Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“The open booking of flats was introduced in June 2019. To date, there have been nine exercises with an average of about 4,700 applications per exercise. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not cap the number of selection appointments, so the scenario that the Member described, where "all the selection appointments are taken up", does not exist. The Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise is HDB's mainstay of flat supply. Unsold BTO flats are consolidated and offered in a Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise. Both BTO and SBF flats operate on a balloting system to shortlist applicants. The unsold flats from SBF exercises are then offered in an open booking exercise. Previously, such flats were re-offered for sale under the Re-Offer of Balance Flats exercise, which operated on a balloting system. Unlike BTO and SBF exercises, given the very limited flat supply, the current first-come, first-served approach allows applicants to select an open booking unit as early as the next working day. Those who select completed units can also collect their keys soon after booking. They largely cater to home seekers who have urgent housing needs and are less particular about the flat and locational attributes. Nonetheless, HDB will continue to review its various sales modes and refine them where necessary, to better meet the diverse needs of home seekers.”
“Since August 2023, the Housing and Development Board has completed flat bookings for four Build-To-Order (BTO) exercises. The respective proportions of first-timer (FT) applicants with queue numbers (a) larger than; and (b) smaller than the available flat supply, who did not select a flat when invited, are tabulated in Table 1 below.”
“This response will also address the Parliamentary Questions filed by Mr Leong Mun Wai and Ms Hazel Poa, due for a subsequent Sitting, as they relate to the same subject matter. Housing takes up close to 15% of the total land area in Singapore, with public housing being the majority. To cater to changing aspirations and the diverse needs of Singaporeans, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) plans for a variety of housing types across the island and regularly reviews these plans in relation to the demand for other land uses and evolving trends. The proportion of different types of landed housing is shown in Table 1 below. As part of the ongoing Draft Master Plan 2025 review, URA plans to set aside more land to cater to the increasing demand for housing. This includes plans to redevelop Bukit Timah Turf City into a mix of 15,000 to 20,000 public and private homes, which will be launched progressively over the next 20 to 30 years, amidst a predominantly landed private housing area. In setting aside more land for housing, URA has various guidelines in place, including site coverage, building setback and building height, which are applicable to all housing developments. These guidelines ensure that housing developments relate well to their surroundings and that sufficient space is set aside for greenery and other facilities to ensure a quality living environment.”
“The cumulative number of families which have benefited from the Fresh Start Housing Scheme between 2021 and 2024 is shown in the table below.”
“Veterinarians licensed by the National Parks Board (NParks) are subject to licensing conditions, which stipulate compliance with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians (Code). Under the Code, debarking and declawing procedures should only be performed as an alternative to euthanasia. Veterinarians should first advise pet owners of non-surgical treatment options and must be satisfied that all reasonable efforts have been made to manage dog barking or cat scratching behaviour before performing such procedures. Veterinarians must also keep proper medical records of all veterinary activities, which include discussions of treatment options. To ensure that veterinarians comply with all prevailing regulations, NParks carries out regular inspections at veterinary centres, which include reviewing medical records. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of licensing conditions and warrants appropriate enforcement action.”
“Seniors who have purchased short-lease two-room flexi flats from the Housing and Development Board must dispose of their existing property, if any, within six months from key collection. For those who sell their existing property, there are no conditions related to the sale price of their property.”
“Under the Green Towns Programme, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will be expanding the cool coatings initiative to residential blocks in all existing HDB estates island-wide. Cool coatings contain additives that reflect the sun’s heat, thus reducing surface heat absorption and emission. For a start, the Government will cover the cost difference incurred by the Town Councils (TCs) from using cool coatings instead of conventional paint. Similar to conventional paint, cool coatings will need to be applied and maintained in compliance with the performance requirements stipulated in the relevant Singapore Standards to ensure optimal functionality. HDB will share more details with the TCs to guide the long-term maintenance of cool coatings, such as when the HDB blocks undergo cyclical repair and redecoration (R&R) works. With the proper application and regular repainting of cool coatings as part of R&R works, cool coatings will remain effective in reducing surface heat absorption and emission. The cool coatings initiative, together with the greenery intensification initiative, is part of HDB’s ongoing efforts to cool HDB towns and mitigate the urban heat island effect. These initiatives contribute to the broader goal of moderating the rise in urban heat under the Resilient Future pillar of the Singapore Green Plan 2030.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter provides home buyers with a holistic assessment of their eligibility to buy a new or resale flat and the amounts of HDB loan and Central Provident Fund housing grants that they may be eligible for. The assessment takes into consideration whether a household has fully met the various eligibility conditions, such as age, citizenship and fulfilment of the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), at the time of their HFE letter application. Flat owners may apply for an HFE letter only upon expiry of their MOP. HDB processes all HFE letter applications expeditiously to minimise potential inconvenience to applicants. Applications with a complete set of documents are generally processed within about a week. After receiving their HFE letter, there are ample opportunities for them to buy another flat, either directly from HDB or on the open market. The Ministry of National Development will consider the Member’s suggestion in our regular policy reviews to ensure we continue to meet Singaporeans’ diverse home ownership needs.”
