Lawrence Wong
Singapore
“Sir, we will provide more information. I see the value of getting Ministries to put out more information, to share more about how their resources are being used and what outcomes they have achieved.”
“Sir, I agree fully with Mr Azhar that human capacity, human capital is critical. In fact, I would say the long-term potential of Singapore, how far we go really depends on us being able to maximise our human potential. That is key and that is why we have long invested in education. And it is not just about the investments.”
“Sir, we have been maintaining that commitment of 1% for some time now. I do not think it is about saying that we just have to do more and spend more. As many have highlighted, we want to ensure good outcomes from our R&D spending as well. So, we will continue if the outcomes are good.”
“This has never been the case. Temasek, when it started, was always very clear about its mandate from the very beginning – commercial, not doing national service, focused on commercial outcomes.”
“Sir, the MOF economists when they look at fiscal projections use Government's forecast of the economy, which is also published. We would typically use the mid-point of the range and then, of course, because these are in nominal terms, you have to factor for that. And the projections are done on those basis.”
“Sir, I was relieved that Mr Loh said he only has one question, but he asked the most difficult question. To answer the question, we will continue to monitor cost of living across all segments of society.”
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“They cannot use any of the hotel facilities, swimming pool or gym; fourteen days in the room and we will put in place tight security arrangements to ensure this. For those who have already returned and are presently still serving the Stay-Home Notices at home, they, too, can apply to stay in these designated hotels if they so prefer. This is a huge operational and logistical undertaking, given the volumes of people we are receiving everyday. We are able to make use of the empty bed spaces in hotels but we still need to ramp up manpower to enforce their self-isolation. And I want to acknowledge the hard work of all our public officials who did an excellent job in getting this ready within a very short period of time. There is no telling how long this current wave of returnees and imported cases will last. There are more than 200,000 Singaporeans overseas. With more lockdowns imposed in countries elsewhere, more may want to return here to Singapore. And we should welcome them. So, we have to be prepared for more returnees and have arrangements to ensure that they are self-isolated for the full period before they can be brought back within our community. At the same time, we do not want Singaporeans to travel overseas at this time and to compound the problem. That is why we have raised our travel advisory to the highest level to defer all travel. Previously, it was "non-essential". But I think people regard many things as essential. So, we say now "defer all travel". Those who choose to do so will have to pay full costs should they need treatment for COVID-19 when they return. Likewise, they will be subject to a full 14-day self-isolation at the hotel which they will also have to pay in full.”
“These are very significant moves for a small open economy like Singapore, where we have always been connected to the world. But these are extraordinary times, this is an unprecedented crisis and we had to move decisively to keep our borders safe. Importantly, we want to focus our resources on the large number of returning Singaporeans coming back from overseas. We identify those coming back with symptoms as early as possible, right at the airport. We are testing as many as possible and we are expanding our testing capacity. But the numbers are large. Just from UK and US alone, we are getting about 1,200 Singaporeans coming back every day. Every day. We also know that we cannot rely on tests alone, because someone who tests negative at the point of entry may simply be incubating the virus and could develop symptoms over the following days. That is why it is important to also isolate these returnees and have all of them have to serve a 14-day Stay-Home Notice. They have to stay at their place of residence and avoid contact with others even within the same household. We now have 38,000 residents on Stay-Home Notices. That is a very large number. And the numbers will rise with the growing number of returnees. Many are understandably concerned about the risk of the Stay-Home Notice returnees infecting their family members. So, we have just tightened the regime with additional precautions. We are focusing on returnees from the US and UK, given the higher risks, and we are now arranging for them to be transported from the airport directly to designated hotels to serve out the 14-day self-isolation period. These returnees have to stay in their rooms throughout.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Health has given an update on the global and local situation and explained the public health measures that we have taken so far, as well as how we are managing our healthcare capacity. Let me now elaborate on the other aspects of the work of the Ministerial task force. As Minister Gan mentioned just now, we experienced an initial wave of imported cases from China, which resulted in some local transmission and local clusters. Now, we are facing a second and much bigger wave of imported cases from the rest of the world, especially from America and Europe. It reflects how quickly virus is spreading around the world outside of China. The number of cases is doubling every four to six days. There are more cases outside China than in China now. We are not alone in facing this new wave of imported cases. Many places in Asia – Hong Kong, Taiwan are in a similar situation. That is why we have been rapidly adjusting and updating our measures to respond to this new challenge. We have progressively tightened our border controls and travel restrictions, based on the rapidly changing situation. We started with restrictions, as Members would recall, for travellers from China; we extended the restrictions to other epidemic centres – initially to Republic of Korea, Italy, Iran, then France, Germany, Spain; and later UK, Switzerland, Japan and the ASEAN countries. Eventually, we did not have to do country by country, we covered the whole world. Earlier this week, we decided to disallow short-term visitors from entering or transiting in Singapore and to limit returning work pass holders to only those providing essential services like healthcare and transport.”
“Over the past 10 years, NParks has not received reports of nor come across such behaviours by veterinarians.”
“Table 1 provides the number of dog farms that paid annual licence fees for dogs kept for breeding at their premises under Part II of the First Schedule of the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules. Table 2 provides the number of dog farms and pet shops that paid annual licence fees for dogs kept for sale at their premises under Part III of the First Schedule of the Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules.”
“MOE and BCA have been working together on many infrastructural improvements and upgrades over the years for more Government and Government-Aided schools to meet Green Mark Gold standards. Of 332 such schools, 115 have attained at least a Green Mark Gold certification to date. The aim is to have the remaining schools achieve this certification by early 2025.”
