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.]”
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“As I said, the investigation is ongoing. There is no ground for us to doubt the integrity of parties that are involved, but should the outcome of the investigation show that there has been intention to defraud the agency, we will definitely do the appropriate action with regard to the contractor that is involved. Having said that, PUB will always review the contractors from time to time, looking at its ability to supply and support the operations of the agencies.”
“I think that it may not be clear as to in which of the findings was there a lack of integrity. I think there is one that is being mentioned in the report about accuracy in the rates that is being used in the variation order – that is being investigated. We have been holding our assessment at this point in time, pending the outcome of the investigation. The other issue with falsification, actually, it is an alteration. A staff had basically altered a document, in order to provide completeness of information on that document. We have found that the facts were not misrepresented. The documents were factual, so there was an error of judgement on the staff's part to use alteration as a way of providing the information that is required by AGO. There was not any suffering in terms of financial or operational issues that the agency has received. So, on that note, and in reviewing the guidelines and the regulations that the Public Service have adopted, we have decided that reprimanding and downgrading of his performance grade is the right outcome for him.”
“Indeed, thank you very much to the Member for his questions and the care and concern for officers in PUB. I would like to say that the findings that have shown up in this audit reflected lapses, not so much because there is a voluminous amount of work, but rather in some of the processes that have been unclear and not properly carried forward. In any case, if there are crunches in terms of resources, I have been told that officers are able to raise these issues with their supervisors. But more importantly, I go back to my point. I think there are technologies that can help us to make our operations a lot more automated and also less prone to human errors.”
“Thank you very much. I thank Member Xie Yao Quan for giving PUB an endorsement of its performance. I would like to assure Members that PUB will continue to do its work, being the water agency, and take pride in what it does for the country in terms of assuring our water safety and security. In fact, this report has told us that innovation can be undertaken in areas, such as operations, in procurement. And I think with more application of appropriate technology, our officers can be more effective and therefore, relieve themselves from the mundane work so that they can focus on more strategic and more important functions.”
“Speaker, the short answer to the first question is no. I think the question has two parts. One is whether there will be training involved on other officers, including those that are more senior. The answer is yes, and will there be automation, yes. As I have mentioned in my reply, we will look at where technology is helpful, to help staff manage the contract requirements. And as to the speed of implementation, that is definitely not something that we want to compromise on. This audit and this report have given PUB many good lessons and we would like to implement and run a tighter ship without affecting the effectiveness of the agency.”
“I would like to assure the House that PUB has instituted adequate checks to ensure the delivery of clean water that is safe to drink. On the lapses related to supply of stocks, PUB has identified the root causes to be individual officers not being diligent in carrying out the required checks and inadequate supervision to enforce the requirements stipulated under the contracts, including verification of documents submitted by the contractors. It has taken appropriate disciplinary action against the six officers involved. PUB has taken the following steps to strengthen its processes. First, it has increased the scope of its internal audits on procurement and contract management. This includes additional checks on star rates in contract variations and use of digital tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to improve checks on contractual requirements and detect fraud. Second, PUB has tightened the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for contract management, to ensure alignment with contractual requirements, such as requiring the submission of the original COAs. PUB has also tightened its SOPs for checks on the quality of the stocks used in its operations. It has confirmed that the quality of the stocks that it has received earlier met its requirements. It will take appropriate action against contractors who fail to meet their obligations, including those who submit non-compliant COAs. Where feasible, it is automating processes to reduce reliance on manual monitoring and the risk of human error. Finally, PUB will continue to share the lessons arising from AGO's findings with all staff, as part of the regular staff training and communications on procurement and contract management.”
“Thank you. My Ministry takes the AGO findings seriously and has conducted comprehensive internal investigations into the contract management lapses contained in the report. AGO raised concerns over the authenticity of quotations provided for 23 items of variation works, or star rate items, under a construction contract for waterscape works, which amounted to a total value of $148,900. PUB has reported the matter to the Police to investigate if there were any fraudulent practices involved. It has also conducted a thorough review of similar contracts and did not find such irregularities. It will follow up with its own disciplinary actions should the Police investigations uncover any wrongdoing. As for the case of documentation falsification for the contract on supply of biocide, PUB has completed its internal investigation and found this to be the fault of an individual officer. The Certificates of Analysis (COAs) were altered to include required information which has been omitted. The alterations were done to cover up the incompleteness of the original documents to be provided to the AGO auditors, but the contents were factual. It has issued a formal reprimand to the officer and will be downgrading the officer's performance grade. On the AGO findings on the lack of comprehensive coverage of maintenance contracts for PUB's water quality analysers at private sector plants, it was already working on addressing the gap before the AGO audit. It has since addressed the issue by using its other contracts to cover the scope of work. It installed water quality analysers as additional precautionary checks over and above the analysers installed by the private sector operators, the results of the analysers cross-checked daily with water sampling tests.”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your permission to take Question No 18 together with the two related Parliamentary Questions (PQs) by Mr Xie Yao Quan1 and Ms Poh Li San that are scheduled for later Sittings? In addition, I will address two written PQs filed by Mr Foo Cexiang and Mr Shawn Loh for the 22 and 25 September 2025 Sittings, respectively. These five PQs relate to the Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) lapses highlighted in the recent Auditor-General's Office (AGO) report. I will respond to these questions together so that I can give a comprehensive reply. If the Members are satisfied with the reply given, they may wish to withdraw their PQs.”