“From 2021 to 2024, the average number of lift faults in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates has remained stable at about 5.5 per lift per year. This includes lift breakdowns, as well as minor issues such as mechanical noise that do not affect lift operations. HDB stipulates performance standards based on fault rates in its lift supply contracts for Build-To-Order projects and under the Lift Upgrading Programme. Lift suppliers that fail to meet the required performance standards will be restricted from tendering for HDB’s lift contracts in future. There is no financial penalty. From 2021 to 2024, all HDB lift suppliers met the stipulated performance standards. Proper servicing and maintenance is equally important in ensuring reliable lift operations over the lifespan of the equipment. The Town Councils are responsible for managing and maintaining the lifts in HDB estates. Town Councils can consider including performance requirements in its service agreements with lift maintenance contractors.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) considers several factors such as the location, species, and maturity of trees when planning island-wide tree pruning schedules. NParks also identifies selected trees for pruning to correct their structure and improve their stability. In addition, NParks intensifies its pruning efforts before the onset of monsoon seasons, particularly along major roads, to reduce the weight of tree branches and mitigate potential risks during periods of stronger winds. Scheduled tree pruning on expressways and major roads is conducted mainly during off-peak hours both on weekdays and weekends to minimise traffic disruption. NParks’ contractors are also instructed to stop work and leave the site when they observe traffic building up along the roads. The current tree pruning regime does not include night pruning. NParks had previously undertaken a pilot night pruning exercise, and found that even with the use of strong lighting, it was challenging to identify structurally weaker branches in the treetop that needed to be pruned. The inability to see the branches clearly also posed risk to public and workmen safety.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) works closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to determine the location and number of road access entry points for new Build-To-Order developments. For Rivervale Shores, agencies had explored several options for additional road access entry points, but they were not feasible due to site constraints. The site is bounded by an expressway and the down-ramp portion of a major road. Hence, there is limited road frontage to add another entry point without adversely affecting traffic flow and road safety. HDB and LTA have been monitoring the traffic flow at Rivervale Shores closely. We observe that traffic is generally smooth, but a vehicle tailback sometimes builds up at the entry to the estate, typically during the evening peak period. During such times, we seek residents’ understanding that they may take a few more minutes to enter the estate as more residents are returning home at the same time.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an industry-wide shortage of workers, and the average waiting time to complete each case under the Goodwill Repair Assistance (GRA) scheme was between four to six months. While the number of GRA requests remain high, the average waiting time has improved, with about 80% of the cases completed within four months. The Housing and Development Board will prioritise cases where the extent of spalling concrete or ceiling leaks is more severe.”
“On the Member's first question, I invite him to approach HDB, if he has certain blocks that are partly segmented and partly not, and he thinks that he would like to go ahead. We can study it very carefully to see whether we proceed to offer LUP for those blocks. On the issue of funding, we look at what is cost effective. We lean in favour of trying to help residents with access where possible. And that is why out of 5,300 blocks at the start of the exercise in 2001, we now have 140; and we continue to try to find ways to help.”
“But in 2017, after trying a pilot for these different methods, we decided not to proceed because they were not effective. We also tried long bridges, some of these might end up requiring access through residents' balconies. But we have been prepared to try those in order to give lift access. There were also half-landing solutions. We have also experimented with wheelchair lifters and portable stair climbers, some of which residents have tried and they felt very uncomfortable with it. But we continue to try, do hackathons and try to find new ways, work with research agencies to try to find solutions for residents. We will continue to work on this, but as I have said earlier, if there are specific residents with pressing mobility needs, whether arising from health or other causes, please refer them to us.”
