Grace Fu Hai Yien
Singapore
“The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to address the disamenities from second-hand tobacco smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Government agencies, Town Councils and community leaders to promote considerate behaviour and strengthen social norms.”
“The Government recently announced land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang to optimise our scarce land to meet our growing and evolving needs. We are at the initial planning stage and agencies are still working out the detailed development proposals.”
“Public Waste Collectors and Town Councils have trialled the collection and treatment of segregated food waste from households. However, participation rates are poor despite regular engagement and reminders.”
“The quality of incense offerings and the practice of burning incense are not regulated by law. Instead, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with stakeholders, such as Town Councils, agencies and religious organisations, to encourage responsible burning of joss paper and incense.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors public cleaning contractors through regular physical audits and remote monitoring, complemented by video analytics. NEA also regularly assesses the cleaning quality and outcomes of public cleaning contractors.”
“This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s combined answer to Question Nos 15 to 18 on the Order Paper for 7 July 2026. [Please refer to "National Recycling Rates, Plans and Targets", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
The complete record
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“The first question on responsibility, it will have to lie with the landowner that has executed the work. Of course, we will have to look at the facts of the case, whether it is due to the design or an implementation error, or is it due to maintenance errors. If I were to put in principle, we are looking at responsible decisions made by the landowner. If you are the later one that is joining to one that is already been built, it is your responsibility to ensure that there is connection and that the connection is water-tight. The second question is on imminent flooding. It is a very important one. What we have in mind is not activate this preparedness or this preparation an hour before a flood arrives. We are investing a lot into the ability to forecast. And we hope that we are able to forecast days in advance. If we have days in advance, we could go around to look at areas where we can give advance notice to owners. Landowners could then put up some of their temporary or some of their defence. They can check, make sure that all the coastal protection measures are in place and working as they are intended to. But if we are really unable to contact them, we will have some standard operating procedures – x number of hours from the expected time of arrival of the weather event, PUB will then have to execute. And if they are unable to contact the landowner by a certain time and they have to access, they have no alternative except to enter the premises to erect some of these measures, then they have to seek the approval from their senior management and they will have enough time to erect temporary measures and interim measures.”
“The collective efforts currently made by coastal landowners for protection of the coast will lay a solid foundation for our country's coastal protection and benefit future generations. The Government will work together with the people to address rising sea levels due to climate change, implement long-term coastal protection measures and jointly build a more resilient, safe and prosperous Singapore. (In English): Mr Speaker, coastal protection is a long-term endeavour to protect our people, assets and livelihoods. Coastal protection is not a burden that reduces business competitiveness. Rather, it is an investment to ensure business continuity in a world where climate risks will become more apparent. In fact, as Mr Andre Low has alluded to and explained so passionately, there could be new opportunities generated for us as we build up expertise and experience in coastal protection. This Bill lays the foundation to ensure a continuous line of defence that will protect Singapore against sea level rise for the next 50, 100 years and more. Together, we will work together for a more resilient and prosperous Singapore amidst the rising seas. Mr Speaker, I seek to move. [Applause.]”
“I would just like to also repeat what Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh Hanyan had said in the Committee of Supply, that we are going to publish a guidebook that is called the Flood Resilient Developments Guidebook, that is developed through an Alliance for Action on how we can incorporate some of these design elements. This guide will allow the landowners to have a collection of references that may be easier for them to consider as they carry out their works. Mr Speaker, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Coastal protection is crucial as it affects our daily lives and safety. The Coastal Protection Bill will help Singapore establish a continuous line of defence along coastal areas to resist threats from rising sea levels, protecting our people, assets and livelihoods. After the Bill is passed, landowners can choose measures that adapt to local conditions and adopt appropriate coastal protection measures according to their organisational needs. As a regulatory authority, PUB will gazette the scope of the "Absolute Protection Boundaries" and "Protection Boundaries" to demarcate Prescribed Places. PUB will also ensure that coastal protection measures of adjoining sections can be properly connected. We will engage landowners and coordinate among them to ensure that they work closely together to adopt appropriate measures. PUB will also provide technical advice and grants to assist them in fulfilling their coastal protection obligations. We appreciate all the suggestions made by our Members on how to better support the landowners. We will give them careful consideration.”
“So, my point is, the consideration for the environment, for the conservation of nature and the protection of biodiversity is done at the site study stage. When that is done, after consulting all relevant stakeholders, after arriving at the solution that we think is optimal, that itself will be developed into detailed requirements for the prescribed places, to be in the interpretation plan and to be gazetted. So, by the time that the landowner receives specific requirements in their second notification, the consideration is already done. We would have moved back from protected area. The line would have been drawn behind and therefore, impacting the owners. What the owners could do will be limited as far as environmental protection and consideration is concerned, although there are some considerations when it comes to using environmentally friendly, hybrid solutions, which over time, we hope to include in our Code of Practice that the landowners can then include in their specific sites. This Bill does not dictate the site-specific study process. We will follow the prevailing EIA framework. Landowners have the flexibility to determine the coastal protection measures that best meet their land needs. As part of the Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme, there is ongoing research to assess the efficacy of hybrid nature-based solutions for coastal protection. Where applicable, these nature-based solutions will be shared in future editions of the Code of Practice.”
“Very important questions, and I am sure many groups of nature lovers as well as members of the public, local community groups will also be keen to know how the coastlines will be affected by coastal protection measures. Indeed, we placed a lot of emphasis in upfront site studies, in engagement, in listening very closely, in discussing, in to and fro exchange of ideas with relevant groups so that we can come together to agree on a set of workable designs. That is done at the site-specific study level. Ms Cassandra Lee also asked whether environmental impact assessments will be required. We would like to assure the Member that coastal protection works in or near sensitive areas or that have potential transboundary impact will need to undergo in-depth consultation with technical agencies on the site's potential ecological and biodiversity value. If there is potentially significant environmental impact, agencies will require an environmental study to assess the full impact of the works and develop more extensive mitigation measures. PUB will have to conform and work within the EIA framework. Ms Lee Hui Ying and Ms Nadia Samdin, as well as Mr Andre Low, as well as Mr Dennis Tan, asked how we will encourage landowners to adopt nature-based solutions or to maintain some of their heritage value and whether there will be any technical guidance. During our site-specific studies, we engage the community and nature groups to determine the location of the measures to preserve and encourage biodiversity where possible, including, for example, whether the continuous line of defence can be set behind mangroves to minimise the impact to them. This was done as part of PUB's "Coastal Conversations" for the Sungei Buloh area, for example.”
