Gan Thiam Poh
Singapore
“Chairman, the ComLink+ Progress packages aim to support the efforts of eligible lower-income families with young children to help them achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.”
“Madam, our maritime sector has been a key growth engine for our economy and provide many jobs and business opportunities. In addition to being an international maritime centre, Singapore is the top bunkering port and busiest container transshipment hub in the world.”
“Chairman, in rating the quality of public transport, most commuters would consider the following factors, such as safety, affordability, connectivity, reliability, accessibility, frequency, speed and last but not least, comfort. All these factors contribute to our commuters’ experience, which many of us go through almost daily.”
“Chairman, many of my residents are appealing to have MRT stations in the proximity of their homes. Will LTA reconsider a new MRT line to support residents at Seletar, Yio Chu Kang, Fernvale at the central, north and northeast zones to the city at the south, and new Woodlands North, as well as to Changi Airport on the east and Tuas on the…”
“Chairman point-to-point (P2P) services play an important role being a convenient and, at times, essential supplement to our public transport system, by providing direct access to specific locations. Our main P2P providers are taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV).”
“Chair, our hawker centres are our national canteens and provide a wide variety of affordable food to suit more palates and budgets. We have had many popular hawker centres sited all over Singapore, which have served residents over many years.”
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“Dogs bark in response to dangers and disturbances or to communicate frustration, discomfort or need for attention. Dogs which bark constantly also may not have enough exercise, be properly disciplined or socialised. I quote the famous dog-trainer Cesar Millan who recommends exercise, discipline, affection – in that order – for happy dogs. Presently, neighbours have little recourse if the owners of noisy dogs are uncooperative. May I suggest that we implement more stringent measures to require such owners and dogs to attend training and rehabilitation in order to keep their licences? Page: 25 Lastly, we need to step up public education to get all pet owners to be responsible for their pets' waste in public. Quite a number of pet owners and their foreign domestic workers are not aware that they can be fined for not picking up their pets' faeces. We have to publicise that first-time offenders can be fined up to $1,000 and repeat offenders, up to $5,000 under the Environmental Public Health Act. One way is to highlight this in the Pets Purchase Declaration form. Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“For example, an elderly couple whose children have moved out can live quite comfortably with a chihuahua in a 4-room flat. I hope HDB and AVA will consider taking into account the size of the unit and the number of household members when granting dog licences. Conversely, I am concerned that private property owners, some whose units are smaller than certain HDB flats, should be allowed to keep up to three dogs, including a scheduled dog. I urge AVA to also consider taking into account the size of private residences when granting such licences. Bigger dogs should also be restricted to owners with properties above a certain size. Other pet animals, such as fish, hamsters, rabbits and birds, usually do not cause nuisance to neighbours and there is no restriction on their numbers. However, HDB flat owners are not allowed to keep cats in HDB flats as they are perceived to be difficult to confine. Those interested in keeping cats feel that cats can be confined without problems by fencing their windows and doors with netting. Cats can also be toilet-trained and can be controlled by sterilisation. To prevent cats from uncontrolled roaming, owners can put their cats on leashes and take them out for walks, just like for dogs. "Love Cats", a two-year pilot project to assess the feasibility of keeping cats in HDB flats, was launched in October 2012. This project was led by HDB, MND, AVA, Sembawang Town Council and the Cat Welfare Society. May I ask the Minister how did the project go and if there would be any changes in HDB's policy on cats as pets as a result of this project? Next, we need to address feedback by residents on noise created by pets. So far, barking by dogs is, I believe, the most common problem that most Members of Parliament and residents face.”
“Mdm Speaker, it has been an honour and privilege for me to be a member of the Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee (AWLRC) and to support this Private Member's Bill moved by hon Member Mr Yeo Guat Kwang. As my hon colleague Mr Yeo Guat Kwang has mentioned, the 24 recommendations put forth by the AWLRC in March 2013 included legislative recommendations, as well as non-legislative recommendations. I would now like to speak on three issues which are not addressed directly by today's Bill but which have been raised as concerns by many of my residents. Firstly, the restriction on the number and species of animals allowed per household. Let me begin with dogs. For HDB owners, regardless of the size of the flat and the number of household members, only one dog of an approved breed may be kept in each HDB flat. The approved 62 breeds are smaller dogs, standing at about 40 cm at the shoulders and weighing 10 kg or less. They are deemed to be more manageable. Any HDB flat owner who keeps an unapproved breed of dog or has more than one dog, in fact, can be fined up to $4,000. For private residences, similarly, regardless of the size of the apartment or landed property and the number of household members, each is allowed a maximum of three dogs. In fact, special permission must be obtained from AVA to keep more than three dogs. In addition, a maximum of one scheduled dog can be licensed and kept per private property. Page: 24 Scheduled dogs are potentially more aggressive and need to be well-trained to keep them under control. Some HDB residents of larger units or who are living with fewer people have requested that they be allowed to keep more than one approved dog.”
“This is one area where I would dearly like to see Singapore take the lead. Incidentally, Minister, may I take this opportunity to ask how is Singapore's ranking for road safety in recent global findings? Lastly, I would like to voice support for the amendments to sections 84(1) and (2) which impose a duty on a driver whose motor vehicle was involved in an accident to take reasonable steps to inform and provide his particulars to the owner of the damaged vehicle or structure or injured animal, even if the owner was not present at the scene of the accident, and to make a police report within 24 hours unless he was contacted by the owner. This change clearly imposes a legal obligation upon drivers to act responsibly towards the absent victim. I would like to suggest that the Minister consider including further amendments to provide greater clarity regarding emergency treatment for an injured animal which is narrowly defined as a horse, sheep, pig, goat or dog, and so on. If the owner can be contacted, arrangements for treatment would naturally be made. But what if the owner could not be reached? Should there be a legal obligation for the driver, after failed attempts to contact the owner or establish the identity of the owner, if any, to contact a relevant agency to treat the injured animal, most probably a dog? And which agency should it be? I am aware that quite a number of drivers had sent injured animals to private vet clinics and hospitals or engaged vet ambulances. However, should this be a legal obligation? It should be, as it is the humane thing to do and is also a moral and ethical obligation. With that, I support the Bill. 4.27 pm”
“What about mounted navigation systems? Can I not just pick up a call on my hands-free set from my mum and tell her I will be home in 10 minutes' time? Why are drivers held solely responsible? Should we not also penalise pedestrians whose eyes are on their mobile devices as they cross the roads? Let us all examine these problems as people become increasingly tied to their mobiles. Let us have robust discussions and debates, within the Ministry, through public forums and dialogue sessions, and formulate a new consensus on how to tackle distracted driving holistically. The new framework should include long-term public education and, very importantly, legislative teeth. Our law enforcement staff should be able to assess evidence easily and quickly, with minimum red tape, to penalise dangerous drivers and keep them off our roads. For example, the TP should be able to obtain information from a driver's telecoms provider to verify his activity online at the time of the offence in order to prove beyond doubt Page: 65 that the driver has used the mobile device while driving. Besides distracted driving, tailgating, speeding, sudden change of lanes and failure to signal appear to be increasingly common. So, let us start with attacking the bane of distracted driving. Once we have taken these inconsiderate drivers off our roads, I am sure the rest will also fall into place. I believe that behaviours and mindsets, both positive and negative, are consistent and contagious. There are psychology research materials to prove this as well. Focused drivers are less likely to engage in irresponsible driving habits. I believe that once we have established a safety-conscious culture among our motorists, our roads will be among the safest in the world.”
