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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“Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are primarily for owner-occupation. Therefore, all flat owners are required to physically occupy their flat during the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), before they may sell it or rent out their whole flat in the open market. Nevertheless, we recognise that some flat owners may face unexpected changes in life circumstances during their MOP, such as moving overseas to work. Today, HDB already facilitates appeals by such flat owners to rent out their flat during their MOP on a case-by-case and time-limited basis, where there are extenuating circumstances. HDB also allows flat owners who face financial difficulties to apply to HDB to rent out bedrooms in their flat during the MOP, while continuing to occupy their flat. They may also approach HDB for other forms of assistance, such as financial assistance for those in arrears or to right-size to a smaller flat. As these families are already facing financial difficulties, it is inappropriate to require them to subsidise the rent of their tenants. Families who require temporary housing while awaiting the completion of their booked flats can consider applying for the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). HDB is on track to double the supply of PPHS flats from 2,000 units today to 4,000 units by 2025, to better support such families. In the interim, PPHS-eligible families who are renting HDB flats or bedrooms in the open market may tap on the PPHS (Open Market) Voucher from July 2024 to defray their rental expenses.”
“As of March 2024, there are around 40,500 heavy vehicle (HV) lots island-wide, more than sufficient for the 30,800 HVs registered with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) under the Vehicle Parking Certificate scheme. Around 16,200 HV lots are in the West region, comprising 2,900 public and 13,300 private HV lots. There are around 700 applicants on the waiting list for public HV lots in the West region. These applicants already have a HV lot, but may be looking for another lot for various reasons, such as better accessibility. We do not have these data on an annual basis dating back to 2010. We have been reviewing our plans to progressively reduce the number of public HV lots in or near residential areas as having HVs enter densely populated residential areas poses a safety risk, especially to the elderly and young children. This will also free up land to meet other development needs, including public housing. Any injection of public HV lots in or near new residential areas will need to be studied carefully, taking into consideration the overall availability of HV lots in the area. HV drivers play an important role in our economy. Agencies will continue to monitor demand and work closely with the private sector to ensure there are sufficient HV lots island-wide that are accessible to drivers.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has been using interlocking paving blocks at precinct driveways for more than 30 years. As compared to other road surfaces made of asphalt or concrete, interlocking paving blocks provide greater ease of access to underground services for maintenance and repairs and are easier to reinstate when works are completed. They are also more environmentally friendly as they are made from recyclable materials. As part of regular estate maintenance, Town Councils should repair or replace damaged or loosened interlocking paving blocks promptly, so that they do not pose danger to residents and motorists. In the case of some areas within Keat Hong estate which are experiencing recurrent dislodgement of the paving blocks at a few localised spots even after repairs, HDB will continue to work with the Chua Chu Kang Town Council to identify the underlying causes and on a longer-term solution. While HDB currently does not have plans to replace existing interlocking paving blocks, HDB has been providing concrete pavements at high traffic areas in new HDB developments since 2022. HDB will continue to use interlocking paving blocks for other areas where it is suitable to do so.”
“The Pet Shop Grading Scheme was introduced in 2007 by then-Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA). Pet shops were graded according to their compliance with the pet shop licence conditions, as well as adoption of industry best practices. As gradings were issued based on an annual assessment at a given point of time, they would not reflect whether pet shops had maintained their standards between assessments. Some pet shops might, therefore, have lapses after obtaining good grades. Hence, the National Parks Board (NParks) decided to discontinue the grading scheme in July 2023. Notwithstanding this, licensed pet shops are required to comply with NParks’ licence conditions and are encouraged to adopt best practices to enhance animal welfare. NParks will continue to regularly review the licence conditions and inspect pet shops for compliance with these conditions. NParks will also investigate all feedback on errant practices and take appropriate enforcement action against any breaches in licence conditions, such as by suspending or revoking a pet shop’s licence. The list of licensed pet shops is published on NParks’ website. Prospective pet owners can refer to the list when deciding on a pet shop. With our regulatory regime, pet shops have shown improvement in complying with licence conditions over the years, as well as in safeguarding animal welfare.”
