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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“All flat buyers enjoy a housing subsidy when they buy a new 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 new HDB flats have remained relatively stable over the past three years. Between 2019 and 2021, the prices of new HDB flats bought by first-timer Singaporean families are tabulated below. The flat purchase price remains the same whether buyers are first- or second-timer families. However, to prioritise housing grants and subsidies for first-timer families and to ensure a fair allocation of limited fiscal resources, second-timers pay a resale levy which reduces the total amount of subsidy that they enjoy when they purchase a second subsidised flat. The Government will continue to monitor the housing market conditions closely and ensure that Singaporeans have access to affordable public housing.”
“The Government regularly seeks and receives public feedback on development plans through various channels, including the exhibition process for amendments to the Master Plan. All feedback from the different channels is carefully studied and incorporated into our plans, where feasible. This was also done in the case of Bukit Brown. Based on public feedback received after plans on Lornie Highway were announced, LTA revised the design to incorporate a viaduct for a section of the road at higher cost, so as to further mitigate the impact on the existing cemetery and natural environment. On feedback received during the exhibition period for the Draft Master Plan 2013, then-Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan had stated in response to a similar Parliamentary Question in July 2014 that we had considered all feedback received and, where feasible, these had been incorporated into our plans. The Government has continued to take on board public feedback, including ways to commemorate the history and heritage of Bukit Brown. Since 2014, we have been working together with stakeholders from heritage groups on various projects, such as the documentation of Bukit Brown artefacts. NHB also, recently, supported a project by Singapore Heritage Society to produce 3D scans of unearthed artefacts. We will continue to carefully review public feedback and partner stakeholders to shape our development plans to strike a careful balance between protecting our built and natural heritage and developing our city to meet the needs of current and future generations.”
“Based on the gazetted Master Plan 2019, the land at Seletar is predominantly used for Seletar Airport as well as various construction and industrial uses. It contains sites zoned "Airport", "Reserve Site", "Business 2", "Utility" and "Commercial". While there are, currently, no parcels of land zoned "Residential" within Seletar, we regularly review our land-use plans to take into consideration evolving trends and changing needs of our population.”
“HDB works closely with URA and other agencies to plan and review the land use in HDB towns. Sengkang and Punggol have been progressively developed since the 1990s. As at 31 March 2021, there are about 122,000 HDB flats that are completed in Sengkang (including Jalan Kayu) and Punggol. Based on the gazetted Master Plan 2019, there are parcels of land zoned as "residential" within Sengkang and Punggol which have not been developed yet, such as parts of Sengkang Fernvale area and the western and eastern parts of Punggol. These parcels are safeguarded for future residential developments, which include private housing and community facilities. Government agencies are reviewing the plans for these specific areas and will share more information when ready.”
“The Government has also implemented a set of measures to cool the private and public housing markets on 16 December 2021, to ensure that homes remain affordable over time. MND/HDB remain committed to keeping public housing affordable and accessible to support the homeownership aspirations of Singaporeans and will continue to monitor housing market conditions closely.”
“All new HDB flats are priced below the market. When pricing new flats, HDB first establishes their market value by considering the prices of comparable resale flats nearby as well as the individual attributes of the flats and prevailing market conditions. To derive the selling prices, HDB then applies a significant subsidy to the assessed market values to ensure that new flats are affordable to those buying their first home. In addition, eligible first-timer flat buyers can also 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. For resale flats, the Government provides housing grants of up to $160,000 to ensure resale flats remain affordable for eligible first-timer families. With these generous subsidies and grants, both new and resale flats have remained affordable. Over the past three years, the mortgage servicing ratio (MSR), which is the proportion of monthly income used to service mortgage instalment payments, has remained at about 23% or below for both new and resale flat buyers taking an HDB housing loan, on average. This means that buyers, generally, require little or no cash outlay in servicing the payments for their flats as their mortgage loans can be paid using their CPF contributions. To meet the demand for HDB flats, HDB has offered about 17,100 BTO flats in 2021. HDB will ramp up the flat supply by 35% over the next two years and launch up to 23,000 BTO flats per year in 2022 and 2023. Looking ahead, HDB is prepared to launch up to 100,000 flats in total from 2021 to 2025, if needed, subject to prevailing demand.”
“The Government will continue to monitor the market situation and the global COVID-19 situation closely to ensure that the flat supply remains responsive to the housing needs of the population.”
“The Government is watching the progress of Build-to-Order (BTO) projects very closely and has leaned forward to ensure that projects are completed as planned or with as little delay as possible. In 2021, about 14,500 HDB flats were delivered. This number is more than a 50% increase over the 9,400 flats handed over in 2020 and higher than the 13,500 units delivered in pre-pandemic 2019. The waiting times for BTO projects launched in the past two years have, generally, ranged from three to five years. This is similar to the waiting times for BTO projects launched in pre-COVID times. For ongoing projects, after factoring in delays due to COVID-19 of about six to 12 months beyond their original Estimated Completion Dates (ECDs), we expect that most flat buyers will be able to move into their new homes within four to five years after booking their flats, barring any further unforeseen circumstances. For the upcoming BTO launch in February 2022, we expect the waiting times to range between 2.5 and 5.5 years. We are monitoring the global COVID-19 pandemic closely, including the new Omicron variant, and have rolled out extensive assistance measures to minimise any potential disruption to BTO projects. To ensure an adequate supply of manpower, HDB has supported firms to recruit more workers from various countries in a safe and controlled manner. HDB has also leaned forward to co-share the increase in foreign manpower costs. This is in addition to the extensive Government support that has been provided to the construction sector, such as advance payments, sharing of prolongation costs, and foreign worker levy rebates.”
