Desmond Lee
Singapore
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“And to quote Mr Lee: "Housing was and is a most important public policy, one with profound influence on the lives of our people and has moulded the cohesive society we have". Over the years, we have moved from providing simple and utilitarian flats to developing comprehensively planned and integrated modern towns where residents can comfortably work, live, learn and play. We must continue to build on the proud legacy Mr Lee has left us, to better serve the current and future generations of home owners.”
“Hence, it is important that HDB be given appropriate powers to do fact-finding and to identify those who misuse their public housing flats, in order to ensure a safer and more pleasant living environment for all in our public housing estates. Nevertheless, HDB will exercise these powers professionally, carefully and with good judgement. In response to Mrs Lina Chiam's concern about whether HDB officers have the expertise, whether they are Arts background or Science background, rest assured that HDB will train its officers and consult more established enforcement agencies. There are certain skills and certain background that you need to identify certain leaks. I would like to reassure the House that, similar to the powers of forced entry, HDB will only invoke such powers when the owners or occupiers repeatedly hinder HDB officers from carrying out their duties to investigate. Mdm Speaker, the amendments proposed today will empower HDB to better discharge its duty to build good, affordable public housing and provide a safe and pleasant living environment for all Singaporeans. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah had very aptly recounted earlier, this is a duty that started 55 years ago, thanks to the vision of our founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. When Mr Lee saw the urgent need to provide housing for an overcrowded Singapore dotted with slums and squatter settlements, he set up the HDB in 1960. When he was Page: 88 convinced that if every family owned its home, the country would be more stable, he launched the "Home Ownership for the People Scheme" in 1964. Fifty years on, HDB flats are home to over 80% of Singapore's resident population and Singapore has achieved, as Er Dr Lee has pointed out, one of the highest home ownership rates in the world.”
“In the case that Er Dr Lee had mentioned, given the circumstances of that particular case, the National Environment Agency (NEA) invoked its powers under the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act to gain entry into the flat after the Police had removed the body of the deceased and agencies entered the flat to clean it up. HDB will strengthen coordination amongst agencies, so that the living environment remains safe, the hoarder is able to receive the counselling and support and uncooperative cases do not remain Page: 87 protracted. I shall now move on to another key amendment, which is to augment HDB's investigation powers. Mr Gan was concerned that these powers could be abused and HDB's residents' privacy affected. Let me take the opportunity to reiterate the rationale for the enhanced investigation powers for cases of lease infringements. As I have said earlier, HDB flats are highly-subsidised and principally meant for owner-occupation. When a flat owner signs the agreement with HDB, they commit to use their flat for its intended purpose. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has shared with the House, unfortunately, there are flat owners who blatantly infringe the terms of their lease, such as by illegally subletting their flats, operating an illegal gambling den, hosting vice-related activities and leasing their flats to tourists for short-term basis. These actions pose risks and can cause serious problems for genuine HDB neighbours. When these cases are reported, HDB officers are duty-bound to do fact-finding and investigate. But some flat owners have prevented HDB officers from carrying out their duty, by refusing to grant access to the flat for inspection or refusing to provide the documents that have been asked for. This cannot continue.”
“Mr Ang suggested that HDB adopt the penalty points system used in the Hong Kong Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement. In Hong Kong, the scheme is applicable to public rental housing estate tenants and Interim Housing licensees, as he has also observed. If the tenants receive 16 penalty points within two years under the penalty points system, then the tenancy or licence may be terminated and the resident has to leave. This system may not be immediately applicable to Singapore, as the vast majority of our flats are sold to home owners. But we will, of course, study the best ideas from around the world. Our key objective really is to facilitate entry into the flat to carry out investigation and undertake necessary repairs to alleviate the concerns of neighbours. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mrs Lina Chiam asked whether HDB's authority to intervene and enter flats can apply in cases of hoarding. The proposed powers in the Bill do not extend to hoarding, but HDB is separately stepping up efforts to better deal with hoarding cases, together with other agencies. Currently, when HDB receives feedback on hoarding inside flats, HDB officers will inspect and advise the hoarder to remove the unwanted items and most residents are cooperative. In some cases, however, the residents may suffer from compulsive hoarding, which is a behavioural or health problem, requiring professional intervention. HDB works with the social workers and grassroots leaders and, in some cases, enforcement agencies, to persuade the hoarder and next-of-kin to clear the clutter and offer assistance if needed.”
“Mr Mohd Ismail further suggested that HDB provide a hotline for verification of the identity of HDB officers. We fully appreciate their concerns and encourage all residents, especially the elderly, to take precautions by asking to see the original identification card or staff pass of the HDB officers. If flat owners have doubts, they can call the HDB Branch service line – this is the hotline that Mr Mohd Ismail suggested – or the Essential Maintenance Services Centre, to verify the officer's identity. That number can be provided by the HDB Branch officers easily. HDB will also work with the Police and the local grassroots who currently reach out and educate residents, especially our elderly, about crime prevention and how to guard against imposters trying to get into their homes. So, it is a work that is ongoing. It is work-in-progress. Page: 86 Let me emphasise that impersonation of HDB officers, or any public officer for that matter, is a very serious offence and will be dealt with sternly under the law. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about safeguards against accusations of loss or damage to belongings of home owners. Currently, HDB already adopts various safety and security measures when it does upgrading or repair work within flats. It will continue with these measures. HDB will also remind residents to lock up their valuables and be present in the flats when work is being carried out. In fact, the officer will also be there when the contractor is in the unit. Mrs Lina Chiam has made some suggestions about the need for HDB officers to wear a recording device before entering the flats and that it is to safeguard their interests and the interests of the residents. HDB will certainly look into the feasibility of that suggestion.”
“For cases where the powers are invoked under warrant, first, HDB will give at least a 24-hour notice period to the owners or occupiers before proceeding to apply for a Court warrant to enter the flat. Mr Mohd Ismail asked if the 24-hour notice period is too short. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mrs Lina Chiam suggested a longer period of, say, 48 hours and one week respectively. But as these cases actually would not have been fresh cases and HDB and the neighbours would have tried time and time again to ask them to cooperate, to explain the necessity of doing so, actually, 24 hours would have been sufficient notice for them to take action. So, these are not cases that are a bolt out of the blue. They are known cases, dragging on for weeks, months and years. Second, before entering the flat, the Bill requires the HDB officer to identify himself to the occupant and to show his staff identity card as proof of identity, as well as the warrant showing his authority to enter the flat, which Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has also suggested as necessary safeguards. Third, if asked, the officer will also have to give the occupant a copy of the warrant for record. Fourth, the Bill also mandates that at least one HDB officer be present in the flat at all times, together with the contractor. Mr Mohd Ismail suggested that HDB send officers who can speak dialect or ethnic Mother Tongue to communicate with non-English speaking owners or occupiers, especially our elderly. HDB, in fact, already does so, even in the early stages of engagement, when seeking the owners' cooperation to enter the flat for checks. Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Mohd Ismail are concerned about possible impersonation of HDB officers.”
