Koh Poh Koon
Singapore
“In 2025, for walk-in patients, the median and 95th percentile doctor consultation waiting times were eight minutes and 72 minutes respectively. However, the Ministry of Health (MOH) does not track waiting times by peak versus off-peak hours, but it is likely that 95th percentile waiting times happened during peak hours.”
“The offences and penalties for importing, supplying or abusing SPS products are similar to those in the MDA, to ensure similar level of deterrence. Mr Speaker, with your permission, may I ask the Clerks to distribute a handout that summarises the changes in legislative penalties for key offences.”
“So, if you are a Singaporean student, you will expect that there will be some subsidies to the fees. The third question on how can the public, who may want to seek psychological care, know who is legitimate.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his question on audiologists. In general, a qualified audiologist in Singapore needs a higher level of certification because a diploma level may not be quite enough to perform the task. So, we will look and see whether there is a way to actually find an in-between.”
“We are starting with registration to give formal recognition to those who are practising in higher risk sub-sectors in psychology and making sure that the quality, the standards and the support is given to them to deliver the care that the clients and the patients need.”
“It takes a bit of, not just system change in the providers, in the doctors and the care teams, but also, a gradual shift in the mindset of our population as well. So, it is something that we have to continue to do. There is no magic bullet to this and it is not something we can achieve overnight. 12.15 pm”
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“Sir, we usually do not waive the levy completely. We can do one or two things, that is, reduce the quantum or we can incorporate it into the loan so that it can be spread out over a longer period.”
“Sir, in response to the question on APF, so far, $6 million has been awarded to 67 projects. Farms have previously tapped on what we had previously called the Food Fund in which about $31 million was awarded to 310 projects. 8.30 pm Farmers gave feedback, especially ICP, that cash flow is often a problem when they want to scale in technology, which is why based on the feedback from farmers and from ICP, we have decided to restructure APF such that they can have 30% of the grants given upfront to allow them to scale in technology as soon as possible.”
“This shows that we do consciously review our housing policies to make them more inclusive and to help families who would otherwise not qualify again. I thank Mr Saktiandi Suppat for suggesting that Fresh Start should be extended to single unmarried parents in public rental. They are welcome to apply and HDB will take a case-by-case approach to assess their eligibility. I am very excited for the emplaced families who have begun their journey back to home ownership. It is early days in this scheme and we look forward to welcoming more families to the scheme.”
“For the minority who cannot get along, HDB advises them to seek mediation and, if that is unsuccessful, they may search for another eligible person or apply to rent another flat. We do not intend to allow singles to stay alone, but we are working to address some of the issues through design. Since 2015, HDB has made available 180 JSS rental flats with partitions for more privacy. Another 320 of such flats are now under construction. I would now like to close with an update on the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which opened last December for second-timer families in public rental. We have received 68 applications from families who meet the basic profile, in terms of demographics and housing situation. I am pleased to say that 13 families have been emplaced, and four of them have already applied for their 2-room flexi flats in HDB's sales exercise last month. A few more are awaiting their emplacement interviews and another 48 applications are being processed. One of the emplaced families, the Lim family, visited the 2-room flexi flat show-flat at HDB Hub, and told us they were very excited at finally being able to have their own home. Mrs Lim, in particular, cannot wait to do up her own kitchen. It is every woman's dream to want to have a nice kitchen, I suppose. My mother certainly would never compromise on the furnishings in the kitchen. Many applicants have told us that the help offered by Fresh Start is useful, from the grant, to the concessionary rate loan and the capping of the resale levy. Before Fresh Start, second-timer families would not have been eligible for any of these concessions, certainly not a second housing grant.”
“Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin also asked about the underlying principle of why only applicants who sold the flat before a divorce can apply for the ASSIST scheme. Let me just explain that ASSIST is meant to cater to those who are unable to own a place on their own after divorce. Therefore, those who were able to retain the matrimonial flat after divorce or those who are able to buy a flat after divorce − when they dispose of their old flat, they get some money and they are able to buy a flat on their own − will not qualify for the ASSIST scheme. So, their financial status is also something that we consider and whether they end up owning the matrimonial home subsequently. That is why the scheme is designed this way. Our housing policies address the majority of our population and there will always be a minority whose circumstances are not addressed. The channels for appeal are always open to them. And they are not intended to create extra friction. Rather, it is to ensure fairness to the majority who have abided by the general policies. I urge Members of this House and members of the public to approach the agencies for assistance when necessary. Miss Cheryl Chan and Mr Pritam Singh asked whether HDB can offer rental flats to Singaporeans married to foreigners. If they do not have Singaporean children, it is difficult to extend them the same level of subsidies as households with two or more Singaporeans. Nonetheless, as the Member has acknowledged, HDB does exercise flexibility and HDB has made exceptions to help those families in extenuating circumstances, and we will continue to do so. Separately, on the JSS in public rental, we agree with Mr Henry Kwek that flatmates provide company and support for each other.”
“Her family turned her out and she could not turn to the children's biological fathers as they have moved out of Singapore − another sad but not unheard of type of story. She is unemployed as she needs to look after her children. HDB allocated them a 1-room rental flat in the northern part of Singapore. All these families, and many others, were assisted by HDB because they were in need and had no other housing options and no family support, but each of them has a different story and different need at the same time. I thank Members for their various suggestions and we will study them as we review our policies. Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin asked what is the best approach for single unwed parents to access housing. I would say anybody who is in need is welcome to approach their MP for help, but they can also appeal to HDB directly. The examples I gave earlier show that HDB does take a compassionate approach towards these cases in need. HDB will seek to understand the facts of each case and evaluate all appeals fairly and objectively, and apply help where necessary. Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin also asked for an update on the ASSIST scheme. Let me remind Members that ASSIST stands for Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers where we set aside 5% out of the 30% second-timer quota for 2-room flexi and 3-room BTO flats in non-mature estates for divorced or widowed persons with at least one young child. Since May 2013, 887 flats were set aside under ASSIST. Of the 282 applicants received before 2016, 199 or 71% went on to book a flat. Of the remainder, 66 of them or 23% did not proceed despite qualifying. Perhaps, they already had alternative housing options. Another 42 applications are currently under process.”