“As of December 2019, close to 70% of public sector buildings with air-conditioned floor area of 10,000 square metres or more, excluding schools, have attained the Green Mark Gold Plus certification. 60% of public sector buildings with gross floor area exceeding 5,000 square metres but with air-conditioned floor area below 10,000 square metres, excluding schools, have attained the Green Mark Gold certification.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Dr Neo for the suggestion. In fact, it has been tweaked, it has been evolving. JSS today is different from what it used to be, because now we have partitions, we provide more privacy, we give flexibility and anyone that comes with medical conditions with a reason that they need to stay alone, we are prepared to consider, we are prepared to be flexible and allow them to stay on their own. So, it is not a blanket no. We do provide flexibility for those with medical conditions and with exceptional circumstances to stay on their own. The reason why we cannot depart from this and say, "Everyone live on their own now", is the real constraint which I mentioned earlier. If we are going to double, triple the number of rental units that we have in order to accommodate them, because every JSS tenant wants to split up, we do not have land. That is a real constraint. So, there is no land available to build more. We have got to build new flats, we have got to build new rental flats. I hope Members understand. We are not trying to be hard-hearted about this. There is just not enough space to build so many more new housing units. We try to optimise where we can and as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said just now, when we did a survey of JSS tenants, the majority of them do get along and are okay. We are dealing with a minority and we can manage that if they do not get along, if there are medical conditions. If they do not get along in the first instance, let us try to find ways to pair you up with somebody else. If you have medical conditions, then we will look at your case, and we will consider allowing you to stay on your own, if there is a need to.”
“Mr Chairman, the grant will be made available to all HDB owners with immediate effect, once this has been announced. So, anyone who owns a HDB flat, regardless of whether you are first-timer, second-timer, nth-timer, but you are the owner of a flat and your flat does not lift access, and you have mobility issues, that is the condition. Then, we will help you get a new flat or a resale flat where there is lift access. And the grant will be extended to that owner to facilitate that transaction. How to go about doing it? There are various ways. If the person wants a flat very urgently, then getting it from the resale market makes a lot of sense. If they want a new BTO flat nearby and if there are balance flats, HDB could consider allocating one, if there is a balance flat. But that depends on whether there is availability of such a balance flat nearby. So, it depends. On the sale of their present flat, we will require them to sell the flat before making the new transaction. We will try our best to help them but, in the first instance, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to engage an agent and look at whether or not they can sell the flat in order to make the purchase, whether it is new or resale. If they do face difficulties, then I will ask them to approach the HDB branch and we will see whether we can find ways to help them.”
“Mr Chairman, the short answer is yes, we are very reasonable people and we want the best for the child. So, in a case where indeed, both have divorced, they have one child, it is shared care and control and each individual wants subsidised housing, today, the rule does not allow the child's name to be together with both parents. But if they both need subsidised housing, on a case-by-case basis, if they are indeed lower income, they cannot afford to buy a home themselves, we will look at these cases and we will see what we can do to extend flexibility to them.”
“Of course, we all recognise that the best-laid plans of Man do not always come to pass. The future is not preordained. There will be unexpected challenges along the way. At the start of this year, no one could have predicted that we would be dealing with a virus outbreak today and that this virus outbreak would be potentially escalating into a global problem. It reminds me of what our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, used to say. He said this twice, on two occasions during his birthday dinners. He said, and I quote: "Only a people who are willing to face up to their problems and be prepared to work with their leaders to overcome unexpected hardships with courage and resolution deserve to thrive and prosper." And that is why the theme of the Budget this year is "Unity". With a united purpose, we can overcome our current challenges. We can continue to plan for tomorrow and we can continue to work together to build a better city and home.”
“We have set bold targets to move towards cleaner vehicles, including electric vehicles. On our part, MND will expand the necessary charging infrastructure. We will work with private companies to introduce more charging points at selected public carparks, taking into account the geographical spread of EV chargers, carpark usage, space availability for electrical upgrades and estate upgrading plans. Mr Ong asked for some details on this but we are still working through the detailed plans and we will share more in the coming months. There are many other exciting areas where technology can make a difference in our urban transformation and improve our quality of life. That is why we are committing close to $1 billion in Urban Solutions and Sustainability research to build a more liveable, sustainable and resilient city. We will also continue with our longer term plans to rebuild and remake our city for the future. Over the next 10 to 15 years, we will continue developing new growth centres outside the city centre to enhance Singapore’s economic infrastructure. We have plans in the East, in the West and in the North-East around Changi Airport; in the West around Jurong Innovation District and Jurong Lake District; and in the North with the Punggol Digital District as well as Sungei Kadut. In the longer term, beyond the next 10 to 15 years, we have major sites for redevelopment, as Members would be aware, including the Paya Lebar Airbase when the military airbase moves out and the Greater Southern Waterfront. These are ambitious, major long-term plans which will take several decades to realise. So, it is an opportunity for all of us to start imagining what a future Singapore can be and to work towards realising it.”
“Second, we will recycle rain water and mitigate flood risks. To do that, we will pilot a new underground water detention system. Rainwater collected can be used for non-potable purposes, like washing of the void decks and watering of plants. Third, to help cool our HDB estates, we will deploy a new type of paint, called "cool paint", that can reduce the heat absorbed by buildings. Our preliminary studies suggest that such "cool paint" may be able to reduce ambient temperatures in HDB estates by up to two degrees. So, we will test this across several neighbourhoods to confirm its effectiveness before rolling it out across all estates. Finally, we will also work with Town Councils and the community to convert the top decks of suitable multi-storey carparks into urban farms, community gardens or rooftop greenery. This increases green cover and provides more green spaces for all the residents to enjoy. With the Green Towns programme, we aim to reduce energy consumption in HDB towns by 15% from today’s levels. This is a major effort and the Government, Town Councils and our residents will all need to do our part. Only then can we build greener and more sustainable HDB towns for our next generation. Our efforts to green Singapore do not stop with our HDB towns. We will also push ahead with our efforts to build our future city. One of Singapore’s defining features is our lush greenery and we will be doubling down on our greening strategy, as Second Minister Desmond Lee has elaborated just now. Our green strategy also covers our urban infrastructure and buildings. We have made good progress in greening our buildings and we will continue to accelerate this effort, as Minister of State Zaqy explained. Transport infrastructure is also key.”