“To Ms Nadia Samdin's point on how we will encourage landowners to take a long-term view during implementation, the Code of Practice will provide a set of minimum standards covering planning, design, operation and maintenance of coastal protection measures to ensure our continuous line of defence is sufficiently robust. Landowners are also required to seek PUB's approval for their plans before construction. So, there is some quality checks on the part of PUB. This is when PUB can assess if the measure is sufficiently designed while keeping the longer-term needs in mind. In my opening speech, I have also explained that the Code and what we are planning will also be updated in time to come, because we are continuously, regularly refining our projections on sea level rise, on storm surges and also, at the same time, researching into new engineering solutions, new technology that can help us. The Code will not be something that is fixed in time. I am sure we will review and we will update it over time. We agree with Ms Cassandra Lee on the importance of flood protection managers. The intent of appointing flood protection managers is to have trained personnel who can assist landowners in fulfilling their coastal protection obligations such as inspecting and maintaining the measures. To ensure the flood protection managers are well positioned for their roles, we will work with professional bodies and industry associations to run training courses and accreditation. We will release details in due course. The last group of questions relates to the impact to the environment.”
“We have assessed that the maintenance required of measures such as seawalls and revetments are minimal, and that this would not be substantially different from how landowners might maintain their existing seawalls and revetments today. Ms Lee Hui Ying also asked how the grant will be tracked and how it will account for changes in landownership. We are considering reimbursing the landowner in tranches. This would allow us to monitor the progress of works. Should there be a change in landownership before the completion date, the new landowner has the option of using the previous set of plans or submitting a fresh set of plans to PUB for approval. Next, on preparing the industry. We are ramping up efforts to prepare the local industry as we embark on coastal protection. There are two main groups here – the consultants and the construction contractors that will put in place the coastal protection measures and the flood protection managers that will assist the landowner with meeting the coastal protection requirements. On the issue of capability building, Ms Cassanda Lee asked if we would consider developing a list of contractors that landowners can engage. I believe Mr Dennis Tan made the same point. PUB currently does not have any plans to maintain a list of pre-approved contractors. The coastal protection measures that landowners need to implement are unlikely to be significantly different from the seawalls, revetments or embankments that are seen in Singapore today. We are surrounded by sea and we have coastal protection measures today. Coastal landowners would likely be familiar with contractors involved in such works.”
“This includes the scenario that Ms Lee Hui Ying asked about, for companies who face short-term liquidity challenges and are unable to maintain their coastal protection measures, or even non-compliant landowners who fail to fulfil their coastal protection responsibilities. First, PUB has power under sections 41 and 44 to step in and undertake maintenance and repair works to ensure the functionality of the continuous line of defence and to recover the cost as necessary from the landowner subsequently. Second, PUB has powers of forced entry, which we will use in the scenario when there is an imminent coastal flood, but the landowner does not have a fully implemented coastal protection measure in place and is unresponsive or uncontactable, notwithstanding efforts to contact them. When activating such powers of forced entry, PUB officers will be required to seek PUB senior management's approval before proceeding with forced entry into these premises. PUB will do so to either activate a deployable measure or put in place an interim measure. This would only be used as a last resort when the officers have exhausted all other available options, including the deployment of measures outside of the premises. It is vital for PUB to have the forced entry power in such a scenario, to join up the continuous line of defence and ensure public safety and protect assets. Third, on funding support. Ms Valerie Lee and Ms Nadia Samdin asked if maintenance of coastal protection measures will be funded through the grant. We are still working out the grant details, and more information will be released when ready. The intent of the grant is to fund the necessary costs of putting in place the coastal protection measure.”
“Ms Lee Hui Ying spoke about the importance of preserving critical knowledge of the coastal protection measures, as land may change hands. I agree with her. Under the Bill, landowners will need to submit relevant reports and drawings, including as-built drawings and maintenance reports, to PUB. PUB will also keep records of the reports and drawings, and can require a transfer of the records to the incoming landowner when there is a change in land ownership. Ms Valerie Lee, Ms Nadia Samdin, Ms Poh Li San and Ms Lee Hui Ying asked about the challenges on the ground for landowners and how PUB would facilitate coordination so that measures are connected and water-tight. I would like to assure Members that PUB will facilitate coordination among affected landowners during the planning and implementation stages. The Bill has provided for this coordination role. Section 30G allows PUB to provide as-built drawings or plans of the neighbouring plot to a landowner, if necessary, to ensure that the connection is effected. PUB aims to publish the Coastal Protection Code of Practice, as I mentioned earlier in the speech. This Code of Practice will be published later this year. It will set out the baseline planning, design, operation and maintenance requirements for landowners' compliance. It will also spell out what landowners need to take note of when connecting their measures, such as designing for water-tightness. Where necessary, PUB will use its enforcement powers to ensure the continuous line of defence is not compromised.”
