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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“To do this, we take a science-based approach – to understand the ecological value of our green spaces and identify the most important ones to conserve. In some cases, this means retaining green spaces that were intended to be developed for other purposes. For example, we have retained the Rifle Range Nature Park and the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat, which were originally intended for housing and industry respectively, because they are important buffer zones for our core biodiversity habitats. These nature parks will be completed by mid-2026, along with Khatib Bongsu Nature Park. Last year, we also launched the Ecological Profiling Exercise (EPE), in partnership with experts and members from the nature community. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked for an update on this. Based on the EPE’s findings, we are creating more ecological corridors between our core nature areas. For example, we have found that the forests at the western half of Ulu Pandan are richer in biodiversity than its eastern half. So, we will safeguard a sizeable nature park there. We also found that the green networks around Toh Tuck, Maju and Clementi are important stepping stones between Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the Southern Ridges. So, over the next few years, we will establish a Clementi Nature Corridor that runs through these green spaces, including the eventual nature park in western Ulu Pandan. Beyond strengthening ecological connectivity, we also continue to expand our islandwide park connectivity networks, to give Singaporeans greater access to green spaces near their homes. Today, we have around 370 kilometres of park connectors – more than seven times the length of Singapore from east to west – and we keep adding more.”
“Building owners can choose the strategies and technologies that are most appropriate for their building. For example, they can upgrade the cooling system, install solar panels or redesign spaces for natural ventilation. The grant amount will be based on the additional carbon abatement and Green Mark certification achieved, instead of the cost of works, as was used by the previous scheme. For example, a project that achieves zero-energy certification can receive up to $1.2 million under the enhanced scheme. You can apply for this scheme from the second quarter of this year. We are also exploring whether to require building owners to conduct energy audits to improve the energy performance of their buildings. We will consult our industry partners on this before deciding. Together, these efforts will help to enhance the productivity, sustainability and resilience of our built environment sector. Transformation is never easy, but it also creates many exciting growth opportunities and we look forward to working with the industry on this. Let us turn to another important priority: transforming Singapore into a City in Nature. During the Joint Segment on the Green Plan, I spoke about the progress that we have made. Why are we striving to become a City in Nature? We face intense land-use pressures, as a city state. We need to find space for all the things that a country needs, within the limits of our city-state – not just homes, community amenities, industries and offices, but also reservoirs, airports, seaports, military bases and all the other things that larger countries can site far outside their cities. And amid these intense pressures, we also want to conserve our natural heritage. It is a tough balancing act.”
“Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Henry Kwek have asked how we will support firms to digitalise and adopt productive technologies, such as Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC). Indeed, this continues to be a key priority. This year, to support firms and workers to be more productive, we will extend various schemes under the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF). My colleague, Minister of State Tan Kiat How, will elaborate on this later. We will also push ahead with built environment sustainability to address climate change. During the Green Plan Joint Segment, I had spoken about the importance of greening our buildings. Ms Tin Pei Ling and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked if we will do more to reduce emissions in existing buildings. Today, more than half of our buildings that are more than 20 years old have not been retrofitted and they lag behind newer buildings in terms of energy performance. Retrofitting older buildings costs a lot more upfront and it may take several years to recoup this investment. This is why we will provide $63 million in grants to help building owners undertake retrofits and achieve higher standards of energy efficiency and sustainability. We will do this by significantly enhancing our Green Mark Incentive Scheme for Existing Buildings. The previous scheme supported retrofitting costs for more than 80 buildings and achieved more than 180 gigawatt hours in annual energy savings. This is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of close to 40,000 4-room flats. Under the enhanced scheme, we will raise the minimum qualifying standard from Green Mark Gold to Green Mark Platinum and expand the scheme to include residential as well as light industrial buildings.”
“Together with our industry partners, we are determined to make a decisive change in how we do things in the sector. We will push on to improve the quality of our construction workforce and shift more towards productive work processes. To drive this transition, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Manpower had earlier outlined the changes that we are making to our foreign workforce policies. First, we will remove the current Man-Year Entitlement (MYE) framework in 2024 and introduce a new levy framework that encourages off-site prefabrication work. This will make it easier for firms to hire workers for more productive and skilled work. Second, we will reduce the Construction Dependency Ratio Ceiling, from 1:7 to 1:5. This means that firms will be able to hire fewer migrant workers per local worker. Some might ask why we are making these changes when the industry is still recovering. But it is precisely our painful experience from the pandemic that has shown us why these changes are necessary. And as the sector recovers, we should seize this opportunity to fundamentally change how we design, build and maintain our city. These foreign manpower moves should be looked at together with other efforts to raise productivity. For example, we have enhanced our buildability framework over the years to raise the standards for manpower-efficient designs and technologies. And from April this year, all larger buildings must be designed in ways that require less manpower to construct. This means that the industry should need fewer workers when the foreign workforce policies take effect from 2024.”
“Let me now turn to how we are transforming the Built Environment (BE) sector. The sector was badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and Members, such as Mr Henry Kwek, have asked about its progress. Throughout this period, we have worked closely with the industry – not just on BTO projects, but also more widely across the sector to deal with the challenges that have come our way – from manpower shortages to cost increases and supply disruptions. We still hold regular meetings and site visits to understand the situation on the ground and to find a way forward. We are thankful for the close partnership with trade associations, companies and workers, as the sector recovers. We are seeing encouraging signs. Construction output has reached close to pre-COVID-19 levels and work is progressing steadily. The manpower situation is also improving. Between November 2021 and February 2022, around 16,000 S-Pass and Work Permit holders from the Construction, Marine and Process sectors entered Singapore each month. This is more than five times the monthly average of 3,000 between May and October 2021, when travel restrictions were in place. While the Omicron variant has had an impact on firms, we are much better prepared this time around, after the difficult lessons we have learnt when the pandemic first struck. We will continue to monitor the situation carefully, because the sector is still under some stress. Above all, the pandemic has reminded us how important it is for the sector to be resilient to shocks. The sector remains heavily dependent on migrant workers to take up manpower-intensive jobs at construction sites. So, we need to step up our transformation of the sector, which we started when we launched the Construction Industry Transformation Map in 2017.”
“We want to give more support to these families who aspire to own a home again for their children to grow and develop. So, as the Finance Minister had announced in his Budget speech, we will enhance the Fresh Start Housing Scheme in two ways. First, we will increase the grant to $50,000, to help more tenants afford a home. Second, we will allow families to buy 3-room flats with a shorter lease to meet a wider range of housing needs, rather than just short-lease 2-room flats. This is the first time that we will offer new 3-room flats on shorter leases. We are doing so to provide these families with more housing options. It is a substantial change that we are making in our housing policies, to support lower-income families and their children, as they seek to improve their lives. My colleague, Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim, will share more details on our other efforts to uplift households living in rental flats. As our population ages, we are also paying close attention to the needs of our seniors. In particular, we are doing more to help seniors age-in-place while getting appropriate care. We launched our very first Community Care Apartment, an assisted living pilot, in Bukit Batok last year. Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim will share more details on our plans to launch a second Community Care Apartment pilot and to work with the private sector to provide more assisted living options. Members have suggested that we do more to support the housing needs of other groups, such as singles or those who prefer rental to home ownership. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann, will address some of these suggestions. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann will also share more about how we are making our HDB estates more vibrant and liveable.”
