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 Rail Corridor, spanning 24 kilometres north to south of Singapore, is a unique opportunity for us to enhance this former railway line into a continuous green corridor, to enjoy the rich biodiversity and heritage that our City in Nature has to offer. Since 2018, we have been carrying out works along the southern and central stretches of the Rail Corridor – from Spooner Road to Hillview Road – to make it an inclusive community space for users of all ages and abilities. Following the completion of trail improvement works along various stretches of the Corridor, visitors can now enjoy close to 5 kilometres of re-opened trails between Jalan Kilang Barat and Commonwealth Drive, and between Buona Vista and the conserved Bukit Timah Railway Station, with a short detour at Holland Road where ongoing works are expected to complete in early 2021. Other stretches along Rail Corridor South and Central will progressively reopen when works are completed. By 1Q 2021, the public can look forward to a continuous trail from Spooner Road to Hillview Road. The northern stretch of the Rail Corridor between Hillview Road and Kranji Road is accessible to the public today. Trail improvement works along some sections will commence from early 2021. The Rail Corridor is linked to nearby towns such as Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang via the Western Adventure Loop, which is designed for walking and cycling. Residents can also look forward to new access paths from surrounding estates into the Rail Corridor. More details will be released when ready.”
“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.”
“Jointly developed by the Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Health and Housing & Development Board, the Community Care Apartments integrate senior-friendly design features with care services that can be scaled according to individual care needs, with the aim of better supporting our seniors to age in place. The first pilot at Bukit Batok will be launched for sale in the February 2021 HDB Build-To-Order exercise. There are plans for the Community Care Apartments to be piloted at additional site(s) if the take-up rate and public response for the first pilot at Bukit Batok is good. As this is a new concept, we will conduct an evaluation of the initial pilot(s) before developing longer-term plans. The services offered within the Community Care Apartments generally mirror what is available in the community today. For example, seniors who are well can access a suite of active ageing programmes and volunteering opportunities for them to stay active and connected to the community. Seniors with poor social support can access befriending or buddying services, and those with higher care needs will be referred to appropriate home and centre-based care services. A service that is unique to the Community Care Apartments would be the Shared Caregiving Service which provides residents with round-the-clock assistance with activities of daily living, medication reminders and simple errands. The Government will monitor the take-up of this service and how it benefits residents within the Community Care Apartments, before assessing its suitability for the broader community.”
“From October 2019 to September 2020, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) assisted about 50 individuals who were undergoing divorce with rental housing. Individuals who have commenced divorce proceedings can apply for rental housing. While matters such as care and control of the children and treatment of the matrimonial property may not be finalised until they receive an interim or final judgment of divorce, HDB will consider the circumstances of each applicant, including their housing options and the needs of the children. HDB will assist them with rental housing if they have no other housing option and no family support. Those in very urgent need of housing can also seek help from the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s shelters while applying for an HDB rental flat.”
“HDB and banks provide financial counselling for homeowners seeking help with their housing loan repayments to understand their needs, and identify suitable measures to assist them. From April to September 2020: (a) For households on bank loans, 26,500 are on deferred payments. Of these, 77% owned private residential properties and 23% owned HDB flats, generally mirroring the proportion of bank loans for private property and HDB flats respectively. (b) For households on HDB loans, 1,000 are on deferred payments and 300 on reduced payments. In addition, HDB has suspended late payment charges from April 2020 to March 2021, giving households flexibility on their repayment schedules with no penalties. Homeowners who took up deferments are generally similar in profile to the overall population of homeowners with housing loans, except that they are slightly more likely to be above 50 years old, and to be employed in General Commerce and Business Services industries, which include subsectors like travel agencies, retail trade, F&B, and accommodation. For HDB flat owners, they are also more likely to be living in 3-room or smaller flats. HDB and banks have recently enhanced their financial assistance measures to support homeowners who face difficulties keeping up with mortgage repayments during this pandemic. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
“From 2011 to 2019, an average of about 8,000 candidates took the Council for Estate Agencies' Real Estate Salesperson examination each year. The average annual passing rate was about 30%. On average, less than 5% of the candidates who took the examination were above 60 years old. The annual average passing rate for this group of candidates was in line with the overall average, at about 30%.”
“From 2010 to 2019, on average, about 2,300 BTO flat applicants cancelled their flat bookings each year. The total number of cancellations was about 12% of the number of BTO flats offered over this period. Of the flat applicants who cancelled their flat bookings, about 52% had applied under the Public Applicant Scheme, 36% under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme, and the remaining 12% under other schemes like the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme or the Joint Singles Scheme. Applicants cited a variety of reasons for cancelling their flat bookings, such as financial difficulties, a break-up of their fiancé-fiancée relationship, or a change of housing plans, among others.”
