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.”
The complete record
Every one of 667 lines we hold for Gan Thiam Poh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 14.
“It has brought forth many changes, enabled by digitisation and high speed networks. Examples include online food delivery and online conferences. I support GST on purchases made online to level the playing field. On the other hand, we need to help local enterprises to export and do online sale to overseas markets. The supporting measures for electric vehicles are timely. My concern is that it will be difficult to get more charging stations set up in existing carparks, including HDB carparks, private condos and office buildings. Many building owners are not keen to install them as the investment cost versus the demand for EV cars are still not well-matched. Incentivising the continued investment to improve the technology are as important as incentivising car buyers to switch to EVs. Last but not least, in view of the pandemic, I appeal for extension of childcare support leave for working parents who do not have family support to look after their children. For example, if a young child falls sick, he is given at least five days' medical leave by the doctor due to COVID-19 conditions. At least one parent has to take leave to look after the child. If the same child falls sick again, the other parent will have to take leave. Working parents with young children struggle to manage the demands of bringing up a kid with employment demands. With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Budget.”
“I understand from some residents they were unable to receive their financial assistance as quickly as they would like. For example, I heard that a number of participants under the training programmes did not receive their monthly allowance on a timely basis. Some of them had to wait for more than three months. During this period, every delay would have caused financial strain to the participants. Government agencies must put in place measures to ensure that all these schemes to ease hardship be swiftly and effectively administered. I welcome the extension of job growth incentives to support the employment of Singaporeans, especially the seniors and people with disabilities. I appeal for further extension of job credits and wage supplements, which have been well received by Singaporeans, to support senior workers and low-income workers. We must continue to help middle-aged and senior workers who had lost their jobs to reskill and move on to new careers. The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Centre should continue to reach out to new graduates in the next three years, so that they, too, will have certainty in the post-COVID-19 world. I would suggest the Government also look into incentivising companies with support to upskill their workers regularly, yearly, such as setting aside a minimum number of days of paid leave for the workers to upskill. To resume our economic activities, we need to get our people vaccinated quickly so that we can work with other countries to keep our air hub open to encourage business travellers and tourists to visit Singapore, with all public and safe health measures in place. We need to ensure Changi Airport continues to remain the leading transport hub internationally. COVID-19 has accelerated industry and market transformation.”
“At the same time, we have to ensure Singaporean’s love of properties will not drive up property prices beyond the reach of the majority of Singaporeans. Let us remember that residences are primarily meant to be lived in as homes. On the other hand, we have to be mindful not to be trapped by our properties, or some would say, be a property-slave, which is another way of describing an asset-rich, cash-poor property owner. Some are in genuine difficulties due to sudden job losses or illnesses. They are willing to consider right-sizing their homes but need time for the sale of their properties to go through. But there are others who request government assistance though there are alternatives available to assist them, such as right sizing, renting out rooms and signing on Lease Buyback Scheme which do not even require them to move out of their homes. Government resources are finite, and financial support and assistance must be targeted at low-income groups who do not have the option of monetising assets. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] No matter how difficult our economic situation is, I hope that the Government will continue to support our elderly and senior workers through financial, healthcare and workplace support measures. For this most needy group, I hope that in addition to the Government, our entire society will continue to give them more care and love, and donate money or commit time to help them. (In English): This Budget is commendable for the continuous support for the vulnerable groups through financial reliefs and various rebates and vouchers. Notwithstanding, there is room for improvement. More proactive measures to address the hardship cases of the unemployed would have been helpful.”
“Just a few hours ago this morning, Australia's government had reached agreement with media tech companies to collect tax on news while European countries have imposed tax on goods sold online. We can work with tech companies to look at possible sources of tax revenue, such as advertising revenue, whilst we continue to welcome and incentivise their investment here. At the same time, we need to relook at our economic model. New technological developments are benefiting owners of capital and enterprises. We need a harder push towards a more innovation-driven economy so that more Singaporeans are on the side of capital. This may be the only way to reap the benefits of technology developments and scale up to reach markets beyond our shores. It is also timely to explore new economic sectors. The agri-food cluster is a good initiative to boost a new industry – one which we were not developing as much in the past due to concerns over land constraints. Today, new tech enables vertical farming and new ways of fish farming. I am excited by these prospects. We are very much a people focused on property gains. Many Singaporeans dream of being a landlord with at least two properties – one to live in and one to rent out – or making capital gains from selling properties. There is nothing wrong with this dream. But I hope more Singaporeans will consider the other pathways to wealth creation – to create a new product or service, or a new type of business. Some have already started on this journey and hence, more needs to be done to engage and help small enterprises and the self-employed, so that they can grow into bigger entities or continue their trades into their senior years.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, every Budget Statement attracts suggestions on how the money may be spent differently, depending on the causes one is championing. This year, I received feedback from some Singaporeans about measures to restore our national reserves. Instead of the usual range of suggestions on spending, they are thinking of ways to add to our coffers. I find it most encouraging and comforting that despite the hardships, people are aware of how our predecessors’ savings have helped our generation through this crisis and want to do the same for future generations. On the other hand, there are some who suggest that we reduce expenditure in areas such as education, public amenities and even defence, so that more money can be given out as cash assistance. I understand and empathise with the predicament of residents who are cash-strapped but I am afraid I cannot support this kind of suggestion. Education and healthcare, especially for our children, are too important to our future to be compromised. The defence of our little island is too critical for us to cut corners. The world does not become a safer place during a global crisis. We just have to work harder and smarter to earn the funds we need. Thus, it is important that we continue to attract quality investments and see to the realisation of such investments to create quality jobs for Singaporeans. With a vibrant economy and job market, we will be able to rebuild our national savings slowly but surely. We must continue to upgrade ourselves to stay competitive and future-ready for many more years to come, as more jobs are at risk in the face of disruptive technology and the advancement of AI and big data. There are also potential new sources of tax revenues in the new economy.”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. I have noticed that a lot of bankrupts, especially the first timers, when they were made bankrupt, they are traumatised emotionally and also psychologically, and some of them even slip into depression. In quite a lot of cases, they do not understand what is meant by being bankrupt. As such, could the Ministry provide psychological support or counselling to all the first-time bankrupts?”