“Researchers around the world have found that drivers tend to be overconfident in their driving skills and under-estimate the risks of inattentive driving, particularly while using mobile devices, whether the devices are being held or mounted in holders. Even worse, we all know that these figures form only the tip of the iceberg and are part of the bigger problem of distracted driving. Distracted driving includes attending to mobile devices, setting or changing GPS systems, watching videos, eating or drinking, smoking, reading maps, speaking on the phone or to passengers, looking after unsecured children or pets, personal grooming, adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player and so on and so forth. For example, setting or changing a GPS system or touching the screen of a mobile device mounted in a holder requires the motorist to take his eyes off the road for a few seconds and we all know that in those few seconds, we are, in effect, driving blindly, which, needless to say, is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Distracted driving is deemed to be such a serious problem that the US government has a dedicated website to raise awareness and campaign against it. Hence, I would like to urge the Ministry to amend the Act to include a more comprehensive framework to penalise distracted driving as well. I would be the first to admit that enforcement is a challenge but we must do this to protect our motorists, passengers and other road users. Additional legislative support will provide our law enforcement officers with the tools to ensure that our drivers pay attention to the most important task at hand – arriving at their destinations safely. Some of us may feel that this is unnecessary and onerous. How are our taxi drivers, for example, going to check on taxi bookings?”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to participate in this debate. I shall start with the repeal and re-enactment of section 65B as this is the amendment which has attracted the most feedback from the public and my constituents. Under this new section, any motorist who holds and operates any function of a mobile communication device while the vehicle is in motion is liable, on conviction, to a fine of up to $1,000 or to imprisonment of up to six months, or to both. For a repeat offender, the penalties are doubled. I strongly support this amendment, though I feel it has not gone far enough. The lines between phones, tablets and laptops have blurred and merged. Hence, we must close the loophole in our current Act which only targets calls and texts on handphones, and send a strong, clear message to all motorists that inattentive driving will not be tolerated. This is not because we want to be overly restrictive but because we value lives and limbs. Fatalities and casualties due to such careless behaviour are unnecessary and unacceptable. To do any less would be utterly irresponsible and show a heartless disregard for the safety and lives of other road users. Page: 64 The number of drivers caught using their mobile phones had increased from about 2,800 in 2011 to over 3,500 in 2013, last year. These figures support our observation that many motorists are ignorant or choose to ignore the danger of constantly attending to every Tweet, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, email and SMS while operating a machine weighing a few tonnes, moving between 40 to 90 kilometres or more per hour.”
“What all this means is that ground realities are a lot more complex. The Bill is bold in its approach but it does also show the limitations of the law. Despite the statutory presumptions, an enlarged conception of extraterritorial reach and an enlightened understanding of legal responsibility, it is going to be a major feat to hold an entity accountable and to penalise offenders. The defences to prosecutions found in clause 7 are necessary to prevent prosecutorial over-exuberance and over-reach and demonstrate our commitment to the rule of law even as we tackle the scourge of transboundary air pollution. Mdm Speaker, we have a right to breathe air that does not sicken or kill us or harm our economic livelihoods. Indeed, Article 28(f) of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration provides for "the right to a safe, clean and sustainable environment". Although this Bill does not give us the rock-solid assurance that we will be able to enjoy this right immediately or in the foreseeable future, it is an important step in the right direction. As such, I support the Bill. Page: 55 3.49 pm”
“Bilateral cooperation and multilateral cooperation within the ASEAN framework and, more specifically, the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, will Page: 54 continue to play a far bigger and more important role in ensuring that transboundary haze pollution does not continue to pose a serious annual health and economic concern. For this law to work, the cooperation of our neighbours is necessary since the evidence, including geospatial information, such as the ownership and occupation of land, that is needed to mount successful prosecutions will not be in Singapore but where the companies and individuals were allegedly conducting such illegal activities. Our law enforcement officers may also have to travel to neighbouring countries to gather evidence, assuming that permission is granted for such investigations in foreign jurisdictions. This is notwithstanding clauses 10 and 11 of the Bill which provide for the power to obtain information, the power to examine and to secure attendance of those who may know of matters related to an alleged offence under this Bill. Madam, I must admit that I am sceptical whether there will ever be a successful prosecution when this law comes into force. Land use and land tenure in Indonesia are governed by a complex web of national, provincial and customary laws that often compete and, perhaps, even conflict with one another. As such, it is not at all clear who might own a piece of land. This Bill recognises that legal reality. Further, as fire moves across the landscape, propelled by topography and wind, one cannot assume that burning within concessions is caused by the owners. Overlaying concession maps with hotspot locations may not be sufficient to meet the burden of proof required for a successful prosecution.”
“If businesses are not able to show a sustainable supply chain, then their sales could be detrimentally affected. Unilever and Procter & Gamble are two major companies that have thrown their weight behind sustainable and responsible sourcing of palm oil. In this regard, can the Ministry consider requiring companies to disclose to consumers the relevant information about their supply chains? In similar vein, I hope the Government will show its resolve in enforcing this law because Singaporeans expect no less. Would the Government take the lead and adopt a procurement policy that ensures that goods and services procured are from sustainable and responsible sources? What about our Government-linked companies, including Temasek Holdings and GIC? Will they ensure that their investments and business partners are not engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the health of Singaporeans and our economy? In this connection, businesses and governments should adhere to the precautionary principle in order to reduce the risk of violating this law and to demonstrate that they are responsible stakeholders. I sense that there are high public expectations that this Bill will be a game-changer in that there will be clear skies and clean air henceforth, and that haze from land-clearing fires will now be consigned to the dustbin of history. If only a complex problem like the haze can be solved so easily by legislative fiat! Thus, it is important to highlight that the Bill is by no means the silver bullet to combating transboundary air pollution. Managing public expectations will have to go hand-in-hand with enforcement actions under this Bill.”