“So, we did the next best thing and provided corresponding areas, but it would have been difficult to do so for all neighbourhoods without significantly compromising accuracy. So, where practical, we have and will continue to provide the information requested to further everyone’s understanding of the issue. I think it is important to clarify this. Next, we want to contribute to a more inclusive society by meeting the housing aspirations of low-income families that need more support. Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked how we will help families in rental housing to own their own homes. Our public rental housing system is not just about providing homes for lower-income citizens. We also want to provide integrated social support – in education, healthcare, training, employment and many other areas – to help them achieve stability and improve their situation. And that is what Community Link, or ComLink, is all about – to enable lower-income families with children to achieve stability, self-reliance and, ultimately, social mobility. More will be said during MSF’s COS. For those who are ready for home ownership, HDB’s Home ownership Support Team (HST) will guide them through their journey. We also provide financial support to make home ownership more affordable for these families. First-timer families can benefit from the usual first-timer grants like the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG), whereas for second-timer families with children, we introduced the Fresh Start Housing Scheme in 2016. Under the Scheme, families can receive a $35,000 housing grant. They can buy 2-room flats with a shorter lease, which are otherwise only available to seniors. Families will also receive close support from a social service agency to ensure that they can sustain home ownership.”
“A fixed grant may undercompensate some sellers but overcompensate others. Yet, a variable grant, say, a certain percentage of the transacted price, would give sellers with higher flat values more support in absolute terms, which might not seem fair to others. 4.30 pm Second, some buyers and sellers might well artificially lower their transaction price to take advantage of the grant and it would be hard to guard against this. This would be unfair to taxpayers. So, on balance, we have decided that the most feasible option would be to buy back flats from EIP-constrained households in genuine need. This is not a decision that we make lightly, because it requires significant Government resources. But we believe it is the right thing to do, because EIP benefits all of us and helps to foster a more cohesive society. Finally, a quick response to Mr Pritam Singh’s question about EIP data. During our exchange in Parliament on EIP last year, he wanted data to understand what was unique about EIP-constrained neighbourhoods. I had said that we would look into what we could practically provide, given the large volume of data requested. In our response to his two Parliamentary Questions, we had provided comprehensive figures, such as the number and proportion of blocks and neighbourhoods that have been constrained by the different EIP limits over the last 30 years as well as the areas corresponding to some of the neighbourhoods that were EIP-constrained in both 1990 and 2020. However, there are practical limitations to providing all the data sets requested. For instance, he had requested the names of all EIP-constrained neighbourhoods from 1990 to 2020 – a 30-year period. But there are no public maps or demarcated areas that we can make reference to.”
“This complements existing forms of assistance that I have just articulated. To ensure that we focus on households with the greatest needs, we will offer this buyback assistance to those who have owned their homes for at least 10 years. But those who are EIP-constrained and need to move out earlier due to extenuating circumstances can still apply to HDB for special consideration. In assessing households for buyback assistance, we will consider the household’s specific circumstances, including how long the household has been EIP-constrained and whether they have marketed their flats consistently at reasonable prices. If HDB assesses that the conditions have been met, it will appoint a professional licensed valuer to perform a valuation and HDB will make a fair offer, so that the household is not unduly disadvantaged due to EIP. In deciding how best to assist EIP-constrained flat owners, we had considered other suggestions. Mr Saktiandi Supaat suggested applying the EIP limits over a larger geographical area. Mr Pritam Singh had also previously suggested this. But this could likely lead to over-concentration of particular ethnic groups at the local level, in specific blocks or neighbourhoods, rendering EIP less effective. And when the limits are reached in larger geographical areas, significantly more flat owners will be constrained. At that point, HDB may have to waive the EIP limits in even more cases. So, this is not a viable long-term solution. Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Lim Biow Chuan suggested giving a grant to households which may have to sell their flats at a significantly lower price due to EIP. We have studied this in detail, but found that it would be difficult to implement in practice. First, it would be difficult to size the grant fairly.”
“It enables people from different ethnic backgrounds to interact in their daily lives – around their homes, at the markets or hawker centres, in schools, in neighbourhood shops, in playgrounds and so on. That provides some of the conditions to foster tolerance and understanding and counteract the powerful social forces that tend to divide societies. Even today, nearly one in three HDB blocks, and 16% of HDB neighbourhoods, have reached one or more of the EIP limits. Without EIP, racial concentrations could be much higher in various parts of Singapore. So, EIP remains relevant and important in promoting racial harmony and I am glad that we had established bipartisan consensus on this after our debate in this House last July. We are mindful that some flat owners may face difficulties selling their flats when the EIP limits are reached. For example, some may have to lower their asking price or may take longer to sell their flats. We have been helping these families in different ways, such as by giving them more time to sell their flats and even waiving the EIP limits in exceptional circumstances. But it is not sustainable to keep waiving the EIP limits, because this would erode the very objectives that EIP seeks to achieve. Over the years, we have continued to receive feedback about the rough edges of EIP and suggestions on how to smoothen them from the public and Members of Parliament, including Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Chong Kee Hiong, Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Lim Biow Chuan, during this debate. We have said before that we would continue to study these options. Having done so carefully, we have decided that, for EIP-constrained households who face genuine difficulties in selling their HDB flats, HDB will buy back their flat on a case-by-case basis.”
“This is to be fair to the other BTO flat buyers who do not get these additional subsidies. Taken together with the other measures, such as the 10-year MOP, disallowing of rental of whole flats and ring-fencing the pool of eligible buyers to those meeting the BTO eligibility conditions at the point of resale, among others, would help to mitigate excessive windfall gains. Mr Pritam Singh also asked how we determine which projects come under the PLH model and, if PLH might push up resale prices of neighbouring flats. We look carefully at the attributes of each project, including expected selling prices, to decide if we should apply the PLH model. As to whether neighbouring resale flats will see higher prices, this is unlikely as they are much older flats. In any case, it will be another 15 years or so before PLH flats reach the resale market. So, we will keep studying and monitoring this. Mr Louis Chua asked why singles are not allowed to buy PLH flats. To moderate resale prices, we require resale PLH buyers to meet BTO eligibility conditions, which are a set of criteria that most people are familiar with. These criteria include singles who are part of larger households with caregiving responsibilities, say, they are buying a home with parents or with their siblings, if their parents are not around. And these would apply mostly to older singles. The PLH model is very new and we have only launched two projects. We will continue to monitor the response to PLH projects and review the parameters as part of our regular policy reviews. Besides socioeconomic inclusiveness, we also want our public housing estates to reflect our society’s ethnic diversity. The Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) seeks to support that.”
