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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“The Remaking Our Heartland (ROH) initiative is a comprehensive rejuvenation blueprint to renew existing HDB towns and estates, ensure the sustainability and vibrancy of the HDB heartlands, and make Singapore a distinctive and endearing home for Singaporeans. It is a multi-agency effort to develop customised plans that suit the needs of each ROH town, and to bring the plans from different agencies into a holistic package to rejuvenate the town as a whole. Towns are identified for ROH based on the potential and opportunities for rejuvenation within the towns. Given the scale and effort involved, each plan typically takes about 5-10 years to be implemented. Since the programme was launched in 2007, we have announced ROH for 13 towns/estates. A key part of the ROH package is usually the upgrading of the neighbourhood centre, with the upgrading work aimed at strengthening the identity of the neighbourhoods such as through entrance promenades and heritage markers, infusing more greenery, and providing more public spaces for the community to gather, such as community plazas, common areas sitting or fitness facilities. Other examples of ROH upgrading works could include upgrading of existing facilities. As ROH funding is limited, there is a need to prioritise works that will benefit the community, rather than specific groups such as commercial tenants for which other programmes are available. The Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) Scheme is a targeted programme to help the retailers and Merchants’ Associations (MA) in our HDB town and neighbourhood centres enhance the vibrancy and competitiveness of their shops. In line with this intent, HDB co-funds physical upgrading works to improve the shopping environment, as well as retailers’ promotional activities.”
“Where necessary, HDB can provide technical advice to the Town Council on the root cause of the leak, and on the appropriate repair methods.”
“The external walls of HDB blocks are common property under the Town Councils’ management and maintenance. As they are subject to wear and tear over time, Town Councils are advised to keep them in good condition by carrying out regular maintenance and repairs where needed. Residents who encounter water seepage through their walls typically report such cases to their Town Council. As such, HDB does not have information on the total number of external wall seepage cases. For cases that were reported to HDB, in the last three months, HDB received an average of 350 cases reported per month, out of about 1 million flats. This is slightly lower than the average received in the same period the year before, which was about 360 cases per month. Ceiling leaks that occur in HDB flats are generally a result of wear and tear over time. In such cases, the responsibility for repairs is shared jointly between the upper and lower-floor flat owners. Both upper and lower-floor flat owners would need to jointly investigate and carry out the repairs. In most cases, leakages can be amicably resolved when flat owners exercise mutual understanding and cooperate with one another. In the last three months, from October 2020 to December 2020, HDB received on average about two reported cases of ceiling leaks per 1,000 dwelling units. These figures are similar to those observed over the same period the year before. Lastly, ceiling leaks can also occur for units that are on the top floor, as water seeps into the flat through the roof. Such cases are generally a result of wear and tear of the roofing material at the top of the HDB block over time. As the roof is part of common property, the Town Council is responsible for addressing the leak.”
“The Government had acquired two land parcels in connection with the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project. The first land parcel is the former Jurong Country Club site. It is currently zoned White (Subject to Detailed Planning). This remains consistent with our plans for the land to be used for new mixed-use, commercial and residential developments, as well as community facilities. The second land parcel is the former Raffles Country Club site, which is currently zoned for Transport Facilities use. This also continues to be relevant, as the land will site the future Cross Island MRT Line Western Depot and an Integrated Train Testing Centre. These land parcels continue to be needed to realise our overall vision for Jurong Lake District, which is not affected by the termination of the HSR project. We will study the appropriate mix of uses for the parts of the land parcels initially set aside for the HSR to ensure that they tie in with the surroundings. As land is scarce, we will make good use of these acquired land parcels to realise their full potential value to benefit Singaporeans.”
“That is why over the last year plus, there were all these to-ing and fro-ing with our nature friends over, say, the ability of some sites in Tengah to be able to provide that level of connectivity; and we make adjustments along the way to provide for them. But, of course, beyond environmental impact assessments, I can assure the Members in this House that we also study other issues that also affect the residents, like traffic impact assessments, noise assessments. We look at the impact on a whole range of issues that also impact the urban environment as much as we look at the environmental impact. 1.36 pm”
“Specifically, to the Green Corridor, it is 24 km thereabouts, from north to south that runs through what is formerly that rail from Malaysia to Singapore, to Tanjong Pagar. We have committed to keep that as a green corridor. And it is for many, many users – it is for runners, joggers, cyclists, hikers, families, young people, seniors. It is for artists, musicians. It is for communities. It is for communities of gardeners and farmers. It is also for ecological biodiversity and connectivity. There are a number of areas which look green, but if you go with Nature Society and my NParks colleagues, the survey will show that those are mainly not native flora and fauna; and a lot of effort has to go into replanting, into reforesting, into removing the invasive species and replanting them with species that can support biodiversity in the area. And the different stretches of the Rail Corridor can also serve as ecological connectivity, for dispersal of flora, for fauna connectivity, whether it is insects, odonates, whether it is mammals, large or mostly small, to be able to then, also play that part in connecting different biodiversed core areas. And, more broadly, it is the same concept as well. And, in fact, in our conversations with our nature community – because our relationship has evolved and strengthened over time into a constructive and deep one – we are beginning to ask ourselves: should we just be looking at individual sites or should we be looking at the overall ecological map of Singapore? That map is very different from your urban map, I can assure you; very, very different. And in our EIAs or EBSes, we do study the impact on connectivity between different areas.”
