Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“To provide diversity, we have over the years, provided even more choice in terms of length of lease, in terms of the social accompaniments to housing, in relation to rental for young couples, in relation to rental housing for the lower income. And so, we continuously look at the aspirations of Singaporeans and see how we can provide the support for those aspirations.”
“I thank the Member for highlighting the diversity of aspirations, which we all see amongst younger Singaporeans. When you talk about rental flats, a lot of us in this House relate to rental housing for lower income households. That is one. But the other means through which HDB rents out flats is the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). It is a scheme that allows young couples who desire some privacy and to be able to set up their family. While waiting for the BTO flat to be completed, they are able to access these flats and rent a flat for those few years at subsidised rates. There was initially slow, low interest at first, but it has become an option of interest to many young couples who are currently living with parents – they are now able to live together and set up their own home in with their own privacy for those few years. PPHS flats, we source them opportunistically. From flats that have been SERS-ed, we hold back the redevelopment because it is not needed immediately, and we use those flats in order to provide the PPHS option. And because there is great interest in PPHS flats, particularly during this period when there is COVID-19 and there are delays in construction, HDB will look at ways to increase PPHS supply. But I think the Member makes a broader point which is a diversity of housing options on the longer term basis, for people who may feel that home ownership is not for them or not for them at that point in time, and they would prefer to rent. There is a rental market out there for people to rent smaller units, both in the private market, as well as HDB flats. Those are available. HDB continues to look at various housing options.”
“I mean, my MND colleagues and I do not intend to play a cat-and-mouse game with the Member on this question. [Laughter.] As I have said previously, we are studying this issue. We want to enable pet ownership in a responsible way but we also have to balance a couple of other considerations, including municipal as well as neighbourhood issues. We certainly are studying this proactively.”
“I thank the Member for his suggestions which we will take on board and we will study the support that may still be needed for firms. But just some background, the TDL framework, as had been our response to the Member's Parliamentary Question, I think, last month or the month before is something that we allow the landlord and the tenant to work out. And by and large, it is typically the business owner who will pay for the TDL. In terms of the duration, URA evaluates planning applications according to the planning intentions for the site, the area the site is situated in and the prevailing policies and guidelines for the proposals. And in considering the length of the temporary permission to be granted, URA looks at it from a risk-based approach based on the potential impact of the proposal on surrounding developments. So, for cases involving a TDL, URA typically gives businesses options to decide on the length of the TDL or the temporary permission that they require which typically varies from one to five years. But on a holistic basis, when it comes to support for firms in relation to land costs and rental, MOF had rolled out a rental relief framework for SMEs under COTMA, which is the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. There was a property tax rebate available to qualifying firms and, under the Re-align Framework by MinLaw, small and micro businesses may re-negotiate leases for non-residential properties with a term of five years or less. So, they can then realign contracts with existing business conditions through mutual agreement with counterparties. If they cannot reach agreement, then they can terminate it and unwind. So, that is the existing framework but let us look at the Member's specific proposal.”
“Sir, we have the Build.SG office in BCA. We set it up a few years ago to provide more integrated support for our firms and our workforce who would like to go on to this transformation journey. So, certainly, in relation to the GPC Chairman's question, if there are firms that are keen to participate in the GTS – and remember that the GTS is not a firm-based scheme but an Alliance-based scheme from developer to consultant to builder and subcontractors, the whole eco-system that they work with to make their projects come true – if they can transform together, then approach BCA, approach the BuildSG office and we will work with them.”
“Given our limited land and many pressing needs, including new ones that surface on the horizon, we will also need to make difficult trade-offs across different priorities. These are conversations that we need everyone to contribute to, with your different passions and expertise. My colleague Minister Indranee Rajah who will speak next will explain how we will involve Singaporeans in this very important but very exciting journey. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, we are far stronger when we work as one. I am confident that we can build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable Singapore, together. [Applause.]”
“Notwithstanding this, there will still be a need for users to share paths, for example where space does not allow for segregation. NParks conducts regular outreach efforts to raise awareness on park connector etiquette, such as keeping left on shared paths and giving way to others. At the same time, NParks and LTA also conduct joint enforcement against errant park connector users, such as Personal Mobility Device users who exceed the speed limits or ride recklessly. NParks will continue to work with LTA and the community to promote responsible use of our park connectors. Overall, Singaporeans can look forward to 500 km of park connectors by 2030. These will allow for immersive experiences for all sorts of visitors – from families to hikers and cyclists. At the same time, they will add to our island’s ecological connectivity and resilience. We have committed over $315 million to these City in Nature efforts over the next few years. This work will help make Singapore greener, more liveable and more sustainable, and we invite all Singaporeans to join us on this journey. Building a more resilient Built Environment sector, keeping public housing inclusive and transforming Singapore into a City in Nature – together with the presentations that my colleagues will provide later, these are some of MND’s key priorities in the years ahead and beyond. These are ambitious, meaningful projects, but the Government cannot push them through alone. We need all Singaporeans to take part – individuals, businesses and community organisations. As we continue to build Singapore together, we will need to anticipate long-term social and economic trends and plan for them, while being flexible to adapt to near-term changes.”
“Thank you. Today, we have a Coast-to-Coast trail that cuts across central Singapore. We are also developing the Round Island Route, the Rail Corridor, and the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. We will establish and curate more of these recreational routes, so that Singaporeans have more opportunities to enjoy nature and the outdoors. In fact, because of COVID-19, many Singaporeans are now exploring Singapore like never before and it is a wonderful thing. We will create two more corridors running from North to South, just like the Rail Corridor. The 18-km Eastern Corridor will link East Coast to Pasir Ris via Bedok Reservoir and the 34-km Central Corridor will link Woodlands in the North to the city centre. We will also create two new Coast-to-Coast trails running from East to West. In the North, we will have a 25-km Coast-to-Coast Northern Trail, running from Khatib Bongsu to Sungei Buloh. In the South, we will develop a 62-km Coast-to-Coast Southern Trail from Changi Beach to Tuas via Singapore Botanic Gardens. So, in time to come, as the boy band Westlife put it, you can go from "Coast to Coast" and find the trail you love the most! At the same time, we will enhance our park connector infrastructure along Phase 1 of the Round Island Route, between Rower’s Bay and Gardens by the Bay, to make it more seamless and accessible. Mr Dennis Tan asked how we can make our park connectors safer for users. NParks is focusing on enhancing the safety of park connectors with high usage and more frequent feedback on user conflicts. Enhancement works include segregating wider park connectors into footpaths and cycling paths, updating markings and signage for better clarity, and implementing more lighting, speed regulating strips and advisory signs.”
