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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“HDB aims to evaluate and respond to requests for a rental flat within three weeks of receiving the required information from applicants. This provides applicants with certainty on whether they are eligible for a rental flat. For complex cases, HDB may need more time to understand the applicant’s circumstances and housing options, including working with social service agencies to address the underlying causes of the applicant’s housing situation. In some cases, applicants may need some time to submit additional documents to support their requests. Should more time be needed for evaluation, HDB will provide interim updates to assure applicants that their requests are being looked into. The waiting time for successful applicants to be allocated a rental flat has increased from about two months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to about five months currently. Due to the severe labour crunch that the construction industry is facing, a longer time is required to spruce up rental flats that have been returned to HDB before they are let out to new tenants. In addition, HDB had activated over 2,000 rental units as emergency housing in support of the fight against COVID-19. While these units have since been returned to the public rental pool, they also require sprucing works before they can be let out. To reduce the waiting time for rental flats, HDB is working on measures to speed up the sprucing works and facilitate key collections as quickly as possible. For applicants with urgent housing needs such as medical grounds or other extenuating circumstances, HDB will expedite their key collection. In 2020, about a third of our successful rental applicants were granted priority allocation.”
“The pace of increase in private and public housing prices has gathered momentum since the second quarter of 2020, reflecting broad-based demand for housing, supported by the current low interest rate environment. As has been publicly communicated, the Government’s intent is to ensure a stable and sustainable property market, where prices move broadly in line with economic fundamentals. The Government will continue to monitor economic and property market conditions closely, and adjust the supply of future Government Land Sales (GLS) Programmes and Built-To-Order (BTO) flats to meet occupation demand.”
“With regard to Second Reading, tomorrow, Sir.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, copies of the Bill have been provided to the Clerk, who will distribute it to Members now. [Handouts were distributed to hon Members.]”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to amend the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020." [(proc text) Bill read the First time. (proc text)]”
“Sir, I have a Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No 3) Bill, to be laid upon the Table. [(proc text) Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Bill, laid upon the Table by the Minister for National Development. (proc text)]”
“Contractors tender for HDB projects based on designs and specifications provided by HDB which take into account life-cycle costs, sustainability and maintainability. The carbon footprint of building materials is not a direct criterion for tender evaluation. Nevertheless, as the largest master planner and housing developer in Singapore, HDB has been actively driving sustainability efforts in the planning, design and development of public housing towns and estates. All new HDB public housing developments achieve BCA's Green Mark Gold certification or higher, while new public housing developments in new towns / districts (e.g. Tengah, Punggol, Bidadari, Tampines North & South) achieve Green Mark GoldPlus certification or higher. The Green Mark scheme encourages the adoption of sustainable building materials, including the use of recycled materials and low-carbon concrete. Currently, projects targeting the Green Mark GoldPlus certification or higher are required to compute the embodied carbon of concrete, glass, and steel used in construction. Going forward, as part of the ongoing Cities of Tomorrow Research & Development (R&D) programme, HDB will study the use of alternative building materials to further reduce our carbon footprint. If the research outcomes are promising, the adoption of such materials will be balanced against other considerations such as availability, cost, quality and performance requirements.”
“As at end-February 2021, HDB has selected about 375,000 flats for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) since the programme's inception in 2007. Of the 375,000 flats that have been selected for HIP, HIP works have been completed for about 218,000 flats, with HIP for the remaining flats at various stages of implementation. There are currently about 173,000 flats which are eligible for HIP but are pending selection. Construction work at ongoing HIP projects was halted during the 2-month Circuit Breaker period last year. Work has since resumed, but the expected completion dates have generally been delayed by about 6 to 9 months, mainly due to manpower challenges faced by the construction industry as a result of COVID-19 and the need to comply with onsite Safe Management Measures. HDB has been working with BCA and MOM to mitigate the delays and manpower challenges, and will continue to update residents on the schedule for their HIP works.”
“Compatible facilities are co-located in and near parks to provide park visitors with a wider range of amenities, while allowing users of these facilities to be closer to nature. When planning for such facilities, we assess whether they complement the park and if there is suitable space available. Such facilities are designed to be integrated with the surrounding landscape, and to minimise impact on greenery. The HomeTeamNS Bedok Clubhouse site was selected to provide visitors to Bedok Reservoir Park with more amenities, while allowing waterfront access for activities conducted by the Clubhouse. To minimise impact to the park, the Clubhouse is located primarily on an open area. Its design is also kept fenceless and porous, with lush planting to retain the park ambience. The site for the Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) campus at Coney Island was chosen as it is easily accessible to mainland Singapore and the other OBS campus at Pulau Ubin. The waterfront setting is beneficial for the running of outdoor educational programmes for our youth. OBS is working with NParks, nature groups, and various stakeholders to design the campus to fit into the character of Coney Island, and to enhance the greenery where possible.”