“This is where and how we hope the new powers can make a difference to significantly reduce the time taken to resolve a small number of protracted ceiling leak cases and bring life to normality for residents who suffer from this. Mr Ang Wei Neng asked for the number of cases in the past year for which the power of forced entry with warrant would potentially have been applicable. In 2014, HDB had about 30 cases of serious ceiling leaks where upper floor neighbours persistently refused to cooperate despite repeated appeals by HDB and their neighbours. If we had the legal provisions in place then, we might have considered applying for a warrant to enter the flat for some of these cases, but we will never know. Hopefully, with the possibility of HDB entering with a warrant – just a mere possibility – upper floor neighbours will agree to cooperate and we reduce the need for such a course of action. As Mr Thomas Chua mentioned, do we really need a law to intervene? We need so for a small number of cases but the vast majority of Singaporeans are reasonable, compassionate, understanding of the pains that neighbours go through and I think human compassion ought to resolve most of them. Indeed, as we do not expect a large number of cases, there may not be a need to set up a specialised unit to deal with forced entry cases, which Mr Ang Wei Neng has suggested, but we will take his ideas into consideration. What HDB will ensure is that all officers handling such cases are fully trained and adhere strictly to clear, established protocol, with an Page: 85 unambiguous code of conduct, which Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Mohd Ismail have asked for. Allow me to elaborate.”
“HDB will continue to take the time and effort to understand each case and to work out the best way to resolve the problem. HDB will only apply to Court for a warrant to enter the flat to investigate and do repair, as a last resort, when the upper floor neighbour is clearly unreasonable and HDB has exhausted all avenues of engagement. The legal powers are not meant to replace, or to short-cut, the Page: 84 current community-based approach of engagement and persuasion. Ultimately, this is about being good neighbours. I agree with Mr Thomas Chua that the kampong spirit is very important and we need to continue to nurture it in our communities and estates. If neighbours on the upper and lower floor can empathise with each other, understand each other's predicament and reach a mutually-acceptable arrangement to resolve the ceiling leaks, then there will be no need for HDB to exercise these powers to intervene. (In English): Madam, let me continue and wrap up in English. While most residents are understanding and cooperative, there will always be a small handful that are inconsiderate and unreasonable to the concerns of their neighbours downstairs. They cause great inconvenience to their neighbours living on the lower floors. If allowed to persist, the ceiling leaks will worsen and require urgent repairs. HDB will need legal powers to intervene as a last resort. Because the legal powers are available, like what Mr Mohd Ismail had said, they may send an unambiguous message that HDB will intervene if it really has to. This should prompt action even without the need for HDB to exercise these new powers.”
“Second, the upper floor neighbours may not want the work to be done, or they may ask for it to be delayed, because of medical reasons. For example, someone living in the flat may be pregnant, or a family member may be very seriously ill. In such a circumstance, HDB will continue to explore other avenues. These include explaining to the lower floor residents about the predicament of their upper floor neighbours and trying to facilitate a mutually agreeable timeframe for repairs. Generally, most lower floor owners are understanding and willing to accommodate and postpone the repairs to a later date. Third, the upper floor neighbours may not be able to pay for the repair costs due to financial hardship. HDB will continue to help by subsidising 50% of the cost of fixing the leak under the Goodwill Repair Assistance (GRA) Scheme. If they still face financial difficulty, HDB will arrange for the repairs first and offer them the option of paying for their share of the repair costs by instalments. To answer Mr Gan Thiam Poh's question on whether owners need to pay for additional investigation costs if the repair works fail to rectify the ceiling leak problem, let me clarify that HDB's investigation is on a goodwill basis, without any charge. Owners will, however, have to bear their share of the repair costs incurred. If the remedial works fail to rectify the problem due to workmanship issue, HDB will still carry out the repairs for the owners without additional charge. Let me assure Mr Gan, Mr Ang Wei Neng and other Members that HDB will continue its current approach of engaging and persuading both upper and lower floor neighbours to reach an understanding, with the help of community leaders.”
“So, it will probably be very rare, if at all, that a flat owner will refuse to comply either with an order of Court or ignore a legal order issued under this Act and cause HDB to have to make that forced entry causing damage. I think it will be very rare. The mere fact that it is an order or a Court order ought to suffice. But please be assured that when HDB officials do have to do this, they will try their best to avoid or minimise any damage in the course of doing so. And when the families are indigent and they face hardship, these are things that we all will look at, in totality. Madam, allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In all other situations where there is no imminent danger, HDB will continue its existing approach of engagement and persuasion, for example, to deal with ceiling leak cases, which many Members of Parliament have received feedback on. As Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Ang Wei Neng mentioned, about 30% of ceiling leak problems, or 2,800 cases a year, took more than three months to resolve, even Page: 83 though actual repair works took only three to four days. In some instances, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Gan Thiam Poh pointed out, there may be understandable reasons why the upper floor neighbours may not grant HDB access to address the problem. First, the upper floor neighbours may happen to be overseas for a long period of time or cannot be contacted. In such a situation, HDB will continue its current procedure of trying to contact the owner for permission to enter the flat to check. If the owner remains non-contactable or cannot be present because he is overseas, HDB will make an effort to contact the next-of-kin.”
“Most flat owners also play their part in ensuring the safety of their homes by only engaging HDB RRCs and obtaining HDB's prior approval for proposed renovation works. But there are some owners who will instruct the workers to carry out demolition works that have not been approved by HDB. Sometimes, the contractors themselves are not aware that the instructions have gone directly from the home owner to the workers onsite. In the past three years, there were, on average, five cases of unauthorised demolition or hacking of structural walls and columns each year. The numbers are not big, but you would agree with me that each and every case is a cause for concern. Mr Ismail had asked whether owners have to bear the cost of damage in the course of HDB's forced entry into the flat and Mrs Lina Chiam was concerned to ask if there are sufficient safeguards for flat owners since the cost of damage could be prohibitive. Allow me to first set the issue in context: most residents will readily oblige when HDB explains the necessity for their entry into their flats. Mr Thomas Chua's analogy, let me extend it. If the Teo family downstairs had explained to the Tan family upstairs that, "You know I have this problem", in most cases, neighbours will oblige even if they may not have talked to each other in the lift. I think it is just out of basic humanity because the unit upstairs causing problems to the unit downstairs may, in turn, be the unit downstairs of the future some years down the road. For the small number who refuse to cooperate with HDB and their neighbours despite HDB's best efforts at engagement, most will comply if HDB, as a last resort, invokes these new legal powers or obtains a warrant issued by the Court.”