“Victims of haze pollution could find it onerous to take out an individual civil law suit against a company with far deeper pockets to defend itself. This would be the classic "haves" versus "have-nots" in the litigation arena. For this provision to be fit for purpose, could the Bill facilitate the injured parties to mount a class action suit, and could the state provide the requisite legal support as part of the larger effort to protect the public interest? Madam, this Bill's success should not be measured by the number of successful prosecutions. I agree with the Minister that we should not expect an overwhelming number of prosecutions when the law comes into force. More importantly, I see this Bill as nudging companies with business interests in palm oil and other commodities to be more mindful and to be more proactive about preventing transboundary haze pollution, especially if they use industrial scale slash-and-burn methods Page: 53 to clear land. This Bill can have a direct impact on their operations and reputations. I hope these companies will rise to the occasion as it cannot be business as usual, in which there is a race to the bottom. Instead, it should be an endeavour to be responsible stakeholders. Such businesses should strongly consider implementing effective anti-air pollution programmes and evaluating the sustainability of their supply chains, including detecting and responding to improper environmental conduct. Implementing and maintaining a sustainable and responsible business plan remain a prudent and recommended course of action. This is not just to simply avoid the long arm of this proposed law but because it is the right thing to do. Consumers are becoming savvy and discerning in their purchasing choices.”
“Put another way, because the parent company obtains the financial rewards from environmentally-risky activity but is relatively insulated from the subsidiary's liabilities, there is the incentive for the parent company to use its management and control to make profit-maximising decisions for the subsidiary, including environmentally-damaging ones. Thus, in addition to fines, perhaps the Bill could also require offenders to provide financial security, such as insurance, performance bonds or guarantees, to enable them to cover their future potential environmental liabilities. As a variation, this requirement could also extend to companies with palm oil business concerns in neighbouring countries and having the necessary nexus with Singapore, such as being listed here, to provide such financial security. This can provide incentives to motivate such entities to reduce their environmental risk and the likelihood of causing further transboundary air pollution. The details, of course, need to be worked out but they can augment the monitoring and enforcement framework, resulting in a more robust regulatory framework. I hasten to add that not all entities act, respond and are motivated solely by economic concerns. But I see the provision of financial security as part of a wider regulatory framework comprising fines and jail terms to motivate companies to balance the competitive quest for profits with environmental risk. Madam, clause 6(3) of the Bill also provides for the imposition of civil liability, on top of the criminal liability, for haze pollution in Singapore. While I welcome the provision for civil liability, I question if this clause is a paper tiger, a remedy in form but not in substance.”
“I understand that this Bill's extraterritorial reach means that it should and would be used judiciously but we are unduly curbing our enforcement ability by specifically confining this legislation to a particular type of transboundary air pollution. On penalties for an entity convicted of an offence under this Bill, much as I welcome the significant enhancement of the maximum fine from $300,000 originally to $2 million, I share the sentiments expressed by other Members that the quantum is probably on the low side. There must be sufficient deterrent in this Bill. My question is whether the top-line figure of $2 million carries enough of a big stick. Could the Minister clarify how the figure of $2 million was arrived at? When one considers the profits to be made and the market value of some of the companies involved in the oil palm business, $2 million might just be a slap on the wrist. To give an indication of the scale of business, I would just cite Wilmar International, a leading agribusiness group headquartered in Singapore and one of the largest listed companies by market capitalisation on the Singapore Stock Exchange. It had revenues of US$44.1 billion and equity and liabilities worth US$46.6 billion in 2013. On this issue of penalties upon conviction, would the Minister consider imposing jail terms for key officers of the offending entity which is culpable? We have the doctrine of limited liability in our corporate laws but, ironically, this provides incentives for environmental irresponsibility. This is because the parent companies' limited liability creates a potential moral hazard through the reduced economic incentive to Page: 52 ensure that its subsidiary company exercises its due care when taking environmentally-risky activities.”
“As mentioned earlier, this Bill does not just cover landowners whose lands are the sources of transboundary haze pollution but also extends to those engaged in starting the fires and those involved in the management of an offending entity. This enlightened attempt to deal with the chain of causation of transboundary air pollution is necessary if the proposed law is to have sufficient enforcement "bite". It also does not seek to identify a sole perpetrator, recognising that transboundary haze pollution Page: 51 is very much the culmination of a series of deliberate acts in a conscious decision-making process that may be cross-border in nature and involving different parties. There should, therefore, be a broader conception of responsibility. I would like now to turn to a few specific provisions in the Bill. First, may I suggest that the Bill be broadened in its application? As I understand it, the Bill covers a specific type of transboundary haze pollution. Clause 2 states that the Bill covers transboundary air pollution "involving smoke from any land or forest fire wholly outside Singapore". Why not enlarge its scope to cover all forms of transboundary air pollution? The Bill ostensibly does not cover transboundary air pollution from factories, power plants or other types of smoke emissions. Neither does it cover, say, transboundary air pollution from raging fires on an offshore oil rig or from a gas pipeline near Singapore. While I appreciate that this Bill is designed to deal with a specific form of transboundary haze pollution that has been long-standing, why limit the scope of this Bill?”
“Ignorance cannot be pleaded as an excuse; it is a shirking of their responsibility and an attempt to privatise their gains while socialising their costs. For this law to be successful, the cooperation of the country from which the transboundary haze pollution originates would be necessary for any successful enforcement actions and prosecutions. So, I hope that the Ministry will engage and explain to our foreign counterparts about this proposed law before it comes into force, to allay any concerns that they may have. A Bloomberg report last week, also highlighted by several Members, mentioned that Indonesia's president-elect Joko Widodo backs our plans, embodied in this Bill, to impose heftier fines against polluters so long as Indonesia's sovereignty is respected. So, the initial signs look good and we should demonstrate how this law would also benefit our neighbours in ASEAN even though it is primarily designed to meet Singapore's interests and concerns. In this connection, I welcome the Ministry's announcement yesterday that the Singapore Government will provide additional haze assistance to Indonesia in the form of a helicopter equipped with heli-bucket to fight fires, to complement Indonesia's fire-fighting capabilities in anticipation of an extended dry season due to the El Nino phenomenon this year. This is in addition to the haze assistance package offered by Singapore earlier in June, comprising several aircraft, a Singapore Civil Defence Force team and high-resolution satellite pictures and hotspot coordinates. This assistance recognises the complexities and constraints in Indonesia and that we are not merely pointing fingers but also seeking to assist within our means and being sensitive to the domestic political dynamics.”
“It is also highly significant that this Bill not only creates an entirely new offence but also broadly expands the notion of extraterritorial reach: this is the criminalisation of a first entity's failure to prevent transboundary haze caused by a second entity to which the first entity participates in the management of the second. This is a significant extension of jurisdiction well beyond what is found in our general criminal law and existing legislation with extraterritorial reach. Nevertheless, I am confident that the relevant agencies, including NEA and the Attorney-General's Chambers, will exercise due prudence when prosecuting using this law. To be sure, tough times call for tough measures. But this still does not take away the possibility that our neighbours may strenuously object to this law having such an extensive extraterritorial reach, if not now, certainly later. Madam, I welcome the Bill's broad jurisdictional reach to overseas entities with a presence in Singapore for failure to prevent transboundary haze affecting Singapore. This Page: 50 ability to investigate and prosecute companies carrying on part of the business here in Singapore, irrespective of where they are registered, is important for better regulation. I regard this as part of a larger effort in ensuring that there is a level playing field requiring foreign companies having to adhere to the same standards of care and responsibility as our own companies. I hope companies registered in Singapore with interests and/or stakes in the palm oil business, in particular, will promptly clean up their supply chains, including demanding fully traceable palm oil from their suppliers.”