“They all have their unique social challenges, different family backgrounds and unique family situations. We have addressed some of these challenges on how we help single parents in previous Parliamentary Questions. But let me reassure Members once again that while certain rules and criteria are needed to achieve fair allocation and policy objectives, they are not applied in a blanket manner simply because there is no typical case, there is no typical profile. Therefore, we take a case-by-case approach and apply flexibility, taking into account those factors I said earlier. I would like to share some actual cases just from last month, February 2017, where HDB has made exceptions to help families in need. A gentleman, let us just call him Mr A. He earns $1,800 monthly at a hawker stall. He is the sole breadwinner supporting his wife and two children and he sold his flat last year due to debts, a very common story that we may have encountered in our MPS. HDB waived both the income ceiling and the 30-month debarment for the family. They moved into a 2-room rental flat in Ang Mo Kio last month. Another gentleman, let us call him Mr B. He earns $2,000 a month as a driver and he is close to retirement age. His wife is unable to work due to health issues and looks after their daughter. They had been staying with a friend but now the friend asked them to move out, another common story. HDB waived the income ceiling for them and, today, the family is in a 2-room rental flat in Bedok. Another case, Madam C, a lady in her 30s. She is a single mother, unmarried parent with three children who were born out of wedlock.”
“We want to be a City in a Garden with its attendant flora and fauna. For that to be a reality, all of us need to play a part in finding the right balance between human-animal interaction and conflict. We expect pet owners to be responsible for their pets, just as we expect others to treat animals with respect and tolerance. Mr Louis Ng asked about the possibility of labelling palm oil on food labels so that consumers can play their part in anti-haze efforts. This is an idea that requires further study. For instance, requiring this labelling on food labels could help consumers make more conscious decisions no doubt. However, this would also be stricter than current international standards and may be misperceived as a trade barrier. So, for the moment, we have taken the approach of encouraging the industry to voluntarily declare that their palm oil is from sustainable sources. The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources will talk more about the haze issue later in his COS session. While we move to tackle the challenges ahead, we must also support the vulnerable in our community. Several Members asked whether we can do more for single parents. There were suggestions to waive the resale levy, to allow flat applications before finalisation of divorce, to lift the debarment and raise the income ceiling for public rental, to have a dedicated appeals channel and to give more help to single unmarried parents. Let me just say that single parents are not a homogeneous group. Each may have their unique circumstances and challenges. Let us think back to all the residents we see in our MPS. There is no typical case of a single parent. There is no classic case where you say it fits a certain profile.”
“Mr Chong Kee Hiong's example of Clover estate, which is one of the private estates that he asked about earlier, under the EUP, the estate has already been approved for Batch Nine, and I believe we are in the process of calling for tender evaluation now to appoint the consultants. We do hope by June or July this year that we will finish appointing all the consultants, for which they can then work with the relevant working committees to plan for the schedule for EUP in Batch Nine, going forward. Mr Chong Kee Hiong also asked about the master developer concept. As this has been covered by Minister Lawrence Wong's speech earlier, I will not elaborate further. Mr Chong Kee Hiong also asked about the option of thinking about using BID in our planning. This is something we will study and we will be able to release more details when the study is completed. Mr Louis Ng made several suggestions to better tackle animal crime, including increasing the number of AVA inspectors for wildlife crime, introducing sniffer dogs to detect smuggled wildlife and working more closely with AWGs. I thank the Member for his interesting ideas. We will certainly consider them. AVA already works closely with AWGs on animal cruelty cases. This has been found to be mutually beneficial and this cooperation has resulted in several successful investigations. I believe AVA is happy to engage more AWGs who can be helpful in this way. 8.15 pm Mr Louis Ng also asked whether we can extend the funding and support for the Love Cats pilot project to more estates in Singapore. We are currently in the process of assessing the Cat Welfare Society's proposal, but we do need to recognise that there are differing views among residents on this subject.”
“The third thrust is to ensure that our workers are equipped with the right skills. As we work with the sector to raise productivity and pursue new areas of growth, there will be new ways of doing things and new jobs being created. For example, with more information and services being online, it may be more important for property agents now to hone their skills in servicing clients and building up their credentials rather than just competing on marketing and closing transactions. We will be working with companies, industry associations and unions to ensure that there are training opportunities to help workers upskill and continuously refresh those skills throughout their careers. Together, these thrusts will support a major transformation of the real estate industry. This will not be easy. But, as the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, said, "Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slow." The time to transform is now. Over the next few months, my colleagues from MND and the agencies will work closely with all stakeholders − companies, industry associations, workers and unions − to develop the ITM and the way they should take it forward. Let me address some of the other queries raised by Members. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked about using EUP to address the deterioration of public infrastructure in older private estates. Let me clarify that EUP is not the most appropriate way to do so because it is meant to provide amenities in private estates that go beyond routine maintenance work. Public infrastructure in private estates is maintained by public agencies like NParks, LTA, and PUB. If deterioration occurs and ad hoc repairs are needed, the public can alert the relevant agencies directly or through MSO's OneService app to do so.”
“This will allow them to remain competitive and continue to provide good jobs. On our part, Government agencies will consider how we can streamline processes to make the sector more productive, while providing consumers with added convenience and more positive experiences. HDB is already doing a review of its resale transaction processes with the aim of significantly reducing total transaction time. One possibility we are considering is to do away with one of the HDB's resale appointments by leveraging ICT technology. We will also explore how to streamline other transactions, such as for rentals for private properties. Our second thrust is to help companies scale up and take advantage of new growth areas. With scale, companies can leverage on greater economies of scale, increase their value proposition, and better respond to market disruptions. Several real estate companies have done this by expanding into related areas in the property value chain or by venturing overseas. One example is home-grown company, LHN Group. They have enhanced their value proposition by expanding downstream, from their original focus in space optimisation, to facilities management and shared services. LHN's efforts, with support from SPRING and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, have allowed the company to take advantage of new areas of growth, including expanding into China, to manage mixed-use developments. We need more of such examples. Expanding into new business areas or overseas markets is not easy. This is why, as part of the Real Estate ITM, we will work with the industry to identify new areas of growth and see how to support their efforts to deepen their expertise, develop competitive niches and enter overseas markets.”