“In such cases, HDB needs to be able to intervene and intervene quickly, a point reiterated by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah who had shared with the House the importance of structural beams in bearing the load of the whole building. Mr Gan Thiam Poh had asked about the measures that HDB has to mitigate the risk of damage to HDB flats in the course of renovation. Currently, HDB adopts a three-pronged approach. First, under current renovation guidelines, HDB flat owners are required to engage HDB-registered renovation contractors (RRCs) to do any renovation works. These RRCs are trained. They understand where the structural walls are, where the beams are and they know better than to knock those down. They also have to obtain HDB's prior approval before starting any renovation work, especially those that involve demolition or hacking. This is to ensure that any demolition works proposed will not affect the structural integrity of the building and compromise public safety. Second, HDB requires all HDB RRCs to engage only certified workers. So, it is not just the contractors who must understand, but the workers must also be certified. These workers must have been trained by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Academy, to carry out demolition or hacking works of walls during the renovation of HDB flats. So, we control both when they renovate – at the contractor level, but also at the individual worker level. Page: 82 Third, HDB conducts checks on units during demolition or hacking works. This is to send a strong signal to the industry and the renovation contractors to be vigilant and careful in carrying out demolition or hacking works.”
“Madam, I thank Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Mr Thomas Chua, Mrs Lina Chiam, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Mohd Ismail Hussein and Mr Ang Wei Neng for their thoughtful Page: 81 comments and questions. They understand the need for this Bill and support its objective, but they would like to know how the new powers will be exercised and what safeguards will be in place. While Er Dr Lee Bee Wah supports the Bill, she reminds this House that entering someone's property, abode, home, without his explicit permission, is a very serious matter that bears a great responsibility. Mr Mohd Ismail spoke about the need to explain clearly to the public the circumstances under which HDB will make a forced entry, so that they understand the need for this to be done. I agree with both of them. As I shared earlier, HDB will make a forced entry, without warrant, only under exceptional circumstances if, and only if, there is imminent danger to public safety or health and time is of the essence and HDB has no other means to gain entry into the flat to solve the problem. In other words, HDB will only contemplate a forced entry in response to a "distress call" and not just to undertake any repair. So, rest assured. The most likely situation under which HDB will exercise this power, which Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mrs Lina Chiam had asked about, is when structural walls and columns are demolished, thereby threatening the structural integrity of the building and the safety of all the residents and the owner or occupier cannot be contacted despite HDB's best efforts or, worse, they refuse HDB entry in such dire circumstances.”
“Clause 9 widens this and introduces three additional circumstances under which HDB can deposit the compensation in Court so that HDB will not have to hold on to the compensation monies indefinitely. These are: (a) where the person is mentally incapacitated and has not executed a lasting power of attorney or appointed a deputy to manage his affairs; (b) where the person has passed on and has no personal representative; and (c) where the persons involved have a dispute as to the entitlement to the compensation. Clause 14 amends section 81 to provide that all fines paid or recovered under the Act are to be paid into the Consolidated Fund. Madam, the amendments proposed today will enable and empower HDB to be more nimble, effective and relevant, for current and future generations of home owners. Madam, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“HDB will use these powers judiciously and only when necessary and officers who carry out such investigations will be properly trained to use them professionally. Madam, let me now move on to the remaining miscellaneous amendments in the Bill. Section 61(1) of the Act makes it an offence for HDB home owners to sublet their flats without HDB's prior written consent. As HDB is already empowered under section 56 to take action against unauthorised subletting, we think that should suffice. Moreover, HDB has not Page: 65 charged any person under this section. Clause 11, therefore, repeals section 61. Section 59(1) empowers HDB to remove the belongings of ex-lessees or occupants after recovering possession of the flats that have been compulsorily acquired. Clause 10 inserts a new provision to allow HDB to sell or dispose of any unclaimed moveable property found in the flat if the owner does not take delivery of the property and to pay the proceeds, less expenses, to the owner or into Court. Currently, compulsory acquisition notices arising from serious infringements of HDB rules can only be served on flat owners or, if they have passed on, on their personal representatives. Clause 7 rationalises this procedure to allow compulsory acquisition notices to be served in situations where no personal representative has been appointed. In such situations, HDB will affix the notice on a conspicuous place outside the flat. Section 58(2) allows HDB to deposit the compulsory acquisition compensation with the Court under two circumstances. First, when HDB is unable to pay out the compensation to the relevant parties if the persons refuse to accept the compensation or dispute the amount of compensation. Second, when HDB is unable to locate the lessees or interested parties.”
“Madam, let me now elaborate on the enhanced powers to investigate lease infringements. As I have explained earlier, HDB takes a serious view of the misuse of public housing. This is because HDB flats are highly subsidised and are meant primarily for owner occupation. The misuse of flats can cause disamenities to fellow residents and HDB needs to be able to investigate suspected cases of misuse and take appropriate action where necessary. Today, HDB's powers to conduct a thorough investigation into suspected lease infringements are limited. From time to time, HDB officers meet resistance from flat owners. Some have refused to cooperate with HDB. Others go so far as to challenge HDB's right to investigate the matter. However, HDB is not able to compel flat owners to cooperate with the investigation. This makes it very difficult for HDB officers to carry out their public duty. Clause 8 of the Bill, therefore, introduces two new provisions that will give HDB officers the power to investigate the serious infringements set out under section 56. New section 56A authorises HDB officers to enter and search any flat or other premises that the owner or occupier may be residing in and record evidence in the form of photographs, videos and audio. As a safeguard, the Act requires HDB to first obtain a warrant from the Court. The officer must also identify himself to the flat owner or occupier and show him the Court warrant as well as official proof of identity. New section 56B enables HDB officers to examine witnesses, take statements and produce documents relevant to their fact-finding. These powers will enable HDB to conduct proper fact-finding and establish whether there have been serious breaches of HDB rules that may require action to be taken.”
“Most commonly, flat owners contravene the lease terms, such as the five-year Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), and sublet their whole flat without obtaining HDB's approval to do so. HDB has also encountered cases of flat owners using their homes as illegal gambling dens, or as illegal worker dormitories, which create an undesirable and, sometimes, unsafe living environment for genuine HDB residents. Under the Act today, HDB may compulsorily acquire a flat, vest a flat or terminate the lease of a flat. Under the Rules, HDB may impose a penalty instead of compulsorily acquiring the flat. However, HDB is unable, at this time, to vary the magnitude of the penalty to make it proportionate to the severity of the infringement in some cases, even if there are good reasons to do so. This puts HDB in a very difficult position: should it exercise compulsory acquisition, which can be draconian and traumatic to the home owner, or should it impose a penalty that it feels may be out of proportion to the severity of the infringement in that particular case? In some of such cases, the practical reality is that HDB has erred on the side of compassion and waived the penalty in full. But this is not ideal and can create a moral hazard. Page: 64 To set this right, clause 12 of the Bill amends section 65 of the Act to allow HDB to impose a variable range of penalties, not exceeding $50,000, instead of compulsory acquisition or vesting of the flat, depending on the severity of the infringement under sections 47, 55 and 56 of the Act. With these amendments, HDB can now implement a calibrated penalty framework instead of being faced with the stark choice of compulsory acquisition on the one hand or a fixed quantum penalty on the other.”