“I thank the Member for speaking up for her residents. Indeed, my colleagues at HDB continue to find ways, both technical as well as programmatic enhancements, like the LHG, to help residents with mobility difficulties and for whom lift access is important. I would encourage the Member to refer her residents to my colleagues at the HDB branch office, who will work with each family individually to understand their needs and concerns, and to try to find ways to better help them. Indeed, again, if the Member has got volunteers or residents with good technical ideas, we welcome them to approach us, to share them with my colleagues and we will study them carefully. But I would just assure the Member that over the years, as the number of blocks that have not undergone LUP get smaller and smaller, my colleagues continue to find different ways, both lift as well as non-lift solutions, to try to bring lift access to those blocks, but for the remaining 140 blocks, some of them face significant technical challenges. Some of them require a significant cost, well beyond what is provided to all the other households to get the lift – sometimes in excess of well over $100,000 per unit even. But we continue to find effective ways to try to help these families. For instance, for some blocks of flats in the past, we could not do a lift because there were height restrictions, because they were in areas near flight path. And so we put in machine roomless lifts, in order to address the needs of the residents there. For some blocks, we had some smaller lifts to be able to provide a cost effective and meaningful solution for these residents. We have also tried things, like vertical platform lifts and pneumatic vacuum elevators. We experimented with them in non-residential blocks.”
“Sir, I do not have the exact number of segmented units without lift access on hand, maybe the Member can file a separate Parliamentary Question. But when the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) first started in 2001, we had some 5,300 HDB blocks without full lift access. Today, almost all, in excess of 5,000 blocks of flats, have undergone LUP, with some 140 blocks left that have not undergone LUP. And so we will continue to find technical ways, including new tactical methods, to try to help these residents. But we will also continue to refine the scheme, as I assured the Member earlier.”
“On Mr Ang's suggestion, I thank him for it and will consider his ideas, together with those of other Members', as we continually review our schemes to help seniors and others with mobility challenges access their homes.”
“Thank you, Sir. Mr Speaker, households facing extenuating circumstances arising from medical or mobility challenges may tap on the Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000, to help them move to a new or resale flat with direct lift access. For seniors with mobility difficulties who face financial difficulties, they can consider purchasing a Community Care Apartment or a 2-room Flexi flat on a shorter lease. Eligible applicants enjoy priority under the Senior Priority Scheme, including those who have already bought two subsidised flats in the past. In the last five years, second- and nth-timer seniors who booked 2-room Flexi flats or Community Care Apartments were able to do so within two tries on average. In addition to the LHG, of up to $30,000 for families and $15,000 for singles, seniors who right-size to a 3-room or smaller Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat and top up the proceeds from the sale of their existing property into their Central Provident Fund (CPF) Retirement Account, can additionally benefit from the Silver Housing Bonus of up to $30,000. This will help them to secure a suitable flat to meet their mobility needs and benefit from additional cash for retirement. Since the implementation of LHG in 2020, HDB has received 67 complete applications. Of these, 51 applications were approved, while nine are currently under evaluation. Successful applicants can use the LHG to buy a flat directly from HDB, which includes a 2-room Flexi flat on a shorter lease or a Community Care Apartment or a flat from the resale market, depending on their budget and needs. I encourage households with pressing accessibility needs to approach HDB for assistance, so that HDB can better understand their needs and explore suitable options with them.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 11 and 12 together?”
“Currently, the number of flat applicants the Housing and Development Board (HDB) shortlists in each public sales exercise is up to three times the flat supply. Shortlisted applicants are invited to book a flat based on their balloted queue position, subject to availability of units and ethnic quota when their turn is due. For 2024, HDB has completed the flat booking for the Build-To-Order (BTO) exercises launched in February and June that offered a total of about 11,100 flats. For these two BTO exercises, the lower quartile, median and upper quartile time periods between flat application and booking were about 4.5, 5.1 and 5.7 months respectively. To ensure more efficient allocation of flats, the rules for non-selection of new flats have been tightened from the October 2023 BTO exercise. Since then, the proportion of BTO flat applicants who did not book a flat when invited has halved, from 40% previously to about 19% over the three BTO exercises where the booking has been completed. This has enabled flat buyers to secure their flats more quickly. With the lower non-selection rate, almost all flats are now booked by applicants queued within the first 200% of the flat supply. Hence, from the February 2025 BTO and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises onwards, HDB will shortlist applicants up to 200% of the flat supply, instead of up to 300%. This will improve system efficiency, enabling HDB to serve shortlisted applicants faster. Flat applicants who are unable to secure a flat can also make alternative housing plans earlier or proceed to apply for the next BTO or SBF exercise.”
