Kwek Hian Chuan Henry
Singapore
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister of State for this comprehensive response. I would like to check whether MND is open to providing more funding to AVS. Ten years ago, I made a speech on NParks, and I noted then that NParks' annual budget is less than half of that of an acute care hospital.”
“Chairman, I have three short clarifications. Given that condominium prices and wages have risen over time, can MND share a timeframe or timeline when the income ceiling review will be concluded? Is it in a matter of months, or is it when some threshold conditions are met?”
“Chairman, I thank MND for responding to our cuts and I seek leave to withdraw my amendments. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $8,640,058,800 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.”
“Our Public Service Media companies are our national assets. I hope MDDI can share how it plans to secure our future. I notice I have 18 more seconds, so I want to add in a final point. I noted we are asking MDDI to do a lot of cybersecurity, national Public Service Media on IT services and AI development.”
“As the Bill empowers OSC to identify users and disclose that information to purported victims, what safeguards are there to prevent misuse of that disclosed data for reverse doxxing? In closing, Speaker, Sir, this Bill makes our online space safer, especially for our youths.”
“Mr Speaker, I support this Bill and the suite of changes it makes. Given its breadth, I will focus my remarks on three areas: one, tackling global scams and online crimes while protecting innovation; two, a calibrated approach to accountability for 14-to-17-year-olds; and three, improving proportionality by resolving the inflexibility of…”
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“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister of State for this comprehensive response. I would like to check whether MND is open to providing more funding to AVS. Ten years ago, I made a speech on NParks, and I noted then that NParks' annual budget is less than half of that of an acute care hospital. And I checked the figures just now, I think it is still around the same. Basically, NParks is operating on a very, very lean budget. It is very efficient. I have a lot of respect for NParks staff, but they have to handle a lot of things. And now, with public expectations, and from what we hear from the Chamber, this new regulation is a step-up, I do hope that the Government can provide a bit more resources to AVS, to discharge what the public expects of this new regulation regime.”
“Different owners will make different choices and many will want the best and most extensive treatment possible for their animals. That is entirely understandable. But a well-functional system should always and be able to make room for realistic, humane and affordable options. Sixth, I urge some caution before we expand on the regulatory regime to other veterinary professionals and allied animal-care providers. The intent is clearly well-meaning, and I understand that this may eventually be necessary. But I hope we at least first observe how the establishment of the Veterinary Council affects the sector, especially in terms of manpower, service delivery and cost, before extending regulation more widely. And finally, I hope that MND and AVS initiate a serious effort to examine the broader cost of caring for animals in Singapore, to ensure that care remains affordable and accessible. These issues may sit outside the four corners of this Bill, but it sits very much within the concerns of pet owners. Many residents, volunteers and animal lovers active within my constituency of Kebun Baru, including myself, would be happy to contribute to such an engagement on affordable and accessible pet care. Sir, in conclusion, the formation of this Veterinary Council and this Bill is the natural next step in the evolution of veterinary care in Singapore, and I certainly support it. But as we professionalise the sector, let us keep faith with the ordinary pet owners. Let us make sure that the better standards do not come at the cost of accessibility, and affordability remains a central and real consideration in how this new framework is implemented.”
“I agree that veterinarians must be held accountable for misconduct and negligence, and I support having meaningful powers to act against serious wrongdoing. But we should also ensure that the process do not inadvertently encourage frivolous complaints because that can have real consequences. If professionals feel constantly exposed to weak but career-threatening complaints, they may respond by practising defensive medicine, over-ordering procedures or face higher professional indemnity costs. And in the end, these costs may be passed to pet owners. So, I appreciate clarifications from MND on how the framework will guard against misuse while preserving confidence and fairness for complainants. I note that the Bill allows frivolous or misconstrued complaints to be dismissed, and I welcome that. I also welcome the inclusion of mediation. These are sensible features. But it would be helpful to understand whether AVS expects to publish workflows, aggregate data or guidance over time, so that both the public and the professionals can have confidence that the process is balanced, transparent and not easily abused. Fifth, as the Council develops codes, standards and professional expectations, I hope there will be deliberate attention on practical and tiered care options. In concrete terms, financially stretched pet owners should still be able to receive clear advice upfront on what constitutes a basic, safe and affordable course of treatment, as distinct from more comprehensive or more advanced options. Likewise, when an animal is gravely ill and recovery is unlikely, owners should not be left without an affordable and dignified path, including euthanasia where appropriate for the animals.”
“My suggestion, therefore, is that MND and AVS make clear and affordable and accessible animal care be an important part of the policy objective in how this framework is implemented, including the development of standards, codes and requirements over time. In other words, as standards are raised, affordability should not be treated as an afterthought. Second, I suggest that the Council, or one of its committees, should have a stronger channel for the voice of the animal welfare and pet owner interests. This could be done either through including one or two individuals with strong standing in the animal welfare community, or through a dedicated advisory committee on affordable and accessible animal care. This would help ensure that the system does not only hear from providers but also remain attentive to the lived realities of pet owners. Third, I would encourage AVS to begin tracking broad trends in the cost of veterinary care and to share this regularly with the Committee and the Council. I am not suggesting anywhere as elaborate as the healthcare sector's fee benchmark or procedure-by-procedure guidelines. But some basic monitoring of care and costs of care would be helpful. Without data, we will not know whether the improvements in standards are being achieved in a way that remains sustainable for ordinary Singaporeans. And if care rises in the years ahead, we should at least be able to distinguish between whether it is driven by inflation, manpower costs, or more advanced treatment norms, or regulatory and professional requirements. Fourth, I would like to seek clarification on the disciplinary and appeals framework.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. This is a timely and necessary move. As the pet population in Singapore grows and as vet care becomes more complex, it is right that we strengthen professional standards, clarify the scope of regulated vet services and put in place a robust disciplinary framework. I support the direction of the Bill. At the same time, I would like to raise one central concern on behalf of many pet owners, which is: how do we strengthen professionalism in the sector while ensuring that vet care remains affordable and accessible? For many Singaporeans, pets are not incidental. They are part of the family. This is especially so in an ageing society, where pets can be an important source of companionship, comfort and emotional support. To many people, their pet is a source of joy, comfort and, sometimes, their daily, closest companion. So, as we improve standards and professionalise the sector, we must exercise care that the new rules, guidelines and expectations do not unintentionally drive up the cost of care. Put simply, caring for a cat or dog or any pet must not be the preserve of the wealthy. Sir, I do not say this to pre-judge the work of AVS or the future Vet Council. I support the direction of this Bill. But because affordability matters so much for the ordinary pet owners, it is important we state this concern early and watch implementation carefully. With that in mind, I would like to make a few suggestions and seek several clarifications. First, while the Veterinary Council is a useful and necessary institution, its role under the Bill is primarily to regulate professional standards, registration, conduct and discipline.”