“NParks conducts a biennial Park Usage and Satisfaction Survey to understand park usage patterns and preferences. Based on the survey conducted in early 2021, park users indicated that they visited East Coast Park, Jurong Lake Gardens and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve most frequently. The naturalistic landscapes and overall ambience at these parks were cited as some of their most attractive features. As part of our efforts to transform Singapore into a City in Nature, NParks is expanding our network of parks, including those situated along the coast. In the future, Singaporeans can look forward to more of such parks, such as Lim Chu Kang Nature Park, Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park, and Khatib Bongsu Nature Park. These efforts will provide Singaporeans with greater access to spaces for sensitive, nature-based recreation.”
“The former Min Xin Primary School and former Bedok Town Secondary School sites at Bedok North Street 3 are zoned Residential in the Master Plan 2019 and safeguarded for future residential developments. Government agencies are, currently, working on future plans for the site and will share more information with the public when ready.”
“There has been a growing demand for accessible fitness facilities in the heartlands as more residents are working from home and exercising for a healthier lifestyle. Currently, there are 46 gymnasiums operating in HDB commercial premises, of which 17 (or 0.1% of the total number of HDB shops) are located in blocks with flats above. HDB shop owners or tenants who intend to operate a gymnasium are required to seek HDB’s prior approval. Operators are expected to minimise potential disamenities which may arise from gymnasium operations, for example, fully air-condition the premises and implement other measures, such as sound-proofing, to minimise vibration or noise nuisance. Between January 2020 and June 2021, HDB received five complaints about noise nuisance from gymnasiums located in blocks with flats above. These complaints were isolated cases involving two gymnasium units. HDB has since engaged the gymnasiums to take active measures to address the noise nuisance, such as adjusting hours of operations and putting in place systems to monitor the noise level, and no further complaints have been received thus far. If HDB receives persistent feedback on nuisance from gymnasiums, HDB may revoke the approval for gymnasium operations. This approach allows us to strike a balance between maintaining a good living environment and providing residents with convenient access to facilities that they enjoy.”
“We will continue to review it over time to ensure it meets the needs of different population segments. While our public housing policies support the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans, we also recognise the housing needs and aspirations of singles who wish to have a place of their own. We have expanded the range of housing options available to singles over the years. Today, single Singapore Citizens aged 35 and above can buy resale flats of any size and in any location, including those in existing HDB estates within prime locations that are not launched under the PLH model. To put this in context, a large majority of the resale housing stock, or over a million flats, will be available for singles to purchase in about 15 years at the same time that the first batch of PLH flats reach the open market. First-timer singles also have the option of buying a new 2-room Flexi flat from HDB in the non-mature estates. Eligible first-timer singles can also qualify for the various housing grants to assist them in their flat purchase.”
“The Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model is designed with the objective of keeping public housing in prime locations affordable and inclusive for Singaporeans. To keep PLH flat prices affordable for a wide range of Singaporeans, new PLH flats will be priced with additional subsidies, on top of the substantial subsidies already provided for BTO flats. Beyond the initial purchase, we also want to ensure that the prices of these flats remain within reach of Singaporeans when the PLH flats are sold subsequently on the open market. Without policy intervention, resale prices for PLH flats would likely increase beyond the reach of many Singaporeans. We will, therefore, require buyers of a PLH flat on the resale market to meet the prevailing BTO eligibility criteria, to ensure affordability and accessibility over a longer period of time while managing the demand for the limited supply of PLH flats. Singaporeans are familiar with the means-tested conditions in our BTO eligibility criteria which cover a broad range of Singaporean households. Today, more than eight in 10 Singaporeans are eligible to buy a subsidised flat. As the PLH model is a new model restricted to prime areas, there will not be many flats launched under this model in the initial phase and, therefore, it is necessary at present to set guidelines for priority. Applying the BTO eligibility criteria gives priority to Singaporean families, who may need more space because they have bigger households. This includes singles who can form a family unit with their parent(s), or single sibling(s) whose parents have passed on. These singles are eligible to buy a BTO flat from HDB and will, similarly, be able to buy a resale PLH flat in future. The PLH model is very new.”
“Based on resale flat transactions registered from January 2017 to September 2021, excluding those sold under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme, the median HDB resale flat price, on a per square metre basis, decreased by about 2% from 2017 to 2019, and increased by about 16% from 2019 to 2021. Over the past five years, this represented an increase of about 14%. The median HDB resale flat price per square metre was $4,260 in 2017; $4,189 in 2018; $4,172 in 2019; $4,345 in 2020 and $4,839 in 2021. The recent increase in resale prices can be attributed to a broad-based increase in demand for housing, supported by the current low interest rate environment. On 15 December 2021, the Government announced a set of measures to cool the private residential and HDB resale markets and will continue to monitor the housing market conditions closely to ensure that Singaporeans have access to affordable public housing.”