“In addition, ahead of the formal gazetting, PUB will work towards publishing the indicative locations of the Absolute Protection Boundaries and the Protection Boundaries in the public domain, so that prospective lessees and landowners will be aware of their potential obligations. Ms Cassandra Lee also asked about liabilities and responsibilities arising from the transfer of land ownership. Our principle is that landowners will be responsible for implementing and maintaining the coastal protection measures on their land. When there is a transfer of ownership, the transfer of liability is no different from when property changes hands today. In addition, the previous landowner would have had to engage a Qualified Person to certify that the structure is up to standard, before PUB approves it as a coastal protection measure. Landowners would also have to regularly inspect and maintain any coastal protection measures they have, according to PUB's standards. Ms Cassandra Lee had questions on what happens if there are multiple owners, and what their respective obligations would be. Under the new section 2D of the Bill, the Government will make clear in regulations whether the lessor or the lessee is considered for the relevant coastal protection obligations. On the separate question of co-ownership, I would like to inform Ms Lee that we do not currently have any such cases. However, should this scenario arise, co-owners will each be responsible for coastal protection obligations. The second set of questions covers how PUB will play a coordinating role among landowners, especially when the coastal protection measures must join up to form this continuous line of defence.”
“Centralised specialised measures, like the barriers we are proposing for the Greater Southern Waterfront or the reclaimed "Long Island", are also not always relevant to the land uses in the region nor cost effective. That said, we will facilitate the process as much as possible. For the companies that lease industrial land from JTC, actually this is the vast majority of the private landowners, PUB is working closely with JTC to explore a centralised procurement model, as well as other options that can support JTC's lessees in fulfilling their coastal protection obligations. The responsibility for coastal protection will apply only to landowners of Prescribed Places. Ms Nadia Samdin asked if we would charge landowners who will be protected by centralised coastal protection schemes, such as the coastal barriers at the Greater Southern Waterfront. We will not be recovering the cost of these measures from the landowners, just like how we are not imposing any costs on inland landowners. These costs will be borne by the Government, who will own, implement and operate the coastal barriers. We will gazette the Absolute Protection Boundaries in Subsidiary Legislation and publish it in the Coastal Protection Interpretation Plan, which would be discoverable during legal conveyancing. These efforts would help address Ms Nadia Samdin's and Ms Hany Soh's as well Ms Poh Li San's points on ensuring that there is no information asymmetry and that coastal protection obligations do not fall through the cracks in the event of a change in land ownership.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Members for their support and comments on the Bill. Many Members have given very good suggestions, have been very encouraging, I would say. Some even calling the Bill a strategic one, not just for the protection of Singapore's coastline but also as a new area of growth, new possibilities of jobs for Singaporeans. Indeed, we are very hopeful that coastal protection will be an area where Singapore, being a frontrunner, will be able to accumulate the expertise and experience that can then be useful to other countries and other cities. Allow me to run through the queries and concerns raised by Members, which I will address in five broad themes. First, on who should be responsible for coastal protection. Ms Poh Li San, Ms Hany Soh and Ms Lee Hui Ying asked if the Government should instead implement coastal protection on behalf of landowners, to maximise efficiency and coordination. Fundamentally, landowners should be responsible for the coastal protection measures on their land. This will allow for the optimisation of the very scarce and precious land that we have. Having the Government centrally implement solutions will be sub-optimal, since it may not be feasible to account for every landowner's unique needs and timelines. Landowners are most familiar with their sites and are better placed to implement coastal protection measures that best meet their business needs. Indeed, in our engagements, landowners expressed concern on the potential disruptions when enacting the coastal protection measures and wanted flexibility to dovetail coastal protection works with their redevelopment plans and business cycles.”
“Through Our Coastal Conversations, PUB’s flagship dialogue for coastal protection, we have engaged the community, including residents, business owners, recreational and nature groups, on what they hope to see at our coastlines and what they value about our coastal spaces. Even as PUB coordinates the overall approach for coastal protection, we will work with landowners and support them in fulfilling their obligations. The proposed amendments to the SDA which I mentioned, will commence this year. That said, affected landowners’ legal obligations will only begin taking effect closer to early 2030s, after the Absolute Protection Boundaries and Protection Boundaries are gazetted. Today, as we stand on the firm foundations laid by our pioneers, so too must we build the safeguards of tomorrow. By laying a strong foundation for coastal protection, we ensure that future generations inherit a resilient and liveable Singapore, on which they can build their dreams for an even better and prosperous Singapore. Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Our guiding principle for penalties is to ensure they are comparable to similar offences within the current SDA and other Acts. The Bill will amend section 43 of the SDA to provide PUB with emergency powers of entry, if, for example, the continuous line of defence is not yet complete due to delays, or a landowner cannot be contacted to deploy the coastal protection measure. This is especially important when an imminent coastal flooding event is forecasted. As a last resort, PUB may also use the power of forced entry to enter the premises to address the coastal flood risk. This power of forced entry will only be used judiciously, and only where there is an imminent coastal flooding event. I would like to reassure Members that we have set a high bar to activate this clause. Similar to other Acts, to aid enforcement, the Bill will provide authorised officers with immunities under section 71 of the SDCPA so that they can confidently carry out their duties. For the immunities to apply, authorised officers need to have acted in good faith and with reasonable care in the course of their actions. Finally, the Bill amends the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act 2021 to adopt the new definition of “coastal management” inserted in the PUA by the Bill, as well as amends section 7 of the Government Proceedings Act 1956 to include coastal management and sewerage. There are also amendments to reflect the intended scope of Subsidiary Legislation on the Waterborne Tax and the Water Conservation Tax, and to regulate activities in reservoirs and waterways. We have engaged the public and will continue to do so as we work on our coastal protection plans.”
“To provide landowners of Prescribed Places with sufficient lead time to fulfil their obligations, PUB will endeavour to inform them of their obligations about 10 years ahead of the expected completion date. PUB will send out a First Notification to them after it has identified the indicative location of the continuous line of defence. The Second Notification will follow later to inform them of the specific coastal protection requirements, and the date by which the coastal protection measures must be in place. Landowners will have at least five years from the Second Notification to implement their measures. We will support landowners in fulfilling their obligations by publishing a Coastal Protection Code of Practice, or “the Code” for short. PUB aims to do so later this year, ahead of issuing the First Notifications. This will guide landowners and the industry on how to fulfil their coastal protection obligations. Landowners will have the flexibility to design the coastal protection measures around their needs, as long as they comply with the requirements stipulated in the Code. As climate science continues to evolve, we will strike a balance between having protection early and overcommitting resources. We will want to have agility and flexibility in our coastal protection plans so that solutions can be adaptive to advancing climate projections and engineering solutions. The fifth group of amendments will confer powers to enable PUB to carry out its coastal protection functions, deter undesirable behaviours and provide immunities for officers to carry out their duties. There will be penalties for actions that affect the continuous line of defence, and for failure to comply with a written notice from PUB.”
