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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“I think the Member hit the nail on the head. Even as the Government does more, the community also should step up more. That is what we see, both existing organisations and new ones coming forward to meet the needs of vulnerable Singaporeans. We also see a lot of informal giving and informal volunteering within the community. None of what we intend to do should nudge that out because that really strengthens us collectively as a society. The Member is right that MSF funds a lot of services in the social service sector, especially key ones that we think are important to have alongside what we do in the Government, such as FSCs. Even then, there is always that element for the VWO which takes up that MSF-funded service to contribute to their own fundraising or develop their own complementary programmes that can operate out of those centres. There is also a wide range of services and programmes run by VWOs in the rest of the social service centres. For example, in NCSS, there are more than 460 social service VWOs and they serve a whole range of needs in society. We want to continue to encourage that. ComChest, for instance, supports more than 80 smaller VWOs and fundraise for them. There are matching schemes that help supplement what the VWOs raise to run their own schemes. The VWO sector came in in the early years when they saw needs and gaps. And increasingly, as the Government does more in some of these areas, we build that partnership with them and work with them to tackle some of the challenges that they have been working on for many years.”
“If I know you and I am from one FSC and you are from another FSC, and we can find a way to work together to better help this family, it is that personal touch and the willingness to communicate that can sometimes make that difference to the family. On the Member's point about the Enabling Masterplan, I share the Member's anxiety that having participated very actively in producing a very important roadmap to strengthen and enable Singaporeans with disability that the Member and others who are heavily involved in the process would like to know where we are. There is no time or space during clarification to provide a full update, but I assure the Member and others that we would provide a proper update and we would involve the sector in the implementation and will continue to hear from you, listen to you and work alongside you. 3.30 pm On the three points the Member raised on the respite programme pilot terminating, whether, apart from the Mayflower programme, we will be able to work with people with hearing impairment to do pilots in preschool as well as sheltered enterprises in the community, these are all details that we will work very closely with the Member on and with the disability sector on.”
“Because we started off with many helping hands and we want to have many helping hands working hand-in-hand and we have SSOs that work on the ground together with community partners and sense-making the issues on the ground. Now, we are trying to have the SSOs play a little bit more of a coordinating role, providing information about needs on the ground and supporting individuals by marshalling themselves or through a lead agency identified for a particular case to assist. In the social service sector and in the realm of volunteerism, none of us, no volunteer, no VWO would feel very encouraged if they were to be told to operate like automatons. Everyone gives because they have the desire to want to contribute. They give of their own free will. That is why they are called volunteers. And so even as we try to provide more holistic support to individuals through case coordination, the key is to retain and to, in fact, strengthen the autonomy and desire of those, including VWOs, who wish to do good. But enable them with information, with data. Enable them by partnering one another and with us, the SSOs, to better provide support. We want to strike a balance and make sure that we strengthen the social service sector and volunteering sector but, at the same time, secure better outcomes for those in need. In terms of ensuring that our SSOs get the muscle, the resource and the influence to be able to achieve greater outcomes, this is something that we need to work with internally but also work through the network that I talked about on the ground. So, this is a work-in-progress. But it involves building a network comprising many existing networks. It is not a high-tech solution necessarily.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. I think the road ahead is not going to be easy − putting in policies, getting agencies to make sure that they provide good service, that they assist people within the schema of that portfolio. I think that is already one task that in Singapore our agencies do well, reasonably well. There is always room to improve but reasonably well, comparatively. Wanting to coordinate across agencies, making each frontline counter provide information beyond what they already do will be something that we need to push on for many years to come and continuously refresh as officers come and go and join or retire. So, this will be a continuous work-in-progress and will take time. But I firmly believe that many people in the social service sector and also many people in this House whom I have spoken to, believe that if you really want to make that difference, especially for those who are stuck in very difficult situations because of a complex series of problems that beget them, we really need to centre around the individual, not erode their aspiration to also want to play a part in solving their problems long term, but make sure that we scaffold them in the system. It will not be easy. There will be hits and misses. We will succeed but we will also fail, case-by-case. We will need to always recognise that when we make mistakes, we do not coordinate so well, do an after-action review and see how we can make it better and make the next case better managed. The Member talked about the landscape in future being more SSO-centric. I am wary to want to continue that mindset that the future is an SSO-centric one.”
“MSF and ECDA, partnering some hospitals, in this case KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), and a pilot to identify, but not stigmatise, to be able to approach and not force, to be able to encourage and not cajole these families to come on board to show that the children will have a better start in life if they, number one, enroll their children in early childhood, ensure that the childcare centres or kindergartens are adequately resourced to support them, to work with the families, including the parents, to give them the skills they need to contribute more effectively as parents, especially when one or both of them are working, or is a single parent family and be able to rope in and pull in the schemes from across the landscape of the Government and the community try to help these families and enable them. How far this goes through the child's journey and through teenage and adulthood, we will see as this pilot develops. But early indications show that it is welcomed by the families, both the information and the support and awareness, and welcomed by the childcare centres who get the support they need to enable these children to bloom.”
“Through networking, we may also be able to unlock community resources that hitherto have not been part of the formal scheme of things. I think that would just allow more people to come in to provide support and to do so holistically in relation to an individual or a family in a way that enables them and not erodes whatever will they have to want to also play their part. And in a way that does not erode the principle of family as the first line of defence. So, support the individual, support the family but, if all else fails, make sure your social safety net is as effective as it can be. As I said earlier, programmes and policies are there. Make good use of them. Apply them sensibly. Coordinate cross-agencies on the ground. Scaffold around individual and family. That is first. On the Member's second point about whether we can identify people from a young age and make sure that they are supported as far as possible, through as much of life as possible, that really is what Mr Speaker initiated when he started KidSTART because he dreamt about the possibility of making sure that these children can aspire and dream and be able to meet those dreams. That is why KidSTART has put in a tremendous amount of resources.”
“I thank the Member for sharing in our vision of greater social service coordination delivery. The policies and the programmes are there. Of course, more policies and programmes can and will be rolled out over the course of many years. But implementation is key and coordination on the ground is critical. All social service delivery is local. It is localised. It is targeted at families and individuals and communities. So, the role of the SSOs in this enhanced social service delivery framework is as follows. One, to bring networks of communities together at the local level. I said earlier in my speech that our SSOs will facilitate networking amongst VWOs, FSCs, schools, organisations and grassroots. Any organisation on the ground that participates either generally or sectorally in supporting the vulnerable and the low income, we want to network with them so that we can work better together. Second, through our SSOs, we will continue to oversee the identification of proper case leads for complex cases. Individuals may face issues with housing that may pertain to both HDB and CPF. They may need financial assistance but they would also like to be employed, have the skills needed to get a job so that they can stand on their own two feet. They may have family members who suffer from health or disability and, as a result, they need caregiving support, disability support or even respite care. Identifying the whole range of needs around the individuals and not looking at it purely from an agency's point of view will allow us to look at the individual and the family holistically, and see what steps need to be taken together or chronologically in sequence to try to enable them, where possible. So, that will be what we need for SSOs and our partner agencies to do.”
