Chong Kee Hiong
Singapore
“Chairman, I have two clarifications. The first one for Senior Minister of State Sim Ann. How will MND ensure that the expansion of the Budget Meal Initiative is sustainable for operators and individual stall owners?”
“In addition to crow attacks, frequent and longstanding complaints include bird droppings on laundry, windows and ledges, food and rubbish messes created by their scavenging, and noise nuisance. The bird droppings are hygiene and health concerns. They affect the general aesthetics of the town and lead to higher maintenance costs.”
“Chairman, the world is going through a phase of greater contestation, fragmentation and bifurcation on the global stage. This was born out of a fundamental lack of strategic trust between the major powers.”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore and Indonesia enjoy warm ties and has had a long history of strong cooperation across a range of sectors, including health, defence, education, culture and the environment. Singapore has been a top foreign investor in Indonesia in the last decade.”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore and Malaysia celebrate the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic ties this year. As close neighbours, our relations with Malaysia are built on a strong foundation of mutual trust and win-win cooperation.”
“Mr Chairman, Total Defence is the cornerstone of Singapore’s national security strategy. Total Defence is premised on the understanding that our security, stability and prosperity depend on the collective commitment and efforts of all Singaporeans and sectors of our country. Each of us has a part to play to defend Singapore.”
The complete record
Every one of 209 lines we hold for Chong Kee Hiong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 5.
“Chairman, can I take the two cuts together?”
“Also, if HDB does not have sufficient units for PPHS, would HDB consider giving more grants to first-time owners for the purchase of resale flats, especially young families or singles? This is in view of the higher prices of resale flats in recent transactions. In particular, the bigger grants will be helpful to young couples desperate to find a resale flat to accommodate their growing families. Interim Rental Housing”
“Thank you. Under the Joint Single Scheme (JSS), some applicants have cited difficulties in looking for a partner. Will HDB share an update about the JSS-Operator-Run (OR) pilot, where a flat mate will be assigned to the applicant? HDB indicated that it will help to match the applicants based on their common factors, to increase the likelihood of successful matches and reduce potential friction. How successful has this endeavour been and what is the percentage of flats allocated for JSS-OR? For those applying under the Family scheme, would HDB consider assigning larger rental flats to bigger families, such as those with more children, three-generation or extended family households? Bigger units will reduce the problem of overcrowding and are more conducive for work-from-home (WFH) arrangements and for the children to study at home. I am also concerned that due to a lack of space, the children may choose to stay outside of the home more often. This may lead to higher chances of them becoming wayward and delinquent and being victims of crimes; similarly, for the youths and adults who might be sleeping rough outside. Their health and ability to study or work productively are also likely to be affected. Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme The average waiting time for a BTO project is four to five years, which is not a short period, especially for young couples with children on the way. Many applicants have to stay with parents or other family members in the meantime. This is a particularly challenging arrangement, with more people working from home these days. Will HDB provide more flats under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) and consider including unsold sale of balance flats, surrendered flats and confiscated flats under BPHS?”
“Chairman, can I take the two cuts together?”
“Chairman, our leaders had a series of high-level exchanges with their counterparts from the Middle East, particularly the Gulf countries, recently. Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education Mohamad Maliki Osman visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia to engage their political leaders in October last year. In mid-January this year, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister His Highness Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud visited Singapore. A few days later, our Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu visited the UAE to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. This was shortly followed by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean’s visit to the UAE to officiate the Singapore Day ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai. He also met the leaders of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. More recently, the Government had moved to launch the deferred VTLs with the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Would the Ministry share how Singapore is maintaining its relations with the Gulf countries, considering the impact of the pandemic? How have Singapore’s relations with the Gulf countries developed given the recent visits to and from the region?”
“Chairman, Malaysia is one of Singapore’s closest neighbours. Most of us have friends and loved ones on both sides of the Causeway and, prior to the pandemic, had often travelled to each other’s country for leisure and work. We have cooperated closely in many areas, including trade and investment, maritime security and environmental protection. Singapore and Malaysia are each other’s second most important trading partners. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted travel arrangements as well as other projects and engagements. I know our two governments have continued to work closely together and share a desire to gradually restore cross-border travel and resume other activities for the mutual benefit of both countries. I would thus like to seek an update on Singapore’s relations with one of our closest partners. How has Singapore maintained our relations with Malaysia amidst the COVID-19 pandemic? Strengthening Cooperation with Indonesia”
“Chairman, the Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) is one of the venues built by the Government to present National Education in an interesting and engaging way. Here, visitors learn and experience Singapore's history and visualise its future in a fun and immersive way. One of the main objectives of the centre is to help build a strong sense of belonging and identity among Singaporean visitors. As a young nation, it is critical that Singaporeans understand our history, what brought us together and who we are as one people. In this regard, our National Education is what enables Singaporeans to imbibe, understand and connect with what it means to be a Singaporean. 11.30 am An important part of being Singaporean is our commitment and ability to defend our land and our way of life. It is important that Singaporeans, young and old, understand the importance of National Service and Total Defence. NS and Total Defence require all Singaporeans to step up to defend and protect our home and rally behind our soldiers. Last year, Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad announced that the SDC would be revamped to be a one-stop destination for learning about Singapore’s past and imagining its future. Would MINDEF update the House on how it plans to strengthen National Education and how the SDC would continue to support this objective through its programmes and plans?”