“To support the provision of affordable food options, the Government will invest up to $1 billion to upgrade existing hawker centres and build five new ones over the next 20 to 30 years. MSE will harness new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and data analytics, to improve our operations and better serve Singaporeans. Environmental sustainability is a shared journey. Our programmes such as the SG Eco Fund and Go Green SG connect and support communities, corporates, non-governmental organisations and schools to embrace sustainable lifestyles and contribute to climate action. Together, we will work towards ensuring a greener, more liveable and climate resilient Singapore.”
“Singapore is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. To support our decarbonisation journey, MSE administers the carbon tax, a key enabler which complements other mitigation measures, by sending an economy-wide price signal to help businesses plan and internalise the cost of carbon emissions. Internationally, we will work with partners to develop mitigation measures such as the carbon credits market and carbon capture, utilisation and storage solutions, including conducting carbon capture trials for our Waste-to-Energy plants. MSE will invest in building Singapore’s capacity to assess the safety of nuclear energy options. As regional countries explore the use of nuclear energy, we will strengthen regional and international civil nuclear cooperation and enhance our incident response capabilities, including in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency. MSE will continue to plan long-term and invest in our water infrastructure, as water demand is expected to almost double by 2065, in line with our economic and population growth. As Singapore’s only landfill, Semakau Landfill, continues to fill up, Singapore must make greater strides to reduce, reuse and recycle. MSE will work with industry to reduce waste disposal, improve recycling and explore better ways to reuse waste residues. We will launch our Beverage Container Return Scheme in partnership with the beverage industry. MSE continues to work with partners and the community to improve public hygiene. We will target persistent littering and rat issues by tackling hotspots with technology, upstream refuse management and stronger enforcement.”
“The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) will strengthen Singapore’s environmental sustainability efforts and climate adaptation plans, even as we strive to uplift the daily environmental experiences of Singaporeans. Global cooperation around responding to climate change is weakening. This heightens the risks that global warming could impose on our infrastructure, economy and society. MSE will develop Singapore’s inaugural National Adaptation Plan (NAP) that articulates targeted strategies to address physical risks and other impacts of climate change. The NAP will serve as our long-term roadmap outlining actions that we will collectively take with Singaporeans to enhance our climate resilience. MSE will develop a whole-of-Government integrated strategy for heat resilience, in partnership with businesses, academia and community. We will increase investments in science and technology to identify innovative and effective solutions to manage the effects of heat on our population and protect lives and livelihoods. To prepare for rising sea levels, MSE is undertaking site-specific studies across our coastline to identify and construct the most fit-for-purpose multi-functional coastal protection measures. We will press on with research efforts to develop new coastal protection technologies and solutions while learning from the best-in-class internationally. Global food supply chains face will increasingly be disrupted by disease outbreaks, extreme weather events and heightened geopolitical uncertainty. MSE will enhance our food supply resilience by continuing to diversify our food import sources, build up our stockpile of essential food items and help our local agri-food industry scale up and become more productive and climate-resilient.”
“The Member may refer to the oral reply given on 10 March 2025 in response to the related Parliamentary Question on the personal operation of hawker stalls. [Please refer to "Requirement for Stallholders to Personally Operate Their Hawker Stalls", Official Report, 10 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 161, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“The enhanced Climate Friendly Households Programme (CFHP) encourages households to adopt energy- and water-efficient household products. The list of eligible products for purchase using the Climate Vouchers (CVs) was recently expanded on 15 April 2024 from three products to 10 products to include a broader range of items, such as direct current fans and washing machines. We will periodically review the list of products. Equipment servicing costs, such as that for air conditioners, are not covered under CFHP as these do not meet the objective of CVs, of supporting households to replace less energy efficient equipment with more efficient ones in order to reduce their energy consumption and expenses.”
“From 1 January 2026, interior paints with formaldehyde will not be allowed for sale in Singapore. To increase awareness about the harmful effects of formaldehyde exposure, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has published information on its website, produced circulars for industry and engaged the public through media features. We also encourage the public to use products that are certified under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme administered by the Singapore Environment Council, or the Singapore Green Building Product Certification Scheme administered by the Singapore Green Building Council. The formaldehyde levels of such certified products are low or undetectable. NEA is actively reviewing potential regulatory requirements for formaldehyde in other interior building products. NEA is also studying the emission levels and health impact of other volatile organic compounds from interior building products.”
