flat type would also be provided online and updated multiple times a day.”
“Mr Speaker, I understand the concerns that Ms Jessica Tan has raised. Indeed, we do want to encourage more families to stay near their family members, whether parents or children, so that the family can provide mutual support to one another. HDB offers a range of priority schemes to enhance the ballot chances of certain groups. Please allow me to just share a little bit with the House. For example, all first-timers receive one additional ballot. First-timer parents and married couples, eligible families receive an additional ballot. In other words, three ballots in total if they apply for a 4-room or a smaller standard flat. The first-timer families who have been unsuccessful in two or more BTO applications for standard 4-room smaller flats will receive an additional ballot chance for each subsequent BTO application for a standard flat. So, we do want to help them if they continue to apply for a standard flat, 4-room or smaller, to keep increasing their chances if they are unsuccessful. On top of this, we give priority also under various schemes to further enhance chances of various groups. Of our available BTO flat supply, we set aside 40% for the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (FPPS) and 30% for the FCS (Proximity) that I just shared in my main reply. And the purpose is to support young parents and those who wish to live near their parents. Those who qualify for both schemes would be balloted twice. If you qualify for both, first, you ballot under FPPS and if you are not successful, then you have another go under FCS (Proximity). Those who are unsuccessful in both ballots are then balloted again as a first-time, public applicant.”
“Mr Speaker, the Family Care Scheme (Proximity), or FCS (Proximity), was introduced in July 2025. Under FCS (Proximity), married and single children who choose to live with or near their parents, or the other way round, can enjoy priority access to flats launched in the Housing and Development Board's (HDB’s) Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flat (SBF) exercises. The flat selection process for the July 2025 BTO and SBF exercises will commence from November 2025. For the BTO exercise, about six in 10 first-timer families and two in 10 first-timer singles who applied under FCS (Proximity) received a queue number. For the SBF exercise, about seven in 10 first-timer families who applied under FCS (Proximity) received a queue number. Sir, among first-timer family FCS (Proximity) applicants who received a queue number in the July 2025 sales exercise, about eight in 10 were on their first attempt, and one in 10 were on their second attempt.”
“Tables 1 and 2 show the number1 of successful Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) applicants respectively, from 2015 to 2024.”
“Water seepage may occur in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats due to wear and tear over time. Flat owners and Town Councils (TCs) are responsible for the maintenance of the interior of flats and external walls respectively. HDB assists residents and TCs to address complex and recurring cases. For example, HDB supports the TCs by carrying out joint inspections and providing technical advice on necessary tests or repairs. In addition, for flat owners who need assistance, HDB co-pays 50% of the repair cost through the Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme, with the remaining 50% shared equally between the upper- and lower-floor flat owners. HDB is currently studying the use of technologies, such as microwave scanning, which can scan through concrete to detect and trace sources of seepage. This can help flat owners and TCs to more effectively diagnose and resolve complex water seepage cases upfront.”
“This question was addressed in the reply to the questions asked by Mr Kenneth Tiong and Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik on 14 October 2025. [Please refer to "Criteria that Qualify for Intervention by Community Relations Unit and Unit's Effectiveness in Addressing Neighbourly Disputes", Official Report, 14 October 2025, Vol 96, Issue 7, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The breakdown by flat type of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats launched from 2020 to 2025 is as follows: *The 2025 figures include the indicative supply of each flat type to be launched in the October 2025 BTO exercise. The exact supply will be shared during the launch of the sales exercise. More information on the 2026 and 2027 BTO supply will be shared when ready. We will continue to monitor the housing market closely and calibrate BTO supply to meet the housing needs of Singaporeans.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) takes a compassionate approach towards changes in family structure due to the demise of a parent. A key consideration is the welfare of any surviving minor Singapore Citizen (SC) child or children. If this takes place after key collection, a surviving Singapore Permanent Resident parent is eligible to retain the flat with his/her SC child. For all other cases, HDB will assess how to best assist the family on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the specific circumstances of each family. This could involve allowing the flat to be held in trust by a trustee, on the condition that the flat be transferred to the SC child when he or she reaches 21 years old. The data that the Member requested for is not available, as HDB does not track "death of a sole SC parent" as one of the reasons for flat cancellation.”
“This question was addressed in the reply to the question asked by Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim on 25 September 2025. [Please refer to "Guidelines for Pickleball Play in HDB Public Courts Given Its Rising Popularity and Potential Noise Disamenities", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) applies the same structural safety standards and approval process for renovation works across all HDB flats, regardless of age. To ensure structural integrity and safety, contractors must obtain HDB's approval before commencing any renovation works that may affect the structure of the flat. HDB will evaluate the proposed works and may include site-specific conditions in the permit where needed, such as imposing limits on the extent a particular wall can be removed. In addition, such renovation works can only be done by contractors listed in the Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC). DRC contractors must only deploy workers who have been trained by the Building and Construction Authority Academy to carry out demolition or hacking of walls in HDB flats. HDB has no plans to introduce a different set of criteria for renovation works for older flats, as the current assessment approach is sufficiently robust.”
