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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“The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) provides an affordable rental housing option for families who require interim housing while they await the completion of their new flats. PPHS rental flats are mostly vacated flats under the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme, which have been put to interim use before they are demolished when required for redevelopment. If the PPHS tenant's new flat is not ready when their tenancy term ends, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will be flexible and extend the tenancy, provided the PPHS site is not due for immediate clearance. Due to upcoming redevelopment plans, it is not possible to extend the tenancies beyond the PPHS site expiry date. When choosing a suitable PPHS flat, families are informed of the availability period of each PPHS site and advised to select one that best meets the completion timelines of their new flat. After the tenants have moved in, HDB also sends regular reminders ahead of the site expiry date, to give them sufficient time to plan for their housing options. For families affected by site expiry, HDB will help them to transfer to other available PPHS flats.”
“Madam, I should clarify that the ratio I indicated earlier refers to the ratio of dwelling units, not the proportion of households who live in public housing. The proportion of households who live in public housing remains at 80% today. But the physical dwelling units, as I mentioned earlier, over that period of 2006 and 2016, have varied − more private housing and, therefore, the proportion decreased from 78% of public housing dwelling units to 72%. As I have mentioned, over the next few years, we think that this will remain stable. In the longer term, how will this vary? I think it is very hard to project what demographic trends there will be. But our commitment, clearly, is to make sure that we continue to provide stable and affordable public housing for Singaporeans.”
“Madam, between 2006 and 2016, the number of HDB flats increased from 880,000 to 1,011,000 units. The number of private properties, inclusive of landed properties, increased from 243,000 to 372,000 units. Consequently, the proportion of HDB flats out of the total dwelling units in Singapore decreased from 78% to 73%, while the proportion of private properties increased from 22% to 27%. This is between the period of 2006 and 2016. Over the coming years, the proportion of HDB flats to non-HDB flats is projected to remain stable. Our projections are that in 2020, the proportion of HDB flats out of the total dwelling units in Singapore will remain at around 72%.”
“Madam, to clarify, the 2% refers to this: over the course of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, we invited several thousand people to collect their keys for their new BTO flats. Two percent of the people we invited to collect their keys appealed to defer their key collection. And of that number who appealed to defer their key collection, 45 eventually opted to cancel their new flat bookings. So, that is to clarify on the statistics. On the assistance we can provide to such people who are in difficulties, on a case-by-case basis, in fact, as I have mentioned, HDB already exercises flexibility and grants time extension. For the most part, most of them are able to sell their flats and then complete their new flat purchase transaction, but there is that minority who chose not to. Even for that minority who chose not to, if there are financial hardships, we can look at the particular case at hand and waive the forfeiture that they have to pay.”
“Madam, between 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, less than 2% of Build-To-Order (BTO) flat buyers invited by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to collect keys to their booked flats had asked for a deferment due to difficulties in selling their existing flats. Over this period, we have not observed an increasing trend in the proportion of such cases. For these buyers, HDB already exercises flexibility and grant a reasonable time extension. The vast majority were able to sell their existing flats and complete the new flat purchase. However, a minority, or 45 buyers in particular, eventually opted to cancel their new flat bookings, pay the forfeiture and continue living in their existing flats. The main reasons for their cancellations include changes to the buyers' overall financial circumstances or they no longer wished to proceed with the new flat purchase for their own personal reasons. Flat buyers are advised to exercise prudence in their flat purchase. If they plan to finance the new flat purchase with the sales proceeds from their existing flat, they should take into account possible changes in market conditions which may affect their plans and be realistic in their asking prices. In addition, they can make use of HDB's regular updates on the Probable Completion Date of their new flats to plan the sale of their existing flat.”
“Between 2012 and 2016, close to 33,000 HDB flats which had been owned by their sellers for between five and 10 years, were sold in the open market, or an average of about 6,600 flats sold per year. Resale flat sellers are not required to disclose their reasons for sale to HDB.”