“I invite the Member to clarify, when he mentioned green corridor connectivity, are you talking about general ecological connectivity or the connectivity of the Green Corridor, the Rail Corridor? I just want to be clear because the Rail Corridor runs through your constituency too, I believe.”
“And if there are some changes to our plans, we will then have to activate some of these contingencies, some of which may not necessarily be the best solution; it may be the next best. And if changes are made to certain plans, then, sometimes, we squeeze in one location, the problem pops up somewhere else. Then, the question is – we talked about ecological prioritisation of biodiverse sites, or even the decision points on whether to redevelop or recover land from settlement or business, to recycle them, when and where we do so – there will be those implications. So, I give you very broad concepts. But in essence, our demands are tied for today and tomorrow. We have to keep in mind the future generations. We must remember that things can change along the way. And thanks to long-term planning by our planners and our leaders of days gone by, we seek to continue that mantle of responsibility. We hope to be able to make those adjustments.”
“I think the Member makes a very important point that planning is not done on paper. It involves visiting the site, doing lots of tests, looking at the surrounding community and their needs. And then, from a decision point that we need to prepare for some need – whether industrial, housing, social community – to when it actually can start operating, it is quite a few years. And as more considerations, checks, tests, sampling and analysis need to be done in consultation, then, that time will grow longer and longer. And remember that over that period of time, a lot of factors may change and there are many moving parts. For instance, the planning parameters and planning horizons for different sites will take time. And for smaller sites, maybe slightly shorter; for big strategic sites like the Greater Southern Waterfront, it could take decades. Or for Paya Lebar to relocate after land reclamation, land preparation, it will take decades. During that kind of timeframe, whether it is years or decades, things may change, including demographic structures, social need, demand may fluctuate depending on economic considerations and, of course, people's values and principles in what they feel is important here and now, and in the future. And therefore, because we have had the privilege over the decades since our Independence for stability and continuity, our Public Service, together with the political leadership, have been able to put in place plans but also alternatives and contingencies – what if it is this; what if it is that. And that is really our mindset – because we are not developers; we are stewards. We provide the needs for Singaporeans, even those not yet born. And therefore, we have to make all these plans ready.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government resolves to continue to regularly review our plans in partnership with the community, to support the diverse aspirations and changing needs of our people, as consensus on the balance between environmental conservation and development evolves. Our goal is to steward a home and a City in Nature that all Singaporeans, in this generation and future ones, love and cherish.”
“At the same time, as part of such conversations, it is good for all of us to better understand the opportunities and constraints facing Singapore when it comes to balancing our various land use needs. And if we recalibrate the balance between conservation and development, or for that matter, between different kinds of developments and needs, or adjusting the ratio of different land use types, we should also need to discuss what this would mean, in practical terms. For instance, I read in a TODAY commentary over the weekend, which quoted a 24-year old SUSS student Mr Yeo Wei Jiang who shared his personal convictions and some of those in his generation. He said that preserving the natural environment should be Singapore's "top priority" and that, I quote, "I am willing to commit to it even if it means waiting longer for a BTO, living in a more inconvenient area, or paying a higher price". Some may resonate; others may not agree. But that is part of the conversation. Singaporeans' aspirations and views are evolving: on housing, property, on material pursuits, on family and society, on nature and on the nature and form of work. At the same time, the world and the global economy around us and technology are changing and changing rapidly – and so too must our strategies and approaches so that we can emerge as a stronger nation after this most difficult of tests. URA will engage Singaporeans later this year – as we do regularly every few years – to discuss our aspirations as a people and gather ideas and inputs, and importantly, partnerships to formulate our long-term plans for a liveable and sustainable future. We invite everyone to join these conversations and to partner us in action.”
“Some have gone further to say that we should not build any more flats and halt all development. We can understand that sentiment too. Others have urged the Government to redevelop other sites instead, including vacant sites, acquiring older private or public housing or taking existing school fields, running tracks, car parks in the vicinity. Several have suggested that new housing and nature should co-exist on the site. For example, develop parts that are less vegetated or with more non-native species. While there are diverse views and what I have just summarised is really just scratching the surface, many who have written in appreciate the tension between the need for development and nature conservation; and actually, all of them lie along a continuum of where that balance should lie. We are studying the feedback in detail and welcome more Singaporeans to give their views and inputs – give us your ideas, sketch them on a map – as we consider our plans for the Ulu Pandan site. Accordingly, HDB will extend the public consultation period for the EBS for another four weeks. So, please write in. We will carefully consider all the feedback received and share our plans when ready. We are encouraged by the keen interest generated in our plans for Singapore and nature conservation. Indeed, mainstreaming of nature consciousness or having conversations about conservation among Singaporeans at large is a key part of our strategy to become a City in Nature. I talked about it in an interview with The Straits Times and, really, it is beyond just the locations and the science and conservation, but about mainstreaming these conversations. This is a good time as concerns about sustainability are now at the top of our agenda.”
