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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“This question has been addressed by the reply to Mr Gerald Giam's Parliamentary Question No 60 on the Order Paper for 23 September 2025. [Please refer to "Reasons and Trend of Vacant Commercial Units and Impact of High Rents on Business Viability and Growth", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“To enhance lift safety, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will implement a new licensing regime from 2027, which will require developers and building owners to engage licensed firms to certify lifts and escalators. This move leverages on the collective expertise and resources of firms and aligns with international practices. BCA is actively engaging qualified firms to obtain licensing. Having a sizable pool of licensed firms will help keep costs competitive for lift owners. The Government provides substantial funding to Town Councils to offset the costs of estate maintenance. Town Councils should factor any cost increases in their budgeting and manage their expenditure prudently.”
“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 TCs to more effectively diagnose and resolve complex water seepage cases upfront.”
“From January to August 2025, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) assisted Town Councils (TCs) and flat owners with 615 complex water seepage cases. Such cases included water seepage from various sources, such as from the external wall or the flat above. This translates to an average of 77 cases per month, compared to 72 cases per month in 2024. Based on HDB's data, it did not observe a surge in cases in recent monsoon seasons. Notwithstanding, HDB had received feedback from some TCs that the number of external water seepage cases typically increases during monsoon seasons and is ready to assist TCs if they require technical assistance. Based on cases reported to HDB, the average age of HDB flats with reported ceiling leaks in 2025 is about 40 years. Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance of the interior of their flats, including the repair of leaks in the shared structure between units. Hence, while HDB co-pays 50% of the repair cost through the Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme, the remaining 50% is shared equally between the upper- and lower-floor flat owners. For residents who require financial assistance with their share of the repair costs, HDB will refer them to the relevant grassroots organisations and Community Development Councils to seek assistance. For serious inter-floor ceiling leaks, HDB will expedite repair works subject to the upper-floor flat owners' availability and may carry out temporary repairs at the lower-floor flat, if needed. As for external wall seepage cases, which fall under the purview of TCs, HDB will continue to support TCs for complex cases by conducting joint inspections and providing technical advice. This enables TCs to identify the root causes and carry out repairs expeditiously.”
“The Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) and Joint Singles Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR) pilots are part of the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) ongoing efforts to expand public rental options for lower-income singles, and both models have been useful in assisting individuals who are rough sleeping. Both SRSF and JSS-OR have a social service agency appointed as an operator to manage the tenancies, mediate co-tenant issues and ensure that tenants are supported by social services. Singles can apply for public rental under SRSF or JSS-OR individually, without a flatmate. Each model is designed to cater to different needs and preferences. While SRSF tenants have their own bedroom and access to shared facilities, JSS-OR tenants share a 1- or 2-room flat with one or two other flatmates respectively. To date, both models have been well-subscribed and feedback from the tenants and operators have been generally positive. HDB is reviewing these public rental typologies and will share more details, including any expansion plans, when ready.”
“Singapore adopts an integrated approach to master planning and development to meet the near- and long-term needs of its residents. Major infrastructure, such as roads, water and telecommunications, require a long gestation period to plan, design and implement. Agencies hence start the process many years before construction begins and work together to ensure alignment in the planning and provision of infrastructure as we continue to meet the current and future needs of our residents. Our Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns are planned in tandem with transport infrastructure. Agencies work together on the staging of infrastructure and development plans within the town and, to the extent possible, to deliver these facilities and services in tandem with the completion of housing developments.”