“NCSS works very hard on branding, awareness and outreach to help young people who are thinking of a career to decide whether the social service sector is one area they would like to move into, with not just broad information about the sector but also making available to them information about, say, the disability sector and its challenges and opportunities, young children, the elderly, and so and so forth. So, NCSS, our VWOs and MSF continue to make efforts to reach out through career fairs, branding campaigns, outreach and open houses to continue to bring people into the sector. Ultimately, it is about people with a heart who want to give back that we want to attract.”
“I thank Ms Tin for the range of questions. On the elderly, Members would have heard the Minister of Health describe how, under the SG Cares movement, CNS, allows us to tap on the strength of a network of volunteers who live in the community to look out for our seniors and to be able to alert us on occasions of need. Then, behind the scenes, MOH, MSF and the other agencies will coordinate and try to resolve issues that the seniors face. The key is to take a practical and not a dogmatic approach to help him. When an elderly person who might technically have family support runs into difficulties, we need to first address immediately needs like health, financial difficulty that needs to be addressed immediately and their welfare. Beyond that, our FSCs, counsellors, social workers from the FSCs, including those from specialist agencies, if need be, will come in and work alongside us to see how we can bring reconciliation within the family and encourage the family to step up and to play their part. We recognise that in this day and age, younger people come under a lot of stress with their own work, jobs and families and, therefore, it is a case of them playing their part, but both Government and the community doing more as well. On the Member's question about the skills framework and how to attract more people into the social service sector, I have said earlier that remuneration is not something that social service professionals come into the sector to look for. But we certainly need to make sure that it does not fall too far behind median wages in comparable professions elsewhere. So, we treat our social work professionals and colleagues with dignity and respect.”
“SHARE as One, as well as ComChest's other efforts, will make giving more sustainable and stable. The sum total of regular and long-term giving by many individuals goes a long way towards helping VWOs and the beneficiaries that they serve. Mr Chairman, I have chosen to round off my replies by talking about our social service sector because the dedication of those who work in this sector and the sacrifices that they make deserve our respect and support. I am heartened by the generous contributions of donors and the tremendous efforts of volunteers. Because this giving is precious, and because so much heart goes into it, we must make sure that it does not go to waste. We can and will make our efforts count and maximise our impact on the lives of Singaporeans. Many of the initiatives I have spoken about today contribute to this drive to build up and better channel resources and services from the Government, community and corporations to those who need it most. In providing these services and resources, we want to uplift these vulnerable individuals and families and give them the opportunity to take charge, improve their lives and fulfil their aspirations. We wish to build, in the words of our founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, I quote: a "fair, not welfare, society", where everyone has an equal shot at success. This is the kind of inclusive and caring Singaporean society we aspire to be.”
“We are helping our VWOs to develop volunteer management frameworks to enable them to recruit, engage and retain volunteers more effectively to foster sustained volunteering. We are also training and developing the competencies of volunteer managers. Sir, we will continue to support sustainable giving by corporates and individuals. In last year’s debate, we spoke about SHARE As One, which is a grant scheme introduced in 2016 to encourage individual and workplace giving and create more volunteering opportunities. Under SHARE As One, the Government provides dollar-for-dollar matching for new and incremental donations to the SHARE programme above 2015’s level. Under SHARE, employees donate regularly to the Community Chest through payroll deductions, General Inter-bank Recurring Order (GIRO) or by credit card. Businesses can use a portion of the Government's matching grant to organise CSR and volunteerism activities, and the rest will be channelled to a fund managed by ComChest to build the volunteer management capabilities of VWOs. ComChest plays an important role in supporting about 80 VWOs in fundraising so that they can better focus on caring for the disadvantaged. Programmes supported by SHARE include FSCs and day activity centres for adults with disabilities. SHARE as One has successfully brought in about a million dollars more in new and incremental donations in 2016. As announced by the Minister for Finance, the matching grant for SHARE as One will be extended from 2018 till 2021. ComChest is working to implement an opt-out contribution system for SHARE in the public sector. Public sector agencies have responded well. We are also looking to extend this to the private sector, and I hope businesses will enroll for this initiative.”
“I hope that employees and employers will make full use of them, so that we can become stronger as a sector and fulfil our mission in social service. Even as we work to build up the social service sector and skillsets of our social service professionals, I am very much aware that the work you do demands a lot of you and from you. I would like to thank everyone in the sector for your commitment, your hard work and your sacrifice. Sir, the social service sector would not be where it is today without the strong support of the community over the years. I draw back again to the fundamentals driving the SG Cares movement. SG Cares is about helping the vulnerable and less fortunate in our society. It is equally about a transformation in our national spirit. When we work to change the lives of others, we also change our own lives for the better. We become not just individuals concerned with our own interests but part of a larger community of giving, and these activities become a vital and intrinsic part of our identity and social fabric. We become better people and, collectively, a better society. The Government, therefore, should play a role to coordinate, facilitate and make the best use of the community’s efforts and energies. Earlier, Ms Tin Pei Ling asked about volunteerism. We are working to redesign volunteer roles to best match the needs of the organisation and the busy schedules of volunteers. For example, NCSS partners VWOs to identify their needs before matching them with corporates located ideally in close proximity and encourage them to volunteer regularly to meet these needs. We are building up the capacity and capability of our VWOs to ensure that volunteers are meaningfully deployed and engaged while volunteering.”
“In line with the SkillsFuture movement, we will create more developmental pathways and build up the skills of those who work in the social service sector. 3.00 pm Earlier, Minister Ong Ye Kung had shared that SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Nanyang Polytechnic will be introducing a new Work-Learn Programme (WLP) in the second half of this year. Under this programme, diploma graduates with less than two years of work experience will undertake studies in Social Work while working as social work associates. Students will take courses from Nanyang Polytechnic’s post-Diploma programme during the first year, followed by a two-year part-time Bachelor's in Social Work programme at SUSS to become qualified social workers. SSG will also provide course fee subsidies and incentives to participants and grants to help participating employers defray the costs of running the programme in their organisations. WLP is part of a wider effort to open up pathways for individuals to fulfil their professional aspirations and also to support employers in training their employees. Social service professionals need to be equipped with the requisite skillsets to be effective and to be prepared for future demands. We will be launching the Skills Framework for Social Service later this year. This framework is developed jointly with SSG, our VWOs and social service professionals to help professionals better plan their careers and proactively develop their skills to meet the demands of the sector. It will have information on career prospects, skills required for key professions, as well as the learning platforms to develop these skills. These and other initiatives support VWOs in attracting and grooming good people.”