“Chairman, I thank MND for responding to our cuts and I seek leave to withdraw my amendments. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $8,640,058,800 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,613,535,500 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Chairman, I have three short clarifications. Given that condominium prices and wages have risen over time, can MND share a timeframe or timeline when the income ceiling review will be concluded? Is it in a matter of months, or is it when some threshold conditions are met? Second question is, MND shared that we will have more bigger flats supply coming up. Does it include 5-room flats, which I have asked earlier on? And third of all is, taller blocks mean higher specification lifts and stricter fire safety standards, driving up long-term maintenance cost. Is MND prepared to help Town Councils offset the added life-cycle cost?”
“We are powering ahead with Terminal 5, I think we are expanding on the Marina Bay Sands, there is a lot of underground and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction and more HDBs. And this $50 billion will be for two years before tapering to around $40 billion. This coincides with continued tightening of foreign manpower policies. A challenging combination, especially if we want to keep manpower and construction costs manageable. Therefore, I welcome an update from MND on how our digitisation and productivity efforts, particularly building information modelling adoption and pre-fabrication are progressing. Lastly, let me talk about MND being pro-enterprise. At the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Conference in January this year which I attended, Minister Chee signalled that MND would work with the industry to streamline its processes and be more pro-enterprise. Among the participants, I noted that his remark was very well received. So, can MND give a preview of this plan about how MND can be more pro-enterprise? In conclusion, MND oversees a wide and diverse portfolio, from housing to greenery, animal welfare to construction to urban planning. What unites these responsibilities is that they shape the daily lives of Singaporeans – the homes we return to, the parks we walk in and the neighbourhoods we build our future in. I thank the officers of MND and its agencies for their dedication and for making Singapore the best home today and tomorrow. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“The MND officers and I went on 23 engagements. We consulted experts, we talked to different groups of people and got everybody's comfort before we proceeded with development. And my personal experience showed that MND has struck the right balance. So, I hope we have the determination to find more land to build more. But at the same time, as we free up more land, we must also actively replace the lost greenery through new parks, ecological corridors and sustained tree-planting. I recall that the Million Trees campaign, I believe during COVID-19, former-MND Minister Desmond planted the first tree in Botanic Gardens, and then the first row of trees started in Kebun Baru in Avenue 4, just in front of our Community Centre. So, I hope that this Million Trees campaign showed what is possible, and as we build more homes, I hope MND and the National Parks Board (NParks) can consider a follow-up effort, maybe the next Million Trees campaign, so that housing growth and greenery growth can continue together. Finally, future land supply must also come from VERS. For VERS to succeed, fair compensation and accessible financing are essential. Speaking to residents recently, one suggestion came up consistently. HDB should offer residents, especially those above 50, the option of a same room-type replacement flat with perhaps a shorter lease, so they do not need to find cash to top-up for a new flat. This would increase support for VERS so that we can free up more land. My final part is about the built sector and MND being pro-enterprise. Over the next few years, construction spending is projected to exceed $50 billion.”
“And critically, supply confidence matters as much as supply itself. During COVID-19, fear of waiting triggered more panic-buying. Ample, visible supply is therefore self-stabilising. I support MND's commitment to maintain a ready stock of flats. But the harder question is land. Where are we going to find the land? Today, we already devoted 15% of our land to housing, and this is against other competing demands for our small island state. And this 15% does not even include the infrastructure, the parks, the roads and the shops within the housing estates. So, finding new land is not trivial. And there is only, I think, three answers. One is to build higher, beyond 40 and 50 storeys. But this is also a significant shift. It means more lift lobbies, higher-specification lifts, more stringent fire safety requirements, higher lift maintenance that Town Councils must bear, and I certainly hope that MND can help with that cost. So, building higher has its consequences. It cannot be rolled out too fast, too aggressively. The second way is beyond building higher is that we must find more land to be freed up, and we must be very candid with this trade-off. If we are determined to keep housing accessible and affordable, then that same determination must also be matched by our willingness to identify and release suitable greenfield and brownfield sites in a timely manner. As a Member of Kebun Baru, bordering the Central Nature Reserve, I have seen, in person, how carefully MND engages conservation groups and residents when land, greenfield sites is being freed. For example, when I first became a Member of Parliament (MP), there was this area within my estate, Teachers Estate, it is a whole greenfield site, that was being transformed to the Lentor Hills development area today.”
“The income ceiling has not kept pace with rising wages and property, especially condominium prices. Many capable Singaporeans who do well might want to have a reasonable cost of living, especially against a backdrop of uncertainty in employment in the future, and they want a HDB rather than a condominium. Can MND conduct a timely review? Sixth, more executive condominiums (ECs) and more affordable ECs. ECs currently receive a housing grant of up to $30,000. I hope we can do more, but simply upping the grant may not help if the developers simply adjust the prices upward. Therefore, if the Government is prepared to do more, I hope we can also include other measures like extending our minimum occupation period (MOP) or introducing profit-sharing mechanisms upon resale before MOP. Moving beyond HDB, we should also pay attention to the many ageing private condominiums. Many of these older development condominiums face insufficient sinking funds and outdated infrastructure. I hope MND can consider providing targeted support where there is funding assistance for lift replacements, upgrading or maintenance, or providing funds for senior-friendly upgrades. MND should also ensure Management Corporations Strata Title (MCSTs), moving forward, set adequate reserves early and review how MCSTs are governed. My second point is to ensure that we build enough homes, but more importantly, we must find enough land. I am delighted that MND intends to sustain aggressive build schedules that has continued since COVID-19. Because if we relaxed BTO criteria, as what I have argued, demand will rise. And beyond this policy-driven demand, our underlying demand is also rising. Just look around, you are seeing more family fragmentations, more Singaporeans living longer, more singles.”