“Former Member of Parliament Dr Tan Wu Meng had raised similar Parliamentary Questions in October 2017 and October 2020. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) conducts the Sample Household Survey every five years. The last survey, published in 2021, found that 97% of residents felt that there were sufficient places in our HDB estates for neighbours to meet and interact. Most neighbourly interactions occurred in common spaces within the block, including community decks. The frequency of neighbourly interactions was similar across blocks of different ages, suggesting that newer block designs continue to be as effective in facilitating social interactions. Given the important role that HDB estates play in facilitating social interactions, HDB has, over time, introduced new design elements to achieve this objective. For example, since 2014, HDB has introduced Community Living Rooms with seating areas at community decks of HDB blocks for small, incidental gatherings. In newer HDB precincts, HDB also provides 3-Generation playgrounds that bring together children, adults and seniors, as well as precinct pavilions for larger social functions and community activities.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the reply given by the Ministry of National Development on 25 September 2025 to a similar question posed by Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim on noise arising from pickleball play. [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) provides a variety of public spaces and recreational facilities in our towns to promote outdoor activity and family bonding, in line with Grow Well SG. Tengah town, for instance, has thematic and colourful playgrounds that encourage families to bring their children outdoors, promoting physical activity over sedentary indoor activities. These playgrounds are part of 3-Generation facilities, co-located with adult and elderly fitness stations. Where possible, childcare and senior care facilities are also co-located to increase inter-generational interaction. These initiatives cultivate strong family and community relationships and reinforce healthy lifestyles, contributing to our children's overall well-being. Tengah Town also features the Plantation and Garden Farmways, which serve as green connectors designed to bring residents together. Effectiveness of these provisions is assessed through various means. For instance, HDB conducts the Sample Household Survey once every five years to gather residents' feedback, including their satisfaction with the facilities available. Beyond collaborations with research institutions, HDB also conducts Post-Occupancy Surveys for all newly completed Build-To-Order developments, as well as focus group discussions and observational studies. These insights inform continual improvements, ensuring spaces evolve to meet changing family needs and complement Grow Well SG's efforts to nurture healthy habits in children.”
“This Question has been addressed by Parliamentary Question 112 on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to "Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) provides a good supply of coffeeshops in every HDB town and estate, to maintain healthy competition and price diversity, complementing our national network of hawkers centres. To further safeguard the availability of affordable cooked food options in the heartlands, HDB has required all new rental coffeeshops let out under its Price-Quality Method (PQM) tender framework since 2018 to provide budget meals. In other words, HDB accepts lower rental bids from these PQM tenders in exchange for the operator using the cost savings to offer affordable meal options for residents. Since 2023, this requirement was extended to all rental coffeeshops renewing their tenancies with HDB, as well as new buyers of privately-owned HDB coffeeshops. To extend the reach of this scheme, HDB also worked with the Community Development Councils (CDC) and Enterprise Singapore to jointly encourage coffeeshop operators to offer budget meals as well as accept CDC Vouchers, under the Community Budget Meal initiative. All coffeeshops offering budget meals are listed on BudgetMealGoWhere, an online platform that helps the public locate budget meal and drink options nearby. To reach out to more people, including seniors who may not be active online, we have also publicised the Budget Meal initiative via mainstream media, including newspapers and radio channels. This year, the Government has also provided CDC vouchers and SG60 vouchers to Singaporean households and adult Singaporeans respectively, which can be used at participating heartland merchants and hawkers. For SG60 vouchers, a higher quantum was given to seniors aged 60 and above as additional help with their daily expenses.”
“From 2022 to 2024, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) approved requests from about 1,700 households to sell their flat before meeting their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP). Of these, about 50 approvals were given to families who needed a bigger flat due to growing family size. The MOP remains important to safeguard HDB flats for households with genuine housing needs and helps to keep HDB flats affordable for Singaporeans. The majority of Singaporean households live in their flat for 10 years or more before it is sold. Under the new flat classification framework, an MOP of 10 years for Prime and Plus flat owners strikes a good balance between strengthening the owner-occupation intent and allowing flat owners the flexibility to move due to changes in their life circumstances, such as to buy a larger apartment as their families grow.”
“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 National Parks Board (NParks) adopts a science and community-based approach to overall wildlife management to ensure public safety and prevent disamenities. NParks assesses various factors such as the risks to public safety and health, as well as species' ecology and behaviour, to guide its species-specific strategies. These include measures such as direct population control, trapping and removal, and reduction of food sources. At the local level, Town Councils (TCs) have a better understanding of the local living environment, and the issues are usually localised in nature. TCs may approach NParks for advice and assistance if they have specific wildlife related issues to manage. NParks will continue to support TCs for efficient wildlife management.”