“In the meantime, we will make our towns greener and more sustainable. Several Members have asked about our plans for this. Tengah, our newest and greenest HDB town, offers a glimpse of what we can do and aim to do. Tengah will be equipped with the latest sustainable features, including a centralised cooling system. It will have dedicated walking and cycling paths and lots of community green spaces. So, as we push the boundaries in our new towns, we will do likewise in our older towns. That is why we will be launching the new HDB Green Towns programme. It is a 10-year plan to make existing HDB towns more environmentally sustainable and more liveable. Let me highlight some of the key initiatives under this programme: First, we will work with Town Councils to introduce smart LED lighting in all our HDB estates. Using sensors, the system dims to provide just enough ambient lighting when common areas are unoccupied, then brightens again before residents enter an area. It is motion sensors but they are enhanced motion sensors, much better than what you have seen so far. It uses up to 60% less energy than normal LED lighting. We will also harness more renewable energy to power common services in HDB estates. We are already installing solar panels on the rooftops of close to 50% of HDB blocks. You do not seen that very often because very few people see HDB blocks from the sky. But half of our HDB blocks today will have HDB panels on their rooftops. We will increase this to 70% by 2030. We will also deploy more efficient solar panels and aim to more than double the total solar power capacity on HDB rooftops, from 220 megawatt-peak (MWp) today to 540 MWp by 2030. So, this will provide clean energy for our common services in our HDB estates and, in turn, benefit our residents.”
“The architects take great pride in their work. We will let them know how Mr Png feels about their void decks which are maze-like and confusing. But I am sure they will want to take in feedback and continue to work on these designs to do better. Finally, at the town-level, we will renew existing towns through the Remaking Our Heartland programme (ROH). We have selected nine towns and estates for ROH so far. This year, we will select another four towns for ROH. They are Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Choa Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio. The remaking works that can be explored include refreshing of the town and neighbourhood centres, and enhancing of greenery and community spaces in parks or even areas under viaducts. And we will do all of this refreshing and rejuvenating while strengthening the distinctive heritage and identity of our individual housing estates, something which Mr Teo Ser Luck and many others have highlighted. We will want to preserve and even strengthen their distinctive heritage and identity, even as we put in new features and rejuvenate these towns. We will also engage and work with residents closely in this endeavour so that we can remake our heartlands together. HIP, NRP and ROH are our key upgrading programmes which we will continue to press forward with. At some point, as our flats and estates get older, we will need to more systematically redevelop and renew these older estates. That is why we have said that we will be introducing a new programme called the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). We expect to roll out the first VERS project sometime after 2030. This is a major programme and we will need to work through the details. We will take some time to do so and we will share that with Singaporeans when we are ready.”
“We are now ready to move on to the flats built between 1987 and 1997. There are 230,000 of such flats. This year, we will start with almost one quarter of that or 55,000 flats. We are starting with a bigger number to also help support the construction industry during this period. Town Councils have submitted their nominations for this next phase of HIP, and we will inform the Town Councils of the selected projects later this week and then work can get started as soon as we can. We are prioritising the selection by age, so that the older flats go first, and most flats should be able to get the upgrading when they are about 30 years old. It will take around 10 years to finish the HIP for this series of blocks built between 1987 and 1997. At around that time, our oldest HDB blocks will be about 60 years old and, if our Budget permits then, as we have said, we will initiate the second round of HIP, or HIPII, for these older flats. So, we will, almost every year be continuing with upgrading works. Besides block-level programmes, at the precinct-level, we will refresh older precincts with new amenities through the on-going Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and we will be selecting 20 NRP projects for implementation this year. In the past, we used to do about 14. Again, we have raised it to 20 projects, partly to support the construction sector. If there are new in-fill developments within an old precinct, then HDB, as the developer, will also provide for facilities to link up the old and new precincts, which is something that Mr Png has asked for. He expressed some disappointment with HDB design. I should say that HDB blocks are designed by a range of architects, not all by HDB. Many are designed by private sector architects. There are some by HDB.”
“And really, it is more cost-effective to help them move to another flat. Mr Png Eng Huat asked for SERS. I do not think we need to SERS the entire block. But what we will do is to offer a new Lift access Housing Grant of up to $30,000 to help those with medical or mobility issues buy a new or resale HDB flat with direct lift access. So, if anyone is in need and they need direct lift access, they do not want to wait, and the grant is available for them to move to a new place which will have direct lift access. A third priority for us is to continue to rejuvenate our HDB towns and keep them vibrant for generations to come, and we have many upgrading programmes. Let me start at the block-level. 7.00 pm Town Councils are generally responsible for regular and cyclical maintenance of common property, including building façades, and the Government supports the Town Councils for such work, so that the costs are not just borne by the Town Councils from their collections of service and conservancy charges (S&CCs). For example, MND has provided additional grants to help Town Councils with their operating needs and long-term capital expenditure requirements, including for lift maintenance and lift replacement. On the issue of façade repairs, which Mr Pritam Singh asked about, HDB will bear half of the costs. But if the damages are clearly due to design or construction issues, HDB will cover 100% of the costs. On the specific case that Mr Pritam Singh asked about, we will get back to him quite soon, based on the PE's assessment of what the damages were due to. Beyond the work of the Town Councils, there is Government upgrading through the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). We have finished selecting all flats built up to 1986 for Home Improvement.”