“Public rental flats are heavily subsidised and are therefore allocated to households who are in need and do not have other housing options within their means. From 2016 to 2020, HDB received an average of 7,500 requests regarding rental flats a year. An average of 2,600 such requests per year were successful; the remaining requests included enquiries on eligibility conditions, incomplete requests, and rejected requests. The common reasons for rejecting requests for rental flats include applicants having the means to buy an HDB flat, having family members who can house them, or not meeting the citizenship criterion. HDB does not track the number of unsuccessful requests based on rejection criteria. HDB carefully assesses every request to understand each household's circumstances and budget, and will assist households with a rental flat if they have no other housing options.”
“MND agrees with the importance of building local capability in the facilities management (FM) sector. Our tender requirements for the Tampines Integrated Municipal Operations Pilot emphasise upskilling, cross-training and smarter deployment of FM workers, regardless whether the Tenderers are local or foreign companies. As we scale this new service delivery model, these tenets will over time raise FM workforce capabilities and encourage more Singaporeans to take on the good jobs thus created. At the same time, as a signatory to the World Trade Organisation's Agreement on Government Procurement and various Free Trade Agreements, the Singapore Government will continue to assess all tender proposals, including those for the Integrated Municipal Operations Pilot, based on merit. This will help the Government obtain best value for municipal service delivery in Tampines, including the workforce upgrading outcomes described above. Our laws already allow for the appointment of non-public officers for certain enforcement functions today. For example, the Police Force Act has provisions for the appointment and empowerment of non-public officers to maintain peace and good order, and the Environment Public Health Act and National Environment Agency Act for enforcement against littering. The appointed Operator will similarly be empowered by these legislation to carry out enforcement services contracted under the Tampines Pilot.”
“As of 4Q 2020, there are solar panels installed on around 2,500 commercial and residential buildings. The installed power capacity of solar panels on buildings varies according to the availability and suitability of rooftop spaces, among other considerations.”
“HDB provides up to two housing loans at the concessionary interest rate to eligible Singapore citizen households, subject to credit assessment and the prevailing mortgage loan criteria. This is generally sufficient to meet the needs of most flat buyers. As an HDB housing loan is intended to help flat buyers to finance their home purchase, all flat buyers are considered to have taken the housing loan once it is disbursed. This is regardless of whether they subsequently profit from the ownership of the flat. Nevertheless, for those who have already taken two housing loans from HDB, HDB exercises flexibility on a case-by-case basis to provide another HDB housing loan to those who have exhausted their financing options, and are in urgent need of housing. Individuals who apply for an HDB concessionary loan to include their name as a co-owner in a flat to replace their parent following their parent's demise are advised at various points that they will be considered as having taken one HDB concessionary loan. For instance, the HDB Loan Eligibility letter highlights that all loan applicants will be deemed as having taken an HDB housing loan once the loan is disbursed. This point is similarly included in the Terms and Conditions in the application for a change of flat ownership to include the child as a co-owner. As an added measure, HDB staff also highlight this implication to the applicants on the completion day of the change in flat ownership. Flat buyers who wish to preserve the option to take up an HDB housing loan in future may consider taking out a mortgage loan from the financial institutions regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore instead, subject to the financial institution's requirements.”
“To raise awareness amongst residents on the dangers of obstruction and promote good neighbourliness, HDB organises outreach activities such its Outreach to Young and Youth! and Friends of Heartlands Programme to promote gracious living which includes keeping corridors uncluttered. Residents are strongly encouraged to do their part to maintain a safe and pleasant living environment by removing corridor clutter and ensuring that passages are clear.”
“Town Councils and management corporations (MCSTs) are responsible for managing the common areas within HDB estates and strata-titled developments respectively. This includes ensuring compliance with the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) fire safety requirements. Town Councils and MCSTs should hence conduct regular checks and respond promptly to feedback on excessive clutter in common areas. SCDF can issue Fire Hazard Abatement Notices to require Town Councils or MCSTs to rectify any fire hazards identified during its inspections. If the fire safety risk is serious, SCDF can issue a notice of composition to the Town Council or MCST. Town Councils and MCSTs are respectively empowered under the Town Councils Act and the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act to enact by-laws to regulate the use of common areas. For Town Councils, this includes by-laws that prohibit the excessive placement of objects that may cause obstruction at common areas. MCSTs are also required to adopt a set of prescribed by-laws, including one that prohibits residents from obstructing the use of the common property. The Town Councils and MCSTs work closely with SCDF to regulate and rectify obstructions that may cause a fire hazard. Residents who flout the Town Councils' by-laws are liable for a fine of up to $5,000. MCSTs are also empowered to remove obstructions and recover the costs incurred from residents. The Government adopts a multi-pronged approach to tackle the issue of clutter in common areas. HDB conducts site inspections on selected blocks to ensure that the HDB estates are well-managed. Reports from these inspections are sent to Town Councils for follow-up.”