“Our social workers, therapists, psychologists and teachers all work to improve and shape the lives of their beneficiaries, with many of them going the extra mile. One such dedicated professional is Ms Teo Yafen, a speech and language therapist at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance of Singapore. She helps adults with disabilities overcome speech impediments, so that they can better integrate and contribute to society. She has been actively advocating the importance of speech therapy for her clients, as she believes it improves their health, safety and ability to communicate. For example, speech therapy services ensure that any early signs of swallowing difficulties in persons with cerebral palsy are recognised and managed, preventing complications, such as chest infections. Ultimately, Yafen believes in a Singapore where persons with disabilities are fully integrated and can contribute to the community. Many of those who work in the social service sector do not do it for the remuneration. They see it as a calling. Nonetheless, they deserve to receive a fair and competitive wage and have their contributions duly recognised. Every three years, MSF reviews the salary norms for Government-funded programmes. After this year's review, the salary norms will increase by up to 12% across the various funded social service professions and job levels. For example, a senior teacher trained in early special needs education may expect an increase of about 8% after the revision. Accordingly, MSF’s recurrent funding to our VWO-run programmes will increase by about $11 million, or 5%, in financial year (FY) 2018. The updated norms form the basis for NCCS’ Salary Guidelines for the social service sector. And I urge VWOs to use these guidelines to guide their wage adjustments.”
“It is, therefore, timely to reflect on how the sector can be better prepared for future demands and challenges to sustain and also to multiply their impact. In 2016, NCSS and our social service partners laid out a vision and roadmap for the sector through the Social Service Sector Strategic Thrusts (4ST). This is a strategy developed for the social service sector by members of the Social Service Sector. They have highlighted three key areas. The first is empowered individuals, families and communities. The social service sector believes in treating everyone, especially the vulnerable, with dignity and care. The way help is given to individuals and families should empower them, enable them to take personal responsibility for their lives and build resilience. The second is effective VWOs that deliver quality, innovative and sustainable solutions. VWOs deliver more effective and impactful services when they are well-run, healthy and innovative. Good organisations can create more impact with the same amount of resources. The third is a caring, collaborative and impactful social service ecosystem. The social sector does not exist in isolation, but seeks to work with the wider community, bringing everyone together to contribute our skills, time and resources to care for the vulnerable. The impact is not only on those being helped, but also in transforming the nature and character of society. So, I am very glad that VWO sector partners and NCSS have come up with this shared vision. Many VWOs have already rallied behind that vision and exemplify it in their work. I hope this remains a good guidepost to shape the work of the sector towards stronger collective impact. Sir, for our VWOs to be effective, we need to continue to get good people to join and stay in the sector.”
“For those who are work-capable, the Welfare Homes will work towards reintegrating them into the community. Individuals who have exhausted all housing options may be supported by Transitional Shelters which provide temporary accommodation. During their stay, the individuals can continue to work or receive assistance to seek employment and access social services and other assistance to address their needs. We are blessed that there are community groups which are reaching out actively to befriend these individuals and encourage them to seek assistance. We have been engaging these groups to see how we can work even more closely together and welcome more to partner us on this journey forward. Members of the community can also play their part by looking out for those in need and rendering assistance or referring them to us in MSF. Mr Chairman, I now move on to speak about the social service sector. The sector and those who work in it are vital and indispensable partners in our mission to tackle income inequality, uplift families and individuals, protect the vulnerable, and ensure that no one is left behind. As I hear more about the work that social service professionals do each and every day, I am humbled and inspired by the deep care and concern they show towards fellow Singaporeans. But the social service sector is not immune to the challenges that affect other sectors – an ageing workforce, slowing workforce growth and the need to upgrade skills and innovate work processes. In addition, our future social needs are growing in complexity and intensity and will inevitably demand more from the sector and our professionals.”
“Another issue that will benefit from Government-community partnership is rough sleeping or homelessness. Dr Lily Neo asked if we could reduce the number of Singaporeans sleeping rough in the open, and about the available shelter options for them. MSF assists around 300 reported cases of homelessness each year, and this figure has remained thereabouts for the past five years. This is a segment of the cases we encounter, where persons sleep in public places, instead of returning to their homes due to – as the Member says – family conflicts, disputes with co-tenants, cluttered homes, and many other reasons. Sleeping in the rough puts their welfare, health and safety at risk, and also impacts the immediate neighbourhood. MSF officers regularly engage persons sleeping rough in Chinatown and other locations to provide assistance that may be needed to address the challenges they face. We need a more coordinated, whole-of-society approach to address the underlying issues and needs of these individuals. MSF works closely with other frontline agencies and the community to reach out and coordinate the help that they need. This may include admission to a shelter, financial assistance or counselling for social or family issues, or for us to work to with MOM to give their employers a call, if they are foreigners, for instance, are sleeping rough to be close to their workplaces. MSF has also established referral protocols and platforms among SSOs, FSCs and HDB to assist persons facing complex social and housing issues. We can do more and will continue to strengthen interagency coordination and information sharing to enable clients to secure stable housing. Individuals who are unable to work and have no financial means and family support may be admitted to Welfare Homes.”
“Ms Sylvia Lim asked for an update on whether we will be raising the age in CYPA to 18 years old. Our review of the youth justice system is ongoing, with CYPA being one component. Our approach towards youth offenders is premised on gradated intervention. Where possible, we do not want youths to enter the criminal justice system. Since 2016, we have stationed social workers at Police divisions to assess the risks and needs of youth offenders up to 19 years of age. Where suitable, youths are referred to attend diversionary programmes to address the risk of re-offending. Nonetheless, some youths may require firmer intervention when the offence is more serious, or when family support is unavailable. These youths would tend to be heard by the Community Court, which adopts a more restorative and rehabilitative approach, compared to the adult Courts. Our aim remains the same – to ensure youth offenders in Singapore receive appropriate help to reintegrate into society. Mr Murali Pillai suggested for the CYPA to protect children beyond serious physical harm, including children with persistent school absenteeism issues. Irregular or non-school attendance can be a manifestation of complex underlying family issues, such as marital, financial or health challenges. Statutory intervention and legal enforcement cannot be the only or "go-to" approach. The use of legislative levers is insufficient on its own. So, our approach must continue to be to work with community partners to provide a range of help options to holistically and sustainably address the family’s needs. As to Mr Murali Pillai's specific case that he is dealing with, we will support the work of partners on the ground to solve the case. We will try to help this family.”