“Over the past three years, the total number of public and private heavy vehicle (HV) parking lots islandwide was around 40,000, compared to around 31,000 HVs registered under the Land Transport Authority's Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC) scheme. A breakdown of the number of private and public HV lots for each of the past three years is shown in the table below. As of September 2025, the waiting list statistics for public HV parking lots across planning regions are as follows: The VPC scheme requires every HV to have an overnight parking lot before it is allowed to be registered or have its road tax renewed. However, some applicants who have an existing HV lot may choose to remain on the waitlist to obtain a lot at another location which they prefer. Waiting times vary depending on turnover rates at individual HV parks, the length of waitlists, and the number of available lots at each location. Agencies will continue to monitor demand and ensure there are sufficient HV lots islandwide to cater to demand.”
“Agencies, such as the Housing Development Board (HDB) and National Parks Board (NParks), take thermal comfort into consideration when implementing playgrounds and outdoor play areas within HDB estates and parks. Agencies use tools, such as sun-shade analysis, wind modelling and heat mapping, to help decide where to locate playgrounds and provide shade. Agencies also consider locating play spaces in the shadow zone of nearby buildings, where feasible, and using play equipment materials suited for our tropical climate. The planting of trees and greenery can also help reduce ambient temperatures. In addition, as part of our City in Nature vision, NParks has developed 40 nature playgardens island-wide to date. These are specially curated nature play areas for children to connect with nature and benefit from outdoor play.”
“Earlier this year, the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Social and Family Development and partners from the public, private and people sectors came together to form an Alliance for Action (AfA), called the New Environment Action Team (NEAT). NEAT members include the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and frontline agencies trained to identify and refer persons with mental health needs for appropriate social support and healthcare interventions. Previously, Government agencies would intervene after a hoarding situation breaches public health, safety or other regulations. With NEAT, Government agencies, medical professionals and other frontliners work even more closely upstream to identify at-risk cases, strengthen case coordination and intervene in a more timely, holistic and sustainable manner. For example, the Housing Development Board, grassroots leaders and social service agencies can refer at-risk residents to their local Community Intervention Teams, AIC and, if necessary, IMH, for mental health assessments and psychosocial intervention. In parallel, community and volunteer groups can help declutter hoarded units and befriend hoarders and their families, to better support them.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the combined reply given by the Minister for National Development on 24 September 2025 to similar questions posed by Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis, Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry and Mr Ang Wei Neng on HDB shops' rents. [Please refer to "HDB Shop Rental Trends and Efforts to Keep Rents Affordable", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“As announced at the launch of the Draft Master Plan 2025, the National Parks Board (NParks) is establishing a new Kranji Nature Corridor to strengthen the ecological connectivity between the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park. There will be over 110 ha of new parks, around 8 km of new recreational routes and more than 11 km of nature ways within the Kranji Nature Corridor. These routes will have plantings to replicate the forest structure and facilitate animal movement. We are also studying potential parks at Sungei Pang Sua and Kranji Reservoir, as well as possible enhancements to the riverine habitats there. Agencies will assess the need to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments for the buffer forests north of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, if there are future development plans in these areas.”
“My response will also cover the matters in the questions raised by Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Mr Jackson Lam, which are scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. If their questions are sufficiently addressed today, they may wish to withdraw their questions. [Please refer to "Pickleball-related Noise Complaints in Residential Estates and Measures to Balance Recreation with Residents' Rest", Official Report, 26 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 6, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] Under existing guidelines on community noise, residents are advised to be considerate towards others and observe the quiet hours between 10.30 pm and 7.00 am. This guideline applies to neighbours as well as common spaces, which include game courts in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates. Between January 2024 and August 2025, the Municipal Services Office received a total of 701 complaints about noise arising from pickleball play in HDB estates. The Town Councils (TCs) have been implementing measures at the local level to address residents' concerns. These include putting up advisories, working with grassroots leaders to mediate between residents and pickleball players, and restricting the use of the game courts to certain hours. On the Member's suggestion to convert sports facilities into multi-purpose facilities with safety enhancements and sound dampeners, TCs may apply to HDB for landowner's consent to carry out such conversion works. In approving such applications, HDB will consider whether the proposal meets prevailing technical and safety requirements, and whether it will cause disamenities, among other factors.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has a rigorous regulatory regime for underground works. Project owners, along with their appointed contractors and consultants, are responsible for complying with these regulations. This includes monitoring ground and building movements during the construction process for all large-scale underground tunnelling or excavation works. If there are contraventions to the Building Control Act, BCA will investigate and take errant parties to task. The investigations into the July 2025 sinkhole incident are still ongoing. BCA will review its measures to assess if changes are required after the investigations have concluded.”