“The conduct of real estate salespersons (RESs), commonly known as property agents, is governed by the Estate Agents Act (EAA) and its Regulations, as well as the Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care (CEPCC). These have been put in place by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) to ensure that RESs conduct themselves professionally and ethically, and to safeguard consumer interest. The CEPCC requires RESs to protect and promote the interests of their clients. RESs must therefore be fully conversant and comply with the relevant laws, regulations and codes that apply to property transactions, and must not do anything which may directly or indirectly lead their clients to infringe them. When advising their clients on their property purchases, RESs must give accurate and unbiased advice which takes into account their clients’ interests, including relevant factors such as affordability. In the context of the sale and purchase of HDB flats, RESs must ensure that their clients meet HDB's eligibility requirements to sell their flats, including fulfilling the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP). Flat owners can login to My HDBPage to check if they have met the MOP, which can vary for different flat types. RESs may advise flat owners to check on their MOP via the owners' My HDBPage. CEA will investigate complaints against RESs and conduct regular inspections and surveillance, and take action against those who breach the EAA and its Regulations. Members of the public who are aware of RESs who have breached the EAA and its Regulations can submit a complaint via CEA’s website, and CEA will look into the matter. Errant RESs may be warned, issued with a financial penalty and/or have their registration with CEA suspended or revoked.”
“With greater digitalisation and the expansion of the landscape sector, NParks expects that 1,000 new and upgraded jobs will be created over the next five years, catering to workers of different profiles. NParks estimates that about 70% of these new jobs will be in the areas of arboriculture, horticulture and landscape design. These jobs can be taken up by both fresh graduates from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics, and universities, as well as mid-career applicants. 25% of the new jobs will be for residents taking part in NParks' Resident Gardeners Programme, a pilot programme where landscape companies employ residents to care for greenery in their neighbourhoods. Finally, 5% of the jobs will be in related industries such as information technology and facilities management. These estimates are subject to change based on industry developments and the results of NParks' ongoing pilots for the Resident Gardeners Programme, and the use of digital technologies to manage greenery and parks. NParks works with stakeholders in the landscape industry and Institutes of Higher Learning to support the industry's training needs. This is part of NParks' efforts to digitalise, mechanise and professionalise the sector under the Landscape Sector Transformation Plan. For example, NParks has worked with ITE to revise its landscaping course curriculum to impart a wider range of skills, including digital skills. Companies can also tap on ITE’s Work-Study Diploma in Arboriculture and Horticulture. NParks' Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology also conducts skills training programmes for landscape sector professionals, and NParks will train residents in the pilot Resident Gardeners Programme to use mechanised tools for their work, where relevant.”
“The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) was set up in October 2010 to regulate the real estate agency industry. The annual number of real estate salespersons (RESs) since CEA's formation is as follows: Based on available records, the breakdown of the RES population in terms of age, gender, nationality and education for the past five years is as follows: Based on a survey conducted by CEA in end 2020, 59% of RESs indicated that they are working full-time as a RES, while the other 41% indicated that they are working part-time.”
“HDB does not have data on the income of tenants who rent HDB flats in the open market. Eligible flat owners can apply to rent out spare bedroom(s) or their whole flat to eligible tenants. HDB does not require flat owners to indicate their tenants’ income in their application to rent out their bedroom or whole flat. Families and individuals who are in need and do not have other housing options within their means may request for a rental flat from HDB. We will carefully assess every request to understand each household’s circumstances, and assist them with a rental flat if they have no other housing options.”
“Based on the site inspections conducted by HDB, an average of one obstruction case per block is found along the corridors of HDB blocks each year. A case is considered an "obstruction" when the clear passage width at the corridor is less than 1.2 metres, as stipulated by SCDF. The common areas, including corridors, in HDB estates are under the management and maintenance of the Town Councils. Town Councils are responsible for resolving cases of obstruction along HDB corridors. HDB does not track the average time taken by the Town Councils to resolve such cases. However, based on anecdotal feedback from some Town Councils, the average time taken to resolve each case could range from a few days to several months depending on the complexity of the case.”
“HDB does not track the number of wheel-chair bound residents in our flats. But I can assure the Member that HDB will attend to every case of a resident requesting help with mobility issues, and do its best to assist such residents. Over the past year, HDB received 27 cases of feedback on wheelchair accessibility within HDB blocks and estates.”
“Today, there remain about 150 blocks where it is still not possible to implement the LUP due to prohibitive costs or existing technical constraints, such as limited space to build new lift shafts. While HDB will continue to explore possible ways to bring direct lift access to these blocks, we recognized that some residents may urgently require direct lift access due to medical or mobility issues. Hence, in March last year, HDB introduced the Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000, to help those with medical or mobility issues buy a new or resale HDB flat with direct lift access. As at February 2021, HDB has approved 22 applications for the LHG and is evaluating another four applications. To further help some of our less mobile residents, HDB also enhanced its Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme in December 2018 to include two new improvement items – a portable ramp and a customised ramp – to help residents living in HDB flats with multi-step entrances move in and out of their homes with greater ease. Since December 2018, more than 1,900 ramps have been successfully installed. Where ramp solutions are not feasible, a wheelchair lifter is offered as an option in a pilot programme launched in December 2018. As of end February 2021, a total of 10 wheelchair lifters had been installed. I encourage residents who want to make their flats more senior-friendly, be it for themselves or for the seniors living with them, to apply for EASE directly with HDB, or opting for the EASE improvement items when their flats undergo the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). Nothwithstanding, we acknowledge that there is always more we and the Town Councils can do, and we have improvement programmes such the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme to upgrade our estates over time.”