“For Singapore, several industries could do something similar. Retail developers can share data on the reliability, efficiency and quality of common fittings, energy-saving technologies and other energy-consuming equipment. SMEs in the manufacturing sector could have a standardised digital system for reporting sustainability-related data points, which makes it easier for downstream clients to assess such data points and comply with their own sustainability requirements. The benefits of such frameworks for climate change are significant. In addition to increases in efficiency and the reduction of resource consumption, such frameworks nurture the growth of specific sectors, nudge them towards digitisation and increased data sophistication. Finally, I hope that the Government would also consider investing, and encourage investments, in EV battery research and development. EVs have not been adopted as quickly as we hope because potential buyers are wary of their higher costs and suffer from range anxiety – the worry that their EVs will run out of electricity before they can reach charging points. Imagine if one could just drive into an energy station and swap the car battery, similar to the option for many mobile phones. This would address the concerns over the time needed to charge the EVs, unlike the quick petroleum top up we can get for internal combustion engine vehicles. I hope that the Ministry would consider my recommendations in support of the Motion.”
“Financial incentives can be in the form of grants, tax breaks or subsidies. Public-sector data can be shared with the private sector to help them identify sources of demand, track usage patterns of Government-built charging points and disclose information on points with excessive charging demand. This will alleviate the pressure on the Government to build new charging points and also relieves congestion at the existing ones. In fact, the Government also can look into encouraging more innovations; not just fixed charging points, but can be flexible charging points, so on and so forth. This brings me to my next point on the data sharing mechanisms. All businesses recognise that pooling data, or getting access to external sources of data, can help generate value through the identification of new sources of income and cost reduction methods. However, due to reasons of confidentiality and competition, data sharing is always a challenge. The Government can step in by setting up data-sharing mechanisms within and across industries, particularly for key industrial sectors. The IMDA's Trusted Data Sharing Framework provides principles and examples that can serve as the basis of such agreements. Such a framework fosters collaboration and benefits companies in many ways. The EU is already leading in such data-sharing systems. The Shared European Logistics Intelligent Information Space brought 37 logistics entities together to create a trusted data-sharing environment for the industry. In the Netherlands, the logistics and transport sector came together to develop iSHARE, a uniform set of agreements to identify and access management among organisations, allowing all parties to easily share data with business partners and downstream entities.”
“Charging point projects should only be awarded to contractors who factor in life-cycle costing and carbon footprint analysis, and provide points with energy efficiency certifications, such as those accredited by the US government with Energy Star. At viable locations, the charging stations should be powered up by solar panels. Users should also have the options of paying via Parking.sg app and paper coupons in the event of poor network connection or lost mobile phones. They should also be able to see and compare the charging fees across different energy suppliers and charging locations. The pricing structure should use fees, demerit points and message nudges to dissuade drivers from leaving their EV at the charging lots once they complete charging. (In English): Due to the higher costs of EVs, those in the middle and upper middle income groups are more likely to be the early adopters of EVs. As over 16% of Singaporeans live in condominiums, I urge the Government to introduce regulations and incentives for condos to provide EV charging infrastructure. For a start, new condos should be required to set aside a certain number of their parking spaces as charging points. Existing condos should be required to adapt existing spaces or create new spaces for charging points, with a longer grace period. For those living on landed properties, the Ministry should assist them to check and ensure that the junction boxes in their estates are able to support the charging of electric cars so that their homes do not suffer a blow-out or power trip. The Government should also incentivise private developers to build publicly accessible charging points. Currently, with the low EV population, there is little incentive for private developers to build them.”
“Mr Speaker Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Many of my colleagues have made suggestions to increase the carbon tax. I felt a bit of unease about it, because this will increase the cost of businesses, and will, perhaps, eventually be passed on to the consumers, hence increasing their financial burden. Any increase should be done progressively according to market needs, not at one go. Otherwise, prices will increase sharply and may cause hardship for the people. At the same time, I agree with the suggestion by some of my colleagues that the Government can use incentives to encourage businesses to reduce carbon emission, adopt alternative clean energy sources and invest in them. The relevant investment can be used to offset carbon tax. This is akin to linking rising productivity with wage increases. By doing this, we can build a green economy and environment, a win-win situation. Tonight, I would like to speak on two topics: charging points for electric vehicles and the data sharing mechanisms. First of all, I would like to reaffirm my support for a car-lite Singapore. However, cars will continue to play an important role in our transport system, so we must still build an infrastructure for cars, especially electric vehicles (EV). The Government is already planning to install 28,000 public charging points and is looking to work with the private sector to ramp up the infrastructure for electric vehicles. I urge the Government to ensure that sustainability will be a major consideration in the process of building charging points.”
“There have been many incidents and tragedies in countries that had legalised arms possession. We must continue to have zero tolerance towards guns and weapons, just as we do not tolerate drugs in our jurisdiction. We must continue to educate Singaporeans that such a stand has been key to our secure and safe living environment. Therefore, the deterrence penalties, in line with other relevant legislation, including capital punishment, must be upheld. We must continue to send a strong signal to all in Singapore and to others beyond our shores that we have zero tolerance for any action that could threaten our peace and security. In addition, we need to tighten the surveillance of potential influence and threats in social media. We will need the support and technical expertise of social media service providers to help us defend against perpetrators who use social media to advance their interests and promote the use of violence and weapons of mass disruption in Singapore. In this challenging digital environment, how would the Ministry use artificial intelligence or AI to take pre-emptive measures and strengthen our defence against terrorism and the use of guns, explosives and weapons? Last but not least, it is important that we continue to promote tolerance and acceptance among our multiracial, multilingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious community members. Singapore is and will be a fair and equal society for all Singaporeans with zero tolerance of extremism. Religious and racial harmony must always be our core value. I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, when I learnt about this Bill, I wondered at first if it was necessary to regulate guns, explosives and weapons through a new piece of legislation. Upon further reading and consideration, I am convinced that we need to do so. Our environment has changed and technology has evolved tremendously. The threat of terrorism is still high. Information on weapons and explosives can be more easily retrieved these days from the Internet, particularly from the dark web; new technology, such as 3D-printing, enables customised creation and manufacture of guns and other weapons. Updating our legislation to take into account the advent of technology is timely, and a constant reminder to ourselves to keep up with changes. While we welcome and embrace the benefits of new technology such as 3D printing, we need to guard against the pitfalls it can bring. With today's technology, manufacturers could produce toy guns almost as good and functional as the real guns, which can pose a genuine threat to our lives too. Hence, there is also a need to protect our people against such threats. I would like to ask the Minister how many cases of armed crimes involved the use of fake and toy guns in the last 10 years. Security and safety must remain top priorities for our nation. We are fortunate to be able to provide a fairly secure environment for Singaporeans and residents so far. Even so, there are still cases of violence and unauthorised use of fireworks. Our tight control over guns and weapons has helped minimised the destructive impact of such events. However, we must not take things for granted. It is of the utmost importance that we continue to remain vigilant and stringent on security measures.”