“Our aggressive housing build since COVID-19 has enabled first-time buyers, especially those with young families to get a new flat. Now that this critical group has their needs well met, it is time for us to consider how we can improve accessibility and affordability for others. First, singles. I look forward to a timely policy move to lower the BTO flat eligibility age to, hopefully, 33 for singles. Second, sandwiched-class families facing loan ineligibility issues. I have mentioned several times that these families earn too much for public rental, but they cannot secure loans due to a divorce or through past financial difficulties. They end up renting rooms in others' flats, paying near-mortgage sums or even more, building no asset and no security for their children. I understand that if you unpack the needs of this group, actually it is driven by different factors. But I hope that MND can consider creating a targeted programme, like they did for fresh starts, where they can use a combination of policy instruments, whether it is structured HDB loans, Government-backed mortgage guarantees or long-term affordable rentals without requiring a waiting BTO? The next group is multi-generational families who are downsizing from private estates. Some of these families want to stay together but can no longer afford private property due to family fragmentation, business failures or financial difficulty. If their net worth is comparable to typical HDB-dwelling families, can MND consider giving them access to 5-room BTOs immediately? And fourth, large families. The recent BTO ramp-up has focused rightfully on smaller type flats. But with supply recovering, can MND ensure that the 5-room pipeline keeps pace with this demand? Fifth, income ceiling.”
“Chairman, I move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Mr Chairman, in preparing for the Committee of Supply (COS), because MND touches on the lives of many Singaporeans, our Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) has consulted widely with our people, with industry experts, with housing experts and we have come today to put forward some of our ideas. Let me start by providing an overview of what our GPC will say. Deputy Chair Xie Yao Quan will share some ideas around the design of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) programme. Member Liang Eng Hwa will call for MND to scale up on the Age Well neighborhoods and Community Care Apartments, and for added support for Town Councils as Town Councils cope with rising cost. Member Ang Wei Neng will talk about improving Build-To-Order (BTO) housing accessibility for singles, private estate residents and raising the income ceiling beyond $14,000. Member Foo Cexiang will advocate for relaxing Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat purchase restrictions for Singaporeans with non-resident spouses and introducing a flexible short-lease scheme for seniors. Member Nadia Samdin will provide suggestions on how to improve the diversity of our housing topology and how we can improve our city in nature. Member Cai Yinzhou will speak about creating third spaces in communities, how we can reimagine homeownership for all, and how we can adapt HDBs to last longer beyond 99 years. As for myself, I will speak on three areas. How we can make housing more accessible and affordable, ensuring we have enough homes and land to meet rising demand and how we can strengthen our built sector. My first point is on increasing accessibility and affordability.”
“— may be a trial, and how can we better communicate the expectations? Yes, I will stop here.”
“Chairman, I would like to ask MDDI on what MDDI can do to set and communicate the right expectations for our people citizenry, given the fact that we are vastly transforming the way we interact with the citizens. I applaud the MDDI for the ambition and the determination to transform the way we do e-services. Basically, in a nutshell, we are asking the Government to do more with less; do faster; do differently, not just transacting with Government, but also giving people advice, like SupportGoWhere. So, it is quite a big way of transformation of how we do things, in terms of Government service. And we are also, instead of developing services through coding, we are asking our civil service to orchestrate AI agents to code. So, it is fairly different. With new ways of doing, there is always a risk of things not working out initially. So, how are we going to set the right expectations? Like I think Minister of State Lau has mentioned that Singaporeans have high expectation of e-services. Maybe we could look at how Google does it, when they deliver services to all of us, they have Google Beta, Google Preview, using this to communicate to people that some services —”
“Our Public Service Media companies are our national assets. I hope MDDI can share how it plans to secure our future. I notice I have 18 more seconds, so I want to add in a final point. I noted we are asking MDDI to do a lot of cybersecurity, national Public Service Media on IT services and AI development. I know that there is limited budget. I know it is not easy task. So, thank you in advance.”
“Supporting Our National Media Mr Chairman, our Public Service Media companies – Mediacorp, Zaobao, CNA, Business Times – are not just Singapore's truth infrastructure. They are also our society's trust infrastructure. In an age of AI-generated disinformation, like what some of our Members talked about earlier, they stand between our people and in a manipulated information environment. Yet, our Public Service Media face significant headwinds, declining circulation in a fragmented media space, a rapidly evolving advertising model and growing disinformation from overseas. Unlike commercial outlets, our Public Service Media also carries nation-building obligations, serving all communities fairly, building social cohesiveness and upholding our national interest. Even reputable international outlets like the Washington Post have to resort to dramatic cuts. Can MDDI outline its vision for keeping our national media compelling, relevant and thriving? How does it do so to help them stay financially viable, so we can forestall similar painful restructuring here? We should not underestimate what we already have. Zaobao is already one of the most respected Chinese-language outlet globally. CNA commands credibility far beyond our shores. And with the strategic investment, The Business Times could become the Financial Times of Southeast Asia. Our Public Service Media a key source of our soft power. Our media must also stay relevant for all Singaporeans, starting with our students. Countries like Australia and the UK have ensured that public service content remains prominent and easily discoverable on connected television platforms. Can we do the same, so that the quality of local content is not buried by algorithms favouring overseas programming?”
“Mr Chairman, AI-centric IT development is no longer theoretical. In Silicon Valley, leading AI firms and hyperscalers have moved beyond traditional software development. Frameworks now include intention-based engineering, vibe coding and agentic development. More top programmers are publicly saying they no longer code traditionally. AI-centric development is fundamentally different. It has integral to design, coding, testing and continuous improvement. Singapore's IT services firms are the delivery layer between our national AI strategy and real-world outcomes. The bottleneck is not talent. Our tech workers are ready. It could be structural inertia within IT services firms and if they do not adopt these new paradigms quickly, our ambitions remain on paper. Can MDDI work with the top AI firms and hyperscalers already based here to transfer such know-hows to our local firms? Should we leverage on these partnerships not just for enterprise development, but also to transform how our IT companies build software? Can the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) also move quickly to embrace these approaches, while adhering to cybersecurity and regulatory requirements, and progressively require IT service companies involved in Government work to do the same? This is not without precedent. We mandated Building Information Modelling adoption in construction procurement, and it transformed that industry. Finally, how can we ensure our tech workforce and students keep pace? And beyond the tech sector, how can we encourage both our multinational companies (MNCs) and SMEs to embrace AI in their own operations?”