“We need the cooperation and support of our local agricultural practitioners to transform themselves and the entire sector. I believe if we can do this well, we will have a "food story" to go along with our "water story". The agriculture sector is not the only sector that has to transform itself to prepare for the future. The real estate sector also needs to change. Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked how the Ministry will help our real estate industry overcome the challenges that are posed by digital disruption. We are already seeing signs of such disruption in countries like the US, the UK and Australia where sophisticated online platforms have enabled consumers to conduct property transactions themselves. They have used online property searches and viewing, as well as e-conveyancing and other value-added services. We have also seen quite a number of do it yourself (DIY) property portals sprouting up in Singapore in recent years. This has led to a growing number of Singaporeans choosing to complete their property transactions without the use of a property agent. To survive and thrive, the industry must consider new ways of doing things. MND is, therefore, bringing together industry stakeholders across the entire real estate value chain − this includes property developers, estate agents, conveyancing and valuation firms − to collectively develop a Real Estate Industry Transformation Map (Real Estate ITM). This is one of the 23 ITMs being developed under the ITM. Through the ITM, we hope to create a resilient and future-ready real estate industry that will continue to provide good jobs for Singaporeans. This will involve three broad thrusts: productivity, scale and skills. First, we must help our real estate companies maximise the potential of their workers and raise productivity.”
“Therefore, from April this year, APF will disburse up to 30% of the approved funding quantum upfront to facilitate the adoption of technology. This will complement our move to increase the tenure of farmlands to 20-year leases, from the previous 10-plus-10, based on industry feedback. AVA will also adopt a new "account management" approach to our farms. This means that each farm will have a dedicated account manager to advise them on business development, technology adoption and financial assistance. The account manager will facilitate the farmer's interactions with the many agencies and they will also work with stakeholders. Think of these account managers as the equivalent of SPRING Singapore for our farming industry. AVA wants to help our farmers succeed. If they are willing and able to transform, AVA will walk this journey with them. In fact, one of the things AVA has been actively doing is to help our farmers to understand technology better. Just last year, AVA brought a group of our farmers to Japan to source for technology, to help them look at indoor farming technology which they may be keen to adopt. This year, in April, we will be bringing a different group of farmers to other advanced farms in China to understand land-based farming and some of the technologies they can adopt in Singapore. This farm transformation map is just in its infancy. We will continue to work with ICP and other stakeholders to refine it as we gain momentum and as technology for farming matures. Over the next few years, this partnership will create practical initiatives and solutions that I hope will be impactful for the farming industry. Therefore, to respond to the Members, the Government has a strategy. But it will not be without challenges going forward and we cannot do it alone.”
“It will no longer be just about toiling in the sun, doing manual labour, but about engineering, info-comm technology, entrepreneurship and R&D. The interactions among these areas will generate ideas to transform the farming industry. Back to the example of Apollo. Apollo, as a vertical fish farm, has also adopted and invented some of their own technologies, their own software, their own sensors in the fish tanks, so much so that the operational room is an air-conditioned room where the operators sit in the room looking at computer monitors. They can tell the water temperature, the salinity of the water. They even have video cameras to tell how the fish are doing in the tanks and have automatic feeding as well to feed the fish in the tank. In essence, this is a very high-tech process, and Apollo has worked with Temasek Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic to provide internships for students in the agriculture course to be trained in using their high-tech systems. Many young people in these Polytechnics are now excited to join Apollo in their venture, especially now that Apollo has gone overseas. Fourth, we need to grow the ecosystem. This means encouraging ancillary players. It means increasing demand for local produce, helping our farms to seek financing. Consumers, Singaporeans, must also pay a part and actively support our local produce. In other words, it is about creating an active ecosystem, an environment where our farms can thrive. In this regard, the ICP pointed out that tight cash flows often limit the farmers from investing in more expensive technology. The current APF co-funds investments in technology but only on a reimbursement basis after the farmers have spent their own money. We have listened to the suggestions put forth by ICP.”
“In response to Miss Cheng Li Hui's question on how we can help our coastal farms to mitigate consequences of coastal oil spills, this is one good example of how our farms can adopt technologies to protect themselves from untoward circumstances, especially those relating to environmental pollution or weather pattern changes. Even some of our other farms, the bean sprouts farm, for example, and I have seen it for myself, are using technology to transform the way they pack their bean sprouts. It is a fairly automated process from how the bean sprouts are being put into a sorter, automatically weighed, put into packets, sealed and ready to get into the freezer and sent out to our shops. Our egg farms as well have adopted a lot of automation such that the eggs are automatically collected on a conveyor belt, sorted by some form of infra-red scanning to make sure that the eggs are not broken, have no micro-cracks, and then sorted into size, and packed and ready to be shipped out as well. Through technology, from my description, you will see that farming will begin to resemble an industrialised production process, much like any other factory we have. It will also attract and excite a younger generation of tech-savvy Singaporeans to consider venturing into this industry seriously. This brings me to the third thrust. We need the right people to achieve our vision. Transforming the sector requires a knowledge-based workforce. Our modern farmers should be more appropriately called "agri-technologists" or "agri-specialists", not just farmers. We will need a generation of "agri-specialists" with multidisciplinary expertise. Farming will no longer just be about horticulture, no longer just be about aquaculture.”
“00 pm Through focus group discussions involving the ICP as well as meeting up with farmers directly, we developed a Farm Transformation Map (FTM) to guide the transformation of our farming sector in four areas − physical space, innovation, people development and the larger broader ecosystem. Let me address these one by one. Firstly, to overcome space constraints, we need to go upwards into the sky, downwards into the ocean and even inwards into our buildings. I have already spoken about Sky Greens and Apollo using vertical technology to grow more with less space. Even traditional vegetable farms like Kok Fah are using advanced greenhouses and irrigation systems to mitigate the impact of extreme weather changes on their crop growth. Fish farms like Barramundi Asia are growing seabass in deep underwater netcages, just off Pulau Semakau. Farms like Panasonic and Sustenir are growing vegetables in climate-controlled, multi-tiered indoor spaces. Another company, ComCrop, is even growing vegetables on our rooftops! These are all innovative solutions that help us grow more food with less space, and we should explore more opportunities and options to scale these up. Second, we need more innovation. To optimise limited space and increase production yields, we need to push technological boundaries. We need to pursue water and energy efficiency. We need to automate and we need to integrate the systems through robotics and sensors. We have to adapt our solutions to protect against climate change that affects the yields of the crops. For instance, technologies like closed containment aquaculture systems (CCAS) can reduce the vulnerability of our coastal fish farms and their stocks to environmental risks.”