“With an ageing society and a ever-growing number of senior citizens, more and more HDB residents may face mobility issues and even require the use of wheelchairs. We recognise the increasing need for barrier free accessibility in our HDB estates, which is why we have over the years set out a range of programmes, in full anticipation that all residents may one day have mobility needs. In 1990, the Code on Barrier Free Accessibility in Buildings was introduced to set minimum standards for barrier-free accessibility in and outside buildings. This was complemented by BCA’s barrier-free accessibility programme in 2006 to address older buildings built before the Code. In 2012, when the programme was completed, close to 8,000 HDB blocks were made barrier free by retrofitting them with features such as ramps and railings, and by leveling of steps. All new HDB estates are built with barrier-free access features, which include wider corridors for wheelchair movement, and a wheelchair accessible bathroom within the flat. HDB also provides other features such as wheelchair-accessible letter boxes and planters for community planting. Barrier-free accessibility, of course, also applies to connectivity between blocks, key precinct facilities and amenities as well as traffic crossings and transportation nodes. In 2001, HDB introduced the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) to provide direct lift access to flats and enhance convenience for residents, especially the elderly and less mobile. At the start of the LUP, there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks without full direct lift access. Over the years, through the use of innovative technical solutions, HDB has provided LUP for the vast majority of these blocks.”
“NParks works closely with LTA, volunteers, and the community to conduct joint engagement sessions on the safe use of our Park Connector Network (PCN). In particular, the focus is on park connectors with high usage and more frequent feedback on user incidents. For example, advisories on the safe use of the PCN are handed out to users at these areas. NParks has also worked with the Friends of the PCN community group and other volunteers to engage and educate the public through workshops, cycling events, and educational banners put up along park connectors. NParks will be increasing the frequency of these community engagement and public education efforts, in tandem with the implementation of its new PCN lane markings. It has already begun engaging community groups, such as cycling interest groups, on the new lane markings. NParks will continue to work with LTA and the community to promote responsible use of our park connectors.”
“Under the Wildlife Act, which came into force on 1 June 2020, NParks has also strengthened its regulatory regime by imposing stiffer penalties for the illegal feeding of wildlife. Offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for the feeding of any wild animal, including pest bird species, up from $500 for feeding pigeons before the Wildlife Act came into force. We would like to remind the public to be socially responsible, by not feeding pest birds, and by keeping public areas clean and free of food waste. This is the most promising approach for keeping the pest bird population under control.”
“Members have asked about NParks’ pest bird management strategies, including the management of crow and pigeon populations in Singapore. NParks adopts a holistic and science-based approach to mitigating pest bird issues, comprising measures such as food source reduction, habitat modification, and population control. To inform its pest bird management strategies, NParks carries out population studies and surveys to understand the ecology of the birds. For example, a recent study by NParks affirmed that food made available by humans is a key driver of pest bird population growth. There are also ongoing studies to examine how their reproductive biology and factors such as food availability, cleanliness, and building design affect their population. To reduce the availability of food sources, NParks has been working closely with SFA, NEA, and Town Councils to encourage proper food waste management at food establishments. 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 their motivations, address misconceptions, and discourage them from continuing to feed birds. In January 2021, NParks also launched the island-wide "Say No to Feeding Wildlife" campaign to raise awareness on the negative impact of feeding wildlife, including birds. In tandem with public education and outreach, NParks works closely with agencies and Town Councils to enforce against illegal bird-feeding. This includes measures such as camera surveillance at identified feeding hotspots, and carrying out targeted enforcement operations.”
“All land reclamation projects are required to undergo environmental studies to assess the possible environmental impact, such as on water quality and marine ecology. The process includes an in-depth consultation with Technical Agencies such as NParks, NEA, MPA and SFA. The environmental studies guide the planning of the reclamation, including measures to mitigate the impact on the environment, where necessary. The environmental study reports are made publicly available, unless there are overriding security considerations that require us to maintain confidentiality. The import of reclamation sand to Singapore, like other construction materials, is done on a commercial basis. To mitigate the environmental impact across the supply chain, suppliers of reclamation sand are required to comply with local legal procedures governing the proper extraction or transportation of sand from areas where they are legally permitted to do so, as well as any legislation on environmental impact. They are required to produce export licenses and permits from the relevant authorities in the source countries, before they are allowed to commence sand imports. Our sand tender contracts also include clauses mandating that contractors must comply with the laws and environmental regulations of the source countries.”