“All HDB flats are provided with refuse chutes, either located within the units or at the common area, for use by residents to dispose of household or domestic waste. These refuse chutes should be left unsealed. However, there are instances where residents dispose of their domestic waste at bins placed at the void decks of the blocks, or even outside of the bins, instead of using the refuse chutes. This could cause inconvenience and nuisance to others. As such behaviour appears to be limited to a small group, MND prefers to work with Town Councils to educate residents on the proper use of bin chutes, rather than insert a clause in the HDB lease agreement or renovation permit that all domestic refuse must be disposed of via the bin chute, and to prohibit the sealing of the bin chute. Nonetheless, we are prepared to consider stronger measures if public education proves insufficient.”
“BCA requires buildings to be well-maintained in order to ensure public safety. This includes imposing duties on facilities management (FM) firms that have been appointed to take charge of the maintenance of a building façade. For example, facilities management firms that are the appointed agents of building owners are required to ensure that the exterior features of a building remain securely fixed to the building. To raise the standards of facilities management firms, BCA has worked closely with the Singapore International Facilities Management Association (SIFMA) to establish accreditation schemes for firms and FM professionals. These schemes can help buyers make better-informed choices when procuring FM services. BCA will continue to work closely with the industry to encourage more firms and professionals to be accredited under these schemes.”
“Public rental housing is planned as part of the overall public housing supply and is built together with sold flats in Build-To-Order (BTO) projects on sites that are ready for development. These sites may be within existing towns or in new development areas which HDB develops progressively. While it is not always possible to build rental housing near MRT stations, all public housing projects are designed to ensure that residents have good access to local amenities and services, regardless of flat type. When planning for new public rental flats, we also consider the need to provide a range of locations for rental tenants to choose from and balance the mix of flat types across towns. To ensure that public housing remains inclusive, new public rental flats will also be built in the same blocks as sold flats and included in future projects launched under the Prime Location Housing (PLH) model, where possible.”
“The Special Covenants 2(1) and 2(2) of the HDB 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. The majority of these Special Covenants relate to building safety and integrity, as well as fixtures within the flat. In the past three years, HDB has not enforced Special Covenants 2(1) and 2(2) of the Memorandum of Lease. Enforcing the Covenants in the Memorandum of Lease entails compulsory acquisition of the flat, and HDB exercises this right only as a last resort as this is a harsh measure that is not undertaken lightly. HDB’s approach is, therefore, to contemplate enforcement of the Special Covenants in instances where the breaches are serious, for example, for unauthorised renovations where there is a safety risk to residents of the block. For issues relating to disamenities and disputes between neighbours, neighbours should first come together to try to resolve the matter amicably. If this does not work, agencies will advise the affected neighbour to seek mediation. In intractable cases, the affected neighbour may file a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT). If the respondent is shown to have caused unreasonable interference to the affected neighbour, then CDRT may make a range of orders against the respondent, including requiring the respondent to cease or refrain from carrying out certain acts.”
“In fact, more than nine out of 10 buyers who took an HDB housing loan in 2020 had an LTV of 85% or less and would not be affected by the reduction in the LTV limit. They include young couples, gig economy workers and the self-employed. Looking more specifically at households with an income of $7,000 or less, only 1% would be affected. For reference, $7,000 is half the current income ceiling of $14,000 for families to purchase a subsidised flat. To complement the cooling measures which are targeted at moderating demand, we will increase the supply of private and public housing. We will ramp up BTO supply to launch up to 23,000 flats per year in 2022 and 2023, an increase of 35% from the 17,000 flats in 2021. For private housing, we will have around 2,800 units on the Confirmed List for the Government Land Sale (GLS) programme in the first half of 2022, with another 3,700 units on the Reserve List. This is a 40% increase for the Confirmed List from the previous GLS programme in the second half of 2021. We will step up supply even further if demand remains strong. Taken together, the suite of demand and supply measures will help to support a stable and sustainable property market in the medium term and ensure that housing remains affordable and accessible for all Singaporeans, especially for those planning to purchase their first home.”
“The adjustments to the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) threshold and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for HDB-granted loans were part of a package of cooling measures introduced in December last year to promote a sustainable property market, housing affordability and financial prudence. Specifically, the tightened TDSR threshold aims to protect home buyers and ensure that they can continue to service their mortgages over the medium term. This is because interest rates are likely to rise in 2022 and beyond and a combination of rising property prices and higher interest rates will risk a significant increase in mortgage costs for buyers. The tighter TDSR threshold will encourage financial prudence among home buyers. The vast majority of first-time home buyers are unlikely to be affected by the tightening of the TDSR threshold from 60% to 55%. HDB home buyers are already subject to the stricter mortgage service ratio (MSR) of 30%, which was not changed in the latest round of cooling measures. The tightened TDSR will encourage prospective first-time owners of private properties to right-size their intended purchases and mortgages, without overstretching themselves, so that they can better service their debt obligations. The reduction in the LTV limit for HDB housing loans from 90% to 85% is not expected to significantly affect first-timers taking an HDB loan. First-timers receive generous grants for their HDB flat purchase. They are also required to use all their CPF Ordinary Account savings, except for up to $20,000 per buyer, when they buy their flat. The significant grants, coupled with the use of CPF savings, reduce the loan amount that HDB first-timers need to take.”
