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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“It is a VPC on paper; the business owner buys it, can renew road tax and all, but for all purposes and intents, the business owner does not have a lot and the driver bears the brunt of it. The third situation is probably the one that Members see the most. The vehicle owner has secured the VPC but the driver prefers instead to park as close to home as possible, often, in and around HDB residential estates. But there are not enough of such lots and there is a waiting queue. I said earlier in my reply that these lots are scarce. They are located in heavily built-up areas. There is demand for land and there is a lot of security and safety concerns. In these situations, the drivers have difficulty getting to and from the lot in which the owner has gotten. The owner just gets a lot but leaves it to the driver to sort out his own commute. If it is ending work at 11.00 pm, midnight or starting work at 2.00 am to 3.00 am, for some drivers, that can be a challenge. It is largely because the company, the employer does not provide for that commute. We will look to address the three big scenarios in a number of ways. For the first situation, we plan to inject more heavy parking lots in industrial estates where business owners have a lot of demand. For example, URA and JTC will continue to mandate the building of heavy vehicle parks in heavy industrial developments. The Member may like to know that since two years ago, since 2014, successful tenderers of selected Government Land Sale sites for industrial development have been required to build and to co-locate a multi-storey heavy vehicle park with their industrial development because it then supplements the spaces in that area.”
“Madam, perhaps to set the Member's concerns in the context of the nature of this issue, let me start out by saying that LTA currently requires every heavy vehicle to secure an overnight heavy vehicle parking lot at an LTA-approved vehicle parking area. And the Vehicle Parking Certificate (VPC), to that effect, needs to be produced before: one, a heavy vehicle is registered; two, before road tax is renewed; and three, before the ownership of the heavy vehicle is transferred. Technically, every single heavy vehicle that runs on the road in Singapore already has a designated lot and a VPC. Otherwise, they cannot be driving. The drivers that the Member referred to, there are already designated lots for their vehicles, by way of the VPC. I said earlier that numerically, there are more lots than there are vehicles. The problem that the Member articulated in context is largely one of localised mismatch of supply and demand. There are a variety of instances, but let me draw to the House's attention, three situations that we can encounter. The first situation is business owners want to park their vehicles after the working shift, near to their business premises. It is a factor of production; they went to keep it nearby for servicing, maintenance, security and so on. But they cannot find lots, because the parking in that area is heavily subscribed. The second situation is a bit more interesting. Business owners have a VPC for their vehicle, that means they have a certificate and a lot, but they are not permitted to park in the lot for which they bought the VPC. Sometimes, we find that it is because the private operators of that particular parking lot is misusing the space, for example, using it to store goods, equipment for his own vehicles. So, it is a phantom lot.”
“Madam, currently, there are 34,400 heavy vehicles in Singapore and about 44,170 heavy vehicle parking lots island-wide. There are more lots than there are heavy vehicles. Seventy six percent of the lots are provided by the private sector, with the rest by URA and HDB. We recognise that there is demand for more public heavy vehicle parks near housing estates as drivers prefer to park near where they live. However, there are practical difficulties to provide more heavy vehicle parking lots in residential estates. First, these estates are highly built up; second, land is needed for housing and other community uses residents need; and third, we also receive feedback of residents' concerns on noise and above all, safety arising from heavy vehicular traffic in or near residential areas. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of business owners to have parking solutions for the vehicles they own and also to work out with their drivers appropriate transport options to commute to work, especially for those who have to drive during the wee hours. Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the response. There are quite a few occasions where I have come across drivers who actually have to sleep in the vehicles because they really cannot find a heavy vehicle parking lot and they have to park by the roadside somewhere and they are worried about summonses. I was wondering whether the Ministry can do some kind of review. We understand the disamenities that can arise from heavy vehicles parking close to residential areas, but perhaps a review targeted to specific areas would be useful as well.”
“Madam, HDB sets a 14-day period as a standard for contractors to rectify defects that are reported. Of course, if the defect needs more work, on exceptional basis, these would take more time. Based on the statistics that we have, some 95% of these defects reported through BSCs are rectified within 14 days. Some take longer. If the Member or his residents are aware of these incidences where they feel that the contractors are dragging their feet, alert the BSC and HDB, and he can alert us. As for the capacity of HDB branch offices and BSCs to cope with the number of issues that are raised, let us know which areas are of concern. We will look to enhancing them. Already, HDB has increased the number of staffing at BSCs to deal with the issues that are surfaced by residents.”
“Madam, each case will turn on the facts. For specific cases, let us have a look at them. HDB will do what is appropriate and right in the circumstances.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for her suggestion. The CONQUAS score reflects three components: architectural merit, which is what the Member is concerned about, quality of finish and the build quality; as well as two other components, such as structure and M&E. CONQUAS score for each development, each BTO already reflects the standard, albeit in a numerical nature. Each BSC will typically receive one-third of the residents approaching them for various issues: complaints, defects as well as requests for information. About 25% of them relate, for example, to water flow. This is because there are water management and flow requirements at the input. The remainder relate to a variety of issues that reflect build quality and other areas. Many of these can be solved and HDB's BSC staff continue to work on this.”