“Mr Chairman, National Service (NS) is the bedrock of our defence. Every generation of Singaporeans has served and every generation deserves to know that their time in uniform is used to its fullest. Are we deploying our national servicemen as meaningfully as we can and are the skills they bring being optimised? Today, enlistees arrive with increasingly diverse capabilities – from digital skills to technical trades, logistics experience, language abilities and even food and beverage (F&B) or retail operations knowledge. How is MINDEF strengthening the identification and deployment of such capabilities, so that NS becomes not just a duty fulfilled but a period of genuine contribution to our defence? I would also ask MINDEF to consider greater flexibility during NS. Can we explore Work-Learn schemes that allow servicemen, where operationally feasible, to build career-relevant credentials along their services? Can early enlistment options be made available for those who wish to enter NS before the standard window, giving young men more agency over how they sequence education, service and work? For our Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen), I hope MINDEF will look into more structured Expertise Deployment – matching reservists to roles that draw on competencies from their civilian lives. A reservist who is a mechanic, a nurse or a logistics coordinator should be contributing where his skills matter most. I look forward to MINDEF's update on how we can make every hour of service count.”
“Mr Chairman, Singapore's foreign policy has always been anchored in maintaining strong relations with all major powers while safeguarding our sovereignty and national interest. Can MFA update us on how our relationships with the US and China have developed, and how we have continued to strengthen ties with both countries? Even as we maintain positive relations with Beijing and Washington, the world is becoming increasingly bifurcated. Supply chains are fragmenting, technology ecosystems are splitting and countries are being pressured to choose sides. For a small, open economy like Singapore, this is an existential challenge. This is why engagement with middle powers and sizeable regional blocs matters more than ever. Partners like the European Union (EU), Japan and South Korea share our commitment to open trade, multilateral rules and a stable international order. Deeper collaboration with these partners can help us expand economic opportunities, diversify our dependencies and uphold the global commons. Can MFA share the initiatives Singapore is pursuing with such middle-power partners, along the geopolitical, trade and technology fronts? How are we working with like-minded countries to partially insulate Singapore from an increasingly fragmented world, while continuing to advance our national interests? Small nations thrive when the rules-based order holds. I hope MFA can outline how Singapore intends to play an active role in strengthening that order along partners who share this conviction. US-China Relations and Global Institutions”
“They are left paying high rental rates, with no clear pathways of getting their roof over their heads somewhere. I understand that this group have a lot of complexities and it is not due to any one source of difficulty that they face, but I hope the Government can consider a targeted programme, like how we invented Fresh Start for people in rental estate but the targeted programme helps this group that I mentioned with some of the following features: selective offering of HDB loans, Government-backed mortgage guarantees with maybe a bank like DBS, a structured pathway for BTOs where demonstrated income stability unlocks eligibility, or access to long-term affordable rental while they rebuild credit. The gap is real, and these families deserve a pathway. Let me conclude. Mr Speaker, Budget 2026 reminds me of the many Budget discussions and debates we had during COVID. Then, the rest of the world were dealing with COVID. But our Budget not just helped us deal with COVID but also prepared Singapore to emerge stronger together from COVID. Today, just look at the headlines. The world, and even the major powers, are bogged down by geopolitical conflict, internal disputes and disarrays, and trade or even economic wars. In marked contrast, here in this Parliament, we are discussing a future forward Budget that not just responds to a changed world but also prepare ourselves to emerge stronger together in this AI-charged world. Therefore, Mr Speaker, this Budget deserves our full support.”
“The advantages I have described – Trust, Knowledge and Connectivity – do not sustain themselves. They require institutions to uphold them. Sometime ago, I had a chat with our Minister Josephine Teo who leads Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), she describes our Public Service Media as Singapore's truth infrastructure. I would go further than that. I would say that our Public Service Media are not just Singapore's truth infrastructure but also our trust infrastructure. The Straits Times has a place in the hearts of most of our people. Zaobao is already the most respected international Chinese-language outlet globally. CNA commands with credibility far beyond our shores and with strategic investment, The Business Times could become the Financial Times of Southeast Asia. In an age of AI-generated disinformation, they stand between our people and a manipulated information space. I urge the Government to make sure that they are adequately and sustainably funded, and that our media professionals find a compelling future in them. Because our media is a source of our trust, and is a key voice of our soft power. My last point is about a home for every family. A nation's ambition is not only credible if people feel secure in the most basic of things and I commend the Ministry of National Development (MND) for continuing to build housing quickly. There is one group that I would like to speak up for today, which is the sandwiched-class families with decent incomes who could comfortably service a mortgage but cannot secure loans from banks and Housing and Development Board (HDB). Their incomes are too high for public rental, and Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) requires a waiting Build-To-Order (BTO).”
“On a pure cost, we were never going to win this race. But this is the wrong race to run. The Economic Development Board (EDB) has long described Singapore's value proposition as Trust, Knowledge and Connectivity. AI-centric development does not erode this advantage – it amplifies them. On trust: in an AI-centric world, where AI agents transact and AI systems make decisions, trust becomes the most precious commodity in the digital economy. Businesses will site AI operations where they trust the legal framework and the Government behind them and Singapore has spent decades building exactly this trust. On knowledge: the tacit knowledge – the kind that cannot be Googled or prompted – lives in the relationships and expertise of the people based here. AI can accelerate the application of our knowledge. On connectivity: we have at least seven distinct global hubs – aviation, shipping, regional headquarters, advanced manufacturing, biotech, chemicals, electronics, and finance – co-located on 700 square kilometres. The collaboration density, between the hubs themselves and the world they connect to, is something no amount of digital connectivity can replicate. In an AI-centric economy, where the most valuable innovations emerge at the intersection of industries, this co-location is a profound and durable. If we move fast enough, if we adopt AI-centric development in Government, bring our IT services industry with us and equip many layers of our SME industry, AI gives us the chance to not just manage our constraints but re-invent our economy on foundations that took decades to build, and that no competitor can replicate overnight. Mr Speaker, let me now speak briefly on our Public Service Media.”