“This will give our future generations the option of deciding whether to use it for housing as intended by generations gone by, or to review its land use if the need arises. As for the site at Ulu Pandan, it used to be a rubber plantation, fruit orchards and kampongs. In fact, I took a photographer of a marker and had a good discussion with heritage buffs, who are continuing to study what the history of that site was. Because underlying all of Singapore, every inch of land, there are layers of history, layers of heritage, many stories to tell over the generations. The Ulu Pandan site is similarly overgrown with non-native trees after the rubber plantations, fruit orchards and kampongs were abandoned and the land taken by Government. Since the Master Plan 2003, the land had been zoned "Residential (Subject to Detailed Planning)". HDB engaged an external consultant to conduct an Environmental Baseline Survey (EBS) for Ulu Pandan, to guide HDB's development plans and identify the native flora and fauna and their habitats. HDB then consulted nature groups to refine their plans for Ulu Pandan, incorporating the findings from the EBS. Subsequently, the EBS report was published online to invite public feedback. HDB has since received and continues to receive feedback and suggestions from nearby residents, members of the public and those interested in nature and environmental issues. There has been a very wide range of views and we thank everyone for contributing them. Some have called to retain the site fully for greenery and recreation and to designate it as a Nature Park. Some say keep it green. Others say keep it green but let us intervene through restoration. So, different levels of scientific understanding and interests.”
“Developments near to sites with significant biodiversity undergo an in-depth consultation with technical agencies and may be subject to an environmental study to assess the possible environmental impact of development plans, including ecological connectivity. We also engage stakeholders, such as those from the nature community, to take in feedback and strengthen the rigour of the studies. Unless there are security considerations, the studies will be made publicly available, so that anyone can provide feedback on the findings and recommendations. The studies, as well as feedback received, guide the planning of the site, including mitigating measures to reduce the impact on the environment where necessary. We also seek to preserve and integrate natural elements within the development where possible, to facilitate ecological connectivity. We thank our nature groups and the nature community for their close partnership in working with the relevant agencies to achieve these outcomes. Let me talk about the specific sites in Clementi and Ulu Pandan mentioned by Members. Some called Ulu Pandan "Dover", but, of course, according to the planners, it is part of Ulu Pandan. So, let me use in Parliament the correct planning language. The site at Clementi was an abandoned rubber plantation, which has since been overgrown with Albizia trees which are not native. In January this year, I explained to Parliament that the land had been rezoned "Residential (Subject to Detailed Planning)" 23 years ago, since the Master Plan 1998. While there is no immediate need to develop the site for housing, we will retain the zoning of the site for now, and not touch it for housing.”
“In tandem, we will implement species recovery plans for 130 animal and plant species by 2030 – native, flora and fauna – to strengthen the conservation of our endangered and rare species. These efforts will restore existing ecological habitats for our wildlife and provide Singaporeans with greater access and a more immersive experience in nature. And so, it is not just the green space that we protect but we intensify it, for example, through the Forest Restoration Action Plan. To scientists, they know the difference. When you go into a green space, you look at the mix of native and alien invasive species, you look at what might be strangling the forest and ecology, what may be disrupting the habitat, even though it looks all green from afar. And it is painstaking. For example, in the Bukit Timah area, the Rifle Range area, painstaking removal of Dioscorea by hand and by basic tools, the replanting of native species, the soil preparation, the intensive work; and then, allowing the forest to recover after the removal of invasive species, for it to settle again and for forest succession to take place over time. That requires stewardship beyond our generation. Let me assure Members that we are committed to stewarding and protecting our green spaces. But given our physical constraints and scarce land area, there will be some greenfield sites that we might have to develop to meet our land use needs. Any decision to proceed is made only after detailed study of the trade-offs and alternatives, including the assessment of ecological and biodiversity value. And where development cannot be entirely avoided, we proceed with care.”
“Similarly, while other green spaces such as Dairy Farm Nature Park and Rifle Range Nature Park could have been developed for housing, they have been retained as green buffers to our Nature Reserves instead. And we have done this in many other areas too over time – Sungei Buloh, Pulau Ubin and Chek Jawa, Kranji Marshes, Chestnut, Thomson, Khatib Bongsu, Bukit Batok Hillside Nature Park, Admiralty Park, Hampstead Wetland Park, Tampines Eco Green, Tampines Quarry, Rail Corridor, to name a few. We are looking out for more areas to help enhance ecological connectivity; and we have to look at those areas with biodiversity and significant biological importance, and prioritise those. Today, we have safeguarded approximately 7,800 hectares of our land for Nature Reserves, Nature Areas, Nature Parks and other green spaces, such as parks and park connectors. These comprise key representative eco-systems and habitats for Singapore’s native biodiversity. We need to also remember that not all of these areas were untouched habitats. For example, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the upcoming Khatib Bongsu Nature Park were once prawn farming areas. These areas were abandoned, the land was acquired by Government in days gone by for future redevelopment, and they were marked out by earlier batches of leaders and public officers for our generation's use, and the next generation. But over time, they have become green spaces inhabited by indigenous flora and fauna. We will not only protect and enhance existing green spaces but will also extend our network with an additional 1,000 hectares of green spaces over the next 10 to 15 years and weave greenery more intensively into our urban areas. I seek all Members' support when we intensify in your areas.”