“32 pm Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I welcome this proposed law, which is much anticipated and which could be emulated by other jurisdictions seeking to deal with transboundary air pollution. This Bill adds to our legislative muscle to deal with transboundary haze even though the actual impact, which remains to be seen, may be more apparent than real. The Bill's extra-territorial reach, provided for in clause 4, is a double-edged sword. Given that the serious episodes of air pollution we experienced in 1994, 1997, 2006, 2010 and 2013 were transboundary in nature, this law will not be of any use if it does not provide for extraterritorial application. Hence, it is appropriate that this Bill covers acts as well as omissions, whether such conduct occurs within or outside of Singapore's territorial boundaries which result in haze pollution in Singapore. Extraterritoriality is double-edged because it can be regarded by another state as an infringement of its national sovereignty. In the Southeast Asian context, the maintenance of national sovereignty is a cornerstone of ASEAN and is enshrined in the ASEAN Charter. It must be noted that this Bill does not seek to provide our Courts with jurisdiction to determine if a foreign state is responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore. Neither does it seek to impose liability on a foreign state for the damage caused to Singaporeans as a result of the haze pollution.”
“The greater long-term concern is not the haze but the large amount of carbon released into the Earth's atmosphere. The fires are the single largest contributor to Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions due to the extremely rapid deforestation on an inertia scale. Perhaps, we should consider the reward of carbon credits and incentives, since Indonesia has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2020. However, and unfortunately, whatever we do, we have to accept that our proposals and ability to enforce are limited at the sources of the haze and are beyond our jurisdiction. We are dependent on the corporations or the governments of the source countries. Since 2002, nine out of the 10 member states of ASEAN have committed to cooperating on the prevention of open burning, fire monitoring and information sharing through the ratification of the ASEAN agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. As mentioned by other Members, unfortunately, Indonesia is the only country, until now, which has not signed or ratified the agreement. Hence, I welcome the present statement by Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo who indicated that Indonesia would support Singapore's plan to increase fines on those responsible for haze pollution. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation is necessary to solve these issues and problems which affect not only Singaporeans but also Malaysians and millions of Indonesians living in Riau, Sumatra. I look forward to Indonesia ratifying the agreement in the near future, followed by assistance in investigative efforts and enforcement at the source of fires. Madam, I support the Bill. Page: 49 3.”
“Mdm Speaker, I am sure everyone would agree that we have been very fortunate to have relatively fresh air so far. Favourable winds have kept smoke from fires away from us. Let us hope that our PSI will continue to remain in the healthy range. The Transboundary Haze Pollution Bill has expanded our powers in the fight against haze. I support the decision to impose fines of up to $100,000 for each day of haze, up to a maximum of $2 million, with an additional $50,000 per day for uncooperative companies. I am also in favour of the move to penalise those companies that cause haze in Singapore and those engaged to start the fires. In addition, I agree that all those affected by Page: 48 haze should be able to seek compensation from errant firms via civil suits, even though this recourse is only possible when representatives of such firms enter Singapore. Besides punitive measures, governments, perhaps, may consider incentives to encourage land clearing by non-burning methods. I think that a carrot-and-stick approach will be the most effective method. Environmentalists can play an important role in ensuring a change of responsible parties' behaviour in the use of tools and methods. Sharing of cost-effective and efficient technology is critical to imprint a sustainable solution to this issue. There is also a need for greater international participation and support for sustainable resolution to this issue. Corporations without good environmental practices and measures in place should be subject to sanction by the international community. Financial institutions should be discouraged and prohibited from dealing with parties which engage in pollution and do not have good environmental practices.”
“That explains why a lot of people are seeking treatment in Singapore. It will not be acceptable even if it is cheap or even free if our healthcare system is poor and badly managed – as pointed out by Singaporeans. Therefore, it remains paramount and important that we need to continue to work towards building a world-class and best healthcare system and people. We must continue to attract the best medical practitioners to remain in Singapore and continue to invest in the best equipment ever possible for Singaporeans. We must continue to pursue world-class and the best and renowned medical institutions to set up office, training and research centres in Singapore. On this note, we already know how successful the Government has achieved so far and what more can be done to attract more such world-class institutions to set up centres here. Mdm Speaker, it was reported that a team of American psychologists found that people who were positive in their thinking lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who regretted the passing years. The researchers, led by Dr Becca Levy from Yale University in Connecticut, said the effect of a positive attitude towards ageing was greater than physiological measures, such as low blood pressure and cholesterol – each of which is thought to add a maximum of four years to life. In short, not only positive thinking impacts your ability to cope with stress and your immunity, it also has an impact on your overall well-being. It helps reduce risk of death from heart problems. It prevents depression and, thus, increases lifespan and avoids suffering as a result of serious illnesses. With that and all the positive benefits associated with MediShield Life, I support the Motion and wish everyone here a healthy and happy life. Page: 47 3.27 pm”
“This is because nobody wants to fall sick; if we could help Singaporeans maintain a healthy lifestyle and go for regular health checks to prevent illness from happening, we can prevent healthcare over-consumption. When it comes to looking after our loved ones, it is quite understandable for people to be kiasu or kiasi. They simply want to make sure their loved ones are taken good care of and nothing bad will happen to them. At the same time, standardising the prices of medical services can effectively control Singaporeans' healthcare cost. Even with Government subsidies, Singaporeans are still facing rising medical expenses. If we could train more outstanding healthcare professionals and step up medical research to develop better and more effective medicines and equipment, patients may be able to recover faster, thereby reducing the length of hospital stay. This will greatly reduce their medical expenses. With population ageing, do we need to adjust the patient-healthcare professional ratio? I hope more private clinics can joint CHAS. The Government may also need to increase the Page: 46 number of B2/C beds to meet demand. We need to encourage the younger generation to do financial planning; we need to step up education to help them understand MediShield Life is a major social policy shift. They should save and prepare for the future and not to indulge in unnecessary consumption or spend the money of the future; they should understand pleasure comes after toil, and change the mindset of muddling along. (In English): Meeting healthcare needs is not a simple demand-and-supply linear equation or relationship. It can be as complex as a matrix of many factors. One of the important factors is confidence in our healthcare system and practitioners.”
“Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please. Page: 45 (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Birth, ageing, sickness and death are the natural laws of life. Ever since ancient times, people have been actively exploring ways to overcome sickness and ageing, and have spent huge amounts of resources in the hope of a healthy life and longevity. I would like to thank the MediShield Life Review Committee for its efforts. The Report balanced the interests of different parties, hence, I support the recommendations. MediShield Life is designed to help Singaporeans pay for the medical expenses of serious illnesses; it will benefit both the young and the old. Now, Singaporeans can have peace of mind and live their golden years without worries. People no longer have to worry that they can afford to die but not to get sick. Singaporeans do not want to burden the next generation. Last night, I went to a resident's wake. The family told me that they, too, did not want to add burden to the next generation with their sickness. In fact, they hope the next generation can live better, without being burdened by the heavy medical expenses in the future. These are the exact benefits that MediShield Life can bring by reducing the burden on the children and alleviating these worries for them. By 2030, there would be more than 900,000 people aged 65 and above which will make MediShield Life even more meaningful and crucial. I also agree with the following observations raised by the Committee. First, with MediShield Life, will healthcare expenses rise subsequently? The Committee pointed out that it could lead to over-consumption of healthcare services, but I do not think the possibility is high.”
“These include: (a) extending subsidies to family clinics so that residents can get medical services at subsidised polyclinics in family clinics; Page: 105 (b) extending the Special CPF Housing Grant under the Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme (NCS) may allow Singaporeans with foreign spouses at age 35 and above to apply for 2-room flats; (c) allowing private operators to participate in public transport and implement city direct services; (d) providing employment credits to encourage companies to employ senior citizens; (e) issuing Long-Term Visit Passes to allow foreign spouses of Singaporeans to be gainfully employed to help support their families. Sir, let me speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Next, I would like to urge the Government to continue to stay relevant and respond to the changing needs of Singaporeans by adjusting certain policies. The Government should proactively make policy adjustments to reverse Singapore's declining fertility rate. I suggest that the Government adopt innovative thinking and take the following measures. First, allow all first-time BTO applicant couples to apply for a 3-room flat without the restriction of an income ceiling. Second, as it has become more common for both husband and wife to work overseas, the Government can provide free tuition and expand the scope of preschool education and childcare services, cultivate preschool educators and standardise the curriculum. Page: 106”
“Those divorcees could be ineligible having enjoyed more than once the grant and subject to repayment of resale levy, while first-timer spouse may be considered for half of the usual grant given to the first-time couples. Next, on education. I would like to say that I support MOE's moves to remove the emphasis on critical examinations which decide a child's future. In fact, this focus on examinations, academic performance and top schools contributes to our lower fertility rate as well as rising costs of living. In many homes today, the two major expenditures are mortgages and tuition fees. Perhaps, the Ministry should commission a study to find out the impact of private tuition on school results. There is a suggestion to extend the school hours so that the students finish their homework in school before they go back. However, I do come across parents who asked for school transfers for the same reason that the schools did not have homework for their students. In fact, the principal has tried with the good intention to ensure that the students can finish homework in school so that they can get to enjoy family bonding at home. But this may not be appreciated and accepted by parents. Parents still feel the need to arrange tuition and other enrichment classes for their children after school. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government for accepting and implementing my various suggestions over the past three years.”
“We should also promote the use of reverse mortgage to help residents who are asset-rich to unlock and monetise these assets for retirement. To reduce uncertainty due to residents outliving leases, whether in Studio Apartments (SAs) or flats pledged to the Lease Buyback Scheme, HDB should commit to lease extensions. We also need to help residents aged 55 and above who face problems buying their flats using CPF savings. They are affected by the Minimum Sum requirement. CPF should allow half of the Minimum Sum to be set aside for the flat purchase if the buyers are still working and have income to service their mortgages. This will also be in line with our support for Page: 104 residents who want to continue to work. There is also a need to expedite reviews of current CPF Housing Withdrawal Limit and Valuation Limit, as the valuation of flat at the point of purchase may not be realistic, coupled with safety net provided through HDB Lease Buyback Scheme. I would also like to suggest that we increase the percentage of larger BTO flat allocations to second-timer families with more than one child to encourage procreation. In addition, we should consider allowing divorced Singaporeans with custody of children to apply for BTO flats even though they could have bought a flat or enjoyed the grant more than twice, as they could be forced and compelled to sell their flats without benefits due to their failed marriage. The existing policies should not penalise Singaporeans who are married to divorcees and who are first-timers to apply for HDB flats. May I suggest to HDB to allow them to apply for flats, perhaps without grants?”
“There is a need for both HDB and JTC to remain as major property owners to keep the control over the rental and thus the cost of living. It may be good for HDB to retain control over the rental of commercial properties in town centres and neighbourhoods, alongside with private malls to cushion costs. Likewise, the same applies to JTC. We should review our current ratio of privately and Government-owned commercial and industrial properties. I would like to ask what is the current ratio and if there are plans to review and change the ratio to ensure the sustainability and growth of our SMEs while keeping a control on the rental costs. Next, for housing, I want to express my appreciation for the bold and decisive move by HDB to delink the prices of BTO flats from the market prices with household income as the base for flat prices. This policy has stabilised property prices and calmed the market. The earlier pent-up demand and property chase had caused much anxiety. I hope we continue to maintain adequate supply every year and it would be also good to keep aside a certain percentage of housing in stock. As suggested before, it would also be desirable to complement the current system with a registration system for better planning. A registration system will enable HDB to have better real time information and indication of the prevailing demand for flats by location and type of flats required by both first timers and upgraders. It will help to minimise the gap between expectations and aspirations and also optimise the resources allocation. I would also like to request that we extend the Lease Buyback Scheme beyond 3-room flats as elderly residents would like to age in place.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion of thanks to the President for his speech. I am heartened by the Government's commitment to help our local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) become more productive. The $300 million MTI has committed to SMEs over the next three years is over and above the $1 billion committed from the $2 billion National Productivity Fund. I am sure many SMEs will find this fund injection useful. I feel strongly that we must support and grow our local enterprises further. Aside from the reasons of national pride and patriotism, local businesses create and add significant value to our economy. Unfortunately, the idea of starting a business is daunting to most Singaporeans, especially our young ones, who are well-educated and have many attractive and stable jobs to choose from. Those who manage to save up or secure additional funds would rather become landlords instead of starting businesses. There is much less headache and backache involved. Increasing productivity only tackles one aspect; we should really tackle the number one hurdle faced by our SMEs: rental. Our current mode, to a certain extent, relies on the free market mechanism for the commercial and industrial property market. However, due to our scarcity of land, especially near choice locations, there is a limitation to the realisation of the full benefit of the free market mechanism, that is, through increasing supply of land. Page: 103 Increasing the supply of land for open tender by private developers, which is profit-driven, may not necessarily help rein in the cost of business. The increasing sale of commercial and industrial properties to REITs also pushes up rental cost and thus raises the cost to consumers, which in turn drives up the cost of living.”
“I thank the Minister for his clarification. May I know how many applicants currently in the queue are non-first-timers? When will HDB be able to satisfy all of them?”