“As at end-February 2021, HDB has selected about 375,000 flats for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) since the programme’s inception in 2007. Of the 375,000 flats that have been selected for HIP, HIP works have been completed for about 218,000 flats, with HIP for the remaining flats at various stages of implementation. There are currently about 173,000 flats which are eligible for HIP but are pending selection. Construction work at ongoing HIP projects was halted during the 2-month Circuit Breaker period last year. Work has since resumed, but the expected completion dates have generally been delayed by about six to nine months, mainly due to manpower challenges faced by the construction industry as a result of COVID-19 and the need to comply with onsite Safe Management Measures. HDB has been working with BCA and MOM to mitigate the delays and manpower challenges, and will continue to update residents on the schedule for their HIP works.”
“The funding for all selected upgrading projects under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), Selective Lift Replacement Programme (SLRP) or Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) has not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as the funding was secured and set aside prior to project selection. To ensure that our HDB flats and precincts remain highly liveable, HDB will continue to implement HIP, SLRP and NRP for eligible blocks and estates, contingent on the Government’s overall fiscal position and budget availability.”
“Construction at all 89 ongoing HDB BTO projects has resumed following the Circuit Breaker period last year. However, project timelines have been affected due to the Circuit Breaker period, strict safe management measures put in place for work at construction sites to resume, and global supply chain disruptions and manpower shortages within the construction industry. About 85% of these ongoing BTO projects have been delayed by about six to nine months beyond the Estimated Completion Dates (ECDs) originally indicated to buyers during project launches. The extent of the delay varies by BTO project, and depends on site-specific factors such as manpower availability, the contractor’s performance and materials supply. HDB is closely monitoring the construction progress of all BTO projects and will work with contractors to meet the revised completion dates. HDB is also working with various agencies on mitigating measures to reduce the length of delays. This includes getting exemptions to allow less noisy construction activities to be carried out on Sundays and Public Holidays where possible. HDB is progressively updating affected flat buyers on the revised completion dates through letters and the My HDBPage as construction progresses. Those unable to find alternative housing arrangements in the interim with family members, relatives or on the open market may contact HDB for assistance. As at end February 2021, HDB has updated about 43,000 affected households on the delay, of which around 240 households were assisted with Interim Rental Housing (IRH) flats.”
“To safeguard the health and welfare of animals, NParks is reviewing its pet business licensing conditions including the housing and management, healthcare, and traceability of the animals. As part of this review, NParks intends to require dog farms to provide information on the cause of death of dogs under their care. NParks is also considering this requirement for pet shops. This will improve NParks' biosurveillance of the animal population and allow it to take immediate measures to prevent the spread of diseases, including potential zoonotic ones, in the event of a disease incursion. More details will be announced when ready.”
“HDB provides up to two housing loans at the concessionary interest rate to eligible Singapore Citizen households, subject to credit assessment and the prevailing mortgage loan criteria. Beyond this, households who require another housing loan have to seek financing from Financial Institutions regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Nevertheless, HDB does exercise flexibility to provide another HDB housing loan for those who have exhausted their financing options, and are in urgent need of housing, on a case-by-case basis. In 2020, HDB received about 6,000 appeals for a third HDB housing loan. These appeals formed about 20% of the total number of loan appeals received by HDB. Of the 6,000 appeals for a third HDB housing loan, about 1% had appealed for a loan to include their children as co-owners to help with the servicing of the loan instalments.”
“NParks has concluded its investigations into the alleged animal welfare-related offences by the operator of the pet boarding facility Platinium Dogs Club. As the case is now before the Court, NParks is unable to comment further on this matter.”
“In 2019, NParks embarked on a review of the pet sector to raise animal health and welfare standards, and safeguard public health. Since then, NParks has consulted the public and worked closely with stakeholders, and has made progress in several areas. For example, in 2020, NParks implemented one-time licensing for sterilised dogs and introduced vaccination guidelines to strengthen the animal health system. NParks also worked on increasing dog rehoming rates by allowing more mixed-breed dogs to be rehomed in HDB flats under Project ADORE. To further improve dog rehoming and adoption processes, a multi-stakeholder Rehoming and Adoption Work Group was formed in October last year. We thank the Member for being part of this work group. As part of the pet sector review, NParks also intends to raise the standards of service providers in the pet sector. For example, NParks plans to license commercial pet boarding facilities based on the scale and nature of their operations. It is also reviewing the licensing conditions for pet boarders and breeders, including the housing and management, healthcare and traceability of the animals. NParks has been working with relevant stakeholders on this revised regulatory framework, and will announce more details when ready.”
“My colleagues and I look forward to working with more of you to build a Singapore where no one is left behind. [Applause.]”