“This allows us to build flats in prime locations and keep them affordable, so that these areas remain diverse and inclusive and do not become places where only the well-to-do can live. We have just launched two PLH projects. They attracted a lot of interest, with more than three applicants for each 3-room flat and more than 10 for each 4-room flat. We also plan to build public rental flats in future PLH projects where possible. To Ms Mariam Jaafar's question, our approach has been to integrate sold and rental flats in the same BTO projects, including in prime areas where feasible, to enable Singaporeans across different backgrounds to build neighbourly ties, form community bonds, build a stronger and more cohesive community and society. We have completed two new blocks that integrate both rental and owned HDB flats in the same block, and more are in the pipeline. Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Louis Chua raised some concerns about the PLH model. These are not new. They have been raised by others, considered and addressed during our extensive public engagements. But let me go through them again quickly. Mr Pritam Singh asked how we determine the subsidy recovery rate. As we have explained, because PLH flats are in prime locations, we need to provide additional subsidies, on top of the usual BTO subsidies, to bring the price of the flat down to an affordable level for more Singaporeans. Mr Louis Chua suggested lowering the subsidy quantum at the point of sale. If we were to do that, it would just mean that only those with higher incomes or wealth can afford these flats. This would go against the intention of the PLH model. We size the subsidy recovery rate to recover these additional subsidies, as a percentage of the resale price, when the flat is sold on the open market.”
“But we cannot guarantee a flat for all the applicants in any one of these priority schemes for a particular launch because there may well be more applicants than there are flats set aside for each scheme. It would mean that the other groups who do not qualify for that scheme would not get a chance to book a flat at all. This could include singles, couples who do not have children and others. We would also need to build a lot more flats and use a lot more land to meet this demand if done this way. Instead, our approach is to strike a calibrated balance between the housing needs of different groups. So, contrary to the Leader of the Opposition's characterisation of the way in which we set aside our priority schemes, it is not one in which priority refers only to more chances but, rather, in trying to balance the needs of different groups, we provide absolute priority within certain quotas to ensure that one group does not then eat up the quotas and spaces for other groups. As for putting up information on the application numbers under different priority schemes, HDB already provides the number of applications received for each project across the various household types for every town and flat type. These figures are updated through the application period for each BTO and SBF exercise. Applicants can refer to this information in deciding which project to apply to. Besides managing current demand and supply, we also continue to enhance our housing policies. Ms Mariam Jaafar asked what we were doing to make public housing fairer and more inclusive. One major policy we rolled out last year was the new prime location public housing model (PLH), after many years of study and engagement.”
“In November last year and February this year, we launched more than 4,000 flats with waiting times of around three years or less. We will launch more such flats in future where we can. Sale of Balance Flats, Open Booking of Flats are also flats with shorter waiting times. But all these depend on whether sites are available. For brownfield redevelopment, we may be delayed if, for example, existing users of land require more time to relocate or if existing services need to be diverted. For greenfield sites, we need to carry out detailed environmental studies. In fact, we have accelerated many of our plans in order to increase the BTO supply over the next two years. That is our priority, to meet the current strong demand. The Leader of the Opposition asked if we would also review the various HDB priority schemes and give absolute priority to certain groups. Priority schemes allocate housing supply to meet the needs of a wide range of Singaporeans – to support marriage and parenthood aspirations of young couples, the desire to live with or close to parents or married children for mutual care and support, or the housing needs of our singles and seniors. These objectives all remain relevant and important. Let me explain how our priority schemes work. For each scheme, we set aside a certain proportion of flats. Those who qualify for the scheme and are balloted within that quota are guaranteed the chance to select the flat. Those who are balloted outside of the quota will be considered with the other applicants who do not qualify for the scheme. In that sense, each priority scheme guarantees a certain number of flats for qualifying applicants and so, addresses different categories of households and families in Singapore who have needs.”
“15 pm We are not out of the woods yet, because the pandemic situation remains uncertain and the geopolitical situation increasingly volatile. But the delays have impacted many Singaporeans’ life plans. We seek your understanding and support, as we press on to try to minimise delays and deliver your homes to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, for first-timer families who face challenges renting on the open market, we assist them with interim rental housing under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). Mr Chong Kee Hiong, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Gerald Giam asked about the PPHS supply. We are on track to add 800 more units by mid-2023. We have tripled the number of PPHS flats offered at each application exercise. But supply remains tight. So, we are prioritising families with the greatest needs. As a result of these efforts, application rates have fallen significantly, from about 20 times to about nine times in the most recent exercises – though that is still high. That said, around half of the applicants who are invited to select a flat decide not to do so, suggesting that many may have other options. HDB also offers Interim Rental Housing (IRH) on a case-by-case basis to those who do not have other interim housing options. To Mr Gerald Giam’s suggestion, the supply of IRH flats varies to meet the demand, as these flats are also used for PPHS or public rental. Members have made other suggestions to address concerns about housing delays and supply. Mr Louis Chua and Mr Gan Thiam Poh suggested building more flats with shorter waiting times. Significant land and infrastructure preparation is needed before we can build BTO flats. Where possible, we have brought forward our plans for land preparation. This allows us to launch flats with shorter waiting times.”
“Since last year, we have been working closely with the industry on two important tasks: first, we are working hard to minimise delays in the ongoing construction of flats; and second, we are ramping up our building programme to meet the strong demand for public housing. We will launch 23,000 flats per year in 2022 and 2023 and are prepared to launch up to 100,000 flats from 2021 to 2025, if needed. Miss Cheryl Chan asked about these efforts. This is difficult work, especially in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Our HDB colleagues have been on the ground, working closely with contractors to overcome the many challenges that COVID-19 has thrown at them: (a) bringing in workers safely to make up for manpower shortages due to border restrictions; (b) coping with the impact of public health measures on productivity at worksites; (c) sharing cost increases when prices of construction materials rose sharply; (d) localising more precast production and stockpiling more materials in case of further disruptions in supply chains and so on. We have seen some progress. In 2021, we delivered about 14,500 new flats, more than the 9,400 flats in 2020 and the 13,500 flats in 2019, pre-pandemic. We are also increasing the supply of private housing through the Government Land Sales Programme and, last year, we introduced measures to cool the property markets to pre-emptively address the risk of home prices running ahead of market fundamentals and, in doing so, keep housing affordable for genuine home buyers. So, that is how we are addressing the housing situation today – by increasing both private and public supply to meet the strong demand while moderating market movements and minimising delays. 4.”