“Town Councils are responsible for maintaining common property, which includes conducting regular inspections and carrying out timely repairs. Over time, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has enhanced support for Town Councils, including on maintenance issues relating to changing climatic and weather conditions. In complex cases, HDB supports Town Councils by conducting joint inspections and providing technical advice, so as to identify the root causes and carry out appropriate repairs expeditiously. HDB also conducts regular training and sharing sessions to deepen the technical and case management skills of Town Councils' officers. In addition, the Government provides substantial funding to Town Councils, amounting to almost $260 million annually, to offset the costs of estate maintenance. Where repairs to the exteriors of HDB blocks are required, HDB co-shares 50% of the costs under the Facade Finishes Repairs Co-payment Scheme. Town Councils should manage their finances prudently and cater a reasonable amount of contingency funds in their budgeting to cope with unexpected repairs.”
“As at 31 December 2024, there were about 800 approved applicants awaiting allocation of a public rental flat. Of these applicants, about 40% had a chance to select a flat previously but did not do so. There is no difference in waiting time for rental flat selection by regions, as all approved applicants can select from available rental flats across Singapore. The average waiting time for a rental flat is currently five months, which has reduced from a peak of eight months in 2021 and 2022. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is continuing to work towards further reducing the waiting time. For applicants who are in urgent need of a rental flat due to exceptional circumstances, HDB will expedite their applications for flat selection on a case-by-case basis.”
“Today, we have safeguarded more than 7,800 hectares of green spaces in the form of nature reserves, nature parks, gardens and parks and integrated greenery throughout the city. As a result of our greening efforts, Singapore's green cover currently stands at around 40%. Under the OneMillionTrees movement, we aim to plant one million more trees across Singapore by 2030. Since the launch of the movement in April 2020, we have planted more than 750,000 trees with the help of the community. We are on track to meeting our target.”
“Non-Residents (NRs) are not eligible to purchase the Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. A divorced or widowed NR with a Singapore Citizen (SC) child below the age of 21 can retain the matrimonial flat, if they include an eligible SC or Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) family member who is at least 21 years old as an owner. If the NR is widowed, HDB may allow the flat to be held in trust by an SC or SPR trustee, on the condition that the flat is transferred to the SC child beneficiary when the child reaches 21 years old. If an NR with an SC child has no other housing options or family support, HDB may allow them to rent a public rental flat in the interest of the child.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) pays fair market value for state land that is purchased to develop HDB flats, which is determined independently by the Chief Valuer. For non-mature estates, the total land costs that HDB paid to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) for public housing land from financial years (FYs) 2019 to 2023 ranged from $907 million to $2.6 billion per year. For mature estates, the total land costs within the same period ranged from $1.3 billion to $5 billion per year. HDB does not use district boundaries to classify flats. Total land costs vary from year to year due to prevailing market conditions and the specific attributes of the land parcels purchased for public housing, including location and parcel size. Apart from the land costs that HDB pays to SLA at the point of purchase, HDB does not track the fluctuations in public housing land value from year to year.”
“The community deck and common spaces in our Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates are designed to facilitate social interactions and community bonding. Social and community facilities, such as childcare and eldercare centres, are also located at community decks to meet the daily needs of residents. As community needs evolve over time, HDB does review the use of these common spaces from time to time in partnership with the local community. On repurposing community deck and common spaces into commercial uses, such as eateries, HDB evaluates such proposals to balance between the need for such amenities in addition to other provisions nearby, potential dis-amenities to residents, the sufficiency of remaining common spaces to facilitate community bonding and relevant regulatory requirements. For instance, it may not be technically feasible to retrofit kitchen exhaust outlets at such spaces given the close proximity of residential units above. The evaluation process is common across both mature and non-mature estates.”
“Instead, HDB has substantially increased its offering of Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) flats with waiting times of less than three years, so that more home buyers can move into their new flats sooner. Of the 19,600 Build-to-Order flats slated for launch in 2025, almost one-fifth will be SWT flats. HDB will continue to roll out more SWT flats where possible.”