“And we announced plans to rewild selected landscapes across our island, to support ecological connectivity. At the Joint Segment on the Green Plan, I set out some of our targets. These include adding another 1,000 hectares of green spaces over the next 10 to 15 years, and expanding our Park Connector Network or PCN so that by 2030, every household will be within a 10-minute walk from a park. With your permission, Sir, may I display some slides on the LCD screen?”
“This provides upfront clarity and holistic information on their housing and financing options, to facilitate their housing choices. Second, we will introduce a new digital platform in the HDB Flat Portal, to guide new flat buyers throughout their flat buying journey, from flat application to key collection. The platform will consolidate all relevant information and present it to buyers at the appropriate milestones. Because sometimes buying a first flat can be quite daunting – lots of processes, information is here and there. We want to align it together, guide them in a family-centric, client-centric way through the process and enable them to book the necessary appointments seamlessly. Third, we will extend the loan-listing service in the HDB Flat Portal and enable home seekers to apply for housing loans from participating financial institutions, directly through the portal, instead of having to do so separately. HDB will provide more details on these initiatives later this year. Finally, let me touch on yet another important priority for us: transforming Singapore into a City in Nature, as part of the Green Plan. Greening our city has always been a part of Singapore’s DNA, which we must continue to steward for generations to come. This will also help to mitigate the effects of climate change and urbanisation, and improve the living environment for all Singaporeans. Since we announced our City in Nature vision and goal at COS last year, we have made progress on various initiatives. For example, as part of our OneMillionTrees movement, we have already planted around 160,000 trees so far. We also launched the new Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network in August last year.”
“My colleague Senior Minister of State Sim Ann will share more about our efforts to foster an even stronger sense of community in our HDB estates, by involving Singaporeans in building a caring and vibrant neighbourhood. Let me turn to how we are harnessing digital technology to make the home buying process more convenient for flat buyers. I think this last year we have achieved in one year a significant acceleration in the digitalisation of many aspects – of the economy, of work and of society, and so, too, we have to keep up. We have made improvements over the last few years. For instance, we introduced the HDB Resale Portal in 2018, the open booking of flats in 2019 and the HDB Flat Portal in January this year. Through our engagements with Singaporeans and with industry, we have planned some new initiatives this year. First, we will combine HDB’s eligibility assessments for flats, for loans, and for grants into a single service touchpoint. Currently, buyers’ eligibility for these three components is assessed separately. We will streamline these eligibility checks into one online application, made through the HDB Flat Portal. Where possible and with the applicants’ permission, HDB will then link up with other Government agencies backend, to retrieve the details needed for its assessments. This reduces the need for applicants to manually enter their particulars or submit supporting documents repeatedly. The outcomes will be sent to applicants in a single document: the HDB Flat Eligibility letter or HFE letter. This HFE letter will notify applicants of their eligibility to buy a new or resale flat, and how much of an HDB housing loan and CPF housing grants they can qualify for.”
“In the same spirit, we are always looking for ways to better support our public rental households, including single tenants who find it difficult to find a flatmate or to live with one, and larger families with children. Minister of State Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim will share more details about our initiatives for these groups. 5.30 pm One more group that we take care of is the young couples looking to start their families. Mr Cheng Hsing Yao suggested a BTR, not BTO, Build to Rent model. While Mr Leong Mun Wai suggested letting millennials rent, not buy. We are always open to studying different housing typologies, but for now our focus is to help Singaporeans achieve their aspirations of home ownership. Home ownership gives families a more stable long-term housing arrangement and also, a concrete stake in Singapore’s progress. That is why, as I mentioned, we offer generous grants to help young families afford their first flats. We also provide other assistance, such as by giving them more ballot chances and setting aside more flats for them in HDB’s sales exercises. After booking a new flat, most families waiting for their flat to be completed continue staying with their families, while some choose to rent on the open market. HDB also has the Provisional Parenthood Housing Scheme, or PPHS, as Mr Louis Chua pointed out, for those who may need an alternative. HDB has been working to add more PPHS flats in recent years and we are studying how we can provide more options for such families. We will continue to keep public housing inclusive for other groups as well, such as persons with disabilities or special needs, as Miss Cheryl Chan and Ms Denise Phua frequently in this House have highlighted.”
“But we are pursuing it, despite the challenges, because we firmly believe that it is right and necessary, to keep Singapore an open and egalitarian society. Next, we also keep public housing inclusive by meeting the diverse housing needs of different groups of Singaporeans. In many cases, this goes beyond just providing a form of shelter. As I said, public housing serves important social objectives. It is also about connecting residents to a wider community – building bonds among them, promoting well-being, building identity. For example, one group that we take special care of are seniors. Last month, together with our colleagues from MOH, we launched the first pilot for the Community Care Apartments in Bukit Batok. MND, HDB and MOH worked closely to design this new typology, to meet not just the housing needs or shelter needs, but also the social and care needs of seniors, and help them to foster social bonds as well. Public feedback on this pilot has been very encouraging, and my colleague, Minister of State Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, will provide a fuller update later. Another group that we look after is our lower income households in public rental flats. Again, this is not just about basic shelter. We want to help them overcome the various complex challenges they face and uplift their lives. For instance, we have a dedicated Home ownership Support Team in HDB to support public rental households who aspire to home ownership. And through ComLink, government agencies and community partners work together to provide customised and coordinated support to public rental families with children, beyond just tackling their housing needs. Again, shelter, or housing, with social support. MSF will elaborate more about this during its COS.”
“We must also ensure that these future estates remain affordable and inclusive over time and not just at the point when HDB sells to the first buyer. Otherwise, they may transact at extremely high prices in the resale market and only the better-off can buy them over time. In short, as a social policy, we have to act against the instinct of the market. Many ideas that have surfaced during our engagements, and there have been lots of commentaries in the media and in professional groups. For example, imposing a longer minimum occupation period, or restrictions on renting out these flats, or ringfencing the pool of subsequent buyers. We also received many other very good suggestions from experts, commentators, researchers, professionals, sociologists, members of the public and so on, and we welcome people to continue sending in these ideas. But even the authors themselves recognise that these ideas may create complexities too – for instance, they may exacerbate the burden on homeowners who may run into unforeseen circumstances or financial difficulties. And some acknowledge there may be no certainty that some of the measures that are suggested would actually be able to maintain affordability over time. So, it is a balancing act, and we are still carefully studying the possibilities. We will continue to engage Singaporeans to find the right balance, before announcing more details. But what I want to stress is that at the heart of our approach is our deep conviction: that our public housing estates must remain inclusive and accessible to Singaporeans. Again, this is a unique approach, that very few other cities would be willing to attempt to do.”