“More details will be shared in the coming weeks, including the sales conditions, indicative flat prices and the payment options. We also want to make public housing more inclusive, especially for persons with disabilities and mobility issues, something which Miss Cheryl Chan highlighted. We have made progress in this area in creating barrier-free access for all our HDB estates, but certainly more can be done. As Miss Cheryl Chan said, technology may well open up new possibilities. We thank her for her ideas and the Government will continue to study this issue. One area when it comes to barrier-free access is having lift access on every floor. Several Members have asked about this – Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Ong Teng Koon, and Mr Png Eng Huat. As Members are aware, there are still about 150 blocks that are not eligible for the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). To set things in context, we have managed to provide direct lift access for flats in the vast majority of HDB blocks. We have done so by using innovative technical solutions and by exercising flexibility for some blocks even when they exceed the cost cap of $30,000 per household. But for the remaining 150 blocks, for some of them, LUP is just not technically feasible, regardless of the cost. For many others, the costs are very high. So, it is not just about having some flexibility above the cost cap but we are talking about costs that can be more than $200,000 per household in some cases. As Mr Png Eng Huat said – enough to buy another HDB flat. So, we will continue to explore new technical methods to bring down the LUP cost, but it will not be so easy to make progress on this front. In the meantime, we know that some residents may urgently need direct lift access due to medical or mobility issues.”
“The top-up required today depends on their net sales proceeds and we will simplify this such that seniors only need to top up the first $60,000 of their proceeds. Thirdly, we will increase the maximum cash bonus by 50%, from $20,000 to $30,000. So, seniors will receive $1 in cash bonus for every $2 topped up to their CPF Retirement Account. So, if you have sales proceeds, you top up $60,000, you will get $30,000 in Silver Housing Bonus. In line with this increase, we will also increase the maximum Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) bonus across all flat types. This means that owners of 3-room or smaller, 4-room, and 5-room or larger flats will get a larger bonus. The maximum cash bonus will be $30,000, $15,000 and $7,500 respectively. We are also looking at alternative housing options for seniors. Last year, we shared that MND is working with MOH to pilot assisted living, which allows seniors to buy a flat along with care services. Mr Arasu Duraisamy asked about the status of this project. Both Ministries have held several focus group discussions on the assisted living models. They were generally very well received by seniors, particularly singles and those whose children have moved out. Seniors were especially attracted to the idea of community living. We have incorporated the feedback into our pilot. For example, this new pilot that we will be rolling out will have large communal spaces on every floor, not just on the void deck, but on every floor, where residents can gather and interact. The flats will be sized at 32 sqm, with senior-friendly features like larger bathrooms and a layout that can be easily configured for mobility needs. We will launch the pilot with about 160 units in Bukit Batok in May this year.”
“We recognise that more needs to be done to help Singaporeans understand these different options, especially LBS, because it is relatively new and also because we have just recently extended the scheme to 5-room and larger flats, something that Mr Alex Yam, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Arasu Duraisamy highlighted. That is why we have been stepping up our public dialogues and engagements and I am glad to note that LBS take-up has doubled from 800 households in 2018 to 1,600 last year. Through these engagements, we also receive feedback and ideas on how our schemes can be improved. One feedback is that the schemes can be quite complex and we can simplify them further. This is particularly the case for the Silver Housing Bonus (SHB), which comes with several conditions. So, having studied the matter, we have decided to simplify and enhance the SHB in three ways. First, we will remove the requirement that seniors must sell a larger flat and buy a smaller flat. Regardless of the type of flat they sell, seniors can apply for the SHB as long as they buy a 3-room or smaller flat and get some proceeds from the move. So, effectively, someone staying in a 3-room flat in a mature estate who wishes to move to a 3-room flat in a non-mature estate, and can get some proceeds from that move, will still be eligible for an SHB. A lateral move but because they are moving from a mature estate to a non-mature estate, they can unlock some proceeds and they will still be eligible for SHB. Next, to receive the SHB, seniors must top up some proceeds from their move into their CPF Retirement Account. This is to ensure that they have adequate savings for retirement.”
“When this happens, HDB will be prepared to consider waiving the mutual agreement requirement, if there is clear evidence that one party has already moved on. Another group is unwed parents. Several Members also spoke about this, including Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Arasu Duraisamy and Mr Mohamed Irshad. We do want to ensure that their children have a stable home to grow up in. So, we will assist all unwed parents who approach HDB with their housing needs. For such cases, HDB will assess their situation holistically because their circumstances vary. Some Members did raise the point that such a case-by-case approach may cause more uncertainty amongst the applicants because they do not know whether their applications will be successful. So, let me clarify the approach that HDB takes. Essentially, there are two broad approaches. First, for those who are in stable employment and who can afford to buy a flat, then HDB will allow them to buy a flat – not just a new 2-room flat but also a larger 3-room flat in a non-mature estate. Next, for those who have insufficient finances and need a place to stay, then we will continue to consider them for public rental if this is in their child's best interests, taking into account inputs from social workers, if necessary. Yet another group that we support is our seniors. Many of them have their own homes but they are concerned about retirement savings. So, we will try to help them unlock the value of their flat if they need to in several ways. They can rent out their flat or spare bedrooms, they can right-size to a smaller flat, or they can sell a part of their lease to HDB under the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS).”