“It will continue to seek improvement in its design, choice of material and construction to improve the quality of its flats.”
“Ninth, HDB conducts functional tests to check on the mechanical and electrical services installed as well as the water-tightness of bathrooms, windows and external walls. Finally, HDB conducts a final inspection before the keys are handed over to the buyers. After the keys are handed over, a one-year Defects Liability Period (DLP) will kick in. During this period, the contractor will be obliged to rectify any other defects that are detected. During the DLP, a Building Service Centre (BSC) is set up in every new precinct to attend to feedback from residents promptly. The BSC will operate for a year on site so that residents have sufficient time to submit their feedback. All feedback to the BSC are monitored closely to ensure defects are rectified in a timely manner and to an acceptable quality standard. The rectification works will be inspected and certified by HDB's supervising consultant before a joint inspection with the owners is arranged to hand over the unit. For cases where owners are not fully satisfied with the rectification works, they can approach HDB, who will look into very case and take all reasonable efforts to address the owner's concerns. HDB will get the contractor to rectify the defects in accordance with acceptable industry norms. An objective assessment of the quality of HDB flats is the BCA's Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) score. This is the industry standard to measure the quality of building projects. Over the years, the quality of BTO flats has improved from a score of 79 in 2003 to 89 in 2014. This is comparable to that of private developments. This reflects HDB's push to secure high quality and workmanship standards for its flats. While the situation has improved, HDB is continually looking at ways to do better.”
“Mdm Speaker, HDB adopts a comprehensive management system to track the construction process of all BTO projects. First, HDB engages consultants with full-time staff onsite to supervise the construction works. The consultants will set up a supervision system at the site at the beginning of the building project. Second, HDB keeps a list of recommended building materials and equipment suppliers to prevent the use of sub-standard materials or equipment. Third, HDB takes a systematic approach to deliver buildings of high structural quality, such as checking that the building piles are constructed to the correct depth. Fourth, HDB requires the contractor to provide timber mock-ups for the toilets, kitchens, air-con ledges and service yards to be constructed. This will help HDB identify potential design, safety and maintenance issues, and get the contractor to resolve these issues upfront before construction begins. Fifth, HDB requires samples of actual units to be constructed for each different flat type in the project. Once these sample units are approved, they serve as the benchmark of quality for the entire project. Sixth, HDB conducts regular audits and deploys its Central Audit Team to perform focused process checks at different stages of construction. Seventh, HDB's Project Directors also make regular checks on the works for compliance with approved drawings, specifications and work methods. Eighth, all flats, when completed, will have to pass the handover inspection by HDB. Finishes and fittings are inspected for proper installation and compliance with the required standard. All visible defects found by the inspection team will be rectified before handover.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the debate be now adjourned." [(proc text) Resolved, "That the debate be now adjourned". – [Mr Desmond Lee] (proc text)]”
“The Member is asking about specific examples for specific situations. Let me take this offline with the Member on these online gaming centres. 2.59 pm”
“Anyway, ROS is also under MHA. Residents have been asking for the removal of such centres because they cause a lot of noise, people drink and create a lot of disamenity to the residents in that area. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State: can these centres be monitored more closely and whether there is any way, when the licence is up for renewal, to get them out of the residential area?”
“Madam, the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act regulates public entertainment, which includes amusement centres and computer games centres. When assessing an application for a public entertainment licence to operate a 24-hour amusement or computer games centre, the Police will take into account the location of the centre and the likelihood of law and order concerns arising from the operation of the centre. Currently, no amusement centre has been given a 24-hour licence under the public entertainment regulatory regime. There are 27 computer games centres with public entertainment licences, but only one has been issued a 24-hour licence. This centre is not located in the heartlands and is not issued with a liquor licence for sale and consumption of liquor on its premises. Other than amusement and computer games centres licensed under the Public Entertainment regime which are open to members of the public, computer gaming societies which are registered with the Registry of Societies may also provide computer gaming services, but only to their members. There are 35 such centres. None of them has been issued with liquor licences for sale and consumption of liquor on their premises. Although these computer gaming societies are not regulated under the public entertainment regime, the Police, nevertheless, do conduct enforcement checks on them. If they are found to be used for unlawful purposes, or their rules are shown to be inadequate for the proper management and control, the Registry of Societies will not hesitate to take action, including issuing warning letters and dissolving these societies. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): I have several such computer games centres near Jalan Pelatina. I understood that the licence is issued under the Registry of Societies (ROS).”