“There are very powerful social and economic forces at work, that drive stratification and gentrification of cities, that can divide communities. But we are determined to do our best to resist them, so that our society does not become fragmented over time. We therefore need bold and decisive action to ensure that these prime areas of Singapore continue to reflect the openness and diversity of our society and allow Singaporeans from diverse backgrounds to live together and interact. That is why, even in these prime locations, we will strive to include public rental housing, so that lower income households can live in these estates too and be served by the facilities and services that they require. We will also design and introduce a whole new housing model to keep new HDB flats that we will build in these prime areas affordable for young families and Singaporeans of different backgrounds. This will not be easy, as there are many factors to consider. For example, to keep flats in these prime areas affordable, our new housing model will have to provide additional subsidies, on top of the generous subsidies that we already provide for BTO flats today. So, not just the general subsidies that everyone else gets, but for people who are buying these flats in these very prime locations, to keep it affordable, we have to put additional subsidies. These additional subsidies also cause difficulties, because they could lead to more capital gains for owners when they sell their flats on the open market, compared to other HDB flat owners. Hence, for fairness, we may need a way to recover some of the extra subsidies provided for flats in very prime locations.”
“We will look at appeals closely on a case-by-case basis and continue to monitor the situation carefully. I will now talk about how we will keep public housing inclusive, by keeping flats affordable and meeting the diverse needs of Singaporeans. I will then touch on our efforts to streamline processes for home seekers. One important way we keep HDB estates inclusive is by keeping flats affordable, so that Singaporeans of different income levels can access home ownership and live in the same neighbourhoods. That is why we sell new HDB flats at subsidised prices and provide generous grants for first-timers buying both new and resale flats. These subsidies keep flats affordable for most buyers. For example, for most of the first-timer buyers in the non-mature estates, their monthly mortgage payment does not exceed one-quarter of their income. So, they can pay their monthly instalments mostly through their CPF contributions, with very little or even no cash outlay. Moving forward, as we have said, we will also build public housing in very prime locations, like the city centre and the Greater Southern Waterfront. Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin had asked about these plans. Left solely to the private market, these prime areas would likely be used for exclusive, high-end housing developments that only the rich can afford, given their attractive locations and attributes. We see this in many other cities, from New York to Hong Kong and many others, where housing is much more expensive in certain choice neighbourhoods compared to others, and average families either have to pay very high rents to live in these prime locations, or may need to move further out of the city or to less desirable parts of the inner city to buy an affordable home.”
“But our approach to public housing goes beyond matching supply to demand and putting a physical roof over people’s heads. Public housing is also an integral part of the social fabric that keeps our nation together. It serves important social objectives that are fundamental to the idea of Singapore. Unlike almost anywhere else in the world, here in Singapore, we provide public housing for the vast majority of our people. When we live next door to diverse neighbours along the same corridor or in the same estate, we share common experiences and we grow a sense of identity and community. So, we must do our best to keep public housing diverse and inclusive, to nurture and strengthen this community spirit. Take the Ethnic Integration Policy, or EIP, for example. It is a unique policy and an intrusive one, almost impossible to replicate elsewhere. But as Mr Saktiandi Supaat had emphasised, the EIP remains important to promote social integration, by ensuring a balanced racial mix in our HDB blocks and neighbourhoods. So, it is an important strategy, but it works together with other community-building strategies to ensure that our multi-culturalism is never taken for granted. At the same time, some flat owners may find it more challenging to sell their flats when the EIP limits are met. Members have referred cases to us from time to time. We must take care to ensure that they do not bear a disproportionate share of the EIP’s impact. Many of these owners are eventually able to sell their flats to buyers from eligible ethnic groups. But for those who continue to face difficulties, HDB can give them more time to sell their flat, or exercise flexibility on the EIP in truly extenuating circumstances.”
“We are aware that changes in these regulations will impact the construction industry and are especially mindful of the current economic climate. We will continue to consult our industry partners before making any major moves. We will also be enhancing our Buildability Framework to raise productivity standards and make Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) the default method for large projects. In the short term, these moves may cause some pain, as many industry players accept. But as we have learnt from COVID-19, these structural changes are necessary, so that we can build greater resilience in our industry. Third, we will be investing more resources to support our local industry’s research and innovation efforts. By developing and deploying transformative technologies, we can spur industry growth and improve our firms’ competitiveness. Beyond productivity and resilience, we also want our Built Environment sector to be even more green and sustainable, in line with the Green Plan, and we talked about it earlier during the segment on the Green Plan. My colleague Minister of State Tan Kiat How will elaborate on our plans to transform the Built Environment sector later in greater detail. Sir, I have talked about the Built Environment transformation. Now let me move on to another key priority for us, which is public housing. Mr Leong Mun Wai expressed concern about possible shortages in housing supply. Let me assure Members that we closely monitor housing demand and calibrate supply accordingly, to meet Singaporeans’ housing needs. For public housing, HDB adopts a comprehensive approach in planning new flat supply, taking into account demographic and socio-economic trends, prevailing market conditions and the supply of resale flats on the open market.”
“The alliance members will work together collectively for the outcomes committed to in their business plan. This is how the Built Environment sector works on projects and comes together to make transformations happen. In this way, the value chain approach will help alliance members forge long-term collaboration, reap mutual benefits and build capabilities through knowledge sharing and transfer. This will help pave the way for the alliances to take on larger or more complex projects or develop niche strengths in the future. We will roll out the GTS with a few alliances first, and learn and improve the scheme along the way. Over time, the GTS should catalyse transformations throughout the Built Environment eco-system, so that the sector can progress together, including our sub-contractors further down the value chain. With enhanced capabilities and a stronger track record, Singapore firms will also be better placed to compete in construction tenders both here and abroad. More details will be announced later this year. Besides the Growth and Transformation Scheme, we will also enhance our other broad-based incentives to help firms accelerate their transformation, such as through the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF). Next, in tandem, we will strengthen our regulations, to spur greater productivity improvements. We will review our foreign manpower levers in the construction industry. As announced at MND’s COS in 2019, we intend to remove the Man-Year-Entitlement (MYE) framework in the near future and replace it with a system that incentivises more productive off-site work. We are also studying the reduction of the construction Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC), to support more manpower-lean construction.”