“Similar to other utility corridors, works within a designated coastal protection safety corridor, or Safety Corridor for short, will be regulated under the new section 30N. The coastal protection measures and the Safety Corridor will be delineated in the Coastal Protection Interpretation Plan, or Interpretation Plan, under section 30C. This will be hosted on digital systems accessible to the public, where relevant details of coastal protection measures, and the locations of the Safety Corridor will be available. Section 30I requires landowners to maintain, repair, inspect and monitor their measures. Under section 30O, it will be an offence to damage the measures. Should there be any observed damage to the measures, landowners will be required under section 30J to inform PUB and submit a rectification plan. For landowners with deployable barriers, section 30K states that regulations may require these landowners to deploy the barriers before an imminent coastal flooding event, as required by PUB. PUB will develop forecasting abilities to anticipate potential coastal floods, so that early warning can be provided to landowners in a timely manner. To ensure public safety in transiently floodable areas along the coast, where transient flooding might occur, landowners of premises within the areas will be required under section 30L to prepare a flood response plan and periodically conduct drills based on the flood response plan. As I explained earlier, we will publish the locations of the Absolute Protection Boundaries and Protection Boundaries for each region after our studies are completed. We will do so when we have a clearer plan on the recommended coastal protection measures of the region.”
“The grant will be sized according to cost norms, considering prevailing market rates and inflation. Landowners can apply for the capital grant after the legal obligation to implement measures has been formally imposed on them. The total grant amount will be split into reimbursement tranches to help with landowners’ planning and cashflow. We will further develop the grant details and share more information when ready. Second, we will offer technical advice and consultations to landowners. At the same time, we have been levelling up industry competency on coastal protection through training programmes. This will ensure that the local engineering industry has the proficiency to provide professional services to landowners to take on these projects and implement the measures to the standard required by PUB. While coastal protection works are undertaken by individual landowners, PUB will coordinate the works around the entire island, so that we can safeguard the long-term functionality of these coastal protection measures. To keep seawater out, coastal protection measures need to be connected to each other, and the connection must be water-tight. Section 30G requires landowners to connect their coastal protection measures with their adjacent neighbours. It also details how the responsibility of performing the connection will be allocated. Where necessary, section 30P allows PUB to require neighbours to permit entry to their premises or render assistance, for the purposes of connecting the coastal protection measures. PUB will maintain centralised control and oversight of coastal protection through sections 30F and 30H. Landowners will be required to seek PUB’s approval before undertaking coastal protection works, or before altering existing coastal protection measures.”
“Under the new section 30E of the Bill, each landowner must ensure that there is a coastal protection measure for the Prescribed Place by a stipulated date. All landowners within the same region will have to complete their measures by the date to accord protection to all within the region. These owners include the Government, Statutory Boards, as well as lessees with leases longer than three years. The majority of the coastal protection measures will be implemented by the Government and Statutory Boards as they own about 70% of the coastline. As we engaged stakeholders, indeed, it became clear to us that different landowners require customised coastal protection measures to suit their individual needs. The measures differ because of their unique land use and operational requirements. For instance, for a shipyard with a dry dock, he may choose to build a seawall along the perimeter of the dry dock except the seaward entrance. Landowners may also have preferred timelines to carry out their construction work. It would not be practical, nor desirable, for the Government to implement standard coastal protection measures for such a wide range of land uses, from ports, ship building yards to petrochemical plants. We have engaged the vast majority of affected landowners prior to tabling this Bill. During our engagements with them, some shared that they had not factored the cost for additional coastal protection measures when the land was leased or purchased. We have considered their views and will be supporting landowners to fulfil their obligations through a few ways. First, we will provide a capital grant. The grant will cover the cost of studies, services diversion, as well as the construction necessary to implement coastal protection measures.”
“For example, PUB has adopted the "Long Island" project for City-East Coast under which the Absolute Protection Boundary will be located on new reclaimed land and the adjoining tidal gates that will be built. Another example is the Greater Southern Waterfront which will have coastal barriers installed across the entrances of Keppel Harbour and Cruise Bay, to protect the land areas encircled by them. The residential and commercial areas along HarbourFront and Keppel Bay, as protected by these coastal barriers, will therefore not be Prescribed Places. The Bill provides for coastal protection responsibilities to be undertaken by owners of Prescribed Places, or "landowners" for short. This is our current practice for coastal management. Today, landowners along the coast already protect their buildings and infrastructure against coastal erosion. From time to time, they top up the crest level or repair their coastal structures although they do so without direction from PUB and do not necessarily join the coastal structures up with their neighbours'. We believe that this approach of decentralising the responsibility of implementing coastal protection measures will achieve a solution that will work for the owner and achieve the public good of coastal protection. Our land is scarce, and we should optimise it where possible. Therefore, we want to provide landowners the flexibility to select coastal protection measures that best meet their land use and waterfront needs. This will also avoid extensive reallocation or acquisition of land at the national level by the Government, which could potentially sterilise the valuable coastal land that we have.”