“The Municipal Services Office (MSO) supports Dementia Singapore by helping to broadcast its reports of missing persons with dementia via the OneService App (OS App). The broadcast is in the form of push notifications to OS App users residing in the town where the missing person was last seen. Clicking on these notifications leads to in-app photographs and details of the missing person. As such information can be provided through the OS App but not short messaging service (SMS), we had previously assessed and decided not to proceed with location-based SMS notifications.”
“The Government takes a holistic approach to assessing housing affordability, which depends on a buyer's budget and their choice of flat. We track a range of indicators, including the house price to income ratio and mortgage servicing ratio. As public housing serves a broad spectrum of Singaporeans, we evaluate affordability across different household income levels, flat types and locations. To keep Build-To-Order (BTO) flats affordable, we apply significant market discounts to the assessed market values of all new flats. In addition, we provide generous grants of up to $120,000 to eligible first-timer families through the Enhanced Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant. Affordability outcomes remain strong. In 2024, about nine in 10 first-timer families who collected keys to their BTO flats were able to service their HDB loan instalments fully using their CPF, with little or no cash outlay. This means that they had mortgage servicing ratios of 25% or less, better than international affordability benchmarks of 30 to 35%.”
“Visitors to our public spaces, such as parks and park connector networks (PCN), should be considerate to the wider community, including residents, and not create noise that might disturb others. Where necessary, National Parks Board (NParks) will step up its enforcement operations and public education efforts. NParks also installs signs along PCN to advise users to keep noise levels down. NParks collaborates closely with partners, such as the People's Association, Residents' Networks, Friends of the PCN and the Singapore Kindness Movement, to raise public awareness about PCN etiquette.”
“The Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release Manage (TNRM) programmes for free-roaming dogs and community cats were implemented since 2018 and 2024 respectively. In partnership with animal welfare groups, veterinarians and the community, these animals are humanely captured, sterilised, microchipped and ear tipped, before they are rehomed or released back into the community. The National Parks Board will continue to support the TNRM programme.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the combined reply given by the Minister for National Development on 24 September 2025 to similar questions posed by Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis, Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry, and Mr Ang Wei Neng on HDB shops’ rents. [Please refer to "HDB Shop Rental Trends and Efforts to Keep Rents Affordable", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“For Housing and Development Board (HDB) town centres and neighbourhood centres, HDB allows for some market flexibility in the trade mix. HDB imposes trade mix controls for the HDB rental shops and sets quotas on trades which may cause disamenities, including massage establishments. Such quotas are also imposed for privately-owned shops in the HDB towns when the shop owners seek HDB's approval for a change of use to massage establishments. Beyond this, Police also regulates massage establishments. To preserve the residential character of our estates, HDB has since tightened the quota and worked with Police to step up enforcement actions against errant massage operators.”