“In addition, we provide generous grants for first-timers, for both new and resale flat purchases, with more help for lower-income buyers. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked if we should review our affordability benchmarks. Most first-timers buying HDB flats in the non-mature estates only need to set aside a quarter of their income or less to pay for their monthly loan instalments. This is already significantly lower than the international benchmark of between 30% and 35% for affordable housing. And it allows buyers to pay their mortgage with their CPF savings, with little or no cash outlay. To ensure prudent use of public funds, we impose a monthly income ceiling to allocate housing subsidies to those who may need it more. To Ms Poh Li San's question, the current income ceiling of $14,000 for BTO flats already covers more than eight in 10 Singaporean households. The income ceiling for executive condominiums (ECs) is even higher, at $16,000. Households earning an income above $14,000 have a variety of housing options, such as resale flats, ECs and private developments. The income ceilings were just raised in 2019, but we will continue to review them. In the immediate term, the pandemic has had a serious impact on the construction sector, causing housing delays, concerns about the tight housing supply and worries about rising resale home prices. At the same time, marriage and family formation, a growing trend of smaller households and the current low interest rate environment have led to strong housing demand in both the BTO and resale markets.”
“Mdm Chair, even as we continue fighting COVID-19 today, we are focused on our mission of building an even better Singapore tomorrow. I will explain how we at MND are doing this in these key priority areas: (a) keeping public housing affordable and accessible and meeting the housing aspirations of Singaporeans; (b) transforming the way we design, build and maintain our city; (c) growing our City in Nature; and (d) safeguarding our built heritage. My MND colleagues will give more details on the various areas of our work. Helping Singaporeans own their homes is a key national priority and a promise that the Government has been committed to for decades. A home that we can call our own provides the basic foundation to raise our families and bring up our children. If you look at other cities, they have different ways of housing their people. Some leave housing largely to the private market while others provide rental flats to certain demographic groups at subsidised rates. But the experience of these cities shows that the private market will often not provide adequately for the low-income or even middle-income families. That is why our focus is to sell flats to Singaporeans, including low-income households, at highly subsidised prices rather than offer them rental units at subsidised rents. We are committed to ensuring that public housing remains affordable and accessible to help meet the housing aspirations of Singaporeans. We plan the supply of new flats by taking into account long-term factors, such as demographic changes and trends, including family formation rates and household sizes. We also monitor the market and make adjustments to meet cyclical shifts in demand.”
“I am glad to share that we will invest an additional $64 million into R&D under the City in Nature and Greater Sustainability pillars of the Cities of Tomorrow programme. This will support us in developing innovative solutions for a more sustainable, liveable and resilient city. Let me conclude. Whether it is making our built environment and city more sustainable or transforming Singapore into a City in Nature, we all need to work together – Government agencies, industry partners, academics and researchers, nature groups and the wider community. While we have made good progress so far, there is much more to do and we must press on in close partnership. Along the way, we can help local firms and our workers build expertise in sustainability solutions and create good jobs and good opportunities for Singaporeans. And we can grow a greener and more sustainable home for all of us – one where we live in harmony with nature as good stewards of our environment for generations to come. [Applause.]”
“By planting different shrubs and trees to mimic the multi-tiered structure of a natural forest, we can better connect our green spaces for animals like birds and butterflies and also beautify our city, provide shade, cool our surroundings and improve our air quality. We can also use nature-based solutions to help protect our coastlines from rising sea levels. Looking ahead, as Minister Grace Fu had shared earlier, research and innovation will enable us to achieve a low-carbon future. We will continue to invest in science and technology for our city and our natural spaces. Let me share some of our plans, which Members like Dr Shahira Abdullah and Mr Cheng Hsing Yao have asked about. To support our City in Nature ambitions, we have invested in R&D under our Cities of Tomorrow (CoT) and the Marine Climate Change Science (MCCS) programmes to explore solutions that tap on nature to help strengthen our ecological, climate and social resilience. In one project, researchers created "green seawalls" that enhance our marine ecosystems at the same time. These specially-designed tiles can host a range of native species, such as crabs and sea snails, more abundantly than conventional seawalls. They will be piloted at Pulau Tekong and have the potential to be applied to other parts of Singapore. The Cities of Tomorrow R&D programme will also improve our urban sustainability, such as by designing greener buildings for our tropical climate. For instance, air-conditioning uses a lot of energy. BCA and NUS are exploring the use of weather sensors and smart watches that track how building occupants respond to indoor conditions to optimise cooling and ventilation systems. This technology aims to reduce energy use while still providing comfort for the occupants.”
“We have established more nature parks, especially at the fringe of our core biodiversity areas, as ecological buffers. Over the past two years, we have announced new nature parks, such as the Khatib Bongsu Nature Park, a rich mangrove and mudflat habitat, and the Rifle Range Nature Park, a key buffer for our Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Last year, we also added new parks at Bukit Gombak and Pasir Panjang and enhanced existing ones, such as the Coastal Playgrove at East Coast Park, with more lush vegetation and natural landscapes. We have even expanded the greenery on our rooftops and facades of buildings and in our sky gardens, to over 140 hectares. We are well underway to meeting our target of 200 hectares of skyrise greenery by 2030. Third, we have continued to enhance connectivity between our green spaces to help our native flora disperse and our fauna to traverse our island. We have completed more than half of the 300 kilometres of Nature Ways that we aim to implement by 2030 and we are on track to meeting our target of 500 kilometres of park connectors by 2030, with around 370 kilometres of park connectors completed so far. Miss Rachel Ong asked how we will make our green spaces accessible to all Singaporeans. The moves we have made as part of City in Nature not only help nature to thrive in our city state but also bring all Singaporeans closer to our green spaces for all its benefits. Over nine in 10 households are now within a 10-minute walk from a park and we aim to reach 100% by 2030. Our City in Nature efforts can also help us build up our climate resilience through nature-based solutions. For example, we have already begun to weave natural designs and plantings into our parks and streetscapes.”
“LES is a new technology that can potentially reduce about 80% of energy consumption, compared to standard fluorescent block signages. 1.45 pm We hope that these initiatives will enable our residents to lead more sustainable lifestyles and leave a lower carbon footprint. To finance the building of green and sustainable homes, HDB has also developed a Green Finance Framework. New HDB projects that seek to achieve BCA's Green Mark GoldPlus certification or above can now be financed or refinanced with green bonds or loans under this framework. This will support HDB as it seeks to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in our projects. HDB's Green Finance Framework will also contribute to our whole-of-Government effort to further develop the green bond market in Singapore. Let me now update Members on our work to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked how we balance conservation and development. I will give a fuller update on our approach at MND's Committee of Supply later but let me briefly share some of the progress that we have made. First, we have restored and enhanced several core habitats throughout the island. These comprise over 12 hectares of forest, marine and coastal habitats in Singapore which are key ecosystems and important homes for native biodiversity. Last year, we expanded the Species Recovery Programme from 94 to 120 species and, by 2030, we will increase these to 160 species. We have seen some early success. Our latest studies have shown that many of our native flora and fauna species have become less threatened over time, such as the Smooth-coated Otter and the Lesser Mousedeer. Second, beyond our core habitats, we have greened other parts of our city more intensively.”