“Singaporeans must be the assets which attract investors. We can further incentivise the investors and businesses to equip and train Singaporeans with leading and competitive skills. The Government should continue with the overseas training and study internship initiative for our citizens so that they will gain wider exposure and market knowledge and deepen their problem solving skills. With that, I would like to conclude with my support again.”
“It would be good to balance these measures with quotas for foreign PMETs to encourage and incentivise companies to employ Singaporeans. Could the JGI be a long-term policy coupled with support for employers to provide permanent upgrading and upskilling of Singaporean workers? May we extend the COVID-19 Support Grant or CSG to those who were not eligible for the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme or SIRS? Can we also enhance the WIS payout for lowest 25% income group with more payment for the lowest tier, with up to 50% more grants to supplement their income? In addition, would MOM look into a hybrid of WIS, CSG and SIRS to form a new scheme to incentivise employment, reduce the pain from income reduction and narrow the job/income mismatch? Notwithstanding, I do agree that all these have to be done with proportionally increase in productivity through job redesign, use of technology, automation so on and so forth, so that our workers are better skilled, productive and equipped, as compared with peers in other countries for the same job with better output. This would help mitigate avoidance of cost inflationary. We need to expedite the industry transformation, for example, more use of machinery in town cleaning jobs and higher productive method in construction industry to reduce reliance of foreign workers and higher income for our Singapore workers. We all need to be very clear that we cannot afford to be complacent in an environment which is advancing rapidly technologically. What is the norm today can easily be disrupted. To ensure that Singaporeans can remain in a leading position in the fast-changing and competitive world, we must continue to invest and equip all Singaporeans with the best skills, knowledge and tools.”
“I would like to suggest that the Government reconsider imposing a foreign worker levy instead of minimum qualifying salary to regulate the hiring of foreigner workers, such as Employment Pass or EP holders. A levy proportional to the salary of the EP holder is fair and can be justified. It provides another revenue source for the country as the Government continues to invest in Singapore holistically. While cost is one of the major concerns for investors, Singapore has many other attractive advantages which more than make up for the higher costs. These include a conducive business environment, security, stability, excellent infrastructure and telecommunications, updated facilities and amenities, transparency and efficiency. These are all prime determining factors for businesses and workers too. While other countries are grappling with COVID-19, we must continue to invest in both our infrastructure and human capital and provide incentives to pull in companies and individuals to place their investments in Singapore. The good cycle of investments, jobs and opportunities will bring many benefits to our island and our people. Hence, we need to continue with our major infrastructure investments that will support our economic growth for the benefit of Singaporeans in the face of the slowdown. I would like to appeal for further incentives for companies to employ locals, in additional to the Job Growth Incentive or JGI, especially to support those who are middle-aged and above who have been retrenched and finding it difficult to get jobs. This is a group of Singaporeans whom I am especially concerned about. May I suggest that up to half of the 50% or 25% support to be paid to employees as Workfare Income Supplement or WIS to narrow the job and income expectations mismatch?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for the very assuring and heartwarming confirmation of all those measures that have so far been implemented by the Government. I believe Singaporeans actually appreciate it. Speaker, Sir, I support the plans of action, as detailed in the Ministerial Statement. I am confident that this suite of measures will facilitate our progress and ensure that we emerge from this crisis stronger. We will be a competitive yet inclusive economy, a dynamic yet sustainable one. In order to stay relevant and be an active participant on the world stage, we have to remain open to the world. We need to attract more quality investments and accept investors, entrepreneurs, specialists and professionals who can work with us in order to prosper as an economy and society. Bringing in investments and attracting organisational set-ups here will create jobs and other opportunities for Singaporeans. We need these regional and international collaborations to stay ahead of the competition, increase our value and usefulness to the world, thereby ensuring our survival and prosperity. The better approach is not to stay away and shield us from competition in this rapid technologically advancing world. We should rather face the competition and equip Singaporeans with leading skills and tools to make us stay ahead of competition. Even as we welcome foreigners to share their knowledge and skills with Singaporeans, we need to be mindful of the risk of being over-reliant on a particular country, source or nationality. We should also take note of social costs and other implications that might outweigh the benefits in the longer run. Hence, we should be open but selective, monitor the employment market closely and take proactive steps to maintain the right balance.”
“I thank Minister for the comprehensive reply. In fact, I appreciate all the effort that is given by the Government to the families. My question is: will the Government also consider incentivising families who have more children? This means, based on the number of children they have, they have more subsidy, higher quantum given to them. This is also to ease the burden, especially faced by the sandwiched class and encouraging them to have more babies.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. May I know in terms of national security, will the Ministry consider that we need a core Singapore team to protect our national security in terms of cybersecurity? What measures will the Ministry consider?”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. May I know what are the current racial proportions in our country? Also, over all these years, were there any changes to these proportions? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. If you look back, the ethnic proportion of our citizen population has actually remained stable. In the last 10 years, the proportion of citizens of Chinese ethnicity has remained at 76%, Malay ethnicity at 15%, Indian ethnicity at 7.5%, and Others at 1.5%.”
“I thank Minister for the reply. The underlying concern is that because of the million-dollar transactions that we have seen recently, there is a concern that that might create anxiety. There might be a pent-up demand and as a result, anxiety. How would HDB review and manage that?”