“Buyers of HDB resale flats are advised to inspect and be satisfied with the condition of the flats that they are purchasing, before committing to the purchase. They may consider engaging a qualified professional, such as a building surveyor, to help with the checks if they find it necessary.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not track the number of complaints received about defects found in HDB resale flats after the transaction is completed. The sale and purchase of an HDB resale flat, as well as private property resale transactions, are premised on the caveat emptor principle. This means that such transactions are based on as-is condition. Prospective buyers should inspect the flat before purchase. If prospective buyers spot any defects during their checks and question the sellers on it, the sellers must answer the buyers’ questions truthfully. If the sellers refuse to provide the required information, buyers should then decide whether to continue with the purchase or to walk away and find another flat. If a seller provides false information to the buyers on purpose, he may be liable for misrepresentation. The buyer may rescind his contract, if he can prove that he was misled into buying the flat based on the false information provided. We encourage buyers to seek independent legal advice if they find themselves in this situation. Before the resale transaction is completed, HDB will conduct an inspection. The purpose of this inspection is to check for unauthorised renovation works in the flat which could damage or affect the structural stability of the flat or building. If such unauthorised works or structural alterations are discovered during the inspections, they must be regularised before the resale transaction can be completed. Both seller and buyer must arrange for a final inspection of the flat before resale completion, to ensure that the seller can deliver vacant possession of the flat by the completion date. As both parties would have entered into a binding legal contract by then, they need to resolve any disputes between them.”
“At the recent Build-To-Order (BTO) sales exercise in February, more than 80% of the BTO flats launched have a waiting time of three-and-a-half years or less. We are also on track to launch 2,800 Shorter Waiting Time flats in 2024, with a waiting time of less than three years. This is one year ahead of our target to launch 2,000 to 3,000 Shorter Waiting Time flats per year by 2025.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) does not have the detailed breakdown of appellants for subsidised rental flats which the member has requested. Today, HDB provides subsidised rental housing under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme, or PPHS, for families who are waiting for their flats to be built, and who have less income at their disposal to rent. To meet increased demand for PPHS flats since the COVID-19 pandemic, HDB more than doubled the supply of flats from about 800 in 2021 to 2,000 units currently. Application rates have since come down significantly, from over 20 times in 2021, to less than three times in the April 2024 exercise. In recent exercises, all eligible married applicants with children were invited to select a PPHS flat. We will further double PPHS supply to 4,000 units by 2025. In the interim, from this July, eligible families who rent HDB flats or bedrooms in the open market can tap on the one-year PPHS (Open Market) Voucher to defray their costs of renting. In addition to PPHS, HDB provides lower-income households who do not have other temporary housing options with interim rental housing on a case-by-case basis. Regarding the groups that the Member asked about, in the last three years, HDB assisted 146 married couples without children, 72 elderly couples, and 211 singles with interim rental housing. Given the limited supply of flats available, we are unable to offer a subsidised HDB rental flat to all flat buyers waiting for their new flats. Subsidised rental supply will continue to be prioritised for those with greater needs. We understand Singaporeans’ desires to move into their own homes sooner. We have, therefore, brought down waiting times for flats in recent launches.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) currently rents out 374 coffee shops to private coffee shop operators. Of these 374 rental coffee shops, 167 are rented out to chain coffee shop operators who run two or more coffee shops. The other 207 coffee shops are rented out to independent operators. To attract tenants who can better serve residents, HDB has been letting out new HDB coffee shops via Price-Quality tenders since September 2018. The Price-Quality Method places a 60% weightage on quality, comprising factors, such as affordability, innovative business concept, good track record and community-centric initiatives. Tenderers who meet these criteria are awarded points accordingly. The number of residents staying within two kilometres of the coffee shop is not a factor.”
“The occupancy cap for 4-room and larger Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats was temporarily relaxed to allow such flats to house up to eight unrelated persons from 22 January 2024 to 31 December 2026. Between 22 January 2024 and 31 March 2024, HDB has approved 18,800 applications from owners of 4-room and larger flats to rent out their flats or bedrooms. Of these, the average number of unrelated persons per flat was four persons. Only 3.6%, or 670 rental approvals, comprised more than six unrelated persons.”
“Singapore Citizen households may apply for the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme if a family member is aged 65 years and above, or aged between 60 and 64 years and requires assistance with at least one Activity of Daily Living. Even if the seniors and their children reside in or own different Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, their respective Singapore Citizen households may each receive the full EASE subsidy for the respective flat types. The seniors do not need to be listed as occupiers of their children's HDB flats.”
“The Member for Chua Chu Kang, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, had posed a similar question on 2 April 2024. There has been no change in the considerations since then. The Member may wish to refer to the written reply given by the Minister for National Development to the question posed by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim on 2 April 2024. [Please refer to "Increasing Quantum and Income Ceiling of HDB's Open Market Rental Voucher Scheme for Lower-income Families and In Response to Higher Rentals", Official Report, 2 April 2024, Vol 95, Issue 133, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Today, there are 32 public dog runs in the National Parks Board- (NParks)-managed parks islandwide, such as at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, East Coast Park, Choa Chu Kang Park and Jurong Lake Gardens. Beyond parkland, there are also dog runs in residential estates which are managed by other entities, such as the People's Association and Town Councils. In order to best utilise the limited space within parks, NParks considers the various needs of park users and local residents when deciding on new park amenities, such as dog runs.”