“These singles are eligible to buy a BTO flat from HDB and will, similarly, be able to buy a resale PLH flat in future. The PLH model is very new. We will continue to review it over time to ensure it meets the needs of different population segments. While our public housing policies support the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans, we also recognise the housing needs and aspirations of singles who wish to have a place of their own. We have expanded the range of housing options available to singles over the years. Today, single Singapore Citizens aged 35 and above can buy resale flats of any size and in any location, including those in existing HDB estates within prime locations that are not launched under the PLH model. To put this in context, a large majority of the resale housing stock, or over a million flats, will be available for singles to purchase in about 15 years at the same time that the first batch of PLH flats reach the open market. First-timer singles also have the option of buying a new 2-room flexi flat from HDB in the non-mature estates. Eligible first-timer singles can also qualify for the various housing grants to assist them in their flat purchase.”
“The Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model is designed with the objective of keeping public housing in prime locations affordable and inclusive for Singaporeans. The eligibility criterion for buyers of a new PLH flat or a typical Build-To-Order (BTO) flat is the same. However, in order to keep PLH flat prices affordable for a wide range of Singaporeans, new PLH flats will be priced with additional subsidies, on top of the substantial subsidies already provided for BTO flats. Beyond the initial purchase, we also want to ensure that the prices of these flats remain within reach of Singaporeans when the PLH flats are sold subsequently on the open market. Without policy intervention, resale prices of PLH flats would likely increase beyond the reach of many Singaporeans. We will, therefore, require buyers of a PLH flat on the resale market to meet the prevailing BTO eligibility criteria, to ensure affordability and accessibility over a longer period of time while managing the demand for the limited supply of PLH flats. Singaporeans are familiar with the means-tested conditions in our BTO eligibility criteria which cover a broad range of Singaporean households. Today, more than eight in 10 Singaporeans are eligible to buy a subsidised flat. As the PLH model is a new model restricted to prime areas, there will not be many flats launched under this model in the initial phase and, therefore, it is necessary at present to set guidelines for priority. Applying the BTO eligibility criteria gives priority to Singaporean families, who may need more space because they have bigger households. They include singles who can form a family unit with their parent(s), or single sibling(s) whose parents have passed on.”
“HDB towns are designed to be self-sufficient with easy access to a wide range of facilities, including commercial facilities to meet the needs of residents. HDB typically plans for a Town Centre at the heart of every HDB Town, to serve as the key commercial hub and provide a broad range of goods and services such as supermarkets, F&B outlets and retail shops. The Town Centre is complemented by neighbourhood centres that are distributed across the town. In selected precincts located further away from the Town Centre and neighbourhood centres, HDB will also build precinct shops which generally include an eating house, supermarket or minimart, and a few shops for the convenience of residents. Most residents will be able to access commercial facilities with a food court or eating house within 400 metres from their homes, or a walk of five to 10 minutes. The quantum of HDB commercial space provided depends on the number of dwelling units and the availability of similar facilities nearby. To ensure that the eating houses provide a variety of food options for residents, HDB eating house operators are required to provide at least one halal food stall within their premises. HDB also observe that most eating houses already provide vegetarian options alongside other menu items.”
“The import of sand for construction and reclamation purposes is done on a commercial basis, and sand is imported from various sources. We do not condone any illegal trade or extraction of sand that breaches the source countries’ laws and regulations. Importers are expected to abide by the laws and regulations of the source countries. These include sourcing from legally permissible areas, and obtaining the proper export documentation and permits from relevant authorities in the source countries. Government contracts to import sand also include clauses mandating that contractors must comply with the laws and regulations of the source countries. Thus far, we do not have evidence of illegal smuggling of sand into Singapore. The authorities will investigate all reports of illegal smuggling of sand, and take enforcement action against errant importers as necessary.”
“For instance, new dormitories will need to include one exhaust fan per toilet and an adequate number of fans in dormitory rooms to ensure sufficient air circulation. The improved standards will also reduce intermixing amongst dormitory residents by modularising dormitory living and segmenting communal facilities. The Government will continue to study how to improve the planning and design of our environment to better mitigate against future pandemics.”
“We have always taken a holistic view towards urban planning, to provide a liveable and quality environment for all to live, work, and play in. This includes planning and designing a city that keeps its residents safe from various threats, including health-related ones. Beyond our immediate responses to managing the impact of COVID-19, we are also continually studying and reviewing the design of our environment and buildings to future-proof our city against public health threats, including pandemics. While many of these studies are ongoing, current findings indicate the importance of adequate ventilation to mitigate airborne disease transmission risk. To this end, BCA already requires new developments and existing developments undergoing major addition and alteration works to be designed for adequate ventilation. For example, all naturally ventilated spaces are required to have a minimum area of openings (e.g. windows) to facilitate air flow. For air-conditioned spaces, buildings are required to take in outdoor air at a minimum rate specified in the Singapore Standard for air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) in buildings. In May 2020 and May 2021, taking into consideration lessons from COVID-19, BCA, NEA, and MOH issued guidelines for building managers to further improve ventilation and indoor air quality. As another example, MOM, MND and MOH recently developed improved standards for new migrant worker dormitories to strengthen their resilience against future pandemics and enhance liveability. With these improved standards, dormitory rooms and toilets will have improved ventilation to reduce virus accumulation.”
“Individuals who wish to register as real estate salespersons (RESs) are required to fulfil the registration criteria, which include having a minimum of four GCE "O" Level passes or the equivalent as determined by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA). This ensures that RESs have basic literacy skills to understand the laws and procedures on property transactions, and provide accurate advice to their clients, and is intended to safeguard consumer interests. Benchmarking prior work experience against the literacy requirements can be highly subjective. For instance, work experience based on similar job titles could vary considerably within an industry, and more so across different industries and localities. Individuals without the relevant educational qualifications can take the Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) assessment by registering with the British Council. The assessment is highly subsidised for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents and can also be paid for using SkillsFuture Credits. CEA will accept a grading of Level 5 and above for the WPLN assessment in lieu of the four GCE "O" Level passes.”