“This includes sharing the information of those who seek help so that they do not have to repeat their stories over and over again to the various agencies or to fill in the same information repeatedly. I believe that with better coordination and collaboration among agencies, Singaporeans facing difficulties will then be able to better get the help they need. One example is 50-year-old Madam Cheok. She is a single mother who lives with her two sons and aged divorced parents. She is unable to work as she needs to go for regular treatment due to illness and, unfortunately, both her children also have medical conditions. Furthermore, her aged mother likes to hoard things in the house. So, besides financial assistance, she also needs help to clean the house and improve her living condition. The SSO @ Woodlands thus worked together with HDB, Fei Yue Family Service Centre, medical social workers, the school and the PA's grassroots organisations to come up with solutions for her entire family. They helped Mdm Cheok to apply for financial assistance, and are providing long-term counselling for the family. They also helped to clean up her house. Her 16-year-old younger son has started classes at ITE, and her 26-year-old elder son has started an ad hoc job. This proves that as long as there is good coordination and good collaboration, we would be able to help Singaporeans in need more comprehensively, so that every one of us can be self-reliant and enjoy a better life. (In English): Mr Chairman, this whole-of-society approach runs through MSF's continued efforts to improve outcomes for vulnerable and at-risk groups. This includes our work on children and young persons, and even individuals who sleep rough in the open.”
“If we each put in our bit and work together, we reinforce one another and multiply our ability to tackle challenges manifold. So, we must continue to make space for the community to contribute, alongside the Government, to help those who need help to regain their footing. And as we do so, we must be careful not to erode the dignity and resolve of individuals in wanting to improve their own and their family's lives. Chairman, I would now like to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Parliamentary colleagues, one of the top priorities of our Ministry is to look into building a caring and inclusive society. Over the last few years, we have invested a lot of resources and explored new ways to ensure that our social support system is better able to satisfy the needs of our people. Since 2013, we have set up a total of 24 SSOs island-wide so that Singaporeans in need can have easier access to assistance. Looking forward, our Ministry will focus on studying ways to uphold our people-centric principle to further enhance the coordination and collaboration of organisations providing assistance in order to offer more comprehensive assistance to those in need. We strive to provide simple and convenient one-stop assistance to all those who seek help so that they can receive timely assistance to regain their footing. For applicants who apply for assistance at social service agencies, they will have easier access to basic information on various assistance schemes and will be referred for the necessary services. Social service agencies will also further simplify the application procedures for various assistance schemes.”
“To support vulnerable seniors with multiple or complex needs and facilitate planning, SSOs will continue to work closely with AIC and other community agencies to strengthen CNS. Some VWOs I spoke to highlighted the importance of upstream preventive work that could enable us to identify and intervene at the start, where families or individuals show signs of need. We will work closely with them to do so. 2.45 pm Mr Seah Kian Peng rightly pointed out that our shared values lie at the heart of our social compact. Our policies to improve social mobility are motivated by our conviction to build a Singapore where all of us can lead lives with dignity and meaning and participate and contribute in our own ways. This is not only about enabling personal responsibility, but about society collectively stepping in to play a part. At the National Day Rally in 2013, the Prime Minister articulated the new way forward, where the community and Government do more to support individuals, especially vulnerable groups, like the low-income, elderly and persons with disabilities. We will continue to support individuals to be self-reliant. This is where we do not just provide a safety net, but a trampoline to help people to bounce back up, where possible. This requires a whole network of support to break the cycles that have led to the situation. It is not just about referring and providing someone in need with the right assistance but, more importantly, about showing empathy to fellow Singaporeans and banding around to lend support. Collective responsibility and personal responsibility are not trade-offs. The community and the Government doing more does not mean that individuals are disempowered to play their part.”
“As shared by my colleague Senior Parliamentary Secretary Faishal Ibrahim, we will continue to expand the provision of affordable, accessible and quality preschool places, so that every child can have a good start in life. For children from low-income families, we embarked on the KidSTART pilot in 2016 to proactively identify them early and support them intensively, through early access to health, learning and developmental support. Early feedback on KidSTART's impact on child outcomes has been promising. We have also steadily strengthened our social support system. Since 2013, we have progressively set up SSOs to bring more accessible and coordinated social assistance to Singaporeans. In the past few years, we have enhanced the coverage of ComCare assistance by expanding the income criteria and increased the cash amount of Long-Term Assistance. And as I shared in my opening speech, we are continuously seeking to improve our schemes and social service delivery, so that we can maximise the impact of social services and community resources. Our other recent initiatives are in the same spirit, involving stronger collaboration with other agencies and VWOs and listening even more actively and intently to the community. For example, we will set up an interagency committee, comprising Government agencies and VWOs, to see how we can all work much closer together to tackle offending, re-offending, and to support offenders to rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community. We have also set up a Youth Advisory Group, comprising 12 young people, some of whom have been through very, very difficult times, to help us review and test our policy ideas and better implement policies and programmes, so as to reach out to vulnerable youths at-risk.”
“Social uplifting for this family and others took a single generation. Recently, I met some families that used to get financial help and bursaries for their children. For various reasons, these middle-aged parents did not do so well when they were growing up, and needed help with arrears, health problems and unemployment. Their parents were low-income, and they, too, remained low-income. But they have since stopped approaching social service agencies for help, because their children have recently graduated from university, polytechnic or ITE, and found good jobs. For these families, it took yet another generation. So, our broad-based policies continue to keep the engine of social mobility strong. Having said that, as society develops, it tends to settle and stratify and those who remain at the lower end of the income spectrum face the risk of remaining there, for a variety of intractable reasons – health, disability, family problems, incarceration, addiction, unemployment and many other reasons. And because of economic and technological disruption picking up pace, families that have been doing well all along may suddenly find themselves in dire straits, for example, because the main breadwinner has been made redundant or been retrenched. What this means is that we must focus even harder on targeted interventions, over and beyond our broad-based social policies. Members asked about MSF’s specific role in tackling this issue. We have made deliberate moves to strengthen social mobility by providing early, upstream support and more targeted assistance to lower-income Singaporeans. Education has been key in the Government’s efforts to improve social mobility. MSF's touchpoint starts much earlier, before the formal schooling years.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their valuable thoughts and comments. Our work at MSF covers a broad range of complex issues, like strengthening families, providing social safety nets, giving children from all backgrounds a good start, enabling people with disabilities and special needs, as well as protecting the vulnerable amongst us. One area of our work is to tackle the challenge of income inequality. This is part of concerted and coordinated efforts among Government Ministries to ensure social harmony for Singaporeans, as highlighted by the Prime Minister recently. Over the years, we have put in place support schemes and networks on the ground. This has ensured broad-based social uplifting through employment, sustained income growth, and universal access to education, housing and healthcare. These mutually reinforcing economic and social policies have been at the core of our success in strengthening our social compact and moving the whole of society forward. Most Members of this House would have had this experience of visiting the modest homes of our seniors. Because of a lack of opportunity in the early years, they had lower educational qualifications, but worked hard for many decades, often in lower paying jobs, such as factory workers, cleaners or hawkers. On the walls of their flat, however, would usually be a family portrait taking pride of place. Their children would often be seen wearing mortar boards and graduation gowns. They would have done better in life, because of the broader opportunities they had, which their parents had not. I met one such couple, an elderly Indian couple, who worked in low wage jobs before retiring. One of their sons was sent by his company to head their operations overseas, while the other two are professionals.”