“The age profile breakdown of flat buyers who completed their BTO and resale flat purchases from 2010 to 2019 is as follows:”
“Of the private residential transactions (including ECs) by Singapore Citizens over the past 10 years, the breakdown by marital status and age of the purchaser have remained broadly consistent: (a) Married purchasers accounted for more than two-thirds of transactions. (b) Purchasers aged below 55 accounted for more than 80% of transactions. (c) Purchasers aged between 35 and 39 accounted for the largest share of transactions, at around 20%.”
“HDB tracks the performance of contractors closely during construction, and the Defects Liability Period (DLP). During this time, contractors are assessed every six months under HDB's Contractors Performance Assessment (CPA) framework, which takes into account the progress of site works, the quality of works completed, as well as site safety. Poor performance, including a high incidence of defects, whether at the construction or the DLP stages, will result in lower CPA scores, and impact the contractor’s ability to secure future HDB projects. In evaluating building tenders, HDB adopts the Price Quality Method (PQM) where tender bids are scored according to price, quality and productivity criteria. The CPA scores of a particular contractor constitute part of the quality component in the PQM evaluation. The vast majority of defects are reported during the DLP, and would therefore be factored into a contractor’s CPA score. For issues reported after the DLP, HDB will investigate the likely cause and advise flat owners on the follow-up action accordingly. If the issue is assessed to be due to an inherent defect or quality issue, HDB will engage the building contractor to rectify it.”
“The Government will continue to monitor the property market closely, and will adjust our policies where necessary to maintain a stable and sustainable property market.”
“The transaction volume of private residential properties has increased following the reopening of sales galleries and home viewings post Circuit-Breaker. Our assessment is that this reflects pent-up demand, supported by the current accommodative interest rate environment. Overall, private housing prices have remained broadly stable, rising marginally by 0.1% in the first three quarters of the year. The earlier rounds of cooling measures have moderated the property market cycles, and brought prices more in line with economic fundamentals. MAS also has in place macroprudential measures, such as the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) and loan-to-value limits, to protect households from over-extending themselves when taking out residential property loans. For instance, the TDSR framework anticipates potential volatility in an individual’s income by imposing a 30% haircut on variable income, and accounts for future interest rate increases by applying a higher medium term loan interest rate of 3.5% to compute monthly residential property loan instalments. In processing new mortgage applications, banks are expected to continue to maintain sound credit underwriting standards and prudent lending practices, especially in the current economic environment. Banks are mindful that an individual’s income could become more uncertain during this period and will take that into account when assessing potential borrowers. All prospective buyers should carefully consider their ability to service their mortgage obligations over many years, and not be attracted by low interest rates in the short term. Given the labour market uncertainties in the current economic situation, prospective buyers should remain prudent in their property purchase and financing decisions.”
“8% of the contract sum. Mr Xie also said that it may not be easy for contractors to fully account for additional costs such as incremental private transport costs, which may add up. To clarify, the provisions under Part 8B of the Bill provide for co-sharing of additional costs due to delays arising from COVID-19. We have separately provided construction firms with substantial financial support to help with additional compliance costs associated with COVID-Safe restart criteria.”
“Contractors seeking an EOT beyond the universal four months period provided by the Bill should negotiate with their counter-party, or rely on contract provisions. The intent is to arrive at an amicable resolution that is acceptable to both parties. But if the matter cannot be resolved, then the contractor can serve a Notification for Relief under the existing Part 2 of the Act. Once the Notification for Relief is served, the contractor will be able to rely on the defence under section 6 of the Act against any claims for liquidated damages payable under the contract in respect of delays that are materially caused by COVID-19 which occur beyond the four months EOT provided by Part 8A, and within the prescribed period. In this respect, in response to Mr Louis Ng's question, the protection afforded under section 6 of the Act is similar in effect to an EOT but they are not exactly identical. For instance, depending on the terms of the contract, an EOT may clearly have an impact on matters such as defects liability period or DLP of a project. Mr Xie Yao Quan also asked how equitable co-sharing between parties will be determined in respect Part 8B of the Bill. He suggested that we model the universal provision for co-sharing after the approach that has been adopted for public sector projects. I think he is referring to the prolongation cost that the Government procuring entities have provided to Government projects. That is indeed what we have done. The proposed provision in Part 8B of the Bill will require 50% co-sharing of additional non-manpower-related costs between the contracting parties in all applicable construction contracts, whether public or private. This is subject to a monthly cap of 0.2% of the contract sum, with the total claimable amount capped at 1.”