“Vacancy rates for commercial and residential properties have generally remained stable over the past three years. Landlords of both commercial and residential properties are unlikely to leave their properties vacant for too long, given the costs and forgone rental income of doing so. The Government considers a variety of factors when assessing the state of the commercial and residential market, including property market indicators, as well as the broader economic outlook. Focusing solely on vacancy rates may not be appropriate as they can vary across property segments and over time due to cyclical shifts in demand. The Urban Redevelopment Authority publishes detailed rental data every quarter by geographical location and property type, as well as information on vacant commercial properties by geographical location. This helps the public and businesses to make more informed leasing or business decisions.”
“Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) account for a small and stable share of private residential property transactions. In the first three quarters of 2025, the share of private residential property transactions by PRs was 13%, compared to an average of 15% in the past five years. The data shows that purchases by PRs are not a key driver for movements in private residential property prices. We will continue to monitor the property market closely and adjust our policies as necessary to promote a stable and sustainable property market.”
“As of August 2025, about 7,000 public rental flats had air conditioners installed. The Housing and Development Board will take into consideration tenants' circumstances, including medical grounds, in assessing each application. Approvals for air conditioner installation are usually issued within two weeks, if the proposed installation complies with the technical guidelines.”
“The Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) for Jalan Naung and Realty Park Estate is targeted to commence by the middle of 2026, starting with the design and planning of the project. The Building and Construction Authority will call a tender by end-2025 to appoint the consultants. Enhancements under the EUP may include (a) recreational spaces such as community gardens, playgrounds and fitness corners; (b) features to improve connectivity and accessibility such as footpaths, barrier-free ramps and wayfinding markers; and (c) estate markers.”
“The Pulau Tekong polder project created about 800 hectares of new land, whilst reaping close to 50% of savings in sand used for the reclamation, when compared to traditional land reclamation. The creation of new land for the Ministry of Defence's use has freed up space on the mainland for other uses, such as developing new homes and amenities for Singaporeans. Within the polder, the coastal dike, network of drains and water pumping systems, as well as the stormwater collection pond will also support climate resilience to rising sea levels and more intense rainfall due to climate change. The coastal dike's height can also be raised to adapt to future increase in sea levels, if required. While the land will be used for military training, it could also potentially support other uses, such as residential, commercial, or industrial uses. We are monitoring the maintenance costs of the polder, which will require some time to reach a steady state.”
“This question for written answer has been addressed by written reply to Question No. 44 on the Order Paper for 23 September 2025. [Please refer to "Management of Crow-related Public Nuisance and Safety Threats in Residential Areas", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) actively promotes and supports construction firms, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to adopt technologies and digital solutions to boost productivity. This is mainly done through schemes such as BCA's Built Environment Technology and Capability (BETC) Grant that builds up firms' technological capabilities, as well as the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) that co-funds digital solutions. For example, through these schemes, construction firms have adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) software to plan and coordinate works using 3D digital models to avoid abortive work. Using these 3D models, firms may also estimate the construction materials to optimise cost and ensure timely deliveries.”
“Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are primarily meant for owner-occupation. Owners are required to physically occupy their flat during the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) before they are allowed to sell their flat on the open market. HDB assesses all appeals for a waiver of the MOP on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific circumstances of the flat owners and their families. Past reasons for such exceptions include financial hardship or the demise of the flat owner.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) regulates the trade of species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Certain stingray species are listed under CITES, but the whitespotted whipray and sharpnose whipray are not. NParks works closely with stakeholders, such as nature groups, and the community to raise public awareness about conservation efforts for endangered species and advises consumers to check the source of origin and species to ensure that they are not listed on CITES before consumption.”
“The Ministry responded to a similar Parliamentary Question raised by the Member at the Sitting in February 2021. Our assessment remains unchanged. In general, commercial vehicles with unladen weight exceeding 2,000 kilograms are not allowed to park in the Housing and Development Board (HDB) residential car parks for safety reasons. Commercial vehicles can carry heavy loads, unlike passenger vehicles. When loaded, they may exceed the structural capacity that our HDB residential car parks were designed for. In addition, commercial vehicles tend to be physically larger and protrude from car lots, obstruct the view of other car park users and block passengers in vehicles next to theirs from opening their doors. Commercial vehicles exceeding the weight limit may apply to HDB to park at HDB surface residential car parks, and HDB will consider this on a case-by-case basis. They can also park at commercial and industrial car parks, as well as purpose-built heavy vehicle parks. We note the increasing prevalence of electric commercial vehicles, which are heavier because of their batteries. The agencies are doing a review on how the structure of our carparks can be enhanced to allow such vehicles.”
“Between 2022 and 2024, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) converted 37 zebra crossings to courtesy crossings in HDB estates. HDB started implementing zebra crossings in HDB estates from 2007 onwards. Subsequently, we received feedback that some of the existing zebra crossings in HDB estates could affect the safety of pedestrians as it gave them a false sense of security when they crossed the road. Such crossings were typically in locations where the motorists did not have direct line of sight of the zebra crossings, such as those near right-angled turns. To ensure safety of residents, HDB has been converting some zebra crossings into courtesy crossings, complemented with other traffic calming measures, such as road humps, where feasible. Courtesy crossings encourage both pedestrians and motorists to exercise greater care – pedestrians are reminded to check their surroundings before crossing and motorists are reminded to slow down.”