“Ultimately, I hope all Singaporeans will recognise that the success of SG Cares rests upon an important truth, that is, we are all responsible for one another. When we say that we are Singaporeans, we recognise the bond that ties us together as a community and society. We recognise our responsibilities and duties to one another, especially in times of need. None of us got to where we are purely on our own. Along the way, we have been helped by others, like our parents, friends, teachers and even complete strangers. We must recognise this and always pay it forward.”
“And if the family needs to have discussions with the HDB branch office about their rental situation or whether they are eligible for the Fresh Start Housing Grant, they can do so via video-conferencing. And we will tap on the network of the grassroots and the local community to better assist these families as well. As social needs evolve, we will continue to work to make sure that our SSOs are equipped to handle the evolving, complex and varied needs of those we assist, to help them get back on their feet again. The SSOs are also in a good position to foster collaboration and partnerships within the local community. Currently, SSOs have good working relationships with different Government agencies and community partners. Going forward, the SSOs will step up efforts to bring together community partners to forge a picture, a better picture of local needs, gaps and resources. With this common understanding, community organisations will be better able to develop local schemes and programmes, and mobilise and organise volunteers under SG Cares. In doing so, community and Government efforts will complement each other to contribute towards better social service outcomes and a caring nation. Mr Chairman, I have spoken about the spirit of caring that animates SG Cares and how this same spirit drives the social service sector. I have also explained how MSF will continue to build up the SSOs and the social service networks on the ground to collectively direct our motivations and resources to make an even greater impact. This will, of course, take time and the support of VWOs, agencies, volunteers, corporations and all members of society.”
“Similarly, the SGO serving the Marine Parade area will be co-located with the SSO at Geylang Serai from the second half of this year. This will support closer collaboration between the SSO officer and SGO officers in supporting clients, especially elderly clients, and planning for programmes and services. We will explore more such collaborations. Where co-location is not practical, we are looking into video-conferencing for clients to communicate with officers from other agencies. The SSO at Geylang Serai, for example, will pilot video-conferencing links with SG Enable, SNTC and HDB from the end of this year. Clients at the SSO who need to have discussions with case officers from SG Enable, SNTC or HDB when applying for services will be able to do so from the SSO, rather than having to separately visit SG Enable at Lengkok Bahru, SNTC in Tiong Bahru or the HDB branch office, wherever that may be. The initiatives I have spoken about will make the SSO of the future more of a single touchpoint for residents with financial and other social needs. Let me illustrate this with a hypothetical example. A family of four living in a public rental flat applies for ComCare assistance at the SSO. They have one child with special needs and another studying in ITE. In addition to the assistance provided by the SSO, the family will be able to access schemes and services from SG Enable for their child with special needs, without having to travel to their offices. If their ComCare assistance is approved, the child studying in ITE will be considered by ITE to receive a bursary, without having to separately apply for one.”
“These clients will also be assessed for additional financial support, without having to make separate applications. We will continue to explore more ways to reduce the burden on individuals and households in need. At the same time, we are mindful not to do this indiscriminately, so that we do not inadvertently erode people’s will to be self-reliant, or create, for that matter, a large cliff effect where multiple lines of assistance come up for review at the same time. Third, we will strengthen cross-agency coordination so that clients receive more holistic and coordinated assistance from the agencies and VWOs that are supporting them. In complex cases where multiple agencies and VWOs are involved, the case lead may not be obvious. SSOs will assign a case lead, depending on the client’s underlying issues. The case lead should step up to coordinate among agencies and VWOs, to work on a common plan of action for the client. Where necessary, cases will also be escalated to the parent Ministry or agency for flexibility to be exercised. To bring about greater convenience to ComCare clients who need access to different services and facilitate collaboration across agencies, we will explore co-locating complementary services, such as family services, employment assistance and SGO, with our SSOs, to look at it from a client-centric point of view, instead of asking the client to travel from one point of the island to the other. Already, five SSOs are co-located with or near Workforce Singapore (WSG) or Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) career centres, or provide job matching and skills upgrading services for low-income residents. Two months ago, SGO officers serving Taman Jurong and Jurong Spring started operating at the SSO at Taman Jurong.”
“For instance, we have been rolling out an SSO-Family Service Centres (FSCs)-Schools referral protocol so that schools know when and how to refer students and their families to the SSOs and FSCs. We will complete the rollout to all General Education schools by the end of this year. Second, we will make it more convenient for clients to apply for assistance schemes and services from different agencies by sharing information and assessments across agencies. As far as possible, they should not need to submit the same documents, repeat their circumstances, or fill in multiple application forms asking for similar information. This will help reduce the burden often faced by low-income individuals and households seeking help, who may already be in distress or urgent need. For example, if a client living in public rental housing is receiving ComCare assistance from SSO and we observe that he is unable to keep up with rent, the SSO will share its assessment with HDB to consider a reduction in rent. From the second half of this year, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students from households receiving ComCare assistance will also be assessed for their eligibility to receive a Community Development Council (CDC)/Citizens Consultative Committee (CCC) Bursary or a Ministry of Education (MOE) Bursary, without having to apply separately for them. We will progressively extend this to the mainstream schools, polytechnics and Autonomous Universities (AUs). Similarly, later this year, we will make it easier for mothers or single parents who are working or seeking work and receiving ComCare assistance to access financial support for childcare. This will allow them to focus on obtaining or sustaining their employment.”
“Our clients today can face and do face very complex issues and challenges. Individuals and families may have multifaceted needs that require support from multiple agencies, VWOs and community groups, over a sustained period of time, before they can stand on their own feet again. 12.45 pm It is, therefore, important, as Mr Amrin Amin has mentioned, to have a concerted and coordinated effort to tackle our social challenges. By better mapping our needs and tightening coordination and integration of services, we can maximise the impact of social services and public resources entrusted to us. At the same time, we can better harness and channel community resources to complement efforts by the Government. Our SSOs will be key to transforming social service delivery. We will better coordinate service delivery and improve client support through the SSOs. First, we will equip frontline officers in Government agencies and community organisations with the knowledge to provide clients with basic information and referrals to schemes and services to address their needs, beyond those offered by the agency they first approached. We will start with the SSOs, HDB and People's Association (PA) offices at our local community clubs, which are common touchpoints for residents in need. Eventually, we will extend this to other touchpoints, including medical social workers and school counsellors. MSF will lead by example. From the third quarter of this year, clients will be able to access schemes and services for persons with disabilities through our SSOs, such as those offered by the Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) and SG Enable. We have also established referral protocols to link up partners to support our clients.”