“Last but not least, would the Ministry consider providing free bus travel for certain initial distances universally as practised by Taichung. I understand that Taichung has practised it for their residents; for the first 8 km, if they travel on public bus, they get it free. This will incentivise the use of public bus services as one of the best alternatives to private car consumption and also to ease traffic congestion on major roads. 1.30 pm City Direct”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Minister about the progress and achievement of the BSEP to date. According to LTA's news release in February, about 300 new buses have been added to our bus fleet of 4,000 since the launch of the BSEP in 2012, as mentioned by hon Members. Another 250 buses are expected to be added by the end of the year. This is actually heartening news. This means that all the 550 buses committed by the Government will be on the roads before 2015. May I ask for updates about the additional 250 buses committed by the operators? Out of the 40 new bus routes planned under BSEP, I understand that 21 have been rolled out already. Of these, how many are feeder bus services? Will there be more new routes introduced to enhance connectivity at MRT and LRT stations, including more parallel bus services? In addition, does the Ministry have the latest data on the reduction of waiting times and the number of persistently crowded bus services as a result of having more buses in service? How is our recruitment and training of new bus drivers coming along? As part of the BSEP, private bus services will complement public services. In January, three City Direct Service (CDS) services from Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok/Hillview and Sengkang to the Central Business District were started. Last month, this was extended to West Coast, Sembawang and Jurong East. May I ask how the response to these CDS buses has been and the rate of participation by the private bus operators? Will the other three services from Hougang, Bedok and Eunos be on schedule for this year? May I also ask whether there would be Page: 47 one at the Buangkok MRT station in my division?”
“I want to ask the Second Minister this: so far, how many people have been caught by the mobile surveillance cameras moving around the housing estate to catch high-rise littering, and also how effective are these surveillance cameras, and whether the Ministry will increase the number and also the frequency?”
“I would also like to ask how surveillance can be stepped up to deter the minority who persist in littering, particularly the killer litter, vandalising and other ways of dirtying and polluting the environment. What plans does the Ministry have to strengthen enforcement and penalties? Smoking”
“Chairman, last month, during the debate on the Environmental Public Health (Amendment) Bill, the Minister shared with this House that between 2010 and 2013, the number of complaints received for littering had increased by almost 50%. This is a staggering increase, and in fact a very disappointing trend. Singapore has long had a reputation for being a clean and green city and yet, maintaining public cleanliness is becoming more difficult, despite measures over the decades to motivate and enable Page: 173 residents to keep our environment clean and penalise those who do not. I face similar problems in my constituency too. I agree with the Minister that we are more of a "cleaned" rather than "clean" city. Would the Minister share with us what progress has been made in the Ministry's efforts to get more people to keep our environment clean? May I also ask if the Ministry has data or statistics of the offenders such as their gender, level of education, income and nationality? I am sure with detailed information, we can formulate more targeted measures to address this problem at its roots. May I also suggest that we take a leaf from schools in Japan and Taiwan where students have to clean their schools as part of their routine? Not only will they learn life skills, it will also ingrain in them the importance and challenges of taking care of one's environment. I understand that Marsiling Primary School will be doing this. The school's effort is highly commendable and timely as we strive towards building citizens of good character and values. If all schools practise this, we will nurture a whole new generation of civic-minded Singaporeans who respect the environment and the work of cleaners.”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to check with the Ministry about the current dengue situation and ask about the Page: 164 steps taken to safeguard the health of Singaporeans against dengue. Last year, we suffered the worst dengue epidemic in our history. Since then, we have had more than 22,000 cases. In January this year, dengue was on the rise again. I would like to ask why we continue to have problems bringing the number of cases down despite having additional inspections of private and public premises for possible breeding sites and grounds. In June last year, NEA announced its plan to recruit 300 more inspection officers to augment the 850 full-time officers. How effective are these inspections? Has the increased number of checks identified more breeding sites and grounds? Would the Ministry share with us how cooperative and compliant are property owners? What are the measures available to the agency if access cannot be gained or granted to suspect properties? In addition, how regularly are our public drains inspected and cleaned to reduce breeding ground? Dengue Prevention”
“Mdm Chair, I would like to ask if the Ministry would consider reviewing the present booking system to enable HDB to better gauge and respond to potential buyers' demands. What are the measures being planned to engage buyers earlier and anticipate bookings for flats? In addition, would the Ministry be able to provide more information earlier to potential applicants regarding the site plans and the details of the flats? Secondly, I would like to suggest that HDB consider removing the income ceiling for all first-time buyers. The Minister has always made it clear that when formulating housing policies, he is guided by the important social objectives of encouraging our young to get married and to have children as soon as they get married. I totally agree with him that young healthy parents provide the best chances for their children. However, most Singaporean couples today will not start a family until they have settled into their own homes. They work hard at their jobs to accumulate savings first for their weddings and the deposits on their flats. In this sense, they are being responsible and independent which is commendable. By the time they feel financially stable, a number of them face another problem – they hit the income ceiling of $10,000 and no longer qualify for a purchase flat directly from HDB. At the same time, resale flat prices are still on the high side and they cannot quite afford the heavy downpayment required for a private condominium. They end up postponing childbearing even further. I hope we can allow this sandwiched class to purchase new HDB flats, those with less subsidies, tiered according to their incomes. Monetisation of Assets”
“— are actually 3.5 times more likely to have autism, 13 times more likely to have ADHD, twice as likely to have psychotic disorders and 25 times more likely to have bipolar disorder. Other academic problems included failing grades, low educational attainment and low IQ scores.”
“For those of us worried about reduced competitiveness if we implement family-friendly work measures, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in UK had found that businesses reported significant gains in staff satisfaction, retention and productivity after implementing flexi-work hours. We must raise awareness among our people, especially future cohorts, of the risks of older parenthood. Despite medical advances, when it comes to having babies, time is not on our side. The medical risks of older motherhood are well-documented. Now, we have evidence that advancing paternal age can lead to higher rates of psychiatric and academic problems in offspring than previously thought. A study of two million children, "Parental Age at Childbearing and Offspring Psychiatric and Academic Morbidity" was published in February's JAMA Psychiatry. Compared to children born to a 24-year-old father, children born to a 45-year-old father —”
“Mdm Chairperson, I urge the NPTD to urgently implement more holistic measures to assist parents with childcare and increase our low fertility rate. At stake here is our nation's future. The prevailing thought is that having children is a personal decision. Let us not deceive ourselves. There are social, economic, health, political and military implications for the whole nation. While we should remain open to qualified immigrants, we need a stable majority core of children born to Singaporeans. With mounting research proving the benefits of having children below the age of 30, it is absolutely critical that we cut down the number of obstacles facing healthy young couples who desire to have children. One of the most common complaints I have received is the lack of childcare centres near their homes and the high fees. Taipei has substantially increased the number of childcare centres, among other measures, boosting their TFR to 1.4. Can we provide more support for our childcare sector, not only in terms of funding infrastructure, subsidising fees but also training and retaining childcare providers and teachers? Much has already been said in this House about what is required to tackle our low TFR. Besides providing affordable, quality childcare centres in convenient locations, my parliamentary colleagues had suggested mandating flexible hours for sectors where they are feasible, implementing free pre-school education, and even providing substantial HDB discounts and priority. I fully support these suggestions and I personally advocate making it much easier for women and men to return to the workforce after taking a short hiatus to care for very young children. To the credit of the relevant Ministries, some progress, Page: 64 in fact, has been made.”