“However, coffeeshop owners and operators generally also make their toilets accessible to the public as a service to the community, providing this amenity to patrons and non-patrons including senior citizens, taxi drivers, private hire car drivers and food delivery personnel. While enforcement plays a crucial role in ensuring minimum toilet cleanliness standards are upheld, grants can incentivise coffeeshop operators to do even better in implementing good toilet designs and initiate the practice of regular deep cleaning. The National Environment Agency (NEA) had previously launched the Toilet Improvement Programme (TIP) for coffeeshops between 2020 and 2021. The programme provided funding support for coffeeshop owners or operators to improve toilet designs or adopt technology to facilitate the cleaning and maintenance of toilets. However, uptake for the programme was low due to the poor economic outlook during COVID-19. NEA will incorporate learning points from TIP for the new grant schemes. However, relying on grants and enforcement is not enough. Toilet users can play their part by using public toilets responsibly and keeping them clean for other users. NEA works closely with organisations, such as the Public Hygiene Council, the Restroom Association (Singapore) and the Singapore Kindness Movement, to support coffeeshop owners and operators to maintain toilet cleanliness through toilet cleanliness audits and provision of public education materials for display in toilets.”
“Under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations, licensees of food establishments, including coffeeshops, may be fined up to $2,000 upon each conviction for toilet-related offences in the Court. These offences may be compounded. In 2020, the penalty regime for toilet-related offences by food establishments was enhanced. Under the enhanced regime, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issues composition sums of up to $500 for toilet-related offences. Licensees may also incur demerit points for toilet-related offences under the Points Demerit System. Coffeeshops that accumulate 12 demerit points within a 12-month period may be liable for licence suspension of one, two or three days, depending on their suspension track record. Between 2020 and 2023, SFA took a yearly average of 70 toilet-related enforcement actions against around 60 coffeeshop operators. In 2024, the Year of Public Hygiene, SFA stepped up inspections on public toilet cleanliness in coffeeshops, with about 960 enforcement actions taken against around 500 coffeeshop operators. In the same year, SFA also suspended 11 coffee shops for toilet-related offences. The highest penalty that has been imposed on a coffeeshop was a total of $1,500 in fines for three offences and a one-day licence suspension. Coffeeshops facing subsequent suspensions will be suspended for more days. Coffeeshops are privately-operated commercial premises. Under the Environmental Public Health Act, they are required to provide toilets for persons using or working in the premises.”
“In 2019, the National Environment Agency (NEA) designated Orchard Road as a No Smoking Zone. In 2024, the Orchard Road No Smoking Zone was expanded to cover additional areas near Somerset Road and Exeter Road. As the last expansion took place only last year, NEA currently does not have any plan to designate more areas as "No Smoking Zones".”
“The objective of licensing food businesses, including food caterers, is to ensure food safety to safeguard public health. The nutritional value of catered food is not a licensing consideration and the Singapore Food Agency has no plan to incorporate such requirements.”
“The Question has been addressed in the combined reply on the food safety of Ready-to-Eat meals at the 4 March 2025 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Causes for Recent SOTA Students Food Poisoning Incident and Details of Shelf-life Product Testing under Food Resilience Preparedness Programme", Official Report, 4 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 157, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“I think that we are working as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we have suspended this programme. The RTE meals are actually isolated and controlled, so we do not see that going into the public. So, there is no urgency from a food safety point of view. The packages are being collected, so we are not continuing with this programme for the time being.”
“I think that we are working as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we have suspended this programme. The RTE meals are actually isolated and controlled, so we do not see that going into the public. So, there is no urgency from a food safety point of view. The packages are all collected, so we are not continuing with this programme for the time being. [Please refer to "Causes for Recent SOTA Students Food Poisoning Incident and Details of Shelf-life Product Testing under Food Resilience Preparedness Programme", Official Report, 4 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 157, Oral Answers to Questions section.] [(proc text) Written statement by Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien circulated with leave of the Speaker in accordance with Standing Order No 29(5): (proc text)] I wish to make the following factual correction to my reply during the Sitting of 4 March 2025. My reply should read as follows:”
“The question has been addressed in the combined reply on the food safety of Ready-to-Eat meals at the 4 March 2025 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to "Causes for Recent SOTA Students Food Poisoning Incident and Details of Shelf-life Product Testing under Food Resilience Preparedness Programme", Official Report, 4 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 157, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Since 3 July 2023, supermarket operators with an annual turnover of more than $100 million are required to charge a minimum of five cents per disposable carrier bag provided at their supermarket outlets. In the first year of implementation, supermarket operators who started charging for disposable carrier bags reported a 70% to 80% reduction in the number of bags issued at their supermarket outlets. Some non-obligated retailers have voluntarily implemented a bag charge or have stopped providing disposable carrier bags. There are currently no plans to expand the mandatory bag charge to all retailers.”
“Thank you very much for the clarification. I do not think that this is a very major problem on the ground. I do not hear many such feedback coming from Members. But I will have to confirm again. So, I will very much appreciate if the Member could file a Parliamentary Question (PQ), so that we can give a fuller reply. On the feedback about SFA imposing regulations on ventilation as well as on noise, I would very much consider the Member's suggestions of perhaps having more regulations to regulate the businesses. We will definitely take that into consideration. But I will come back with a fuller reply to the Member's PQ.”
“Chairman, I would like to maybe ask the Member to give me the background, because I think he is referring to a very specific case which I am afraid I am not very familiar with. It is a specific case of a bakery with a ventilation problem that affects the neighbours. Perhaps, the Member can describe the problem to me again, please, Sir, through you.”