“Chairman, digital technology has evolved exponentially in the last decade. It has changed the way people and organisations interact and exchange information and transact. The pandemic has accelerated this trend as people and organisations seek ways to minimise physical contact. 11.15 am Digital payment has been well and widely adopted in Singapore. From small shops to large businesses and person-to-person transactions, digital payment is now the norm and this trend will continue to pick up pace. MINDEF and SAF should leverage more on technology and digitalisation to improve the way servicemen transact and interact. Digital services can help to streamline many administrative processes and reduce waiting time for our servicemen and pre-enlistees. A large proportion of our servicemen are young NSFs who are digital natives and comfortable with performing tasks online. Last year, MINDEF announced that it had established an NS digital transformation plan, including plans to consolidate digital services for the NS journey into a single platform. Would MINDEF please provide an update on this plan and elaborate on how it would improve or enhance the NS experience of our servicemen? NS Recognition”
“Chairman, the pandemic has disrupted our economy and our way of life and in particular, greatly affected the education, training and learning opportunities for our youths. Over the last two years, many of these programmes and lessons had to be shifted online. While this arrangement has been necessary, our youths have missed out on valuable in-person interactions and hands-on experiences. Through these disruptions, the economy has developed unevenly and the job market is full of uncertainties. Our primary responsibility is to train and develop our NSFs to undertake their missions. However, it is also important that we help to prepare and equip them to enter the workforce as best as we can. Two years ago, MINDEF announced and launched the Work-Study Diploma with the Institute of Technical Education. Last year, it was announced that the first batch of NSF technicians from the Army and Air Force were being trained and certified under this programme. Would the Ministry provide an update on the Work-Learn Scheme? How many servicemen have benefited from the scheme since it was launched? Are there any future plans to expand this scheme? Deployment of Experts”
“This would appear to be fairer and more equitable. I would like to conclude with my support for the Budget.”
“How would the Government assist our unions in this endeavour? There are plans to establish tripartite academies for sectors where transformation is needed. How will the training be conducted and courses be accredited? Will there be collaboration with our ITEs, Polytechnics and tertiary institutions? Can the Minister share more details on this? As part of the NTUC Job Security Council (JSC), NTUC's e2i has helped match more than 46,000 workers to new or secondary jobs from February 2020 to December 2021. Do we have long-term studies to track how successful these job matches are and identify the main problems where the matches are not compatible so that we can improve on the process? For persistent unemployment, mismatched skillsets need to be addressed and retraining for the affected workers is needed to equip them with new skills for growing sectors. Next, I would like to appeal on behalf of some elderly private property owners regarding the increase in property taxes for owner-occupied residential properties. The property tax rates for the portion of Annual Value in excess of $30,000, will be raised from 4% to 16%, to 6% to 32%. These are properties that they may have bought long ago. Upon retirement, they have no income and are burdened with ever-increasing cost of living and now have to pay higher property tax as well. These are their homes, not investment properties that have rental income to offset the property taxes. Would the Government consider assisting this group of residents? Last but not least, regarding the additional GST Voucher (GSTV) – U-Save rebates under the Assurance Package and the regular GSTV – U-Save rebates, would the Government consider disbursing the rebates based on per capita household income instead of the size of the HDB flat?”
“Businesses must adapt to the needs of the market and, if necessary, change their business models and processes to ensure that the products, food and the services they provide are value-for-money, or even great value-for-money, in the eyes of customers. Then, even with higher prices, consumers continue to patronise their businesses. Given that almost everything in Singapore needs to be imported, we are price takers in the international market. Inflation will continue to exist. To ensure that citizens can still afford the products and food, we must ensure that workers' wages grow faster than inflation. Therefore, I call on the Government to continue to create opportunities for our workers to upgrade their skills, knowledge and their abilities. At the same time, I also call on the Government to pay close attention to and ensure that the wage growth rate and inflation rate can be balanced and that appropriate assistance can be effectively provided when needs arise. (In English): For workers' wages to outpace inflation and the rising costs of living, they need to have the skills and expertise that are in demand by the market. We need to equip and train our workers, give them the opportunity to upgrade themselves as they progress along their careers. This will allow them continued access to jobs with higher wages and better work conditions. The Government, unions and businesses must work together to explore the most suitable training models for their sectors. In this regard, I would like to give recognition to NTUC and its affiliated unions for their various initiatives, such as the Company Training Committees (CTCs). In addition to the tasks of identifying what kind of training is needed, the question is whether we can also get enough well-qualified trainers.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Deputy Speaker, people are most worried about inflation and the rising cost of living. From time to time, we hear complaints from the public that before the implementation of the new GST rate, the prices of utilities, food, coffee and daily necessities have already gradually increased, which makes many families anxious and worried. Although the Government has announced various assistance packages to offset the impact of the GST hike next year and the year after, people are still worried that the new GST hike will increase their financial burden. I am convinced that people must be protected and have more effective recourse when they encounter profiteering situations. Hence, I sincerely hope that the Government will continue to take cases of profiteering seriously and give more resources and power to the Consumers Association and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore, as well as the soon-to-be-established Committee Against Profiteering, to deal with consumer complaints and effectively deal with unscrupulous businessmen who seek huge profits. However, we also understand that not all price increases are for profiteering. We understand that, in fact, businesses especially SMEs, coffeeshops and hawkers, are not only affected in terms of labour shortages, but are also under pressure from increased costs of raw materials, ingredients, utility bills, logistics and transportation. Businesses often try to absorb cost increases in the short term in order to retain customers. Prices of goods and food tend not to change every year, but every few years. As a result, price increase tends to be in a step manner.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. There are HDB units built on the ground level, with a few steps leading to the door. Not all units have sufficient common areas where a ramp could be built to facilitate wheelchair access. Can the Minister of State please share what feedback have they received on the pilot Wheelchair Lifter Programme? Can HDB roll out this programme to all the estates soonest? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Indeed, we launched the wheelchair lifters programme in December 2018 as a pilot programme, whereby about 10 households have participated and 10 wheelchair lifters have been installed. The feedback that we have received so far has been quite positive. The seniors found it easy to use and also it encourages the seniors to go out to the community more regularly than before. We are reviewing the scheme and we will take note of the Member's suggestion and request in our review.”