“The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) is the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) primary scheme for providing subsidised rental housing to families awaiting the completion of their HDB flats. PPHS is targeted at families with less income at their disposal to rent on the open market. Elderly families who fulfil the PPHS eligibility criteria may also benefit from the scheme. HDB has increased the supply of PPHS flats from 800 in 2021 to over 2,000 currently. As a result, all first-timer married couples with children have been successful in the PPHS ballot since June 2023. In addition, about 30% of couples without children, or 370 households, were successful in 2024. This is a significant improvement from about 10%, or 90 households, in 2022. HDB will further increase the PPHS supply to 4,000 units this year. Before this additional supply comes on stream, we have introduced the PPHS (Open Market) voucher as a temporary measure to support households renting an HDB flat or bedroom on the open market. On a case-by-case basis, HDB may also offer interim rental housing to lower-income households who have no other temporary housing options. This includes households that are ineligible for a PPHS flat. As interim rental housing is not open for public application, HDB does not track the number of requests made. In the past three years, HDB assisted 59 couples without children and 107 elderly households with interim rental housing. Given the limited supply of subsidised rental flats, we seek Singaporeans' understanding that we are unable to allocate one to every household awaiting the completion of their HDB flat.”
“Loading and unloading bays (LUBs) are intended for loading and unloading activities by residents, maintenance staff and delivery personnel throughout the day. Hence, allowing vehicles to park at LUBs could lead to inconvenience and disamenities to residents. In the early 2000s, the Housing and Development Board exercised flexibility to allow season parking holders to park overnight from 10.00 pm to 10.00 am at a small number of LUBs, including 14 locations in Sengkang and Punggol, to address localised shortage of parking spaces at that time. There are no plans to extend this arrangement to more LUBs, so as to preserve the limited number of LUB lots for loading and unloading activities.”
“First-timer (FT) families get priority allocation under the new flat classification framework. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) sets aside the majority of the Build-To-Order (BTO) flat supply for them and, additionally, accords them priority through various schemes. For example, First-Timer (Parents and Married Couples), or FT(PMCs), get first priority under the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme (FPPS), when they apply for a 4-room and smaller Standard BTO flat. Since the scheme was launched in October 2023, about nine in 10 or 90% of FT(PMCs), who applied for a 4-room and smaller flat in non-mature estates (NMEs) were invited to book a flat. Under the new flat classification framework, all FT families who have been unsuccessful in two or more BTO attempts for a Standard flat will receive one additional ballot chance for each subsequent application they make for a Standard flat. FT(PMC) applicants may accumulate up to five ballot chances while other first-timer applicants may accumulate up to four ballot chances. The old NME framework and the new flat classification framework are inherently different. Hence, additional ballots from the old NME framework have not been ported over to the new flat classification framework. However, FT families applying under the new framework will continue to enjoy the benefit of the priority measures described above. As HDB has only conducted one BTO exercise under the new flat classification framework, data is not yet available on the success rate of Standard flat applicants at their second or third application.”
“If flat owners are unable to form an eligible family nucleus to retain flat ownership following the annulment of their marriage, the owners are required to surrender their flat to the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Over the last five years, HDB has allowed the sale of flat following annulment in only a few cases that faced extenuating circumstances. For example, a confluence of significant financial difficulties and challenging family circumstances.”
“Flat owners must reside in their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat when renting out spare bedroom(s) in their flat. For 2-room HDB flats, as there is only one bedroom, there is no spare bedroom that can be rented out. Nevertheless, we recognise that some 2-room HDB flat owners may need to rent out their bedroom, if they are facing financial hardship. HDB considers such appeals on a case-by-case basis and is prepared to grant approval, provided that the flat owners can demonstrate that they have made suitable living arrangements with potential tenants within the flat.”
“The mean and median numbers of dogs at licensed breeding facilities from 2020 to 2024 are shown in Table 1 below.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) has assessed that the likelihood of the escaped crocodiles from Batam appearing in Singapore waters, including in Lim Chu Kang, Neo Tiew and their neighbouring areas, and the corollary biodiversity impact would be low. The crocodiles are unlikely to land in Singapore due to the more favourable habitats along their native coastlines, as compared to the extensive sea journey required to reach our shores. Nevertheless, the Singapore Food Agency has issued an advisory to our coastal fish farms to exercise vigilance and NParks is monitoring the situation with other agencies and stakeholders. Should members of public encounter a crocodile, whether in Singapore or abroad, they should stay calm and back away. They should not approach, provoke or feed the animal and should heed warning signs and advisory notices posted in areas where crocodiles have been sighted. In the event of a sighting in Singapore, members of public should report the sighting to NParks, so that the risk to public safety can be monitored and managed. Singapore residents visiting the Batam coastal tourism areas may also wish to consult local staff and authorities for advice, especially if they plan to engage in water activities.”