“The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) is growing our volunteering ecosystem, encouraging and enabling all of us to join in the national movement. Ministers Gan Kim Yong and Grace Fu will speak more about their Ministries' efforts immediately after I speak. Mr Chairman, for my part, let me share how MSF sees SG Cares as integral to our work. The social service sector has its roots in the spirit of caring and the efforts of those who cared since our early days. Many VWOs in Singapore have long and distinguished histories, bearing testament to the deep roots of philanthropy and volunteerism in our nation. As mentioned by Ms Jessica Tan, our forefathers banded together to help one another and formed community and self-help groups, such as clan associations. Those who did well in Singapore, such as Tan Tock Seng, Hajjah Fatimah and P Govindasamy Pillai, paid it forward and set up institutions to meet the needs of their fellow men and women. Our VWOs will continue to play a critical role in serving beneficiaries, and in rallying and inspiring the community to care for those who need help. To meet the demands of the future, we must support them in their drive to be even more effective and innovative. We will continue to build up our social service sector, by strengthening capabilities and ensuring that we continue to attract capable professionals. At the same time, we will draw on the spirit passed down from the Pioneers and encourage the community to partner the efforts of the Government and the sector. I will speak in more detail about MSF's efforts for the social service sector later. Sir, Dr Lily Neo asked about providing holistic help to disadvantaged families, a cause she is very passionate about.”
“And it is commendable that Pantropic has come forward to contribute actively in this way, despite being a small company with only about 12 employees. As SG Cares takes root, I am confident that we will see more such successful partnerships. Even as we celebrated diverse expressions of caring at the inaugural SG Cares carnival in January this year, we looked towards doing more. In the next phase of SG Cares, we want to make greater collective impact. First, we can better mobilise those who want to help. Many individuals and organisations wish to volunteer but may not know about the causes and areas of need. We can think of more ways to reach out to prospective volunteers. Second, we can better coordinate the help rendered. An individual may be receiving help from multiple agencies. Organisations on the ground may focus on specific services and may not be conscious in seeking and working with partners to provide more holistic and thorough support. Third, the way we help can be more sustainable and scalable. This will require us to increase the capacity and capability of VWOs and givers. The Government, corporate partners and the community can also better direct our energies in an informed, coordinated and sustainable way, supported by good platforms and working arrangements. Our three Ministries have come together today to underscore and support the efforts of SG Cares, which is a people movement, and set out our contribution to this movement. Our work is complementary. MSF, through more integrated delivery of social services and building up the social service sector, will improve the way we provide assistance to vulnerable individuals and families. MOH will take on the mandate of building a stronger system of support for our seniors.”
“At the same time, it will let us tap into the opportunities that come with having more Singaporeans live longer, healthier and active lives, growing social entrepreneurship and innovative technologies. Through Singapore Cares, we can become an even more caring and inclusive society, not because we say or wish it to be so, but because each and every one of us is a living testament to this: a nation of givers – not by word, but by action and by deed. Singapore Cares is a movement to identify and share about needs on the ground, shape volunteering opportunities and match givers to causes. Since the launch of SG Cares in 2016, we have curated volunteering opportunities and worked with VWOs to improve their capabilities to empower volunteers. We have also coordinated local networks of assistance, encouraged corporate and individual giving, and inspired ground-up efforts. We are greatly encouraged by many who have stepped forward and answered the call to make Singapore a more caring and inclusive home. One organisation which has responded to this call is Pantropic, a data protection company, which actively promotes volunteerism amongst its employees. Since July last year, staff from Pantropic have been volunteering with Lion Befrienders, a VWO which provides friendship and care for seniors. The company has allowed employees to schedule their time flexibly so that they can take time off during office hours and during the work week to accompany seniors for their medical appointments. And they do so about twice a month on average. This relieves the staff from Lion Befrienders, allowing them more time to attend to others in need. The seniors benefit from an expanded circle of friendship with these volunteers.”
“First, Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) taxi drivers with mobile ramps fetched participants on wheelchairs as well as caregivers from their homes, wherever it was in Singapore, to Changi. Second, at the Changi Sailing Club, as the fleets of taxis came one after another, volunteers welcomed the participants and fitted them with life jackets. They were then brought on board a Republic of Singapore Navy fast craft by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) officers, men and women. Third, upon arriving at Ubin, the visitors were welcomed by colleagues from the National Parks Board (NParks) and entertained throughout their visit by volunteers from the Republic Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Fourth, volunteer doctors and nurses took personal leave to set up a medical facility to provide backup medical support. They came from various healthcare institutions and formed one medical team. Wheels@Ubin shows us that our commitment to inclusivity and universal access can go beyond words to become deeds that make our visions reality. Wheels@Ubin is a good example, but just one of many, many examples of how we can create opportunities to enable and empower people to contribute and give, so that giving becomes a social norm and, as Ms Jessica Tan says, a way of life, an important cornerstone of our social compact, celebrated every day in ways both big and small. Giving is empowering. It can change mindsets, cultivate empathy, dismantle prejudices and bring people from all walks of life together for a common cause. This will put us in a better position to confront our challenges together, such as rapid cycles of economic disruption, growing social needs.”
“Sir, this joint address today together with the Minister for Health and the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth is driven by Singapore's commitment to being a caring and inclusive society where no one is left behind. This lies at the heart of the SG Cares movement. Singaporeans have always believed in helping one another. We believe in caring for the vulnerable and less fortunate. We believe in supporting our seniors in their golden years. And we believe in standing together as a nation through good times and bad. This spirit of caring has carried us through many moments of crisis, whether it was the Hotel New World collapse in 1986, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 or the severe haze in 2013. And not just moments of crisis. As we go about our daily lives, we benefit from extraordinary acts of kindness, some spontaneous and some organised by those who care. One such incredible effort which we recently saw was the project called Wheels@Ubin, an initiative by Dennis Quek and Wilson Ang, two Singaporeans who care. They believe that no part of Singapore should be inaccessible to any Singaporean. They wanted to let wheelchair users and persons with disabilities experience the rustic charm and beauty of our offshore islands, notably Pulau Ubin. The first Wheels@Ubin event was held in conjunction with SG50, bringing 100 wheelchair users to the island. The second edition of the event was successfully concluded on 2 March this year, with 120 participants. What was impressive and heart-warming was how businesses, public agencies and departments, volunteers, VWOs, community organisations and educational institutes came together to make this possible.”
“Mr Chairman, with your permission, may I display some slides on the screens?”
“I thank the Member for the suggestion. Certainly, in evaluating the tenders that are put in, we look not only at the firm's experience but, quite frequently, also look at the curricula vitae that are put in, and who will be working on those projects.”
“Working with the community and animal welfare groups, we have been able, in certain areas, to have a mix between enforcement and educating the feeders to ensure that the area is properly upkept.”