“We require all builders for our HIP projects to come under the Green and Gracious Builders Scheme, which sets standards to mitigate the environmental impact of construction work. HDB also adopts other green construction practices, such as reusing metal hoardings for future projects. We have also been installing solar panels on top of our existing HDB blocks to power common services, such as lifts and lighting. Mr Abdul Samad asked how we are progressing with these plans. We have done this for more than 2,700 blocks already, more than a quarter of the over 10,000 HDB blocks we have in Singapore today. And we will strive to install solar panels on as many HDB blocks as possible. By 2030, we target to have a solar capacity of 540 MWp, equivalent to powering 135,000 4-room flats. Beyond this, we are also exploring how to make good use of our limited space to enhance Singapore’s food security. Ms Poh Li San and Mr Don Wee asked how we can support more urban farms on the rooftops of multi-storey carparks (MSCPs). Since 2020, HDB and SFA have launched tenders for 16 sites on MSCPs for food production. Although the expected production volume is not very high or large, it will contribute to our “30 by 30” food production goal. We will be evaluating the outcomes of this programme first before we decide on future plans. Next, we are piloting some new initiatives in our HDB estates to encourage residents to live more sustainably. For instance, we will introduce e-waste recycling bins in our HDB estates to make recycling more convenient. This will also support our Green Plan efforts to help Singaporeans recycle more and recycle right, as Minister Grace Fu had shared with us earlier. We are also exploring the use of Light Emitting Surfaces (LES) for signages in our housing estates.”
“This new technology can achieve energy savings of up to 40% over conventional air-conditioning systems. It is one of several technologies that enable the building to achieve Zero Energy standards, which means that its entire energy consumption is offset by renewable energy generated on-site. To further push the boundaries of energy efficiency, we will enhance funding for GBIC by a further $45 million. Under GBIC 2.0, we want to target key demand drivers, such as building owners and developers, as well as their value chains, to jointly develop innovative solutions. These include energy-efficient cooling technologies, smart building systems and enhanced building ventilation. We will accelerate the commercialisation of these solutions through industry partnerships and help to grow the local ecosystem of firms with green building expertise. This way, our companies can compete better in serving the growing global demand for sustainable urban solutions and take the lead to drive sustainable development across the Asia Pacific, home to some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Beyond individual buildings, Members have asked how we will make our HDB towns more sustainable. We will do this by tapping on new technologies and smart infrastructure solutions under our HDB Green Towns Programme. This will complement the various initiatives that MSE is piloting in the Eco Towns. For example, for new HDB flats, we are using green technologies, such as smart lighting for common areas, as well as rainwater harvesting systems, to reduce energy consumption and the use of potable water. Ms Hany Soh asked whether we use green construction methods for our HDB Home Improvement Programme (HIP) upgrading works.”
“We will also require higher environmental standards from developers for the new Government Land Sales (GLS) sites that we launch from the second quarter of this year. If we want to achieve these ambitious targets, we must ensure that our firms and workers have the capability to design, build and maintain SLE buildings. We have been building up a core of talent to support our sustainability efforts, as Mr Cheng Hsing Yao has mentioned. As of September last year, we have worked with our partners to train more than 22,000 green professionals. We will work with training providers so that their courses cover the latest developments in sustainability. Through collaborative platforms like the Super Low Energy Building Smart Hub, we will also facilitate the sharing of new energy-efficient technologies. We hope that our firms and our professionals will make good use of these resources to upgrade their skills. We will share more on our plans to attract and upskill talent at MND's COS. This brings me to our third target, which is to achieve 80% improvement in energy efficiency, compared to 2005 levels, for our best-in-class buildings by 2030. Currently, we have achieved some 65% to 70% improvement. So, we have some way to go. To help us with this important effort, we have a programme under what we call the Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC). This supports the research, prototyping and demonstration of our green building technologies and encourages companies to adopt these solutions. Let me give Members an example. The SMU Connexion building uses a Passive Displacement Cooling system, which makes use of convectional currents to circulate cool air throughout most of the building.”
“We have set higher energy efficiency standards and increased our emphasis on other sustainability outcomes, too, such as reducing carbon emissions across a building's lifecycle. This will help ensure that Singapore’s Green Mark remains one of the world's leading green building certifications and the go-to standard in the tropics. So, we have raised both our minimum environmental sustainability requirements, as well as our standards at the higher end, for Green Mark. In particular, we want to encourage owners of older buildings to retrofit them to be more energy-efficient, because these tend to be less resource- and carbon-intensive than demolishing them and constructing new ones. I will share more at MND's COS. Our second target is for 80% of new developments to be Super Low Energy (SLE) buildings from 2030. These are buildings that achieve energy savings of over 60%, as compared to 2005 levels, when we started our journey to green our buildings. Over the past year, we have certified close to 7% of new buildings by GFA as SLE buildings. This is a modest but promising start, as we bring SLE developments into the mainstream. The Government is taking the lead to make more buildings SLE buildings. Under GreenGov.SG, we have raised our energy performance requirements for public sector buildings. All new public sector buildings and existing ones undergoing major retrofitting must now meet Green Mark Platinum SLE standards. We are encouraging developers to pursue SLE standards, too. In November last year, we started an incentive scheme that will give developers of private projects bonus GFA, if they meet Green Mark Platinum SLE standards and other requirements.”
“Mr Chairman, I will first give an update on our work to make our city more sustainable and how this will support our transition to a low-carbon economy and create opportunities for our firms and workers. Second, I will report on our progress to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. And third, set out how we will strengthen our R&D to find innovative ways to improve our urban sustainability. Let us start with how we are making our built environment and our city more sustainable. Our buildings contribute more than 20% of Singapore’s carbon emissions. So, the work to green our buildings is very important. As we do this, we also want to create growth opportunities for our companies and workers in our built environment sector. Last year, we launched the latest edition of the Singapore Green Building Masterplan (SGBMP). We set three targets: “80-80-80 in 2030”, to push further in greening our buildings. We have moved decisively to meet these targets over the past year. So, let me share some updates on our progress and our plans to support the industry in this green transition, which Members like Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Xie Yao Quan and Prof Koh Lian Pin have asked about. Our first target is to green 80% of buildings by Gross Floor Area (GFA) by 2030. To date, we have greened more than 49% of our buildings. So, we are well on our way to meeting our target. But we need to do more to sustain our momentum and push ahead. Last December, we raised the minimum energy performance requirements that both new buildings, as well as existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting, must now meet. We have also worked with our industry to revise the Green Mark scheme.”