“Alongside the mandate, the Government should also transfer its frameworks and playbooks to polytechnics, universities and IT service firms. And over time, Singapore's AI-centric methodology will not just become a public sector asset but something that will drive industry capability. Third, our SME support can be more differentiated. When it comes to AI, two groups are ready to move, and they need different support. The first group are SMEs led by founders with strong technology backgrounds like the SME entrepreneur I mentioned about – programming using AI agents over Chinese New Year. For these founders, the barriers to scale have collapsed. They understand understand AI and can now grow at speeds previously requiring the capital and headcount of a much larger enterprise. Yet our bespoke innovation grants have traditionally been reserved for larger companies. And I urge the Government to open these grants to tech-capable SMEs – these are Singapore's next generation of high-tech growth. The second group are conventional SMEs that need help adopting AI in day-to-day operations. Here, Prime Minister Wong's expanded PSG is the right instrument. But the approved vendor list today are very traditional tech companies. Over time, there will be a growing tier of AI-centric firms delivering accounting, payroll, marketing services or products. I hope the Government can consider actively onboarding these firms as PSG-approved vendors and co-fund the transition cost so that conventional SMEs can access them quickly. Taken altogether, some will argue that the AI levels the playing field against Singapore. In a narrow sense, they are right – a talented developer anywhere, armed with enough AI tools and call code credits, can generate entire applications overnight.”
“When the Government is a sophisticated co-development partner – bringing deep domain knowledge expertise of public service delivery and regulatory complexity – we deepen their commitment to Singapore and build internal capability that stays here. Beyond our own services, Government should revive the spirit of the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) with an AI-centric lens – working together with Prime Minister Wong’s four AI Mission sectors to identify common problems solvable through AI across different sectors and building shared solutions together with the industry. Next, how we accelerate the IT services industry. Singapore's IT services industry – the firms that actually deliver technology projects across the public and private sectors – may not be adopting AI-centric development fast enough. These firms are the delivery layers between AI strategy and real world outcomes. If they do not transform, the strategy stays on paper. This is not a talent problem. Our tech workers are ready – curious, hungry and well-educated. The bottleneck could be structural inertia within the IT services firms, compounded by the complexity of making AI-centric development enterprise-grade. Large companies have found it easier to continue with familiar methods while adding AI as a cosmetic layer. Therefore, I propose a phased mandate: Government IT contracts should progressively require AI-centric development methods. New projects first, legacy contracts given longer runways and a clear three-to-five-year transition pathway. This is not without precedent – we mandated Building Information Modeling (BIM) adoption in the construction industry and we can transform that. When the Singapore Government becomes the driver of demand, industry follows.”
“I want to build on this vision by speaking on three areas where I believe we can move even faster: how the Government itself builds digital services with the world's leading AI firms helping us, how we can accelerate the IT service industry, and how we ensure our SME support reach more layers of our enterprise base. First, how can the Government build more digital services with the world's leading AI companies' support. Today, I believe that the Government e-services are still largely procured through traditional IT methods – where AI, if used at all, is bolted on rather than embedded from the outset. AI-centric development is fundamentally different: AI is integral to design, coding, testing and continuous improvement process. Services are faster to build, cheaper to maintain and adaptive rather than ageing between upgrade cycles. I propose that this becomes the default methodology for all new Government services and to scale it as a whole-of-Government over time. And we should not build this alone. Over 60 companies, including Google and Microsoft, have established AI Centres of Excellence here. These firms should not only help Singapore enterprises adopt AI; they should also be co-developing our AI-centric stacked deck itself, building together with the Public Service. This is how we build a sovereign national AI system – something I spoke about in the last Budget debate – not from scratch at prohibitive cost, but through structured co-development with the world’s best, on our terms, anchored in our values. When the Government is merely a customer, our leverage is limited.”
“Mr Speaker, over Chinese New Year, I spoke with residents in Kebun Baru about the Budget and the year ahead. What struck me about this year was how central AI has become in my conversation to them. Young graduates told me that good entry-level jobs and internships are now harder to come as companies re-organise themselves around AI. A young academic volunteer told me a story he wanted to build a simple application. He got a quote from a local IT service company for $70,000 to build the application. He got frustrated, hired somebody from Vietnam at $10 per hour and spent the weekend to build that same application using AI agents. I also spoke to a tech savvy SME entrepreneur who spent his breaks in between Chinese New Year house visits, building, orchestrating AI agents to automate many parts his back-office for his SME. I met an accountant in her 50s, after watching a clip on the robotic wushu performance, turned to her family and asked, "What happens to my job?" And I met an investor who told me that correlation between Nasdaq and AI is now very close. He would notice a big drop in one segment of the Nasdaq stock market and that usually comes after Anthropic introduces a new part, a new module, a new feature in the systems. So, our people have sensed that AI has matured quickly and is now reshaping lives in ways that felt theoretical just a year ago. Prime Minister Wong has decisively centered our Budget on AI, outlining a bold vision for Singapore in a changed, AI-charged world.”
“While we must keep the bar high and always learn from past mistakes, we must also avoid swinging to the other extreme, setting requirements or consequences so onerous that capable partners hesitate to work with the Government. We must also guard against the Public Service getting excessively risk averse that they do not even want to share even with this expanded framework and therefore, lose the chance to serve our people better. With that in mind, I would like to ask the Minister of State the Government’s approach to setting cybersecurity expectations that are robust but also clear and workable across different partners? For example, what is the baseline standard for all partners and what higher standards must apply for more sensitive data and what support will be given to help partners meet these standards? And the next point, and an important point, if a serious incident happens despite reasonable safeguards by these partners, given how widespread cybersecurity breaches are globally, how will the Government assess responsibility in a way that is fair, firm and predictable so that our partners have clarity and confidence to work with us? Mr Speaker, Sir, this Bill reduces friction for our residents, strengthens trust and helps our ecosystem of partners serve Singaporeans more seamlessly, while keeping safeguards. I also hope the Government will take this chance to engage partners closely as implementation begins, so that the safeguards are not just strong on paper but also workable in practice. With that, I support the Bill.”