“The Central Narcotics Bureau, for example, has hair analysis, compared to urine analysis for lower risk drug offenders. Hair analyses are able to detect drug consumption over a longer period of time. This allows us to recall these offenders less often to the station and allows us to redeploy these officers to other duties. Lastly, of course, we will strengthen community partnership, which is one of the things I spoke about at length yesterday. Technology now allows members of the public to provide evidence through videos, to allow people who are trained in first aid, AED and CPR to respond via the SCDF myResponder App to people who are in distress and know where the AEDs are located. All these will help us to do more with a lean Force.”
“The crime rate is considerably lower. In terms of whether we are able to maintain the current low crime rate, in spite of our lean Police Force, over the last five years, the crime rate has remained fairly constant, as has been the manning levels. It is a variety of considerations that lead to this – not only a well-trained, efficient Police Force that is in touch with the community but also good laws. Law and order are a product of good laws. Nevertheless, I think the Member is quite right to point out that this manpower constraint is likely to persist. With smaller cohorts of young Singaporeans joining the workforce each year, it will be a challenge and there will be natural limits to how much larger the Force can grow. That is contrasted with a much larger workload – public expectations, more travellers, more infrastructure, higher demands on our SCDF and so on and so forth. There are many strategies that we will adopt in order to tackle this challenge. For example, we will enhance our recruitment terms to retain, recruit and advance our officers. We will also review our operations and revisit them so that we can do things better. One example would be the number of SCDF calls that are made each day. It is going up at a rate of about 5% each year. It is not feasible to keep growing the SCDF and the number of its ambulances and paramedics. So, we need to do better, we need to use data analytics to have a tiered and differentiated response. This is an example of doing things better. Thirdly, we will improve our officers' capabilities, so that each officer can do more. I spoke of the fast response car yesterday, with more technology built in it to allow officers to respond faster and better. We spoke yesterday also of technology to allow us to do more with less.”
“Mdm Speaker, in 2014, Singapore's overall crime rate was 591 cases per 100,000 population. Our crime level is low, compared to major cities, such as London, New York and Hong Kong. This low crime rate has been achieved with a lean Police Force. As at December 2015, there were about 9,400 regular Police Officers serving in the Singapore Police Force. This translates to Page: 26 about 170 Police Officers per 100,000 population, which is low, compared to other cities, such as London, New York and Hong Kong, which the Member had asked.”
“Mdm Speaker, may I again seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“Mdm Speaker, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“Madam, the PolCam initiative already involves CCTVs at the ground floor lift lobby as well as staircase landings, so that is already catered for. We are, at the moment, studying the possibility of rolling out more of such surveillance throughout our estates and public areas to enable us to deter crime and to take action when incidents unfold. As for the size of bins, this is something we certainly will look at, in terms of the overall analysis of threats. 2.29 pm”
“On the ground, our police officers will be provided with the next-generation fast response cars (Next-Gen FRC) that are equipped with more sophisticated technology. We are also exploring the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones to provide a more comprehensive situational picture in public order incidents or during the management of major events. With better information gathering, we will invest in stronger sense-making capabilities, such as video and data analytics, so that richer and more timely information is provided to our officers while responding to incidents, or when conducting investigations. Data from different sources will be aggregated and analysed real-time to detect potential threats and criminal activities. Video-trawling technologies can allow us to identify, in a matter of minutes, objects and persons of interest from hours of video footage. Advanced data analytics can help us to analyse data, discern patterns, and deploy our resources dynamically and in the most optimal way. We will be better able to adopt a tiered and differentiated front-line response model, channelling resources to where they are most needed. This will enable us to enhance the safety and security of Singaporeans.”
“Madam, the Home Team has had to transform the way we operate to cope with increasing demands amid tight manpower constraints. Leveraging on technology is one of the ways, as articulated at the start of the session. One example is the installation of police cameras at the ground-floor lift and staircase landings of Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks and multi-storey carparks to deter crime in our estates. These have reduced crime in our HDB estates and helped Police solve cases. Installation in all 10,000 blocks should be completed by this year. We will study the feasibility of installing more police cameras in our estates and other public areas to enhance security. We will also leverage on crowdsourcing technology, so members of the public can play a part. I mentioned earlier about the app – Police@SG app. Tapping on the many smartphones in Singapore, the app makes it easy for the public to send relevant photos and videos to the Police. This will enable close to real-time submission of information that can help facilitate investigations. I also spoke earlier about another initiative known as the Vehicle on Watch Scheme, which was launched last year. Many car owners across Singapore have joined the scheme, keeping their in-vehicle cameras recording overnight. This adds extra eyes in our HDB carparks to deter crime. Police may approach participating car owners for footage, if needed to solve cases. Police have also redesigned the Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) and used technology to facilitate round-the-clock automated services for residents, while allowing police officers to be re-deployed from desk-bound duties to other frontline tasks, such as patrols and walking on the beat.”