“From 2017 to 2021, NParks received a total of 67 cases of feedback related to the hoarding of animals in residences. Of these, NParks took enforcement action in six cases, where there were animal health and welfare concerns. Enforcement actions range from issuing letters of warning, composition fines, and prosecution in court. A majority of these cases involved cats. NParks works closely with other agencies to tackle the issue of animal hoarding in residences. For cases where there are animal health and welfare concerns, NParks considers factors such as the quality of care provided to the animals, and their living conditions, in determining the enforcement actions to take. NParks also partners stakeholders such as animal welfare groups, and pet owners, to re-home these animals where necessary. In cases where the resident is found to have suspected mental health issues or socio-emotional needs that could have led to animal hoarding behaviour, NParks will take a multi-agency approach and work with community partners, such as the Agency for Integrated Care and Social Service Agencies to support the resident as appropriate. In such cases, we need strong support from the resident’s family and community for the interventions to be successful. Beyond regulation and enforcement, NParks works closely with its partners to raise public awareness on responsible pet ownership and animal care through various platforms such as Pets’ Day Out events and webinars. NParks will continue to review its measures to ensure they remain effective in safeguarding animal health and welfare.”
“The covenants of the Memorandum of Lease generally set out the acts and uses that are not permitted in HDB flats, in order to maintain a high-quality living environment for all residents. We are not currently reviewing measures that can be taken to enforce a breach of the lease covenants. Where there is feedback of a possible breach, HDB will conduct investigations where necessary. In cases where an egregious breach has been committed and there is failure to rectify the breach despite warnings, HDB can consider compulsorily acquiring the flat. HDB exercises this right only as a last resort as compulsory acquisition is a harsh measure that is not undertaken lightly.”
“We will provide an update on the heritage impact assessment framework soon.”
“Today, the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) evaluation of the heritage significance of buildings and structures takes into consideration their architectural, historical and social significance. The current planning process also takes into account the views of community and stakeholder groups, to enrich our assessment of conservation merit and ensure that heritage aspects are adequately addressed. As the site for the new housing estate in the Mount Pleasant area covers a sizable area and comprises old buildings from different periods in history, including the former Police Academy, agencies had commissioned a pilot large-scale detailed heritage study. The study examined the heritage significance of the buildings and structures in detail and considered additional aspects, such as communal, contextual and social values, which complemented agencies' existing evaluation criteria in assessing the conservation merits of a building. This additional layer of independent assessment validated agencies' earlier assessments and provided a more holistic understanding of the heritage significance of the former Police Academy. It also guided agencies in their assessment of possible detailed strategies and measures to mitigate the impact of development plans and sensitively integrate heritage elements into the new housing estate. The pilot study informed our ongoing work to develop a heritage impact assessment framework, as we consider how such studies should be conducted, how findings can be incorporated, and the sites for which such studies would be most useful, to strengthen our heritage evaluation process. We will continue to deepen and broaden our engagement to build and strengthen constructive relationships with the relevant stakeholders.”
“The Rehoming and Adoption Workgroup, comprising NParks, animal welfare groups, veterinarians and trainers, had earlier discussed the use of dog training devices. NParks had also engaged pet owners on this topic through a public consultation exercise in October 2021. Based on the findings, there was consensus that training devices that cause pain, fear and distress to animals should, generally, be avoided. There were also some trainers and members of the public who viewed that there could be certain circumstances that warrant the use of such devices, and that it was important to ensure their proper use. NParks is further engaging stakeholders, such as dog trainers, animal welfare groups and veterinarians, and will review the use of shock and prong collars this year. This includes developing further guidelines to educate trainers and pet owners on the proper use of training devices. Meanwhile, NParks has since released guidelines on dog training and rehabilitation in January 2022. Currently, NParks investigates and takes enforcement action in cases where animal training methods cause unnecessary pain or suffering to animals. In line with the recently released dog training and rehabilitation guidelines, NParks will continue to educate pet owners and raise awareness on the least intrusive, minimally aversive approach to animal training, through various platforms, such as online webinars, Pets' Day Out events, workshops and volunteer programmes. This science-based approach takes into account factors, such as an animal's motivational state, stress levels and physical health, in developing a training and behaviour modification plan which is safer and more effective for the animal.”
“Following URA's announcement and public exhibition of the proposal, we assessed the feedback received and further worked with the owners to refine the incentive package. Many members of the public had also written in to MND and URA to express their support for the conservation proposal. When we proceeded to conserve the building last year in October, we made public the conservation merits of the building and accompanying incentive package that had resulted from the prior years' study and engagement. We are not at liberty to reveal the more commercially sensitive details of the incentive package, or our studies. This includes a detailed technical study and building audit that we had done for Golden Mile Complex, which we had obtained the owners' consent to conduct, on the condition that we keep the findings confidential to the owners. There is still a learning journey ahead of us for Golden Mile Complex, even after its conservation, as the building owners seek collective sale. We will work with them and the industry to explore viable adaptive reuse outcomes for the building. We will also need to strengthen the expertise of our building industry professionals and firms to rehabilitate and conserve such buildings and work with a future developer, if any, to put the building to a meaningful new use. We will closely engage the stakeholders each step of the way. As URA continues to study other modern buildings of heritage significance, we will likewise take a systematic, calibrated and consultative approach towards conservation, so that through both conservation and redevelopment, we can steward our limited land to meet the needs and aspirations of current, as well as future generations of Singaporeans. 11.00 am”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Golden Mile Complex is considered one of the most architecturally, historically and socially significant modern buildings in Singapore. It is a symbol of the architectural and engineering ingenuity of Singapore's Pioneer Generation of building professionals, including Gan Eng Oon, William Lim, Tay Kheng Soon, Koh Seow Chuan, Chan Sui Him, Joseph Wang, Woh Hup and many others. It encapsulates the people's bold vision and imagination for vibrant, inclusive and high-rise living during Singapore's early nation-building days. The decision to conserve Golden Mile Complex in October last year was made after a careful and extensive process of study and engagement with the building owners, as well as with developers, heritage experts and other stakeholders. Many of the learning points from these studies and engagements were unique to Golden Mile Complex, considering its specific site context, as well as its pioneering status as the first modern, large scale, strata-titled development conserved in Singapore. For example, beyond the strong conservation merit of the building, URA had also recognised the financial interest of the building owners in this decision, as they were planning for a collective sale. To address the owners' concerns, URA had engaged the collective sale committee, industry stakeholders and relevant Government agencies to explore feasible adaptive reuse schemes for the building, as well as the unprecedented development and tax incentives to make development options for the site more attractive to potential buyers under the Conservation Scheme. Close engagement with stakeholders, including the wider public, was key.”