“Sir, may I respond to Er Dr Lee's two questions. The first is with regard to infrastructural projects where there are prequalification requirements. We have to strike a balance between ensuring that projects are carried out by builders who have capability and experience in doing so and, on the other hand, ensuring that the local contractors are given the opportunity to build track records. So, these are tensions we have to deal with every time when we call a tender, including a prequalification tender. Certainly, we make sure that the requirements and the prequalification stage do not unfairly prejudice local firms. Because if you have never done a project before, you will never have the track record to other projects of a similar kind. This is limited, therefore, to complex projects, involving a lot of technical expertise, such as, as I have said earlier, MRT and the deep tunneling works. Having said that, even for MRT works, if you look at how LTA has done it, they parceled the projects in order to give local contractors an opportunity to learn how to do this. For certain complex projects, you will find that our local contractors also partner foreign firms which have that technical expertise and, in that respect, a certain degree of tech transfer and learning comes about. Certainly, we have impressed upon our agencies that in setting these requirements, they have to be mindful that these are, indeed, necessary for the project and do not unfairly prejudice our local firms. Finally, on cat feeding, we will certainly discuss this further with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and NEA. I believe that the Member would have done well to raise it at MEWR's COS.”
“I thank the Member for his follow-up question. We addressed this in answer to a recent Parliamentary Question (PQ) as well. If there are issues concerning the quality of the work done by the consultant or the contractor brought in under GRA, you can certainly raise it and HDB will check. If it is, indeed, poor-quality work by the GRA contractor, then we will ask them to rectify.”
“This year, AVA will launch a Trap-Neuter-Release-Manage Programme for stray dogs and we look forward to working closely with AWGs and veterinarians to make this programme a success. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked for stricter laws against animal feeding, particularly for cats. Certainly, irresponsible feeding creates problems for everyone. In this regard, AVA has been working with AWGs and other agencies to educate the public about responsible feeding practices. That said, we recognise that there are a small number of irresponsible feeders despite this increased engagement. So, for hotspots with persistent cases, we will ask our agencies to step up enforcement and we welcome Members' feedback on specific areas that need to be focused on. We believe that this combination of measures in both education and enforcement will help to reduce irresponsible feeding over time. Sir, we are entering an exciting phase in the transformation of our Built Environment sector, which will lead to added growth and good jobs for Singaporeans. In this process, we will continue to future-proof our existing infrastructure to ensure that they remain safe and functional for the long term. Collectively, we will continue to shape our urban environment into one that affords new and exciting opportunities for Singaporeans in a vibrant and exciting future city.”
“Specific to car parks, HDB considers the orientation and distance between them and residential blocks, and the placement of physical barriers, such as communal facilities as well as greenery, to screen the noise. We will continue to incorporate good planning considerations and make use of technology where appropriate, such as noise modelling, to mitigate noise impact. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong also asked about the impact of prefabricated construction methods on home owners' renovation options. Under both traditional and prefabricated construction, home owners are not allowed to hack or remove structural elements. However, flats built with prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) tend to have thicker structural columns. HDB is studying ways to give flat owners more flexibility for renovation even in such units. HDB has also facilitated renovations. For example, we no longer provide kitchen walls, so that home owners need not hack them during renovations. Since 2015, HDB has also used drywalls for non-load-bearing internal partition walls and these are easier to remove, compared to traditional concrete walls. Lastly, some Members have spoken about animal issues and human-animal interactions. Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang described his most recent experience working with AVA on animal protection issues. I would like to thank the Member for his encouraging words and I am sure our officers would be very encouraged by what he said. AVA will continue to partner IHLs, Animal Welfare Groups (AWG) and the broader public to address human-animal issues and develop solutions, using a humane science-based approach that involves close partnerships with the community.”
“Nevertheless, we will study to see if legislative changes are needed. Ms Sylvia Lim spoke about owners of landed properties affected by breakaway works. There are already requirements on the homeowner to ensure that any breakaway works are done properly. This includes plastering and painting the exposed wall. The appointed QP has a professional duty to ensure that the works are structurally safe and done in accordance with all requirements. Should issues like water seepage arise later on, we encourage owners and neighbours to resolve them in an amicable manner, or via dispute resolution channels, which I mentioned earlier. If there are complaints about structural issues, BCA will investigate and take appropriate enforcement action for any breach of the Building Control Act. Having said that, similar to my response to Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, we will study whether legislative changes are needed. Mr Png Eng Huat asked about the allotment of Heavy Vehicle Parking (HVP) spaces. His concern is about the availability of HVP at the local level. I understand that in his discussions with URA, as part of the ongoing master plan discussions, he has raised these queries, and we will continue to address them at the local level. URA also allows mutual exchanges of season parking locations amongst drivers within its HVPs through an online platform. Through such measures, we hope to assist Heavy Vehicle drivers with their parking issues. Likewise, we continue to encourage employers to play their part in providing the necessary commute facilities for their staff. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked if designs could be improved to mitigate noise pollution from vehicles in multi-storey car parks. Sir, noise mitigation is a consideration when HDB designs and plans HDB estates.”
“We hope that companies will come on board and work together to build up a sustainable pipeline of skilled local lift technicians. It is also important for us to ensure that our public housing remains safe and well-maintained. In that regard, some Members have asked if we can do more to address maintenance issues faced by flat owners. Generally, while we strive to minimise downstream maintenance through high-quality construction, flat owners also play a part in maintaining the flats as they age. 5.45 pm Nonetheless, HDB has, on a goodwill basis, continued to assist flat owners should they raise maintenance issues, and advise them on possible follow-up actions. In addition, we offer heavily subsidised upgrading works under HIP to address common maintenance issues for older flats built up to 1986. For issues, such as ceiling leaks and spalling concrete, which occur outside HIP, residents can apply for a 50% subsidy under HDB’s Goodwill Repair Assistance (GRA) scheme. Finally, for tiles originally provided by HDB, HDB will replace dislodged ones within 15 years from the date of sale to the first owner. This is more generous than the private sector provision. Taken together, these measures, including efforts at the local level, have helped keep the maintenance cost of our flats low for the majority of HDB residents. Now, let me briefly address the remaining cuts. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah spoke about difficulties faced by some landed property owners in accessing their neighbours' property to undertake repairs. If home owners face such difficulties, they can seek help from their Neighbourhood Committees or other dispute resolution channels, such as the Community Mediation Centres, to try to resolve the issues amicably.”