“For senior-friendly features within homes, the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme cover a range of enhancements tailored for HDB flats, which are more standardised. In contrast, the designs and layouts of private homes vary greatly. As such, we will continue to study how seniors living in private homes can be better supported to age well within their homes.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) partners with agencies, such as the People's Association (PA) as well as Town Councils (TCs), to conduct on-site surveillance and deploy closed-circuit television cameras at identified feeding hotspots, as part of its enforcement efforts against bird-feeding. However, identification of feeders may be hindered because they wear masks or caps or there are blind spots. Feedback providers are therefore strongly encouraged to provide detailed information and evidence of the feeding activity, to help NParks identify feeders. Under the Wildlife Act, offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for their first offence of feeding any wild animal, including birds; and up to $10,000 for subsequent offences. In 2023, NParks issued letters of advisory, letters of warning and composition fines to 203 offenders. Besides surveillance and enforcement efforts, public education and outreach are key in deterring illegal bird-feeding. For repeat offenders or those with mental health needs, NParks works with TCs, the Municipal Services Office and People's Association to understand their motivations, address misconceptions and discourage them from feeding birds. NParks also collaborates with Active Ageing Centres on the "Our Avian Neighbours" initiative to organise engagement sessions to raise awareness amongst the elderly on the negative impacts of bird-feeding. NParks will continue to work closely with agencies on our multi-pronged approach to effectively manage bird-feeding in estates. We urge the public to be socially responsible by not feeding birds.”
“On the total number of applicants with shared care and control of their children, the Member may wish to refer to the written reply given by the Minister for National Development to a similar Parliamentary Question posed by the Member on 1 November 2021. [Please refer to "Proposal to Require Divorce Rulings for Shared Care and Control to Identify which Party is Allowed to List Child as "Essential Occupier" in Application to Buy Subsidised HDB Flat", Official Report, 1 November 2021, Vol 95, Issue 41, Written Answers to Questions section.] On applicants who were unable to obtain their ex-spouse's consent, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received 18 appeals from such applicants to buy an HDB flat with their children from January 2021 to December 2023, of which 11 were approved (see Table 1 below). In the same period, HDB also approved eight cases from such applicants to rent an HDB flat with their children (see Table 2 below). HDB does not reject applications to rent a flat solely on the basis of an applicant's inability to obtain their ex-spouse's consent.”
“Bi-coloured parking lots are generally reserved for season parking holders from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am, Mondays to Saturdays, and whole day on Sundays and public holidays. The specific reserved time periods may differ across Housing and Development Board (HDB) car parks to meet the localised needs of season parking holders. In such situations, the season parking reserved time periods are displayed on sign plates placed at prominent locations near the parking lots or painted in front of the parking lots. Motorists can refer to the HDB InfoWEB for more information. As of February 2024, there are 1,143 HDB car parks with bi-coloured parking lots. Of these car parks, there are two car parks with bi-coloured parking lots reserved for season parking holders in the day, from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm on Mondays to Saturdays, excluding Sundays and public holidays, due to localised needs of the season parking holders. Sign plates displaying the season parking reserved time periods are placed near the bi-coloured parking lots. Most motorists using these two car parks are regular users of the car parks and are familiar with the reserved time periods.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) adopts a science-based approach towards protecting our marine ecosystems, which encompasses proactive monitoring and mitigation and research. We are mindful that the world is currently experiencing the fourth global coral bleaching event on record, arising from rising temperatures and the effects of El Nino. NParks has been monitoring local coral reefs through various channels. These include tracking satellite data on sea surface temperatures and collaborating with researchers, citizen scientists and recreational divers to document and submit observations of coral bleaching. Such data will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation in Singapore and guide our response plans accordingly. As of April 2024, we have not observed any bleaching in our local coral reefs. NParks also leads the Marine Climate Change Science research programme, which aims to study and develop solutions to address the impacts of climate change on our marine ecosystems. The research findings will guide measures to enhance marine ecosystem resilience against climate change-induced disturbances and safeguard our natural marine ecosystems through management interventions, such as the restoration of coral reef diversity. An example would be NParks' efforts to progressively grow and plant 100,000 corals in Singapore's waters to enhance marine biodiversity and protect coastlines from waves and storms. This initiative scales up NParks' existing coral restoration efforts, such as the "Plant-A-Coral, Seed-A-Reef" programme that started in 2016. Ongoing research projects on the enhancement of coral reef resilience to climate change and the survival thresholds of coral reefs in Singapore are slated for completion between 2027 to 2028.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has developed a barrier-free parking system, Parking@HDB, to improve the parking experience for residents and motorists. This system was first introduced in January 2021 as a pilot at Northshore Residences I and II, the first two smart-enabled housing precincts in Punggol Northshore. HDB subsequently extended the pilot to four other car parks in Punggol and two other car parks near the Old Airport Road Food Centre. Smart cameras have been deployed at these car parks to help detect illegal parking. Motorists who park in an unauthorised lot will be informed to move their vehicle via an alert on their Parking@HDB app. The app will also allow motorists to pay their parking fees via credit or debit cards automatically upon exiting the car park, without having to insert their cash cards into the In-Vehicle Unit or worry about having sufficient funds in their cash cards. Based on the first pilot at Northshore Residences, HDB has found the enforcement alerts to be effective, with the number of illegal parking cases decreasing by about 60%. HDB has not received any adverse feedback from motorists on the alerts to date. HDB has also observed that motorists experienced some time savings when entering and existing the pilot car parks and that motorists appreciate the convenience of automatic fee deduction via the Parking@HDB app. The system is compatible with ERP 2.0. When implemented, motorists using HDB's barrier-free parking system will be able to pay for parking via the Land Transport Authority's new ERP 2.0 Onboard Unit. HDB is currently refining the system and welcomes feedback from motorists. HDB will review and assess the outcomes of the pilot before deciding whether to extend the system to other HDB car parks.”