“Last but not least, may I suggest that we provide incentives for the provision of enclosed areas in our food establishments for smokers. Setting up an enclosed area for them will help to ensure that other customers are protected from second-hand smoke. Would the NEA consider providing funding support under the same Toilet Improvement Programme for coffee-shops which do not wish to remove their smoking corners to build an enclosed area for smokers? With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill. 5.07 pm”
“In recent years, many of these hawker centres and food establishments are forced to install nets to prevent birds from flying in. I would like to ask the Minister how effective these nets have been in reducing the incidents of birds flying in to look for food. Under what circumstances do we need to put in the nets and do the authorities have more plans to extend the installation of nets to more food centres and coffee shops? (In English): Deputy Speaker, Sir, we should also review our pest control regime as pests are vectors for diseases. As the weather gets warmer, pest populations can expand quickly. We have to ensure proper management of food storage and food waste in our food centres. Would the Minister also share the progress of the Tray Return Programme, the learning experience so far and what improvement measures may be introduced to boost public participation in this initiative? Would there be more incentives, more “carrots” to encourage more people to cooperate? We may also consider more incentives for owners, stallholders or operators to improve their cleanliness scorecard. Hopefully, this would be a means to an end. Ideally, hygiene and clean habits should become part of our culture, something we all do instinctively, whether or not we would be rewarded for it. The NEA launched the Toilet Improvement Programme which allows hawker centres and coffee-shops to apply for up to 90% funding to improve their toilets and level of cleanliness. This programme is up to the operators to decide if they want to take it up. However, I think the NEA may consider sending strong advisories to obviously poorly designed and maintained toilets to take up this offer and urgently overhaul their toilets in the interest of public health.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the introduction of mandatory environmental sanitation (ES) standards will certainly receive overwhelming support if we consider the results of the Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey undertaken by SMU. According to the survey, around 97% of Singapore’s residents would like legislation to ensure higher hygiene standards for public spaces, including care centres for the young and elderly, and food establishments. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] There is room for improvement in the public hygiene standards of our hawkers centres and coffee shops. Given the large number of customers and thus, the heavy usage of the facilities, such as the tables and toilets, we need a lot more joint effort from all stakeholders to keep these places clean. These food establishments offer a variety of delicious food at affordable prices for all. Based on this price level, the operators have budget constraints for the number of cleaners they can employ to keep the food establishments clean. If everyone makes a conscientious effort to pick up after themselves, return their trays, clean up their tables, refrain from littering, and so on, we will be able to enjoy a clean environment without paying unnecessary additional costs. Another problem eateries have is the presence of pests. Food remnants attract scavengers such as cockroaches, rats and birds, amongst others. Sometimes when I eat at these places, I see many of these ‘uninvited guests’ flying around and having a ‘party’. If you are not careful, you could be ‘bombarded’ and may get droppings on you. Sometimes I can see that the food on the tables nearby gets contaminated by these birds.”
“For the young families, getting married and bringing up children pose a unique challenge during this crisis. Let each and every Singaporean have a chance to get their own BTO flat if they so desire. BTO flats are an integral part of the Singapore Dream. Some young couples shared with me that they are frustrated they could not qualify for the BTO flats they had been attempting to apply; their salaries had increased beyond the income cap over time. Even though they can afford resale flats and private apartments, they still prefer BTOs. In today's environment with less job security and more market uncertainty, their desire to be more thrifty is commendable and should be supported. I would also like to suggest that HDB build more bigger flats, which are increasingly popular among our young families. Four- and 5-room flats are often their first pick. With more people working from home, they need the additional space. Working from home looks set to become a permanent feature. Our flats need to be re-designed and enlarged to be relevant and useful. HDB had often cited land constraints as a limiting factor but we can build upwards. Forty-storey blocks are becoming common, the norm. The Government should also consider providing free childcare for all children under age of seven, before they enter Primary school. Nowadays, both parents are working and more seniors are retiring later. Providing free, reliable and good quality childcare services is necessary to encourage couples to have more children, in view of our declining fertility rate. We are in the midst of a crisis but life must go on – supporting procreation, making it easier to have and raise children in Singapore. I look forward to the Ministries' support. 5.19 pm”
“Likewise, if we cannot offer value for money, others will not be buying from us either. If we lose our competitive edge, we will lose our incomes and jobs. Therefore, we must make sure that we continue to upskill ourselves to stay relevant and employable. One of the challenges facing employers is their difficulty in getting insurance cover for their older workers, especially those aged above 60 years old. With longer lifespans and a non-replacement birth rate, this is a problem and could be one of the factors driving some employers to retrench older workers, even if they are good at their jobs. I hope that MOM will look into this and work out a feasible and sustainable solution between employers and insurance companies. I would also like to request that MOM consider the grant of a $1,000 Wage Income Supplement each month for the lower income workers. A boost in their take-home pay will make a significant impact and improve their families’ lives. The retention of the newly implemented wage support for employers to employ and retain senior workers and a higher proportional foreign worker quota will reward employers for employing and supporting senior workers with periodical skills upgrading. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, amongst our sandwich class are young families, mid-career workers, middle and lower income families. Quite a number of PMETs have been affected during this pandemic as well. I would like to request for a more holistic social assistance framework to help them during this crisis. Do we have enough family counsellors to guide them through the array of schemes which they can tap into for help? I would like to appeal for the income ceiling for first-time buyers to be removed.”
“For the sake of social stability, we must pay attention to the number of foreign nationals working and living in our country, taking into account their background details and their impact on the fabric of our society. Balance is key. But the most important thing is to confirm, to ensure whether that company is really recruiting qualified Singaporean employees, rather than just going through perfunctory processes, "putting on a show", ostensibly to toe the line for MOM's Fair Consideration Framework but, in reality, using "a thousand gestures and poses" to come up with reasons to justify the applications to hire some foreign employees. Of course, we still welcome foreign talents who can genuinely fill the gaps and really contribute to our economy in special technical areas, as well as visitors to our country for holidays and exhibitions. In truth, during the Circuit Breaker period, many jobs could be performed at home. As such, is it necessary for companies to insist on bringing in foreign PMETs to work here? We need to accelerate the increase in productivity and methodologies in the construction industry to reduce the reliance on foreign workers, allowing our construction sector to retain experienced, skilled, trained and disciplined foreign workers in the continued efforts to increase the productivity of our construction industry. The Government should lead in the use of methodologies that will help contractors boost productivity. On the other hand, Singaporeans must not have the misconception that the competition is only local. We need to remember that we are facing global competition. We need to be able to produce better products than our peers globally. As consumers ourselves, we also want value for money.”