“This could include the use of camera-equipped drones to check building façade conditions which, I understand, has been used overseas, by companies like Industrial Skyworks in Canada and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates in the US. I also agree with Mr Chong Kee Hiong that proper lift maintenance is important and that is why we earlier tightened BCA's maintenance regime for lifts to ensure their safety and functionality. For HDB lifts, in particular, we have also put in place additional procurement and maintenance processes to improve lift safety and performance. We are continuing to improve these processes and are now studying how to better evaluate downstream maintenance costs in the procurement stage, so that HDB can better differentiate between lift suppliers. For example, we are studying the evaluation of tender pricing over a longer time period via longer lock-in maintenance period for lift suppliers, as well as placing higher weightage on quality score, as compared to price score, in tenders. The other part of the equation is to build a sufficient pool of competent personnel to conduct the required checks and servicing. Last year, BCA and our Labour Movement formed the Lift and Escalator Sectoral Tripartite Committee (STC) to look into ways to professionalise the industry and to attract more locals to join the sector. I understand that STC will provide its full recommendations later this year. But one recommendation being seriously considered is a voluntary progressive wage model (PWM) for local lift technicians. The PWM will be competency-based. Each wage level will be defined by specific skillsets and responsibilities. This sets out clear progression pathways for lift technicians and ensures they are remunerated appropriately for their skills and effort.”
“A QP and site supervisors must supervise building works to ensure that they are done in accordance with the approved plans. Building materials must also comply with prescribed standards and be tested by accredited laboratories. BCA will conduct site audits to ensure compliance with requirements. BCA also requires regular inspections to ensure buildings remain structurally safe. As Mr Chong Kee Hiong pointed out, it is also important to ensure that non-structural aspects like building facades are well-maintained, especially as the city grows older. We have studied this and will be introducing façade inspection requirements. The regime will focus on buildings taller than 13 metres and older than 20 years, as they may pose higher risks. Inspection must be carried out by trained personnel and be conducted once every seven years. Now, this takes into consideration the expected lifespan of some common façade materials, allows for detection of façade deterioration to facilitate timely repairs and aligns this with the typical length of Repair and Redecoration (R&R) cycles for HDB estates and the majority of condominium developments, to save costs. We aim to finalise the relevant legislation by end of this year. Building owners will be given about one year’s lead time to prepare, before the requirement comes into effect. BCA will continue to engage stakeholders on implementation details to minimise the burden of cost. We will also support the new façade inspection regime by introducing inspection guidelines and strengthening R&D efforts to look into more effective and productive ways to carry out façade inspections.”
“It is people like Shaban, with real, deep skills and experience who thrive on new challenges, continuously upgrade their skills and who are passionate about their work that will enable us to transform our built environment sector and provide new opportunities for Singapore firms and Singaporean employees. Sir, in our built environment transformation journey, we also want firms and the research community to partner us in creating new technologies and solutions. As part of this effort, MND and our partner agencies will be launching a series of calls for research ideas under the Cities of Tomorrow Research and Development (R&D) Programme over the next few months, committing up to $40 million of research funds. We hope that the industry and research community will collaborate with us in this journey to transform the built environment sector through innovation. So far, we have spoken about our efforts to transform the built environment sector to grow our economy and create good jobs. However, as our city ages, and as our focus also begins to be on FM and maintenance of the city, we will also need to find ways to future-proof our infrastructure, so that it continues to be safe and functional. Mr Chong Kee Hiong has asked how we ensure that buildings are designed and constructed to be structurally safe, enforce regular maintenance and checks, and grow a sustainable pool of local skilled technical staff to support this. There are already measures to ensure building safety. For example, developers must appoint a Qualified Person (QP), who is a registered PE, to carry out structural design. And for more complex works, the design must be checked by independent Accredited Checkers.”
“In particular, it will focus on helping firms build capabilities and deploy key technologies and deploy key technologies and lending support to firms keen on exploring overseas opportunities. Build.SG will also act as a one-stop career office to attract, retrain and upskill professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) in the built environment domain. Sir, the built environment transformation is more than just about effecting firm-level change. Those working in the sector must also upgrade themselves to continue to thrive in the industry. And employers need to provide their employees with opportunities to do so. Sir, I met Mr Muhammad Shaban at the launch of JTC’s J-Ops Command Centre last month. After graduating from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Shaban joined JTC in 1995 as a lift technician carrying out lift maintenance work. With JTC’s encouragement, he expanded into more complex areas, such as Building Management Systems. Eventually, his expertise enabled him to start taking on greater responsibilities, including supervising less experienced technical staff. He is now a key member of JTC’s Building Management Division, overseeing day-to-day operations in the J-Ops Command Centre, which is a centralised command nerve centre that monitors building operations and performance across JTC’s buildings. There, he works with building managers and engineers in building diagnosis and fault detection. We have invited Shaban to contribute to the improvement of the FM sector at the national level through FMIC. And I am glad that he has agreed to take up this challenge.”
“This, of course, will depend also on demand that the buyers of these services, such as condominiums, industrial properties and commercial buildings recognising the value and the savings that can be reaped through having smart FM capabilities. We will also encourage consultants and developers to systematically consider maintainability outcomes in the design and construction phase. This will enhance the sustainability of our buildings by reducing lifecycle maintenance costs arising from inefficient design. To operationalise this, BCA will be bringing industry, unions and the Government together in a Tripartite FM Implementation Committee (FMIC) to formulate, oversee and review the implementation of the plans for this sector. There are many synergies among the various ITMs under the built environment Cluster. Platforms developed under one ITM could also benefit companies in different stages of the building lifecycle. Firms in this ecosystem can do much more to work together across functions and sectors. To drive our built environment implementation efforts, BCA will set up a transformation office for the whole built environment sector, as previously announced. We will call this office Build-Singapore (Build.SG) to reflect its purpose of galvanising industry transformation to build our future city. While its initial focus will be to implement the Construction ITM, its longer-term goal is to reap synergies from the various ITMs in the built environment cluster. Build.SG will work closely with Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs), IHLs and unions to engage our industry and turn our ITM plans into action.”
“In addition, we will also try to help our local firms internationalise, if they wish to do so, by finding opportunities for them to team up for large overseas ventures. If our firms can offer together a unique "Singaporean" way of undertaking the entire development cycle, such as through BIM and IDD, this will certainly enhance their competitive edge. One example of an opportunity is in Amaravati, the new capital city of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. A Singaporean consortium comprising Ascendas-Singbridge and Sembcorp has secured a startup area to kickstart the new city’s development. Singapore companies with the relevant expertise should consider whether they can export their services there as part of the consortium. Sir, we also launched the Real Estate ITM last month, focusing on two areas: one, property transactions; and two, facilities management (FM). In the property transactions space, we aim to streamline the process to make it more convenient for buyers, sellers and agents. For FM, our goal is to transform the way we maintain our infrastructure so that we can be more efficient and effective. Assoc Prof Randolph Tan is quite right when he said that we need to make good use of technology and better streamline our building management operations. This is especially important as our buildings and infrastructure age and as we continue to face manpower constraints. We will, therefore, encourage building owners and MCSTs to invest in better and more effective FM solutions, such as real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance. This will streamline their processes, enhance user experience and reap long-term cost savings.”