“Approvals from Government agencies for renovation works need only be sought for certain locations and scope of works. For example, the Housing Development Board's (HDB's) approval is only required for renovation works in HDB flats that may affect structural integrity or pose safety concerns, such as the removal of walls and replacement of windows. HDB issued 50,685 approvals in 2021, 52,270 approvals in 2022 and 54,303 approvals in 2023. We do not have data for renovation works in private residential properties as the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) does not regulate general renovation works. Approval from BCA is only required for Addition and Alteration works that may impact the structural safety of buildings. Residents in private residential developments, like condominiums, may need to seek their management corporation's approval for renovation works, in accordance with the relevant by-laws. The key disamenities generated by renovation works are noise, dust and waste. Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act and the Environmental Public Health Act, renovation contractors must comply with the permissible noise limits and requirements related to construction noise, dust control and waste disposal. In addition, contractors carrying out renovation works in HDB flats are required by HDB to (i) limit the conduct of noisy renovation activities, such as drilling works, to between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays; and (ii) properly dispose of renovation debris at disposal sites approved by the National Environment Agency at the end of every workday. For renovation works in private condominiums, management corporations may enact by-laws to manage the disamenities arising from such works.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has developed a barrier-free parking system, Parking@HDB, to improve the parking experience for residents and motorists. This system was first introduced in January 2021 as a pilot at Northshore Residences I and II, the first two smart-enabled housing precincts in Punggol Northshore. HDB subsequently extended the pilot to four other car parks in Punggol and two other car parks near the Old Airport Road Food Centre. Smart cameras have been deployed at these car parks to help detect illegal parking. Motorists who park in an unauthorised lot will be informed to move their vehicle via an alert on their Parking@HDB app. The app will also allow motorists to pay their parking fees via credit or debit cards automatically upon exiting the car park, without having to insert their cash cards into the In-Vehicle Unit, or worry about having sufficient funds in their cash cards. Based on the first pilot at Northshore Residences, HDB has found the enforcement alerts to be effective, with the number of illegal parking cases decreasing by about 60%. HDB has not received any adverse feedback from motorists on the alerts to date. HDB has also observed that motorists experienced some time savings when entering and exiting the pilot car parks and that motorists appreciate the convenience of automatic fee deduction via the Parking@HDB app. HDB is currently refining the system and welcomes feedback from motorists. HDB will review and assess the outcome of the pilot before deciding whether to extend the system to other HDB car parks.”
“The Government is committed to celebrating and sustaining the cultural identity of our Historic Districts, like Chinatown, Kampong Gelam and Little India. To retain the unique character of these districts, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has conserved buildings with heritage significance and put in place detailed use controls to exclude non-heritage uses, such as fast-food restaurants, supermarkets and new bars, from the core areas of these Historic Districts. To sustain the intangible culture and heritage of these districts, the Government works closely with our community partners, including precinct associations, building owners and local businesses, to encourage landlords to support heritage trades. For instance, One Kampong Gelam and the Kampong Gelam Alliance have worked with their community stakeholders and the URA to match heritage and cultural businesses with landlords that are open to supporting traditional uses. The Government will continue to work with community partners to consider more ways to celebrate and sustain the culture and heritage of our Historic Districts.”
“The HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter streamlines the flat buying process for flat buyers, by integrating the eligibility assessment for HDB flat purchases, housing grants and HDB housing loans, into a single application. This gives buyers greater clarity on their eligibility for new or resale flats, housing budget and financing options upfront. From 9 May 2023 to 31 March 2024, HDB has received about 5,300 appeals from those who were unable to obtain an HFE letter. These applicants were not eligible to buy any HDB flat, whether new or resale, as they were unable to meet the eligibility conditions for flat purchase, such as the minimum citizenship requirement, minimum age and non-ownership of private residential property in the preceding 15 months. About one in eight appeals were approved due to changes in circumstances or extenuating factors.”