“Third, empower lead agencies such as our SSOs and Family Service Centres (FSCs) to exercise more leadership to stitch together interventions while other agencies support as part of one team. Fourth, provide better signposting of ground needs to donors, to volunteers, to philanthropists and corporate social responsibility (CSR), so that their giving is not just meaningful but impactful, targeted and productive. Achieve social impact that many volunteers and donors yearn to see. We are testing out these ideas at selected ComLink communities. ComLink is an ambitious enterprise premised on the belief that Government, SSAs and the community come together at the national level, supported by resources and the right policies, we can make a much bigger impact in uplifting the low-income and vulnerable. Social sector practitioners have told us that what we are trying to achieve is critically needed. In fact, we are doing this because of their sound advice and guidance over the years. They tell us this is much needed but not easy to achieve. We must confess that with no precedent to rely on, we are feeling the stones as we cross the river. But I am confident that we can cross the river to the other side because of our common desire to build a society that cares more deeply for those who have less. We want to roll up our sleeves, make an impact and see the difference. We need to do this together. So, Minister Masagos, Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling, Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua and I would like to invite Singaporeans to be a part of this movement on the ground. Those who are keen to join us can approach a Volunteer Centre set up by MCCY in your town or sign up through Volunteer.sg portal.”
“Ever since the Social Service Office (SSO) knocked on her door two years ago as part of ComLink, Theresa gradually opened up to share her challenges and aspirations of becoming a childcare teacher and her hopes of owning her own HDB flat. Her social worker and community partners came together, provided her coordinated support and worked out with her a case plan, a progress plan, a roadmap. Today, Theresa is a confident parent with stable employment who contributes back to her own local community. Her two children regularly attend ComLink programmes. We want to empower more families like Theresa's. We will therefore scale ComLink across Singapore over the next two years to cover all families with children living in rental housing. We will do so by expanding from the existing four sites to 21 towns in the next two years to cover 14,000 rental housing families with children across the island. The SSOs will continue to drive this effort with relevant Government agencies, social service agencies and community organisations through ComLink Alliances. As we step up efforts to do more for vulnerable Singaporeans, we need to redesign the way we deliver services. This is a natural evolution of the social safety nets that Minister Masagos has set out in his opening frame. And what is this new way of delivering social services? First, streamline outreach efforts so that families are not overtaxed by various agencies and interventions. Second, align agencies to a common set of outcomes centred on the families so that families are not pulled in different directions by different agencies and charities.”
“45 pm In 2019, MSF launched ComLink at four pilot locations: Boon Lay, Jalan Kukoh, Kembangan-Chai Chee and Marsiling. Since its launch, we have supported 1,000 families with children. Ms Carrie Tan asked if ComLink is taking an asset-based community development, or ABCD, approach. Yes, elements of ABCD are in ComLink but ComLink is more than that. Under ComLink, instead of waiting for households to seek help, we proactively reached out to families with young children who are living in rental housing to understand their needs, their fears and their aspirations, listen to their voice. We pulled together data across agencies and used them to identify issues faced by families as well as assets and gaps in the community. Community partners came together to coordinate support for families with complex interlocking issues. We came up with common action plans and journeyed with the families to support them in achieving their goals. You cannot rush this. It takes time. You have to journey with them. It might take months, it might take years, it might take even a generation. But we journey with them. We also partnered about 30 corporates, donors and social service agencies, and 240 volunteers to mount some 60 ComLink programmes specifically tailored to meet the families' and the community's needs. So, data driven needs identified by our outreach to the families, hearing and listening to them, and tailoring those support. Our objective is to systematically uplift families with children living in rental housing and support them towards stability, self-reliance and social mobility. Let me illustrate with one example. Theresa is a single mother with two children and had difficulty holding down a stable job because of the difficulties she faced.”
“These programmes will be organised along SSO regional clusters, so that agencies can easily work with the partners in the same region, build relationships among each other to convene case discussions and coordinate support. In turn, this strengthens the SG Cares Community Network in each town. During the Emerging Stronger Conversations that we have had, many Singaporeans expressed their desire to build a society that cares even more deeply for the vulnerable and less privileged. Mr Seah Kian Peng also asked how we will build stronger partnerships with the community to support those in need. We will strive to achieve this through the SG Cares Community Networks. This is a Singapore Together Alliance for Action, or AfA, which focuses on prototyping new ideas to solve problems. The Networks also provide a platform where local partners in a town, with Government agencies, charities, social service agencies and other community groups get to know one another face to face, collaborate and, over time, build a relationship of trust in the local community. We have seen the collective impact of the Networks earlier. And we believe we are just starting to tap on its potential, and we call on more community partners and volunteers to join our efforts. Community Link, or ComLink for short, is a flagship initiative that seeks to pull together the elements that we talked about earlier: achieving deeper integration, putting families at the centre of our work, being proactive, building strong local networks, and partnering the community. Deputy Prime Minister Heng and Minister Masagos had announced the expansion of ComLink earlier. So, now, let me provide some details, which will also address Mr Mohd Fahmi's cut on ComLink's progress and future plans. 7.”