“This is especially so for families with school-going children. HDB Rental Flats for Singles”
“The task force should be empowered to mediate and make recommendations such as early termination of the Tenancy Agreement and matching or replacement of tenant and so on. Larger Flats for Rental Housing Chairman, I would like to request if MND and HDB would consider supporting larger families in public rental housing by providing larger flats? They may be families with more children or have elderly parents and parents-in-law. Due to personal circumstances, they are unable to live apart and it is not always possible to find them separate rental flats in the same block to house them all. Hence, overcrowding becomes a big problem for such families, leading to tensions. Due to a lack of space, some members of these families might be staying out of the assigned flat due to the cramped or hostile atmosphere in the home. This is not safe for them, to be sleeping rough outside. Their health and ability to study or work productively are also affected. For youths who loiter outside of home more often, this may lead to higher chances of them becoming wayward and delinquent, and expose them to crimes. I would like to ask the Ministry what is the average family size of those applying for rental flats? Are there options for bigger rental units for families with four members or more? The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of the work-from-home movement. With the current trend of working and learning from home, the need for more space at home for each member of the family has become more pronounced. It is no different for these families living in the rental HDB flats. Can the Ministry provide more information on how these needs have been met in the past and how can we provide better living environment for rental flat residents?”
“Thank you. The Joint Singles Scheme, which requires a single tenant to rent a flat together with a flat mate, can lead to difficulties if the flat mates do not get along. Can MND and HDB do more to address this issue? We have seen cases from time to time of flat mates not having an easy time living together in the same flat. While they are thankful for being provided a roof over their heads, and at a level of affordability which is in line with their income, they are under a lot of stress to get used to living with someone who may be very different from their own personalities and backgrounds and who may not share the same habits and lifestyles. We have to be mindful that these are two strangers who have to stay together. I hope the Ministry can do more to increase the level of comfort for them. Has HDB done any research or survey to find out what are the common issues raised and whether it had been able to resolve them? If not, would the Ministry consider doing so and keeping the records for future reference to inform officers assisting these tenants? In addition, I have some other suggestions. Firstly, would HDB consider allowing applicants to specify some parameters in terms of their ideal housemate so that HDB can use these criteria to match the different applicants, for example, whether they are on shift work, smoker or non-smoker, along similar demographics such as age or dialect group and so forth? Secondly, would HDB consider assigning dedicated counsellors to assist the flat mates to familiarise themselves with each other in the first month of sharing the flat, and giving advice at the early stage to prevent future problems? Finally, could HDB set up a task force to address issues pertaining to conflicts and complaints between flat mates?”
“Chairman, can I take my two cuts together?”
“In other words, could we create a zoning where planners could continue to uphold the transparency of the planning regime by describing what is not permissible in the zone, conferring the private market the flexibility to interpret and build based on market forces and preferences? We are living in a world where we are able to quite efficiently harness myriad views to add to our collective wisdom. Why not use this approach in our city planning as well? Our planning regime could be further enhanced with greater public involvement in the process. Having many different voices not only make any final plans arising from this process more socially acceptable, the plurality of views should make them more resilient in the face of uncertainty and new challenges. Nonetheless, with diversity comes greater disparity of opinions, and possibly higher friction and delay. How should we balance the trade-offs between the value of greater ownership and resilience and benefits of greater efficiency in planning and decision-making? The Looming Housing Shortage Problem”
“Chairman, I declare my interest as the CEO of a Real Estate Investment Trust and my family has interests in real estate development. COVID-19 has accentuated the structural changes that have been occurring in the real estate market. The uncertainty arising from this pandemic clashes with the prescriptive nature in our planning regime. While it provides clarity and certainty for developers and owners, it equally inhibits their creativity and results in laggard responses to market changes. Over the years, the planners have injected greater flexibility into a prescriptive and segmented blueprint approach to planning. While zonings have provided the clarity much needed for driving the urban transformation during the early years, they may not be conducive in an era where innovation and flexibility are key. White zones, allowing market forces to decide on the eventual use out of a pre-approved list, have been successfully introduced. We could consider extending this further. As an example, in the context of retail. The digital disruption in retail that started with the advent of e-commerce, has challenged the traditional concept of retailing. The transactional activity found in brick and mortar malls, has been greatly reduced. In response to this, many landlords have actively re-designated more space to prioritise experiential consumption, to play an enabling role to e-retailers, and also increased allocation of social space to be aligned to the current expectations of consumers. As we have witnessed, there are inherent efficiencies when market is given some autonomy in allocating the best use for available space. Perhaps we can adopt a more exclusionary approach to the land use definition rather than prescribing what is allowed?”
“It will help people in low and lower middle income countries have access to COVID-19 vaccines. Six members of ASEAN are among the countries eligible for COVAX assistance. As a member of ASEAN, what more can we do to help our closest neighbours? How can we work with their leadership to ensure that the vaccines can also reach their needy, especially those in zones of conflict and unrest? In addition to monetary contributions, will Singapore be deploying manpower or other resources to help? Beyond our region, is there a role for us to assist in areas further afield, to lend a helping hand to our other allies? Would the Minister provide an update on these initiatives? Climate Action Collaboration”
“Chairman, the COVID-19 pandemic is the crisis of our generation. The impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the world had been devastating. In Singapore, we suffered the worst economic recession in our history. COVID-19 vaccines have been identified as the only long-term solution to counter the pandemic. As MOH had assessed, Singapore has the capacity and capability to vaccinate our entire population by the end of the year at the latest, if all our vaccine batches continue to arrive as planned. We can then look forward to resuming even more activities. However, we are all keenly aware that our economy is highly dependent on broader economic developments beyond our shores. As a global hub, we need open borders between nations and the freedom to travel in order to thrive. Our survival requires continued engagement with other countries through trade and many other areas of cooperation and exchanges. Thus, it is important for our economic recovery that everyone in the world, not just Singaporeans, has access to safe and efficacious vaccines. This is because no one is safe until everyone is safe in this pandemic. The threat of this evolving disease requires international cooperation and as some had described it, vaccine multilateralism. Will the Minister share with us details and updates on how Singapore is helping to promote vaccine access to the wider international community? As one of the contributors to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Advance Market Commitment (AMC) mechanism, what are our roles and contributions to the international effort? The objective of the COVAX Facility is to obtain and distribute two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines equitably by the end of this year.”