“So, we cannot redevelop these spaces overnight but plan far, far ahead, like now, for the needs of the next generation. There are also different trade-offs to weigh, including the compatibility of a new development with surrounding land uses, and the availability and capacity of supporting infrastructure, among other considerations. Now, let me move on and explain our approach when it comes to greenfield sites, vegetated sites, green and natural areas. Because of our commitment to land stewardship and sustainable development, we adopt a science-based approach to identify core biodiversity areas and surrounding buffers that we want to retain for future generations. Broadly, the considerations include ecological significance and ecological connectivity of habitats. The four-pronged Nature Conservation Masterplan sets out the strategies to safeguard these green spaces. In fact, the Masterplan goes much more than that; in terms of City in Nature, it is also the mindset of people, their ability to be conscious about nature, to be scientific about it, and also to be able to understand all the stresses and tensions we deal with, as we seek to protect biodiversity on our city island. As a result of this approach, we have retained a number of ecologically important sites as green spaces, although they had initially been designated for other uses, human uses. For instance, the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat had initially been planned for factory use, for industry. Yet, after careful study through biodiversity surveys and ecological modelling, we decided to keep it as a Nature Park given its high ecological value, both domestically as well as playing our role internationally as part of a flyway.”
“Going forward, when the lease for the Keppel Club Golf Course expires, we will use the land to develop public and private housing. Land taken back from Jurong Country Club, Raffles Country Club, Marina Bay Golf Course from 2024 and Orchid Country Club from 2030, will also be used to meet other needs. By 2030, we would have taken back more than 400 hectares of golf course land for redevelopment. We will continue to carry out land reclamation where appropriate and see how we can also make use of underground spaces and deep cavern spaces for infrastructure, though the costs are high. If you look at the geological map of Singapore, parts of it are granite, solid hard rock; parts of it are sedimentary rock. In fact, a number of years ago, I visited the Jurong Rock Caverns at Jurong Island, which makes use of cavernous underground space, through advances in engineering, to store high-value products, saving the surface for other uses. But this is work in progress. We also undertake major long-term strategic redevelopment moves whenever the opportunity arises – an opportunity to re-imagine Singapore, to advance our children's interests and that of their grandchildren. For example, the height restrictions over a large part of eastern and north-eastern Singapore will be lifted after the air base moves out of Paya Lebar, allowing us to intensify land use both in and around the site. We will also progressively redevelop the Greater Southern Waterfront after the port moves to Tuas, freeing up prime waterfront land for public and private housing and other purposes. But many of these moves take time and require complex planning and careful coordination, because they affect people, homes, livelihoods and industries.”
“Our economic imperatives may also shift and evolve after the pandemic as technology changes and advances, so we will need to take a good, hard look at land use needs for the future. While it remains to be seen if some of these shifts will persist in the "new normal" beyond COVID-19, we are actively monitoring these trends and adjusting our land use strategies to satisfy both the needs of today and the possibilities and challenges of tomorrow. To meet our growing and changing needs, we have been, and will continue to adopt a range of development options. This includes increasing the density of developments – building higher and building more densely, while ensuring liveability. So, there is a limit. We are also co-locating suitable uses. For example, the upcoming Punggol Town Hub will feature a public library, community centre, hawker centre and health services, all co-located, some stacked on top of each other, for one-stop, convenient access for our residents. This, of course, beats having one site for the CC, one site for the hawker centre, one site for the healthcare services, one site for the library, and so on and so forth. We maximise the land take. We are also co-locating a Water Reclamation Plant and an Integrated Waste Management Facility at Tuas Nexus, and a four-in-one rail and bus depot in the East Coast. Such projects save us hectares of land that can be used for other purposes. We are also redeveloping brownfield sites such as golf courses, old school sites, or industrial areas, as leases expire. For example, last year, we launched the former First Toa Payoh Secondary School site for public housing, after the school was merged. Many Members might also remember that Bishan used to be a cemetery.”
“And I am sure Members, from time to time, at your Meet-the-People Sessions or, more likely, via email, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, they will reach out to you. On top of that, our public housing demand is also partly driven by changing social structures. For example, there is a growing trend of smaller households as more young couples, singles and their parents choose to have their own flats and their own homes instead of staying with their extended families, as it was so in the past. Indeed, Members of this House have championed some of these needs and more. The average household size in HDB dwellings was 3.07 in 2019, compared to 4.24 in 1990. Or take a more recent development like COVID-19, which continues to impact our lives in many significant ways, and has thrown up new land use challenges. Apart from the fact that working from home became the norm for many of us, the pandemic also reminded us that supply disruptions are a very real concern. For example, given the supply tightness that the world experienced for certain food and medical items, our agencies are looking to strengthen local resilience of some of our resource systems, such as for food. This may mean increasing local production and storage capacity for such resources, where feasible. The pandemic has also demonstrated the importance of having buffer sites for emergency uses, which we were able to activate quickly for quarantine and recovery facilities, and temporary housing of our migrant workers. Meanwhile, trends such as tele-commuting and e-commerce have accelerated, raising questions about how much office and retail space we might really need in the long term.”
“These tensions are inherent in land use planning everywhere, but felt more acutely in a small city-state like Singapore. Sustainable development for Singapore over the long term also means that we need to recycle and reuse our limited land, while incorporating flexibility into our plans, to meet the changing needs and aspirations of each new generation. We must continue to plan ahead to support our collective vision for Singapore, not just for ourselves, but for our children and theirs. Our land use needs today are quite different from those of yesteryear, and will continue to evolve. Let me use public housing as an example. Today, we continue to see a high demand for new HDB flats. In 2020, the overall application rate for BTO flats was 5.8 times. This means that for each BTO flat, we broadly get between five and six Singaporean applicants. This is driven partly by marriage and family formation. Between 2015 and 2019, the annual average number of Singapore citizen marriages registered was 23,600, higher than the annual average of 22,400 registered between 2010 and 2014. In the near term, we expect more demand from the larger "Echo" Baby Boomers cohorts – born in the late 1980s to 1990s – as they enter into marriageable age. For comparison, we built an average of 16,200 new HDB flats each year over the same period to cater to BTO demand by all buyer groups and not just newlyweds. For completeness, other housing options, including HDB resale flats, ECs, private property, open market rental flats or living with family members, remain. So, therefore, we need to continue building to meet the demands and aspirations of young families.”