“First, can the Minister of State share a range of concrete examples across the Government of how this Bill will improve outcomes for Singaporeans beyond what she has shared earlier? Examples that show better support for those who need social and financial assistance, better coordination across services and stronger outreach, especially for seniors, preventive care and active ageing. Some examples may be immediate, others longer-term, but it will help us understand and have a clearer sense of the early priorities and aspirations and how the Government fully intends to tap this Bill to better our people’s lives. Second, the Government works with many partners of different sizes and capabilities. What are the key principles for deciding what to share, with whom and how much? How will the Government ensure purpose limitation and data minimisation is done, so that we share what is needed and not more than what is needed, and not longer than what is needed? And where strategic partners need this information to serve residents well but lack capability, how will the Government help level them up? Therefore, I call for the Government to provide common frameworks, grants, training, shared platforms and secure ways for partners to plug in, so that all partners, even the smaller ones, can meet the requirements without being overwhelmed. Third, on cybersecurity. Singaporeans expect data to be safeguarded well and we also expect strong consequences for misuse. At the same time, threats are becoming more sophisticated and even well-run organisations can be targeted by persistent attacks or malware.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this amendment Bill. At its core, this Bill strengthens the Government’s ability to deliver help that is effective, timely and dignified. In practice, the Government does not serve Singaporeans alone. It works with social service agencies and community partners to deliver care with empathy. It also works with the private sector to deliver services efficiently and at scale. And to do this well, it often needs to pull together the right facts from different sources, so that those who need help most can receive the right support quickly and in a coordinated way. But we also know the challenge. Information does not always flow smoothly sometimes across agencies and often between Government and trusted partners. Many of us in Parliament see the consequences when we help our residents in their appeals. Some residents must submit the same documents multiple times. Some must repeat the same details again. Some must recount painful parts of their story more than once before support can be put together. Not everybody can navigate the system with ease. And some do fall through the cracks, not because officers or partners do not care, but because the right information needs time to gather for the right persons to act. And that is why I support this Bill and its direction. It is a practical step forward from the status quo and it aims to strike a better balance between service delivery, privacy and security. And it recognises a simple truth – data sharing must not be driven by convenience. It must be controlled, accountable and safe, especially when we share data with external partners. Because this Bill will has wide impact, I have three questions.”
“As the Bill empowers OSC to identify users and disclose that information to purported victims, what safeguards are there to prevent misuse of that disclosed data for reverse doxxing? In closing, Speaker, Sir, this Bill makes our online space safer, especially for our youths. It strengthens trust, delivers speed as part of justice and holds platforms and perpetrators to account. With these clarifications, I support this landmark Bill.”
“Do victims have to report to several agencies or will the agencies coordinate? And if OSC and the Courts disagree about whether online harm has happened, what happens then? Who has the final say and how is the conflict resolved? Three, mental health integration. Removing content is necessary, but not sufficient. Victims need healing, not just remedies. Protection and healing must move together. How will OSC work with community groups and appropriate services to support victims, especially youth, of online harms? Can we consider offering psychological support along legal relief? And how will OSC make sure that the staff are properly trained so that they can help without causing further harm? Four, Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and disclosures. Victims need identity disclosure to pursue redress. Platforms must also, at the same time, meet data protection duties. Will regulations clarify how Disclosure Directions interact with PDPA obligations, including purpose limitation and legal‑obligation exceptions? And will good‑faith compliance with valid directions be recognised so platforms can act quickly without fear of breaching confidentiality? Five, cross border and evasion. How will OSC enforce its directions outside Singapore and will claims under the statutory torts actually help in such cases? The Bill lets OSC tell platforms to collect certain user information, but a person can ignore the request, ditch old accounts and open new ones. In such cases, how will the Bill still get the perpetrator's user information? My final point, six, preventing abuse and protecting identities. What guardrails will prevent the statutory torts being weaponised for "lawfare", by that I mean frivolous claims or claims without merits to harass or pressurise respondents?”
“Expression is not a licence to harass, and freedom comes with responsibilities. It gives our people, especially our youths, room to think and disagree without destruction – a healthy digital commons to engage, create, and learn without humiliation. It delivers timely justice because harm spreads fast and hours matter, and OSC can act in days to remove content, restrict accounts and disclose identities so victims can seek damages. Sir, for online falsehoods, speed is justice. At the same time, I have a number of clarifying questions to the Ministers for this landmark Bill. One, implication of the amendments added on top of this Bill. In the amendments put forward, the evidentiary threshold moves from "reason to suspect" to "reasonable grounds to believe". Also, the amendments called for a process to appeal to the General Division of the High Courts. And the amendments call for the inclusion of serious harms like abetment or encouragement of suicide and sexual grooming into this Bill. But I believe these are already addressed in criminal law, including the Penal Code, sections 306 and 376E; and the Vulnerable Adults Act 2018. To me, these amendments seem to be a substantive change to the due process proposed by this Bill, with implications to the victims – more legal cost, delayed justice. As such, I would like to ask the Ministers to inform us of the implications of these additional amendments put before Parliament votes. My second point is that, no wrong doors. We already have laws on harmful online content – POHA, Broadcasting Act, POFMA, the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act and OCHA. If someone is harmed online, how do they figure out which law to use? Will OSRA overlap with these or fit in with them?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of this Bill, because for victims of online harm, speed matters and justice delayed is justice denied. A deepfake now takes seconds to create. With powerful AI, harm scales fast and it is not rare. Surveys show that more than 84% of residents have encountered harmful content online and roughly one in three have faced harassment or bullying. In particular, as many of our Ministers and political officeholders have mentioned, for our youth, online and offline are one continuous reality. So, harm in one space, whether it is deepfakes, doxxing, non-consensual intimate content, bleeds into the other. Yet removal through current Court processes can take months and even years and traces often persist after takedown. This is the gap where victims suffer. Mental health declines, some turn to self-harm, drop out of school or lose jobs. Embarrassments follow, harassment piles on and cancel culture amplifies the pain. These are real psychological injuries. Sometimes a mental prison is worse than a physical one and we cannot keep telling victims to wait another three more months for relief. That is why, for years, I have consistently called for legislation to curb this danger. In the 2022 Penal Code debate, I urged for laws to prevent cancel culture from taking root. In the 2018 debate on online falsehoods, I argued that democracies depend on facts, transparency and truth in public discourse, and warned that social media algorithms turn some of the most sensational content viral and some of these contents are false and harmful. That is why I welcome this Bill. It closes the gap and strengthens trust – the foundation of a "we first" society. It protects people, it does not police speech.”
“Mr Speaker, I support this Bill and the suite of changes it makes. Given its breadth, I will focus my remarks on three areas: one, tackling global scams and online crimes while protecting innovation; two, a calibrated approach to accountability for 14-to-17-year-olds; and three, improving proportionality by resolving the inflexibility of mandatory caning. Let me first talk about our efforts to target operators of crime. I support forward-looking legislation that go after the operators – scam networks, credential abuse, deepfakes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) creators – without impeding technological progress. Indeed, the impact of such crimes is immense. Just take scams. Since 2019, Singaporeans have lost over S$3 billion to scams. In 2024 alone, losses were over S$1.1 billion. In the first half of this year, government-official impersonation scams almost reach 1,800, nearly triple year-on-year. Victims, like many of my fellow Members have mentioned, are disproportionately elderly, vulnerable or desperate. Many lose their life savings and suffer deep hardship.”