“Chairman, one key focus area announced by the National Service Review Committee (NSRC) was to review aspects of NS to better meet the needs of a new generation of National Servicemen. I whole-heartedly support this. MINDEF and the SAF must continue to be good stewards of our servicemen's time and talent. These are precious resources and should be utilised strategically. We have to adapt and seize the advantages presented by technological advancements. Proactive adaptation will enable us to be more efficient in our processes and also keep us ahead of emerging threats. Can the Ministry share an update on the NSRC's progress and specifically, about some initiatives that the NSRC has been working on to make NS processes more easily accessible and convenient for pre-enlistees, NSF and NSmen? Will there be improvements to waiting times and service delivery standards? In addition, it had been pointed out that there are trade-offs between convenience and security. What measures does MINDEF have in place to ensure that these processes are convenient, efficient and secure? Will the Ministry also share how regularly it collects and reviews feedback from NS servicemen and the public to enhance our NS processes? Digitalisation of NS Services”
“Will the Ministry share an update on how SAF can improve upon how it assesses that the unit assigned to an NSF is the best fit for him? How is SAF tapping upon our serviceman’s vocations and civilian expertise to enhance their NS contributions? How can our NSF communicate their areas of interest with SAF so that it could be better filtered or sorted into a role that the NSF could excel at? What are the main challenges in skills-matching? Can more flexibility be exercised so that in the event of poor fit, whether these are functional or manpower incompatibility, redeployment can be made? In addition, how can SAF motivate NSFs to do better, beyond what they are required to and align the goals of the members of the unit? 11.30am Lastly, how will MINDEF engage families and employers to get fuller support and cooperation for our servicemen’s deployments? Is it possible to make better use of new technology to enable our servicemen to manage both NS obligations and civilian duties? Likewise, let us leverage on technology to enhance SAF communications and interactions with our servicemen. Singapore Green Plan 2030”
“Chairman, at the COS debate last year, the Minister for Defence informed the House about the formation of a NS Review Committee (NSRC) to examine ways to enrich the NS experience and maximise the potential of every national serviceman. Would the Ministry provide an update on initiatives that the NSRC has been working on and, in particular, plans to make the most of the contributions of our servicemen? National Service forms the backbone of our defence. It is also a rite of passage for all young males in Singapore, who commit two years in the prime of their lives to safeguard our territory and ensure our sovereignty and peace. When they complete their full-time NS, our servicemen continue to make sacrifices in their personal and work life, so that they are fit and ready to protect Singapore. The requirement to serve up to 40 days of Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) per year is necessary but demanding. We should seek to minimise the disruption to their civilian routines as much as possible. Last year, I spoke about supporting our men with care arrangements for their family members in the event they do not have the necessary support when they are in camp. This is an important concern because we need our servicemen to focus on their military duties with peace of mind. It is important that we continue to examine ways to bring the best out of our servicemen through the different stages of their NS journey. We must keep their morale high and motivation strong, supporting them so that their NS involvement through their different life stages will become more engaging, meaningful and fulfilling. I welcome the Ministry’s earlier announcement that it would be looking into optimising skill-based deployment.”
“They, however, are faced with the immediate reality that the hike will increase their costs and cut their take-home pay. I appeal to the Minister to consider providing more financial subsidies or rebates to help them tide over this difficult period or until they have time to switch over to electric vehicles. With this, I would like to conclude with my support for the Budget. 1.52 pm”
“We can look forward to a more dynamic bond market with a greater variety of products to offer different investors. The bonds are expected to finance a wide range of green projects and I hope that the Government will include agri-food developments in these issues and its distribution can be sized such that even small investors can participate and do their part to support the growth of Singapore's agri-food sector. Many green and sustainability-linked projects will be pioneering initiatives and do not have track records. To enable current and new enterprises in these endeavours, I hope the Government will consider more risk co-sharing with investors and banks so that green start-ups will have higher chances of bringing their visions to fruition. Lastly, I would like to appeal on behalf of motorcyclists, taxi and private-hire-car drivers for more support to defray their increased cost of operations due to the increase in petrol duty rates. While there are various measures to ease the transition, such as road tax rebates, cash handouts and petrol duty rebates, many of the users who depend on their vehicles for their livelihoods have shared with me their hardships and made their calculations. The rebates will not be enough to offset the higher duty rates. The intention of the rate hikes is to encourage more green behaviour and reduce the purchase and use of vehicles using internal combustion engines. However, at this point in time, these users have no other alternatives but to use their current vehicles to earn a living. Many of them deliver goods with the proliferation of online orders. They are not able yet to switch to electric vehicles due to sunk costs or infrastructural constraints.”
“In his Budget speech, Deputy Prime Minister Heng mentioned, we need a whole-of-society approach to succeed in realising our sustainability goals. As the efforts to support supply side factors continue to strengthen, it is also important to increase consumer awareness and confidence in local produce to build up demand from our local population. As I have raised in one of my previous speeches, we should encourage a "Buy Singapore" mentality where Singaporeans choose local brands and products in an informed manner. "Buy Singapore" will not only help ensure the sustainability of producing local food but also reduce our carbon footprint, as transportation and refrigeration required to move and store food over long distances are reduced. In fact, "Buy Singapore" can also be expanded to include goods and services beyond the agri-food sector. There are other local industries that may potentially have an advantage in serving our domestic market. These should be supported and better funded to help them grow. Buying products using materials that are preferably locally sourced and made here is another way of reducing one's carbon footprint. I full-heartedly support the Ministry's decision to issue green bonds to fund select public infrastructure projects. Three years ago, I had suggested that we designate a proportion of our borrowings for green projects to be in green bonds issuance. Not only will this support the Monetary Authority of Singapore's aim of growing the green bond market in Singapore, Government issues will help develop a green bond market of a significant size. As ASEAN's largest green finance market, we account for about half of the cumulative ASEAN green bond and loan issuances.”