“Smoking in one’s flat may cause nuisance and health concerns to neighbours if cigarette smoke wafts into their homes. While this is covered by the covenant referred to by the Member, enforcing the breach of a covenant under the lease entails compulsory acquisition of the flat. This is a harsh measure that is not undertaken lightly. HDB exercises the right of compulsory acquisition sparingly and often as a last resort. Moreover, should a flat be compulsorily acquired, the flat owners and occupants of the flat, such as their family members, will need to relocate and find a home elsewhere. If the underlying issues are not resolved, the issue will just be brought over to another community. Hence, the approach to manage disamenities and disputes between neighbours is for neighbours to come together to try to resolve the matter amicably. When residents provide feedback to agencies on second-hand tobacco smoke issues, HDB, together with Town Councils and the National Environment Agency, will first encourage neighbours to speak to each other to try to resolve the matter. Where necessary, a Joint Advisory on Smoking in Homes will be issued to the residential unit reported to be emitting second-hand smoke, encouraging considerate behaviour and emphasising the negative impact that second-hand smoke may have on their neighbours. If this does not work, the agencies will advise the affected neighbour to seek mediation. In intractable cases, the affected neighbour may file a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT). If the respondent is shown to have caused unreasonable interference to the affected neighbour, then the CDRT may make a range of orders against the respondent, including requiring the respondent to cease or refrain from carrying out certain acts.”
“Hotels deployed as COVID-19 quarantine facilities are required to regularly clean their premises and guestrooms in line with standards set by MOH to safeguard the health of its staff and the Persons Under Quarantine. The standards specify the regularity and type of cleaning for each setting and situation to minimise transmission risk of COVID-19 within these facilities and into the community. MND conducts regular audits to ensure hotels comply with these standards and highlight specific areas for improvement. In addition, MND shares good practices and measures with its stakeholders to ensure that a high cleanliness and hygiene standard is observed across all quarantine facilities. Persons staying at quarantine facilities may provide feedback on cleanliness and hygiene matters directly to the hotel front desk or MOH’s Quarantine Order Agent hotline. All feedback will be assessed by MOH and MND thoroughly and the appropriate follow-up actions will be taken.”
“Innovation and technology are key enablers to support the transformation of the construction industry. BCA works closely with other agencies and the industry to facilitate the development and deployment of new solutions that can enhance construction productivity. Such solutions can potentially reduce time and costs for construction projects, including residential developments. For example, BCA is part of the multi-agency Built Environment Accelerate-to-Market Programme (BEAMP) for solution providers to work with the industry and public agencies to deploy their solutions. For the recently concluded cycle of the BEAMP in July 2021, eight innovators were awarded funding to develop solutions under themes, such as robotics and automation, advanced design and fabrication, and digital asset delivery and management. In addition, the multi-agency Building Innovation Panel (BIP) led by BCA acts as a one-stop platform to facilitate the regulatory clearances required for the deployment of new solutions to enhance construction productivity and sustainability. Changes in construction costs will not affect the prices of flats sold by HDB, as HDB does not price flats with reference to construction costs. Instead, HDB prices new flats with reference to the market value of flats. To ensure that new flats are affordable, especially for first-time buyers, HDB applies a significant subsidy to the assessed market values of new flats, so that new flats are priced below market. That said, BCA will continue to work closely with HDB to facilitate the deployment of new solutions in their projects through initiatives, such as the BEAMP.”
“Direct-purchase HDB flats are generally eligible for resale in the open market after the five-year minimum occupation period (MOP). The number of direct-purchase HDB flats that are eligible for resale after the MOP, and those that are sold within one year, five years and 10 years of meeting the MOP respectively, for each year over the last 10 years, is appended in Table 1.”
“This includes engaging banks on the Green Mark scheme and recognition of green building certification standards for meeting green financing requirements and conducting workshops to raise awareness on green financing schemes for built environment firms.”
“Buildings accounted for about 11 CO2-equivalent (MtCO2e) of carbon emissions in 2018, the most recent year for which verified data are available. Emissions from buildings are projected to increase with the recovery in the construction of new buildings following the pandemic. To reduce embodied carbon in buildings, BCA will require building projects to implement a minimum number of sustainable construction practices, such as the use of low-carbon concrete and resource-efficient design, from 1 December 2021. On top of this, BCA’s voluntary Green Mark scheme promotes the reduction of a building’s carbon footprint over its entire lifecycle. The scheme encourages developers to assess the embodied and operational carbon of their building projects, use sustainable construction practices and materials and establish environmentally-friendly specifications in the fit out of their buildings. To facilitate companies’ access to green financing, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched the Green and Sustainability-Linked Loans Grant Scheme (GSLS) in January this year. The scheme helps companies defray the cost of conducting independent assessments to validate the sustainability credentials of a loan. The GSLS also supports banks in the development of green and sustainability-linked loan frameworks. Such frameworks provide standardised criteria and processes for the assessment and issuance of loans to finance activities that contribute to sustainable development, such as the construction of green buildings. BCA and MAS are also working with the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) and the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS) to build green financing capabilities in banks and built environment firms.”