“The Age Well SG programme was launched last year to support seniors to age well in their communities and homes. As part of this programme, the Ministry of National Development (MND) will enhance the living environment in both Housing and Development Board (HDB) precincts and private residential estates. For private residential estates, MND will enhance the EUP by expanding its scope to cover senior-friendly enhancements, such as rest points, barrier-free access ramps, active health fitness trails and therapeutic gardens. This will allow older residents living in private estates, selected for future batches of the EUP, to enjoy an enhanced living environment and live a more active lifestyle. We will also introduce a new EUP for Silver Estates, where estates with a higher concentration of seniors, including those that have benefitted from EUP some time ago, may be selected for senior-friendly enhancements. For common areas within private residential developments like condominiums, management corporations can tap on the Building and Construction Authority's Accessibility Fund for co-funding to install senior-friendly features, such as grab bars for toilets, wheelchair-accessible toilets and ramps in common areas within their compounds. For senior-friendly features within homes, HDB's Home Improvement Programme and Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme cover a range of enhancements tailored for HDB flats, which are more standardised. In contrast, the designs and layouts of private homes vary greatly. As such, we will continue to study how seniors living in private homes can be better supported to age well within their homes.”
“We want to ensure that residents' needs are taken care of, that there will be sufficient new homes at the right time for them and a range of housing options to meet the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans at different life stages. We are working through the details and plans and will share more details in due course.”
“As flats age, they will naturally deteriorate due to wear and tear. Flat owners, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Town Councils all have a part to play to ensure that our flats and estates continue to be in good condition. Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of the interior of their flats. Town Councils carry out routine and cyclical maintenance and repair of common property, including repair of spalling concrete and repainting of the building façade. HDB and Town Councils carry out periodic inspections to detect and rectify building deterioration in a timely manner. HDB also implements the Home Improvement Programme for flats that reach around 30 years old, to address common maintenance issues and provide improvements within flats. Flats that reach 60 to 70 years old will receive another round of upgrading. Through these efforts, our HDB flats and estates will continue to be liveable even as they age. The primary objective of VERS is to stage out the redevelopment of ageing towns in an orderly manner. We will consider resident feedback, alongside other broader considerations for the staging of Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). For example, we will need to carefully and sensitively stage VERS in the older parts of each town, while minimising dis-amenities to residents in newer parts. We will also need to ensure sufficient construction capacity to support both VERS and new housing demand. We are also working through the package for VERS and the detailed mechanics and processes for polling and relocation.”
“Over the last 10 years, about 3% of all Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat purchases had one spouse listed as an applicant and the other spouse as the essential occupier. Since 1 April 2016, HDB flat owners are not allowed to withdraw one spouse from ownership to become an essential occupier, unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as demise or divorce. Within the Minimum Occupation Period, all owners and occupiers of HDB flats are not allowed to purchase private property. HDB does not have data on essential occupiers buying a second private property.”
“The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was introduced in 2001. Since then, HDB has successfully implemented LUP in more than 5,000 blocks which were originally built without direct lift access. Today, around 99% of all HDB blocks were either built with direct lift access or have benefitted from the LUP. Amongst the blocks that qualify for LUP, two of them have completed LUP works since 4 July 2023. Works are currently in progress for another 31 blocks and are scheduled for completion progressively over the next three years.”
“The Housing & Development Board (HDB) Green Towns Programme (GTP) is a 10-year plan to make HDB towns more sustainable and liveable by 2030. GTP aims to reduce the energy consumption of HDB towns by 15% from 2020’s level by 2030. For Solar Photovoltaics (PV) on HDB rooftops, the vendor will finance, install, operate and maintain the solar PV system, at no cost to the Town Councils (TCs). Solar energy generated is first used to power common services in HDB estates, such as lifts and lights. Any excess solar energy will be channeled to the grid. Under this operating model, TCs may be able to reduce their electricity bills as the common services will be partially powered by solar energy. HDB is also working with the TCs to progressively install Smart LED Lighting in existing estates, which can further reduce energy used by up to 60% compared to conventional LED lighting. TCs will bear the fixed and maintenance costs and the repair or replacement costs for the lighting. Electric vehicle (EV) charging points are progressively deployed at HDB car parks. EV charging operators bear the installation and maintenance costs of EV chargers, of which these costs are recovered directly from users of the EV chargers and not the TCs. The GTP initiatives, such as rooftop solar panels and the switch to Smart LED Lighting, not only make our towns more sustainable, but also help to reduce the TCs' electricity bills. The respective TCs are responsible for managing their overall income and expenses and review their service and conservancy charges from time to time to meet long-term financial sustainability.”