“The Member may wish to refer to the written reply given by the Minister for National Development on 10 September 2024 in response to similar questions posed by Mr Ang Wei Neng, Mr Desmond Choo and Mr Liang Eng Hwa. [Please refer to "Number of HDB Households without Direct Lift Access and Use of Lift Access Housing Grant to Address This Issue", Official Report, 10 September 2024, Vol 95, Issue 141, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] There are no further updates at this point. I would like to assure the Member that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will continue to look into ways to help residents with mobility challenges. I encourage households with accessibility needs to approach HDB to explore suitable options.”
“The Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) wildlife management contractors will conduct wildlife shepherding for the Woodlands N1 and Sembawang N4 sites in accordance with the recommendations in the detailed Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP). These works will be guided and overseen by an independent EMMP consultant engaged by HDB. To facilitate the shepherding, the clearance of the development sites will be phased according to sub-zones in the direction of suitable forests nearby, as recommended in the EMMP. Prior to the clearance, the sub-zones will be demarcated by hoarding or temporary fencing. The EMMP consultant will carry out inspections to check for active nests, burrows and slow-moving animals before site clearance works are carried out for each sub-zone. Upon the completion of clearance for each sub-zone, hoarding or temporary fencing will be installed to prevent re-entry of wildlife into the cleared zones. This will be done progressively until wildlife has been shepherded away from all sub-zones, into nearby forests. If any trapped or slow-moving animals are encountered, HDB's wildlife management contractor will be activated to relocate them. For Sembawang N4, wildlife will be shepherded from Sembawang Drive eastwards to the forest along Canberra Road. For Woodlands N1, wildlife will be shepherded towards a native-dominated secondary forest that will be largely retained within the site.”
“To improve the efficiency of our balloting system, the rules for non-selection of new flats have been tightened since October 2023. As a result, the non-selection rate has halved from 40% previously to about 19% over the last three BTO exercises where booking has been completed. From the February 2025 BTO and SBF exercises onwards, HDB will shortlist applicants up to 200% of the flat supply, instead of up to 300%. This will improve system efficiency by allowing applicants to secure their flats more quickly. Those without a queue number can also make arrangements earlier or proceed to apply for the next BTO or SBF exercise without having to wait for a flat booking appointment. The small number of unselected flats from each launch are offered in SBF exercises, in which first-timer applicants are also prioritised. With the significant grant increases in March 2023 and August 2024, first-timer families who buy a resale flat on the open market can receive up to $230,000 in housing grants. With these various measures in place to prioritise first-timer applicants, we have no current plans to allow unsuccessful first-timer applicants another opportunity to choose flats that remain available after the initial round of selection as suggested by the Member.”
“We are committed to provide affordable and accessible housing for Singaporeans, including first-timer families. We have ramped up our flat supply and the Housing and Development Board is on track to launch about 102,300 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats from 2021 to 2025. As a result, application rates for BTO flats have dropped to below pre-COVID levels. Flat applicants now stand a higher chance of being invited to book a flat. In 2024, the average application rate for first-timer families across all flat types was 2.1, well below the pre-COVID rate of 3.7 in 2019. We also set aside the majority of our flat supply for first-timer families and prioritise those with greater needs. From the October 2023 BTO exercise onwards, we introduced the First-Timer (Parents and Married Couples), or FT(PMC), priority category to provide additional support for a subset of first-timer families who may have more pressing housing needs. Under this FT(PMC) category, married couples as well as families with young children, receive one additional ballot chance for their application in a BTO or Sales of Balance Flat (SBF) exercise, across all projects. This is on top of the two ballot chances that other first-timer families receive. FT(PMCs) also receive first priority under the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme, when they apply for a four-room or smaller Standard BTO flat. As a result, about nine in 10 FT(PMCs) on average were invited to book a flat in the three BTO exercises since October 2023 where flat booking has been completed. Additional support is also given to first-timer families who were unsuccessful in previous attempts. Those with two unsuccessful BTO attempts for a Standard flat will be given an additional ballot chance for every subsequent BTO application for a Standard flat.”