“Chairman, with regard to the first question from Member Ms Hany Soh, there are many factors that will go into the consideration on prioritising the centre for HUP 2.0. But I would summarise it as follows. 5.15 pm First, we will look at the centre, how important or how critical is the centre requiring major transformations. Second, we have to look at the needs of the residents in that area. Are they in need of a new centre? Is there a need for consideration or consolidation? Are there growing demographic demands? How is it changing with time? The third one is really to expand further and see whether what are the needs in the surrounding area as well. I think the fourth factor would be to really have a very engaged session with our land agencies, such as HDB, URA, to look at the overall master planning of the towns and of the land around these centres.”
“Let me conclude. The road ahead will not be easy. We will face challenges that will test our adaptability – climate change, geopolitical tensions and disease outbreaks. But our Singapore story has always been one of resilience, of a people who refuse to be daunted by our limitations, who turn challenges into opportunities and who forge ahead with boldness. MSE's theme for the debate, "Our Sustainability, Our Resilience, Our Everyday", is not just about the policies and infrastructure, but also about our people and the everyday choices we make. It is about the businesses that embrace green investments and innovation, the households that recycle waste, the individuals who champion sustainability and the communities that look out for one another. Every effort, no matter how small, strengthens our resilience and secures our future. Let us build on our strong foundation and press on with boldness and confidence. Just as past generations laid the groundwork for the green and livable Singapore we enjoy today, let us do our part to ensure that future generations will look back with pride at the choices we made. Together, we can shape a Singapore that remains not only a thriving nation, but also a home that is sustainable, resilient and full of potential. [Applause.]”
“Over time, as our people's needs evolve, our hawker centres have to be revitalised and future-ready. With climate change, an ageing population, rapid urban redevelopments and shifting hawker profiles, patrons and hawkers have new expectations. Hawkers also require more productive and innovative solutions to meet their business aspirations and tackle operational challenges. As demographics shift, some hawker centres in the mature estates have experienced falling demand. At the same time, new estates have emerged and may need more affordable eating options. The Minister for Finance has announced that we will allocate up to $1 billion to upgrade old hawker centres and build new ones. We will do these progressively over the next 20 to 30 years, to serve the changing needs of Singaporeans. New hawker centres will be built as needed, with modern and sustainable services and spaces. Under a new Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme 2.0 (HUP 2.0), existing hawker centres will be transformed. Madam, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme 2.0 aims to create a more conducive dining and working environment for patrons and hawkers respectively. We aim to make hawker centres more inclusive and accessible for all, including seniors and persons with disabilities. We also want to uplift hawker centres’ infrastructure to be ready for climate change. Some hawker centres located in mature housing estates may undergo more extensive rebuilding works. Where possible, this will be done in tandem with estate development plans, so that our hawker centres are better suited to residents’ needs, and keep pace with the times and local circumstances. (In English): Senior Minister of State Koh will share more later about our plans.”
“I have touched on our efforts for flood, coastal and heat resilience. These are important parts of Singapore's national adaptation plan, which countries are encouraged to develop in line with international best practices. In the face of increasing yet uncertain climate risks, the national adaptation plan will serve as a long-term, living strategy for Singapore to continue thriving in the future. Through our ongoing and upcoming engagements, we hope to hear views from the community and stakeholders too. Lastly, our efforts to safeguard our everyday. The journey towards a sustainable and resilient Singapore is not just about preparing for long-term challenges. We must not lose sight of the importance of our everyday behaviour. This was why we designated 2024 as the Year of Public Hygiene – to highlight the importance of public hygiene and, more importantly, to harness the spirit of collective responsibility in adopting good public hygiene practices for the betterment of our society. We have achieved commendable outcomes. We saw a 36% reduction of litter between May 2024 and December 2024 at littering hotspots, thanks to increased public education as well as enforcement efforts. My Ministry also recently received the Public Toilets Taskforce's report. We have studied the taskforce's recommendations and decided to endorse them. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng will share more on this. Hawker centres are also an important part of our everyday. In the early days, street hawkers were resettled into hawker centres to improve food hygiene standards and public health. Hawker centres have remained an important source of affordable food and an integral part of our culture, serving as vibrant community dining rooms for Singaporeans and visitors from all walks of life.”
“We are studying the effectiveness of cool coatings to other infrastructure archetypes, such as schools and hawker centres. We will find ways to improve thermal comfort for the public, such as enhancing greenery and ventilation, and reducing heat emission. Infrastructural interventions, however, need to be complemented with individual actions. Thermal comfort is subjective and our bodies respond differently. A key tenet of our heat resilience efforts is about empowering people. The Heat Stress Advisory was launched in 2023 to guide the public on steps to protect themselves, based on the prevailing heat stress levels. Recognising that heat affects various groups of people differently, depending on the nature of their activities, the Heat Stress Advisory is supported by sector-specific guidelines, such as the Ministry of Manpower's revised framework to protect outdoor workers. Underpinning these guidelines is our Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature heat stress sensor network. I am happy to share that we are expanding our sensor network beyond sports stadiums to cover residential areas. This will provide more accurate information so that our advisory can be more effective. The expanded heat stress sensor network will also provide more timely information on extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. We have developed heatwave response plans for both public and sector-specific populations. Assoc Prof Razwana asked about our collaboration with partners. We do so through platforms, such as the C40 network of about 100 cities that are looking for solutions on climate change. We also partner with researchers to deepen our understanding of how heat impacts our health and to co-create innovative solutions, such as developing wearables, for better heat stress monitoring.”