“The question for written answer has been addressed by written reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 64, 65, 66 and 67 for written answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to "Review of Penalty Framework for Animal Cruelty and Abuse Offences", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“This Question has been addressed by the reply to Parliamentary Question No 112 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to "Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“This Question has been addressed in the oral reply to Parliamentary Question No 5, 6 and 7 on the Order Paper for 24 September 2025 on the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). [Please refer to "Rationale for Selection Criteria and Less Generous Compensation under VERS", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The Ministry of National Development (MND) refers Ms Lee to our response to Parliamentary Question No 93 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025 on the status of the review of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act. [Please refer to "Review of Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004, and Addressing Maintenance Issues in Ageing Condominium Developments", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] MND and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will consider the suggestions from stakeholders and will share more details of the review when ready. BCA has various initiatives to inform owners of strata-titled properties of their responsibilities and help them manage their developments more effectively. These include the Strata Management Guides on best practices, free online self-learning courses for council members, and Strata Insights, a newly launched quarterly series of bite-sized publications that address current pressing issues such as lift modernisation and the importance of financial planning for long-term maintenance.”
“Under the Housing and Development Board (HDB) Fire Insurance Scheme, flat owners who take a mortgage loan from HDB are required to take up a basic fire insurance policy and maintain it for the full duration of their loan. The scheme provides basic coverage for the reinstatement cost of the building structures and fixtures provided by HDB in the event of a fire. This relieves flat owners of the financial burden of repair work to their flat should a fire occur. To keep premiums low and affordable, the policy does not cover home contents or third-party liability. Flat owners who wish to take up additional insurance coverage have the flexibility to do so with an insurer of their choice.”
“To ensure tax compliance, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) runs regular audit programmes to identify non-compliant businesses that under-declare their income or fail to register for Goods and Services Tax. The public may also report any suspected non-compliance to IRAS.”
“The Home-Based Business (HBB) scheme allows residents to engage in small-scale business activities within their residential properties. Such activities must not alter the residential character of the property, adversely impact neighbours, employ persons outside the household, or display physical signages. To safeguard residential amenity, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Housing and Development Board monitor feedback from neighbours closely. Where a HBB operator is found to have breached the HBB conditions, agencies would require the operator to scale down business activity or take appropriate mitigating measures. In some cases, the operator may have to cease its operations at home and source for proper commercial premises. HBB operators are also required to meet regulatory and licensing requirements that take into account the scale and nature of their operations. HBB operators require a liquor licence from the Singapore Police Force if they intend to supply liquor onsite or from their premises. Although there is no requirement for HBBs providing food and beverages to obtain a license from the Singapore Food Agency given their small scale of operation and lower food safety risk, these HBBs are subject to the Environmental Public Health Act and the Sale of Food Act, and they are required to ensure food sold is safe for consumption. In addition, income derived from HBB activities is taxable. All businesses, including home-based ones, are required to comply with tax obligations. Our tax rules do not make a distinction between HBBs and businesses in other settings.”
“By default, most Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) reports are made available online. In cases where there are considerations requiring confidentiality, such as national security, agencies make available the hardcopy EIA reports to interested members of public to view upon request. Viewers are required to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, given the confidentiality considerations.”
“We have been working with the industry to equip contractors with the necessary expertise to address water seepage issues. For instance, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the industry have co-developed a Waterproofing Accreditation Scheme, administered by the Singapore Concrete Institute. The scheme seeks to establish competency standards and recognise waterproofing specialists who are committed to delivering quality works. Dealing with complex water seepage cases requires technical competencies and using more advanced technologies. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has been supporting Town Councils and their contractors on complex cases, such as conducting joint inspections, providing technical advice and recommending necessary tests or repairs. We recognise that more can be done as some cases can be very complex. To this end, BCA and HDB will deepen their partnerships with the industry and research community to identify and scale up other effective solutions. For example, HDB is studying the use of technologies, such as microwave scanning which can scan through concrete to detect and trace the sources of seepage.”