“It is important that we continue to develop this sector and ensure its viability, as this industry is perceived to be less profitable than other industries, such as manufacturing and financial services. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of locally produced food. We are fortunate to have adequate national food reserves and have been able to work well with our regional and global partners to keep borders open for goods to flow between countries so far. However, we should not take these arrangements for granted. We must be prepared for other crises in the future and the more local food production sources we have, the less vulnerable we are to supply disruptions. I am heartened to note that we are exploring and tapping upon available technologies to overcome our land constraints for food production, whether these are for fruits, plants, livestock, or new types of production, such as lab-grown meat. These are capital intensive but necessary for food security. To strengthen food security, besides sector-friendly Government policies and financial support, we need to develop a whole eco-system to make the agri-food sector a significant economic sector. We need to nurture a new generation of local expertise, while consulting with leading agri-food practitioners and researchers locally and internationally. We need new faculties in our ITEs, Polytechnics and Universities to prepare our people for jobs and careers in this sector. We should continue to support small local household and community farming endeavors too. The output from household and community farms may be small but every effort to contribute to our food security and resilience is important. As the saying goes, many little drops make an ocean.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, after a year of combating COVID-19 and dealing with its unprecedented impact on so many aspects of our country, it is time for us to embark on the road to recovery. The world has been profoundly changed by this pandemic. It has pushed us to re-assess our priorities and forced us to adapt to new ways of doing things. For example, this crisis has accelerated digitalisation and flexible work arrangements. The crisis also presents opportunities in certain sectors and provides the impetus for new approaches. This Budget has some bold initiatives, particularly green ones, which I am delighted will be implemented. Like water, food security is a critical national issue. I have always felt strongly about ensuring food security for Singapore, so much so that I had urged the Government for more sector support in this House a few times in the past. Hence, I welcome the decision to commit $60 million to a new Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund. The Fund will help us move towards the 30-by-30 goal of producing 30% of our food through local farms by 2030. This will be no mean feat, considering that we are at less than 10% today. I understand the COVID-19 crisis has placed an enormous strain on our financial resources. Nonetheless, I seek the Minister's assurance that funding will be increased when our economy recovers. I would also like to ask the Minister if the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund is in addition to the $63 million Agriculture Productivity Fund (APF) launched in 2014. Would the Minister share with us how much of the APF has been utilised to-date and provide a summary of the projects it supported, such as the type of farming projects and food production?”
“I am glad to hear Minister say that physical counters will still be around to help those who really do not have the skill sets to do it, and also to minimise the risk. They want to do it themselves rather than relying on someone to key in the Singpass password for them. So, my first supplementary question is, is there a timeline where physical counters would be phased out? My second question is, how would the Government ensure that the private sector also maintains access to services which do not require Singpass, especially for the senior citizens. Because I get feedback from citizens, senior citizens that to open a bank account now, going to the counter with an identity card is not good enough. They still need to go through the Singpass route.”
“As persons with special needs or disabilities are more vulnerable, particularly during periods of crisis, does the Ministry have case managers to follow up with those who lose their jobs or who have been retrenched so that you can render direct assistance?”
“There is a group of asset-rich-cash-poor Singaporeans who have problems monetising their assets during this pandemic. They also need assistance to tide them over this difficult period. There is also a "sandwiched" group, including low income earners living with family members in private properties which they do not own, resulting in them not qualifying for some types of assistance. Both groups certainly receive some of the general voucher distributions given to all. But these may not be enough for those who have sunk into financial potholes for various reasons. We should not lump them together into one big group. Within this group, there are those with genuine needs. We should start by tagging everyone to a category, with or without home ownership. The relevant Committee can also issue cards like it did for CHAS. Once a person is assigned to a category, he gets benefits in that category for two years. The status is reviewed every two years. If there is an immediate change such as retrenchment or permanent disability, that person can apply for an urgent review. In this way, those with genuine need for help would be moved to an appropriate category which will receive relevant grants and support. (In English): The important thing is to do our best to ensure that no one gets left behind or left out. I am confident that we have the resources and capability to lift everyone up and together, we will emerge stronger from this crisis. I would like to conclude with my support for the Motion of Thanks.”
“The Minister also shared that most applicants could use the government grants to pay for the down-payment. They do not need to pay any cash up-front and can pay their monthly mortgages with their CPF savings with 25-year housing loans. The employment situation today is less favourable to holding long mortgage tenures, compared to the past. People of my parents' generation used to hold jobs for life. For our generation, most of us would have changed jobs a few times. For the future generations, job cycles will likely get even shorter. More and more people are making a living from the gig economy as well. There is much more uncertainty today. All these new factors, together with the higher macro-economic risk backdrop, should be captured in the analysis of the affordability of HDB flats. With lower employment security and reduced market predictability, HDB flat prices should be lower and the home price to annual income ratio should be adjusted downwards to adequately reflect this new normal. Affordability of HDB flat prices should also be measured based on a tenure that is less than 25 years. Should financial circumstances of the buyer change over time, there is then flexibility to structure lower instalment payments by stretching the loan tenure when needed. All Singaporeans should be entitled to assistance and benefits regardless of the types of residence they stay in. No one should be left behind as all contribute to society. Many of our current assistance schemes are based on housing types, with their annual values determining whether one gets certain assistance or not. We have to reassess this basis as we can already see convergence in the value of some HDB flats with the level of pricing ascribed only to private housing properties in the past.”