“My concern is the difficulty of monitoring how companies recruit and whether they adhere to fair hiring practices, especially if the companies are foreign firms or have foreigners in charge of their hiring. It is possible that a minority of such firms or hiring professionals would prefer their fellow countrymen over Singaporeans because of cultural affinity or familiarity or just patriotism, resulting in a bias against Singaporeans. Hence, the controls over the number of foreigners working in Singapore have to be tightened. I would like to urge MOM to consider introducing quotas and levies for Employment Passes (EPs). I welcome the higher qualifying salaries for EPs and S Passes. However, I heard that there are also ways around this system. I have heard about how some employers collect monthly fees from their staff. Both parties benefit from this practice – the bosses can receive additional incomes and the employees qualify for the jobs. We must also monitor the number of foreigners in each sector and job function to ensure that we have a strong Singaporean Core to retain industry knowledge and competencies. There is a social cost to having too many foreign employees in our workforce. More resources will be needed, such as accommodation. Their presence has an impact on our environment, transportation and medical resources. We are just a small country. There is a limit to our space. There is an opportunity cost to the influx of foreign workers to Singapore. We need to weigh the benefit and the cost. We must not overlook the cost to our society that may prove too much to pay.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President for her Address to the nation. We are going through the most trying period of our generation and we must unite in our effort to overcome this crisis. People with different backgrounds and experience will naturally have different outlooks and opinions. We should listen respectfully to one another and try to understand different perspectives. We must not allow our society to become polarised. Let us seek common ground, agree to disagree and be willing to cooperate on solutions acceptable to all and do what is in the best interest of our people and our country. Today, I would like to speak on how adjustments to our employment policies are needed to help older workers and employees and how we can help the sandwich class. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] During this difficult period, workers and employees are increasingly worried about their livelihoods, even more so than the COVID-19 virus. To-date, we have managed to contain the spread within the community and we look forward to snuffing out the virus in the workers’ dormitories. Singaporeans, especially older workers and employees, are worried about jobs and competition for jobs from foreigners, especially in the financial and ICT industry. Singapore is a very open nation and welcomes foreigners who can contribute. The employment situation in some other countries is bleak and it is not surprising that there are quite a number of foreigners who are keen to work here. Our citizens are our priority. We need to ensure that the Singaporean Core is strong in our workforce.”
“For example, we could consider staycations now that our community infection rate has been controlled. We should also start thinking how we could have effective and efficient test kits to check on all inbound travellers and returnees to prevent imported cases while revitalising the aviation, tourism and MICE sectors. Most importantly, those who have the ability should help the have-nots. Because everyone is important and we care for all. Finally, let me conclude with a limerick. January: Complain about having to start work again February: Panic buying of paper products March: Causeway closed April: Everyone stayed home May: Resumption of work we hope June: Worry about savings being depleted July: Pray all will go smoothly August: Celebrate victory With this, I would like to conclude with my support for this Budget. Thank you. 12.45 pm”
“This is a very popular way of selling goods in China’s huge market today. While some of his language may be too colourful, his adaptability had created new opportunities for him. He can look forward to a very interesting new career. In Singapore, the Government has already started helping stallholders sell online and do live-streaming sales. Let us hope more business owners will try to change their operating models. There has been feedback that there are still many who have been struggling with their businesses and who have been making sacrifices for the circuit breaker to the extent that they have been lending to their companies with their pay to support cashflow. Some have appealed for the Job Support Scheme (JSS) for working directors who are also shareholders. Instead of limiting the JSS to those who earn below $100,000 a year, why not remove this income cap? After all, the JSS is capped at 75% of $4,650. Some are concerned that their businesses may not pick up after the reopening of our economy and thus will continue to face financial difficulty. It is important to them that all their clients order can be resumed. Otherwise, such business cannot hang on much longer. Even with the salary support from the Government, many businesses cannot afford to pay the balance 25% because they have zero revenue. While we need to prioritise safety, and indeed, being a highly interconnected hub, we can only be safe if the world is also safe, however, we cannot be closed off from the world. It will do more harm than good to “de-globalise”. We have to be proactive, not passive, to overcome this challenge. In order to survive, we cannot afford to sit back and keep drawing upon our past reserves and assets.”
“I am glad that the Government has been focused on helping Singaporeans to both upskill and become equipped with new skills, to stay competitive and relevant in response to the market changes. There is a Chinese saying “When rowing a boat upstream, if one does not move forward, the boat will go backwards downstream”. Our people must persist in their efforts forward so that we can secure our place in the world. More assistance will still need to be given to help Singaporeans, as the recovery of the world economy may not be so fast. For those who were retrenched last year and earlier, and had not been able to find jobs, they need help with job matching and retraining. This is especially for those aged above 40. In addition, some have expressed concerns that even with training, it does not necessarily lead to a job. While the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) and Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) provide welcomed relief, more salary or wage support can be given to help ease Singaporeans to upskill or reskill without having to worry about maintaining the family. I would like to suggest that we look at income matching, for example, a dollar to every two dollars earned for the 6 to 12 months, subject to a cap and overall scheme support budget of $9,000 per person under SIRS. This may be more sustainable. Singaporeans should also adapt to tap upon technology and target not just Singapore, but the world as their market. Recently, a Singaporean actor took on a side job selling seafood for his friends on the Internet. To everyone’s surprise, including himself, he became an Internet celebrity, and companies and talent agencies from China rushed to contact him as their partner, asking him to promote all kinds of goods on the Internet.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I welcome the $33 billion Fortitude Budget which will be used to counter the heavy impact of the coronavirus pandemic on our country. All governments around the world are taking unprecedented measures to mitigate the damaging impact of this outbreak and save the lives and livelihoods of their people. We are similar. Fortunately, past prudence has provided us with adequate emergency funds. We are in the midst of a brutal war, the pandemic has claimed over 370,000 lives in the world within a few months. Fortunately, we have managed to keep most of our people here safe and the death rate low. This is a challenging war against the virus. It is different from other outbreaks that we have come across so far. To my understanding, it is infectious even a person has not developed any symptoms. Asymptomatic infections have made this task of overcoming it even more challenging and difficult. Notwithstanding, we have to soldier on under these very trying circumstances, be resilient, stay united and help one another to overcome the obstacles ahead of us. We Singaporeans need to stay focused on a sustainable approach. By and large, we understand there is a limit to the handouts we can if we do not find sustainable income that provide long term and permanent social and family safety nets. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I am heartened by the effort to save and create jobs. I hope that more jobs can be created for the middle and senior age groups, particularly quality jobs. I am heartened by the response of our residents to the job offers, their willingness and courage in picking up new skills and adapting.”