“Developers work with builders and consultants on each project, who, in turn, rely on multiple tiers of contractors and sub-contractors for different aspects of the project. Given these inter-linkages, it is difficult for any one firm in the value chain to transform on its own. And this pandemic has shown that we are only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. We will, therefore, enhance Government support to further integrate and strengthen the entire value chain holistically, through a new Growth and Transformation Scheme, or GTS, which Deputy Prime Minister has announced in the Budget speech. This value chain approach differs from existing schemes in two important respects. First, unlike existing schemes that support individual firms, the GTS supports alliances of firms across the entire value chain, with the view of uplifting the entire Built Environment eco-system. Second, existing schemes focus on individual projects, which can result in contractors operating at very thin margins to meet short-term targets, without the capacity to invest in long-term transformation. In contrast, the GTS supports firms in improving their capabilities, not just in completing specific projects. 5.15 pm The GTS will support the formation of strategic alliances among progressive developers, builders, consultants and sub-contractors across the entire value chain. Each alliance will develop a business plan of at least three years, showing how the alliance will increase productivity by using Design for Manufacturing and Assembly and the digital spine we call the Integrated Digital Delivery model. It should also seek to achieve sustainability targets, build better capabilities, develop our workforce and improve business growth and strategic collaboration.”
“We are aware of these issues and are working closely with our partners and our agencies to address them. For example, with MOM and MOH, we are reviewing whether the safe management measures on worksites can be adjusted, but we need to balance this against a possible increase in transmission risks onsite – especially since in the last few weeks, we have seen cases again popping up in the construction sector. We are also working with agencies to see how we can ease the tight manpower situation for companies. But above all, this experience has strengthened our resolve to accelerate the pace of change as set out in our Industry Transformation Map and decisively transform the way we design, build and maintain our city, once and for all. We cannot go back to how we used to do construction in the past. We have heard this conviction echoed more resolutely in many of our conversations with industry partners. We will, therefore, embark on three complementary strategies, to give a stronger push for the sector's transformation. First, we will enhance Government support to uplift the entire Built Environment value chain. Second, we will strengthen our regulations to spur productivity growth and reduce reliance on foreign manpower. And third, we will step up our research and development (R&D) efforts to create and deploy innovative solutions in the Built Environment sector. Let me speak about each of these in turn. First, on enhancing Government support for transformation. In the Built Environment sector, unlike many other sectors, there are heavy inter-dependencies among different stakeholders along the value chain.”
“36 billion Construction Support Package, waivers and rebates of the Foreign Worker Levy and wage subsidies under the Jobs Support Scheme. Through the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, we imposed a moratorium to protect the affected firms from contractual lawsuits and required developers to share in the costs of construction delays due to COVID-19. In response to industry feedback, we are working with the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (or SCAL) and other trade associations and chambers (TACs) to facilitate claims for prolongation costs. We also extended the Project Completion Period and the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty remission timelines, to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on developers. At the same time, we provided protection to purchasers from developers, in cases where the purchasers had difficulties making their contractual payments on time. It has been an extremely challenging time. But with the perseverance of our companies and Government agencies and partners, we will ride through this together. We now project that construction demand will recover to some extent in the next few years. This year, we expect $23 billion to $28 billion worth of projects to be awarded, up from $21 billion last year. We will continue to monitor industry demand closely, given the uncertainties of the pandemic. If needed, we will bring forward some of our planned public sector projects to help support the industry, as Mr Yip Hon Weng had suggested during the Budget debate. We also recognise that the industry still faces serious challenges even though works have resumed. Safe management measures on worksites have affected productivity, while restrictions on the inflow of foreign workers have resulted in a labour crunch and higher manpower costs.”
“Today, I will explain how we intend to do so, in three areas. First, we want to strengthen our Built Environment sector and transform the way we design, build and maintain our city. Second, we seek to design a new HDB housing model, to ensure that prime areas of our city remain diverse and inclusive for Singaporeans from all walks of life. And finally, we want to pursue our goal of a City in Nature. My colleagues will thereafter cover other areas of MND's core work. Together, these are among MND's key priorities for this term of Government, as we set out in our Addendum to the President's Address, at the opening of Parliament last year. Let me begin with our plans for the Built Environment sector, which Members like Ms Poh Li San and Mr Xie Yao Quan and others have asked about. The sector was hit very hard by COVID-19. During the circuit breaker period, most construction work was suspended and many companies struggled. Even when projects could resume, the challenges mounted – ensuring the health of our foreign workers, implementing safe management measures and so on. There was tremendous uncertainty and a lot of coordination and daily adjustments were needed on the ground, as the situation kept evolving. In fact, in the early days of this crisis, we had literally daily meetings with our partners and our trade associations every day to adjust, to understand what was going on and to work together. Through it all, the Government had worked with firms to help them tide over these difficulties. We strived to ensure that no one segment of the value chain in the Built Environment sector bore a disproportionate share of the impact. So, to do this, we provided significant financial support, through a $1.”
“Mr Chairman, this past year, we have all had to wrestle with the challenges thrown at us by COVID-19. It has not been easy. But through close cooperation between the Government, industry and community partners, we have made good progress. We provided significant support to firms in the Built Environment sector through one of its darkest moments. We worked hard to get our BTO projects back on track and assisted many buyers affected by inevitable construction delays. For homeowners and public rental tenants who faced financial challenges, we helped them with their mortgage and rent payments. To assist businesses renting commercial or industrial properties, we put in place various cost-sharing arrangements and relief measures. I would like to thank all our partners, the industry and the community as well as many of our officers, both in the headquarters and the frontlines, for the heavy lifting all these months. But we are not out of the woods yet and must remain vigilant. At the same time, we must keep our eye on the future, learn the lessons from this pandemic and come out stronger from this experience. Our work to build an ever more resilient, inclusive and sustainable Singapore must continue. One major enterprise is the Singapore Green Plan. For these efforts to bear fruit, we need all Singaporeans to be actively involved. And that is why, over the past few months, MND agencies conversed with Singaporeans through nine Emerging Stronger Conversations about our city, our home and our environment. We have heard many thoughtful suggestions and thank everyone who participated for their enthusiasm and passion. And we will continue to reach out, in dialogue and partnership, to work with Singaporeans to realise their vision for our city and turn their ideas into action.”