“Madam, just to be clear again, because the Member had asked about air-con ledges and balconies, air-con ledges are a separate issue. This was an issue that was publicised in the media recently. That is a separate matter from a Bonus GFA matter. The Bonus GFA applies to balconies. Indeed, there is such a provision today. I think it has generally worked well in providing us buildings and residential developments that add to our physical landscape. Part of it is making sure that the information that is provided to buyers is very clear: what constitutes balcony space, what constitutes usable space. As I have said, this information is mandatory and we will continue to make sure that developers publicise the information properly. We encourage home buyers to look at the prospectus carefully, especially if they are buying flats based on plans, and make informed decisions about their purchases.”
“Madam, URA grants Gross Floor Area (GFA) exemptions to achieve certain planning objectives. For example, air-conditioner ledges below one metre in width are exempted from GFA in order to incentivise developers to house air-conditioner condensers neatly in residential developments. Balconies, on the other hand, are, in fact, not exempted from GFA, and developers must pay development charge for them. The rules on what constitutes GFA are publicly available on URA's website. Developers factor in strata area when pricing units in their developments. Strata area measures the amount of floor space to be sold to the buyer, on the basis that the space is for the buyer's exclusive enjoyment. As both balconies and air-conditioner ledges solely serve individual units, they are considered to be strata area and, hence, chargeable to the buyer. It is already mandatory for developers to provide prospective home buyers with a drawn-to-scale floor plan of the unit and, a detailed breakdown of the area of the unit by various types of spaces, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, air-conditioner ledges and balconies. The Member had suggested making this mandatory; it is already the case. This information must be given to prospective home buyers before they pay the booking fee for an Option to Purchase (OTP) for the unit. The floor area of various types of spaces, including air-conditioner ledges and balconies, must also be accurately represented in the show-flats. URA will not hesitate to take action against developers who have misrepresented such information to home buyers. Home buyers are advised to review the information in order to make an informed decision over their purchases.”
“From 2014 to 2016, about 100 single unwed parents under the age of 35 appealed to buy a flat with their children and without other family members. Over the same period, about 300 single unwed parents under the age of 35 appealed to rent a flat from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) with their children. For both types of appeals, HDB approved about one-fifth of the cases. The remainder could continue living with their parents, could afford other housing options or were already co-owners of a flat.”
“Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat owners are required to fulfil a Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) before they are eligible to sell their flats on the open market. For flats bought directly from HDB, about 12,000 of them will fulfil their five-year MOP in 2017 and another 56,000 flats will fulfil their MOP from 2018 to 2020. For flats bought from the resale market, about 22,000 will fulfil their MOP this year and another 56,000 flats will fulfil their MOP from 2018 to 2020.”
“From 2017 to 2020, the estimated total number of private non-landed properties that were purchased five years ago, whereby sellers will not be subject to Seller's Stamp Duty, is about 12,000 in the Core Central Region and 67,000 outside of the Core Central Region. Property transaction data can be obtained via the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Real Estate Information System at https//spring.ura.gov.sg/lad/ore/login/index.cfm.”
“Non-mature towns/estates refer to those where there is more land available for public housing development, whereas mature towns/estates are usually those with limited land for public housing development. To guide applicants in Build-To-Order and Sale of Balance Flats exercises, the estate classifications of the flats on offer are stated in the Housing and Development Board’s press releases and e-sales brochures.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) sets quality and service standards for contractors in the execution of Home Improvement Programme (HIP) projects. Based on surveys of precincts which have undergone HIP, at least 90% of residents express satisfaction with the works completed. Nonetheless, should there be any service or quality lapse, HDB will take enforcement action against the contractor. In the past three years, 19 contractors were penalised with demerit points. In addition, five of these contractors had an administrative charge imposed on them, and three contractors were restricted from tendering for HDB projects for a period of time.”