“For the few with medical conditions, we are prepared to consider their requests on an exceptional basis and allow them to stay in a rental flat by themselves. For families, especially with children, the majority already live in our 2-room rental flats and, for very large families, we do our best to accommodate them. For example, for multi-nuclear families, we can offer them two rental units in the same block. On a case-by-case basis, we will be prepared to offer larger families a 3-room rental flat. Ms Anthea Ong made the point about occupancy caps and I should clarify that these are caps imposed on HDB owners renting out their flats and the tenants who are renting these flats. The occupancy caps do not apply to family members living together, be it in their own flat or a public rental flat. At the same time, we will continue to support public rental tenants towards home ownership. Several Members also spoke about this, including Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Arasu Duraisamy and Dr Lily Neo. We have announced several measures on this last year and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has shared the progress on these initiatives. For divorcees, we understand and recognise that their housing transitions can be stressful. To ease this process, we now allow divorcees to apply for flats earlier, once their Interim Judgment has settled matters concerning the children and matrimonial flat. But some concerns still remain. For example, Mr Louis Ng spoke about divorcees who are awarded shared care and control of a single child but are unable to agree on who can list the child in their flat application. We understand that such agreement is not always possible, especially if the divorce was acrimonious.”
“So, you can go for BTO flats – new flats which will be released four times a year, you can apply for a balance flat which will be put out twice a year, or you can go for open booking and apply online at almost any time of the year. So, that is our first priority to ensure affordability and accessibility of flats. Second, we also support the diverse housing needs of different segments of Singaporeans. For needy households without other housing options or family support, we continue to provide them with public rental housing. Over the years, HDB has steadily increased the public rental supply. The waiting time is now less than two months for applicants who are not particular about location. For those who want specific locations, the waiting time may be longer, depending on availability of units in that particular area. Several Members, including Ms Anthea Ong, Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Dr Lily Neo, asked for bigger rental units and dedicated units for single tenants, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun Xueling has also explained our thinking on this matter. We would, in fact, very much like to accommodate all of these requests. The key constraint we have is one of land supply. We have to ensure that demand for both new rental and new sold flats in Singapore can be met on a sustainable basis, not just today, but over the coming decade and beyond. That is actually getting harder and harder to do as our island gets more built up. So, we do need to take a pragmatic approach. For single tenants, as Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sun has said just now, most are prepared to share and are able to live in a rental flat together.”
“Some households may need a flat more urgently. That is why we also offer balance flats for sale, many of which are completed or near completion. Today, we have the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) and, if there are still unselected flats after the SBF, we pool all of them together and we release them through what we call the Re-Offer of Balance Flats (ROF) exercises. The initial take-up of the ROF flats has been positive. But we have received feedback and requests for the ROF to be done more frequently instead of just twice a year. So, last year, we tried putting out some of these unselected flats on an open booking system for people to apply all year round. Now that we have some experience with this open booking system, we are ready to extend it further. So, we will do away with the standalone ROF exercises and, instead, the unselected SBF flats, after the SBF exercise, will be pooled and offered directly for open booking right away, without going through another round of balloting. This will enable home-seekers with urgent needs to access flats more quickly. Effectively, with this change, there will be three main ways of applying for an HDB flat. With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display some slides on the screen?”
“And if this trend continues, it will mean that certain public housing estates can potentially become exclusive areas that only a few can afford and then this will lead to greater social stratification. So, we do have to do something about this. We cannot resolve this issue through our existing model of HDB flats. And that is why I have shared earlier that MND is working on a new model for BTO flats in prime locations. The basic idea is to sell these flats at more affordable prices, but the flats will come with tighter conditions imposed. This is a major change which we are studying and thinking through very carefully, as it will also have an impact on the resale market. We will continue to review it and we will share more details in the coming year when we are ready. Besides affordability, we will also help Singaporeans to access their flats more quickly. Several Members like Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Mohamed Irshad spoke about this. 6.45 pm We will continually review and improve our sales processes to achieve this. For new BTO flats, we give priority for those looking for their first home. That is why virtually all first-timer families have been successful within their first three tries for a BTO flat in a non-mature estate. We have also introduced BTO flats with shorter waiting times of two to three years, because we bring forward the construction. Since last year, we have started sharing information on upcoming BTO sites six months in advance instead of just three months. We will try to do more, as suggested by Mr Gan Thiam Poh, but I am afraid it is not so easy to project forward for more than six months. It will be challenging to share this information too far in advance because there may well be unexpected changes along the way.”
“Our affordability benchmark goes beyond the median income. Take the example of a first-timer couple with monthly income of $5,000, which is near the 30th percentile of resident household income. They can buy a 4-room flat in a non-mature estate at a subsidised price of $330,000 and they will receive $45,000 in grants. So, inclusive of grants, the flat will cost less than five times their annual income. The grants can be used to pay the down-payment. So, effectively, they need zero upfront cash. Then, they take a 25-year housing loan and their monthly mortgage is paid largely with their CPF savings, with little or zero cash outlay. That is our basic commitment to every generation of Singaporeans. It is a housing commitment not just to the higher or middle income groups but we will also ensure that lower income Singaporeans benefit. Like the example I gave just now, even first-timers at the 30th percentile of household income, can purchase a new 4-room flat in a non-mature estate and service their housing loan with zero or very little cash outlay. So, for the vast majority of first-timers, the Singapore dream of being able to own your own home remains secure. We will make sure of that both now and in the future. Of course, we also want to have more affordable flats in the mature estates and a wider range of flat options to choose from, and Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Chong Kee Hiong both spoke about this. But it is more challenging to do so in mature estates, due to the limited space for new flats in these estates. In some prime locations, the prices of resale HDB flats are beyond the reach of many young couples just starting out in life.”