“There is also a "sandwiched" group, including low income earners living with family members in private properties which they do not own, resulting in them not qualifying for some types of assistance. Both groups certainly receive some of the general voucher distributions given to all. But these may not be enough for those who have sunk into financial potholes for various reasons. We should not lump them together into one big group. Within this group, there are those with genuine needs. I join fellow Members – Mr Christopher de Souza, Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Mr Henry Kwek – in asking the Ministry to fine-tune and recalibrate the schemes and criteria, so that they are not completely excluded from assistance programmes. We could start by tagging everyone to a category, with or without home ownership. The relevant Committee can also issue cards like it did for CHAS. Once a person is assigned to a category, he gets benefits in that category for two years. The status is reviewed every two years. If there is an immediate change, such as retrenchment or permanent disability, that person can apply for an urgent review. In this way, those with genuine need for help would be moved to an appropriate category which will receive relevant grants and support. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Chinese. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The President has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to support our young families to own their homes. We discussed the topic of housing affordability just a few months ago in March during the debate in the Committee of Supply for the Ministry of National Development. The Minister had reiterated that our HDB flats are accessible, as our flat prices are kept at below five times our median household income.”
“The employment situation today is less favourable to holding long mortgage tenures, compared to the past. People of my parents' generation used to hold jobs for life. For our generation, most of us would have changed jobs a few times. For the future generations, job cycles will likely get even shorter. More and more people are making a living from the gig economy as well. There is much more uncertainty today. All these new factors, together with the higher macro-economic risk backdrop, should be captured in the analysis of the affordability of HDB flats. With lower employment security and reduced market predictability, HDB flat prices should be lower and the home price to annual income ratio should be adjusted downwards to adequately reflect this new normal. Affordability of HDB flat prices should also be measured based on a tenure that is less than 25 years. Should financial circumstances of the buyer change over time, there is then flexibility to structure lower instalment payments by stretching the loan tenure when needed. The next point I would like to make is on financial assistance schemes. All Singaporeans should be entitled to assistance and benefits regardless of the types of residence they stay in. No one should be left behind as all contribute to society. Many of our current assistance schemes are based on housing types, with their annual values determining whether one gets certain assistance or not. We have to reassess this basis as we can already see convergence in the value of some HDB flats with the level of pricing ascribed only to private housing properties in the past. There is a group of asset-rich-cash-poor Singaporeans who have problems monetising their assets during this pandemic. They also need assistance to tide them over this difficult period.”
“However, the supermarkets and online grocers see a jump in orders. This is because people are indeed still eating – at home. So, if a company runs a restaurant and also sells and delivers food ingredients, it will be able to ride out this storm better. Stock prices go down, gold prices go up. Brick-and-mortar retail goes down, online retail goes up. A loss here is a gain somewhere else. Maybe conglomerates with diversified businesses can try this first – have their employees take on dual roles in their different companies. Their pay should not be affected. While this dual-job thinking may seem out-of-the-box, we should recognise that there are many Singaporeans who possess multiple skillsets and would be able to contribute at a higher level within the same company or seek a second vocation to diversify their income sources. This approach may not suit certain jobs nor appeal to certain people. What I am proposing is to encourage companies and workers who are willing to try to be allowed to do so, without compromising their productivity and work-life balance. The Government could incentivise companies and workers to adopt this approach. Next, on housing affordability. The President has reaffirmed the Government's commitment to support our young families to own their homes. We discussed the topic of housing affordability in March during the debate in the Committee of Supply for MND. The Minister had reiterated that our HDB flats are accessible, as our flat prices are kept at below five times our median household income. The Minister also shared that most applicants could use the Government grants to pay for the down-payment. They do not need to pay any cash upfront and can pay their monthly mortgages with their CPF savings with 25-year housing loans.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the President spoke about securing our future in her Address. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the importance of careful planning and being prepared for any future shocks and surprises which may hit us. Let me start with jobs and skills. Two is better than one, one is better than none. Diversification is a vital part of resilience planning. With the SkillsFuture programme, Singaporeans are encouraged to pick up new and different skills. However, what good is a skillset that cannot be put to use? A worker would be back to starting from square one if he applies for a totally new type of job. There must be a way for a worker to put learning to use concurrently. Many employers bar their full-time employees from taking on a second job. This thinking should change. For better job security, employees should be allowed to take up two jobs, subject to labour regulations to protect the workers from overwork and also to regulate potential conflict of interests. The worker could choose to learn and apply new skills to pursue an additional vocation within the same company or in a second job. Encouraging such a practice would allow the worker to develop a broader set of skills that will allow more flexibility in career switches within a shorter window of time should there be a need to. Companies also need to identify complementary sectors which are sufficiently differentiated to provide resilience through diversification. In doing so, the company could allow their workers take up concurrent positions in different business units. For example, from a layman's point of view, food and beverage or F&B, is always resilient because people need to eat no matter what. But during this pandemic, F&B is one of the most badly affected sectors.”