“The Member asked about the capacity to deal with these threats. Madam, terror threats evolve along the way over the years, their modus operandi change, the threat levels change. So, the Home Team needs to be on top of it – needs to be prepared, needs to project, and needs to evolve along the way. Manpower will always be tight. In fact, the hon Member, Mr de Souza, will ask that question later. Amongst other things, leveraging on technology will help augment our Home Team's capabilities to help create new capabilities that were not existent before technology had advanced to that level. All these things need to be done but on top of that, good training, proper equipping, constant exercises – both planned as well as unplanned exercises that you spring a surprise on the Forces and you test them, and continually learning from the lessons that we pick up from these exercises – need to be done. So, our Forces will be prepared, they have to be, and need to remain on top of the risk.”
“Within the parameters of the caveat that I gave to the earlier Member, let me deal with Ms Sylvia Lim's questions. First is on self-radicalisation and what the Government has been doing and willing to do. There is, in fact, a Parliamentary Question (PQ) tomorrow set down in the Order Paper, and there will be a comprehensive reply. So, I urge the Member to be patient. There will be a more thorough exposition of the issue tomorrow. As far as checkpoints are concerned, we do 100% or close to 100% screening at our checkpoints. Naturally, there will also be selective checks depending on intelligence and other information.”
“There are certain security measures which, for operational reasons, would not be appropriate for me to share in a public forum such as this. But I have spoken about the importance of border security. I had spoken earlier about land, sea and air checkpoints. They have enhanced and perform very thorough checks on all arriving as well as departing travellers, whether it is through our checkpoints on land, both Woodlands and Tuas, through the air, through Changi and Seletar, as well as through sea, through ports. But beyond checkpoints, we are also concerned about unauthorised entry. So, our physical borders, not just our checkpoints, are also places that remain vulnerable. The Coast Guard and ICA have enhanced patrols and vigilance. Physical barriers have been and will continue to be erected as an additional barrier to entry. Air security is something that is not just of concern to us in Singapore, but certainly, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and many other agencies internationally, as well as other countries, cooperate very closely and we are plugged into those efforts.”
“Under this effort, Police will work with them and engage them to install video surveillance systems, to allow access and to expand coverage. In addition to localised clusters, we also work with specific industry sectors, for example, with the chemical sector, the security sector, the hotel sector and with F&B, amongst others to help them harden what would otherwise be potentially soft targets. Lastly, members of the public – you and I – can play a role. There are many smartphones out there. There are many vehicle cameras out there. There is an app known as Police@SG. If you have not downloaded it, please do. It allows people to submit videos, photographs, information to the Police. We will filter it. It allows close to real time analysis of videos. Hopefully, that will enhance our capabilities. We also have a scheme known as Vehicles on Watch (VOW) where members of the public keep their vehicle cameras on in the cars. That helps to just add extra layers of vigilance.”
“Madam, I agree with the hon Member. In fact, on 25 January, Monday evening, Channel NewsAsia's Saifulbahari Ismail interviewed the Jakarta Police Chief on television, and he mentioned that he would like to see better CCTV and digital coverage of the city that would enable security forces to better deal with the situation. CCTV and video coverage or the leverage of technology as it advances can achieve a couple of things. First is deterrence. Second is detection, and especially with analytics, you might be able to, through technology, analyse and detect certain patterns of behaviour. Third, it permits real time incident management. If you have a "live" feed as a situation unfolds, security forces will have a better feel on what is happening on the ground. Lastly, as the Member has alluded to, post-incident management, not only in the cold light of day or aftermath, but in the tension and the ambiguity as to whether the situation has ended or still ongoing. That will also provide some support. As I said earlier, Police cameras have been rolled out and will be rolled out by the end of this year across our estates. We are studying the possibility of putting more cameras in public areas – the study is still ongoing. We have been working and will continue to work with agencies such as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to leverage on CCTV cameras that are already out there in the public, and leverage on existing cameras that other agencies use for various purposes in order to help us in our counter-terror efforts. We also work with private and commercial premises and businesses – I spoke earlier about the SSWG. As of last December, there are about 1,300-plus building operators that have participated in our SSWG clusters.”
“The Police will continue to assess the threat level and step-up patrols when necessary. Even as we enhance security at our borders and within Singapore, Government efforts alone will not be adequate. Dealing with terrorism is not just about action by security forces. Each and every one of us has an important part to play. We must be more alert to help prevent a terrorist attack from happening. Should an attack take place, we must be able to respond in a number of ways. Above all, when a terrorist attack happens, we must stay united and resilient as one people. This was indeed the tenor of many speeches in the course of the debate on the President's Address these past few days. In the coming months, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will be working with our partners to further strengthen our community vigilance, cohesion and resilience. We will conduct regular and realistic exercises to help various community groups to be better prepared for and to remain resilient in the aftermath of any attack. Terrorists seek to threaten our security and our way of life. They seek to instil fear and divide the community. Should a terrorist attack occur, it is important for all of us to stand united against these threats, with a spirit of resilience and determination that we should not be defeated.”