“Thank you, Sir. Sir, Members have asked about development plans for green spaces in Singapore, including specific sites at Clementi and Ulu Pandan. I will first address our overall approach to land use planning and nature conservation, and then talk about specific sites and locations. Let me start with our approach to land use. We are a city, 728 sq km of land area in all. But we are also a city-state. Our land use considerations are therefore quite different from most other cities. This is because, unlike most other cities which have large hinterlands, we have to cater for everything that a country needs within the limits of our city, instead of far beyond its limits in the case of other cities. These include things such as airports and seaports, airbases and military training ground, reservoirs, incineration and power plants, agriculture and so much more. Our approach to conservation as a city-state is also quite different. For example, in other cities, you travel out, sometimes for many hours on the motorway, to enjoy natural greenery and nature. But in Singapore, our wild spaces are right in our midst, with our gem, the Central Catchment and Bukit Timah Nature Reserves, nestled in the green heart of our city. We have always taken a long-term view towards land use planning, with stewardship and sustainability as core, long-held principles. Given our small size, we have been, and have to be, judicious in stewarding our scarce land resources to support Singapore’s development as well as in our aspiration to be a City in Nature. We have to constantly balance demands and trade-offs across a wide variety of needs, including housing, green spaces, infrastructure, community facilities, workplaces, amongst others.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I take Question Nos 20 to 25 together?”
“HDB has implemented the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) for over 5,000 blocks. There are about 150 blocks where it is not feasible to implement LUP due to high cost, or existing technical or site constraints. Within these blocks, about 20% of the units, or 2,000 flats, do not have direct lift access. HDB will continue to look for cost-effective solutions to improve accessibility for residents living in these flats. In the meantime, the Ministry of National Development (MND) has introduced the Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) of up to $30,000 to help residents with medical or mobility issues buy a new or resale HDB flat with direct lift access.”
“Since February 2020, HDB has terminated two construction contracts, with contract value of $127 Million and $5 Million respectively. The first contract was a BTO project at Waterway Sunrise II, while the second contract was for improvement works at Multi-Storey Car Parks at HDB towns. In both cases, the contractor had difficulties completing the projects, even though HDB had provided many opportunities for them to re-schedule and catch up on their works. HDB terminates construction contracts only as a last resort. Before deciding to terminate a contract, HDB considers factors such as whether there have been substantial delays to the project’s progress, the reasons for the delay, and the contractor's ongoing ability to complete the project on time. Typically, these contractors would encounter one or more causes of delay such as the inability to carry out works due to financial difficulties, disruption in management team, or high turnover of site supervisory personnel and lack of resources and manpower.”
“Since the Wildlife Act came into force in June 2020, NParks has issued 38 warning letters and one composition notice for the feeding of wildlife. NParks officers from various divisions work together to operationalise the various Acts under NParks' administration. This includes enforcing the law against the feeding of wildlife under the Wildlife Act.”
“These areas were abandoned, acquired by the Government, and have over time become green spaces inhabited by indigenous flora and fauna. Similarly, Clementi Forest was an abandoned rubber plantation. Today, it has become a secondary forest. We will extend our network with an additional 1,000 hectares of green spaces over the next 10 to 15 years, and continue to protect and enhance existing green spaces. After weighing the alternatives and trade-offs, there will be areas that we cannot avoid developing. Nonetheless, for these sites, possible environmental impacts will still be carefully managed, and natural elements will be integrated within developments where possible. Singapore’s land-use requirements will continue to evolve. For example, as more singles aspire to have a home of their own, and more families become nuclear households, the demand for HDB flats is likely to remain strong. At the same time, as our economy transforms and work patterns shift, there may be changes to how we plan for office and industrial spaces. Likewise, as we move towards a more car-lite city, road space may be freed up for other purposes. The Government will continue to regularly review our plans in partnership with the public, to ensure that it supports the changing needs and aspirations of Singaporeans.”
“The site commonly referred to as "Clementi Forest" has been zoned "Residential (Subject to Detailed Planning)" 23 years ago, since the Master Plan 1998, and safeguarded for residential use. However, there is no immediate need to develop the site for housing. We will, however, retain the zoning of the site, while giving our future generations the option of deciding whether to use it for housing, if the need arises. In land-scarce and densely-populated Singapore, we will continue to have to balance the needs of development and conservation. As part of our long-term planning process, we set aside land early to meet the aspirations of future generations. In doing so, we endeavour to balance the demands and trade-offs across a variety of land use needs, including that of housing, green spaces, infrastructure and workplaces. Where possible, we have reviewed our plans to retain green spaces. Some of these areas could have been used for industry. For instance, the Mandai Mangroves and Mudflats were initially planned for factory use. Yet, after careful study, we decided to keep it as a Nature Park given its ecological value. Similarly, other green spaces such as Thomson Nature Park and Windsor Nature Park could have been developed for housing. Yet, they are currently retained as green buffers to our Nature Reserves instead. Today, we have safeguarded approximately 7,800 hectares of our land for Nature Reserves, Nature Areas, Nature Parks and other green spaces, such as parks and park connectors. These comprise key representative ecosystems and habitats for Singapore’s native biodiversity. Not all of these Nature Reserves and Nature Parks were untouched habitats. For example, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the upcoming Khatib Bongsu Nature Park were once prawn farming areas.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) provides multiple forms of support to help rental tenants work towards home ownership, including priority in sales exercises and generous subsidies. In addition, the Home Ownership Support Team was set up to guide rental tenants who are ready to buy a flat, including advising them on their housing budget and options, and the available grants and schemes. Seniors aged 55 and above can buy 2-room Flexi flats from HDB on shorter leases, and HDB has exercised flexibility on the age requirement on a case-by-case basis. Eligible second-timer families with young children who are living in public rental flats can also buy 2-room Flexi flats on shorter leases, under the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. Buyers of short-lease 2-room Flexi flats must choose a lease that can cover them and their spouse at least until age 95, so that the flat can be a home for life, and to avoid the situation where they outlive the lease of the flat.”