“Page: 63 Second, HDB may impose a financial penalty not exceeding $10,000 on errant renovation contractors and flat owners for contravening any condition of a licence, the contravention of which does not amount to an offence. And third, the penalty against errant renovation contractors, including those not registered with HDB and flat owners, will be raised, by increasing the maximum Court fine from $5,000 to $20,000 and providing the Courts with an option to impose an imprisonment term of up to one year. Madam, let me now move on to clause 12 of the Bill, which allows HDB to impose variable penalties for lease infringements. HDB stipulates a set of conditions in each lease agreement for two main reasons. First, they ensure that HDB flats are used for its intended purpose. The Home Ownership Scheme was introduced in 1964 to enable Singaporeans to own their homes and have a stake in the country's future. Thus, HDB flats are highly subsidised and are meant primarily for owner occupation. To ensure that this system is not abused, potential buyers must meet certain eligibility criteria, such as citizenship requirements and household income, before they can apply for an HDB flat. In addition, lessees must live in their flats for a minimum period before they can sell or sublet their whole flat. Second, HDB also plays a key role in building communities and fostering neighbourly ties in our public housing estates. The conditions in the lease agreement facilitate this by spelling out appropriate behaviour, so that all residents can enjoy a pleasant living environment in a densely populated city. From time to time, however, some flat owners have abused the system.”
“To ensure that these renovation contractors do not unintentionally, in the course of their work, damage the block or compromise the structural integrity of the building, HDB has in place, since 1975, a Registered Renovation Contractors' (RRC) Scheme to regulate renovation works carried out by renovation contractors in HDB flats. Flat owners who wish to renovate their flats must engage RRCs, who are qualified contractors and should be familiar with HDB's requirements for carrying out renovations. To complement the RRC Scheme, HDB has also put in place a demerit point system and they could also be debarred from carrying out future renovation works in HDB flats. For more serious cases, HDB will bring the errant parties to Court. In 2006, HDB further enacted Rules to govern how renovations should be carried out in HDB flats. Renovation contractors, including those not registered under the RRC Scheme, as well as flat owners would be held accountable for breaches to these Rules. If convicted in Court, they face a fine of up to $5,000. While the absolute number of unauthorised renovation works remains small, we have observed a gradual increase. In 2014, there were five cases of major structural infringements, compared to three cases in 2005. Overall, for the 10-year period from 2005 to 2014, there were over 60 cases of both major and minor infringements. We are concerned about this increase in numbers, because any compromise to the structural integrity of HDB blocks can have catastrophic consequences. Hence, clause 4 of the Bill will amend section 27, to do three things. First, any security deposit placed by the RRC for contravening any obligation imposed on the RRC in the permit may be forfeited.”
“What started as a ceiling leak in the kitchen, because it was not resolved, had also spread to other walls in the living room. For these two cases, HDB and the local grassroots leaders had tried tirelessly to help these residents by persuading the upper floor neighbours to cooperate, but were met with limited success. It took almost two years for this case to be resolved. The proposed power of entry with a warrant will allow HDB to better help those suffering from serious ceiling leaks, among other things. Prior to HDB's application for a Court warrant for entry, HDB will give the relevant unit 24-hours' notice at least. Should they still refuse to cooperate, HDB may then apply to Court for a warrant to enter the flat to investigate the leak and carry out repairs. Page: 62 We are mindful that the proposed powers to enter a flat without the owner's permission can be perceived as a drastic measure. Let me assure this House that HDB will only do so as a last resort, after exhausting all other avenues to get the owner's cooperation. HDB will use these powers sparingly and judiciously. These powers will also be balanced with proper safeguards. The Bill mandates that only officers authorised by the Board are empowered to enter the flat to investigate and to carry out repairs. The officers will be required to show proof of identity to the lessees or occupiers. There will be at least one HDB officer present in the flat during the investigation and repair work and the officer will be required to show proof of identity to the owners or occupiers of the flat. Madam, let me now turn to clause 4 of the Bill. From time to time, some HDB homeowners will hire contractors to renovate their flats to suit their lifestyles, tastes and preferences.”
“If all these efforts fail, HDB will have no choice then but to take legal action and apply for a Court Order to compel the upper floor neighbours to carry out the repairs within a specified period. From 2012 to 2014, HDB took legal action against 400 households, after it had exhausted all efforts to engage and persuade the upper floor neighbours to cooperate. But this process of reaching resolution is protracted and can take up to 12 months. In the meantime, the delay could cause the leak to worsen and spread or result in severe spalling concrete, inconveniencing and, in some cases, even endangering the safety of the lower floor neighbours. We hear of many cases of residents who are frustrated and who hope that HDB can do more to help them. Let me cite two actual cases to give Members a sense of the circumstances where we envisage section 26A may be used. In the first case, in Yishun, the ceilings in the master bedroom toilet and kitchen toilet were leaking so badly and for such a long time that stalactites had started to form in the toilets. Members can see it on the slide. The leaks had also resulted in spalling concrete on the ceiling where the reinforcement bars had been exposed. Imagine the inconvenience and anxiety of the lower floor residents. Should the spalling concrete deteriorate further, loose chunks of concrete, small and large, could fall and hurt the occupants. The case remains unresolved since it was reported to HDB in June 2012 and HDB is still trying to resolve this. In the second case, this time in Bukit Batok, the leak from the kitchen ceiling was so severe that the lower floor residents had to perpetually place pails in the kitchen to collect the water. Similar to the Yishun case, stalactites had formed on the kitchen ceiling.”
“Members will agree with me that imposing a statutory requirement for HDB to only enter the flat with a Court warrant will lose precious hours, when there is severe risk to life and property. Let me now explain the need for section 26A, which gives HDB the power to enter a flat, with a Court warrant, for urgent repair works. This will help to address cases, for example, where ceiling leaks have become serious and urgent, which can be a source of distress and frustration or potential danger for some HDB residents if not resolved quickly. Currently, when HDB receives feedback from residents on ceiling leaks, HDB will help them seek their upper floor neighbours' cooperation to investigate and to repair the leak, if they have not already done so. HDB also helps to carry out the investigations to identify the cause of the leaks, on a goodwill basis. Most upper floor neighbours are mindful of the inconvenience that their lower floor neighbours face and will agree to the repairs once they are told of this. To facilitate repairs and early resolution of the leak, HDB has implemented a Goodwill Repair Assistance (GRA) Scheme to assist lessees to repair the ceiling leak and to co-pay 50% of the cost of repairing the leak. While the GRA Scheme has helped many flat Page: 61 owners resolve leak problems effectively and at a subsidised cost, HDB has encountered some upper floor neighbours who refuse to cooperate and delay the repair unnecessarily. Over the last four years, on an average per year, one in four cases takes more than four months to resolve. For such cases, HDB will engage the upper floor neighbours a number of times to seek their cooperation to carry out the repairs. Grassroots leaders may also be asked to step in to persuade them to cooperate.”