“We are a nation that knows itself, and in knowing itself, shapes our destiny. [Applause.]”
“Let us consider creating a Healthier SG dental plan by working with private sector dental clinics. Two, we must accelerate a nationwide roll-out of affordable assisted living for our seniors. For many of our seniors, our current senior care model assumes binary choices, either full independence with lived-in help or institutional care. But the reality is a lot messier. Therefore, I hope we can quickly conclude our learnings from the pilot that is going on, about shared resources for assisted living and scale it nationwide. Three, fight animal cruelty. How we treat the voiceless reveals our values. As cruelty reports rise, we must respond decisively. Strengthen penalties and give agencies resources for swift action. And I will follow up in subsequent debates with detailed proposals. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, these four ideas show that even as a small nation, we should not be a price taker amid global currents. We can set our own course. Many countries struggle to be more than a flag and an anthem, united in name, divided in purpose. Singapore chose differently. We have developed the habits of a civilisational state, institutions that keep faith, a culture that renews, a people who hold together. We often associate such a death of large nations like France, yet size is not destiny. Like Venice once did, Singapore shows that a small state can carry a civilisation. It is who we are. Now, let us choose it openly. In this dangerous age, we choose not to remain quiet, not to play it safe, not to settle, but to be who we are meant to be. So, let us set our compass, build our institution and live our culture. We are more than a shining red dot, more than an economic miracle, more than the sum of all our constraints.”
“It is the daily cost of living in our daily lives. We all know that coffee shop prices where it is now leads to high rental rates and I hope the Government can intervene directly. Let us consider targeted purchases of surrounding shops and converting them into Government-owned Community Canteens, we can call it "⼈民⾷堂". We are talking about low-cost spaces, tendered to operators who commit to fair prices and quality meals. And I believe that we just need a limited number of them, perhaps 20 or 30 sites throughout Singapore. I believe these will do much to taper excessive coffee shop prices. My final point is about enlarging our circle of care. Our people's capacity for compassion has grown. A good example is how global crises such as the plight of civilians in Gaza has moved Singaporeans across all races and faiths to help. One of my community volunteer is Ashik and he serves as the Executive Director of Mercy Relief. He shared with me that they raised $1 million to benefit 350,000 civilians with food, medical supplies and water. In fact, they are preparing for four more projects in Gaza and the West Bank. And our Government also mirrors this empathy. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) airdrops supplies and convenes the Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Response conference, which I have attended over the last few years and I saw how SAF brought together militaries and volunteer welfare organisations to respond faster when crises strike. So, this example shows how the hearts of Singaporeans have expanded beyond our shores. I hope that the same expansive spirit must also transform care at home in Singapore, in three ways. I hope we can strengthen our oral care. Dental health remains an area of improvement in our otherwise excellent healthcare system.”
“We all know that in this age, tech talent needs three things: a deep understanding of system architecture depth, business knowledge and AI coding ability. It means that our senior project managers must relearn coding to be able to harness AI effectively. Our universities and polytechnics must provide tech students with business classes and industry projects. We must try hard to create pivot programmes for tech students and recent graduates into high-demand areas, such as AI development and cybersecurity. And finally, we must prepare for broader waves. Tech is just the beginning. AI automation will spread everywhere, be it self-driving vehicles or delivery robots. The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme is excellent because we are not just having people training but cost-of-living subsidies. For our people with limited financial buffers but are committed to reskilling, can we consider enhancing it with optional loan and insurance moratoriums, so they can plunge ahead with conviction and confidence? This will ensure that disruption does not lead to distress. Three, keep homes and daily lives within reach. I welcome the brisk pace of BTO constructions, adding supply would moderate resale pressure. With more homes coming, we should be able to expand both access and affordability. I hope we can consider raising income ceilings for high-achieving Singaporeans with limited inter-generational wealth and also allow Singaporeans married to foreigners, older applicants from private estates and singles to access larger BTOs and not just resale flats. I hope we can also consider lowering the singles eligibility age by two years. These are not concessions; we should recognise that diverse family structures deserve equal dignity in housing. But affordability extends beyond the flat.”
“We should also require social media to surface more societal content, helping citizens break free from filter bubbles. Because we should also count the the cost of inaction? Without further decisive action, our youths' mental health will continue to be affected. Algorithms, not us, will shape our collective consciousness. Most of all, when one is drowning in newsfeeds personalised to the “I” and the “I” here is defined by the shortest possible attention span, what space are we leaving to build a “we first” society? My next point is harnessing creative destruction. Yes, we all know that AI-driven disruptions are both creating opportunities and challenges. The US experience is instructive. Large media companies are shedding jobs, yes that is true, but AI is also making custom digitisation affordable for many industries and smaller companies, work that was previously too expensive. These displaced technology talents do not just disappear. They diffuse into other industries and bring with them the skills with them to spark broader productivity and Singapore should seize these opportunities as well. How do we start? First, the Government must lead. While private companies shed tech jobs, we should accelerate digitalisation instead. Hire young IT graduates to supercharge Ministries with AI, prototype solutions and help companies cut costs. In short, we should transform job disruption into opportunity. Second, spread tech talents across industries. As tech giants slim down, mid-sized companies can now afford customised AI solutions. So, we should incentivise, especially mid-sized system integrators in selected industries to hire young graduates who are mastering AI to digitalise those untouched sectors. Third, we should reskill and retool our education system.”
“MediaCorp's “Superstar” and SPH's “Xing Kong Xin” are discovering new voices and new lyrics that speak to our people. To accelerate this, I hope our Government can consider funding media clubs in schools, in every school, dedicate a part of our national news sections to youth journalists, so that they can shape national conversations directly. This two-way bridge helps our media feel the pulse of our younger generations while nurturing future newsmakers. Third, we should refresh and extend the Singapore story. Past cultural icons, like Liang Wen Fu and Stefanie Sun, have shaped our identity with minimal Government support. For SG60, I hope we can launch a decade-long programme bringing together our brightest cultural minds, people like Boo Junfeng, Yeo Siew Hua and Wong Kahchun. Give them the resources and access to our ecosystem to write the next chapter of our story. Because we should think about the consequences of letting our cultural development languish. In 10 years, will we accept our identity being shaped by the occasional Netflix drama done by a foreign content creator? Will we be comfortable if we let others, including those with an agenda, decide what to amplify or diminish about our Singapore culture? Four, we should prepare Singaporeans for a contested information landscape. We should mandate media literacy modules in junior colleges and tertiary institutions so that all Singaporeans, before they reach adulthood, are aware of this. In my view, we should enforce MOH's guidelines on healthy social media consumption for our youths. This is not tilting at windmills. It is about giving our youths the headspace to resist the instant gratification loops.”