“These records will allow us to verify the traveller's identity before he is allowed entry to Singapore and will facilitate automated self-clearance during his departure. Under the current heightened threat environment, our security agencies will continue to work closely with international and regional security partners through the exchange of intelligence and information to more effectively combat terrorism. The Police have also enhanced security measures and vigilance. The installation of police cameras at all HDB blocks and multi-storey carparks will be completed by this year, and we will look into installing more cameras in HDB estates and other public areas. Police have also stepped-up patrols in crowded areas and conducted exercises to raise the level of preparedness of its officers in response to a terrorist attack. In fact, more than 1,800 Home Team officers participated in a multi-agency security exercise on the night of 19 January 2016 to test our contingency and security response plans during a terrorist attack. Participants were not informed prior to this surprise exercise in order to test their response. We will also work with commercial and private establishments to enhance security measures at their premises. One platform is the Safety and Security Watch Group (SSWG). Through SSWG, the Police and the business community have forged a close partnership to counter the threat posed by terrorism. Building managers or owners and security personnel work together with the Police to assess localised threats, share knowledge and pool resources to enhance their security. Response protocols are drawn up to deal with crisis situations. Tabletop exercises and live exercises are also being carried to test the plans and validate and refine the contingency plans.”
“This would be similar to the attacks on Paris, where the planning and preparation were probably carried out in Molenbeek where security was less tight. Border control is therefore our first line of defence to prevent an attack from taking place in Singapore. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) therefore conducts checks on travellers, vehicles, baggage and cargo at all our air, land and sea checkpoints and puts in place visible deterrent measures to detect and deny attempts to smuggle prohibited items or persons. The Police Coast Guard has also increased its patrols along our coastline and will be developing a more comprehensive set of physical barriers that will complement these coastal patrols. We will continue to assess the threat level and adjust the security measures at our borders accordingly. But as Ms Joan Pereira's question has suggested, it is a constant challenge to manage the balance between maintaining vigilance and security at our checkpoints and facilitating speedy and efficient travel, especially in the current heightened threat environment. Some of the enhanced security measures at the land check points will cause inconvenience to travellers. This is especially so during festive seasons and holidays like the upcoming Chinese New Year period, when traveller volume is expected to increase. We are making further investments in technology to help us maintain a high level of security at our checkpoints, while facilitating efficient travel. For instance, ICA will implement the BioScreen initiative across all checkpoints to capture the fingerprints of all arriving persons by June 2016.”
“The establishment of an ISIS "wilayat" in Southeast Asia would further raise the terrorism threat to Singapore. Ms Tin also asked whether there have been further reports of Singaporeans intending to join ISIS. So far, at least two Singapore citizens are known to have made their way to Syria with their families to take part in the conflict there. Last year, four Singaporeans were detained and a fifth was issued a Restriction Order, on the basis that they intended to fight for ISIS in Syria and Iraq. One of those detained had planned to carry out terrorist attacks in Singapore on behalf of ISIS if he was unable to travel overseas. There are others who have expressed interest to go to Syria to fight and have been investigated or are currently under investigation. Most of them were radicalised by online videos and articles, and through social media postings. This problem of self-radicalisation continues to be a concern in Singapore. The global and regional terrorism situation is worrying. The recent attacks in Paris and in Jakarta involved multiple gunmen carrying explosives and heavy firearms, targeting soft targets packed with people who have little or no security protection, and with the aim of inflicting maximum casualties. Against this heightened threat environment, the Home Team has adopted a multi-pronged approach, and I would like to highlight three key measures. First, Singapore is a major transport hub in the region. More than half a million people pass through our checkpoints every day. Our Woodlands checkpoint is the busiest land checkpoint in the world. These present security risks. Attackers can gather and plan just outside Singapore before coming into Singapore to carry out the attack.”
“Thank you, Madam. First, I will start off with the question by Ms Tin Pei Ling. She asked about the terrorism threat assessment in ASEAN. The terrorism threat in Southeast Asia is serious and persistent. In addition to terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and its regional affiliates such as the Jemaah Islamiyah, the conflict in Syria and Iraq and the emergence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have significantly raised the threat level. ISIS has attracted many foreign fighters to its ranks. Regional authorities estimate that some 1,000 Southeast Asians may have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight for ISIS. Over 70 of them may have died in the fighting, several as suicide bombers. At the same time, several self-radicalised Southeast Asians who were unable to travel to Syria or Iraq to fight have heeded the call by ISIS to carry out terrorist attacks in their home countries in pursuit of the ISIS cause to expand its self-proclaimed "caliphate". The Indonesian and Malaysian authorities have collectively arrested over 100 of their citizens for ISIS-related activities and thwarted several planned attacks in their own countries. Even then, four Indonesian ISIS supporters succeeded in carrying out a terrorist attack in downtown Jakarta on 14 January this year. The Southeast Asian fighters pose a serious security threat when they return with battlefield experience from Syria and Iraq. A sizeable number of them have formed a dedicated group in Syria called the Katibah Nusantara lid Daulah Islamiyah or Malay Archipelago Unit for ISIS. They can be expected to use the fighting experience that they have acquired to carry out terrorist attacks in this region. ISIS declared in November 2014 its intention to set up "wilayat" or provinces in Indonesia and the Philippines.”