“I would like to thank the Leader and this House for the dispensation. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me address some of the questions that have been raised in respect of the provisions in Parts 8A, B and C of COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Amendment Bill. First, Mr Louis Ng asked whether an EOT, beyond four months automatically applies when a contractor serves a Notification for Relief under Part 2 of the Act, and how this would interact with contractual provisions on EOT; while Assoc Prof Jamus Lim asked why we chose four months universal EOT instead of aligning with the two months circuit breaker or with Phase One, and Mr Xie Yao Quan asked if we had consulted the industry on the universal EOT proposal, and whether contracts between contractors and sub-contractors will also be covered. First, let me assure the Members that our proposals were developed in close consultation with the industry and are supported by the industry associations. Part 8A of the Bill provides for a universal EOT of four months to cover the period earlier this year when most construction projects were stopped. As I mentioned earlier, two months account for the Circuit Breaker period, and two months account for the subsequent period when all dormitories were yet to be cleared. So, instead of aligning it with Phase One, we aligned it with the reality on the ground which is the duration for which most of the workers were still in the dormitories and the dormitories had not yet been cleared. All contractors, including sub-contractors, were affected by these delays. Hence, the proposed universal EOT will also apply to contracts between contractors and sub-contractors.”
“As such, purchasers may seek reimbursement from the developer for these actual costs, up to a cap of 70% of the original liquidated damages that would have been payable to the purchaser for the delay, based on the terms in the agreement for the purchase of the property. For HDB flats, purchasers can similarly claim up to 70% of the prescribed LD formula, which will be aligned with that of the formula stated in the Housing Developers Rules for private residential properties. This allows for co-sharing of such costs between the developer and purchaser. And if there are any disputes, parties can seek an Assessor’s determination. Mr Speaker, Sir, to sum up, COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge to the entire built environment sector. The sector has been brought to its knees and is slowly standing up again, adjusting to a totally new operating environment. In this regard, stakeholders of this sector continue to face significant financial, possibly legal burden due to COVID-19. Parts 8A to 8C of the Bill will help alleviate the hardship faced by these stakeholders. The aim of the amendments is to share the burden amongst the stakeholders while providing relief, to allow us to get through the crisis together. Beyond this Bill, MND will continue to work with the stakeholders to help the built environment sector recover and preserve industry capacity for us to continue building and improving Singapore.”
“Even as they are required to provide the EOT to contractors and to co-share additional costs of the delay in Parts 8A and 8B respectively, they remain liable to deliver the units to purchasers according to the deadlines set in their sale and purchase agreements entered into prior to the pandemic. It is in the interest of developers for projects to be completed in a timely manner and they have been working closely with contractors to do so, while ensuring compliance with COVID-safe measures. However, there may be some instances where they are unable to meet the committed delivery date due to unexpected delays caused by the COVID-19 situation. We have been encouraging developers who are unable to meet the date of delivery to first discuss with their purchasers and come to a workable and mutually agreeable arrangement. For developers who are unable to come to an arrangement and require help, the Bill will allow them to seek relief on the date of delivery of possession. Under Part 8C, developers who have faced construction delay due to COVID-19 and require relief may serve a notice for an extension of the delivery date by up to four months, in line with the EOT for construction projects that I described earlier. Should the developer need relief of more than four months, they will be required to seek an assessor's determination of the length of construction delay materially due to COVID-19. Let me assure this House that as we provide relief to developers, we recognise that purchasers face challenges on their end as well. Hence, we want to support purchasers who have had to incur out-of-pocket expenses and costs due to the delay in delivery of the units. For example, some purchasers may have had to rent accommodation or find alternative premises during the period of delay.”
“For contractors who wish to seek a longer EOT beyond the four months, they can negotiate with developers or rely on contract provisions. Alternatively, contractors can also serve a Notification for Relief on the developer as a defence under section 6 of Part 2 of this Act, to disregard any liquidated damages payable under the contract due to delays. Next, let me go through Part 8B of the Bill, which will require the built environment value chain – from builders to contractors to sub-contractors, to co-share additional costs due to delays in the project caused by COVID-19. For example, some contractors will need to rent machinery like tower cranes for a longer period, as works have been delayed. The Bill will allow contractors or sub-contractors to claim part of these costs from their clients through regular progress payment claims. The amount will either be 50% of the total qualifying cost for anything done for or provided to or enjoyed by the clients in the specified period or 0.2% of the contract sum whichever is lesser. But the total amount that may be claimed under this mechanism is capped at 1.8% of the contract sum. This will ensure contracting parties co-share a fair amount of these additional costs. In cases of disputes, contractors can submit an adjudication application under the existing Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act or SOPA framework. The appointed SOPA adjudicator will be able to determine whether the relief applies, and if it does, he will then determine the amount to be co-shared between the parties. Mr Speaker, Sir, finally, let me move on to Part 8C. As I described earlier, developers are also facing difficulties on their end.”