“We take a serious view of all acts of animal cruelty and abuse. Individuals who are found guilty of such acts, or of failing to care for their animals, can be charged under the Animals and Birds Act. For animal cruelty cases, first-time offenders can face a maximum fine of $15,000, or a jail term of up to 18 months, or both. Repeat offenders can face a maximum fine of $30,000, or a jail term of up to three years, or both. In addition to these penalties, offenders may be disqualified from owning any animal for up to 12 months. This serves as an added deterrent against acts of animal cruelty and safeguards animal welfare. We are reviewing the penalties under the Animals and Birds Act to ensure that they remain effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse. The review will take into account feedback from consultations with the relevant stakeholders and the public. Beyond regulation and enforcement, NParks will continue to work closely with stakeholders, such as animal welfare groups and veterinarians, to raise public awareness on responsible pet ownership and animal care.”
“NParks adopts a holistic and science-based approach to managing the pigeon population in Singapore, comprising measures, such as food source reduction, habitat modification and population control. Food made available by humans is a key driver of pest bird population growth. To reduce the availability of food sources, NParks works closely with SFA, NEA and Town Councils to encourage proper food waste management at food establishments and to enforce against littering and illegal bird-feeding. As part of its education and outreach efforts, NParks also partners Town Councils, MSO, PA and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to engage feeders. This enables NParks to find out feeders’ motivations and discourage them from continuing to feed birds. NParks also works closely with stakeholders to ensure that its population control methods for pigeons are conducted in a sustainable and humane manner. For example, NParks works with Town Councils and the industry to equip workers with the necessary skills and methods to handle and remove pigeons properly during their operations and to maintain general cleanliness afterwards. NParks will continue to work with agencies and regularly review its measures to manage the pigeon population to safeguard public safety and health. All of us can also play our part by not feeding these pest birds and keeping our environment clean.”
“HDB flats are meant for long-term owner occupation. The minimum occupation period, or MOP, for new and resale HDB flats ensures that flat buyers purchase HDB flats with the intent of living in the flat, instead of quickly reselling the flats for profit. This safeguards HDB flats for households with genuine housing needs and deters speculative purchases, thereby helping to keep HDB flats affordable. While reducing the MOP may temporarily increase the number of flats available on the resale market, it is unlikely to significantly increase the overall housing supply as flat sellers will need alternative housing and will add to the demand for resale flats. It would also compromise the intent of the MOP and could encourage short-term, speculative churning of HDB flats. This would then result in buyers paying higher prices for resale flats. To ensure that flat supply remains responsive to the housing needs of our population, we will continue to monitor the market and demand situation and calibrate the supply of public housing accordingly. HDB remains on track to launch about 17,000 BTO flats in 2021 and we plan for next year’s BTO supply to exceed this. This year’s supply is already higher than the 14,600 and 16,800 flats launched in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Given the current strong housing demand, we will continue on this trajectory going forward to ensure that housing supply keeps up with demand. We will announce more details when ready.”
“Prior to COVID-19, the average waiting time for BTO projects launched in 2019 was between three and four years. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the construction industry and on BTO waiting times. The current average waiting time of projects launched in 2020, after factoring in delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is about four years. For ongoing projects, we expect that most flat buyers will be able to move into their new homes within four to five years after booking their flats, barring any further unforeseen circumstances. We recognise that many home buyers want to move into their new homes and settle down as soon as they can. HDB strives to keep waiting times as short as possible and has rolled out extensive assistance measures to help contractors complete their ongoing projects in a timely manner. However, project-specific attributes, such as storey height, number of units and site conditions will cause waiting times to vary. Projects with challenging site conditions or taller blocks, generally, take a longer time to construct. HDB endeavours to complete all BTO projects expeditiously, without comprising safety and quality.”
“We aim to make DfMA the default building method, especially for large projects, as they have more economies of scale for off-site fabrication. To do so, BCA will enhance its Buildability Framework by raising the minimum Buildable Design Score (B-Score) for large commercial, institutional and industrial developments with Gross Floor Area (GFA) of at least 25,000 sqm. Firms can tap on the Productivity Innovation Project (PIP) scheme under the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF) to help support the upfront cost of adopting DfMA solutions. HDB has also worked with BCA to develop productivity plans for BTO projects. Thus far, HDB has implemented a wide range of productivity initiatives, including the adoption of DfMA building methods, and has achieved an improvement of about 25% in site productivity in 2020, compared to 2010 levels.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has put the construction industry under significant strain. With the introduction of stringent safe management measures (SMMs) at worksites, tightening of border controls for foreign workers and disruption in the supply of building materials, many private and public sector projects have been delayed. The majority of HDB’s Build-to-Order (BTO) projects have been delayed by between six and 12 months beyond their Estimated Completion Dates (ECD) originally indicated to buyers. In the face of these challenges, HDB has been closely monitoring the construction progress of all BTO projects and has rolled out extensive assistance measures to help contractors complete their ongoing projects, to minimise delays to affected flat buyers. With these efforts and assistance measures, we have been able to minimise the extent of further delays to BTO projects. Thus far, the average waiting time for ongoing BTO projects, including delays brought about by the pandemic, has remained between four and five years. If the COVID-19 situation does not get worse, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, we do not expect the delays or average waiting time to be further lengthened. To improve construction productivity and reduce reliance on manual labour, BCA has been working with the industry to adopt the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) building method on a wider scale. DfMA allows building components to be fabricated off-site in automated facilities and subsequently assembled on-site. This reduces our on-site workforce, raises productivity, improves workmanship and reduces disamenities to residents near construction sites. DfMA adoption has doubled over the last three years, from 19% in 2017 to 39% in 2020.”