“Another platform, called Case Connect, will be rolled out in phases from June this year. Today, collaboration takes place over different modes – emails, phone calls, messages, handwritten notes. Valuable information can get lost when case workers change, or new partners come onboard, and you can imagine many, many agencies are involved. Case Connect will allow frontline officers and case workers to make referrals, share assessments and updates, and coordinate with other partners on a single platform. To reduce the administrative burden on frontline officers and our social service agency partners, we integrated the systems with single sign-in and will progressively build system linkages. So, not just focusing on our clients, but ensuring that our frontline, both in Government and in the social service sector, they find it meaningful, they find it seamless and they find it integrated for themselves, too. Case coordination can become challenging with more partners involved. To drive integration, we will take a regional approach to organise key social services because, in reality, if you ask the different agencies, they tend to serve the same families, the same households in the same locality. Our aim is to have a common set of partners serve the same community in the same region. This helps to reduce coordination costs and promote better integration across agencies. We have been organising many of our programmes with this regional approach in mind. These include KidSTART and Community Link or ComLink, which Minister Masagos had shared about earlier. We will also set up regional Strengthening Families Programme @ FSC to support early-risk and stressed families. Minister of State Sun Xueling will elaborate more later.”
“They now qualify for medical assistance at public healthcare institutions, childcare subsidies and MOE Financial Assistance without having to be repeatedly means-tested. MSF is working with other agencies to set up new protocols, so that clients can seamlessly access assistance via other agencies, beyond the SSOs. Mr Don Wee had suggested making the help-seeking process more seamless for low-income vulnerable families by sharing data across Ministries and integrating the application processes. This is, indeed, something we are working on with the relevant agencies. We will make better use of data and technology to improve our clients’ experience and our officers’ productivity. Today, some clients have to repeat their circumstances and submit similar documents repeatedly to apply for different schemes from different departments. Officers often spend time collecting information that is already available with another agency. This time can be better spent building trust and rapport. The systems enhancements that we mentioned at last year's COS to improve data-sharing between agencies are coming on-stream this year. One platform is what we called One Client View, or OneCV, which was rolled out last month to officers from 12 agencies. In the past, the household who wanted to apply for rental housing, ComCare assistance and childcare subsidies, for example, had to submit income documents three times to these three different agencies. With One Client View, the family can do away with these submissions and simply give consent for agencies to retrieve the information through this platform. One Cilent View has multiple levels of safeguards built in to ensure that such personal data is kept safe.”
“MSF, PA and MCCY rallied community partners, social service agencies, corporates and some 900 volunteers to reach out to 50,000 rental households. We managed to offer timely support, especially to households who were suffering but had not yet reached out to seek help. We referred 5,000 households in rental flats to various agencies for further healthcare support, counselling, employment and financial assistance and so on. These examples demonstrate clearly how important networks of trust are during a crisis. Ms Joan Pereira and Ms Denise Phua asked how we work with social service agencies and community partners to deliver social services in a coordinated manner. Our approach has been to organise our support around each family’s needs and practise what we called the 3Cs earlier. And to achieve this, MSF has trained nearly 4,300 officers to assess underlying issues and to deliver more comprehensive support. Frontline officers can connect those in need to relevant support, if the families’ issues go beyond their own agency’s remit. This shift, which is a work-in-progress, emphasises a family-centric approach, instead of adopting an agency-centric lens. We will be training community partners and volunteers next, who are important touchpoints to render even more comprehensive support. Besides building capabilities, we have also integrated processes. One example is the plan that Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim mentioned to strengthen information exchange between Singapore Prison Service and the FSCs – he described this during MHA COS. This enables offenders’ families to receive timely support from FSCs and community partners. Another example is Streamlined Assessment Protocols, or SAPs, that allow ComCare clients to access other forms of help schemes more easily.”
“Thank you, Sir. The PEERS Network was officially formed in July 2019, and includes Social Service Agencies (SSAs), community groups and Government agencies. Some are befrienders. Others offer their premises as “Safe Sound Sleeping Places”, or S3Ps for short, and these provide localised interim shelter. Officers from MSF and MND join the partners’ outreach walks to offer assistance. They work closely with PEERS members to support homeless rough sleepers with housing needs. Early last year, there was an urgency to provide shelter to rough sleepers because of COVID-19. For their safety, we needed to find rough sleepers safe shelter quickly. MSF called for more groups to open their premises as S3Ps. Over 40 organisations answered our call. And this was a six-fold increase from pre-COVID-19 times. We also worked with HDB to provide vacant flats as temporary S3Ps. d. The Network has sheltered about 900 rough sleepers since April 2020. MSF also set up two new Transitional Shelters in January this year, and about 250 residents from Safe Sound Sleeping Places have moved into new Transitional Shelters. The eventual goal is to help them address their underlying social issues and achieve longer term stable accommodation. Another example was the outreach effort to households living in rental flats, which commenced last June. We wanted to ensure these households were coping well with the pandemic, as they were much more vulnerable, and to offer support where necessary. We activated the SG Cares Community Networks to support this outreach. The local Networks were started in 2018 to bring together the social, health and community sectors in each town, to strengthen social, health and community integration. The Networks were quickly mobilised.”