“That is something Members will understand. Just as we ask our SMEs in various other sectors to transform, automate, be more productive and to take on automation, we need our agricultural players to transform into one that is more productive as well. We need to adopt modern practices and embrace technology as a multiplier to do more with less. We have been working with our farmers to help them raise their production levels. Over the past year, we have increased engagement with our local farms because they know the issues and challenges best as practitioners on the ground. We have visited them over the last six to nine months, spoken with them, seen how they operate and understand some of the constraints that they have and what they see as opportunities for the farming sector. To enable our local farmers to play an active role in transforming our farming sector, we formed an Industry Consultation Panel (ICP) early this year. It consists of progressive farmers representing various food farm types, as well as academics who can help translate research in agricultural technology into practical implementation in our farms. Together, practitioners, academics and policymakers will work together to innovate, co-create and transform our farming sector through technology. Many Singaporeans and, in fact, Members have asked whether local farming has a future in Singapore. That is a fundamental question, and I would say the answer is an unequivocal yes. Farming will be a part of Singapore's future. But it will have to be a different-looking farming sector from what it is today in order for the sector to fulfil its important role of strengthening Singapore's food supply resilience and food security. 8.”
“Thank you, Sir. For example, a Singapore-Brunei joint venture company, KR Apollo, for which I did the ground-breaking just a short while ago, will transform a 12-hectare site in Brunei into a high-tech vertical fish farm, the very first in Brunei. The yield is expected to eventually reach 5,000 tonnes a year. That is not a small number. That number alone would approximate the annual total output from all the fish farms in Singapore, just from this one farm. Another local farm, Sky Greens, has ventured to Hainan in China. I shared about the development of Sky Greens at the COS last year and this year, I am happy to show that Sky Greens has taken a step further by also internationalising into China. They have deployed their vertical farming towers on 0.23 hectares in Hainan Island in China, and they plan to develop 20 hectares more. That is equivalent to 28 football fields. The third basket is local production. Members have asked if local farms continue to play an important role. I say this is an important part of our food security because it provides a critical buffer against global supply shocks for especially key food items like vegetables, food fish and eggs. Our local food production targets are 10% for vegetables, 30% for hen eggs and 15% for food fish, and our production has generally been rising over the years. But we certainly can do better. It cannot be business as usual if our local production is needed to strengthen our food resilience. So, the targets that we set are reviewed from time to time as our needs evolve and as technology becomes available. Realistically, though, Singapore is too small to develop large tracts of land for farming. We will never have enough land to ever grow all the food that we need. There are many competing uses for land.”
“Just last month, I led a delegation of Singaporean agricultural producers to Brunei to explore opportunities. Brunei is keen to attract our farmers as a way of diversifying their economy and, for us, we are interested to find alternative sources of food supply and for cultivation of the food that we need as well. We had good bilateral discussions among ourselves, the delegation and the Bruneian officials. Naturally, we hope that some of the food that our farms produce there will eventually be re-exported back to Singapore for our local consumption. We also want some value-added operations to remain in Singapore, things like research and development (R&D), training, development of technology and innovation. We hope these will continue to remain in the farms in Singapore. But overall, having our local food producers successfully operating overseas will strengthen our food security. In fact, some of our Singapore agriculture specialists have actually done so. With your permission, Sir, may I display some slides?”
“Sir, Mr Ong Teng Koon, Mr Darryl David and Mr Chong Kee Hiong spoke about growing uncertainties in global food supply and how this might threaten Singapore's food security. These are valid concerns because at the end of the day, we import 90% or more of the food that we consume. We are, to some extent, "vulnerable" in our food supply because we lack natural resources to grow all the food that we will ever need. But we have never passively accepted our fate as it is. Just look at how we deal with our water issue. It is an existential vulnerability, but we have gradually strengthened our water supply through our "Four National Taps". Our water story has been about transforming adversity into opportunity. I believe we can do the same with food by embracing technology. We can intensify land use, as some Members have suggested, reduce wastage and increase the yields of our farms. We can transform our small but vibrant farm sector. And as some Members have noted, with global population growth and more extreme weather patterns, it is time for us to think ahead. With global supplies eventually being outstripped by demand, it is time for us to take more concerted action. We should envision perhaps "Three National Food Baskets". The first of these baskets is imports from around the world. This is key because we do not have enough land to cultivate all that we need. But diversification makes this basket much more resilient. So, we will continue our efforts to look for more varied sources of food for import. The second basket is internationalisation. This opens up new markets and helps our farms overcome land constraints in Singapore. We want to help local farms and food companies venture abroad to seek opportunities.”
“Sir, the agencies that give out the EntrePass would take a look at the track record of the entrepreneur, whether he has been successful in creating and spinning off companies, and whether he is a serial entrepreneur, for example. And in accepting him into the country as a startup, his business plan would have been taken into account as well, and all these will be taken holistically into consideration.”
“Let me emphasise that company directors who knowingly take monies from prepayment deposits for their own personal purposes may be separately prosecuted under the Companies Act and the Penal Code as well. Sir, let me conclude. As I have elaborated in my speech, there are plenty of opportunities for our companies and people, be they manufacturing firms looking to adopt technologies, SMEs keen on expanding overseas, or aspiring entrepreneurs. Through our various initiatives and programmes, the Government will support our companies and people to seize these opportunities.”
“There is a Singapore company that specialises in mini cupcakes, Tian Tian Wu. Two years ago, the founder had the opportunity to participate in the Singapore Pavilion at CAEXPO. There was overwhelming response for its products. Shortly after, it started to grow its cupcake business in Nanning. Today, Tian Tian Wu has three outlets in Nanning, all served by a central kitchen. I understand that Tian Tian Wu's mini cupcakes are exceptionally popular among children and that parents are assured of the quality and safety due to the Singapore branding. Tian Tian Wu has since expanded its service offerings to include cupcake baking classes for families. As these companies have shown, there are plenty of opportunities for our companies in diverse sectors arising from the rapid growth of emerging regions around the world. I encourage our companies to take advantage of the available Government support to capture these opportunities and reach greater heights of success. 8.30 pm (In English): Let me now address Mr Lim Biow Chuan's question, which he submitted earlier to MTI, on how we can better protect our consumers. I wish to assure Mr Lim that we take a serious view of errant retailers who engage in unfair trading practices and will not hesitate to take firm action against them. We amended the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) in 2016 to empower SPRING with investigative and enforcement powers to take injunction action against errant businesses. Cases that involve criminal activity will be handled by the Police. Members may recall the recent case of parallel car importer Volks Auto. One of its employees was charged for criminal conspiracy to cheat its customers and sentenced to 10 years in jail.”