“Next, on the Active Mobility Bill. I am glad that LTA has widened the enforcement area to include path-connected open spaces against the illegal PMD riders on these paths. We have greater clarity now that it is specifically stated that paved open spaces can only be accessed by pedestrians, personal mobility aid users, bicycles and non-motorised PMDs. So, it is clear that connectivity is ensured for these groups of users, with their safety enhanced by keeping motorised PMDs, which can travel at higher speeds, out of these paths. This will promote responsible and sustainable usage of the paths for all. At the same time, we are encouraging a healthy way of transportation and reducing our carbon footprint while promoting active lifestyles. Once again, my concern is about enforcement. I welcome the move to let LTA will take over the enforcement of offences under the AMA from the Town Councils. I would like to ask if we could tap on greater use of technology to boost our enforcement capabilities. Last but not least, I seek clarification about the age of offenders that the law will apply to as quite a number of such offenders in the past have been teenagers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I welcome and support the introduction of both Bills which will enhance safety for all as well as connectivity. I would like to begin with some concerns regarding the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Bill. The proposal to put in upstream measures to prevent unauthorised import of non-compliant small motorised vehicles is absolutely necessary. These vehicles include personal mobility devices (PMDs) and power-assisted bicycles (PABs) which come in many configurations and specifications. Very unfortunately, we have seen how, in the absence of import controls, how many of these devices had caused fires, resulting in injuries, loss of lives and property damage. In addition, some of these devices can attain maximum speeds way in excess of what is permitted and the speed differentials with other users on footpaths had led to accidents and serious injuries. With the legislative framework in place, enforcement will be key. Would the Ministry share how it will monitor individuals who purchase online and import devices which may not be compliant with our regulations? How will MOT work with our Customs to check on these imports? Another challenge is how MOT will check on those who modify the PMDs and PABs themselves as well as workshops or retail shops that are involved in illegal modifications. I would also like to know how the Ministry can enforce these regulations when users do not send their devices for registration and checks. So far, how many cases of non-compliant devices have been picked up? Would the Ministry consider recruiting volunteers who can be trained and deployed to assist enforcement officers? How about providing incentives or rewards to those who have assisted and given the necessary information regarding offenders?”
“Recently, because Malaysia implemented movement control, durian merchants have difficulty picking up from their suppliers, durian prices have plummeted, and the merchants, in order to survive, turned to selling eggs instead, with excellent results. We are facing a turning point in history. The way the world works will change dramatically. Individuals, businesses and nations have to rethink the way they work, their business models and their governance policies, how to turn failures into successes, how to keep up with the times, even leaping ahead of the competition. We must remain united and prove to the world that we Singaporeans are resilient in order to continue to attract high-quality investments to Singapore. I am confident that even during this crisis, we can create quality jobs for all Singaporeans and even as we fight this crisis, make good preparations for our future. We also need to work with countries around the world to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which controls the Gaza Strip, has joined forces with Israel to fight the outbreak. Finally, I would like to borrow the famous poem "Qingming" by Tang poet Du Mu and paraphrase it to express our aspirations: A pandemic in this time of Qing Ming; Businesses shut down with broken hearts; Don’t ask when this outbreak will end, Fight together to end the pandemic, we play our parts! 7.25 pm”
“Supply chains have been disrupted and are under stress due to lockdowns and the impact of the virus on logistics staff and workers around the world. Will the Government share how much the impact has affected our food supply? Our 30-30 vision will have to be brought forward. This is a challenging but necessary task, considering that we import 90% of our food. How will the Government do so? How can we attract more Singaporeans to this sector and what are the challenges faced by our local farms? How are we tapping on new techniques and technology to overcome our local constraints? Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Many countries around the world are currently in a state of emergency, imposing border controls, no-fly rules and local movement controls. The outbreak has dealt an unprecedented blow to the aviation, transportation, entertainment, arts, tourism, hotel and catering industries. Because of the extreme panic, the financial sector is also abnormal. Almost all assets were sold for cash. Stocks and bonds, and even gold, were sold, leading to the collapse of many companies. The collapse in oil prices has made the global economy worse. My residents and friends around me have expressed their understanding and full support for the many measures the Government must take to prevent the epidemic, but they are equally concerned that "people starve to death before the virus is dead" (in Hokkien). While we cannot predict how long the crisis will last, we need to remain positive, prepare for the global recovery and stay ahead of the competition. We must pay attention to the dynamics of our environment. Take a simple example.”
“We would need to continue to encourage enterprises and investments and I urge the Government, its agencies and various private sector firms which may have put some projects on hold, to proceed to award contracts and carry out their plans, all of which will help to stimulate our economy and create jobs. In the meantime, we must all do our part to boost the level of hygiene in our public areas. The public education effort has been intensive. We must heed the advice not only during this trying period but also beyond and adopt such hygienic practices as our way of life to reduce the spread of diseases. From the correct handwashing technique to utilising and disposing of tissues properly, new norms for social interactions and use of public facilities, how will the Government ensure compliance? What will be done to enhance the hygiene at the hawker centres and public toilets? How do we encourage more tray returns and get food handlers and stall holders to wear hair caps and spit-guards? In addition, how will the Government work with property owners to ensure cleanliness, especially for food and retail establishments, hawker centres, coffeeshops and public areas? These efforts will require quickly stepping up the professionalisation of the cleaning sector with training and certification. The crisis also highlights how dependent we are on foreign workers to maintain a clean Singapore and how we need to expedite the adoption of technology to overcome the problem of limited manpower resources. The COVID-19 crisis has also brought to the fore the urgency of ramping up our own food supply as part of a set of measures to enhance our food security.”