“Thank you, Madam. In June 2013, a Bishan homeowner and his friend removed part of a structural column while renovating the flat, as Members can see on the LED screen. The owner did not even apply for a renovation permit from HDB. Had he done so, HDB would have told him right away that he could not demolish the structural column because it was critical to the structural integrity of the building. Fortunately, a concerned resident alerted HDB about this. HDB engineers rushed in to prop up the affected beams and worked throughout the night to reinstate the column. The home owner was prosecuted in Court, convicted and fined. His reckless act may have endangered an entire block of residents. Just a few months later, in Simei, a renovation contractor demolished part of the prefabricated Reinforced Concrete or RC walls by creating three openings. Members can see two of them on the screen. This is strictly not allowed, because the RC walls serve as supporting structures of the building. Again, HDB engineers had to rush in to carry out urgent repair works. The contractor was prosecuted, convicted and fined. In both cases, fortunately, the owners had the good sense to allow HDB officers to enter their flats to conduct emergency repair. Had the owners refused entry, for whatever reason, HDB could have been caught in a legal grey zone and many residents would have been placed in unnecessary danger. In such situations, it is imperative for HDB to be able to intervene and intervene quickly. They must be able to investigate and rectify the situation without delay. New section 26B will give HDB the power to enter the flat for such repair works without the need to apply for a warrant.”
“Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". The Housing and Development Act, enacted in 1960, empowers HDB to carry out its duty to build good, affordable public housing and provide a safe and pleasant living environment for Singaporeans. The Act may be 55 years old, but we have amended it from time to time. The last time we did so was in 2012 and it is timely to update the Act, to enable HDB to better meet residents' needs and address emerging challenges. In particular, this Bill empowers HDB to better tackle misuse of HDB property, especially when it involves public health and safety concerns to residents. Madam, let me now highlight the key aspects of this Bill. Clause 3 of the Bill introduces two new powers that will allow HDB officers to enter a flat to investigate whether any urgent work or repair is required and, if so, to carry out this work. The first, under new section 26A, permits entry with a warrant obtained from the Court. The second, under new section 26B, permits entry without need for a Court warrant, if there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is an imminent danger from within the flat which would affect public health or public safety. Let me explain the purpose of these amendments. HDB inspects its buildings regularly to ensure that they are safe and in good condition. Homeowners also play an important role in ensuring the safety of their own flats. Sometimes, homeowners, because of ignorance or carelessness, do things that may endanger themselves and their neighbours. For example, they may unknowingly demolish an important structural wall. With your permission, Madam, may I display a few slides on the LED screen? Page: 60”
“Madam, HPS owners who do not have enough in their CPF Ordinary Account savings for HPS premium deductions are given a grace period of two months to make their premium payments. I believe that is where the Member is coming from. Any fresh Ordinary Account contributions received in these two months are reserved for HPS premiums to ensure that there is no lapse. During the two months' grace period, two notification letters – one in each month – will be sent to remind members to top up their Ordinary Accounts for HPS payments. If they do not pay their outstanding premiums within the two-month period, their HPS cover will lapse and a notification letter sent to inform them of this lapse in coverage and to alert them to the need to look into this. For members who are still using CPF to service their monthly instalments, the HPS coverage status will be indicated clearly in their annual CPF statements.”
“Madam, certainly, we are looking at this area and will take on board the Member's suggestion.”
“When I asked the wife whether it was covered by HPS, she said, "No." That is why I am asking HDB, if they are still paying for the flat using CPF, can we make it compulsory for them to have HPS? The reason is that in order to get out, they may go and buy an equivalent insurance but, in subsequent years, they may not renew the Page: 40 insurance. I would like to ask the Minister of State to consider this.”
“Madam, HDB flat owners who use CPF to service their housing loans must take up HPS. They are only allowed to opt out of the HPS if they have taken up a similar mortgage reducing insurance (MRI). Forty-three thousand six hundred and ten flat owners have been allowed to opt out of HPS on this basis. Flat owners who are not using their CPF to service their housing loans may have to set aside cash to pay for their HPS premiums, if they do not have enough in their CPF to do so. As their financial circumstances may vary, HPS is currently not compulsory for those who do not use CPF to service their housing loan. Nonetheless, they can sign up for HPS on an opt-in basis, subject to underwriting and health condition at the time of the application. One hundred and forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty-six such HDB flat owners have done so. We will need to carefully study whether to make it compulsory for all home buyers servicing a loan to take up HPS or similar MRI. HDB actively encourages all HDB flat owners servicing a housing loan to take up HPS, as it ensures that surviving flat members are protected in the event of the death or incapacitation of the lessee. At the point of flat purchase, HDB will explain to flat buyers the benefits and the coverage of HPS. HPS booklets are also distributed to home buyers at HDB. We will continue to work with CPF Board to see how we can further improve coverage and awareness of the importance of HPS to flat owners who are still paying for their housing loan but who may not have HPS coverage. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, recently, when I attended the wake of a resident of mine who had passed away, I found out the flat is still not fully paid up and they have school-going-age children.”
“I thank the Member for the clarification. I said earlier that this example, one of the two examples I gave earlier, was in the context of emphasising the need for all parties to abide by a certain set of rules and procedures, guidelines and framework. We are not here to debate the merits of the guidelines. Suffice to say that there were guidelines in place, which all Town Councils abide by and, for which, there has been no compliance in this particular regard by AHPETC. I accept that the Member has referred these matters to the Courts, in the context of the NEA case, not specifically on HDB guidelines because that was not the basis for the enforcement of action. Notwithstanding that Court case, which is still pending, compliance with the guidelines which all Town Councils abide by has not been forthcoming by the Town Council even though the matter has been adjudicated at first instance. The key is a Page: 42 framework in which all parties can come to an agreement, but ultimately agreeing to follow the policies and guidelines that have been set. That is the context.”
“I thank the Member for her suggestion. With regard to the first point about whether there need to be incentives for existing buildings, let us take it back and take a look.”