“Additionally, we have several G-to-G projects in overseas markets to help our companies collaborate with in-market partners. One such G-to-G project is CCI, which has allowed our companies to make inroads into the less familiar region of western China. One company that has collaborated successfully with its Chongqing counterpart under the ambit of CCI is Changi Airports International (CAI), which agreed in January 2017 to form a commercial joint venture with the Chongqing Airport Group to manage the non-aeronautical business at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. As part of CCI, the Singapore Government is also working with our Chinese counterparts to develop the Southern Transport Corridor. When ready, the Southern Transport Corridor will boost connectivity between western China and Southeast Asia via Guangxi, a province that has been designated as China's gateway to ASEAN, by shortening the transit time for goods between both regions. In complementing the Chinese plans to develop the western regions, we can open up even more new opportunities for our companies. Two companies are riding this wave of opportunity in Guangxi. They are PSA International and Pacific International Lines (PIL). They are currently partnering the Beibu Gulf Port Group to manage port facilities in Qinzhou, which is a key port for international lines and shipments to enter China from the south-west coast. In September last year, I led a delegation to Nanning to support Singapore's participation at the annual China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), a high-level platform that promotes economic cooperation between ASEAN and China. I am happy to know that the event has provided opportunities for our SMEs to enter the Chinese market. I will give Members an example here.”
“These include the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) for companies taking their first steps in internationalisation, and the Global Company Partnership (GCP) which provides more customised help for companies with a more established presence overseas. In 2016, IE Singapore assisted companies in over 37,000 cases, with SMEs accounting for about 80% of them. IE Singapore also helped companies facilitate over 450 projects globally in the same year, up from around 420 projects in 2015. Notably, a significant share of these projects was oriented towards helping companies understand market needs, build track record in new markets or new lines of businesses, leverage digital platforms and channels to access global customers and scale-up, and level up capabilities through technology acquisition and overseas partnership and HR development. Such efforts strengthen the credibility and business reputation of our companies and reinforce their ability to clinch future deals. As Miss Cheryl Chan pointed out, there are substantial growth opportunities in emerging economies which are experiencing higher growth on the back of rapid urbanisation and consumerism. The focus of our company assistance has, indeed, been on emerging markets. IE Singapore provides highly targeted in-market support to our companies through its global network of 37 Overseas Centres, many of which are located in emerging markets in Southeast Asia, China and India. As the Minister for Industry S Iswaran mentioned, we will strengthen coordination of our agencies' overseas operations under the "Singapore Centres". We will also continue to deepen our in-market presence and networks in these markets and help our companies identify and seize new opportunities.”
“GIA, mentioned by the Ministers for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang and S Iswaran, seeks to enable this exchange of innovative ideas between our local companies and their foreign counterparts. In fact, our local partners are already actively facilitating such collaborations. In the US, NUS Enterprise, SingTel Innov8 and SGInnovate jointly set up Block 71 at San Francisco as a launch pad for Singaporean tech startups. Last year, the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), a private-led initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, also partnered US-based Singaporean networks to establish the ACE-Silicon Valley Chapter. Both of these serve as platforms for our companies to gain access to US markets by tapping the experience and networks of US-based Singaporeans and their US counterparts. GIA will ride on existing initiatives such as these to enable our companies to strengthen inroads, build partnerships in foreign markets and prepare our companies to internationalise. Sir, may I now speak in Mandarin, please? (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Thomas Chua, Ms K Thanaletchimi, Ms Sun Xueling and Ms Cheryl Chan asked about the Government's role in supporting companies in their internationalisation efforts, particularly in emerging regions which are experiencing higher growth rates. As the Minister for Trade Lim Hng Kiang mentioned, internationalisation is a key engine of growth and transformation for our companies, big and small. To scale and transform, our companies must leverage the strong Singapore brand to tap good growth opportunities beyond our shores. IE Singapore supports companies looking to internationalise through various grant schemes.”
“In 2003, we introduced a work pass scheme known as EntrePass for foreign entrepreneurs keen to start a business in Singapore. We will further enhance this scheme to create a more conducive environment for promising global talent keen to establish innovative businesses here. Under the enhancements, the existing entry and renewal criteria will be revised. Let me outline the three key changes. Firstly, we will remove the requirement for applicants to have a paid-up capital of at least S$50,000 in their startups, to welcome global entrepreneurs with good ideas to come in at a much earlier stage and grow their businesses from Singapore. Secondly, we will broaden the evaluation criteria for global startup founders with an established track record to explore the startup scene here. Finally, we will extend the validity of each EntrePass from the current one year to two years, after the first renewal at Year 2. In other words, if the foreign entrepreneur can demonstrate progress at the end of the first year, the EntrePass will be extended for another year. Thereafter, subsequent EntrePass renewals will be valid for two years. These enhancements will better position us to engage and attract a larger talent pool at the global setting at an earlier stage who can contribute to the vibrancy of our local startup scene. The enhancements are especially timely, given the increasing international interest in Singapore as a global startup destination. In the same spirit of remaining open, we want to encourage our local startups to also adopt a global mindset and tap on our existing extensive bilateral networks as launching pads for their overseas ventures.”
“For instance, compared to infocomm technology (ICT) startups that develop online applications or web portals, startups that develop non-ICT or deep technologies typically require higher capital outlays and a much longer gestation period to succeed, due to the prototyping process and product trials that they need to undergo. Therefore, as part of the Startup SG Equity scheme, we will enhance the Government's co-investment support for promising startups in deep-tech areas, such as in medical technology, clean technology and advanced manufacturing, to catalyse private sector investment for this group. We will enhance the Government's support in two ways. Firstly, we will double the investment cap for the Government's co-investment portion for deep-tech startups from $2 million to $4 million. This enhancement allows the Government to tier our funding support for ICT and deep-tech startups according to their differing needs. Secondly, we will increase the proportion of the Government's co-investment funding support for supported investments from 50% to 70%. The second enabler is talent. As Mr Charles Chong noted, we need a strong talent pool, comprising capable entrepreneurs who can contribute to our local startup scene. Given Singapore's small size, we need to remain open to promising global talent. The rising global protectionist sentiments that emerged in 2016 present us with the opportunity to position Singapore as an attractive startup location for global talent. Foreign entrepreneurs have the capacity to add to the vibrancy of our startup scene. They complement our local startups through the cross-fertilisation of ideas, catalyse new partnerships and create good jobs for our people. As of 2015, foreign startups employed more than 19,000 workers in total.”