“I applaud the schemes to support our businesses but the implementation would perhaps need some Government intervention. For example, according to some stallholders and tenants, their landlords have not reduced rents for them despite these extraordinary circumstances. The new legislation to ensure that landlords pass on property tax rebates in full to their tenants would help businesses to a certain degree. On the other hand, some landlords complain that stallholders and tenants have delayed paying their rents or that they have lost rentals due to rising vacancies. Yet, they have to continue to meet their mortgage payments to the banks and finance companies. I suppose everyone has his difficulties and plight and the root of the problem is revenue loss and the resulting cashflow problems. Retail companies, including those downstream industries supporting tourism, are requesting to increase the wage offset under the Enhanced Jobs Support Scheme for their sector from 25% to 50%, for the remaining qualifying months beyond April. Same as for food and beverage firms. Other feedback includes more lenient criteria for reduction or waiver of the foreign workers' levy for staff who are serving Leave of Absence or Stay-Home Notices beyond April; reducing the road tax for logistics companies and providing more rental assistance to JTC and HDB commercial tenants. Gig workers, such as Grab delivery staff, need help, too. They are considered self-employed. How would the Government reach out to them and auto-include them in assistance schemes?”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, once again, let me thank all the healthcare workers and all frontline personnel for the hard work they have done so far to keep Singapore safe for all of us. I would also like to thank all Singaporeans for working together, failing which, we would not be here today. It is with a heavy yet grateful heart that I rise to support this Supplementary Resilience and Solidarity Budget. It has only been a few weeks since we concluded the Debate on our annual Budget Statement. In the short period since, the COVID-19 crisis has escalated and I had been hoping that the worst is over. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have been infected and tens of thousands have died. This is an unprecedented global health, financial and social crisis. The world, as we knew it, has changed drastically. Here in Singapore, in our day-to-day lives, while there have been some changes to our routines, we have not yet experienced the magnitude of the impact many other countries have. Hopefully, we will be able to continue to buy time with these supportive measures. No one knows how long or how deep the crisis will be. I am glad that Deputy Prime Minister Heng has given all of us the assurance that additional measures or the extension of announced measures will be considered should the crisis be prolonged. Notwithstanding these uncertainties, let us strive to have our businesses to resume activities and recover as quickly as possible with all the latest additional measures in place and implemented successfully. Revenue is the lifeblood of businesses. More businesses would collapse if sales remain stagnant or decline further. We must do what we can to minimise and slow the potential domino effect.”
“In addition to punishing those who deliberately feed birds, serious penalties should also be given to residents and businesses who litter and treat food waste carelessly, as these foods are an important source of survival for wild birds and pests. I call on the Minister to curb the over-feeding of wild birds in residential areas, to address their pollution problems and to reduce the risk of possible transmission of diseases. 5.29 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Bill, which will help to better balance how we and the many species of birds and animals in Singapore will coexist. We can certainly do more to protect wildlife here, preserve our natural heritage and ensure their survival. This is necessary for a healthy, flourishing eco-system. I have been most assured by the involvement of the public and various stakeholders, including concerned nature- and pet-lovers and even pest control companies, who provided their valuable feedback and suggestions for this Bill. Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I welcome the amendments to the Wild Animals and Birds Act, particularly the new section 5A. This part stipulates that unless permission was given by the authorities, no person will be permitted to intentionally feed any wildlife in any place. Otherwise, he will be deemed guilty of an offence. If it is a first offence, the fine will not exceed $5,000. As for a second or subsequent offence, the fine will not exceed $10,000. I would like to ask the Minister to share the details of how the relevant department will enforce this legislation. In our garden city, it is natural to have birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. But there are many wild birds in my constituency. I have received complaints from many residents that they are faced with the problems of noise and bird droppings caused by large flocks of wild birds. Stopping the feeding of wild birds should reduce the food supply for them and hence, reduce their numbers. But how effective this provision will be is still unknown. May I ask if the Minister can do more to solve this problem?”
“Next, I welcome the relevant amendments and continual investments by both public and private sectors in our domestic water treatment capability. These will enhance our water security. However, the question remains on the feasibility of the Design-Build-Own-Operate (DBOO) model. Would the Ministry consider other models? In addition, will the Ministry be able to keep the facilities financially independent and operational while the operator is struggling to keep the company going, falling short of triggering the invocation of Special Administration Orders by the Minister or seeking redress by the high court? Is the list of events of default sufficiently comprehensive? Have they been reviewed to ensure that they are not overly rigid or restrictive in order for the Minister to invoke the orders when necessary? With that, I conclude my support for the Bill.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I applaud the decision to set up the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. In the face of climate change, we have not a moment to lose. Our very survival depends on future-ready infrastructure and measures to kick start sustainable solutions. Very fortunately, Singapore has had some money set aside for contingencies like this. I really thank our predecessors from the bottom of my heart. Their hard work and thrift have made it possible for us to commence on ambitious projects like this. We have started with $5 billion for this Fund. The battle against rising sea levels will be a long-drawn-out and expensive one. Prime Minister Lee had estimated that coastal defence might cost us $100 billion or more over 100 years. How is the Government going to ensure that we will have enough money in the long haul to sustain this Fund? In addition, the Fund must be ring-fenced and protected from the vagaries of domestic politics and economic cycles. Would the Minister share what measures will be in place to ensure strict oversight and prudent utilisation of the Fund? I expect that seawalls, land reclamation and planting of mangroves would be considered for different parts of our coast. Would the Minister tell us what are some examples of the types of coastal protection and drainage infrastructure which will be financed by the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund? Due to our geographical constraints, we will have to cooperate with our immediate neighbouring countries for some of these coastal works for the benefit of all people. I would like to know where would be the areas we will need to consult with neighbours before proceeding with the appropriate constructions.”