“NParks has a framework in place to regulate the euthanasia of animals. Veterinarians are required to comply with the Code of Ethics for Veterinarians as part of their licensing conditions. Under the Code, veterinarians are required to consider animal welfare and public safety in deciding the course of treatment for an animal. Specifically, the Code provides that veterinarians must consider other treatment options prior to considering euthanasia. The Code also allows veterinarians to reject an owner’s request for euthanasia, should he or she not deem it necessary. NParks works closely with the Singapore Veterinary Association to review the Code of Ethics regularly to ensure that it is in line with developments in the veterinary sector and international best practices. The Rehoming and Adoption Workgroup, comprising NParks, animal welfare groups, veterinarians and trainers, had discussed the topic of euthanasia arising from behavioural issues. The workgroup has developed guidelines to clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, including for post-adoption support, before a decision to euthanise an animal is made. These guidelines, released in January 2022, serve to ensure that there are good understanding and communication amongst all parties. NParks will also continue to keep veterinarians updated on these guidelines through its regular veterinary newsletters and during veterinary licensing briefings.”
“NParks takes a firm stance against the practice of declawing cats. Such a procedure should only be performed as an absolute last resort or as an alternative to euthanasia. NParks has a framework in place to regulate this practice. The Code of Ethics for Veterinarians requires veterinarians to advise pet owners of non-surgical alternatives and to ensure that all reasonable efforts have been made to manage or treat the issue prior to declawing. Failure to do so can result in written warnings, composition fines or even suspension or revocation of veterinary licences. This regulatory approach remains relevant. NParks will also continue to work with its animal welfare partners to educate pet owners, such as through the Animal and Veterinary Service’s webinars and Pets’ Day Out workshops, on alternative ways to manage the behavioural issues of cats. Should the public come across suspected cases where declawing of cats has been performed without due justification, we ask that they inform NParks, so that it can investigate and take the necessary actions.”
“NParks takes a firm stance against the practice of debarking dogs. Such a procedure should only be performed as an absolute last resort, or as an alternative to euthanasia. NParks has a framework in place to regulate this practice. The Code of Ethics for Veterinarians requires veterinarians to advise pet owners of non-surgical alternatives and to ensure that all reasonable efforts have been made to manage or treat the issue prior to debarking. Failure to do so can result in written warnings, composition fines, suspension, or revocation of veterinary licences. This regulatory approach remains relevant. NParks will continue to educate pet owners and raise awareness on alternatives to debarking. Should the public come across suspected cases where debarking of dogs has been performed without due justification, they can inform NParks, so that it can investigate and take the necessary actions.”
“Lucy's Law was recently passed in England in April 2020. Hence, it is too early for us to assess its effectiveness on improving animal welfare, and its impact on the pet industry. NParks will consider regulatory developments in other jurisdictions, including Lucy's Law, when it reviews its regulations to safeguard animal welfare. In Singapore, we are similarly concerned about the welfare of pets that are bred and sold. NParks has a licensing framework in place to safeguard the health and welfare of animals at pet breeders and pet shops. In October 2021, NParks announced tightened licensing conditions for pet breeders to raise industry standards and improve the health and welfare of animals. To ensure traceability and compliance with licensing conditions, NParks conducts regular inspections on licensed pet breeders and pet shops. NParks also investigates reports of unlicensed pet breeding and sales, and also takes enforcement action against the offenders. With this regulatory framework in place, NParks does not see the need to introduce a ban on third-party puppy and kitten sales at this juncture. NParks will continue to review regulations under the Animals and Birds Act with relevant stakeholders to ensure that they remain effective in safeguarding animal health and welfare. Should the public come across animal welfare breaches, they should report them to NParks for investigation.”
“Yes, we will consider both measures. On the former, publicising these areas, the media have been giving coverage to the sites that have been impacted. The low tide days and times are also well-known, publicly available information, and hence, you see the crowd converging on these sites when we reach those seasons. For schools, we continue to work with our schools through our programmes to work with young people to better understand how to relate to wildlife, including in our marine habitats.”
“Since 2021, with the increase in visitorship to these areas, we have also stepped up outreach efforts at various intertidal areas to raise public awareness on protecting marine wildlife. For example, NParks has deployed more officers and galvanised many volunteers to remind visitors to refrain from touching, trampling and collecting marine wildlife. Most visitors are cooperative and return the marine wildlife when advised to do so. In addition, we have put up more signs around the intertidal areas, to educate visitors on how to interact responsibly with marine wildlife. NParks will continue to step up these efforts. We are discussing with our partners, such as the marine conservation community, volunteers, businesses and the local community, on ways to manage the number of visitors at intertidal areas, in a way that supports nature conservation while keeping these spaces open for public recreation. For example, last weekend, we held a workshop with various partners to discuss how we can work together to educate visitors on Singapore's rich marine biodiversity and to better manage our intertidal sites. We are also assessing the possibility of strengthening protection for marine organisms under the Wildlife Act. As we transform into a City in Nature, all of us have a part to play in protecting and caring for our rich biodiversity, so that our future generations can continue to enjoy our natural heritage.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Leon Perera have asked about the management of marine wildlife at intertidal areas, such as Changi Beach. Mr Leon Perera1 has also asked about enforcement efforts against marine poaching, for a subsequent Sitting. I will address Members' questions together. Over the last two years, we have observed a general increase in the number of visitors to our beaches, including Changi Beach. There has also been an increase in visitors to the intertidal zone, especially during low tides. Most of the visitors are families that come in small groups to explore the area, during public or school holidays. We are committed to protecting the biodiversity of our coastal and marine ecosystems, including our intertidal zones. To assess the health of these ecosystems, NParks conducts long-term habitat monitoring in collaboration with academics and volunteers. Recent data indicates that our marine biodiversity is generally in good condition, with little change in the composition of the marine ecosystem within key habitats since 2016. Our native wildlife species, including threatened marine species such as sea turtles and stony corals, are also protected under the Wildlife Act. For example, individuals who are found guilty of trapping or selling protected wildlife species without approval may be subject to a fine of up to $50,000, or to an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both. Over the past five years, there have been no cases prosecuted for the poaching of marine wildlife under the Wildlife Act or its predecessor, the Wild Animals and Birds Act. We will continue to review our measures to safeguard our marine species and will take enforcement action where necessary.”
“Under the Sale of Recess Area Scheme, flat owners can buy the space fronting their flat if the area meets HDB’s Scheme conditions at the point of sale, including compliance with prevailing fire safety regulations. HDB does not maintain a record of sold recess areas that may not meet current conditions of sale as updates to the conditions are not applied retrospectively. Flat owners would have met the Scheme conditions and prevailing fire safety regulations, at the point they purchased the recess area. While the SCDF does not apply updates to fire safety regulations retrospectively, property owners who are undertaking fire safety works are required to ensure that they comply with the latest fire safety regulations. The approach is applied to HDB flat owners who own recessed areas – flat owners who wish to renovate their existing purchased recess areas will be required to comply with the latest prevailing fire safety regulations.”