“We are also giving out 450,000 BluePass tokens, which will allow us to better conduct contact tracing of COVID-19-positive cases and to more surgically quarantine those who have been in close contact instead of casting an overly wide quarantine net. We have implemented the BuildSG-COVIDSafe Platform for better worksite access control and data-driven audit and inspection. While we have made progress, the construction sector is far from being out of the woods. The threat of resurgence continues to loom and the sector will grind to a halt again if we are not careful. We also continue to receive feedback that the sector is still facing challenges. Labour cost has increased due to a lack of supply of new migrant construction workers. Projects continue to face delays as productivity has dropped due to the necessary safe management measures in place at construction sites. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is in this context that we need to provide further support to the built environment sector so that no one segment of the value chain bears a disproportionate portion of the overall burden. Let me briefly run through the proposals in turn – in Parts A, B and C of the Bill. First, Part 8A of the Bill will provide a universal extension of time, or EOT, of four months for construction contracts. Members may ask, why four months? Why this number? First, from 7 April to 1 June 2020, construction works stopped for approximately two months due to the circuit breaker period. Second, works were further delayed by at least two months as all dormitories were only cleared in early August 2020. This universal extension of time will reduce the administrative burden for contractors so that they can focus on restarting and ramping up work quickly and safely and adjusting to the new measures required.”
“Sir, the built environment value chain is very much interconnected and the impact to our construction sector has a cascading effect on the entire value chain. Developers have to deal with project delays and the increased costs for their projects. As projects are delayed, home buyers and businesses may have to incur additional rental and other costs while waiting for their new homes and premises to be ready. Hence, the Government has also provided relief to developers and purchasers. For developers, we provided an extension on the project completion period and additional buyer's stamp duty remission timelines. To protect purchasers, we prohibited developers from withholding or forfeiting any part of the booking fee paid by purchasers under the option to purchase during the relief period unless determined otherwise by an assessor. Developers could not terminate agreements for sale and purchase of property with the buyers on the basis of the buyer's non-payment nor increase interest rates or impose new charges without buyers' agreement during the relief period. We also capped the late payment interest or charges under agreements for sale and purchase of property. Together, we have made progress in restarting construction. Almost all construction works have restarted. We completed the clearance of the dormitories in August this year and since then, COVID-19 infection among our workers in dormitories has come down significantly. On a daily basis, there are very few infection cases, if any. But to prevent a resurgence, we have also taken measures to strengthen our defence against COVID-19. In October 2020, we completed the cohorting of workers in dormitories so they stayed together with colleagues from the same firm instead of mixing with workers from other firms.”
“So, please consider the measures being proposed today not in isolation but as part of a whole series of interventions and trade-offs along the length and breadth of the entire built environment value chain, affecting but at the same time also supporting buyers, developers, consultants, builders, sub-contractors and suppliers. With these and other measures in place, we hope the sector can adapt and adjust to the new operating environment, recover quickly from the pandemic and preserve industry capacity. Before diving into the provisions of today's Bill that are pertinent to the built environment sector, let me first sketch out the measures that we have already put in place to support main contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers. Beyond supporting salaries of local employees through the Jobs Support Scheme and providing significant foreign worker levy waivers and rebates, we have extended a $1.36 billion construction support package to construction firms. Through the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, firms also have temporary relief against stipulated legal action. In addition, the Act also provides a defence against breach of contract and damages due to COVID-19 for the construction and supply contracts that they are parties to. This means that developers cannot claim damages from their contractors for a delay that is assessed to be due to COVID-19. Part 8 of the Act also provides a mechanism for firms to seek relief from additional rental costs that are incurred due to construction delays caused by COVID-19. This means that contractors who had rented equipment during the circuit breaker but who were unable to use this equipment as no work was on-going can apply for an equitable adjustment of the rental costs that they must pay to the suppliers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the built environment sector builds our homes and our workplaces, lays our roads and rail, creates our recreational spaces such as parks and sports facilities and much, much more. But the sector, especially construction, has been hit very hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction ground to a complete halt during the circuit breaker period. After the circuit breaker, projects could not restart immediately as the dormitories took some time to be cleared. Without any work done, payments were delayed and consultants and builders faced serious cash flow problems. Border restrictions also disrupted supply chains and some workers being stuck outside Singapore. Within Singapore, many of our migrant workers were locked down in their dormitories due to COVID-19. Home buyers and business owners were also impacted as their premises under construction were delayed and many had to make alternative arrangements meanwhile. As the impact of a total shutdown of construction activity was unprecedented and the situation was evolving very rapidly, we had to have very frequent meetings between agencies and industry associations and ground visits. This allowed us to better understand ground realities and adjust our restart measures accordingly. To prevent a collapse of the entire industry, we had to intervene very significantly – through providing financial assistance, foreign worker levy waivers and rebates and putting in place legislation. This Bill seeks to provide further support to stakeholders to ensure that no one in the built environment sector has to bear a disproportionate share of the burden brought about by the pandemic.”
“Mr Speaker, I think Minister Lawrence Wong and myself will speak before the Members.”