“So, for instance, over the last few years, a number of parcels of land that have been intended, say for industry or housing, had after discussion amongst agencies and with the input of members of the nature community and researchers, been safeguarded instead because of their ecological value as natural green spaces. Then, of course, from the environmental point of view, from the point of view of biodiversity, there is a Nature Conservation Masterplan that was launched in 2015, a four-pillar Masterplan. The first being the conservation of cores, buffers, corridors for nature; second, species recovery and habitat enhancement; third, scientific research into ecology science and its application in our eco-systems in an urban environment; and lastly, citizen science. And then, of course, I spoke also about the EIA framework, the processes that go into how to do an environmental impact study, when it needs to be called and the kinds of agencies that are involved, as well as the enhancement we made in October of last year to put in place Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA) guidelines to enhance the standards and to put in place uniform standards for BIAs, as well as to provide for enforcement through the Wildlife Act and greater transparency of environmental studies. I also talked about the new things that we have been working on including an ecological connectivity survey at a high level with researchers as well as with the nature community, as well as looking at the feasibility of centralising EIA consultancy.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I had gone into significant detail in two recent Parliamentary Questions and the exchanges after that. One on Ulu Pandan and one on Kranji, where I set out in a lot of detail, the processes, both at the Concept and Masterplan level, as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) framework that goes into the assessment of ecological and environmental impact. So, I will not go into all that detail unless the Member has specific questions on my answers in the last two rounds. But broadly speaking, we have a long-term plan or what we call currently the Concept Plan. I had told Members of the House that we will soon be launching a conversation to relook at the concept of Singapore, which will then input into our land use plan. But in finer granularity is the Masterplan. And in the Masterplan, you can see the different parcels of land, even land that is vacant or vegetated, and what the land use intention is, for that land. But beyond that, this is an iterative process, it is a living process and the different agencies that have land use needs like transport, parks and greenery, our water body agencies, our economic agencies, our housing agencies, having consulted their respective constituencies – the interest groups, the cause-based groups, members of the public, community groups – then, discuss regularly to look at the land use and see whether to proceed with certain plans because of the needs that the agencies have forecasted, or to make some changes to the usage of different parcels of land.”
“Our target is every household will be within a 10-minute walk from a park. Thank you.”
“Madam, I wanted to make a correction on what I said earlier. I said earlier that by 2030 every household would be within 10 metres' walk from a park. I suddenly realise that we do not have enough land for that.”
“Under Cities of Tomorrow, R&D that supports our efforts to become a City in Nature will be a key research area that we will significantly invest in. For example, we will support research and development of technology that seeks to enhance biodiversity, explore nature-based solutions for climate adaptation, and more. Madam, transforming Singapore into a City in Nature, making our buildings, towns and districts more sustainable through an Energy Reset, and driving sustainability-related R&D all have one thing in common: they require all hands on deck. 12.30 pm Transforming our urban environment to be greener and more sustainable will always be an on-going task, which requires the Government, the private sector, academia and our communities to come together – each playing our part but working together. Sustainability is a marathon which we cannot run alone. We must be in it for the long haul – to be responsible stewards not just for our children, but for their children after them. In that spirit, let us come together: to push ahead in the next bound of our sustainability journey, to make the Green Plan a reality, and to build a Singapore that we can be even prouder of.”
“In addition, residents or organisations with interesting ideas to promote sustainability can tap on MSE's Eco Fund for their initiatives. And if these prove workable, MND and MSE will work together to see if these can be scaled to more HDB estates under the Green Towns Programme. We will share more about our efforts to enhance liveability and strengthen predictive maintenance in housing estates at MND's COS. We are also developing eco-friendly districts as demonstration projects to show how it can be done. For example, Jurong Lake District will be developed as a model sustainable mixed-use district. Future developments in the District will seek to meet higher sustainability targets that are above our national goals, where possible. We envision the District to be a model for how innovative solutions and technology can enable a more liveable, sustainable and healthier urban environment. It can also serve as a testing ground for such innovative urban solutions. Indeed, innovation enables us to keep moving forward on the journey of sustainable development. That is why R&D is part of our long-term strategy for urban sustainability. Since its launch in 2017, our Cities of Tomorrow (CoT) research and development programme has supported R&D that helps to address urban sustainability challenges. For example, HDB and NUS are exploring urban designs that harness solar heat to create temperature differences that enhance air movement through a building. This can help create natural drafts to cool the environment, thereby minimising residents' air-conditioning needs. We will build on the good progress of CoT and extend it for another five years. Miss Cheryl Chan and Ms Nadia Samdin asked how we will support R&D into nature-based solutions.”
“Our new HDB towns will be greener and more sustainable. For example, Tengah will have centralised cooling systems, electric vehicle charging points and extensive deployment of solar panels. HDB is also incorporating technology into the design of towns to improve ventilation and reduce heat gain. Within their homes, residents will be able to use technology and apps to monitor and optimise the use of their home appliances and equipment, enabling them to conserve electricity, save money and participate in our sustainability efforts too. Members also asked about our plans to make existing towns more sustainable. MND and MSE are working together to turn every town into an Eco Town, by encouraging residents to live more sustainably. To achieve this, we will make use of infrastructure solutions under the HDB Green Towns Programme to help our existing towns reduce their energy consumption by 15% by 2030, from the levels in 2020. We will achieve this through both technology and design. For example, we are using smart LED lights to reduce energy use, doubling total solar capacity on HDB rooftops and converting the top decks of suitable multi-storey carparks into urban farms, community gardens and green landscapes. Since we announced the Green Towns Programme last year, we have made good progress. So far, HDB has called or awarded tenders to implement solar panels on more than 5,700 HDB blocks. Installation of these solar panels is in progress and will be completed in the next two to three years, achieving more than 50% of our 2030 solar capacity target of 540 megawatt-peak. HDB and SFA have also awarded tenders for urban farming at nine multi-storey carparks and will be working closely to do more.”