“I co-led a startup deep dive as part of the CFE discussions last year. We studied how to give our startup scene an additional push so that it can take off in a much larger way. We will, therefore, strengthen our startup support in three key areas, namely, (a) branding, (b) funding and (c) talent attraction. Let me first talk about branding. A coherent brand identity for Singapore startups that resonates among Singaporeans and the rest of the world is important, given the fierce global competition for entrepreneurial talent and funding today. As a first step, therefore, we will establish a new umbrella branding known as "Startup SG" to unify our startup support schemes. Some of the schemes under the Startup SG umbrella branding include: (a) Startup SG Founder to support first-time entrepreneurs; (b) Startup SG Tech to support the development of deep-tech innovations; (c) Startup SG Equity to incentivise equity co-investment for startups; (d) Startup SG Accelerator to support incubators and accelerators which offer programmes for startups; and (e) Startup SG Talent to support talent development for startups. With the unified branding, it will be easier for budding entrepreneurs to identify the relevant schemes for their unique situation and their needs. Over time, we will work with other stakeholders to further strengthen this Startup SG brand. To further support our startups, we will also enhance two key enablers: first, funding and, secondly, talent. Let me address the first enabler. Equity financing is important to enable our startups to grow and scale. However, not all startups have the same funding needs or gestation periods.”
“We will continue to build core capabilities in R&D and the advanced manufacturing of biologics, in order to position Singapore well to capture investments arising from biologics, which includes biosimilars, regardless of the eventual market structure in this category of drugs. We are confident that Singapore is well-placed to harness these disruptions and turn them into opportunities for our companies and people. Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Charles Chong asked about the Government's efforts to build up our startup landscape. Startups play an important role in our economy because they are nimble. They churn over ideas quickly and are more willing to take risks. Over the past decade, there have been considerable efforts by various stakeholders to develop a thriving startup scene in Singapore. These include nurturing an entrepreneurial culture, providing funding support and catering for the necessary infrastructure. As a result, we have seen a sizeable increase in both the number and the quality of our startups. First, the number. The total number of startups in Singapore more than doubled from 22,000 in 2003 to 48,000 in 2015. In terms of quality, our startups have also improved with significant increases in the number and aggregate valuations of startup exits. In 2015, there were 220 venture capital deals completed worth more than US$1 billion combined. This is compared to 26 deals worth US$80 million just five years ago. Notable successes include live customer support chat solution provider Zopim and online marketplace Lazada, which were acquired for about US$30 million in 2014 and US$1 billion in 2016 respectively. Our efforts have catalysed a robust startup ecosystem here. But we can do more and we should.”
“SIMTech has also developed a suite of digital manufacturing solutions called the Manufacturing Control Tower (MCT) Platform which allows companies to have greater visibility and smarter management of their manufacturing operations through a central control platform that is easily accessible via a simple mobile app. The second Model Factory@ARTC will allow companies to test-bed the integration of smart, digital and advanced technologies with their existing manufacturing processes for better productivity and resource utilisation. 8.15 pm Even as A*STAR is setting up these Model Factories I spoke about, one of our local enterprises has already started piloting SIMTech's MCT platform. Precision engineering company CKE Manufacturing is making use of the MCT to monitor the performance of five of its shop-floor machines in real-time. Using a mobile app, CKE's staff are able to track the performance of the machines without having to physically inspect them. The pilot has enabled CKE to improve its manpower deployment by about 50% and optimise the utilisation of its machines. CKE is now looking at connecting all its machines to this MCT platform. The technology changes that we are witnessing are global in nature and not unique to the manufacturing sector. As Dr Tan Wu Meng noted, the biologics landscape is changing, too. The biosimilars space is nascent and the regulatory environment is still evolving internationally. What we do know is that innovator drugs, such as biosimilars, both require a strong regulatory environment, clinical development and manufacturing know-how to deliver safe and high-quality products to patients.”
“As Miss Cheryl Chan observed, global leading manufacturers have been investing in the development and commercialisation of new manufacturing technologies. Miss Cheryl Chan may be happy to note that many of these players continue to remain keen to work with our public sector research institutes (RIs). For example, aerospace heavy-weights Airbus and Honeywell have leveraged A*STAR's Aerospace Programme to better understand and minimise the causes of defects in aerospace components through additive manufacturing. Under the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) (RIE) 2020 strategy, we will leverage partnerships with leading manufacturers to co-develop and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies. The goal is to enhance the competitiveness of our manufacturing sector and position our enterprises as solution providers of advanced manufacturing technologies. To this end, based on our established two "Model Factories" to allow companies, particularly our SMEs, to firstly, experience the technologies first-hand in a learning environment, without affecting their existing business operations and, secondly, to collaborate with stakeholders to test-bed and jointly develop innovative solutions for their processes. The Model Factories will be hosted at the Singapore Institute for Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) and Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre (ARTC). We aim to have them operational by the fourth quarter of this year. Each Model Factory is designed to support the different technological needs of companies. A key feature of the Model Factory@SIMTech is a "live" pilot-scale production line that allows companies to gain hands-on experience of advanced manufacturing technologies, prior to full adoption.”
“Thank you, Sir. Several Members asked about the Government's efforts to help our companies and people adopt new technologies and internationalise. Let me first address Miss Cheryl Chan's questions on the recommendation by CFE to continue building a globally competitive manufacturing sector. Manufacturing continues to remain a key pillar for our economy. The sector currently accounts for around 20% of our GDP and 14% of total employment. MTI supports the CFE recommendation to retain manufacturing at around 20% of our GDP in the medium term. As highlighted by Mr Charles Chong, manufacturing creates good job opportunities for our people, contributes to productivity growth and generates positive spillovers to the rest of the economy. Based on MTI's estimates, a S$1-billion increase in manufacturing value-added through final demand generates about S$330 million of value-added, and 2,500 jobs for the rest of the economy, including business services and wholesale trade. Having a manufacturing base also helps us capture opportunities and generate innovation which would otherwise take place overseas. Our push into advanced manufacturing will help strengthen the competitiveness and relevance of our manufacturing sector. One key difference between advanced and traditional manufacturing is the digitalisation and automation of manufacturing operations and workflow processes, from receiving an order, all the way to the production on the factory floor. Advanced manufacturing will enable companies, both large and small, to raise their productivity, as well as develop adjacent products, services and business models. In turn, this will strengthen Singapore's leadership in key industrial clusters, such as aerospace and semiconductors.”
“Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to display some slides on the LED screens later on in my speech, please?”
“Madam, we will announce the timeframe when we have sufficient time to engage with the local stakeholders and we will notify the public accordingly. In terms of local ivory trade, the commercial import and export of ivory have been prohibited since 1990. Non-commercial import and export of ivory, for example, for museum display and for research, are still permitted with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore's (AVA's) approval and documentation. Within Singapore, buying and selling of ivory is permitted until such a ban is in place.”
“Mdm Speaker, the Government is looking into implementing a domestic ban on the sale of ivory. This is part of Singapore's broader commitment to tackle the illegal ivory trade and to support elephant conservation. The implementation details, including an engagement process with relevant stakeholders, are currently being worked out.”
“Madam, I agree with the Member that, at some point, we need to strengthen the enforcement. Some of the measures that can be employed, other than using actual human beings walking around to catch people feeding, could be to use the deployment of technology, such as surveillance cameras. That has been used in some estates as well. I know – I use it in my estate to catch people who are feeding or throwing rubbish out of their windows. That has sometimes produced a good deterrent effect on the rest of the blocks from doing the same thing. I urge the Member to work with NEA and see if deployment of such surveillance cameras to catch the culprit in the act would be useful to send a deterrent signal. For the population of birds in correlation to the types of trees, I do not have information on that. But I can surmise that, actually, birds can find any place to just rest. So, regardless of the tree type, if there is something that attracts them like a source of food, for example, they will still go there and they can actually rest on the tree, no matter what type of tree that is.”
“We are just chasing a tail. So, it is something that we have to take a very practical view and escalate when necessary.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his question. Let me make a correction on what he said. Chickens have a higher risk of transmission compared to pigeons, not the other way round. For the bird population, as opposed to free-ranging chickens, the difference is this: birds do fly around, they can shift from one place to another quite quickly. So, it is not so easy as catching chickens which can only run around on the ground. So, in terms of managing the bird population, the challenge is much more difficult compared to managing a few chickens running around in one fixed locality. At this point in time, we are conducting background surveillance on the types of birds and whether they are migratory, and what is the migratory pattern of birds that go through the Singapore flyway. If we perceive that the risk is high and there are actually monitored instances of more bird flu occurring around the region, close to home, for example, or if the migratory pattern of birds that come to our shore carries some strains of the bird flu virus, then, yes, we may have to step up even more aggressively in culling, whether it is pigeons, mynahs or crows, to reduce the risk of birds within this area that carry the viruses. But today, if we were to take a one-size-fits-all approach, then we will be unnecessarily culling pigeons and mynahs when the risk of bird flu infection may not be high at this point in time. Clearly, there is no perfect answer. If you want a perfectly safe environment, then, yes, we should go all out, all guns blazing, and remove every single bird from the sky of Singapore. But Members know that that is not a practical approach and it is not always going to be as easily achieved. You can cull a thousand birds today, tomorrow another thousand will fly in from somewhere else.”
“Madam, I agree with the Member that when feeding is the key issue that attracts the birds, then, at some point, enforcement has to take place because a deterrent signal has to be sent to the recalcitrant people who are continuously feeding the birds and attracting them to come. For the trial results, we will continue to review the efficacy and, at some point, we will make adjustments, if need be, and we will communicate to the Member accordingly.”
“Such a trial has been shown to work in, for example, Italy. However, the efficacy is only observed after a period of five years on a trial involving about 100 pigeons. As you can imagine, oral contraceptive takes a longer lead time to work, because you are trying to prevent multiplication of the population, but the current population will still be around for some time. So, you do not see an observable effect in the near term. For mynahs or crows, for example, if they are more aggressive and they attack humans, one of the other options that has been applied before is to actually use arms to cull them because they can pose an immediate threat to humans by attacking humans. For the pigeons, they are usually more mild and they do not attack humans directly. So, we can try other avenues before we take culling as the final option.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. First of all, on the issue of pigeons, there is no one-size-fits-all method and it is going to be multifactorial in terms of why the birds come back. Part of the key reason is that they are attracted by leftover food. The approach has to be through multi-faceted engagement with multiple stakeholders, chief of all, our residents, to make sure they do not throw food out of the window from the kitchen, and also to make sure that we cut down on littering. Food centres are another source of attraction. Close the bins, this is a simple measure, but it is easier said than done. We have all experienced difficulties with these in our own estates as well. So, public education is important and that is the only way to reduce the source that will attract the birds to come. Otherwise, no degree of culling, no degree of using gels or contraceptives, will stop the birds from coming back. As for other methods to deal with the mynah issue, other than the gel that I illustrated before, the other trial that AVA has done in 2016 was to use the fogging method that was tried out in the Member's area before. The result of that is still ongoing; the effectiveness is probably patchy. So, it also has to depend on how the fogging is done and the frequency as well. The trial is still ongoing to figure out what is the most optimal way to apply it, what is the most optimal frequency of using that method. The other alternative, for example, will be to use oral contraceptives. In October 2015, AVA embarked on a year-long trial at Palmer Road to test the effectiveness of a corn-based feed that contains nicarbazin, which is an oral contraceptive. This was used in the context of managing the pigeon population.”
“To this end, AVA, NEA and Town Councils are working together to educate residents not to litter or to feed the birds, through advisories, posters and even through grassroots events. NEA will take enforcement action against any offenders who do not comply.”