“Through public housing, we all grow up together, regardless of backgrounds, and we forge a stronger sense of community and common identity. Today, HDB flats are an integral part of our Singaporean way of life. There are now more than one million HDB flats, home to about 80% of our resident households. And of these, nine in 10 own their homes. Enabling home ownership through HDB has been one of our most successful social policies. Many have called it one of the most successful public housing programmes enacted anywhere in the world. For this we have to thank generations of MND and HDB officers, past and present, who have worked hard to make all this happen. So, we have much to be grateful for when we look back at what we have achieved together. But we must never be complacent, and that is why we are always looking for ways to make HDB living even better. So, let me touch on three areas. First, it is our evergreen mission to keep public housing affordable and accessible, so that every Singaporean household can have a home to call their own. That is why we continue to sell HDB flats at heavily subsidised prices and provide generous housing grants on top of that. In particular, with the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) introduced last year, first-timer families can enjoy a grant of up to $80,000 for a new flat. If they buy a resale flat, they can get up to double the amount, or $160,000, in grants. These considerable subsidies keep HDB flats affordable. Today, HDB flat prices remain at less than five times of median household income. You cannot find such affordable housing in any other major city in the world. The ratio, the house price to income ratio, is nearly 10 times in London, Los Angeles and Sydney. In Hong Kong, it is more than 20 times.”
“Mr Chairman, as we tackle the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and its economic fallout, we are reminded once again of how small and vulnerable Singapore is and how exposed we are to external forces beyond our control. But I am confident that Singaporeans will rise to the occasion. We are a resilient people, we have always faced tough odds, and we have confronted many difficult challenges before, in our nation's short history. And each time, the Government and the citizens rally together; we deal with the issues head-on; and we emerge stronger and surer of what we can achieve together. Take housing as an example. Sixty years ago, this was one of the most pressing issues on the Government’s agenda. We had a major housing crisis. Many Singaporeans lived in overcrowded slums, and the living conditions were appalling. The British could not solve the problem. They said it was not possible to build so many flats in such a short period of time. But we proved them wrong. HDB was formed in 1960. It quickly ramped up the building of flats and addressed the acute housing shortage. My family is a beneficiary – my grandfather was a fisherman who lived in a kampong in Tanjong Rhu in the 1950s, and later when his children grew up and married, many were able to move out and purchase their own HDB flats, like my parents who got their flat in Marine Parade in the 1970s. Likewise, many in my generation have benefited and now, I see the next generation, my nieces and nephews, getting married and purchasing their own HDB flats. One just managed to get a flat in Bidadari and he is very happy. Singaporeans all over the island will be able to share similar stories. Through home ownership, we have a tangible stake in our country and a share in our nation's progress.”
“Features such as water points are standard stadium-related amenities, and will be incorporated in the final design. The brief for NS Square also calls for designers to ensure that the proposed design provides an enjoyable and comfortable spectator experience during events, and this could include sunshades or other innovative designs.”
“Like all new large public sector buildings, the future NS Square will be required to attain the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) Green Mark Platinum rating. The assessment takes into consideration factors such as the building's energy and water efficiency, and its operations and maintenance practices, including the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly products. In addition, shortlisted teams have the flexibility to propose other green features that can further enhance the sustainability and energy efficiency of the development. Agencies are evaluating the shortlisted design proposals for NS Square and will take into consideration the measures proposed to enhance sustainability and energy efficiency.”
“Doing so may provide you some fiscal space in the interim, of course, compared to the alternative of funding everything upfront. But I think it would also be wrong to assume that this fiscal space can be entirely spent away because you need to pay for it later on anyway. If you were to spend all of that fiscal space immediately on something that carries a long tail, down the road, you will end up with difficulties paying for the debt repayment. So, the idea of borrowing is, not so much to provide fiscal space. It is really one where we look at the infrastructure spending we will need to incur going forward, it is likely to be another lump that is coming up in terms of infrastructure needs, like we did when we first financed our first MRT project. We borrowed for it as well. So, now, in the new phase of development, there will be major infrastructure projects coming up. We think it is more equitable that the Government borrow and then spread out the repayment over the lifespan of the project rather than to fund everything upfront, which I think would then present too much of a burden on the current generation. That is the thinking around debt financing. It is not so much to provide fiscal relief or fiscal space.”
“Technically, the second question is a new question not a clarification, but I will answer it anyway. On the first part, the NIRC or the long-term expected return is looking at long-term what the investment entities are expecting in terms of their returns over a long period of time. So, it is not tied to immediate short-term market performance. For example, if this year's market performance ends up negative, stock markets everywhere were to crash and overall returns are negative, it does not impact on our NIRC. Conversely, if it is a bonanza year and markets were to go up, it does not impact on our NIRC because we are looking at expected long-term returns. So, to the first point, it is not so much a conservative element. It is simply that we look at a long-term figure in order to derive the NIRC. We do not look at short-term market changes. So, that is our focus for deriving the NIRC. And that is also why we have continually emphasised that we hold our investment entities to the performance measure of their long-term returns, rather than looking at year-to-year performance. Because year-to-year performance can vary depending on the market, but we look at long-term trends. On the second part, we are still working out the debt financing arrangement. MOF will reveal the details of the debt financing arrangement in due course. The idea is that we will borrow for selected major infrastructure. Rather than to fund this entirely from the Budget, we will do it through borrowing. We think this is a more equitable arrangement for major infrastructure that spans a long period of time; then, both current and future generations will pay for the payment of that infrastructure through its useful life.”
“Mr Chairman, there are two figures which we should not conflate. One is the growth of NIRC but that does not equate to the long-term expected rate of return, because the NIRC is the base multiplied by the rate of return. So, the base changes too, in order to get your NIRC. As far as the rate of return is concerned, this is evaluated every year. We have a rigorous process to go through what that rate of return should be. The investment entities will review it. MOF will review it as well, and then we put it up to the Council of Presidential Advisers and the President finally has to approve the figures. We have explained the process, it is a rigorous process that goes through quite a bit of scrutiny before we finalise the figure. The trends which I talked about earlier, what Mr Liang Eng Hwa had asked for, are concerns that we have, looking ahead. It need not impact on the immediate long-term expected rate of return. But we are concerned indeed that over a period of time, if these trends were to continue, if you see continued geopolitical tensions, if you see a growing trend of de-globalisation, then indeed, expected returns over the longer term may be impacted. So, we are mindful and we are watchful over this.”