“Beyond that, we must push more owners of buildings to pursue best-in-class standards and become Super Low Energy buildings, or SLE buildings. SLE buildings, which achieve at least 60% improvement in energy efficiency compared to 2005 levels, represent the next wave of our green building movement. They are key to our transition to a more sustainable, low carbon Built Environment. Hence, our second target is for 80% of new buildings to be SLE buildings from 2030. The Government will take the lead in SLE buildings. In so doing, we will build industry capability to develop SLE buildings and provide more use cases for the private sector to take reference from. Our third target is for our best-in-class green buildings to see an 80% improvement in energy efficiency compared to 2005 levels by 2030, pushing the boundary further. We will ramp up research and innovation efforts to push the boundaries of energy efficiency and accelerate deployment of cost-effective green technologies. Since 2014, our Green Buildings Innovation Cluster (GBIC) programme has supported the research, prototyping and demonstration of green building technologies and helped to bring these solutions to market. We are seeing how we can further enhance funding support for GBIC to help us achieve this ambitious third target. Sustainability has always been integral to our transformation plans for the Built Environment and we should build on the green movement to drive transformation across the entire value chain and create more opportunities for our firms and our local workforce. Minister of State Tan Kiat How and I will elaborate on how we plan to do so at MND's COS debate later. Beyond individual buildings, we also want our towns and our districts to be more sustainable.”
“We need space to continue meeting our people's needs, ranging from industry and food production, to more public housing for Singapore families. However, we adopt a range of strategies to make good use of existing land, as good stewards ought and in so doing, enable us to retain more green spaces of significant biodiversity. We are also committed to engaging stakeholders, including members of the public and the nature community, further upstream in our planning process and will work with them at suitable platforms to identify these areas of interest. My colleague Minister Indranee Rajah will share more about our plans to discuss these issues with Singaporeans as part of our national conversations on long-term land use planning, at MND's COS debate. Madam, I now move from City in Nature, to Energy Reset. Buildings account for over 20% of our emissions, so we need to push hard to make our city more sustainable. To achieve this, we will use cleaner energy and increase our energy efficiency. Miss Cheryl Chan asked for an update on the Singapore Green Building Masterplan. Over the past year, BCA and the Singapore Green Building Council have worked together to develop the next edition of the Singapore Green Building Masterplan together with industry stakeholders and the community. The Masterplan captures our collective commitment to pursue more ambitious sustainability standards in our city. We have set ourselves three targets – I call them "80-80-80 in 2030". First, we will green 80% of our buildings by Gross Floor Area by 2030. This is an existing target, to ensure that the majority of buildings that we use in our everyday lives will be sustainable and energy efficient. To date, we have made good progress by greening over 43% of our buildings, but we have more to do.”
“By doing so, we are assisting our early secondary forests to transition into more mature and diverse rainforests over time and improving habitats for native biodiversity. These efforts strengthen the resilience of our forest landscapes to climate change. This is painstaking, long-term work and we are deeply appreciative of our community of volunteers who have rolled up their sleeves and have been working alongside us to make our native eco-systems healthier and more resilient. But even as we continue greening Singapore, we must also continue to meet our people's needs. This balancing act between conservation and development will become even more challenging given our tight land constraints. Prof Koh Lian Pin also spoke about our Environmental Impact Assessment or EIA framework and public consultation on preserving green spaces. As I shared last week, we are reviewing whether it would be better to centralise the management of EIA consultants, instead of having individual developers manage their own. I thank Prof Koh for his views on how the EIA framework as a whole can be improved and strengthened. We will take them into consideration as we continue our study. And as I mentioned earlier, NParks will continue to study and model our biodiversity's movement patterns, to inform our understanding of ecological connectivity across Singapore and how to strengthen it. So, studying ecological connectivity, in a city and urban environment, to infuse City in Nature all through our urban landscape. Given Singapore's land constraints, we will not be able to keep every vacant land undeveloped. As a city-state, we must cater for everything that a country needs within just our city limits.”
“Through this movement, we are doubling our annual tree planting rate and planting one million additional trees across Singapore between 2020 and 2030, to underpin our City in Nature efforts. Madam, some Members of this House have asked why there is a need for the OneMillionTrees movement, when we could instead forgo clearance of vegetated land and conserve all existing greenery. We appreciate that many Singaporeans have a strong sense of affinity for our existing green spaces. That is a good sign of the maturity of a City in Nature. However, the OneMillionTrees movement is not merely a quantitative effort to increase our island's tree numbers or to engage in ornamental planting. Instead, it underpins our qualitative transformation into a City in Nature – not just nature, but a city as well. Indeed, even if we were to hypothetically forgo some of our people's needs and halt all new development on vegetated land, we would still need to plant more trees at an accelerated rate in light of our climate challenges. The trees we are planting offer us many benefits. I mentioned some of them just now – mitigating urban heat to increase our climate resilience, providing more habitats for local biodiversity in our existing green spaces and strengthening our eco-systems' resilience by creating ecological corridors. Indeed, even in the heart of our core forests, we are doing tree planting and forest restoration, as part of our OneMillionTrees movement. At the same time, we are also proactively removing invasive species, like Albizia trees, Dioscorea and oil palms, to allow our native rainforests to regenerate. This is because we need to actively manage our forests to make them stronger.”
“By incorporating natural designs and plantings into our parks and streetscapes, they can serve as nature-based solutions to help provide shade, cool the environment, improve air quality, enhance flood resilience and beautify our city. These are just some of the benefits and outcomes that we hope to see from our City in Nature efforts, which Prof Koh Lian Pin had asked about yesterday. One example of this can be seen at Jurong Lake Gardens, our third national garden. We converted a concrete canal into a series of meandering streams with vegetated wetlands that play host to charismatic wildlife, such as otters and herons. Such naturalised waterways can help slow down water runoff from surrounding areas, reducing the risk of flash floods. We will naturalise more waterways and waterbodies in parks and gardens in this manner as part of our City in Nature efforts. We are conserving our rich biodiversity too, through habitat restoration and species recovery programmes. For example, as part of our Marine Conservation Action Plan, we placed purpose-built intertidal pools along a barren stretch of seawall, to provide a habitat during low tide for coastal and marine biodiversity to thrive. We are also working with the community to improve how we co-exist with nature and wildlife, by taking a science-based approach towards wildlife management and harnessing both ecological and social tools to minimise human-wildlife conflict. The active support of the community is crucial to making our City in Nature vision a reality. That is why we are working with the community across many areas, from continuing to support community gardening, to the OneMillionTrees movement.”