“Madam, if I may just respond to the first part of Ms Sylvia Lim's query and Minister of State Maliki will take the other part on NRP. The first point is to set the framework of the comments that I made earlier. And that was in the context of Ms Lim's suggestions yesterday that there be a Tribunal to tackle disputes among HDB, Town Councils and residents on matters that may affect all three of them. This issue about the Hougang Central Hub Trade Fair, let me be clear that it is not a matter of NEA enforcement action for which it is before the Courts, but about the HDB guidelines that have been put in place to manage the use of such spaces; to manage HDB's land for such purposes. The point that I was making is that whatever may be the proposal Ms Lim makes about the need for such a Tribunal, ultimately, what is key is that all parties, including Town Councils and HDB, can agree to abide by the rules, guidelines and framework. But there is disrespect even though HDB had repeatedly referred the Town Council to the guidelines that restrict or control the use of such spaces for the benefit of existing businesses and stakeholders in the area. This was not followed. That really was the point.”
“Today, the industry has achieved high BIM adoption rates at the individual firm level. More than 60% of larger contractors and around 80% of larger consultants have already adopted BIM. To realise the full potential of BIM, BCA has formulated a second BIM roadmap in 2014 to focus on encouraging the use of BIM technology to increase collaboration among various stakeholders across the value chain. I hope that addresses the Member's queries. Page: 38”
“Madam, I thank Ms Rita Soh for her questions. The first question is on whether there are incentives to encourage existing building owners to conserve the building, even as they retrofit it to make it green and sustainable. BCA does give recognition to conscious conservation of existing building structures under the Green Mark Scheme, where credits are awarded for the conservation of existing building structures or building envelopes by area. One example is Capitol Development, a Green Mark Gold Plus rated building, where points were awarded for the conservation of the existing building structure. Together with the Capitol Building and Stamford House, the new Capitol development has been developed to high performance standards with the building structure and its facade of these iconic buildings conserved. The Member also asked about waste management after demolition. BCA, indeed, has a demolition protocol, which is a set of procedures to help demolition contractors better plan their demolition procedures to maximise the recovery of waste materials for beneficial reuse and recycling. This protocol has also been incorporated into the new standard SS 557 for the code of practice for demolition, and I am sure Ms Soh is familiar with that. 1.00 pm The other question is on the use of geo-spatial models to make computational analyses for building performance more realistic. Under the Green Mark scheme for Districts, geo-spatial modelling can be recognised as one of the simulation methodologies to demonstrate the environment performance of a district across time, for example, potential for flooding, use of heat maps, biodiversity growth and so on. In addition, BCA is encouraging the use of 3D BIM in support of the Government's move towards a Smart Nation.”
“Madam, in response to Ms Lee's query about the management of the pigeon problem in localised areas, tree pruning is but one of many strategies that needs to be undertaken by AVA and partner agencies, such as Town Councils, NParks and NEA, to tackle this upstream. Tree pruning prevents roosting and is one of the strategies. Of course, going upstream to manage the population and prevent breeding through good food waste management is critical. That is NEA's role, and it needs to work with Town Councils to manage the waste in the estate where the localised problem arises. In short, this is a partnership of agencies to tackle problems that plague residents in localised areas.”
“HDB cannot agree to this because it is clearly the Town Council's responsibility to maintain the letterboxes, and it is collecting S&CC; the Town Council should not be passing the cost of repairs and maintenance to its residents. HDB also Page: 30 cannot agree to passing over the residents' keys as it compromises the privacy of residents. I must say, I think we all agree with HDB. These are different dimensions – there are disputes between residents as well as HDB and Town Councils. But also, equally, there may be some disagreements between Town Councils and HDB. HDB has also told us that AHPETC has been letting out public spaces at Hougang Central Hub and Kovan City to outside businessmen and retailers for profit. This contravenes HDB's guidelines, which allow but control the frequency of such promotional activities, to mitigate the impact on the businesses of shopkeepers who also pay the Town Council S&CC. A number of the shopkeepers are unhappy about this. HDB has, therefore, written several times to remind the Town Council of the guidelines to no avail. The Town Council had simply ignored HDB. Madam, MND is prepared to help Town Councils, all of them, but Town Councils must also comply with the rules. Otherwise, a Housing Tribunal of any form will not help. Madam, we are building on the efforts of our Pioneers over the last 50 years to create a Singapore that is green, sustainable and highly liveable. The community is an indispensable partner whom we will work with closely as we continue to shape the city we know and love, as a home for all Singaporeans.”
“MND is the Ministry that oversees the administration of the Town Councils Act, and the Minister is the final authority under the Act. In MND, we have a full team of officers overseeing Town Council matters who can help look into this. Indeed, this has long been the recourse for Town Councils to engage when they have issues with HDB or other public agencies. Otherwise, Members can also write to MND office-holders and we will be happy to see how we can help resolve the situation. Finally, in our system, any aggrieved party can, of course, seek redress through the Courts. That said, Town Councils must also be prepared to accept the decision and abide by the rules and procedures that govern all Town Councils. A Town Council cannot only accept decisions or rules that suit the Town Council and disregard what is inconvenient to the Town Council. All parties must play their part and work within the framework of the laws and national policies. For instance, all Town Councils are required to maintain letterboxes as these are part of the common property. All Town Councils have abided by this statutory duty for many years. But HDB has told us that AHPETC has refused to carry out its duty to repair a resident's defective letterbox, even after HDB has clarified this several times with the Town Council. I wonder if this is one of the cases which Ms Lim sees as one that would go to the Housing Tribunal that she had suggested. But, in fact, AHPETC's General Manager insists that HDB requires all residents in its constituency to sign a letter of undertaking to maintain and repair their own letterboxes. If residents refuse to sign this undertaking, AHPETC wants HDB to hand over the residents' letterbox keys to the Town Council.”
“We will take a look at the results of the pilot when it is over in our ongoing review of our animal-related policies. Madam, Ms Sylvia Lim, in a cut yesterday, had suggested setting up a tribunal to resolve issues among residents, Town Councils and HDB. Our experience dealing with residents suggests that our residents are, generally, cooperative if agencies engage them patiently and professionally. Agencies, including Town Councils, must be prepared to take the time to engage, educate and persuade. Ms Lim is, of course, right to observe that there are a minority of residents who are uncooperative or unreasonable. These residents engage in various forms of anti-social behaviour like noise nuisance, obstruction of common corridors, illegal subletting, or refusal to address ground leaks that affect the ceilings of their neighbours below. Like HDB, I am sure the Town Council has its fair share of such residents. For these recalcitrant cases, after persuasion and mediation have failed, agencies, including Town Councils, must be prepared Page: 29 to take enforcement action for the good of the larger community. To this end, we are amending the Housing and Development Act to empower HDB officers to enter a flat to carry out investigation and repair where works are urgent, for example, urgent ceiling leaks, or where there is imminent danger affecting public health and public safety, for instance, where there is hacking of structural members affecting the structural integrity of the building. I hope Ms Lim will support the Bill when it is debated in this House next month. From time to time, I recognise that there may also be differences of views between HDB and Town Councils over such issues.”