“Nonetheless, we must also address the need to meet the requirements of businesses so that quality jobs with better income can continue to be generated for Singaporeans. Business cost must be closely managed to ensure that Singapore remains attractive and competitive for investors to do business here and create quality jobs for Singaporeans. Back to the issue of CPF contribution rates – is raising the CPF the only and best way to help Singaporeans meet the expected rise in MediShield premiums? The biggest expenditure in most Singaporeans' lives is actually housing. Should the prices of public housing be further reviewed such that less than 30% of one's monthly income is spent on housing, leaving more income to be set aside for retirement and medical needs? I am glad that MND is looking to extend the lease buyback scheme to larger flats, 4-room and above, to broaden the avenues for those who are in need of cash. I think this is a move in the right direction. With this, I end with my support for the Budget. 5.06 pm”
“While I full heartedly support the increase in CPF rates, I am also deeply concerned about the impact of the higher rates on the very same group of workers we are trying to help. I am worried that the additional employer contribution rates may be a disincentive to employers to retain the older workers. Most of our current compensation packages continue to be based on employee tenure and history. Even without taking higher CPF contributions into account, many employers are already finding younger workers more attractive as their overall remunerations are lower. To ensure the employability of older Singaporean workers, including those above 40, they must be able to match the values generated by the younger workers. Their skill sets have to be updated consistently to stay relevant in today's rapidly developing market. Training and retraining are essential. Hence, I support the top-up to the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund by $500 million. The total fund size of $4.6 billion will put us in good stead to support our workers in upgrading their skills and learning new skillsets. I also appreciate what the Government is doing to help employers cope with cost increases associated with the increase in CPF contribution rates. The enhanced Special Employment Credit (SEC) of up to 8.5% of the employee's monthly wages will assist with the transition. The public sector ought to set a good example for the market through its own enlightened employment practices by retaining older workers. I would like to ask the Minister what is the percentage of older workers that are employed by SMEs compared to large corporations or MNCs. What can the Government Page: 113 do to encourage and ensure that larger corporates do try to retain their older workers?”
“We need to carry on the spirit of grooming our young. (In English): Mdm Speaker, I am concerned about those pioneer seniors below 80 years old who cannot even afford to pay for the differences in their MediShield premiums. Is the Government prepared to top up for them or incentivise VWOs or individuals who are prepared to support or help top up for them? Currently, the load on Government hospitals, particularly the A&E department, is quite heavy and, hence, I would like to suggest that we expand the polyclinics' services to 24 hours seven days a week, and expand their facilities and services to alleviate the load on Government hospitals. I must thank the Government for accepting my earlier suggestion and introduced CHAS to encourage private clinics to expand their role to help Page: 112 support the needs of our ageing population as I believe it helps speedy recovery of patients who are more comfortable to be attended to by their family medical practitioners. Private clinics should be encouraged and equipped further to meet the medical needs of our ageing population to the extent that some procedures and treatment can even be carried out directly at the clinics for the convenience of our Singaporeans. The other welcomed announcement is for older Singaporeans above 50 who are still working. The increase in their CPF contribution rates will certainly help to beef up their retirement funds. Singaporeans are living longer and their expectations about their standard of living during their retirement years are generally higher as well. In addition, older Singaporeans prefer to be self-sufficient and independent of their children's financial support. Hence, it is even more important that they save as much as they can while they are working.”
“Page: 111 We need to know that Singapore is a small island without any natural resources and we import everything. Even air is not free. We have to pay to control the quality of air, for example, to deal with the haze. We must remember to be prepared for the worst even in the best of times. We must continue to strengthen our defence, our Total Defence. In the early days, some people said our founding Prime Minister was too strict and his dominance hampered our creativity. Then some people suggested that we must allow all Singaporeans to participate in policymaking because the Government does not know everything. But now, we hear others urging us to go back to the old ways. I believe we need some degree of moderation in whatever we do. The Government must continue to govern and to monitor and regulate our society. It needs to ensure that each generation of Singaporeans will enjoy peace and security. It must provide more quality jobs so that more Singaporeans can benefit from these jobs. Yesterday, some Members of the House suggested that Government should provide free education while others reminded us that doing so will only increase our social cost. I personally believe that educational outlay is a long-term investment. Besides providing education subsidies, the Government and private organisations also provide bursaries and scholarships to those who need them. I suggest that the Government, together with the community, should consider making all scholarship holders "pay back to society" through doing social services. What is taken from the society should also be returned to and used in the society. As the Chinese saying goes, it takes 10 years for a tree to bear fruit but it takes 100 years to see education bear fruit.”
“Even though we are able to resolve their worry this time, in the long run, a responsible Government will attempt to tackle the problem at its roots. It must start from the basics and make long-term plans which will once and for all resolve all our worries on healthcare. This is because Singaporeans understand that if we keep on providing subsidies, we will be adding onto the burden for the country and its taxpayers. Eventually, if the country gets into financial woes, its people will suffer. What we should try to achieve is to be able to control medical costs, maintain a high standard of medical care and promote healthy living among Singaporeans. As to how we can strike a balance between controlling costs and achieving a high standard of medical care, it is something the relevant Ministries should deliberate about. In this day and age, every country is cracking its brains to provide the best possible medical care without raising costs, to attract and retain the top talents and to purchase the latest equipment in a cost-effective way. All these are, indeed, arduous tasks. So, I would like to urge Singaporeans to cultivate a healthy lifestyle. As the old saying goes – prevention is better than cure. If we pay attention to healthy living, exercise regularly, eat right and stay healthy, we will cut down on medical expenditure. On the selfless sacrifice of our seniors, I hope this is a virtue that we can carry on for generations. I hope Singaporeans will go a step further. I hope more Singaporeans will say that they have contributed to the country and they have spared a thought for others. Let us not litter, let us give the seat to someone who needs it more and so on, so that Singapore will always be a warm and harmonious society.”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Minister for Finance announced that the Government will inject $8 billion to set up a Pioneer Generation Fund which will provide lifetime healthcare subsidies for 450,000 pioneers. This is, indeed, a heartening and much welcomed move. All men will go through the four stages of life: birth, growing old, falling sick and dying. Everyone will fall sick and need medical treatment. Even Emperor Qin Shi Huang who, more than 2,000 years ago, united China and ruled his empire was afraid of death. He sent Xu Fu to look for the Elixir of Life, the magical drug which will give him eternal life. As we can see, mankind has been troubled over medical issues throughout the ages. In Japan, people pray for a "good death". In Singapore, people not only look at quantity but also quality of healthcare. They hope that Singapore can provide first-class medical services and can cure diseases quickly. What I find heartening is the fact that we had been very united since our nation-building years. We worked together to build a strong economic foundation where we do not need to add burden to our next generation. Our nation can fund this $8 billion package in this year's Budget and set up the Page: 110 Pioneer Generation Fund where our elders can enjoy their golden years without any worry. This is probably our elderly parents' cherished desire. They spent their lives working hard for the country, for their families, and for their children. They worked tirelessly so that their loved ones could have a better life. And in their old age, they would not want to be a burden for their children. We must remember their selfless nature. As their children, we can do something for them. We can let them enjoy their golden years. It is justified.”