“That is why we dedicated these nature parks as part of the Bukit Batok Nature Corridor. They will be kept lushly forested, so that they can strengthen not just the area’s green network, but also ecological connectivity between the Nature Reserve and Tengah. We also designated Sisters’ Island as a Marine Park, because modelling studies indicate that it is a key source of coral larvae, which are widely dispersed and enrich other areas in the Southern Islands. And we will do more. For example, as I shared with the House last week, we are developing a more comprehensive picture of our islandwide eco-system and connectivity of green and blue spaces, so that we can better consider how specific sites connect to our nature cores, buffers, and corridors. And we are creating ecological corridors on the ground by doing physical planting, to better connect our green spaces. For example, we are planting native trees and shrubs more intensively to re-create forest-like structures along our roads known as Nature Ways, to augment our network of ecological corridors between key habitats. At the same time, we are expanding our Park Connector Network, so that we will have 500 km of Park Connectors by 2030. I am glad to share that we will develop new recreational routes across our island, in the next phase of expansion of our Park Connector Network. We will provide more details on these new routes at MND’s COS debate later today. Together, these moves will not only strengthen ecological connectivity, but also provide Singaporeans with greater access to green spaces close to home. By 2030, every household will be within a 10-metre walk from a park. 12.15 pm Our urban areas will also be naturalised and greened even further.”
“These parks will feature more lush vegetation and natural landscapes. Altogether, Singaporeans can look forward to over 300 hectares of such parks by end-2026 – almost four times the size of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. As part of our plans, we are also expanding our nature park network, by setting aside 50% more land for nature parks. This will provide 200 hectares of new nature parks by 2030. Singaporeans can immerse themselves in the nature parks’ lush forests and enjoy nature-based recreational activities. Our new nature parks also act as buffers to protect our nature reserves against urbanisation, and provide more habitats for native flora and fauna to thrive. Ms Nadia Samdin and Prof Koh Lian Pin also asked about how we can continue to improve connectivity between our natural spaces. This is important. It is a key strategy of our City in Nature vision. Not just to conserve specific pockets of greenery and nature, but to look at Singapore and our map from an ecological connectivity point of view. Habitats that are ecologically connected increase the chances of survival for flora and fauna in our city. That is why we have been strengthening Singapore’s ecological connectivity. We are doing so by studying faunal movement patterns and flora dispersal mechanisms and pathways both on land and in the water. This understanding of the connections between our natural spaces has, in turn, enabled us to conserve key habitats that are important for ecological connectivity. For example, we recognised that the forests at the future Bukit Batok Hillside Nature Park and Bukit Batok Central Nature Park are important stepping stones between the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and the future Tengah Forest Corridor.”
“Mdm Chairman, Senior Minister Teo has just laid out the nature of the climate challenge facing Singapore, while Minister Grace Fu has set out the impetus for the Green Plan and outlined its five key pillars. I will now describe our plans to make our urban environment more green and sustainable under the City in Nature and Energy Reset pillars of the Green Plan. As an island city vulnerable to climate change, the development of climate-resilient buildings is crucial to our survival. Beyond climate adaptation, we must also reduce carbon emissions from our urban environment. And we must continue greening Singapore. Given our tight land constraints, we must find innovative ways to weave nature into our urban fabric more intensively. And even as we face developmental pressures, we must strive to protect our most ecologically important areas. Members have also asked about our plans to achieve these goals. We will make a big push on three fronts. First, transforming Singapore into a City in Nature; second, making our buildings, HDB towns and districts even more sustainable; and finally, driving research and development in urban sustainability. Let me first start with our City in Nature push. Last year, we set out our goal to transform Singapore into a City in Nature. Ms Nadia Samdin asked for an update on our efforts. I will give a fuller update at the MND COS debate later today, but I will set out our plans for the future now. First, we are greening our urban areas more intensively. Under URA’s Master Plan 2019, we will be adding another 1,000 hectares of green spaces over the next 10 to 15 years. As part of these efforts, we will add over 130 hectares of new parks over the next six years. At the same time, we will also enhance about 170 hectares of existing parks.”
“All heavy vehicles are required to have a designated overnight parking space before they can be registered. As of January 2021, there are approximately 32,800 heavy vehicles, and about 41,200 heavy vehicle parking (HVP) lots. So, there are more than enough lots for all heavy vehicles. Residents have raised concerns about noise and safety arising from HVP lots near their homes. These are concerns that we share, as heavy vehicles have a higher propensity to cause death or serious injury in an accident. In addition, land near existing residential areas is needed for housing and community needs. Therefore, instead of having more HVP lots in residential estates, we are increasing the number of HVP lots in industrial areas, including those nearer to residential estates, where possible. Those on the waitlist for their preferred HVPs should continue to park at their designated parking lots, or explore alternative spaces via the OneMotoring website. Business owners should also work out appropriate transport arrangements for their heavy vehicle drivers to commute to and from work.”
“I thank the Member for his question. NParks manages some 6 million trees in Singapore, whilst in Town Council areas, if I recall right, about a million trees managed in areas under Town Council management. There are, of course, trees managed by private property owners, by MCSTs, by other agencies as well. And so, the first thing is to ensure that the arborists in Singapore, as I said earlier in my reply, that we have a community of arborists numbering more than 620, who are trained and accredited by the International Society of Arboriculture. They have to undergo regular training and upgrading in order to upkeep their standards and they are then certified by NParks. NParks offers professional training courses and seminars, both by international and local experts, and that raises and supports the standards of arborists, who are then deployed not only under NParks' regimen but also that of Town Councils, the private sector as well as other agencies as well. In addition, in relation to trees under Town Councils, NParks works closely with agencies that manage trees, Town Councils and landowners to advise them on tree care standards. NParks also provides professional training courses and seminars for tree care professionals in the private sector and other public agencies which manage trees. For example, NParks provides training for the staff of Town Councils or managing agents administering landscaping contracts, in various plant health and maintenance topics.”
“This includes signs to guide the appropriate use of play and fitness equipment; as well as what the public can do when they encounter wild animals in our parks, or hazards like falling branches in forested areas. NParks will continue to engage and educate our community on public safety tips in our parks by putting out advisories and safety messages onsite and on NParks' website. Recognising potential tree hazards in our parks, requires assessing the health and structural integrity of trees and is best carried out by trained personnel with the requisite experience and expertise. Members of the public with feedback on public trees or park facilities can contact NParks via its hotline at 1800 471 7300 or through the OneService app. For park-related accidents or incidents, public should contact the Police or the SCDF immediately, if there is an emergency or NParks' hotline otherwise. Members of the public may also approach NParks officers who are stationed onsite at some of our parks during office hours.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. On behalf of my colleagues at NParks, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We stand by them and have offered the support that they may need at this difficult time. In regard to the Member's first question on the use of restraints on trees. NParks does use tree support systems for trees that have reached maturity or have known structural weaknesses, among others. For example, there is a heritage tree I am told, the Lychee Tree atop Mount Rosie in the Novena neighbourhood. It is supported by permanent galvanised steel structure built to withstand elements. This tree is more than 100 years old. NParks also uses cabling methods in selected situations such as the tree, a Palaquium tree at the Evolution Garden at Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG). This method is used as a precautionary measure to restrain the tree from falling in a direction of the footpath. Tree support systems can constrain, however, young and semi-mature trees in the ability to grow. This could also constrain them in their ability to make natural swaying movements in order to buffet the impact of strong winds, and in fact, may inadvertently weaken the structure of the tree – because the crown gets the full impact and the tree structure is constrained from some degree of natural movement. NParks will study carefully what more situations we can use it, but we also have to recognise that these structures can also pose safety issues if used without care in park settings where people frequent. To ensure that park users can enjoy our parks safely, NParks has installed advisory signs on various safety related issues across our shared spaces.”