“A reply was provided at the 23 September 2025 Sitting in response to Ms Hany Soh's question on the mitigation measures for the proposed Woodlands Gateway development. [Please refer to "Mitigating Adverse Impact to Flora and Fauna in Woodlands Forest in Light of Clearance Commencement in 2026", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“This question has been addressed by the reply to Parliamentary Question No 112 on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to "Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“So, that is something we will have to think through and strike a careful balance on, so that we are fair to both the existing flat owners, but also to future generations and to keep this sustainable.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Foo for his two supplementary questions. Indeed, I think this consideration between how we can help residents who go through VERS and how we can also look after residents who do not go through VERS, is an important one. I would say that while we are firming up the policy parameters and the details of VERS, it should not stop us from being clear. Because there will be residents who do not go through VERS – either because they are not offered VERS or because they voted not to proceed with VERS collectively – that we will have to make sure that their flats and their estates can remain liveable, can remain safe and can remain vibrant. This is something which we will have to pay careful attention to. We will share more details of HIP II when we are ready. But the concept of HIP II is, say, at the 60-year and above mark, to be able to invest in upgrading the interiors of the older flats to keep them safe and liveable and to also pay attention to looking after the needs of the residents as they age together with the flats. So, the upgrades will also have to pay attention to making the flats senior-friendly and safe. That is something which, I think, we are quite clear. That regardless of what the package for VERS is, this objective of upgrading our older flats to keep them liveable, safe, upgrade our estates to keep our estates vibrant and liveable; that is something that we will do. On top of that, there will be a need to think through the parameters of VERS. Because Mr Foo is correct that if we do not have anyone voting for VERS, supporting VERS, going through with VERS, then we cannot achieve the objective of orderly redevelopment.”
“I do not want to jump too far ahead, so I do seek Mr Low's understanding that these are details which I think we would have to share after we have carefully considered the different options. But if you think back on the objectives of VERS, which is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of older towns where there are many flats that were built around the same period, I think you do need to implement some of this redevelopment, not block by block, but at least a cluster of a few blocks, so that it will be a more orderly process for the redevelopment works.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to first thank Mr Andre Low for re-affirming that the Workers' Party and the Government are in broad agreement on the objectives of VERS, as I shared in my main reply earlier. I thank him for that. Mr Low has also raised some very valid questions in terms of how we are going to carry out the VERS policy. These are indeed some of the key considerations that my colleagues and I are currently discussing. I agree with Mr Low that the large majority of the flat owners for the flats that are going through VERS, would likely be seniors. If we can maintain the gatekeeping for people to buy homes that can last them for life, so by the time the flats reach the time that they need to go through VERS, which will be at least about 70 years or more, we would expect that most of the residents staying in these older flats would be seniors and hopefully, they would have already paid off their mortgages. So, that is why we feel that it is important to have that upfront gatekeeping, to ensure that when people buy homes, we keep the number of people who cannot stay in these homes till the end of their lives to be as small as possible, so that homes can be for life. I also agree with Mr Low that the voting process needs to be looked at carefully. Because the stakes are higher, as Mr Low pointed out, compared to say, going through HIP. So, certainly I think we would have to pay careful attention to how we manage the voting process to ensure fairness to different stakeholders. Whether we do it at the estate level or at the block level, I think these are important issues that we need to look at.”
“Based on the questions from Mr Foo and Mr Low, I note that there is broad agreement from both sides of the House that VERS should not create a lottery effect or end up becoming a wealth-generating programme. I agree with these views from both Members. MND is working out the details of the compensation package. Just as how the valuation of flats varies today, the compensation amount would similarly vary across different VERS sites and flats. We are also studying details such as the voting process and how to support the various demographic groups across different VERS sites with relocation options. MND and HDB will engage Singaporeans on the framework and policy parameters when we are ready with the draft proposals to take in further views and feedback before we finalise the policy and implementation details.”
“In addition, VERS, as the "V" suggests, is voluntary. So, there could be instances where residents who are offered VERS, collectively decide not to proceed. For residents who do not go through VERS, they can continue to stay in their flats until the leases run out. The Government will support them in other ways to keep their flats and estates liveable and vibrant, including through upgrading programs like HIP II, SUP and NRP, which I spoke about earlier. This area of work is an important part of our review as we want to look after residents who go through VERS and also those who do not go through VERS. Third, HDB flats are sold with 99-year leases. A leasehold system ensures fairness to future generations. After 99 years, the land is returned to the state and we can recycle it to build new homes for future generations. This approach allows our current generation to enjoy a diverse range of affordable and accessible housing, while also taking care of the needs of future generations. It improves inter-generational mobility and prevents our society from being split into property owners and those who are not. Mr Low asked how the VERS package would differ from the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) package. We had explained previously that VERS and SERS have different objectives. SERS is for selected precincts with high redevelopment potential, unlocked through compulsory acquisition. In contrast, VERS is also to spread out, space out the redevelopment of older towns over time and it will be voluntary in nature. Flats offered VERS will have shorter remaining leases compared to the flats which were previously offered SERS, so the overall compensation for VERS would be lower compared to SERS.”