“First-timer (FT) families get priority allocation under the new flat classification framework. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) sets aside the majority of the Build-To-Order (BTO) flat supply for them and, additionally, accords them priority through various schemes. For example, First-Timer (Parents & Married Couples), or FT(PMC), get first priority under the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme, when they apply for a four-room and smaller Standard BTO flat. Since the scheme was launched in October 2023, about nine in 10 or 90% of FT(PMC), who applied for a four-room and smaller flat in non-mature estates (NMEs) were invited to book a flat. Under the new flat classification framework, all FT families who have been unsuccessful in two or more BTO attempts for a Standard flat will receive one additional ballot chance for each subsequent application they make for a Standard flat. FT(PMC) applicants may accumulate up to five ballot chances while other first-timer applicants may accumulate up to four ballot chances. The old NME framework and the new flat classification framework are inherently different. Hence, additional ballots from the old NME framework have not been ported over to the new flat classification framework. However, FT families applying under the new framework will continue to enjoy the benefit of the priority measures described above. As HDB has only conducted one BTO exercise under the new flat classification framework, data is not yet available on the success rate of Standard flat applicants at their second or third application.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) incorporates ventilation and drainage features when designing lift motor rooms. For example, lift motor rooms located on rooftops are designed with overhangs to prevent rainwater from splashing into the lift motor rooms, as well as discharge outlets which are sufficiently sized to drain heavy rainfall off the roof of the lift motor rooms. In addition to design features, regular maintenance of rooftop drainage systems is key. This is particularly important during monsoon seasons or when prolonged wet weather is anticipated, where Town Councils are strongly encouraged to step up their inspections of drainage systems within their estates and carry out timely maintenance works where necessary. HDB has also stepped up in its efforts to support Town Councils in proper estate maintenance, including issues that arise with changing climate and weather conditions. In complex cases, HDB supports Town Councils by conducting joint inspections and providing technical advice, so as to identify and address root causes. To offset the costs of estate maintenance, the Government provides substantial funding to Town Councils, amounting to almost $260 million annually. Town Councils should manage their finances prudently and cater a reasonable amount of contingency funds in their budgeting to cope with unexpected repairs.”
“From 2021 to 2024, about 135,000 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats were purchased with housing loans, of which about 31% took a housing loan from the financial institutions (FIs) regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. HDB received 397 appeals from HDB homeowners to refinance their housing loan from an FI to HDB. HDB offers housing loans at a concessionary interest rate to eligible flat buyers. Flat buyers may also approach FIs for a housing loan. HDB does not seek to compete with FIs in providing mortgage financing. Doing so may dampen the interest of FIs in providing mortgage financing for HDB flat purchases, which would, in turn, constrict the financing options available to future HDB flat buyers. HDB will continue to focus on its core mission of providing affordable and accessible public housing for Singaporeans.”
“During a heavy downpour, rainwater may splash into areas of the flat that are not completely enclosed, such as balconies, service yards and areas near open windows. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has improved its upstream design to reduce rainwater splashing, such as installing rain screens and canopies, in common areas if feasible. Within flats, in addition to closing windows during heavy rain, owners can also consider installing blinds. As some of these works may require prior approval by HDB, flat owners are advised to check the HDB InfoWEB for further information.”
“From 2020 to 2024, the increase in owner-occupied private residential properties was more than three times the increase in non-owner-occupied private residential properties. In 2020, the number of owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied private residential properties were around 236,000 units and 166,000 units respectively. This increased by around 27,000 units to 263,000 owner-occupied units; and by around 8,000 units to 174,000 non-owner-occupied units in 2024. The larger increase in the number of owner-occupied private residential properties can be attributed to the measures we had introduced over the years to prioritise housing purchases for genuine owner-occupation, such as raising of Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty for purchase of second and subsequent properties. It is not meaningful to compare data on owner-occupied private residential properties between primary and secondary sales, given that a large proportion of primary sales involve uncompleted units that do not have owner-occupation status.”