“The Government plans to use funds from our annual Budget, the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund, to which the Minister for Finance has announced a $5 billion fund top-up, and through borrowing. Where eligible, such as for land reclamation costs, we will also use the Past Reserves. We will continue to study how best to finance these measures in a way that is fiscally sustainable and equitable across generations. It is more effective to build up flood resilience at a system's level, where coastal stakeholders play their part alongside the Government. We are preparing a coastal protection legislation to set out the responsibilities of relevant stakeholders, safeguard land for coastal protection measures and ensure that coastal protection standards are met. We will consult stakeholders and table a Coastal Protection Bill in the second half of 2025. PUB is developing a Code of Practice that will provide a set of design standards as well as operation and maintenance requirements for coastal protection measures. We will consult the industry this year and aim to release it by the first half of 2026. PUB will also launch a Flood-Resilient Developments guidebook to help building owners enhance the resilience of their premises. The guidebook will contain case studies and a toolkit of flood-resilient measures that owners can consider adopting for their buildings. Next, on heat resilience. As we experience rising temperatures, building heat resilience is a critical part of our adaptation efforts. Ms Poh asked about our heat resilience efforts. We are progressively rolling out infrastructural interventions to enhance heat resilience. HDB will work closely with the Town Councils to apply cool coatings to all existing HDB estates island-wide by 2030.”
“That said, in land-scarce Singapore, we cannot keep expanding our drainage infrastructure. We must strengthen flood resilience at the systems level, and partner building owners, developers and the wider community. For individual developments, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) works closely with building owners and developers to implement, operate and maintain flood-protection measures. For underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and buildings with basements, PUB works with them to meet requirements on minimum platform and crest levels. PUB also engages residents and businesses in flood-prone areas and hotspots on flood risks and distributes flood protection devices to enhance flood protection for these premises. To update Singaporeans on potential flooding, PUB leverages the myENV mobile app, social media, radio broadcast and traditional media outlets to disseminate timely updates. There are also plans to enable the ERP 2.0 on-board units in our vehicles to display flood alerts by mid-2025. As we enhance our inland flood resilience, we need to build coastal protection in tandem. Members asked about the status of our coastal protection plans, legislation and standards. To guide our plans, we are conducting site-specific studies. The studies for Jurong Island, City-East Coast, including "Long Island", as well as the northwest coast from Tuas to Woodlands are on track. More details for the Greater Southern Waterfront and Changi will be shared later this year. We will commence the studies for Sentosa and the southwest coast by 2026. 4.00 pm Ms Nadia Samdin also asked how we will fund our coastal protection efforts.”
“We will launch a $25 million Weather Science Research Programme to enhance Singapore's ability to understand and predict our tropical urban weather, including extreme weather arising from climate change. Under this programme, the Centre for Climate Research Singapore will collaborate with local Institutes of Higher Learning and Research Institutes to incorporate the latest scientific and technological developments; for example, in the use of AI to improve our ability to forecast better. Just as we have risen to past challenges, we need to work together with purpose, with urgency and with determination to strengthen our climate resilience. I will speak about flood, coastal and heat resilience, while Senior Minister of State Khor and Senior Minister of State Koh will cover water and food resilience respectively. First, flood and coastal resilience. In our early days of Independence, Singapore faced frequent and widespread flooding during the monsoon seasons. Over the years, we have reduced flood-prone areas from around 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to less than 25 hectares today – and that is a 99% reduction. You may recall that in January this year, Singapore experienced two monsoon surges which brought prolonged rain. Over both monsoon surges, there was just one reported flood incident. Our progress in flood resilience is significant. However, climate change will pose new challenges. As such, we will upgrade our infrastructure to enhance our flood resilience. We can expect six more drainage upgrading projects this year. Later this year, upgrading works for the Sungei Serangoon Western and Eastern subsidiary drains are slated to commence, to cater for upcoming developments in the Lorong Halus area.”
“Improving energy efficiency is critical in our drive towards net zero. Everyone can play a part in improving our energy efficiency. Being more energy efficient will help us conserve energy, allowing us to grow our economy and population with less energy and carbon emission. We will support households and industries in pursuing energy efficiency improvements. For businesses, we have expanded energy efficiency grants to cover more sectors, such as construction and manufacturing sectors. We have also enhanced regulatory frameworks for various sectors, such as the buildings and industry sectors. For households, the enhanced Climate Friendly Households Programme will be expanded to benefit more households and encourage wider adoption of resource efficient household products. The public sector is also pressing ahead with its plan to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings. Senior Minister of State Khor will share more. Ms Poh Li San asked how we intend to manage air-conditioning use. Against the backdrop of a warmer planet, it is crucial that we manage our thermal comfort sustainably. Very often, our indoor spaces are so cold that we need to wear sweaters in tropical Singapore. A major step is to keep indoor air-conditioned spaces at 25°C or higher. This will reduce energy cost and allow occupants to dress more appropriately for our climate. The public sector has adopted this where possible, and we hope for partner businesses and the public to make a broader shift towards sustainable cooling. More details will be announced later this year. Next, our resilience. Climate change poses a serious and considerable threat to Singapore.”