“There are some areas where access to the sea should be retained, such as beaches and coastal parks. We will therefore gazette Protection Boundaries to delineate the boundaries behind which the land must be protected from permanent coastal flooding. In relation to these Boundaries, the Bill sets out four categories of Prescribed Places, which would have corresponding requirements of coastal protection measures to be put in place. The first category comprises Prescribed Places at the Absolute Protection Boundaries. These will need to be protected against permanent and transient coastal flooding. The second category will comprise Prescribed Places bound by two boundary lines, the Absolute Protection Boundary on the landward side of the area, and Protection Boundary on the seaward side. These places are known as "Transiently Floodable Areas (Coastal)". These need not be protected against permanent flooding but need to be protected against transient coastal flooding. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment", Official Report, 6 March 2026, Vol 96, Issue 26, Correction By Written Statement section.] The third and fourth categories of Prescribed Places are Sheltered Structures within transiently floodable areas, such as food and beverage (F&B) venues as well as nearshore and offshore structures, like boardwalks and jetties. Where these structures need to be functional at all times, they would need to be protected against permanent and transient coastal flooding. That said, exemptions can be sought if these structures can be allowed to flood transiently. Not every existing land plot by the coast will be a Prescribed Place.”
“We are thus introducing the Coastal Protection and Other Amendments Bill, or "the Bill" for short, principally to introduce legislative and regulatory levers to undergird coastal protection work moving forward. These new coastal protection elements will be introduced into the existing Sewerage and Drainage Act (SDA), which will be renamed the Sewerage, Drainage and Coastal Protection Act (SDCPA). I will go through the Bill in several parts. First, I will explain our approach to coastal protection and PUB's role as the national coastal protection agency. Second, who should undertake responsibility for coastal protection. Third, how PUB will ensure completion of Singapore's coastal protection. Fourth, when coastal protection obligations for landowners will be imposed. Fifth, PUB's enforcement powers. Sixth, related and miscellaneous amendments pertaining to PUB's functions. First, on our approach to coastal protection and PUB's role as the national coastal protection agency. The goal of coastal protection is to stop seawater from flooding our land. This will protect our assets and livelihoods and preserve the functionality of the land. To do so, we will need to establish a continuous line of defence that will protect against permanent coastal flooding caused by sea level rise, as well as transient coastal flooding from high tides and storm surges. The Bill will provide PUB with the powers to determine the location of this continuous line of defence and gazette this line as an Absolute Protection Boundary. PUB will decide where the Absolute Protection Boundaries are after carrying out studies on the different regions of Singapore. However, we may want to allow for transient coastal flooding in some places.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Since our early days as a trading port, Singapore's destiny has been shaped by the sea. Access to the sea brought us opportunities, enabled our nation to thrive and allowed us to define our place in the world. But the sea which has served as our lifeblood could also pose a threat to our very existence. Singapore's Third National Climate Change Study (V3) projects that our sea levels may rise up to 1.15 metres by the end of this century, reaching up to five metres above today's mean sea level when coupled with storm surges and high tides. This is serious. It means that around 30% of Singapore could be flooded by seawater. Our businesses along the coast, such as shipyards or ports that rely on having access to the sea, will be at risk of coastal flooding. In fact, Singapore already experiences coastal flooding during spring tides today, resulting in some parts of East Coast Park and Pulau Ubin being flooded. If we do nothing, places, like Changi Beach Park or East Coast Park, could become memories of the past. We must therefore embark on coastal protection against sea level rise, to protect our land, our people and our livelihoods. In 2020, to prepare Singapore for this long-term endeavour, we amended the Public Utilities Act (PUA) to designate PUB, Singapore's national water agency, as our coastal protection agency. Planning, design and construction of coastal protection takes time. The implementation needs to be carefully phased, to take into account the resources available and to tie in with other development timelines.”
“In 2025, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and National Parks Board (NParks) took enforcement actions against 48 offenders for littering in public parks and nature areas, of which two were repeat offenders. NEA and NParks may deploy surveillance cameras to monitor cleanliness hotspots. Where there is a need to seek support from the community to identify egregious offenders, NEA may also publicly display closed-circuit television footage of individuals caught littering. NEA has not done so to date.”
“The National Environment Agency and the National Parks Board monitor the cleanliness situation in public parks through ground surveillance and public feedback. To address littering issues, agencies take a targeted approach, focusing on hotspots with persistent cleanliness issues and repeated feedback. Measures taken include stepping up the frequency and visibility of enforcement patrols and deploying additional surveillance cameras at hotspots. Educational banners and standees with anti-littering messages are also put up to remind park users to exercise social responsibility.”
“The National Environment Agency's (NEA's) Hawkers' Productivity Grant (HPG) provides co-funding to stallholders at hawker centres for automation equipment and digital service solutions. As of 31 December 2025, around 1,100 cooked food and 50 market stallholders have benefitted from the HPG. About two-thirds of all stalls now accept e-payment solutions. In addition to the HPG, NEA's Productive Hawker Centres (PHC) programme facilitates stallholders' transition to automated solutions that raise productivity, such as centralised dishwashing. The programme provides stallholders with funding support of up to 70% of centralised dishwashing fees for four years in existing hawker centres, and up to 50% for two years in new hawker centres. As of 31 December 2025, all 16 new hawker centres built after 2011 and 10 existing hawker centres have implemented centralised dishwashing under the PHC programme. NEA will continue to review its programmes to support stallholders in adopting technological solutions.”
“In January 2026, the National Environment Agency (NEA) carried out around 490 mobile enforcement camera deployments. These mobile cameras were deployed at public areas where community feedback highlighted persistent environmental public health issues, such as high-rise littering, smoking in prohibited areas, poor refuse management and rat infestation. Where needed, NEA will continue to expand camera deployments to improve environmental cleanliness.”
“Over the past three years, the number of fires involving blue recycling bins has averaged around 35 each year. These fires were likely caused by the improper disposal of fire hazards, such as batteries and lit cigarettes. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been working to educate the residents on the proper use of our recycling infrastructure to minimise fire risk. Under the annual Recycle Right Campaign, NEA educates the public to dispose of used batteries only in e-waste bins and other e-waste collection points. The blue recycling bins should be used only for paper and cardboard, plastics, metals and glass items.”