“The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) organises a slate of initiatives to engage youths on urban planning, including experiential learning workshops, career forums, as well as youth-specific engagements on the Long-Term Plan and Draft Master Plan. These initiatives have replaced the Urban Planning Festival, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual Challenge for the Urban and Built Environment (CUBE) is held around November each year. The 2023 edition of CUBE brought together 140 participants from 18 schools to re-imagine the future of the former Jurong Bird Park site. More information on URA's youth programmes can be found on URA's website.”
“This is because contractors' workers would still be going in and out of the car park due to ongoing works in other parts of the car park, and it would be more practical to carry out the final inspection at the end so that contractors' defect liability is clearly laid out. The TCs are also informed upfront to note any defects that they discover after they take over and to provide the details of the defects to HDB. HDB will continue to work closely with the TCs to ensure smooth handovers for HDB developments and refine the handover process where necessary.”
“Under the Town Councils Act, Town Councils (TCs) are responsible for managing and maintaining the Housing & Development Board (HDB) common property. Prior to the completion of HDB residential blocks, HDB will brief the TC on key handover details, before conducting a joint inspection of the common property. This joint inspection by HDB and the TC is done prior to the commencement date upon which the TC will take over the maintenance of the common property. The purpose of the joint inspection is to identify defects and address issues raised by the TC. HDB car parks are not common property. TCs maintain HDB car parks on behalf of HDB under Maintenance Agreements between HDB and the TCs. Under these agreements, TCs carry out routine maintenance work, keep HDB car parks in a state of good and serviceable repair and maintain them in a clean and proper condition. HDB will initiate a joint inspection with the relevant TC when a car park is completed and opened for public use. The purpose of the joint inspection is primarily to identify any defects for rectification by the building contractor. After the joint inspection, the inspection form will be endorsed by both HDB and the TC. There are instances where car parks were opened in phases, to allow residents who have started moving in to use the car parks as soon as possible. These car parks were progressively handed over to the TCs in phases and joint inspections were held prior to the final phase of opening. We have stated in a previous reply in October 2023 that in such instances, it may not be practical to carry out joint inspections for every phase of opening.”
“For flat buyers taking up an HDB housing loan, the maximum loan amount is based on their average monthly incomes over an assessment period of 12 months, at the time of their HFE letter application. This allows for a more consistent assessment of applicants' income levels, especially for those whose incomes fluctuate from month to month. If a larger loan is required due to subsequent changes in applicants' circumstances, any reassessment will affect the other application parameters as well. For example, both the housing loan and grant amounts may change as the household income of the applicants changes. This is why income and grant assessments need to be done at the same point of time, so that the assessment is done objectively and fairly. Couples who fulfil the eligibility conditions for deferred income assessment may have their income assessed nearer to their key collection appointment for both the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant and HDB housing loan. They may also benefit from the Staggered Downpayment Scheme where the initial downpayment payable when they sign the Agreement for Lease is reduced to 2.5% of the flat price.”
“In assessing the Housing & Development Board (HDB) housing loan applications, HDB considers various factors, such as job stability, Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions and monthly cash savings. In computing the eligible loan amount, HDB applies a set of mortgage financing guidelines, such as a maximum loan tenure of 25 years, loan-to-value limit of 80%, maximum Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) of 30% and interest rate floor of 3.0% per annum to ensure prudent borrowing. Since May 2023, flat buyers are required to apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter, which provides a holistic understanding and assessment of their housing and financing options before they commence their home-buying journey. The HFE letter informs flat buyers upfront of their eligibility for a new or resale flat purchase, CPF housing grants and HDB housing loan, including the respective grant and loan amounts. Previously, some applicants may have applied for a BTO flat during HDB's sales exercise, only to find out later that they were not eligible for a loan to buy an HDB flat. In addition, as housing grant eligibility was previously assessed after flat booking, some applicants may also have had to abort their applications, after finding out that they would not have sufficient grants to support their purchase. The HFE letter thus offers upfront clarity to flat applicants on the amount of loan and grants that they are eligible for, so that they can work out their housing budget and plan their flat purchase accordingly. It also makes it more convenient for them by not requiring the submission of documents at multiple stages of the flat application process.”
“The guidelines that the National Parks Board (NParks) will be releasing on aversive animal training devices, including electric shock collars, are meant to highlight the risks of using such devices and recommend good training practices to be adopted by the community. As such, the guidelines will not impose any restrictions on the use of such devices. Following the release of the guidelines, NParks will continue to monitor the situation before deciding if further measures are needed. Notwithstanding this, NParks will continue to investigate and take enforcement action in cases where animal training devices cause unnecessary pain or suffering to animals and to raise awareness on the least intrusive, minimally aversive approach to animal training.”