“Mdm Chair, I would first like to thank all Members who have shown interest in MSE's work and filed cuts with us. As we mark SG60, looking back at the last 60 years, it is not difficult to note the progress we have made since Independence. We laid the foundations for a modern metropolis, cleaning up our waterways and environment, putting in place a modern sanitation system, reducing flood risks and improving food safety. Our hawker centres remain an important source of affordable food, a cherished social space for many Singaporeans and a proud showcase of our food heritage for friends visiting from abroad. We have also harnessed science and technology through NEWater and desalination to strengthen our water resilience and developed Project Wolbachia to fight dengue and improve public health. The green and liveable city we enjoy today is the collective result of our boldness and our resilience over the past six decades. Since our Independence, we have pursued economic growth in tandem with environmental protection and social inclusion. It is a careful balancing act, one that requires boldness in decision-making and the resilience to rise above our constraints. MSE's work is vital in safeguarding the food we eat, the water we drink, and the environment we live, work and play in. At the core, our work is about "Our Sustainability, Our Resilience, Our Everyday." "Our Sustainability" is to steward our limited resources responsibly for future generations. "Our Resilience" is to prepare for and adapt to new challenges. And "Our Everyday" is to improve the daily living of Singaporeans, and our daily interaction with our environment, present and future. In this debate, we will touch on these areas. First, our sustainability.”
“I think that we are working as quickly as we can. In the meantime, we have suspended this programme. The RTE meals are actually isolated and controlled, so we do not see that going into the public. So, there is no urgency from a food safety point of view. The packages are all collected, so we are not continuing with this programme for the time being. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment", Official Report, 4 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 157, Correction By Written Statement section.] We will do our best to do a study quickly, but more importantly is to get ourselves ready for the next programme. We have to learn and take positive lessons from this programme. How do we get Singapore to be ready to be resilient to disruptions? And the disruption is not just in food supply. What if we lack the facilities to cook food? How can we continue to provide nutritious food to the population in large numbers and in a way that is palatable to the population? This is in no means a small undertaking. We will have to learn from this lesson. We are expected to learn from it and be better. So, we will do it in due course and in full readiness before our next roll-out of the programme.”
“On the first questions about inspection and food safety, indeed, SFA conducts regular inspections. We have also, through the enactment of the Food Safety and Security Bill (FSSB) recently, enhanced the framework of ensuring food safety across all stages of supply of food – from importation to wholesaling to preparation to retail. Of course, if you look at the entire value chain, not all of them are of the same risk. So, we need to take a risk-based approach, scientifically-based approach to dedicate and focus our inspection resources, so that we are more effective in ensuring food safety as a framework. As to the RTE process, I have mentioned in my answer earlier on, we have inspected the premises before the FRPP and are satisfied with the outcome of the inspection. Also, as of today, our results have shown that there were no food-borne pathogens detected in the samples of the RTE meals. We do not want to draw any conclusion at this point in time. We want to do a fuller review and we will look at all possible causes of these gastroenteritis cases. On transparency, again, in the FSSB, there will be a new regime to ensure that our food establishments are licensed according to their readiness, according to the system that they have put in place. If they have many food infringements, they will be downgraded, they will be given more inspections audits along the way. So, our SFA officers will take a risk-based approach. If there has been infringements in the past, we will inspect more frequently. And by grading the caterers and food establishments, we are hoping to give that information, that transparency to buyers and consumers.”
“With regard to the first question about the conditions for testing, we believe that SATS had tested the RTE meals in the real-time, real case situations, simulating the transportation and storage conditions. But Dr Tan is absolutely right in the sense that these are the questions that SFA and MOH, together with SATS, will ask as we review the entire exercise. It is important for us to learn from this exercise, including some of the test conditions, to make sure that this programme will evolve more robust than before. As to the question of whether there was clustering, I think we are still getting the data. We would like to provide a fuller picture after we have gone through the data.”
“Members asked about the food safety processes applied to the supply of RTE meals. SATS, as an SFA-licensed establishment, is required to comply with food safety requirements and subjected to food safety inspections. Food safety requirements include ensuring that food preparation areas and process workflows are set up in a way that prevent cross-contamination between raw and cooked food, putting systems in place to ensure cleanliness and freedom from pest infestation, as well as having food workers certified with food safety training. SFA inspected SATS’ premises on 23 January 2025, prior to the start of the FRPP. The premises were found to be clean and no food safety violations were detected. SATS had also put in place additional measures for FRPP. Each meal produced under the FRPP was individually tested for leaks. Further, an SFA-accredited laboratory conducted sample microbiological testing to ensure food safety. Members asked about steps taken to restore public confidence in the safety of RTE meals used in resilience programmes. We agree that we need to restore public confidence in the RTE meals. As investigation is ongoing, it is too early to state the steps to take. SFA will conduct an after-action review to draw and learn from the lessons of this episode. SFA will continue to engage stakeholders, including schools, food businesses and community partners on our FRPP.”