“Supermarket operators who are obligated to implement the disposable carrier bag charge are required to publish information annually on the number of disposable carrier bags supplied, amount of proceeds collected, and how the proceeds are used. This ensures transparency and public accountability. The large majority of proceeds collected have been channelled towards environmental or social causes. We are heartened by the attention that non-governmental organisations and the public have applied on the operators. This scrutiny will encourage operators to use their proceeds more judiciously. The government will monitor the use of proceeds by the supermarket operators and continue to encourage them to channel the proceeds to environmental or social causes.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I would like to respond to Member David Hoe's comment on heat advisories. We have about one million subscribers who have downloaded the myENV app. Obviously, I think that is a lot more that we can do and we should encourage more Singaporeans to download it. The issues that Mr Hoe has mentioned about language accessibility is precisely what we like to hear from you during this engagement over the Year of Climate Adaptation. Also, I would like to put on record my thanks to many Members who have given us very well thought-through, considered suggestions on how we should improve the heat resilience of the country. I think that these will be gold nuggets that we could incorporate into our adaptation plan.”
“Mr Speaker, I report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2026/2027 and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported and leave be asked again to sit again?”
“I call on all Members of this House and all citizens, businesses and civil society to participate fully in the formulation of our National Adaption Plan in the Year of Climate Adaptation. This is the time to act. [Applause.]”
“Whether in exploring ways to better manage heat, how to be prepared for flash floods or how we can implement measures while preserving recreational spaces and biodiversity at our coastlines, public participation will determine the effectiveness of our long-term plans. Inputs from members of the public will shape our first National Adaptation Plan, which we will publish in 2027 and implement in the years to come. Chairman, as a new grandmother, I hope that my granddaughter can grow up in a peaceful and stable environment. However, even though our country does its utmost to protect the environment, environmental changes occurring elsewhere will still affect us. In this world full of uncertainties, I hope that my granddaughter can grow up with resilience and confidence to meet the challenges ahead of her. Climate adaptation is not merely about building sea walls along our coasts. It is also about enhancing the mental preparedness and response capabilities of our people and communities, so that our nation can remain calm and steadfast when facing increasingly volatile and extreme weather events. (In English): I want to show Ning that as in the first 60 years of our nation building, we can, in the next 60 years and beyond, beat the odds by our collective will, sheer determination and the fighting spirit to never be constrained by our small size in our climate action. Most of all, as a Singaporean, I would like our generation to be a source of pride for the future generations of Singaporeans, that we have done right by them, that with gumption and courage, we have the foresight to make the right strategic decisions to build a strong foundation for climate resilience for their future.”
“For businesses, we will engage and partner our industries in developing adaptation strategies that are tailored to their business needs. We will provide more details later this year and welcome Singaporeans' active participation. 8.15 pm The Government is fully aware that there are many community stakeholders who are passionate about climate action and have innovative ideas on adaptation. To encourage ground-up initiatives, the SG Eco Fund will broaden its funding scope to include adaptation. Let me share an inspiring example. Anak, a local design agency, realised that there is a huge gap in how we dress for the heat. So, they brought together artists from around the world for a showcase on climate-adaptive fashion. They ran workshops, raising awareness about urban heat challenges and teaching participants how to create their own heat-mitigating accessories, turning awareness into action and inspiring new ways of living in a warming world. I am wearing one of their pieces today, the Ultra Sarong. This scarf, adapted from the Sarong, changes colour from yellow to orange when exposed to the sun, giving you a visual alert to UV exposure. We welcome more of such brilliant ideas from the community. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary will share more about how the Government will support. Mr Chairman, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] MSE has designated this year as the Year of Climate Adaptation. Our work ahead is substantial. No single Ministry, agency or sector can do this alone. Businesses must innovate, communities must support one another and researchers must push boundaries. Most importantly, we need active public participation.”
“NEA is a core partner in the multilateral Momentum Partnership, a consortium of major operational weather centres and climate research centres. NEA also has bilateral agreements with major research organisations in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. These partnerships allow us to exchange scientific knowledge and collaborate on climate science research. We are expanding our heat stress sensor network from nine sensors in 2023 to 20 today and will install more sensors island-wide. This will augment our climate and weather monitoring capabilities and give the public more accurate heat stress alerts through the myENV app, enabling everyone to protect ourselves from heat. Together, these advancements will help us make more timely and better decisions from early warning of climate hazards, our food diversification strategy to our long-term adaptation plan. As climate change affects everyone, it is important for all Singaporeans to have the opportunity to shape our National Adaptation Plan. Ms Poh and Ms Lee Hui Ying asked how we plan to engage communities on this. This year, the Government will conduct a series of engagements, including focus group discussions and a public exhibition. We will discuss why climate adaptation is important to all of us and why we need to prepare now. We hope people can share their experiences dealing with the impacts of climate change, and their ideas on how they can also play a part in Singapore's adaptation efforts. By tapping on the collective minds of citizens, businesses and civil society, we will enhance our nation's climate resilience to safeguard our way of life, including those with more needs – the elderly, the young and the low-income households.”
“As we reshape our coastlines for the future, we will work hand-in-hand with stakeholders to co-create solutions that not only protect our shores and preserve the spaces and features we value most but provide opportunities to create new spaces. Lastly, water and food resilience. We will continue to innovate and take collective action to ensure Singapore's basic needs are met even in times of disruption. Senior Minister of State Zaqy and Senioe Minister of State Janil will elaborate. We have touched on the "why" and "what" of adaptation. And now, on the "how". A holistic adaptation plan needs to be grounded in and guided by science. Members asked how we are enhancing climate monitoring and forecasting capabilities, including through international partnerships. Last September, we established the Climate and Weather Research Alliance Singapore (CAWRAS) to advance tropical climate and weather research for Singapore and Southeast Asia. CAWRAS is implementing a $25 million Weather Science Research Programme, which will raise our capability in weather forecasts and climate projections. Of the programme's projects, one covers the use of AI to enhance predictions of heavy rainfall and strong winds, improving our ability to forecast weather phenomena like Sumatra squalls. Another will develop a high-resolution historical weather record, allowing Singapore and Southeast Asia to identify trends and provide insights into regional climate dynamics. These efforts position Singapore as a regional leader in climate and weather science through AI-powered forecasting capabilities that enable evidence-based policy-making. We have forged partnerships with leading climate and weather science institutes.”