“The external walls of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are part of common property maintained by Town Councils. As residents who encounter water seepage from external walls typically report it directly to their respective Town Councils, the Ministry of National Development (MND) does not track this data. In complex cases, HDB supports Town Councils by conducting joint inspections and providing technical advice, so as to identify the root causes and carry out appropriate repairs expeditiously. HDB has also been providing training to Town Councils on the repair of external wall seepage. Town Councils can apply for assistance under the Facade Repairs Co-payment Scheme, whereby HDB co-shares 50% of the cost of facade repairs. HDB is committed to enhancing the comfort and safety of HDB residents and will continue to invest in research and development to address seepage issues in HDB flats more expeditiously and effectively. These include studying technologies that can pinpoint the water seepage source more accurately as well as more effective repair methods.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) are provided primarily to serve the parking needs of residents. They are built in compliance with the Land Transport Authority's Code of Practice on Vehicle Parking Provision, with height limits sufficient for access by passenger cars and most light goods vehicles. Larger commercial vehicles are generally not allowed to park in HDB MSCPs due to safety concerns and potential disamenities to residents. Vehicles that are unable to park in HDB MSCPs can park at public surface car parks, commercial and industrial car parks as well as purpose-built heavy vehicle parks instead. For temporary parking needs, such as to facilitate loading and unloading activities, they may also use the loading and unloading bays which do not have height limits. HDB has no plans to retrofit existing MSCPs to accommodate taller commercial vehicles. Such retrofitting works would require major additional and alteration works or reconstruction of the building, affecting all existing car park users.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) requires that all new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major addition and alteration (A&A) works comply with the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment. Under the Code, resting areas with seats must be provided along long paths of travel around and within buildings. The distance between each of these resting areas should be no greater than 50 metres. The Code also recommends that these seats be designed with armrests at an appropriate height to assist older persons or persons with disabilities to get up from the seats. In addition, BCA has published Universal Design Guides, which provides industry with guidelines and good practices for accessibility features beyond the mandatory requirements, including the design of resting areas with seats. BCA regularly reviews the Code to ensure that its standards meet the changing needs of the population. For instance, in the Draft Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2025, that is currently undergoing public consultation, the Code Review Committee has proposed to require at least one passenger alighting and boarding point to be equipped with seats. We encourage members of the public to provide feedback on the Draft Code, which is available for public consultation until 27 January 2025.”
“The number of complaints against pet boarders and pet groomers relating to animal welfare and cruelty concerns received by the National Parks Board (NParks) in the last three years is shown in Table 1 below. The most common complaints against pet boarders include, overcrowding of pets in facilities, dog walking practices and noise disamenities from dog barking. Complaints against pet groomers primarily involve allegations of injuries to animals during the grooming process.”
“Agencies are studying plans to rejuvenate Boon Lay Neighbourhood Centre, which includes the interim bus park, to ensure that it continues to provide for the needs of current and future residents and remains an attractive place for the community. As part of these studies, agencies have commenced engagements with the operator of the interim bus park. More details will be shared when ready.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) and Mandai Wildlife Group have a working arrangement for the latter to promptly report any incident where an animal escapes from its facilities, to NParks. This allows NParks, as the authority overseeing wildlife management matters, to ensure that animal welfare and public safety are maintained in the process of capturing the escaped animal. While this arrangement has been adequate thus far, NParks is reviewing its licensing conditions for animal exhibitions to formalise the requirements for reporting of animal escapes. In the past five years, Mandai Wildlife Group had reported the escape of two animals from their facilities to NParks – a bird and a monkey. Both escapes took place in 2024. The monkey has since been captured and returned to its enclosure. Efforts to recapture the bird are ongoing. NParks will continue working closely with Mandai Wildlife Group to ensure a prompt and coordinated response in capturing escaped animals.”
“In September 2019, the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) was introduced as a means-tested grant to provide additional support for lower-to-middle income first-timer households buying new or resale flats. On 20 August 2024, EHG was increased to a maximum of $120,000 for families and $60,000 for singles, with higher increases for lower-income households. For Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, the Housing and Development Board disburses EHG before eligible buyers sign the Agreement for Lease for their booked unit, so that they can use EHG for downpayment. The first BTO exercise after the EHG enhancement was in October 2024, for which flat booking has yet to commence. As such, there is no data at this juncture on EHG disbursed for BTO flats under the enhanced EHG framework. For resale flats, the total increase in EHG disbursement for resale applications registered from 20 August 2024 to 30 November 2024 is about $12 million. On a per flat basis, the EHG increase ranged from $2,500 to $40,000 for households with household incomes below $8,000.”