“The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) sets the passing mark for the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination at 60 (which is published on the CEA website), but it does not set a passing rate for the examination. Property transactions are significant financial commitments that Singaporeans make. The RES examination ensures that real estate salespersons have the necessary knowledge and skill to guide and advise consumers. This helps to protect the interests of consumers. While CEA regularly reviews the RES examination and passing mark, it is important to ensure that the examinations are of sufficiently high standard.”
“In the meantime, residents in flats with pipe socket laundry holders can consider other clothes drying solutions, such as indoor free-standing racks, which are easily available in the market in a range of options to suit their needs and preferences.”
“The Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme aims to improve the safety and comfort of seniors living in HDB flats. Currently, EASE offers seniors three types of improvements to their flats, namely grab bars, ramps and slip-resistant treatment to existing floor tiles of bathrooms/ toilets. The installation work is relatively light and can be typically completed within hours. The installation of the retractable laundry rack, on the other hand, requires elaborate engineering work and support structures such as the use of gondolas to carry out work on the external façade of the flat. Therefore, it is more efficient and cost-effective, and less disruptive to all residents in the block, for such racks to be installed in all flats of the block at the same time, instead of carrying out the works as and when there is a request. In addition, including the retractable laundry rack under EASE (Direct Application) will also result in maintenance challenges for Town Councils, as only some flats in the block will have the retractable laundry rack installed. As such, for flats completed between 1987 and 1997, HDB will continue to progressively replace pipe socket laundry pole holders with the retractable laundry rack through the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). As there are about 230,000 eligible flats, HIP has to be carried out in batches. In addition, there are some older flats which were previously upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP), and are still using the pipe socket laundry pole holders. We are studying the possibility of replacing the pipe socket holders in these flats with other clothes drying rack solutions.”
“To date, we have called or awarded tenders for a total solar capacity of about 280 Megawatt-peak (MWp), covering over 5,700 HDB blocks by 2020. This surpasses our previous solar target of 220 MWp for 5,500 blocks by 2020. About half of these solar panels have been installed, with the rest to be progressively installed in batches over the next two to three years. The solar energy generated by the 280 MWp solar panels is equivalent to powering 70,300 4-room flats, and potentially reduce carbon emissions by 168,000 tonnes per year, which in turn, helps to mitigate the effects of climate change. In addition, last year we had announced a new solar target of 540 MWp on HDB blocks by 2030, more than double the previous target. The 540 MWp target could potentially generate 648 GWh of clean energy annually. This will contribute towards the national solar target of at least 2 GWp by 2030. We will continue to call more tenders for the installation of solar panels on HDB rooftops in the coming years, as well as employ higher efficiency panels to optimise the use of HDB rooftop space, in order to achieve the higher target.”
“Flat applications for new and resale flats are submitted online at HDB InfoWEB. This has brought about much convenience to home seekers. Applicants without internet access may seek support from their family members, friends or community. For those who need further assistance, such as seniors who have no access to computer devices or who do not know how to use digital devices and are without support, they may call the HDB Sales/Resale Customer Service Line at 1800-8663066 for help. If face-to-face engagement is required, we will invite them to HDB Hub for in-person assistance by our service ambassadors, while keeping to the safe management measures amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Development proposals require planning approval before they are allowed to proceed. As part of the approval process, developers may be required to conduct various detailed technical studies, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for projects that are close to sensitive nature areas. The environmental consultants that carry out the EIAs have an interest to maintain their professional standing by conducting objective and thorough studies. The EIAs are thoroughly reviewed by the relevant planning and technical agencies. The agencies will assess the findings in the context of the proposed development, including considering adjustments to the scale or scope of works to mitigate potential impacts, and scrutinising the detailed environmental management plan. Unless there are specific security considerations, the EIA reports will be made publicly available, so that anyone can read the reports and provide their feedback on the findings and recommendations, if they so wish. Developers may also be required by the planning and technical agencies to engage the relevant community stakeholders and nature groups. All feedback received as part of this process is reviewed by the developer, as well as the planning and technical agencies. Where necessary, the developer will have to make relevant adjustments to the original plan, before approval is granted for the project to proceed.”