“Under the new enhanced HDB Lease Buyback Scheme, homeowners of not more than 3-room flats who fulfil the pre-requisites could apply to HDB to Page: 49 unlock part of their housing equity to supplement their retirement income. It may be appropriate and practical for CPF to review its current rule which only allows CPF members to withdraw up to 120% of their Valuation Limit if they are able to set aside half of their prevailing Minimum Sum. As we can see, both HDB Lease Buyback Scheme and CPF Minimum Sum Scheme serve the same objective of supporting the owners' requirement needs. Hence, both policies should be aligned and integrated to best serve the needs of our Singaporeans. Hence, the 120% of Valuation Limit rule warrants a review without compromising on the integrity of the underlying policy. Mdm Speaker, with that, I support the Bill and I look forward to a favourable outcome as a result of this amendment. 3.18 pm”
“Mdm Speaker, I welcome the CPF (Amendment) Act to allow the increased withdrawal frequency for members above the age of 55 years old. The CPF Act is amended to provide the Board with the flexibility to allow members to make more than one withdrawal per year, empowering the Board to assess each case on its own merits. Let me continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, I hope this CPF (Amendment) Bill can help the Government handle the challenges faced by the members effectively and flexibly. For example, some residents hope the Government can allow them to continue to use their CPF savings to pay for their monthly mortgage. The current regulation stipulates that members must meet the Minimum Sum requirement in their Retirement and MediSave accounts when they reach 55. Although members can pledge their properties, which help to meet half of the Minimum Sum requirement, some members are still unable to meet the requirement due to unfortunate circumstances, especially the low-income and contract workers, as well as self-employed persons. I have met one such resident. He is 53 this year and just married, finally fulfilling his dream of having a family. But this is also the start of another nightmare. He is worried that in two years' time, he will be 55 and his savings in his CPF account will be subject to the Minimum Sum requirement. By then, he would not have much savings. How can he afford a HDB flat if he cannot even cope with the initial payment? (In English): Not long ago, I highlighted in this House that there exists a need to harmonise one of the latest housing policies and the existing CPF rule.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. Enabling Singapore students to have a deeper understanding of our diverse cultures and perspectives is quite important. In fact, some parents have actually shared with me their concern that in the current Primary 1 admission system, it is quite highly possible that some schools will end up with all Singaporeans while others may end up with a high Page: 27 percentage of Permanent Residents (PRs). With that in mind, what MOE can do to help Singapore children have a better understanding of each other and between Singapore PRs, and how to deepen their interaction and sharing of personal experiences?”
“As B1 is intended for developments related to software development, distribution services, printing and packing of dried food stuff, it appears to me that the costs would be driven up by space demands. Another related issue is the Community and Sports Facilities Scheme, which was to help facilitate the integration of community facilities in commercial developments. Under this scheme, landlords are granted additional Gross Floor Area for premises used for community and social services. To conclude, there should be a clear distinction between investment and industrial/production use. This is to prevent an excessive asset bubble being built up and price distortion at the expense of meeting the needs of real businesses and better control over business cost. In its public consultation exercise, JTC indicated that the availability of a more comprehensive set of data can help to increase market transparency, as well as enable industrialists, developers and investors to make more informed Page: 84 decisions. In future, I hope that the information and statistics on industrial properties could be as comprehensive as what URA and HDB have done on residential property data. With that, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. 5.18 pm”
“As a result, rent increases for HDB's commercial and industrial properties are at a substantially lower pace, compared to the industry in the early 1970s. Page: 83 JTC helped to jumpstart Singapore's industrialisation drive through rapid land development and construction of low-cost factories. Is there a change in JTC's role since it was founded? If yes, why? In terms of changes, I noticed a name change where JTC renamed itself to be called JTC Corp in the year 2000. I am, of course, more concerned whether there is any change in JTC's social role and whether it is still meeting its original social objective. Is there a need for such a review? For example, what is the current availability of JTC space for SMEs to operate their businesses? I would also like to urge the Ministry to re-assess allowing part of industrial properties to be used by religious organisations or VWOs. I understand that not all religious organisations are able to secure sites designated for places of worship. Hence, they need to conduct their religious activities in spaces not zoned for religious use, such as commercial and industrial buildings. While I am supportive of such organisations to own or rent the space in industrial estate, it may be advisable to have a standalone commercial building in industrial estates to house such organisations. The aim is so that space meant for business use is freed up to serve its original intent and purpose. Take Business 1 (B1) zone, for example, where religious use is allowed in industrial premises on a non-exclusive and limited basis. Under this arrangement, religious groups will be able to conduct some religious activities in industrial space, without compromising the primary function and character of industrial developments.”
“Mdm Speaker, I support the objective of the Bill, which is to provide JTC the function to collect, analyse and publish industrial property statistics. Madam, I welcome the move with JTC taking over the lead from URA. I would like to find out whether there had been changes in terms of figures and ratio between privately and publicly-owned industrial and commercial properties in the 1970s and now. If there were changes, I would like to ask whether the Ministry will consider a reassessment of the ratio and figures. I understand that there are currently no restrictions on the purchase of industrial properties by investors. Is there a need to avoid the excessive commoditisation and monetisation of such properties which are meant as productive assets? I would like to urge the Ministry to monitor industrial land prices and rentals closely so as to keep land affordable for SMEs in Singapore. I hope these suggestions would ensure that the Government continues to play a key role as the authority for land use, whether or not for the purpose of development or lease. Commercial and industrial rentals form a substantial component of business costs, as the landlords will pass on this cost to consumers. For example, I appreciate HDB's active role in public housing because it ensures stability in the prices of properties. In terms of ratio, HDB flats remain home to over 80% of Singapore's resident population. Madam, I understand that HDB was aware of my concerns, made during this year's COS, about the rental burden. MND reassured me that HDB's commercial and industrial properties are let out on three-year term tenancies via open bidding, a fair and transparent system.”