“Mdm Speaker, there is a question set down by Ms Tin Pei Ling tomorrow, but it is on a related topic. So, if Mdm Speaker would permit, I would like to answer Question Nos 1 and 2 together. And if Ms Tin is satisfied with the answer, she could perhaps withdraw the question for tomorrow.”
“Page: 46 As to whether the CONQUAS scores for all the DBSS projects can be disclosed, I have to check; I think they may be already public for each of the 13 DBSS projects. Let me check and follow up with the hon Member. As to whether the DLP needs to be extended, I think we do not talk about it in a vacuum or about general concerns about whether residents are able to resolve the issues expeditiously. As I said earlier to this House, the issues need to be surfaced and resolved within the one-year DLP. The developer has certain timelines that it must meet or the contractors have certain timelines that they must meet. If for some reason, any particular development is of particular concern, a particular reason for delay and if there is any basis at all for asking for the DLP to be extended, then let us look at it specifically and not in abstract.”
“I think Mr Low have five or six questions. First, I will deal with question two, as to whether I said I trivialised residents' concerns. I think the Member might want to review the transcript. I made it very clear that we should not trivialise residents' concerns, far from trivialising their concerns. Perhaps, there is a misunderstanding there. I hope to make it very clear that it is, indeed, not the case. As to what the responsibility of HDB is in respect of DBSS vis-a-vis BTO, I have said it in my first reply and subsequent responses to various Members. For BTO projects, HDB is the developer. In DBSS, the developer is a private developer. HDB sets the broad parameters within which the private developer is given the flexibility and because of that, it takes responsibility for its private development works as a DBSS project. The Sale and Purchase Agreement is black and white. It is with the resident and the developer. But having said that, that is not to say that HDB entirely takes no responsibility whatsoever, does not do anything at all. That is clearly not the experience. For example, when Minister of State Sim Ann had some issues with the Trivelis – and certainly, I am sure Mr Low had followed that with keen interest – HDB, although it is not party to the agreement, followed up with the developer, approached it, worked behind the scenes, worked closely with the advisor to make sure that as between the developer running the DBSS project and the residents, there is some resolution in sight. For example, in Trivelis, it is public knowledge that the developer has made an offer to residents. This is a matter of negotiation that is on-going.”
“If it is a BTO project, then HDB takes responsibility for the quality and of the construction. So, please, perhaps the Member can provide me the details as to which specific blocks or precincts, and then we can follow up. As to what is the issue with the development, whether it is tiles, whether it is doors, or whether it is the tap, toilet or whatever, and we will then follow up on that concern. As to whether the BSCs have the capacity to deal with these concerns, HDB requires sufficient staff to man the BSC. If a BSC is found to be inadequate in terms of staffing, then it is something that the Branch Office has to provide feedback for and then we will then make sure that the staffing is adequate. We want to make sure that the teething concerns of residents as they move into their new homes, particularly first-time home buyers, are addressed and addressed suitably. There may be some frustration as to why when things take a little longer, but it is a matter of resourcing. We will fix this.”
“In relation to the Member's first question, on his feedback that he has gotten in relation to some projects, was it a DBSS or BTO project? Page: 44”
“Madam, the first question, I think the answer should be yes as to whether or not HDB shares its experience, built on many years of public housing with these DBSS developers. It will share its experience not in relation to past DBSS' projects, but also its experience on maintenance and the like. Page: 43 The second question is on CONQUAS scores, whether that is also for DBSS, happily the answer is yes. I do not have the scores available. The third as to whether it is comparable, as I had said earlier, it is very difficult in the first place to compare one DBSS project with another, because one project may have different configuration, different size. It may have different finishings, and certainly, different range, type and number of fittings. So, it will be very hard for there to be comparisons. And, more importantly, the comparison with BTO is hard to draw. As I had said earlier, for BTO projects, in the last four years, about a third of the new residents moving in have approached the BSCs so we have the data for the average number of people approaching to raise concerns. And some of it, 25%, relate to questions like "There are stain marks, can you clear it up? Water pressure is low, why is it so?" So, the answer will be, it is a water-saving measure that has to be implemented. Seventy-five percent relate to defects that are perceived by these residents, because they move in, and when they look and see these scratches or these paint marks that are on the wall, the surface imperfections, and they then raised it to the BSCs. These kinds of surface imperfections and defects constitute the vast majority of the feedback given by the residents. And this can and should be resolved quickly by the contractors. I hope that addresses the questions raised.”