“The Food Resilience Preparedness Programme (FRPP) which involved the distribution of over 100,000 Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meals to secondary schools, pre-universities, Institutes of Technical Education, public agencies and Active Ageing Centres, was part of this year’s commemoration of Total Defence Day. The RTE distribution was originally scheduled to take place from 15 February to 28 February. On 19 February 2025, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) was informed that 20 students at SOTA exhibited symptoms of gastroenteritis after they had consumed RTE meals. Students who needed medical attention sought outpatient medical treatment and have since recovered. None of the students were hospitalised. On 20 February 2025, SFA, together with the Ministry of Education (MOE), Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and food caterer SATS, decided to pause the FRPP until investigations on the SOTA gastroenteritis cases were concluded. At the same time, we also reached out to other recipient institutions to ascertain if there were other cases of related illness. Joint investigations by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and SFA are ongoing. As of 3 March, the total number of verified cases of gastroenteritis was 187, of which 184 were from schools, two were from Active Ageing Centres and one from a public agency. This constituted about 0.16% of the participants. All affected individuals have received the necessary medical attention and have since recovered. None were hospitalised. SFA has also collected samples of the meals for testing. The tests did not find any foodborne pathogens. SFA and MOH are conducting a comprehensive investigation of this incident, and SFA will take the necessary corrective and enforcement actions if lapses are detected.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take oral Question Nos 1 to 3 and written Question No 2 in today’s Order Paper, as well as a question on the same topic raised by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim scheduled for the Sitting on 5 March, together. These five Parliamentary Questions (PQs) relate to the food safety incident at the School of the Arts (SOTA).”
“The quality of water in licensed aquatic facilities, such as swimming pools, and the types of disinfectant to be used are regulated under the Environmental Public Health (Licensable Aquatic Facilities) Regulations. Licensees of aquatic facilities, including the Management Corporation Strata Title of condominiums with such facilities, are required to conduct regular water quality monitoring and comply with the stipulated regulatory limits for water quality parameters, including for residual disinfectant. The National Environment Agency (NEA) also conducts regular on-site water sampling audits of selected licensed aquatic facilities. For any contravention of the regulations, licensees may be fined up to $5,000 for the first offence and up to $10,000 for the second or subsequent offence. In 2021, NEA, the Public Utilities Board, the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and the Singapore Police Force jointly disseminated a set of guidelines to help swimming pool operators, owners and their contractors verify the safe use and disposal of chlorine-containing chemicals for disinfection of swimming pools. The guidelines include establishing safe work procedures to facilitate pool operations and ensuring that the loading of swimming pool water treatment chemicals and preparation of dosing chemicals should, as far as possible, be carried out during non-peak hours. Depending on the nature of the case, NEA will work with the relevant agencies and parties to investigate reports on the inappropriate use of chemicals or breaches in water quality in licensed aquatic facilities, such as swimming pools.”
“The Public Toilets Taskforce recently submitted to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment its report containing its recommendations to improve the cleanliness of public toilets. The Taskforce's recommendations include guidelines on toilet design, proposed grants to uplift toilet cleanliness and training of cleaners. My Ministry is currently studying the recommendations and will provide our response at the 2025 Committee of Supply debates. Under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) regulations, licensees of food establishments, including coffee shops, may be fined up to $2,000 upon conviction for toilet-related offences. Licensees may also incur demerit points for lapses in public toilet cleanliness under the Points Demerit System (PDS). Coffee shops that accumulate 12 demerit points within a 12-month period may be liable for a suspension of up to three days. In 2024, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) took about 960 toilet-related enforcement actions against around 500 coffee shop operators, of which about 210 were repeat offenders. During the same period, SFA suspended 11 coffee shops for toilet-related offences under PDS. Keeping our public toilets clean requires collective action. Coffee shop owners and operators should ensure the provision of amenities, maintain sanitary fittings regularly and uphold cleanliness standards of toilets. Users of the toilets should also play their part by using public toilets responsibly and keeping them clean for other users.”
“The Farm-To-Table Recognition Programme (FTTRP) was launched in March 2023 to encourage food businesses to use local produce in their food. It is challenging to attribute consumers' dining preference for local produce solely to FTTRP as there are other factors, such as publicity. We have received positive feedback from participating food establishments on the benefits of FTTRP. This is reflected in the growing industry adoption of FTTRP which has steadily increased from 11 food businesses in March 2023 to over 100 food businesses as of February 2025. These include McDonald's Singapore, which uses local eggs; Resorts World Sentosa, which uses local eggs, leafy vegetables and beansprouts; and Chilli Api Catering, which uses local eggs and beansprouts. We welcome more food businesses to join FTTRP. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) will continue to monitor the impact of FTTRP and gather feedback from participating businesses in assessing its effectiveness in promoting local produce demand. SFA has also been working closely with farms to increase their productivity and provide quality produce at competitive prices. This includes co-funding the adoption of productive technologies through the Agri-food Cluster Transformation Fund and working closely with the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF) to facilitate long-term commercial contracts between farmers and food businesses. Through the efforts of SAFEF and its partners, some locally-grown vegetables and fish are now sold at selected FairPrice outlets under the brand names "SG Farmers' Market" and "The Straits Fish" respectively, with encouraging public response.”