“To tap on this strength, we can tell our story better, harness technological disruption, keep life affordable and expand our capacity for care. Let me outline how we can do these four things. One, tell our stories better. If Singapore is a ship, our media is the rudder that allows us to reflect together, to steer our collective destiny. And our culture is our ballast, keeping us steady through choppy waters. To tell our stories better, we must do four things. One, double down on investments in our newsrooms, even as media companies face declining revenues. Yes, AI can write prose and automate workflows. But journalism is fundamentally about human connection – reporters engaging in people and uncovering stories that matter. We are not just maintaining standards; we are polishing diamonds. Zaobao is already the most respected Chinese media outlet globally. And CNA commands credibility far beyond our shores. With strategic investment, can we position Business Times as the Financial Times of Southeast Asia? In an era where great powers project, not just hard power, but influence, our media is our best vehicle for soft power; offering an authentic Singapore perspective to the world. Two, we need to build the generational divide by connecting our youths to our media and culture, for without this connection, our cultural future dims. Fortunately, I can see green shoots are emerging. Zaobao's recent partnership with Chinese media company, they are the creators of this web novel turned hit drama series called "Yu Qing Nian", it is a fantastic drama series. This contest a partnership has generated, I was told, tens of thousands of entries from all over the world, including from Singapore and the region.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. Many colleagues here have spoken about a turbulent world; great-power contest, technological disruption. From Singapore's early days, we have known these dangers. We have always, and often been caught sometimes by ourselves, as an improbable nation, a little red dot. This labels emphasise our vulnerability, too small to matter, too exposed to survive alone, too young to develop deep roots. Yet, these weaknesses force us to build deeper foundations. Large nations can afford divisions, we cannot. Large nations can tolerate institutional decay, we cannot. Large nations can indulge in identity politics, we cannot. Our vulnerability has became our vigilance and our constraints become our discipline. And from this foundation, something remarkable has emerged as we began a new chapter under our fourth Prime Minister, even amidst a dangerous world, we have a basis for optimism that is often overlooked. We have quietly emerged as a civilisation of states, rare among small nations born not of design, but of decisions under pressure. Like the Venetian Republic of old, small in territory, immense in influence, because Venice knew what it stood for. Venice proved that civilisational death does not require vast lands. Singapore, too, carries this potential. We are more than a flag and anthem. Our institutions are trusted, our common purpose and values are clear. We possess the cultural maturity and sovereign worldview to set our own compass. And in this dangerous age, while others fracture, we unite. While others doubt, we build. Therefore, let us build on a new source of strength: the quiet stature of an emerging civilisational state; small on the map, large in mind and spirit.”
“Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State about the learnings that we have, given the fact that this is new programme and it is attracting a different group of Singaporeans. I note in particular the statistics of around more than 50% of people who are able to get a job after this training. Is there any preliminary sense of what happens to the rest? I am asking because these groups are perfectly motivated people – they have a full-time job and then they transit, they retrain and, therefore, they should logically be able to get such skills because they highly motivated and are employable. Therefore, are there any lessons that we can learn or preliminary conclusions, especially with regard to matching the aspirations and qualifications of the trainees with the future industry needs?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive response. I have a supplementary question on the rental in the resale shops, shops that are sold by HDB. I welcome the openness of MND to consider all options, including compulsory acquisitions. Can I just check: will MND be open to prioritising trades, where the cost of rental are leading to a much higher cost of living implications, for example, cooked food, so that interventions can be done sooner than later, given that that is a pressing concern on many Singaporeans' minds?”
“Sir, I have some clarification questions for MCCY regarding the SG Heritage Business Scheme. On behalf of the heartland merchants, since I am the advisor for the Federation of Merchants’ Associations, I would like to ask MCCY how many businesses are expected to benefit from this scheme? And what is the budget for this scheme? And are there plans to expand it beyond Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India, to include other areas like Joo Chiat and Katong?”
“While urban renewal and commercial viability are important, it is equally critical that we find ways to safeguard and support heritage businesses so that Singapore does not lose these cultural icons. Can the Minister share any plans to recognise and support our heritage businesses, ensuring they remain a meaningful part of Singapore’s cultural and economic landscapes for years to come?”
“Mdm Chair, I would like to speak about how we can sustain our heritage businesses. Singapore’s rich multicultural heritage is a vital part of our national identity and should be accessible, celebrated and preserved for future generations. From our historical districts to traditional trades, our cultural heritage reflects the shared experiences and contributions of our diverse communities. However, sustaining interest and deepening appreciation requires proactive efforts to engage Singaporeans, especially our younger generation. Can the Minister share what can be done to ensure that the community continues to sustain interest in, and deepen appreciation for, our cultural heritage? And beyond cultural sites and festivals, heritage businesses also play an important role to shape our identity, serving communities for decades with high-quality products and services that have stood the test of time. Many of these businesses are not just commercial enterprises but keepers of traditional crafts, recipes and experiences that define Singapore’s unique character. For example, in Kebun Bahru, we have the largest remaining bird singing club left in Singapore. And next to the club, there are one or two little shops with a couple of craftsmen who do handcrafted and handmade bird cages. They may not generate a lot of sales but their presence shaped the look and feel of the surrounding bird-singing community. Yet, as we have seen in recent cases in Marine Parade, these long-established businesses face challenges, including rising rentals, changing consumer habits and competition from large retail chains.”
“Chairman, I would like to ask MND two clarifications for the BE sector. First of all, some consultants are concerned about being held responsible for what you call excessive contractual liabilities arising from projects and project disputes. Can he share how the proposed review of public sector procurement practices could help alleviate that? Second is more on the BETC grants, which will go very far to help the sector. Can MND share more about how, specifically, it will help the BE sector, which is essential for MND's construction plans for the future?”
“For example, working with the Hainan Clan Association to create mock-ups of the old village in the Thomson Nature Park. So, can NParks share its plans to involve more Singaporeans in the effort, empowering individuals, businesses and grassroots to get involved in NPark's City in Nature initiative? New Park at Sengkang West Industrial Estate”