“The price of a resale flat is negotiated between the buyer and seller, and is influenced by various factors, such as market conditions, flat location, lease length and whether the buyer or seller has an urgent need to complete the transaction. This means that resale prices across ethnic groups can vary widely, and do not make for a meaningful comparison. For example, in 2019, the median resale price of 3-room flats for Chinese flat sellers was higher than those for Malay or Indian/Other flat sellers in some estates (e.g. Sengkang), but lower in others (e.g. Woodlands). Even among resale transactions within the same year and block, flats may differ in terms of their storey height, flat condition, and other factors that can affect the final resale price. Hence, it is similarly not meaningful to compare resale prices within the same year and block across different ethnic groups. In many cases, such comparisons are also not feasible, as many blocks may see few or no resale transactions in a given year, for a particular flat type or ethnic group.”
“Of the private residential purchase transactions (including ECs) by Singapore Citizens (SCs) over the past 10 years, the breakdown by age of the purchaser is shown in Table 1 below. Of the private residential rental transactions (including ECs) of whole units by SCs over the past 10 years, the breakdown by age of the tenant is shown in Table 2 below.”
“Misalignment or damage to the perimeter drains is a result of natural deterioration and the subsidence of the underlying soil over time. The maintenance and repair of the drains in the common areas comes under the responsibility of the respective Town Councils.”
“HDB works closely with the relevant government agencies to plan for and provide Social Communal Facilities (SCF) such as Child Care Centres and Senior Activity Centres in new public housing developments. Apart from the facilities that are built upfront, HDB also safeguards space within HDB void decks or multi-storey car parks (MSCP) that can be readily converted for SCF use if and when the need arises. If more space is needed for SCFs, HDB will work with agencies to consider using the upper levels of MSCPs. However, these spaces may have technical and operational constraints. For instance, we take into consideration factors such as (but not limited to): 1. Demand for parking; 2. Planning agencies' requirements for the SCF; 3. Safety considerations as well as regulatory authorities’ requirements around structural loading, fire safety and accessibility; and 4. Potential for dis-amenities to residents. As each site may have unique considerations, such requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
“Building owners and occupiers must ensure that accessibility requirements under BCA's Code on Accessibility continue to be met when implementing COVID-19-related entry and exit controls. These include providing at least one accessible entrance to the building, as well as an accessible route connecting the entrance to features that cater to the needs of the physically challenged (e.g. lifts, accessible toilets). Should there be feedback on accessibility issues arising from COVID-19-related controls, agencies will work with building owners and occupiers to improve accessibility and/or explore solutions to reduce inconvenience to physically challenged visitors using these buildings.”
“Feeding by humans encourages wildlife to venture out of their natural habitat and is the main reason for the increased sightings in residential areas. The unintentional provision of food, arising from improper refuse management or littering, can also attract wildlife to residential areas. NParks works closely with other public agencies, as well as non-governmental organisations and academic institutions with the relevant expertise, to educate the community on these issues. For example, NParks works with stakeholders to develop educational resources, signs, and outreach initiatives to advise the community on how to respond to wildlife sightings, and to raise public awareness on the negative impact of feeding wildlife. In addition, NParks partners with the National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Town Councils, and Resident and Neighbourhood Committees, to educate the community on proper refuse management. NParks also monitors feeding hotspots and will take enforcement action where necessary. It works with agencies and Town Councils to encourage proper food waste management at food establishments and to enforce against littering. All of us need to play our part to contribute to harmonious co-existence with wildlife. We can do this by not feeding wildlife, keeping our residential areas clean, and appreciating wildlife from a safe distance. Members of the public may also call the 24-hour Animal Response Centre helpline at 1800-476-1600 to report wildlife feeding activities.”
“NParks regularly reviews and updates its Price Schedule of Rates (PSOR). The most recent update to the PSOR was in September 2020. The rates for PSOR work items, including the hourly rate for the supply of labour for manual work, are pegged to prevailing market prices. These are based on quotations from companies, which would take into consideration costs such as Progressive Wage Model wages for landscape workers, employer's CPF contribution, statutory benefits and transport costs for personnel and equipment, where applicable.”
“NParks evaluates tender proposals for its landscape maintenance contracts based on the quality and price of the proposals. The quality criterion takes into account the tenderers' ability to deliver service outcomes through adopting landscape maintenance best practices, and ensuring safety, and rapid incident response and handling. NParks has been steadily increasing the weightage of the quality criterion in its tender evaluations of landscape maintenance contracts over the last ten years, from 20% to the current 40%. This reflects an increasing emphasis on service outcomes, while striking a balance with the budget available to do the work. NParks also requires tenderers to be registered in the Landscape Company Register (LCR) for at least two consecutive years when bidding for its landscape maintenance contracts. Companies on the LCR are required to fulfil the conditions of the Progressive Wage Model for the landscape sector, including training their employees appropriately for their job scopes. This requirement further ensures that tenderers train their employees sufficiently to deliver good service outcomes.”
“The Housing Development Board (HDB) does not actively track the number of unique appeals from flat owners who wish to sell their flat before fulfilling their minimum occupation period (MOP), as the data may include duplicate and repeated requests. In the last five years, HDB has given approval to about 5,000 households to sell their flat on the open market before meeting their MOP. The reasons for such exceptions include financial hardship, divorce, or the demise of the owner. For comparison, over the same period, there were about 112,000 resale transactions. The MOP remains important to ensure that flat owners purchase HDB flats with the intent of living in the flats themselves, instead of quickly reselling the flats for profit. This safeguards HDB flats for households with genuine housing needs. It also deters the speculative purchase of HDB flats, and thus helps to keep HDB flats affordable. HDB will continue to assess appeals for a waiver of the MOP on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances of the flat owners and their families.”