“Madam, in the past three years, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has received around 21,000 cases of bird-related feedback. The vast majority pertain to pigeons, especially the feeding of pigeons, by the public and pigeon nuisance in general. The birds are attracted to hawker centres due to the availability of food. Food scraps left behind will also create public health issues if they attract pests, such as cockroaches and rats. To minimise this, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Town Councils and table-cleaning contractors to clear leftover food in hawker centres as quickly as possible. NEA has also been encouraging patrons to return their trays and crockery to the tray-return stations. These measures help to reduce the pet problem of birds feeding on leftover food in hawker centres. Besides removing leftover food, NEA and Town Councils have been progressively adopting designs that deter birds for hawker centres, such as bird spikes and bird wires on ceiling beams, to prevent birds from perching in these areas. For residential estates, AVA has been working with Town Councils on measures to manage the bird population. These include the use of bird deterrent gels, oral contraceptives for the pigeons, and fogging trees to deter mynahs. For example, AVA worked with Choa Chu Kang Town Council on a bird deterrent gel trial from February 2015. The gel was found to be effective in the block where it was tested, and AVA has shared the solution with other interested stakeholders who may be keen to adopt such a measure. Most importantly, the public has a role to play in curbing the bird population by maintaining the cleanliness of the overall environment and to not feed the birds.”
“Madam, in answer to the Member's question about how many people did provide feedback, based on our records, in 2014, there were three feedback providers; in 2015 there were five. That is in the area of Sin Ming and Thomson View; and in 2016, there were 13. And clearly, this correlates with the increased sighting of birds and therefore, the number of feedback providers and the number of feedback have gone up accordingly. As to whether the birds that were running around are the Red Junglefowl or just the foreign species, AVA will have to conduct genetic studies to determine or maybe get the experts to ascertain. So, this is a point that is difficult for us to ascertain the truth just by speaking like this in this House.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his questions. Yes, AVA does conduct scientific studies to enhance the effectiveness of their animal management strategies. So, for example, AVA conducts the annual bird survey that we do. For this survey, volunteers are engaged to conduct surveys of urban birds across Singapore to get a sense of the patterns of bird migration within Singapore itself. AVA is also working with NUS on a two-year urban bird research study which began in January last year. This study will provide a deeper understanding of the biology and ecology of selected urban birds, thereby enabling AVA to improve on management methods. As to how we would want the public to respond, to say, an observation of a presence of a chicken that is free-ranging, I think the clear scientific data against contact with just one isolated free-roaming chicken is not strong. What the risk would be is not quantified. But in this present context where there is no active bird flu going on within our country or in a nearby region, I think the risk posed to the public from just one free-roaming chicken is probably not very high. But it would be a different scenario if there is an active disease outbreak. Then, the advice to the public will have to be different − to avoid contact when necessary and to flag it up to AVA so that we can take pre-emptive action to reduce further the population of free-ranging chickens. I hope that clarifies the question. It is more to calibrate against the current perceived risk.”
“Madam, as I said earlier, AVA takes a calibrated approach by first assessing the ground situation through surveillance and, in fact, does engage residents in much the same way as how residents feed back about what they observed. AVA takes a holistic approach to also assess the situations. In certain situations where there are suitable rehoming options, we will explore that as one approach. But having said that, rehoming chickens in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats is not possible. So, that is different from rehoming a dog or cat. In any case, the zoonotic risk between a cat, dog and a chicken is quite far apart. So, in this case, because the chicken does carry a risk of transmitting avian influenza, the approach has to be different from dealing with cats and dogs.”
“While there are no specific recommendations to cull free-roaming chickens when there is no infection existing in a country, there are recommendations to house them in a bio-secure environment, just like any other chicken farm with the intent to prevent bird flu transmission and infection. Hence, conceivably, one can surmise that any free-roaming chicken can be postulated to be at risk of acquiring bird flu and, subsequently, transmitting to humans. The factors for determining the risk level in an area include detection of bird flu in the faeces of wild birds and location along migratory bird fly ways, and Singapore is located along a migratory bird fly way. So, if we were to reduce the bird flu risk to zero, then, technically, all chickens would have to be culled. Therefore, in this instance, because of a lack of guidelines to say what the actual number should be, AVA takes a very calibrated and measured approach to reduce the risk posed to public health to what we hope is an acceptable level.”
“So, given the increase in chicken population in that area, the decision taken then was to remove some of the chickens − some, and not all. AVA, thus, removed over 20 free-roaming chickens, of which more than 60% are roosters which created some of the noise nuisance as well. So, in effect, AVA has removed the number of chickens to reduce the population of free-roaming chickens close to its baseline level. The question then is: what is an acceptable number of chickens allowed to be free-ranging? The reality is that there is no magic number and there is no science to say that there is a sweet number to say that 10 is good, 50 is bad, 20 is even better. The World Organisation for Animal Health's (OIE's) guidelines recommend culling poultry infected with highly pathogenic avian flu. For low pathogenic strains, more countries, like the United States, Canada, the European Union (EU) and Australia, will cull the infected poultry as well because the virus in chickens can evolve rapidly into a more virulent form as I said earlier. The EU actually has made a decision dated 14 February 2017, just recently, on the transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza from wild birds to poultry. During high-risk periods in high-risk areas, EU member states are prohibited from keeping poultry in the open air unless the poultry birds are protected against contact with wild birds, be it with nets or roofs, or by any other appropriate means. This effectively means, that as far as the EU is concerned, no free-roaming chickens are allowed because that increases the risk of disease transmission.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his clarifications. Let me first state clearly that chickens, though free-roaming, are not wild birds. So, they are two different species altogether. That is an important fact to know because the risk profile in terms of transmitting avian influenza or bird flu is different. Let me just run through this whole thing again so that everybody can follow the sequence. The Member asked how many complaints AVA received. In 2015 and 2016, AVA received more than 20 feedback from various residents living in the vicinity of Thomson View and Blocks 452 to 454 in Sin Ming Avenue. This is in contrast to the six feedback that have been received in the year before, in 2014. So, there is an increased number of feedback over this time period. Feedback from residents highlighted that they have spotted more chickens in this area. So, there is an observation by the residents that the chicken population is increasing in this area. AVA conducted surveillance upon receiving the feedback, to determine the situation on the ground. The surveillance findings showed that the population of chickens in that area had indeed increased significantly over the last two years. The number of chickens had grown from about 20 in 2014, to more than 50 in 2016. So, it has more than doubled. Chickens, as I said, are different from wild birds and are scientifically known to be more susceptible to the bird flu virus than other birds, and they can transmit the diseases to humans. Essentially, a low pathogenic strain of bird flu, once it goes into a host in a free-ranging chicken, has a higher chance of undergoing genetic mutation, genetic recombination and, subsequently, acquire a more virulent behaviour with a higher chance of transmission to humans, creating zoonotic diseases.”