“As part of national water conservation efforts, HDB constantly explores new water saving initiatives for both new and existing estates. The Rainwater Harvesting System (RHS) pilot at Yuhua estate showed that the RHS was not cost-effective, as it involved the installation of a water tank and treatment systems at the ground level of each HDB block. HDB has since developed the Urban Water Harvesting System (UWHS), which integrates the rainwater harvesting tank and treatment system with a detention tank to reduce implementation costs. Besides allowing rainwater to be harvested for non-potable uses like the washing of common areas, the UWHS also slows down stormwater discharge to mitigate flood risk. HDB has introduced the UWHS to all suitable BTO projects launched from August 2018. In addition, HDB will pilot the UWHS in some existing HDB estates under the HDB Green Towns Programme that was announced earlier this year. HDB is currently working with PUB to identify suitable locations for the pilot, taking into consideration cost effectiveness and technical feasibility. If the pilot is successful, HDB will roll out the UWHS on a wider scale in existing estates, where applicable. HDB will continue to explore new practical water saving solutions to promote water conservation in HDB estates.”
“Individuals who wish to register as property agents are required by the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) to pass the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination. This ensures that property agents have the necessary knowledge to advise their clients on property transactions, thereby safeguarding consumer interest. This is particularly important because for many Singaporeans, buying or selling a property is one of the largest financial transactions they may make in their lifetime. CEA does not set a quota for the number of candidates who may pass the RES examination. The RES examination syllabus is published on CEA's website so that candidates and course providers are aware of the topics tested in the RES examination. Specifically, candidates will be tested on their knowledge of the latest laws, regulations and policies related to real estate, and their ability to apply their knowledge to practical situations. CEA also requires the course providers to develop teaching and course materials which are in line with the examination syllabus.”
“Under the Electrical Load Upgrading Programme (ELUP), HDB will upgrade the unit electrical power supply for about 1,500 older HDB blocks from 30 amperes to 40 amperes. Whenever possible, HDB will prioritise ELUP for blocks that have been selected for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) to minimise inconvenience to residents. Blocks within close proximity will also be grouped together for the upgrading, so that fewer new electrical substations are required to serve a larger number of blocks. Given the large number of flats across Singapore which need to be upgraded under ELUP, the upgrading works will be carried out in phases. HDB targets to complete ELUP in about 10 years' time.”
“HDB has been progressively replacing pipe socket laundry pole holders with external clothes drying racks under its upgrading programmes, covering almost 450,000 flats to date. HDB is now implementing the extended Home Improvement Programme for some 230,000 flats built between 1987 and 1997. Because of the large number of flats involved, the work will have to be done progressively in phases, over the next 10 years or so. 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. 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 number of public rental households who moved into their own homes per year has increased steadily from about 500 in 2013 to about 950 in 2019. The 950 households constituted about two percent of all public rental households in 2019. Their median length of stay in public rental was about seven years. Another 2,000 public rental households have booked a flat and are awaiting the completion of their new homes. HDB will continue to actively support tenants who are financially ready to buy a flat, including advising them on the grants and schemes they can apply for. To further strengthen the support provided to tenants, HDB has also launched and enhanced the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, and established the Home ownership Support Team to closely guide public rental households in their home ownership journey. HDB will also continue to work in close partnership with MSF to provide coordinated support to rental tenants, including under ComLink.”
“The employment data of firms providing managing agent (MA) services to management corporations (MCSTs) is summarised in the Table. These firms may also be servicing non-MCST clients, and some may also provide non-MA services. To improve the professionalism and competency levels of MAs, BCA has worked with the Association of Property and Facility Managers and the Association of Strata Managers to develop voluntary accreditation schemes for firms and individuals providing MA services, with a focus on those servicing MCSTs. These schemes comprise training programmes, which are guided by a competency framework drawn up by BCA. The associations have implemented their training programmes since July this year.”
“Since January 2019, 5,500 private housing transactions had Options to Purchase (OTPs) for the same units re-issued to the same purchasers. Close to 70% of these re-issued OTPs have been exercised, on average less than six months from the date the first OTP was issued. Only about 1% of the re-issued OTPs eventually lapsed. Given the current economic uncertainties, it is even more important for purchasers to be financially prudent and to secure the necessary financial resources before they commit to new property purchases. To reduce risk to purchasers, URA has, from 28 September, prohibited developers from (i) providing upfront agreement to purchasers to re-issue OTP, and (ii) re-issuing OTP to the same purchaser(s) for the same unit within 12 months after the expiry of the earlier OTP. Nevertheless, to minimise the impact on existing purchasers, URA will allow developers to honour their previous commitments to the purchasers, which were made prior to these changes. For purchasers who require more time, such as to complete the sale of their existing property to finance the new property, URA is prepared to grant extensions of OTP validity, so there is no need for the developer to reissue the OTP.”
“The HIP programme is scoped and budgeted to meet the cost of the items provided under HIP. It is not intended to cover design or construction defects in general. As explained earlier, HDB has a separate process to deal with such issues. Flat owners who require financial assistance with household repairs can seek assistance from grassroots organisations and Community Development Councils.”