“As at December 2023, there were about 18,300 Malay households living in one- and two-room public rental flats. Compared to 2020, the proportion of Malay households in public rental remains similar at about 35%. About 8,300 public rental households progressed to home ownership in the last 10 years. 44% of them were Chinese households, 39% were Malay households, 15% were Indian households and the remaining 2% were households of other races. We will continue to work closely with MSF, other social agencies and community partners, to uplift public rental households. By pairing rental housing with holistic social support, we aim to support each family to achieve stability, self-reliance and ultimately social mobility as they journey towards home ownership.”
“On lease, as I have said, the site had been made available for interim use since the 1990s. The existing tenancies will progressively expire by 2030. Thereafter, we will redevelop the site, including residential as well as commercial uses. In the meantime, we will continue to engage the tenants, as far as the commercial use of the site is concerned”
“On lease, as I have said, the site had been made available for interim use since the 1990s. The existing tenancies will progressively expire by 2030. Thereafter, we will plan for the entire site, including residential as well as the commercial uses of the site. And so, at that point in time, we will engage the tenants, engage future tenants as far as the commercial use of the site is concerned. [Please refer to "Factoring in Findings from Environmental Impact Studies for Development of Former Keppel Club and Gillman Barracks Sites", Official Report, 2 April 2024, Vol 95, Issue 133, Oral Answers to Questions section.] [(proc text) Written statement by Mr Desmond Lee circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)] I wish to make the following factual correction to my reply made during the Sitting of 2 April 2024. My reply should read as follows:”
“HDB is committed to helping Singaporeans own their home. The income ceiling to buy a flat from HDB helps to ensure that the limited supply of new flats and significant subsidies that come with such flats are prioritised for those who need them most, such as young couples who are buying their first home. Currently, the monthly income ceiling for families of $14,000 covers about eight in 10 Singaporean households. The income ceiling is $7,000 for singles and $21,000 for extended families. Between 2018 and 2022, the median monthly household income of couples between the age of 21 and 35 who had a chance to book a Build-To-Order flat was fairly stable and ranged from $5,200 to $5,800. The income ceilings for the purchase of subsidised HDB flats by families and singles are reviewed regularly. HDB considers a range of factors in such reviews, including the household incomes of Singaporeans and prevailing housing market conditions. In considering whether to raise the income ceilings, we are very mindful of the impact on lower-income households and the market competition they would face from higher-income households. We will continue to monitor the housing market closely, to ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible.”
“As of February 2024, there are 1,094 multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) in HDB estates. Currently, about 30% of MSCPs have designated red parking lots. The majority of MSCPs do not require red parking lots as there are sufficient white parking lots to meet the demand for visitor parking, as well as bi-coloured parking lots that are generally reserved for season parking holders from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am, Mondays to Saturdays; and whole day on Sundays and public holidays. HDB monitors the utilisation rate of HDB car parks to ensure that there is a good balance between providing season parking lots for residents and having sufficient capacity for visitor parking.”
“In 2021, the National Parks Board set up a K9 Unit at Singapore's border checkpoints to detect illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products. Since then, the sniffer dogs and their handlers have aided in the detection of illegal shipments of wildlife and wildlife products. For example, in 2022, they played an important role in detecting 34kg of smuggled rhinoceros horns, our largest seizure of rhinoceros horns to date.”
“A Management Corporation for a strata development may use its funds to construct sheltered walkways within the boundary of the strata-titled development. There are no provisions in the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act for a Management Corporation to use its funds for works located outside its development boundary. For the construction of sheltered walkways outside of their development boundaries, Management Corporations may approach the Land Transport Authority, which will evaluate such requests on a case-by-case basis.”
“The Housing & Development Board (HDB) parking lots are provided primarily to serve the parking needs of residents. In deriving the number of parking lots in HDB estates, HDB considers factors, such as the number of dwelling units, flat types and parking demand. Parking utilisation rates vary across car parks as these depend on residents' and visitors' parking patterns. In circumstances where there is sustained high demand for both season and visitor parking, HDB will assess the need to designate some lots as red parking lots for season parking holders only. The number and placement of these red parking lots in the car park depends on the utilisation rate, car park size and layout. About 70% of the HDB multi-storey car parks do not require red parking lots as there are sufficient white parking lots to meet the demand for visitor parking, as well as bi-coloured parking lots that are generally reserved for season parking holders from 7.00 pm to 7.00 am, Mondays to Saturdays; and whole day on Sundays and public holidays. HDB monitors the utilisation rate of HDB car parks to ensure that there is a good balance between providing season parking lots for residents and having sufficient capacity for visitor parking.”