“Eligible first-timer families who buy a resale flat can enjoy up to $160,000 in housing grants, comprising a CPF Housing Grant of up to $50,000, an EHG of up to $80,000 and a Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) of up to $30,000. The prices of resale HDB flats in the non-mature estates bought by first-timer Singaporean families in 2012 and 2021, and their median household incomes, are tabulated below. The resale prices of HDB flats had decreased in six out of the last eight years since their peak in 2013. The increase in prices over the past two years could be partly attributed to a broad-based demand for housing supported by the current low interest rate environment. Nevertheless, with grants of up to $160,000 for resale flats, they remain affordable especially for first-timers, with after-grant prices of 4-room resale flats in non-mature estates decreasing slightly by one per cent between 2012 and 2021. In 2021, first-timers buying resale flats in non-mature estates only need to use less than a quarter of their monthly income to pay for their loan instalments and hence, most of them can service their housing loans using their monthly CPF contributions, with little or no cash outlay. The Government will continue to monitor the housing market conditions closely and ensure that Singaporeans have access to affordable public housing.”
“All flat buyers enjoy a housing subsidy when they buy a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat, as HDB applies a significant subsidy to the assessed market value of the flat and prices the flat below the market. In addition, eligible first-timers can enjoy the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) of up to $80,000, which provides further support to lower- and middle-income families buying their first home. The prices of 3-room to 5-room BTO flats in the non-mature estates bought by first-timer Singaporean families in 2012 and 2021, and their median household incomes, are tabulated below. Between 2012 and 2021, the median selling prices of 3-room to 5-room BTO flats bought by first-timer Singaporean families in non-mature estates before grants increased by 10% to 22%, while the flat buyers’ incomes grew by 8% to 46%. The price increases of new flats have thus been moderate. Over the same period, HDB had also increased the housing grants several times. The provision of these generous housing grants has helped to keep BTO flats affordable, with after-grant prices of 4-room BTO flats increasing marginally by 1.4% between 2012 and 2021. Based on the median household income of new flat applicants and average selling prices, first-timers buying new flats in non-mature estates offered under BTO and SBF exercises in 2021 only need to use 13% to 26% of their monthly income to pay for their loan instalments. This is well below the international benchmark of 30% to 35%. In fact, most of them can service their housing loans using their monthly CPF contributions, with little or no cash outlay. On the other hand, HDB resale flats are transacted at prices mutually agreed by flat sellers and buyers.”
“These practices seek to minimise the likelihood of project failure by including provisions that will allow the contractor to claim for extension of time and expenses arising from pandemic events. It will also allow the contractor to provide provisional sums so that it is not required to price for items for which cost is unknown at the point of tender. HDB will continue to closely monitor the progress of its construction and upgrading works.”
“There are currently 10 HDB commercial complexes undergoing construction or upgrading. Of these, eight projects have been delayed by about three to 15 months due to the COVID-19 situation, and the need to comply with prevailing on-site Safe Management Measures (SMMs). The extent of the delay varies by project and depends on site-specific factors such as manpower availability, contractor’s performance and the supply of materials. Most of the shops and markets in the HDB commercial complexes undergoing upgrading are either still in operation or have resumed operation and the impact on the delay is mitigated as there are sufficient alternatives in the vicinity to continue to serve the residents’ needs. One new project has not incurred any delays as the construction works have just started. As for the remaining upgrading project, the contractor went into liquidation in late January 2022. HDB is actively working to minimise further delays to the projects and will be calling a new tender for the balance works. HDB holds regular meetings with its contractors and monitors the progress of the projects through its monthly payment to the contractors. Any deviation to the progress claims based on the approved construction schedule will be highlighted and deliberated at these meetings. HDB will also look out for tell-tale signs, such as persistent slow progress or a sudden reduction of workers on site and if necessary, immediately engage the contractors to discuss measures to ensure that the projects remain on schedule as far as possible. For new upgrading tenders, HDB has adopted the pandemic resilient contracting practices included in the Public Sector Conditions of Contract to effect equitable risk sharing amongst project parties for pandemic events.”
“BCA has received five cases involving conflicts over airspace encroachment in private estates over the past two years. Such cases usually involve the erection of temporary scaffolding above an adjacent property to carry out works for a new or reconstructed landed development. Owners of landed properties must obtain their neighbour’s consent if they wish to enter the latter’s property or airspace to carry out works. Owners who face difficulties in seeking their neighbour’s cooperation can engage their Neighbourhood Committees or consider dispute resolution channels like the Community Mediation Centre, to try to resolve the issues amicably. For development projects in which the neighbour’s consent cannot be obtained, BCA requires the Qualified Person and the builder to review the construction method so that the works can be carried out within the development boundary.”
“As part of COVID-19 safe management measures, transactions at the HDB Hub and HDB Branches are carried out on an appointment basis and limited to the parties directly involved in the transaction. However, we understand that some individuals, like the elderly or those who are not literate, may require assistance to execute their transactions. In such cases, HDB will accede to requests for one other person to accompany them to their appointments. Such requests can be made through the MyRequest@HDB portal or by calling HDB’s customer service hotline.”
“MND and NParks are reviewing the penalties for trafficking and illegal possession of wildlife under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act (ESA). The intent is to ensure that there is effective deterrence against the illegal trade of wildlife species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We have consulted the public and plan to introduce a Bill in Parliament to amend the ESA in the first half of 2022. We are also reviewing the penalties under the Animals and Birds Act to ensure that they remain effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse. We will consult relevant stakeholders and the public as part of this review when ready.”
“As part of our City in Nature efforts, we work closely with the community to enhance our green spaces and provide Singaporeans with greater access to and a more immersive experience with nature. In July 2021, we announced a new 18-kilometre recreational green network at the Clementi Nature Corridor, comprising two new nature trails. The Old Jurong Line Nature Trail will run through Clementi Forest and connect the Rail Corridor to Jurong Lake Gardens. The Clementi Nature Trail will start at an existing stream within the Clementi Forest and connect the Rail Corridor to Ulu Pandan. When progressively completed from 2023, these nature trails will provide more green access points for residents in nearby estates to experience nature. We will also continue to carry out trail improvement works at the Rail Corridor. For example, new access points near the Queensway Flyover and Jalan Kilang Barat were recently completed in January 2022. In addition, we will commence works this year to include new access points to the Rail Corridor for residents at nearby estates, including in the Ulu Pandan area. As we implement our plans for the Rail Corridor and other green spaces, we take into consideration how such spaces can inject vibrancy into the surrounding area for the community, while safeguarding our natural heritage. We will continue to engage our stakeholders to shape the future of our green spaces as inclusive and accessible community spaces.”