“It is not clear what the Member means by "systematic" design and construction defects. However let me explain the general approach to defects in HDB flats. Design and construction defects identified within one year of completion of the BTO flat will be repaired by the building contractor as part of their responsibility under the Defects Liability Period (DLP). This is a standard industry practice for both public and private housing. For issues reported after the DLP, HDB will investigate the likely cause and advise flat owners on the follow-up action based on the specific circumstances of each case. If the reported issues are caused by wear and tear, or a lack of proper maintenance, the costs of repair should be borne by the flat owners, as it is their responsibility to maintain and repair the fixtures and fittings of their flat. Where it is clear from technical engineering assessments that the reported issue is attributable to the contractor’s workmanship or arises from a design issue, HDB will rectify the issue. In HDB’s experience, issues arising many years after the DLP tend to be the result of wear and tear over time, much of which could be mitigated through regular maintenance. Even though it is the home owners' responsibility to maintain their flats, HDB introduced the Home Improvement Programme, or HIP, to help owners of older HDB flats to address common maintenance issues in such flats. Currently, HIP includes items such as the repair of spalling concrete, and the repair of vertical wastepipes within the toilets if required. This is why we have certain age norms for blocks to be scheduled for HIP – currently those completed up to 1997. HDB reviews the items included in the HIP periodically to ensure they remain relevant to the needs of residents.”
“The Government reviews the framework for managing disputes from time to time, and will continue to refine this framework to better deal with neighbor disputes arising from disamenities.”
“From 2017 to 2019, HDB received an average of about 4,400 cases of feedback relating to social disamenities each year. Most of the feedback related to noise generated in neighbouring flats from activities such as furniture being moved, items being dropped on the floor, and children playing or jumping. For the same time period, an average of 735 cases per year were registered at the Community Mediation Centre (CMC). Typically, about 70% of such registered neighbour dispute cases did not progress to mediation, mainly because one or both parties declined mediation or did not respond to the invitation to mediate. In some cases, the parties involved may have decided to resolve matters between themselves. Of the remaining 30% of cases that progressed to mediation, the settlement rate has consistently reached 80% or more, or about 186 cases per year on average, in the past three years. Of these cases, 27%, or around 50 cases each year on average, subsequently sought further mediation. The average time taken from registration to the settlement of CMC cases is 29 days. It is not possible to maintain a harmonious and peaceful living environment without mutual respect and consideration among neighbours. When disputes occur, they are often best resolved by neighbours coming together to understand and address the cause of the friction between them. If the dispute persists, the neighbours will then be advised to seek mediation at the 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.”
“Under the Building Control (Environmental Sustainability) Regulations, all new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting works are required to meet minimum environmental sustainability standards. These include incorporating environmentally friendly practices for the planning, design, construction, and operation of the buildings, which serve to reduce their carbon footprint. On top of this, the BCA Green Mark scheme recognises projects that go beyond the mandatory requirements. Under the scheme, developers are assessed on the resource efficiency of their building designs and their adoption of progressive construction methods and technology. The assessment criteria include the use of recycled materials and low-carbon concrete, and the calculation of the embodied carbon of the building materials. Currently, 99% of construction waste is recycled. BCA is working with industry and the community to develop the next edition of the Singapore Green Building Masterplan, which aims to further raise environmental sustainability standards and reduce carbon emissions from buildings. We target to launch the Masterplan next year.”
“BCA projects that construction demand will be $18 to $23 billion this year, $10 billion lower than the forecast in January. COVID-19 has caused some delays to ongoing construction projects, and firms are facing some loss in productivity due to the need to adopt COVID-Safe measures on-site. That said, almost all projects and workers have resumed work. We expect construction demand to recover to some extent in 2021, supported by demand from public sector projects. We understand that this is a difficult period for firms in the construction sector, and the Government has provided significant support under the Jobs Support Scheme and foreign worker levy waiver and rebates, in addition to the $1.36 billion Construction Support Package, to help construction firms tide through this period. We are mindful of the need to preserve industry capacity. For instance, we are working closely with the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) to facilitate migrant workers whose work permits are expiring to continue working in Singapore. As the COVID-19 situation improves in certain countries, we are selectively allowing more construction work pass holders who were overseas to return to Singapore, subject to the appropriate public health management measures. MOM has also started accepting new work pass applications from countries with lower health risks. In addition, we are studying how to facilitate the entry of more work pass holders, while minimising public health risks. We will continue to closely monitor the impact of the pandemic on the sector, and also help companies to transform and be less reliant on low cost manpower, so that the sector can emerge stronger.”
“We have not found links between money laundering, corruption and fraud in Singapore, and the illegal wildlife trade occurring in or connected to Singapore. Agencies will continue to maintain Singapore's vigilance against the illegal wildlife trade, including against money laundering, corruption and fraud related to this trade.”