“The Government will continue to monitor the housing market conditions closely and ensure that Singaporeans have access to affordable public housing.”
“When pricing new flats, HDB applies a significant subsidy to the assessed market value of the flat so that new flats are priced below market, to ensure new flats are affordable. In addition, eligible first-timer flat buyers can also 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. For resale flats, the Government provides housing grants of up to $160,000 to ensure resale flats remain affordable for eligible first-timer families. HDB new and resale flats continue to remain affordable, as incomes have, generally, kept pace with new and resale flat prices over the past few years. On average, the mortgage servicing ratio (MSR), which is the proportion of monthly income used to service mortgage instalment payments, has remained at about 23% or below for new and resale flat buyers taking an HDB housing loan over the past three years. This means that buyers, generally, require little or no cash outlay in servicing the payments for their flats as their mortgage loans can be paid using their CPF contributions. As the servicing of mortgage loans is a long-term commitment, we will continue to monitor the long-term ability of the current generation of flat owners to pay off their loans. The proportion of existing flat owners that faced difficulties repaying their loan has remained fairly stable – prior to COVID-19, the proportion of households on loans issued by HDB that were in arrears of three months or more remained below 5% from 2015 to 2019. This figure was slightly higher at 6% from January to September 2021, as some flat owners are still recovering from financial difficulties due to COVID-19 and HDB has reached out to them to offer assistance.”
“The Government is committed to ensuring a stable and sustainable property market where prices move broadly in line with economic fundamentals. The recent increase in prices can be partly attributed to a broad-based increase in demand for housing, supported by the current low interest rate environment. HDB resale flats continue to remain affordable. On average, the mortgage servicing ratio, which is the proportion of monthly income used to service mortgage instalment payments, has remained stable at 23% among resale flat buyers taking an HDB housing loan, over the past three years. This means that first-timer buyers, generally, have little or no cash outlay in servicing the payments for their resale flats as their mortgage loans can be paid using their CPF contributions. The Government also provides housing grants of up to $160,000 to ensure resale flats remain affordable for eligible first-timer families. To meet the demand for HDB flats, HDB is on track to launch about 17,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in 2021, which are higher than the 14,600 and 16,800 flats launched in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Including the 5,300 flats offered under the Sale of Balance Flats exercises and open booking, a total of 22,300 flats will be offered in 2021. HDB will continue to ramp up the flat supply and will launch more than 17,000 flats in 2022 to meet the strong demand. At the same time, we are continuing to monitor the economic and property market conditions very closely and will ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible for Singaporeans.”
“From this year and over the next two years, we are doubling the supply of flats under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS), which provides an additional temporary housing option for first-timer households waiting for the completion of their new flats. We have also finetuned the eligibility conditions and allocation process to prioritise families in greater need of subsidised temporary housing. As the supply of PPHS flats will remain limited, we encourage flat buyers waiting for the completion of their BTO flats to continue living with their families or consider renting from the open market. We understand that many are able to do so. On a case-by-case basis, HDB has also offered Interim Rental Housing (IRH) to affected buyers, including buyers of Waterway Sunrise II, who have lower incomes, no family support and no other housing options. Upon the completion of the project, similar to all other BTO projects, HDB will conduct stringent checks to ensure there is no compromise in the quality of the project when the contractor hands over the flat to HDB, and home owners will be accorded the full duration of the Defects Liability Period (DLP) of 12 months starting from the date they collect their keys. If home owners provide any feedback on quality issues after the DLP, HDB will evaluate the feedback and see how best to assist the resident, on a case-by-case basis.”
“To safeguard the interests of flat buyers, HDB terminated the services of the contractors on 31 July 2020 and commenced proceedings to quickly bring on board a new contractor to complete the remaining works. In general, once HDB detects any delays on BTO sites, HDB will assess the reasons for the delay and work closely with the contractors to bring the projects back on schedule. As termination will, generally, add to the delays due to the time required to bring a new contractor on board, such decisions are taken after careful consideration, when HDB assesses that the contractor is unable to fulfil its contractual obligations and that the appointment of a new contractor is the best option to minimise further delays and complete the projects. Following the appointment of the replacement contractor for Waterway Sunrise II in October 2020, HDB has been working closely with the contractor to minimise the extent of project delays. HDB has also provided assistance to address COVID-19-induced challenges, such as manpower shortages and disruptions to material supplies. Despite the Government’s best efforts to provide support and assistance measures, Waterway Sunrise II is expected to be completed about six to nine months after the Delivery Possession Date (DPD). At present, this is the only BTO project where the delay has exceeded one year beyond the original estimated completion date. HDB has informed the flat buyers of Waterway Sunrise II of the revised completion date and will continue to keep them updated as construction progresses. HDB will also be providing the maximum reimbursement sum that flat buyers are eligible for under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. We have also taken steps to support flat buyers affected by BTO delays and who need interim housing.”