“In terms of support for digitalisation, we have moved from funding firms just using Building Information Modelling (BIM) software to those collaborating digitally across multiple stages of the building lifecycle through Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD). These investments that our firms have made with CPCF funding support enabled them to cope better during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, consultancy firms were able to continue working from remote locations during the Circuit Breaker period last year. Our transformation of the BE sector is an ongoing effort, and we need to press on, working closely with industry, to emerge stronger from COVID-19.”
“The Construction Productivity and Capability Fund, or CPCF, has helped to raise productivity and increase capabilities in the Built Environment (BE) sector. Our target is to increase site productivity by 20 to 30%, compared to 2010 levels, by 2020. Since 2010, we have disbursed close to two-thirds of the $850 million set aside for the CPCF. Through CPCF funding, we have supported over 10,000 BE firms to adopt productive technologies, build capabilities and develop their workforce. For example, under the Productivity Innovation Project scheme, we have co-funded up to 70% of the qualifying costs of productive technologies such as Design for Manufacturing & Assembly (DfMA). We are on track to achieve our target of 70% DfMA adoption by 2025 under the Construction Industry Transformation Map. Site productivity had also improved by 17.6% by 2019, compared to 2010 levels. To attract more locals to join the BE sector, we have a suite of scholarship and sponsorship programmes under the CPCF for students to pursue relevant BE-related disciplines at the University, Polytechnic and ITE levels. The scholarship and sponsorship fees are co-funded by firms who provide job placements for the scholarship or sponsorship recipients upon graduation. Since 2010, we have awarded more than 3,200 scholarships and sponsorships to local students. We have continually reviewed our programmes and refreshed them to keep up with industry needs and advancements in technology, so as to better support the industry. For example, we have progressively raised the productivity outcomes that firms need to achieve in order to qualify for funding under CPCF schemes. The equipment and training courses that are supportable under CPCF have also been continually updated over the years.”
“HDB’s 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 2015 to 2019, HDB received an average of 7,400 requests regarding rental flats a year. An average of 2,400 requests per year were successful; the remaining requests included enquiries on eligibility conditions, incomplete requests, and rejected requests. The common reasons for rejection include being able to buy a flat, having family members who can house them, and not meeting the citizenship criterion. HDB does not track the number of rejected requests that were subsequently successful on appeal. HDB carefully assesses every request to understand each household’s circumstances and budget. HDB does not reject requests based on income alone, and will assist households with a rental flat if they have no other housing options.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) encourages the use of standardised designs through the Buildability Framework to improve construction productivity. Currently, all projects with Gross Floor Area of 5,000 sqm and above are required to meet a minimum buildable design score for the approval of their building plans. BCA also works with agencies to encourage them to adopt standardised designs of building components, where possible. For example, for public housing projects, HDB seeks to strike a balance between standardising common components for better cost effectiveness, and enabling some variation in design to give a unique identity and character to each project. This is done by adopting standardised designs for components such as water tanks and refuse chutes, or partially standardised designs for components such as walls and slabs which can be easily adopted across different projects with minor modifications. To enable projects to have their own unique identity, HDB allows the designs of architectural facade precast panels across projects to be varied, but standardises the components within each individual project so as to achieve economies of scale. HDB will continue to regularly review standardisation and design guidelines to keep pace with industry trends and changing expectations of stakeholders.”
“Since 2009, HDB has provided spaces and built infrastructure such as planter beds or boxes on the roof gardens of multi-storey car parks (MSCPs) in Build-To-Order (BTO) developments. These roof-top spaces can be converted into community gardens if there is interest from residents. Community gardens can also be set up in suitable spaces on the ground level. HDB will continue to plan for more spaces for community gardens within new housing estates. For instance, Tengah, the newest HDB town, will include farmways to make community gardening and farming an important feature as part of the overall concept of a Forest Town. For existing estates, Town Councils can choose to implement community gardens under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP). Before finalising the scope of NRP works, Town Councils will engage and consult local residents on the facilities they would like to see in their precincts. Based on HDB’s records, about half of the NRP projects implemented to-date have incorporated community gardens as part of the improvement works.”
“Since the launch of the 10-year Landscape Sector Transformation Plan (LSTP) in May 2019, NParks has worked with stakeholders in the landscape industry and Institutes of Higher Learning to push forward in digitalising, mechanising and professionalising the landscape sector. For example, companies have tapped on NParks’ Landscape Productivity Grant to purchase equipment that improves the productivity of landscape maintenance works. NParks has also worked with ITE to revise the ITE landscaping course curriculum to impart a wider range of skills, including digital skills. NParks and ITE have also launched a Student-Run Park initiative at Bedok Town Park to provide students with first-hand experience in landscape design, horticulture, and arboriculture. Companies have also begun to tap on ITE’s new Work-Study Diploma in Arboriculture and Horticulture, which started in 2019. NParks estimates that there are about 3,000 resident landscape maintenance employees. In terms of Progressive Wage Model job levels, over 80% of these employees are landscape workers, about 10% are landscape technicians, 3% are assistant landscape supervisors, and 5% are landscape supervisors. The number and breakdown of employees has remained stable over the last few years. Between 2016 and 2019 (the latest year for which data is available), the median monthly basic and gross wages of full-time resident landscape maintenance employees have risen from $1,300 to $1,460 and $1,300 to $1,500, respectively.”