“Where possible, in designing new HDB blocks, HDB also pushes the supporting columns to the edges of the blocks, so as to create more unobstructed void deck space. Lastly, in older HDB estates, Social Communal Facilities such as childcare centres or elder-care centres are usually built in void decks. To free up the smaller void deck spaces in newer developments, HDB may integrate larger Social Communal Facilities in multi-storey carparks or in standalone community facilities buildings. In general, surveys of HDB residents have shown that community spaces provided in precincts are sufficient, and that residents are satisfied with the facilities. Nonetheless, HDB will continue to review norms to ensure they are sufficient and support a variety of community events, in accordance with the changing demographics and needs of HDB residents.”
“In the design of HDB towns and estates, HDB actively plans for common spaces where the community can gather. The approach has evolved over the years, along with the changes in design of HDB blocks and precincts. Compared with older slab blocks with many units per floor, newer blocks are generally taller and more compact, with fewer units per floor. These changes optimise land use and provide residents with greater privacy and better views, but the trade-off is smaller void deck space under each block. With this shift in block design, HDB has been providing a variety of purpose-built facilities and amenities in newer precincts to serve as common spaces, and create opportunities for community interaction and bonding. For example, since the 1990s, precinct pavilions have been built in new developments to provide space for community functions, such as weddings and funeral wakes. HDB regularly reviews its planning norms to ensure that the number of precinct pavilions are adequate to meet the needs of residents. The roofs of all newer Multi-Storey Car Parks are also landscaped for community use. For some very tall HDB blocks, HDB has introduced high-rise gardens and decks, to serve as spaces for residents to meet and interact. Precinct spaces are also carefully designed to facilitate community interaction, such as through the provision of 3-Gen playgrounds and fitness corners that cater to residents of different age groups. In addition, HDB also maximises the smaller void deck space available in newer developments. In 2014, HDB introduced Community Living Rooms at the void deck of every block. These are located near lift lobbies and letter boxes, and furnished with seats and tables to provide cosy gathering spaces for residents.”
“Following divorce, one party may retain the matrimonial flat via a transfer of flat ownership or resale of part-share, subject to meeting HDB's eligibility conditions. From 2015 to 2019, HDB received about 7,200 transfer applications due to divorce, of which 70% (or 5,100) of the flats were retained by the ex-wife. There were also about 580 resale of part-share applications, of which 43% (or 250) were cases where the ex-wife purchased the share of the flat from the ex-husband and retained the flat. In addition, there were about 6,400 cases where the divorced couple sold the matrimonial flat on the open market and about 300 cases where the couple returned the flat to HDB as they have not met the minimum occupation period to sell the flat. Out of these cases, around 2,500 (or 37%) were cases where the ex-wife went on to purchase another new or resale flat or became listed as an occupier in the flat purchase. We have also allocated about 1,600 rental flats to female divorcees with care and control of children in the past five years. There are also cases where the ex-wife may have moved back to stay with family, bought a private property to stay in, or rented a property to stay in. HDB does not track the specific numbers for these groups. HDB will continue to assist all divorcees who approach HDB for assistance on their housing needs.”
“HDB provides one-to-one financial counselling to homeowners seeking help with their HDB mortgage payments to understand their needs, and identify suitable measures to assist them. These assistance measures include allowing owners to reduce or defer loan payments, and extending their loan tenure subject to certain age limits. As the financial counselling is holistic, we do not have data on the number of households who requested specifically to defer their loan payments. From April to August 2020, HDB assisted around 2,500 households with their HDB mortgage payments. Of these, 864 households deferred their loan payments, and another 277 reduced their loan payments. We are monitoring the situation closely, and will review the adequacy of our assistance measures as the situation evolves.”
“This AfA seeks to accelerate our digitalisation efforts by establishing industry-wide common data standards and driving the adoption of digital platforms. These collective efforts will enable the built environment industry to emerge stronger and more resilient from COVID-19.”
“The Construction Industry Transformation Map (ITM), launched in October 2017, sets out our plans to transform the built environment industry by adopting productive construction methods, embracing digitalisation, and growing a strong local core. Technology is the foundation of the key transformation areas under the Construction ITM. First, we are increasing adoption of advanced building technologies such as Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, which facilitates greater automation and higher quality construction by shifting onsite construction work into a factory environment. Second, we are promoting digitalisation through Integrated Digital Delivery, which reduces abortive work by resolving design conflicts upstream and improves collaboration across the built environment value chain. Third, we are pushing for higher Green Buildings standards by encouraging the use of technology to increase building energy performance in a cost-effective manner. We have also been advocating Smart Facilities Management, which includes solutions such as predictive maintenance and cleaning robots to help the Facilities Management industry become more manpower lean. More recently, technological solutions such as the BuildSG-COVIDSafe platform have been deployed at worksites to prevent COVID-19 resurgence. These solutions help agencies and firms to ensure compliance with safe management measures and facilitate contract tracing when a COVID-positive case is found. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of technology in the built environment industry. To accelerate digitalisation efforts across the built environment value chain, the Digitalising Built Environment Alliance for Action (AfA), a private sector-led team, was set up under the Emerging Stronger Taskforce in June 2020.”