“HDB tracks the performance of contractors closely during the construction stage, based on a comprehensive monitoring system. This includes regular tracking of the project progress on site, to ensure early detection of issues to ensure timely and appropriate actions can be taken to bring the project back on track. Contractors are also assessed every six months under HDB’s Contractors Performance Assessment (CPA) framework, which takes into account the progress of site works, the quality of works completed, as well as site safety. Poor performance in any of these indicators during construction will result in lower CPA scores and impact the contractor’s ability to secure future HDB projects. For the five HDB Build-To-Order (BTO) projects under former main contractor Greatearth, work at the sites had been progressing satisfactorily and there had been no signs of slow-down prior to Greatearth informing HDB that they had run into financial difficulties and were unable to complete the projects. HDB then engaged Greatearth to explore possible options, such as the provision of advance payments to allow Greatearth to continue with the projects. However, Greatearth did not have the financial ability to continue operations and made the decision to undergo liquidation. In the case of Waterway Sunrise II, HDB had detected delays during its regular monitoring of the progress of works on site and had engaged the contractors on plans to catch up. However, despite HDB’s best efforts, the contractors eventually informed HDB that they were unable to carry on with the project and would have to cease operations on site.”
“For example, NParks has been working with IHLs to enhance their existing courses and develop new training programmes for landscape students and employees. This will allow trainees to learn a wider range of landscaping skills, including the use of mechanisation and digitalisation to improve productivity. In January this year, NParks also launched a pilot to use various digital technologies to manage greenery and parks in the Ang Mo Kio-Bishan area. NParks is leveraging this pilot to familiarise and train the landscape sector’s companies and professionals, as well as students who will eventually join the sector, in the use of these tools and technologies, which will improve productivity and reduce the need for manual labour. When the pilot concludes, NParks will work with the sector to deploy these technologies progressively as part of NParks’ park and greenery management contracts across Singapore.”
“NParks encourages service buyers in the landscape sector to adopt performance-based contracts, by providing them with guidance on relevant procurement practices. NParks is also supporting the Landscape Industry Association of Singapore in developing a service buyer’s guide for the landscape sector, to help facilitate the shift towards performance-based contracts. As a major service buyer itself, NParks also awards performance-based contracts for landscape maintenance services. NParks evaluates tender proposals for these contracts based on the quality and price of the proposals, with the quality criterion taking into account the tenderers’ ability to deliver service outcomes. NParks has been increasing its emphasis on service outcomes in these contracts, by steadily increasing the weightage of the quality criterion in its tender evaluations from 20% to the current 40% over the last 10 years. NParks also ensures that tenderers train their employees sufficiently to deliver good service outcomes, by requiring tenderers bidding for its landscape maintenance contracts to be registered in the Landscape Company Register (LCR) for at least two consecutive years. Companies on the LCR are required to fulfil the conditions of the Progressive Wage Model for the landscape sector, including training their employees appropriately for their job scopes. To support the development of the sector, NParks launched the 10-year Landscape Sector Transformation Plan (LSTP) in May 2019 to digitalise, mechanise and professionalise the sector. Since the LSTP was launched, NParks has worked with stakeholders in the landscape industry and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to further support the sector’s transformation efforts.”
“We will continue to work with the construction industry to bring in more workers safely to meet the needs of key ongoing projects, such as HDB’s BTO projects, in the coming months. However, the industry will also need to reduce its reliance on migrant workers and move decisively away from labour-intensive construction methods for new projects, rather than reverting to pre-COVID-19 norms of building. We encourage firms to take this opportunity to transform, and tap on available incentives such as BCA’s Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF) and Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to improve their productivity, so that the construction industry can be more resilient.”
“The Government has implemented several measures to alleviate the tight manpower situation for construction firms. First, we have made it easier for firms to retain their existing workers. MOM has allowed Work Permit Holders (WPHs) whose work permits are expiring between July and December 2021 to renew their permits for up to two more years. This includes WPHs who are reaching their maximum age and/or maximum Period of Employment. MOM has also partnered the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL) to introduce a retention scheme to match interested employers with experienced construction WPHs whose work passes have expired or been cancelled, but who are willing to continue working in Singapore. Second, we have helped firms to bring in new workers. BCA has worked with MOM to temporarily allow new construction WPHs from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to obtain their skills certification in Singapore instead of at Overseas Testing Centres in the PRC, from 7 May 2021 until the end of this year. This temporary flexibility has been extended to other approved sources of construction WPHs, on a case-by-case basis. The industry has also taken the lead through an Alliance for Action (AfA) approach to bring in more workers safely through a tightened end-to-end process. This involves protocols such as a stringent COVID-19 testing regime over a 14-day period for workers in source countries before they depart for Singapore, to minimise the risk of importing COVID-19 cases. From 1 November 2021, the industry can also apply to bring in vaccinated WPHs from countries such as India and Bangladesh. However, longer waiting time for this latter channel should be expected due to high demand.”
“HDB and MAS impose caps on the mortgage servicing ratio (MSR) and total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) on HDB borrowers, to encourage financial prudence when making property purchases. The MSR is capped at 30% and applies to housing loans granted by both HDB and Financial Institutions (FIs) for the purchase of a HDB flat, or an Executive Condominium (EC) unit that is within the minimum occupation period. The TDSR cap is 60%1 and only applies to housing loans granted by FIs, including those extended to HDB flat buyers. The MSR and TDSR for HDB flat buyers are generally well below their respective limits in the period from 2013 to 2021 (till Q3), and the figures are shown in Table 1.”