“In 2024, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received about 4,000 feedback reports on littering at the Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates, which was about the same as in 2023. We have not observed any strong correlation between littering hotspots and high burrow count. However, poor refuse management creates conducive conditions for rat propagation and harbourage. NEA has stepped up enforcement to deter poor refuse management as part of our upstream efforts to tackle rat infestation in the Year of Public Hygiene. In addition, from 1 April 2025, NEA will tighten enforcement against premises owners and managers for rat-related lapses, including poor refuse management. NEA shares rat surveillance data with the Town Councils and other stakeholders regularly and also engages them on measures to enhance rodent prevention and control. Collective efforts by the community are needed to uphold high standards of public hygiene. NEA will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to tackle littering and rat control issues in HDB estates.”
“In Singapore's 2024 Biennial Transparency Report, Singapore estimated the use of 2.51 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) per annum of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) over the Nationally Determined Contribution implementation period, that is, from 2021 to 2030, to meet our emissions reduction commitments. High-quality ITMOs will be obtained in the form of International Carbon Credits (ICCs) compliant with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. There are two main avenues of obtaining these ICCs. The first avenue is through the ICC Framework, which allows carbon tax-liable companies to surrender ICCs generated from projects authorised under Singapore's Article 6 Implementation Agreements (IAs), to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions. Singapore has signed IAs with Ghana and Papua New Guinea on Article 6 carbon credits cooperation. We are also engaging more than 20 other countries to sign similar agreements. The second avenue is through Government procurement. For example, the Government launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) to source for ICCs from nature-based solutions last year. RFP closed on 14 February 2025 and evaluations of the proposals are underway.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) adopts a holistic dengue control strategy to keep dengue incidence low, by keeping the mosquito population low and breaking the disease transmission chain. Part of this approach involves community outreach and engagement, including to those living in private estates, encouraging them to remove mosquito breeding habitats and protect themselves against dengue. Such outreach efforts are stepped up in locations where dengue clusters emerge. NEA's primary strategy to mitigate the risk of dengue transmission is source reduction, or the removal of potential and actual mosquito breeding habitats. Premises owners or managers of private estates are encouraged to take proactive steps to prevent mosquito breeding within their property. In areas where there is active dengue transmission, chemical control methods, such as the spraying of insecticides, can complement source reduction efforts. However, outdoor fogging should be used judiciously and not as a routine mosquito-control measure. I urge everyone to play our part to ensure that our homes and surroundings are free of stagnant water and to take the necessary precautions if we are residing in dengue cluster areas, such as spraying insecticides in dark corners, applying insect repellent and wearing long-sleeves and pants.”
“The Mandai Crematorium, which is managed by the National Environment Agency, operates daily and has sufficient capacity to meet current cremation demand. This includes buffer capacity to accommodate any fluctuations in daily cremation demand, including around public holidays. When some private crematoria choose to close beyond the designated public holidays, as experienced in recent Lunar New Year period, demand may be diverted to the Mandai Crematorium. To handle demand surges, the Mandai Crematorium may offer cremation slots beyond the usual operation hours.”
“Through the efforts of SAFEF and its partners, some locally grown vegetables and fish are now sold at selected FairPrice outlets under the brand names “SG Farmers’ Market” and “The Straits Fish” respectively. Public response has been encouraging. For example, the sales for xiao bai cai have increased about fivefold while sales for processed fish products such as sliced skinless marine tilapia have increased twofold since the launch in May 2024. SFA will continue to explore initiatives to facilitate demand offtake for local produce.”
“The SG Fresh Produce (SGFP) logos aim to help consumers easily identify and support local produce. The Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA’s) survey found that the proportion of respondents who recalled seeing the SGFP logos on produce packaging and buying said local produce increased from 58% in 2022 to 75% in 2023. We are unable to attribute the sales of local produce solely to the use of the SGFP logos as there are other measures such as promotions and publicity efforts by suppliers and retailers. We have observed growing industry acceptance of the SGFP logos. As of January 2025, 109 farmers, distributors and retailers have used the logo on produce packaging and in marketing channels, which is more than double the number since it was first launched in 2020. SFA has been working with the industry to improve demand offtake for local produce through other initiatives. SFA launched the Farm-To-Table Recognition Programme (FTTRP) in March 2023 to encourage food businesses to procure local produce. As of January 2025, 101 food businesses have been onboarded to the programme. We have incorporated a criterion in Government procurement to give additional points to businesses which have undertaken sustainability initiatives, such as being recognised under the FTTRP. The additional points increase their chances of securing Government catering contracts. In addition, SFA has been working closely with the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Limited (SAFEF), as an industry-level supply and demand aggregator, to facilitate long-term commercial contracts between farmers and food businesses.”