“Has the current approach been adequate in preventing lift breakdowns? Do we have a national benchmark for lift performance similar to what LTA has done for MRT trains? I fully support the amendment to empower the Minister to order existing lifts to be retrofitted with safety-related features. Many older lifts were installed without these features, which are specified in the latest standards. Such lifts could either be upgraded or replaced. Last but not least, the most crucial element here is manpower, and I strongly support the various proposals to boost our pool of lift specialists and deepen their expertise. It is important that we have a strong Singaporean core of locally trained lift specialists, with attractive incentives for them to remain in this sector and to make career progress. Introducing the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) to attract more Singaporeans to join this sector is a good start. Workers will be able to look forward to a clear progression pathway which correlates the new certification requirements with wage increments for each role. We need to increase the pool of Qualified Persons (QP) to meet inspection and maintenance enforcement requirements. I also fully support the proposal to introduce a new branch of specialist professional engineers in lift and escalator engineering. With that, I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to share my views on the amendments affecting lifts in this Bill. As a densely built-up city state with more and more buildings rising above 20 storeys, it is very important that all the lifts installed are of good quality and are well maintained to ensure safety and reliability for all passengers. With a rapidly ageing society, lifts serve an increasingly essential role too, even in shorter buildings and facilities. In recent years, we have had a number of malfunctioning lift incidents, which had caused inconvenience and injuries. It is timely that we overhaul the relevant legislation and review the entire eco-system. HDB is the largest builder and enjoys the benefit of economies of scale. I would like to ask the Minister whether he is satisfied that HDB is fully leveraging upon this to secure the best deal. Presently, different projects are handled by different contractors, so I am concerned that this advantage may not have been fully exploited. Next, how could we ensure the adequacy of lift parts to meet the mandatory lift maintenance regime as prescribed here since the replacement of existing lifts can only be done after 28 years? Should there be a need to have a central national storage for all the parts from the different lift manufacturers that have tendered successfully to install lifts for our flats and which have also undertaken to provide the parts for long-term maintenance? [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] The use of technology can assist to provide checks on the maintenance of lifts. How would the Ministry encourage the use of technology to monitor the performance of lifts round-the-clock independently, particularly to ensure lift safety?”
“Chairman, while all of us are preoccupied with COVID-19, it is important for us not to forget about another health risk – diabetes. Diabetes can lead to health complications such as kidney failure, heart attack and stroke. One in nine Singaporean adults were affected by diabetes in 2010. As our population ages, the prevalence of this disease will increase as the risk increases with age. Rising obesity also contributes to the prevalence of diabetes in our population. Unfortunately, Singaporeans face many sugary temptations in their food and beverage choices daily. We may be able to resist snacks and so on, but most people will get a couple of drinks in the course of the day which are often loaded with sugar. These include coffees, teas, soft drinks and even purportedly healthy beverages such as freshly squeezed juices and herbal drinks. Will the Ministry share an update on the measures to control sugar-sweetened beverage consumption? Health of Low-income Singaporeans”
“Chairman, our construction sector has difficulty employing Singaporeans to fill many of its jobs, from the most humble manual work to PMET positions. The main challenges are the unattractive salaries, long work hours and difficult work conditions. However, the current COVID-19 outbreak teaches us the importance of having a good pool of local expertise for self-sufficiency. It is very important that we maintain a critical size of local capabilities for all job scopes at all levels. We should not be too reliant on PRs and foreigners. I would like to ask the Ministry what it has done and plan to do to encourage Singaporeans to join the construction industry. Will it work with the Ministry of Manpower to implement the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for construction jobs to ensure good salaries and career outcomes? How is the progress for the Professional Conversion Programmes (PCP) for PMETs in the construction industry? Good Jobs in Built Environment Cluster”
“Chairman, as echoed by hon Member of the Parliament, in fact, out of these 150 HDB blocks, I have a fair share in my constituency that were not able to get this LUP. I just want to find out, since then, has HDB been able to find new solutions to implement LUP for at least some of these blocks or install some interim devices which can help to transfer residents with mobility issues from their floor to the next floor which has lift access? The residents told me they like to age in place and they prefer to stay there. I would also like to ask how many households in need of direct lift access due to medical or mobility reasons had approached HDB for housing assistance to date? How many of them have been able to move to suitable flats with the assistance of HDB? Home Ownership for Rental Households Last year, the Ministry set up the Home Ownership Support Team (HST) to guide and support eligible households living in HDB rental flats to move towards home ownership. HST had set the target of helping 1,000 rental households within four or five years of its launch. Is it on track so far? How many families have actually bought their flats with HST's assistance to date? Due to the numerous hardships experienced by these families, would the Ministry consider providing additional grants or more flexible mortgage payment conditions for them? In addition, can HDB provide further assistance to encourage them to become homeowners by accepting the HDB rentals they have paid cumulatively as the downpayment for their own HDB flat subsequently? Rental Flats”
“I would like to ask the Minister what has been the response to this scheme since its launch, especially with the inclusion of 5-room and bigger flats last year. How many households have actually applied for LBS to date? Currently, how many households per room type are under the scheme? Among these flat owners, how many have to use the proceeds from the lease sale to fully discharge their outstanding mortgage loans? Some seniors are worried about outliving their remaining lease. What assurance could the Ministry provide them? Lastly, how will the Ministry increase awareness of the scheme among our seniors? HDB Facade Damage and Repair”
“Yes. Chairman, recent Built-To-Order (BTO) sales launches had attracted many flat applicants. But for successful applicants, in fact, the three to four years' waiting time is not short. To facilitate better planning for both individual households and HDB, would the Ministry consider allowing HDB to share information at the beginning of each year about the planned BTOs to be launched in the next one to two years? HDB could also allow applicants to register their interest in advance. In addition, the demand and supply information could be made available in real time, enabling applicants to make informed decisions earlier. All these data will also enable HDB to plan ahead to meet demand. Resale Flats Next. If financial assistance is given to first-time buyers, whether they are families or singles, to buy resale flats is quite generous. Firstly, there is the CPF Housing Grant of up to $50,000. If they live with or near their parents or married child, the Proximity Housing Grant of up to $30,000 will be provided. Thirdly, eligible first-timers can tap on up to $80,000 for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG). Yet, some of these buyers cite various challenges finding a suitable resale flat in mature estates. The reasons include both financial and non-financial ones. Would the Ministry share which are the top five obstacles these first-time buyers encounter and what further assistance, such as grants, can be provided to them? Lease Buyback Scheme Next. The Lease Buyback Scheme provides a monetisation option for our elderly while allowing them to continue staying in their homes. This is, indeed, 两全其美, a solution which offers the best of both worlds.”