“The Jurong Lake Gardens, under the stewardship of a committee led by Minister Lawrence Wong, is another such initiative. The Jurong Lake Gardens is intended to showcase our strong community spirit, where everyone plays a part in preserving the beauty of our natural spaces. Besides the ongoing public consultations, NParks will be reaching out to more Singaporeans through a roving exhibition and focus groups ahead of the design competition for the Gardens later this year. Let me now address the remaining cuts. Ms Lee Li Lian spoke about pigeon nuisance in her area. AVA is the first responder for animal-related issues, which means people contact them, including Town Councils, for animal-related issues. But addressing this is a multi-stakeholder effort which requires coordination amongst Town Councils, members of the public and Government agencies, such as AVA and NParks. For example, AVA coordinates with Town Councils and NParks to prune trees to deter the roosting of pigeons, as well as with NEA on proper food-waste management in food centres, so as to reduce the food supply for pigeons. This is what Ms Lee spoke about earlier, the need to work upstream to control the food source for breeding of pigeons. In particular, it is important that residents do not feed pigeons and thereby not encourage their population to grow. Mr Png Eng Huat also spoke about keeping of cats in HDB flats. There is an ongoing pilot project in Chong Pang, Project "Love Cats", where community groups, such as the Cat Welfare Society, together with the Town Council, the local community, grassroots groups and residents, have been piloting a trial for the keeping of cats in HDB estates.”
“For instance, volunteer groups, such as the Tiong Bahru Heritage Volunteers and Friends of the Museum, make the history of our old neighbourhoods come alive with the stories and anecdotes that they tell. Enterprises also can play a role, too. The Hong How Group, for instance, has volunteered several heritage buildings for conservation and had won the URA's Architectural Heritage Award. 12.30 pm Similarly, many Singaporeans see greenery as part of our unique identity and heritage. Indeed, our efforts in building our Garden City would not have been successful without the longstanding efforts of our Pioneer officers. Mdm Veeranathan Kogila joined the then-Parks and Recreation Department at the age of 16. With an amazing 44 years of experience, she uses her expertise to bring out the vibrancy of many of our Singapore Garden Festivals and has helped nurture the future generation of nature lovers. The community also plays an increasingly active role in the greening of our city. Over the years, we have given the community more autonomy to grow and own green spaces through programmes, such as NParks' Community in Bloom. Fifty-eight-year-old Mdm Kamisah Binte Atan is a passionate champion of our Community in Bloom programme. Travelling 40 minutes daily from her home to the gardens, she has transformed the community gardens into meaningful places for the elderly in the neighbourhood, forging bonds through growing, cooking, sharing and eating the fruits and vegetables together. Page: 28 Madam, we are continuing to work in step with the community to shape the places we know and love. Other than the Rail Corridor, we have been stepping up engagement with the community through The Ubin Project for people to build on existing efforts and shape a common vision for Pulau Ubin.”
“This is, therefore, an ideal site for the development of Singapore's first Marine Park, which is underway. Today, you can join NParks' guided tours of Sisters' Islands for a first-hand experience of our oft-hidden marine biodiversity. Madam, even as we build a modern, green and cosmopolitan city, we want to retain unique features of Singapore's identity and history amid our changing skyline. Our conservation journey started many years ago, and was a thrilling and sometimes even life-threatening experience for some of the officers who kickstarted this. As URA Senior Planning Executive Doris Lee recalls – she is now shown on the screen –while taking measurements in old shophouses in Tanjong Pagar and Cuppage Terrace during the 1970s with a colleague, her colleague had fallen and his leg got stuck through some of the rotting floorboards! Today, the spirit of conservation is very much alive and more active than it has been before. URA's Architectural Heritage Awards recognises sensitive restoration of conserved Page: 27 buildings for today's use. A recent award winner is the Yueh Hai Ching Temple, shown on the screen, along Philip Street. It also won the prestigious UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation last year. For the history and stories behind conserved areas and buildings in Singapore, you can access URA's Conservation Portal and share your memories there as a record for posterity. But restoring our built heritage only retains a physical reminder of the past. What are harder to retain are the personal stories and memories of the way of life from before. While we are working with the National Heritage Board to realise these efforts, the community is indispensable in conserving the richness of our heritage.”
“We will continue to invest in meaningful research, Page: 26 such as this, through the $135 million Land and Liveability National Innovation Challenge. A scientific approach is also taken to better understand and mitigate the impact of future developments on our environment. In land-scarce Singapore, some developments may inevitably come close to environmentally sensitive areas, a concern raised by Mr Chen Show Mao. Currently, major development projects are required to undergo an EIA, especially when they are near to sensitive areas such as nature reserves, nature areas, as well as marine and coastal areas. As EIAs do take significant time and resources, we apply them to projects that may most adversely impact our protected natural spaces and coastal and marine environments. These EIAs are gazetted and made public and stakeholders' views sought. The Government takes EIA recommendations seriously and uses the studies to finalise plans and mitigate any development impact by modifying the scale or scope of such works. Let me illustrate with an example. The Maritime Port Authority (MPA) is consolidating Singapore's port activities in Tuas over the next few decades to free up prime land occupied by these terminals today. An EIA study in 2012, initiated by MPA, highlighted the possible impact of the Tuas port developments on nearby corals at Sultan Shoal. To save these corals, MPA worked with NParks on a coral relocation programme and successfully relocated some 1,600 coral colonies to the Southern Islands in 2014 with the help of blue group volunteers. In protecting corals, we went one step further – using predictive models. NParks found that the Sisters' Island is a potentially strong source of coral larvae for other reefs in our southern waters.”
“Those living and working nearby can use and enjoy the Rail Corridor. Residential, industrial and commercial developments can also benefit from their proximity to it. Some people have suggested that spaces along the Rail Corridor be made available for community uses, such as gardens and urban farms, and that these spaces can evolve according to the community's needs. We should support this, to encourage community ownership of the Rail Corridor. Over the past year, URA has been working painstakingly to study and incorporate Singaporeans' inputs into the planning and design goals for our Rail Corridor. We are now ready to launch a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the concept master plan and design concepts for the Rail Corridor. A public exhibition will be held later this year to showcase the various proposals that are brought forward. The RFP will enable us to firm up the overall plan and design for the Rail Corridor, which will then guide how it will be realised in the coming years. However, given that the length of the Rail Corridor is 24 kilometres, there is no rush to work on the whole stretch, all at once. Instead, the enhancement of the Rail Corridor will be carefully and sensitively staged, and we will work closely with local communities to realise its full potential. Madam, apart from consultation and outreach, our commitment to a sustainable, liveable environment is increasingly being supported by science and technology. This includes the use of environmental modelling for new housing areas, computational software for building design and enhancing walkability, the choice of streetscape trees and advanced technology to plant trees in built up areas.”