“More than 200,000 retail investors in S-REIT units valued at more than S$15 billion, are our ordinary man in the street – retirees, employees, homemakers and even students. They have come to depend on S-REIT distributions to supplement their retirement and household income. The impact of this Bill will cascade down to individual retail investors, who in turn are also consumers. This could lead to sentiments of increased pessimism and caution, dampening domestic consumption and spending and result in even less business for the tenants which the Bill intends to assist. It is therefore important, that we balance the needs of this group of people even as we help our tenants weather through this difficult time. We hope the Minister would consider expanding the Temporary Relief from Actions for Inability to Perform Scheduled Contracts to include all real estate companies, excluding residential and for all loan types, to mitigate the potential implications as mentioned above. In conclusion, we recognise that these are extremely trying times and we fully agree with Minister that more than ever, we need to work together to ride out this challenging period as no one is spared from the impact of COVID-19. We hope that the Minister further consider these implications and strike a balance in mitigating the challenges that all parties are currently facing. 6.14 pm”
“Hence, in fairness, I appeal to the Ministry for this deferment measure to be implemented for a shorter period such as three months with extension, as determined by the Minister so that risks are more balanced out between landlords and tenants. At this point, we do not know how many companies will take up the option to defer their lease payments for six months. Rental income is the landlord's main source of cash flow to pay for mortgages and interest. However, if many companies do take up this option, there are significant implications for our banking and financial system. This may result in landlords breaching covenants, such as interest cover ratio, related to bank loans and other debt instruments, which would result in an event of default where loans will be immediately due. Landlords will also have no further access to credit lines to meet their operational needs. Banks will have higher non-performing loans. While this Bill provides temporary relief to SMEs, this relief is not extended to larger landlords who face the same issue of covenant breach and loans being called by the banks. As responsible enterprises, landlords would go into a cash preservation and survival mode, with cuts in maintenance expenses, wages and reduce distribution to investors. S-REITs, as institutional landlords and which represent a cornerstone of the Singapore investment landscape would be in a similar situation of financial stress. As an example, SPH REIT had announced a 78.7% year-on-year decline in its distribution per unit despite a 12.2% increase in Income Available for Distribution. They are basically holding back cash in anticipation of worse situation.”
“We should not impede the emergence of new start-ups with potential. As it is, this Bill creates significant uncertainty for landlords. I believe that for landlords to be constructive in their assistance to tenants, landlords need to have clarity of their cash flow and strength of their balance sheet. Rather than working out how to address delays in or non-payment of rent which affect their ability to service mortgage payments, they can plan additional relief for tenants with greater confidence in their financial position. This will be of tangible help to viable businesses. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng cited in his speech, there are landlords who have given additional rental assistance over and above the property tax rebates to tenants. It is important to recognise the mismatch in the obligations of tenants and property owners. The landlord's collateral with the bank is the property whereas the tenant's lease collateral is a security deposit of between one and four months. This security deposit is insufficient to ensure that the tenants pay after the six-month rent deferment period, which may be extended to a year. In the worst-case scenario, when the tenants go bust after six months, there is little that the landlords can do to recover their outstanding debts. In reality, landlords have little legal recourse when a private limited company goes belly-up. In short, the landlord will be left holding on to the bad debt. Smaller landlords who have less resources, including individuals who own shops or strata titled offices, would face challenges meeting their obligations to their banks. They face collapse of their businesses with employees losing their jobs and them losing their properties to the banks.”
“The purpose of the Bill is to provide tenants time and space so that their businesses could recover from the COVID-19 situation but the Bill as it stands would only defer the issue further down the road. Hence, to better protect the tenants, the Bill should also legislate the repayment terms upon the expiry of the rent deferment period and the interest charged. The Bill should also give guidance on leases with expiry dates that fall within the deferment period. The rent deferment measures will provide temporary but essential relief for many businesses. For those which are healthy and viable, the measures will provide a reprieve against the sudden impact of the pandemic. Ideally, they should take this opportunity to urgently restructure and update their operations and business models to become more effective and productive. My concern is that the temporary rent deferment measures may inadvertently result in some companies over rely on a short-term relief and neglect taking the painful but necessary steps to revamp their operations. Such companies may instead hope for an upturn and postpone figuring out their next move to only six months later. Some businesses were in fact, already unviable before the onset of COVID-19, and had been having difficulties paying their rent. Hence, this measure merely serves to prolong the last breaths of untenable businesses. The cumulative costs of their final months will end up being passed to their landlords. Lease termination for such unviable tenants will release the affected properties back into the market for other businesses that may want to take advantage of the weaker rental market to set up shop. This is a more organic and sustainable model for the real estate industry.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I declare my interest as the Chief Executive Officer of a real estate investment trust. I have interests too in businesses that are tenants in malls. During these very difficult times, the Government has rolled out a suite of measures to minimise the financial impact of COVID-19 on individuals and businesses. I understand and support the intention of these measures, which aim to mitigate the financial stress experienced by businesses, big and small. I fully support the proposed legislation to ensure that landlords pass down the property tax rebates fully to tenants. This is a move in the right direction and in line with the spirit of collective responsibility to overcome COVID-19. That would be very helpful to tenants, especially the SMEs, micro SMEs and individual proprietors. This Bill also seeks to protect, amongst others, commercial tenants from court and insolvency proceedings and termination of leases for a period of six months from the commencement of the Act. Understandably, rentals and wages are two of the more significant costs of running an enterprise. However, I would like to request for the Ministry to take a more comprehensive and long-term view of the impact of these measures on the entire economic value chain. This Bill whilst easing the cash flow of tenants that choose to defer the rent payment, does not go further to regulate the repayment of the six-month rent and the interest on late payment. In effect, landlords can demand immediate repayment upon the expiry of the rent deferment period. Businesses would not have improved multiple folds to enable the tenants to pay the arrears immediately.”