“In the context of delays and concerns that residents get affected when repairs and rectifications are delayed, under the Sales and Purchase Agreement for BTOs, and I believe it is also the case for DBSS, these have to be reported and resolved within the one-year defect liability period. But, specifically, I believe under the S&P Agreement, Page: 42 there is a requirement for the developer to address the issue and rectify within a month, and if he needs more time for whatever reason, like gathering of materials, doing more checks, then that needs to be agreed with or informed to the buyer. If the developer or the contractor, in that case, does not resolve this within one month, then the buyer can give adequate notice to the contractor or developer to rectify, and then make a claim or reimbursement. So, in a way, we should not have delays in rectification. Sometimes, it is because the rectification is not up to the expectation of the resident, or there may be problems along the way that need to be resolved; so, there may be some time that is needed. But, by and large, our understanding is that most rectifications, particularly hairline cracks, stains, scratches, ought to be resolved and should be resolved by the contractors expeditiously, so as not to cause inconvenience to residents.”
“Thank you. Madam, the Member has also spoken about an idea that was provided to him by residents about some schemes overseas.”
“Perhaps, Mdm Speaker, may I just ask the Member to clarify. Is he asking in the context of BTO or DBSS?”
“As for whether my view is that a gate is a door as specified under the 2007 and 2013 BCA accessibility guidelines, also a technicality of the nature of this query, please allow me to go back and have a check; perhaps the Member can communicate his concerns with me. But if it is in relation to the Pasir Ris ONE project, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Member for Parliament of the constituency has visited the site. Residents have taken this issue up with him, the developer and HDB. Let us allow these negotiations to take place. As for the claim that he heard that the DBSS developer had given approval for something or other, I think it is a bit too ambiguous as to what this is about. I think if there is some specificity about what he says has been approved by HDB, allow us to check with the background that he can provide us. As I said earlier, HDB provides a broad parameter on Page: 41 eligibility and so on, and within that, the private developer has a broad flexibility to design, build, finance and to sell.”
“Madam, let me try to deal with the questions, in turn. As for the rate, the data that the Member has asked, I do not have these figures. In any event, when we talk about the rate of defect and DBSS units, between DBSS projects, they differ significantly, because they are not standardised models. They differ in terms of their attributes; finish and the fittings that are available. So, that is not a meaningful comparison. The second question – and this is more critical – is about whether, as the Member says, the scheme has failed in its intent. I am not quite sure what the Member means by "failed". Does it mean that it is not taken up by residents? Does it mean that all residents reject what they see after they moved into their units? It is important to also recognise in that respect that there have been 13 DBSS projects since 2005, and many, many residents have moved into these units and purchased them. They have seen it, they liked it, they moved in, and certainly like all developments, both HDB, BTO, private, as well as office and commercial, there will be defects, there will be concerns. This is not to trivialise the defects and the concerns that first-time home buyers in particular feel when they see scratches or paint marks on their units, or more serious defects. But I think we should not, as Minister Lim talked about in the context of another Parliamentary Question (PQ) on MOM, use these current few points that have been in the public eye, to condemn the entire scheme as a failure. Many people have, indeed, lived and made homes with their families in these projects.”
“It means that they may not be able to put anything outside the corridor. Everything has to be in the home or stored downstairs, for instance, bicycles. HDB is working with the advisers concerned and approaching the developer, along with the residents, to see how these concerns can be addressed.”
“Madam, the Member asked three questions: first, on the role of HDB in DBSS. As I said earlier, HDB sets the broad parameters, such as eligibility, provides grants, decides on size and community services, and then with that, allows the private developer to build, finance, construct and sell. Nonetheless, as I said earlier, HDB will refer complaints to the developer and will work with the developer to ensure that residents' concerns are Page: 39 addressed. HDB upstream does actively engage DBSS developers by sharing HDB's experiences and lessons learned from previous DBSS projects and provides feedback in the areas of safety, security, durability and ease of maintenance. For example, during the early upstream stage in design, HDB will arrange for a meeting with the developer to share with them and their consultants HDB's experience on the above issues, like safety, durability, security and ease of maintenance and civil and structural design considerations, including lessons learned from DBSS' projects upstream and further measures. As for DBSS as a scheme, MND has suspended DBSS scheme in 2011, as Members would know, and there is no plan to launch new DBSS projects in the immediate future. As the scheme is already suspended, we need not rush into deciding whether to abolish the scheme or not. We should take time to consider and review this as market conditions could be different and there may well be reasons to bring back the DBSS scheme in some form. The Member also asked about the width of some corridors in recent DBSS projects that had been completed. That developer has chosen to restrict the width of the corridor to the safety limits as required by BCA and SCDF. Residents are concerned about this.”