“Chairman, Minister Masagos has just set out our social compact and laid out MSF’s key focus areas for the year ahead. Let me now expand on how we intend to integrate social services and transform our social safety nets in Singapore. COVID-19 has had a profound impact on societies all around the world. But it has also brought out the best in Singaporeans. In the past year, many more Singaporeans stepped forward. Government, community and corporates partnered one another to support our neighbours, our friends and fellow Singaporeans. At MSF, my colleagues have been working hard to strengthen and transform our social safety nets. This transformation is guided by our 3C principles. First, providing comprehensive support, not only downstream when issues occur, but also going upstream to identify and tackle root issues. Second, ensuring that help is convenient, by putting individuals and families that we serve at the centre and organising support around their needs. Third, coordinating ourselves by building strong partnerships and networks, anchored in local communities. This foundational work served us well when COVID-19 struck, especially during the Circuit Breaker. One example was the PEERS Network, which stands for “Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers”. With your permission, Sir, may I display some slides on the LED screens?”
“NParks conducts biodiversity surveys regularly to take stock of our native flora and fauna species. There are an estimated 35,000 to 45,000 species of flora and fauna native to Singapore. Based on the 2019 publication "Flora of Singapore", 258 known species of native plants are currently classified as "endangered", 722 species are classified as "critically endangered", and 565 species are "presumed nationally extinct", as they have not been recorded in the last 30 years. NParks will continue to improve the long-term viability of our threatened plant species, through conservation efforts such as the Species Recovery Programme. This programme aims to increase the number of these plants through propagating and reintroducing them into their original habitats, as well as suitable new habitats across Singapore. NParks will also continue to engage the community through education and outreach programmes to improve awareness and encourage participation in biodiversity conservation efforts, as we transform into a City in Nature.”
“The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Housing & Development Board (HDB) work closely together to plan the supply and development of land for housing in Singapore. These plans ensure a good mix of public and private housing, including executive condominiums (ECs), and a wide range of supporting amenities to serve the needs of the residents. In planning for the supply of land for ECs, the Government takes into consideration many factors, such as existing unsold stock, take-up rate of new EC units, and prevailing economic and housing market conditions, which can fluctuate from year to year. The Government will continue to monitor the EC market closely and adjust the supply of ECs in future Government Land Sales (GLS) Programmes as necessary.”
“New flat buyers who wish to take up an HDB housing loan must have a valid HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter before they book a flat. The HLE letter provides them with key information to plan their housing budget, such as the maximum loan amount they are eligible for, the interest rate, repayment period, as well as the monthly instalment payable. The maximum loan amount is derived based on flat buyers’ current income to provide flat buyers with a realistic indication of their housing budget, and to prevent them from over-committing on their flat purchase. While we empathise with flat buyers who have experienced income losses, it would not be to their benefit for HDB to grant them a larger loan amount based on their higher income levels before COVID-19, but subsequently reducing the loan quantum if their incomes have not recovered by key collection. This may result in flat buyers being unable to complete their flat purchase. For financial prudence, home seekers should confirm their financing plan based on their current income before committing to a flat purchase and choose a flat that meets their needs and housing budget. For applicants with extenuating circumstances who may need further assistance to complete their flat purchase, HDB can assess their situation on a case-by-case basis and see how best to help them.”
“In both 2019 and 2020, HDB gave approval to about 260 households per year to sell their flat within their MOP, due to financial or medical reasons. Hence, no upward spike was observed in 2020 specifically. HDB will assist flat owners who face financial difficulties and need to right-size to a smaller flat during their MOP, and it does not actively track the number of unique appeals. Flat buyers who wish to take up an HDB housing loan are required to apply for an HDB Loan Eligibility letter. This process will help them to plan their finances for the flat purchase. For buyers who require further guidance on their housing options, HDB conducts financial counselling to advise and work out their budgets based on the estimated HDB housing loan amount available to them. HDB also works with tertiary institutions and other agencies to reach out to prospective buyers and provide them with information to guide their housing and financing decisions.”
“Certainly, accessible and affordable and inclusive housing in our HDB estates is a very important objective of the Housing and Development Board. The efforts to transform and upgrade our Built Environment sector should not impact upon the pricing approach for HDB flats. I explained quite recently in this House, how HDB prices its flats. It does not look at land costs or construction costs. It prices flats based on affordability – looking at, for example, the percentage of household income that our typical households have to fork out to pay for their flats, as well as the household income to price index, to see how many years of income it typically takes to pay for a flat. We look at the market value of the flat based on its attributes as well as recent resales around the estate, and then make adjustments for the attributes of the flat, and then apply the subsidies in order to bring it to the affordable level.”
“I thank his Member for his care and concern for seniors, in particular those who might be impacted by EIP which seeks to serve a bigger social objective. We are grateful that Singaporeans, all these decades, have been supportive of multi-culturalism and of the different institutions that we put in place in order to act as a bulwark to protect Singapore and to keep Singapore cohesive. Having said that, we are very mindful that in certain instances, the EIP can legitimately impact some households. We look at the individual's circumstances. We look at the recent resales that have been similarly affected by EIP in the neighbourhood, and look at the price points. We look at a range of considerations and in extenuating circumstances, we provide support. Having said that, we are always reviewing our policies, looking at how, for institutions, including one as important as EIP, we can continue to find new ways and ideas so that public support continues to be behind such important institutions.”