“Senior Minister of State Janil will share more details. Next, flood resilience. Ms Poh asked whether our drainage infrastructure will still be sufficient if rainfall gets heavier in the future. We regularly review the adequacy of our drainage infrastructure, taking into account the latest drainage design standards and climate projections. Several projects are in the pipeline. For example, we will be carrying out drainage improvement works to Bedok First Subsidiary Drain and Sungei Serangoon Eastern and Western subsidiary drains to reduce flood risks. We will also complete drainage improvements to 900 metres of the Bukit Timah Canal between Rifle Range Road and Jalan Kampong Chantek this year. Besides drainage improvements, building shared responsibility and fostering community resilience will remain key flood resilience strategies. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary will share more later. Third, coastal resilience. To protect our coastlines from rising seas, we will build a continuous line of defence around Singapore. We are pleased to share that we have now completed conceptual studies for the North-west Coast from Tuas to Lim Chu Kang. The studies recommended replacing tidal gates and raising the dykes that are protecting our western reservoirs – a significant source of our water supply. Site-specific studies for Sentosa and the Southwest Coast will commence this year. This week marks an important step forward in our coastal protection journey. We will table the Coastal Protection Bill in Parliament for Second Reading, which, when passed, will give us the legislation and regulatory powers to implement our coastal protection plan.”
“Businesses must be able to ride through extreme whether events and resume operations as quickly as possible. Those who innovate and adapt will thrive in the future. All segments of the community will build climate resilience. Schools can adapt their students' attire and activities and their classrooms to the heat. Sports organisations can adjust training schedules and enhance their facilities for safety during extreme weather. Grassroots groups can organise emergency preparedness drills for heatwaves, haze, or floods to strengthen community resilience. Each of us can build resilience in ourselves and in our family – look out for our neighbours in times of haze, manage our household's food and water supply with contingency and familiarise ourselves with emergency response plans. Together, we must keep Singapore going as much as possible in step with the changing climate and recover as quickly as possible in the face of extreme weather events. We will designate 2026 as the Year of Climate Adaptation to galvanise this collective effort on adaptation. It involves a comprehensive review of our adaptation measures across key domains such as heat resilience, coastal and flood resilience, and water and food resilience. Together with citizens, businesses and civil society, we will formulate Singapore's first National Adaptation Plan, our long-term strategy to build a climate-ready nation. Let me elaborate on the key domains of the plan. First, heat resilience. We will strengthen and coordinate heat resilience efforts across the whole-of-Government. We will invest more in research and development (R&D) to deepen our understanding of heat impacts, develop innovative cooling solutions and identify effective behavioural changes.”
“Rising sea levels, coupled with high tides and extreme weather events, threaten to submerge a significant part of our country by the end of this century, potentially causing major losses in property, our economy and human lives. Our businesses will likewise face climate risks such as damaged infrastructure, reduced productivity and supply chain disruptions. Businesses that have invested in other parts of the world will face similar risks. Our people are already feeling the effects. Intensifying heat not only makes daily life uncomfortable, but affects our health, safety and even our way of life. This is not a pretty world to bring Ning into. But as Prime Minister Wong said, we are not mere passive bystanders. You and I have agency. Businesses have agency. And Singapore has agency. In an increasingly volatile world, we must prioritise building a climate-ready Singapore now. We must prepare our infrastructure, businesses and people today to be resilient in a climate-impaired future. As Ms Poh Li San and Ms Nadia Samdin have pointed out, strengthening our resilience requires collective action of all segments of society. The Government will lead in our national climate adaptation by identifying climate risks and developing long-term adaptation strategies. Where necessary, we will invest in infrastructure protection. Through GreenGov.SG, we will spearhead adaptation efforts and encourage the private sector to follow. The private sector will include climate adaptation as part of their core business strategy. By conducting climate risk assessments, protecting workers, investing in infrastructure, diversifying supply chains and insuring against climate hazards, companies can protect themselves from larger losses and reassure their investors.”
“Mr Chairman, my family welcomed a new member, my granddaughter Ning, this year with great delight. Her arrival has made me think differently about the future – her future and the future of the world she will live in. She has moved my life goals. I now want to be fit enough to play with her. I hope to live to see her graduate from college, and she brings new meaning to my work in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. Numbers like net-zero at 2050, mean sea level rise by up to 1.15 metres in 2100, no longer seem so abstract. Ning will be 24 in 2050. What kind of world will she live in? Will she enjoy bliss and stability, or will she confront chaos, losses and disasters regularly in the prime years of her life? You see, we are confronting two powerful and interconnected challenges. First, the intensifying effects of climate change. Records are being broken in recent years – the hottest year, most intense rainfall, heaviest snowstorm, longest wildfires. Climate hazards are projected to cause economic loss of over a trillion dollars by 2050. Disruptions in food production and water supply may become frequent occurrences. Second, global climate action is under strain. Economic instability and geopolitical contestation, like the latest conflict in the Middle East, are clouding our focus on protecting our environment. Major emitters may backslide on their climate obligations as they grapple with the global tensions on security, energy, trade and investments. In such uncertain times, the environment becomes an inevitable casualty, and our planet will face the impacts of climate change more severely and sooner. Singapore will not be spared from these impacts. Our water and food security will be threatened by more frequent supply disruptions and shortages.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) conducted a three-month trial of the emissions self-testing facility for motorcycles at Woodlands Checkpoint from November 2023 to February 2024. Riders were randomly selected and directed to the self-testing kiosk, where step-by-step instructions were provided on a screen to guide the riders in conducting the test. The conduct of the test was monitored by NEA officers stationed on site to ensure proper test procedures were followed. Around 700 motorcycles underwent self-testing, with enforcement action taken against the approximately 230 that exceeded in-use exhaust emission limits. NEA is exploring further enhancements to the self-testing facility to improve usability and scalability.”