“Prospective buyers, in turn, decide if the price set by the developer is acceptable for the design and furnishings Page: 38 provided. To protect homebuyers, the DBSS developer has to fully comply, like any other developer, with the requirements of the relevant authorities, such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and BCA in the design and construction of the project, and the Controller of Housing in the marketing and sale of the units. Furthermore, under the Sale and Purchase (S&P) Agreement between the DBSS developer and home buyers, the developer is contractually obliged to build the unit in a good and workman-like manner. The S&P also requires the developer to rectify any defects within the defects liability period. DBSS projects are developed by different private developers, who may offer varying fixtures and finishes for their project. The feedback on the quality of finishes differs from project to project. Nonetheless, residents who face issues with the quality of the flats should report them to BSC managed by the developer during the DLP. If the developer fails to address them, the buyers will have legal recourse against the developer as provided for under the S&P Agreement. Although HDB is not a party to this agreement, HDB plays an active role in ensuring a fair and satisfactory outcome. When DBSS flat buyers raise concerns or feedback about DBSS units, HDB will approach and ask the developer to take the appropriate action under the circumstances.”
“HDB takes the quality of its homes seriously, not just because it is a major long-term investment of Singaporeans but, more importantly, because these are people's homes and, therefore, people's expectations are rising. HDB has a system of checks in place to ensure that its flats are free of major defects. However, due to the high dependency on workmanship of individual workers, we can expect that there will be some defects. Sometimes, this could be due to differences in the understanding of what constitutes a defect. For example, some owners have given feedback on colour inconsistencies for floor with timber finishes. As timber is a natural product, it is not possible to achieve a completely homogenous look. There is a Defects Liability Period (DLP) to allow for any defects to be rectified. HDB also requires its contractors to deploy staff at the on-site Building Service Centre (BSC) to respond to residents' requests promptly and to rectify all defects within a stipulated time-frame. But we do have zero tolerance for defects which may compromise structural or safety standards, or which deviate significantly from what has been promised to buyers. Besides the BTO programme, there is the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) to give flat buyers more choice by allowing private developers to build and sell flats directly to the buyers. HDB sets the buyer's eligibility requirements and provides broad planning parameters such as the mix of flat types, flat sizes and the range of social and community facilities to be provided. Within this framework, the private developer of the DBSS project is responsible for the design, pricing and construction quality of the flat.”
“Madam, most of our new flats are sold under the Build-To-Order (BTO) programme where HDB directly influences design, construction and pricing. BTO flats are sold directly by HDB to flat buyers and HDB is fully responsible for the timely delivery and quality of the flats sold. Despite a significant ramp up in our BTO programme over the last four years, the quality of BTO flats has not been compromised. On average, about a third of all new residents approach the Building Service Centre (BSC) for assistance after collecting their keys. Some of these requests for assistance – about a quarter of them – relate to issues, such as low water Page: 37 pressure due to the implementation of water saving measures, as well as paint stains that need to be cleaned up in their units. Other requests, about 75%, relate to defects that residents come across. The vast majority of the reported defects are surface imperfections, such as hairline cracks on walls, scratches on timber floor or uneven tile joints. The number of defects reported has not changed significantly over the years. Such imperfections are mostly within acceptable industry norms and are also common in private developments. They can and should be rectified quickly by the contractors and do not affect the structural integrity or safety of the building. There is an objective industry standard to measure the quality of building projects. It is assessed independently by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and is known as Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) score. Over the years, the quality of BTO flats has improved from a score of 79 in 2003 to 89 in 2014. It continues to rise and is comparable to that in private developments.”
“Mdm Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 11 to 14 together?”
“Leaks are small, sometimes micro, and if it does recur, HDB will look at the situation and render assistance. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Desmond Lee.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)] Page: 90”
“Ceiling leaks through wear and tear arise because, over the years, water-proofing membranes, the floor, toilets and kitchens wear out and, from time to time, will cause problems to units downstairs. When I first started serving in the capacity as a Member of Parliament in 2011, I, too, like many seniors before me in this Chamber, was faced with residents suffering from spalling concrete and ceiling leak problems. I think this is a problem all of us encounter from time to time. I did ask engineers of HDB, perhaps, "Could you give me a briefing?" And they did give me a briefing as to why these things happen. It is due to the wear and tear of the water-proof membranes. Page: 89 Sometimes, when residents engage contractors on their own – and this is what we hear anecdotally – they get the job done as quickly as possible because repairing a ceiling leak or spalling concrete requires some time to treat. So, it may take three to four days to identify the source of the spalling concrete and leak and, from the lower units' point of view, you need time to repair, treat the metal, replace the plaster, concrete and so on. But if you compact that time and if things are done quickly because you do not want to spend the time or you think that is the recommendation of the contractor that you bring in, then, invariably, very quickly, you will find that the problem recurs. The request that the Member had made to provide that certainty, I think we will look at it on a case-by-case basis. But certainly, if from the upstairs units' point of view that they are unwilling because they fear that you will not solve the problem, I think they should rest assured. We will look at the source of the problem. This is scientific but it is not a perfect science.”