“Over the past few years, MND, together with URA, have been actively seeking views and ideas on what people would like to see in this space. We invited suggestions on the name of the corridor, conducted workshops with students, design professionals and residents, and organised a competition and exhibition on possible ideas and designs. We also formed a group called the Rail Corridor Partnership, to foster dialogue with interest groups, academics, design professionals and Government agencies. Even as we seek public views on the Rail Corridor, many people have already stepped forward to activate the space along it. For example, the Green Corridor Run has been held Page: 25 annually for the past few years – the most recent being a couple of days ago, on the weekend. The former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station has also hosted a wide range of community activities, including most recently, a flea market. At Buona Vista, graffiti artists have a dedicated space to legitimately showcase their talent. Many people are excited about the possibilities presented by a continuous green corridor. Avid cyclists, such as Mr Han Jok Kwang, have suggested that we encourage commuter cycling as a sustainable means of personal transport. Indeed, there is potential for the Rail Corridor, linked to our park connector network, to become an attractive commuter cycling route into the Central Business District. With a typical width of 12 metres to- 18 metres, it is wide enough for us to develop a trail for cycling and walking, and even for enhanced biodiversity in certain areas, through environmentally sensitive strategies and design. Singaporeans have also told us that the Rail Corridor can provide respite and greenery in our dense urban environment.”
“To help achieve this, we introduced the Tree Conservation Areas in 1991 to ensure that trees would not be cut down indiscriminately. There is also the Heritage Trees Scheme that protects our mature trees. Two hundred and twenty-two trees have been designated as Heritage Trees, some of which are more than 150 years old. These trees are our natural heritage and distinguish Singapore as a City in a Garden. They represent important green landmarks of our Garden City and lend a sense of continuity and identity to our home. Unfortunately, mature trees sometimes need to make way for necessary developments, such as flood alleviation work or road works. This is done only after very careful consideration. Where possible, we will find new homes for these mature trees. We have transplanted some 2,100 such trees just last year alone. This is a very major undertaking. Also, the task of tree planting continues unabated. In 2014, NParks planted more than 38,000 trees, or 1.5 times more than the average in recent years. NParks also accelerates replacement of greenery by setting up tree banks to raise semi-mature trees for planting. Madam, the Rail Corridor is another good example of how a number of key strategies in the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint will be realised. The Rail Corridor is the former KTM railway track that stretches 24 kilometres from Woodlands in the north to Tanjong Pagar in the south and is closely linked to our history and heritage. It provides tremendous opportunities, in the coming years, for us to realise a continuous green corridor and active public space for recreation, active mobility and community activities. This vision of the Rail Corridor is shared by many Singaporeans from all walks of life.”
“This blueprint, first published five years ago in 2009, was drawn up collectively by many Government agencies after extensive consultation and reviewing inputs from around 6,000 people. SSB 2015 charts out our plans and targets for a sustainable and liveable Singapore. The Government has committed $1.5 billion to implement these plans over the next five years. A major part of our commitment to create a sustainable, liveable environment is our effort to make Singapore a City in a Garden. In 2013, we celebrated 50 years of greening Singapore. Mr Seah Kian Peng spoke about retaining our green cover, even as we face development pressures. Singapore has been carefully balancing development with greenery and conservation. Under the URA Master Plan, we have dedicated close to 10% of our land for parks and nature reserves. By this year, we would also have developed 300 kilometres of Park Connectors. By 2030, we target to complete around 400 kilometres of Park Connectors, including a Round Island Route. Our greening efforts have also gone skywards, as Mr Seah had mentioned. Last year, URA expanded the Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High Rises (LUSH) scheme, to cover more types of developments and geographical areas. The LUSH scheme, together with HDB's Page: 24 rooftop greening efforts and NParks' Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme, has increased the total area of skyrise greenery to more than 65 hectares. Where possible, we will incorporate more greenery within our public housing estates and infrastructure, such as MRT stations and covered linkways, to create a rich, pervasive green environment around us. Mr Seah also spoke passionately about protecting old, mature trees, those above 100 years old. His call resonates deeply with all of us.”
“In 1971, the Government, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, drew up the first Concept Plan for Singapore, charting out our development plans over the longer term. Many key ideas in the 1971 Concept Plan have been realised. One, there would be a ring of HDB towns around our Central Water Catchment area, which serves as a "green lung" for Singapore. These towns include Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Page: 23 Bishan and Toa Payoh. Two, to improve the quality of the living environment for our people, we moved heavy industries to the West in Jurong, and our airport to the East in Changi. Three, to provide connectivity, land was safeguarded for a North-South and East-West Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line, and expressways to link up HDB towns and areas where people worked. Even in those early days, our Pioneers already appreciated the need to preserve elements of our past. In 1967, Mr Alan Choe, who led the then-Urban Renewal Department, had received a note from Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the then-Prime Minister, asking if he had thought about conservation. This was 1967. Mr Choe sent Mr Lee the plans that he had prepared to preserve the historical places in Singapore. This initiated thinking about urban conservation and the protection of well-loved places such as Kampong Glam, Chinatown and Little India, which are an integral part of Singapore's history and heritage. Today, we benefit from a good home and good environment because we are building on the good work of our Pioneers. But the obligation to strengthen and enhance Singapore and to make it better for future generations now falls on all of us. Just a few months ago, the Prime Minister launched the updated Sustainable Singapore Blueprint, or SSB 2015.”
“Mdm Chair, I thank Members for their thoughtful comments. Fifty years ago, our Pioneers had to meet many pressing challenges of a young nation that needed housing, jobs and infrastructure. But even amidst rapid urbanisation, our Pioneers had the foresight to ensure that we could all grow up and live in a green and liveable environment. Let me give an example and with your permission, Madam, may I display some slides on the LED screens?”
“Mdm Speaker, HDB will assess each appeal on a case-by-case basis. For example, if a resident was under extenuating circumstances, such as financial hardship, and needed to buy an HDB flat while the private property was undergoing mortgage sale, this could be some of the circumstances that we will look into. But each case is different. We assess them individually.”
“Madam, in 2013 and 2014, a total of 1,587 Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents appealed to buy a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat while holding on to their private property. Among them, 486 owned a local private property, while 1,101 owned an overseas private property. Six hundred and six of the appeals were approved. All approved cases were appeals from Singapore Citizens.”
“Madam, for the figures as of now, if the Member could file a written request, we could put up a table for him. But my sense is that HDB will look at the individual circumstances of the applicants. If they face, for example, financial hardship that the Member spoke of, we will see how best we can assist them.”