“Since the implementation of the Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment (Code) 2013, it has been mandatory for certain building types to provide at least one lactation room. This requirement applies to new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting works, where the buildings plans are submitted for regulatory approval on or after 1 April 2014. For private buildings constructed before the implementation of the Code 2013, the Accessibility Fund may provide co-funding of up to 60% of the construction cost of Universal Design features, including lactation rooms. Since 2019, two building owners have applied for the Accessibility Fund to retrofit their buildings with lactation rooms. We strongly encourage more building owners to tap on the Accessibility Fund to improve the inclusiveness of our built environment. Tenants and users, who require these facilities, can also urge building owners to tap on this fund.”
“As explained before in this House on multiple occasions, the Government tracks a holistic range of indicators, such as the Home Price to Income Ratio (HPI) and Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR), and adjust our subsidies as necessary to ensure that Build-to-Order (BTO) flat prices remain affordable across different income levels. Compared to the HPI, the MSR is a better reflection of the proportion of income used to service a housing loan and takes into account more details, such as the housing loan amount, loan tenure and mortgage loan interest rates. Our commitment to ensuring housing affordability has not changed. For instance, when we looked at First-Timer families who collected keys to their BTO flats last year with a Housing & Development Board housing loan, more than nine in 10 had an MSR of less than 25%, which means they can service their mortgage payments using their Central Provident Fund contributions with little or no cash outlay.”
“I thank the Member for the three supplementary questions. As I said earlier in my reply, the masterplanning for the Gillman Barracks site will take place after we have done detailed environmental and heritage studies and that the planning for Gillman Barracks will take into account the EIS findings for the Keppel Golf Course site, in as far as the EPE findings are concerned. In the Keppel Golf Course EPE, we identified five corridors that need to be provided for, even as we redevelop the site for residential housing on the golf course. And we will make sure that that ecological connectivity is provided for, in the surroundings of the Keppel Golf Course. On lease, as I have said, the site had been made available for interim use since the 1990s. The existing tenancies will progressively expire by 2030. Thereafter, we will plan for the entire site, including residential as well as the commercial uses of the site. And so, at that point in time, we will engage the tenants, engage future tenants as far as the commercial use of the site is concerned. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for National Development", Official Report, 2 April 2024, Vol 95, Issue 133, Correction By Written Statement section.] As for heritage, the studies for both the environmental and heritage studies will be made available online. As with all these studies, they come in large volumes with lots and lots of technical detail. We will make sure that what we put out is meaningful for members of the public as well as experts to be able to understand and comment on.”
“Thank you, Sir. As announced during the recent Committee of Supply debate, the Government is studying the possibility of redeveloping the Gillman Barracks site for a mix of public and private housing. This will not affect the committed tenure of existing tenancies, which will progressively expire by 2030. We will commence environmental and heritage studies in the second quarter of this year to guide the sensitive development of the site. When the studies are complete, we will publish these reports online for members of the public to provide their feedback. Our plans will also take into account past studies, including findings on ecological connectivity from the National Parks Board (NParks’) Ecological Profiling Exercise (EPE) and the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the redevelopment of the former Keppel Golf Course site.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Parliamentary Question Nos 7 and 8 on today’s Order Paper, as they both relate to the plans for Gillman Barracks?”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) works with HDB, Town Councils (TCs), Residents' Committees and Neighbourhood Committees to encourage the setting up of community gardens within housing estates, such as under the HDB Green Towns Programme, the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme or the Estate Upgrading Programme. When identifying suitable sites, agencies consider various factors, such as technical feasibility and potential disamenities to residents. By 2030, we aim to have 3,000 community gardens islandwide. Community garden plots within housing estates are typically managed and allocated by the Residents' Networks under the People's Association (PA) and maintained by residents. In 2023, NParks launched a one-stop gardening portal, GardeningSG, to share best practices on garden management for residents, volunteers, and managing organisations, such as PA and TCs. NParks has also published guides on community garden design and gardening programmes to grow an inclusive gardening community, which encourages the incorporation of elderly-friendly design features like wheelchair-accessible planter beds and the organisation of events, such as harvest sharing, to involve the wider community.”
“But they want to book earlier and they are committed to settling down because they have known each other for a while. So, what we have done is do those things that I have responded to Miss Cheryl Chan on, priorities and all that. But when it comes to this particular kind of a micro issue that they face, but to them it is a big issue, we say, "Well, we will reduce the downpayment even further because we know your grant eligibility will come later." But to the Member's point that they will then have to pay up the rest anyway, it is true. But at that point in time, they would have worked, they would have accrued savings and CPF. They would have gotten the EHG if they are eligible as well as an HDB loan.”