“Chairman, MOH announced that it would expand the number of polyclinics from the current 20 to about 30 to 32 by 2030. Three will be located in Serangoon, Kaki Bukit and Tengah and are slated to be ready by 2025. The other seven will be located in Bukit Panjang, Eunos, Kallang, Sembawang, Khatib, Tampines North and Yew Tee. Is MOH on track to reach the target of opening these seven clinics by 2030? With the locations of these 10 polyclinics confirmed, there remains two more possible sites. I strongly urge the Ministry to build one of these in Bishan. Over the last few years, a few condominiums were built in Bishan. In the next few years, HDB will be adding many blocks too. The profile of Bishan will be changed significantly with many more households and an increasing population of older residents. As of today, the proportion of senior citizens in Bishan is already higher than the national average. Presently, due to the lack of a polyclinic in Bishan, my residents have to travel to the polyclinics in Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio. As part of the journey, some of the elderly need to cross a pedestrian overhead bridge not served by elevators. A polyclinic is a facility many residents are looking forward to. It is also a necessity, so that the new households moving into Bishan will not overwhelm the polyclinics in Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio. Besides expanding public sector capacity, what are MOH's measures to support private GPs in providing better and holistic primary care for Singaporeans? Mental Healthcare”
“Chairman, since its inception, HDB has played a critical role in ensuring affordable and accessible housing for Singaporeans. It is an institution at the forefront of public housing. No other Government agency in the world can boast that it has provided for over 80% of its people the selection of quality public housing it had, served by comprehensive networks of amenities. HDB flats are the de facto homes for our newly-weds and many of them will progress to upgrade to bigger units. Those located at town hubs and near Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations are especially coveted by home-seekers. However, the waiting time of three to four years for a Built-To-Order (BTO) flat is quite long, particularly so for young families with babies on the way. Would MND review this and do more to help home buyers access new flats more quickly? In 2019, how many flats were given up by prospective buyers and what were the take-up rates of Sale Of Balance flats? MND launched the open booking of flats last year. How has the take-up been? It is understandable that HDB has been calibrating the size of flats based on a combination of the size of the family unit and affordability. This has generally resulted in smaller flats being constructed. I have observed at recent Edusave Merit Bursary Awards ceremonies in my constituency that there seems to be more families with more children, that is, three or more. These families usually have a domestic helper or live with grandparents, so extra rooms and more living space are needed. May I request that HDB consider selectively including a higher proportion of bigger units, such as 5-room flats, in new BTO projects in mature estates to support our pro-family policy? Building Our Future Home and City”
“Chairman, most of our lower wage workers are in sectors where their wages have stagnated due to competitive outsourcing practices. The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) puts in place a systematic framework to track the quality of work, gains in productivity and training attained by these workers and peg them to corresponding wage increments and career progression. The PWM has proven to be effective in uplifting workers in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors and improved their prospects. With this successful implementation, I join Mr Zainal Sapari to appeal to the Ministry to consider expanding PWM to even more sectors as soon as possible. In addition, I would like to request for measures to ensure that these workers have access to proper rest areas and safe work environments, backed by legislation and regular enforcement. Employment for Special Needs People”
“Chairman, I was heartened to learn about stronger measures rolled out by the Ministry in January this year against companies that discriminate against Singaporeans during the hiring process. Offending employers will be barred from applying for new work passes for between 12 and 24 months, up from the minimum period of six months before. Furthermore, they will no longer be allowed to renew their existing work passes. Would the Ministry provide an update on the results of enforcement measures against errant companies in the last 12 months? What additional measures has the Ministry implemented in the last year to ensure fair hiring practices and a level playing field for Singaporeans? Will the Minister share an update on its review of the foreign worker hiring policies and the progress on efforts against other forms of workplace discrimination? Tightening S Pass Sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling”
“Chairman, Brunei and Singapore are the two smallest nations by geographical size in the ASEAN region. Due to many similarities, we have built up a special relationship over the years. Since our early days of nation building, positive interactions between the two countries at every level, up to the highest echelons of leadership, have paved the way for many areas of cooperation. Every year, we continue to have a steady stream of high-level visits to and from Brunei. These help to maintain the deep personal and institutional ties between the two nations. The Currency Interchangeability Agreement and our strong defence cooperation underpin the robust ties between Singapore and Brunei. As one of Brunei's largest trading partners, there is room for further collaboration between our private sector and Brunei. This is particularly so as Brunei is in the process of diversifying its economy. During President Halimah’s visit in May 2018, she mentioned that possible areas of cooperation included eco-tourism, aquaculture and financial technology. The President also witnessed the signing of two pacts to strengthen financial co-operation between our two countries. Could the Ministry share an update on the progress in these areas of interest? Against the background of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and various regional and global challenges, what areas of cooperation are we exploring to strengthen our special relationship and bring mutual benefits to our people? Bilateral Cooperation with USA”
“Is there any way that MINDEF can assist to coordinate areas of synergy so that the courses are both relevant to the NSF's role in SAF and their areas of interest? In addition, will the effectiveness of these programmes be monitored and reviewed? Does the Ministry also take into account feedback and suggestions from the NSFs, education institutions and employers about the usefulness of these initiatives and how improvements can be incorporated over time? Technology”
“The purpose of this suggestion is to enable 360-degree support for our servicemen so that they can better focus on their military duties when in camps, knowing that the other areas of their lives are well supported and taken care of. While much emphasis is placed on the two years as an NSF, it is also important to keep in mind that the entire NS experience also includes the time that the men of Singapore spend as pre-enlistees and Operationally-Ready National Servicemen. Their experience will also influence and have an impact on the next generation of our young who are watching and getting ready to serve the nation. How is MINDEF and SAF working to enhance the NS experience for our National Servicemen at different stages of their NS journey? How can the Ministry tap upon their interests, aptitudes and experiences over the years to serve our nation better? SkillsFuture Chairman, my third cut. All young male Singaporeans have to commit two years in the prime of their lives for service to our nation. It is important that we recognise their commitments and contributions, and do our utmost to support them as they prepare for further studies or entry to the workforce as they near their Operationally Ready Date (ORD). MINDEF took some steps in this direction at last year's COS with the introduction of a suite of SkillsFuture@NS initiatives to support our NSF's life-long learning journey. Would the Ministry provide an update of what MINDEF is doing to help our NSFs refresh or acquire new skills as part of their post-ORD transition? I am curious about what support measures MINDEF offer in terms of time allocation and financial support for these NSF to commit to these courses.”