“Mr Chairman, I respect Mr Ng's views. I think there are many in this House who will feel like that. I think there are many who will also ask for additional support for parenthood in the context of marriage as has been the case before. So like I said, there will be a range of perspectives on this matter. We take all this into consideration in continuing to review and update our schemes.”
“Mr Chairman, the NIRC will be an important source of revenue over the long term. As Mr Liang Eng Hwa, I think, is fully aware, the NIRC is tied to the long-term expected returns of our investment entities. So, the critical words are "long-term expected returns". It is not linked to short-term performance. It is not impacted by immediate market volatilities. So, we are not so concerned about that. But looking ahead, looking at the long term, there are indeed reasons for concerns. And we do expect more pressures in the longer term investment environment. For example, geopolitical tensions, I think, will be a long-term issue between America and China. That contestation for power will be with us for quite awhile and it may lead to a more bifurcated world over a period of time. We will likely see more nationalist and protectionist pressures continuing, which means that the pace of globalisation will slow. We may even get de-globalisation, which will cause global growth to be lower for longer periods of time. In developed markets, you see ageing populations, you see lower productivity, you see stagnating growth. So, those trends are continuing. If you think about these long-term trends, then indeed, there will be continued pressures on our long-term expected returns. So, we are very mindful of that. We stay vigilant. We do not assume that our NIRC will always be able to keep pace with our spending needs and that is why all the more we must not take our current fiscal strength for granted.”
“Mr Chairman, I think Mr Louis Ng is talking about the support for single unwed parents in the context of MND's issues on housing; and certainly, if I were to wear my MND hat, we have said that we want to provide housing even for single unwed parents in the interest of the child. So, there is no issue there. But I think the question here is a different one. I think the question here is: do we want to provide support for parenthood in the context of marriage? Singaporeans have asked for this support. Various Members of the House have asked for such support too. And if you were to provide that support, there will invariably be a gradient between incentives and encouragement for parenthood within the context of marriage versus outside of marriage. That gradient exists today in our schemes. But it does not mean that we are not supporting children. As I said, schemes that provide support for children, we will ensure that the children have them. It does not mean that we are not supporting parents, whether you are a single father, a single mother or whether you are a divorcee. We have support for them. But so long as we take the view that we want to provide support for parenthood in the context of marriage, that gradient will exist. How do we manage this going forward? Do we still want a gradient? Do we not want the gradient and treat all as equal? I think that will evolve. It is a continuing journey, as I alluded to earlier. I think in this House, we have heard calls for more support for parenthood in the context of marriage too. So, obviously, there are different views and we will have to manage these different views and continue to refine and improve our schemes over time to manage this diversity of views and to address the different objectives, as I highlighted earlier.”
“The National Parks Board has concluded its investigations into the alleged animal welfare-related offences by the operator of the Platinium Dogs Club. The matter is currently undergoing legal assessment. It would not be appropriate to share investigation findings at this stage.”
“In 2019, dog farms and pet shops reported that 134 and 14 licensed dogs died at their establishments respectively. In 2018, the figures were 162 and 26 licensed dogs respectively. We do not have figures for 2017, as the requirement for these establishments to report deaths of licensed dogs in their care only came into effect then. Currently, the National Parks Board (NParks) does not require the establishments to provide information on the cause of death. NParks will look into this as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance traceability of animals, in order to protect public and animal health.”
“It is also important not to spread unverified information or false news which can cause panic and fear. The Government has and will continue to push timely information through various platforms, including broadcast media, display panels in Housing and Development Board estates, websites and social media, so that Singaporeans can easily refer to these authoritative sources for news, health advisories and the latest updates. The Government has also taken proactive steps to secure essential supplies, including masks. In peacetime, we had built up a stockpile of surgical and N95 masks. As we draw down on this stockpile, we will also need to replenish it with new supplies. In recent weeks, some places like Taiwan, Thailand and India have banned or tightened regulations on the export of masks. We are, therefore, strengthening the resilience of our supply chain, including looking for new sources, and developing local manufacturing capabilities. We will continue to do everything we can to keep Singaporeans safe and to overcome this challenging situation together.”
“Singapore has faced several infectious disease outbreaks since the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, including H1N1, Zika and, most recently, Monkeypox. Many lessons have been drawn from these past experiences to improve our readiness for the next outbreak. Over the years, we have strengthened our epidemiological surveillance and containment capabilities, and held regular emergency preparedness exercises to keep ourselves operationally ready. The setting up of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) has enhanced our infrastructure and capabilities to manage a disease outbreak in Singapore. When the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) emerged, we alerted all our healthcare institutions and put in place precautionary measures according to our response plans. Even before Singapore had its first confirmed case, we anticipated that we would need a whole-of-Government effort to respond effectively to this threat and we set up the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on 22 January 2020 to coordinate our responses and measures. Since then, the Taskforce has put in place in place a whole range of measures from border controls to extra precautions within Singapore. We will continue to monitor the situation and take more measures when necessary. We recognise that an important part of our system of defence is the role that every individual plays, by exercising social responsibility, practising good personal hygiene, and supporting our fellow citizens, especially our healthcare workers on the frontline. We must not let our fears overwhelm us and cause us to behave irrationally, selfishly or irresponsibly. Instead, let us support and look out for one another, so that we can all get through this together and emerge stronger.”