“This question has been addressed in the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 18 and 19 at the 2 March 2026 Parliament Sitting.”
“The Member may refer to the written reply given on 26 February 2026 in response to a related Parliamentary Question on Government's Support and Strategy for the Alternative Protein Sector. [Please refer to "Government Funding in Lab-grown Seafood and Cultured Meat Sector", Official Report, 26 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 20, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“All motorists, including those driving foreign-registered vehicles, must comply with Singapore's vehicular noise emission limits. The National Environment Agency (NEA) publicises key changes to vehicular emissions policies through media channels as well as posters at land entry checkpoints. Foreign motorists remain responsible for familiarising themselves with our regulations before entering Singapore. In 2025, 217 fines were issued to foreign-registered vehicles for exceeding the noise emission limits. This was higher than the 106 fines issued in 2024 and 154 fines issued in 2023. The significant increase between 2023 and 2025 can be attributed to enhanced enforcement with a wider coverage in Singapore. During enforcement blitzes at or near our checkpoints, NEA officers deployed on-site will identify vehicles suspected of exceeding the noise emission limits and direct them to dedicated spaces for further testing to minimise impact on traffic flow. NEA has explored the use of acoustic cameras to enhance enforcement, but they were found to have limited accuracy and reliability in attributing the source of noise to a specific vehicle under the crowded traffic conditions at our checkpoints. Nonetheless, NEA will continue to explore the use of technologies to facilitate enforcement against noisy vehicles.”
“My Ministry takes the issue of secondhand tobacco smoke seriously and has progressively prohibited smoking at more than 49,000 public places. This includes most common areas of residential buildings, such as void decks, common corridors and stairwells. Regulating smoking in residential homes, which are private spaces, requires further careful consideration as such measures may be intrusive. We have therefore adopted a community-based approach by working with other Government agencies, Town Councils and grassroots leaders to encourage social responsibility and urge smokers to be considerate of their neighbours when smoking in homes. We will continue to monitor international best practices, take in public feedback and review our policies periodically.”
“The International Carbon Credit (ICC) Framework provides a complementary pathway for carbon tax-liable companies to address hard-to-abate emissions, through the use of high-quality ICCs that meet Singapore's eligibility criteria. ICCs are capped at 5% of taxable emissions at the facility-level, to ensure companies continue to prioritise reducing emissions through domestic abatement efforts. The 5% limit also aligns with other comparable jurisdictions, such as South Korea. The Government is mindful that the pace of Singapore's transition to a low-carbon economy will need to consider the availability of cost-effective low-carbon solutions and time for companies to decarbonise and transform their operations while maintaining competitiveness. Eligible companies in the Emissions-Intensive Trade-Exposed (EITE) sectors have transitory carbon tax allowances to help alleviate near-term competitiveness concerns. Allowances are conditional on efficiency targets and companies' decarbonisation plans, to ensure that businesses are incentivised to transition. Separately, companies can also continue to utilise existing schemes, such as the Singapore Economic Development Board's Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions and the National Environment Agency's Energy Efficiency Grant, to embark on energy efficiency investments. The Government will continue to monitor international developments to manage this transition in a calibrated manner that balances Singapore's climate ambitions and our economic competitiveness.”
“The global alternative protein industry, including lab-grown and cultured meat companies, has faced hurdles in scaling up due to higher production costs and weaker than expected consumer acceptance. Nevertheless, there is potential in the sector. Hence, agencies remain committed to supporting the sector, such as through commercialisation and research and development (R&D) efforts. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) supports the sector through investments in R&D of higher learning and research institutions, to build capabilities in process development and nutrition and functionality of alternative proteins. SFA has awarded a total of $64 million to 21 multi-year projects since 2024 under RIE2025.”
“Tackling the complex challenge of climate change requires long-term planning and staying the course on a clear set of directions. As the world transits towards a low-carbon future, businesses and economies that remain emissions-intensive relative to their competitors will become less attractive. Singapore is alternative energy disadvantaged; our decarbonisation solutions are therefore more expensive and require longer lead times to study and implement. Consequently, our carbon tax rates need to reflect Singapore's higher costs of decarbonisation, to provide an economy-wide price signal to improve energy- and carbon-efficiency in all sectors and to enhance the business case for investing in low-carbon solutions. The Government provides advance notice of the carbon tax trajectory to enable businesses to act early and adapt their operations. At Budget 2022, we announced a target carbon price of $50 to $80 per tonne by 2030. Nonetheless, we remain alert to the evolving near-term cost impact, especially on businesses. We will continually assess Singapore's post-2027 carbon tax trajectory carefully, in the light of international developments. We will continue to calibrate our carbon tax trajectory to strike a balance between spurring decarbonisation to secure Singapore's longer-term resilience and competitiveness in a low-carbon future and managing the nearer-term cost impact on our businesses and households.”
“The National Environment Agency has introduced various source-segregated recycling schemes to encourage the aggregation of clean-stream recyclables. This includes deploying smart bins as part of our Public Waste Collection contracts and extended producer responsibility schemes for e-waste and beverage containers, where producers are responsible for collecting and recycling their products at their end-of-life. These efforts complement the blue bin system, encourage proper recycling behaviour and, combined with public education initiatives, help to reduce contamination in recycling bins. We will continue to explore ways to enhance our recycling ecosystem, including partnering with the community on localised solutions to collect more clean-stream recyclables over time.”
“The Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone (JFZ) was established in 2008 as a private sector-led project. As part of bilateral cooperation to support the JFZ, the then-Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) had provided technical assistance and training for food safety and animal health matters. This included supporting the initiative to establish and maintain a Foot-and-Mouth Disease-Free Zone for meat production. We do not have further updates, given JFZ remains a private sector-led project.”