“When HDB receives feedback on the cleanliness of a rental flat, HDB officers will carry out an inspection. Should there be a bed bug infestation, HDB will provide pest control treatment on a goodwill basis. For cases where the infestation is serious, HDB will also assist to transfer the tenant to another rental flat, and clean up the affected flat. Hoarding cases tend to be more complex, involving multiple issues and affecting multiple parties, such as the resident, their family, as well as their neighbours and community. The Municipal Services Office has worked with relevant agencies to develop a Hoarding Management Framework, to guide officers across agencies in providing coordinated support to resolve the hoarding issue. The resident will first be advised to remove excess items and keep their flat tidy. For severe cases which pose a risk or dis-amenities to neighbours, HDB will also work with regulatory agencies, such as SCDF for fire hazards and NEA for public health, to declutter the flat for the safety of the resident and the community. As cases of excessive hoarding and serious bedbug infestation could be an indication of other underlying issues, HDB works with relevant Social Service Agencies and AIC to provide counselling and appropriate support to the resident.”
“HDB inspects all rental flats annually to proactively detect defects. HDB will repair or replace any defective finishes and fittings reported by existing tenants, and before flats are let out to new tenants. Apart from regular maintenance, rental blocks are also upgraded, similar to sold blocks, as part of the Home Improvement and Lift Upgrading Programmes. In addition to these, there are specific programmes for rental blocks, such as the Rental Flat Upgrading Project, and Project LIFE1. HDB will continue to keep rental flats in good condition through regular maintenance and upgrading. For example, rental flats will be upgraded in tandem with sold flats when HIP II is implemented. As the flats age, HDB will also study the need for further programmes to maintain and refresh its stock of rental flats.”
“I thank the Member. Certainly, when there are these headline-grabbing articles which talk about HDB flats transacting at those prices, it may cause people to have the impression that overall there is a very, very high demand and that prices are escalating significantly. But I have said, it is 0.3% of total resale transactions each year that are in that category. HDB, as I have said, continues to monitor closely housing affordability for both the BTO market as well as the resale market. For the BTO segment last year, we built 14,600 new flats; and this year, we are aiming to build 16,700 flats. And so, each year, we will calibrate the number based on demand.”
“Mr Speaker, when pricing new flats, HDB first establishes the market value of the flat by considering factors such as the price of comparable resale flats nearby, the individual attributes of the flat and prevailing market conditions. A subsidy is then applied, so that new flats are priced at a significant discount to the market. The pricing approach is the same for Build-To-Order or BTO flats in mature and non-mature estates. On top of the subsidised price, HDB also offers first-time flat buyers, the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant or EHG, of up to $80,000, to give more help to lower to middle income households buying their first home. The EHG was introduced in September last year, with no restriction on the flat buyers' choice of flat type and location. These significant subsidies keep HDB flats affordable. Today, HDB BTO flat prices remain at less than five times of median annual household income or less, compared to other major cities in the world, where the ratio can be nearly 10 or 20 times. The vast majority of first-timer families are able to buy BTO flats in the non-mature estates and service their monthly mortgage instalments using CPF, with zero or minimal cash outlay. Apart from BTO flats, some buyers also look to the resale market, where there is a wide range of flat choices. While there have been several resale flats with attractive attributes that are transacted at headline prices of over a million dollars. These transactions are a small minority, representing less than 0.3% of the total resale transactions this year. So, in absolute figures, it is 38 out of more than 14,400 resale transactions so far this year. The Government will continue to monitor the housing market closely and ensure that Singaporeans have access to affordable public housing.”
“From January to July 2020, HDB received an average of 370 requests per month for rent assistance. Amongst them: (a) About a quarter were from households with rent arrears at the time of request. (b) For both the households with rent arrears as well as those without, about two-thirds were assisted with their rent. The remaining households who did not receive rent assistance were assessed to be able to afford their existing rents, or did not follow up further after HDB contacted them about their initial request. Beyond tenants who ask HDB for rent assistance, HDB will also assist tenants pro-actively. For example, if tenants are assessed for ComCare assistance and are found to need help with their rent, HDB will reduce their rents upon notification from the Social Service Office1. Those who cannot afford their rent even after reduction can have it covered by ComCare.”
“Eviction and blacklisting of such residents, and compulsory acquisition of their HDB flats, is not always the solution. The flat owners in question still require a roof over their heads and will need to find a home elsewhere, and if the underlying issues are not resolved, the problem will just be brought over to another community. The Government will study how to better deal with these difficult cases as part of the ongoing review of the framework.”