“The National Parks Board (NParks) has worked with the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to look into the cause of the recent fish deaths at Pasir Ris Beach. NParks has found that the affected fish were of mainly one species of wild fish found in our coastal waters. The incident appears to be an isolated one. Thus far, NParks has not observed any other dead fish or animals along the surrounding coastal areas at Changi Beach, East Coast Park and Pulau Ubin. NEA's and SFA's coastal water quality monitoring sensors did not pick up any anomalies over this period. The coastal water quality during the week of 27 January and 3 February 2020 met the World Health Organization’s recreational water guidelines, and Pasir Ris Beach remains safe for recreational water activities. The plankton count was normal. There were also no abnormal fish deaths reported at the nearby floating fish farms. Agencies will continue to look into the cause of the fish deaths. We will also continue to closely monitor the coastal beaches near the Pasir Ris area, including the water quality, for any anomalies.”
“There are about 630 households currently renting under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) as at end January 2020. Among these households, about 7% of them are in arrears. For PPHS households in arrears, the Housing and Development Board will work with them on an instalment plan to repay their arrears, or to move to a flat with lower rent, according to their budget. Those in financial hardship can also be referred to the Ministry of Social and Family Development's Social Service Office for financial assistance.”
“Families who wish to buy a new Housing and Development Board flat to live with or near their parents already enjoy priority in their flat application under the Married Child Priority Scheme and the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme. This includes those who wish to buy flats in the mature estates. Families may also wish to consider buying a resale flat to live with or near their parents. They can enjoy a Proximity Housing Grant of up to $30,000. In total, first-timer families can enjoy up to $160,000 in grants for their resale flat purchase. All resale grants are available for flat purchases in both the mature and non-mature estates.”
“Mould formation is usually caused by insufficient ventilation, as high humidity encourages mould growth. Over the past three years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has received an annual average of about 1.4 reported cases of mould per 1,000 dwelling units. Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance of the interior of their flats, including the ceilings and walls within their flats. Nevertheless, should HDB receive complaints about mould on the ceilings or walls of HDB flats, HDB will assist flat owners by providing advice on remedial repairs, and refer them to suitable repair contractors. If flat owners require financial assistance to pay for repair works, HDB will also refer them to the relevant community or grassroots organisations.”
“The external walls of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are common property under the Town Councils' management and maintenance. Town Councils are responsible for keeping common property, including external walls, in good condition by carrying out regular and cyclical maintenance. Residents who encounter water seepage from external walls in their flat typically report it to the Town Council managing their estate. As such, HDB does not have the number of cases reported for water seepage from external walls. Where residents report such cases to HDB, HDB will help to refer these cases to the respective Town Council for follow-up. If Town Councils face difficulties in resolving water seepage from external walls, HDB also works with them to resolve the seepage issue.”
“Vacant state land can be put to interim use until the land is required for development. Typical uses include recreational, community, commercial and other uses. The Housing and Development Board (HDB), as an agent of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), issues Temporary Occupation Licences (TOLs) for the use of state land under its charge. Pursuant to the State Lands Rules, such TOLs are issued for a period not exceeding three years. TOL holders can apply to renew their licence upon expiry. The duration of the TOL depends on the type of use, the duration requested by the applicant, and when the land is required for development. The TOL fee chargeable varies, depending on the specific use. The rates for a list of common uses can be found on SLA's website.”
“The Government adopts an open, transparent and competitive tender process in the sale of sites under the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme. The tender process is transparent to all potential tenderers, with land sale requirements specified clearly in tender documents. With regard to the National University of Singapore (NUS) study, the researchers themselves have withdrawn any claims of insider trading amongst developers and said that they could not find any evidence that such activity had indeed taken place. In any case, the Ministry of National Development has looked at the 103 GLS tenders awarded during the period referenced by the NUS study. For all of these tenders, multiple bids were received, ranging from three to as high as 23 bids for each site. More than 80% of the tenders had five bids or more. All tenders were awarded to the tenderers with the highest acceptable bids, and these were broadly in line with or higher than independent estimates of the market value of the sites. In the event there is reason to suspect any collusion or freak result, the Government will take the necessary actions, including closing the tender without award, or take enforcement action should there be any infringement of the law.”
“Since 2010, eight public housing sites involving about 6,900 sold flats, or an average of 690 sold flats per year, have been announced for the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS). SERS involves compulsory acquisition and is done only on a limited basis, after taking into consideration various factors, such as the redevelopment potential of the site, and the availability of suitable replacement sites nearby to rehouse the home owners involved. Given these restrictions, we do not expect many more sites to be eligible for SERS. This is why the Government has announced a new Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) to more systematically redevelop and renew our older HDB towns.”
“The Courts have to be satisfied that there are valid and proven statutory grounds before granting a divorce. We are not aware of any divorces undertaken by the Housing and Development (HDB) flat owners purely to circumvent the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) or to avoid buyers' stamp duties. Following a divorce, the treatment of the matrimonial HDB flat, as stated in the Court Order, is still subject to HDB's rules. Regardless of whether the flat is to be retained by one party or sold on the open market, the parties must satisfy the prevailing eligibility conditions. For example, if the parties wish to sell the flat on the open market, they must have fulfilled the MOP by the divorce date. If the MOP has not been fulfilled and neither party is eligible to retain the flat, the parties would need to surrender the flat to HDB. Depending on the circumstances of the case, HDB may consider granting a special exemption for the divorced couple to sell their flat within their MOP.”
“Mr Speaker, we have already put out the advisories based on today's situation, based on where we are today where there is no community outbreak within Singapore, community transmission. Events can continue but organisers take extra precautions. So, there is no need for cancellations; continue with the events. But if it is a large-scale event, then you might want to take precautions like having temperature screenings, which I think many event organisers are doing, and then putting out advisories to remind the participants that if they are sick, do not show up. If they have been to China recently, then make sure that they stay at home. Those sorts of precautions are useful, and we continue to remind companies and event organisations of these precautions.”