“NParks appoints registered professional structural engineers to inspect the structural integrity of buildings and structures in its parks, such as shelters, bridges and monuments, once every five years, in accordance with statutory requirements under the Building Control Act. Regular and systematic checks of park facilities are also conducted by NParks staff and external inspectors. For example, all playgrounds are inspected monthly by NParks staff, and every six months by external Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. This allows NParks to detect and rectify defects in a timely manner and to keep our parks safe for users. In conclusion, Sir, the questions raised by Members are in relation, I probably assume rightly, to the recent Marsiling Park death. We deeply regret the loss of life, every one death or injury as a result of tree-fall incidents is one too many. My colleagues at NParks and the arborist community work hard day after day to keep our streetscape, to keep our parks and our nature areas safe for Singaporeans to enjoy. We will continue to press on to keep up the work and to ensure that our City in Nature is safe and enjoyable for everyone.”
“For instance, NParks is piloting modelling techniques to understand the impact of adverse environmental conditions, such as strong winds, on the structural integrity of trees. This will help NParks to better determine the pruning required to improve tree stability. To ensure that there is sufficient expertise to perform tree inspections, NParks has built up a pool of certified arborists in Singapore by offering professional training courses and seminars. These courses are conducted by both international and local arboriculture experts, for NParks staff, as well as tree care professionals in the private sector and other public agencies that manage trees. There are currently more than 620 arborists in Singapore who are accredited with the International Society of Arboriculture. Apart from its in-house arborists, NParks also requires its tree maintenance contractors to have certified arborists in their teams. With this comprehensive tree management programme, NParks has reduced the number of tree failure incidents by almost nine-fold, from 3,100 in the year 2000, to 339 in 2020. However, it is not possible to completely prevent tree-related incidents because trees are living organisms that can be affected by pests and diseases, as well as environmental conditions. Even healthy and structurally-sound trees can fail during storm events due to exceptionally strong winds or heavy rainfall. Lastly, Ms Hany Soh has asked whether NParks has a safety check regime in place for its parks. Beyond trees, safety inspections are also carried out for park infrastructure and facilities.”
“Thank you, Sir. Ms Hany Soh and Mr Shawn Huang have raised questions about NParks’ current tree inspection regime and I will address them together. The National Parks Board (NParks) has a tree inspection and maintenance regime that is aligned with the Best Management Practices of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Regular tree inspections are carried out by trained inspectors every six to 24 months, depending on the location and size of the tree. Trees that are close to areas with high pedestrian or traffic activity are inspected more frequently. During a tree inspection, NParks’ inspectors conduct a comprehensive visual examination of the tree crown, branches, trunk and roots to assess the tree’s health and stability. Trees that are found to have possible defects are subject to an additional in-depth inspection, which involves the use of diagnostic equipment to assess the internal condition of the tree. Since November 2016, such in-depth inspections are also conducted annually for trees of more than four metres in girth. This is a precautionary measure in response to changing weather conditions, and is over and above the Best Management Practices of the International Society of Arboriculture. Beyond inspections, NParks has put in place other measures to reduce the risk of tree failure. First, NParks carries out targeted arboriculture treatments to improve general tree health and their ability to withstand severe weather conditions. It prunes trees regularly to remove weak, dry or overgrown branches, and to improve their structure and balance. Second, NParks is also progressively replacing storm-vulnerable tree species with hardier species. Third, NParks uses technology to analyse risks and improve inspection processes.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I take Question Nos 2 and 3 together?”
“Neighbours should accord mutual respect and consideration to one another. When disputes occur, as they sometimes do, they are often best resolved by neighbours coming together to understand and try to resolve the cause of the friction between them. Where neighbours are unable to resolve the dispute themselves, the Government has created avenues to help neighbours work out their disagreements. Under the inter-agency Community Dispute Management Framework (CDMF), most disputes between neighbours in HDB estates can be resolved amicably with some help from grassroots leaders and community partners. If the dispute persists, the neighbours will then be advised to seek mediation at the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) to reach an amicable resolution. If there is no improvement after mediation attempts, the relevant parties will be advised to file a case at the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal as a last resort. MCCY is leading a review of the Community Dispute Management Framework to strengthen measures such as referral protocol among frontline agencies, mediation and legal recourse. This is a Whole-of-Government approach that seeks to enhance the management of community disputes in both private and public housing estates. MND is part of the inter-agency committee led by MCCY, which is also looking at encouraging greater use of mediation to resolve neighbour disputes. We thank the Member for his suggestion on mandatory mediation, which we will carefully consider as part of the review.”
“International trade in wildlife species threatened with extinction, including shark species, is regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, scheduled species brought into Singapore are to be accompanied by CITES permits issued by exporting countries in accordance with CITES rules and regulations. This helps us to regulate the import of shark products upstream and provides assurance that the import of scheduled shark species into Singapore is legal, sustainable and traceable. NParks also has a robust risk management framework to target the illicit trade in scheduled shark species. Hence, our approach is to regulate upstream at the point of import, while targeting illicit trade, rather than imposing labelling requirements at the consumer-level. This approach is also in line with that adopted by most of the Parties to CITES.”
“Jalan Kubor cemetery area has been zoned "Residential" since the 1998 Master Plan to meet our housing needs in the longer term. The detailed development plans as well as the implementation timeline for these plans have yet to be drawn up and will be subject to future detailed studies. The National Heritage Board (NHB) had commissioned and completed a study in 2014 to document the cemetery's history and the personalities buried there. URA will work closely with NHB and expert panels to consider the heritage aspects of the site when reviewing future plans for the area.”