“So, the policy must be designed carefully to be fair and sustainable for both groups. We aim to firm up as many of the policy details as possible during this term of Government. After we have established the VERS framework and parameters, we can then start with a few selected sites, likely in the first half of the next decade. We will continually review our processes as we go along and progressively scale up the VERS programme by the late 2030s, when more HDB flats reach their 70-year mark. Sir, while the details of the scheme are still being firmed up, I would like to highlight three key considerations which I hope we can have broad agreement on from both sides of the House. First, in managing ageing flats and estates, our first priority is to ensure that Singaporeans have a home for life. Today, about 2.5% of HDB households do not own flats that cover the owners to at least age 95. So, 2.5%. The current median lifespan of Singaporeans is 84. Hence, almost all our HDB households own flats with leases that can cover the owners for life. We will continue to closely monitor the proportion of HDB households who do not own flats with sufficient duration of leases that can cover the owners to the end of life and keep this number as small as possible. Second, as I mentioned earlier, the primary purpose of VERS is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of towns where many older flats were built within short periods of time. This will allow redevelopment works to be carried out in phases within such towns, which will be less disruptive to residents and heartland businesses. Based on this approach, it is not necessary for every older flat to go through VERS, as we are mindful of the disruption to our residents who will need to relocate when their flats undergo VERS.”
“Thank you, Sir. My reply will also address a related question by Mr Andre Low for written answer on 24 September. Starting from the late 2030s, we will begin to see more HDB flats reach the 70-year mark of their 99-year leases. The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will adopt a multi-pronged approach to keep our older flats and estates liveable and vibrant. First, we will upgrade the ageing flats to ensure their safety and liveability. These older flats would have already benefited from one round of upgrades under the previous Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) or the current Home Improvement Programme (HIP) for flats that have passed the 30-year mark. We plan to introduce a second round of upgrades via HIP II for flats which pass the 60-year mark. HIP II will ensure that our older flats are able to last the flat owners till the end of their 99-year lease. Besides the flats, HDB will also upgrade our older estates and neighbourhoods through programmes such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP). We will ensure that residents who are staying in older estates can continue to enjoy a vibrant neighbourhood with refreshed facilities and greenery. Complementing these efforts is the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). The primary purpose of VERS is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of ageing estates by spacing out the redevelopment and construction works in towns where there are many older blocks that were built around the same time. As I had explained in an earlier media interview, VERS is a complex policy and a long-term undertaking for our society. It will impact existing flat owners and future generations of Singaporeans.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 5 to 7 together?”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not track public rental tenants by the sectors they are employed in. For tenants of public rental flats, including workers covered under the Progressive Wage Model, HDB will not raise their rent during the tenancy term even if there is an increase in their incomes. As HDB rental rates are heavily subsidised, it is fair to all taxpayers for a tenant to pay higher rent when his income rises. Before any increase in rent is applied upon tenancy renewal, HDB will consider factors such as household size and living expenses to ensure that any rent increase is lower than the income increase, so that the tenants are still financially better off when they earn higher incomes.”
“This Question has been addressed in the response to Parliamentary Question No 112 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to "Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]”
“As of June 2025, the total stock of retail, office and industrial spaces that have remained vacant for more than a year are 220,000 square metres, 440,000 square metres and 2.7 million square metres, respectively. By proportion, these figures represent 3.4%, 5.4%, and 5.0% of the total available space in each sector and are generally comparable to pre-pandemic levels.”