“Crown reduction and pruning are undertaken prior to periods of severe weather. These measures have proven effective as the number of tree failure incidents have decreased more than three-fold, from around 3,000 in 2001 to 847 last year. That said, NParks will continue to improve its tree management measures. For example, NParks is developing modelling techniques to better understand the behaviour of trees under varying environmental conditions.”
“The investigation into the Botanic Gardens incident is ongoing. There will be a Coroner's Inquiry and the National Parks Board (NParks) is providing the Police with the necessary information. In the meantime, NParks has completed detailed checks on all trees in and near the location of the incident, as well as on large trees and other Heritage Trees throughout the Gardens as a precautionary measure. All these trees were found to be safe. All trees that NParks manages are regularly inspected. NParks continually strives to improve its inspection regime. Since 2012, they have inspected trees more frequently to adapt to increasingly unpredictable and severe weather conditions. Heritage trees are now inspected once in six months as opposed to once a year previously. For trees in areas with constant road or pedestrian traffic, they are now inspected once in six to 12 months, as opposed to once in 12-18 months previously. NParks further enhanced its inspection regime in November 2016 by instituting new second-level inspections for old and large3 trees. These detailed second-level inspections are conducted yearly with diagnostic equipment. To support its inspection regime, NParks has built up a pool of qualified arborists. Today, about 200 of the 500 Certified Arborists in Singapore are NParks' staff. In addition to inspections, NParks has enhanced its tree maintenance regime to improve the resilience of its trees. First, regular application of fertilisers is now supplemented with routine mulching. This helps to conserve moisture and improve the fertility of the soil. Second, NParks has strengthened its tree pruning techniques to improve the structure and balance of its trees to help them withstand severe weather conditions.”
“The Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) provides funding support for improvement projects in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates for the benefit of local residents. Such facilities include covered walkways, footpaths and playgrounds. CIPC funding is disbursed through the Citizens' Consultative Committees (CCCs). This is because the CCCs are close to the ground and can identify projects which will be most useful for the residents to improve the living environment and strengthen bonds within the community. CIPC allocates its budget to the CCCs each year based on the number of HDB residential units. CCCs have the flexibility to prioritise projects based on local needs. Town Councils may approach their respective CCCs if they have any enquiries or proposals. As CCCs comprise community volunteers, they generally engage implementing agents to carry out the project works on their behalf. These agents can include the Town Councils, which are then reimbursed by the CCC for the cost of the works. Currently, the Ministry of National Development does not prescribe any standardised way for Town Councils to present the quantum of funds received from the CCCs in their annual estimates.”
“In all new public housing developments, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) provides a network of covered linkways to connect the residential blocks with precinct amenities, such as multi-storey car parks, nearby bus stops and precinct pavilions. Where the adjacent precinct has existing commercial or community facilities, HDB will also extend the network to link the new precinct with the existing developments. However, the covered linkway network may not always adopt the most direct route as there is a need to balance the provision of sheltered linkways with the aesthetics of the estate. HDB engages private consultants to design and supervise the construction of the majority of its housing projects. This includes the design and construction of estate facilities, such as linkways. To do so, HDB adopts the Quality-Fee Method (QFM), which is an established competitive selection method for tendering of consultancy services in the public sector. Apart from price, the QFM also takes into consideration quality of the consultants, including track record of consultants, quality of the design proposals where required, and the consultants' productivity records. These quality criteria are weighted more heavily than price during tender evaluation. Thereafter, HDB has a quality management system in place to ensure that consultants comply with HDB's design guidelines. HDB also carries out reviews and technical audits at various design stages before launching the projects for construction. Upon construction, if there is a need to rectify any serious design shortfalls, HDB will work with its consultants and contractors to undertake the necessary works.”
“Since mid-2000s, new Housing and Development Board (HDB) developments have been provided with 3-Generation (3G) Family Playgrounds. Apart from play stations for children, these playgrounds also include a wide range of fitness stations which cater to adults and the elderly. For the adult fitness stations, HDB's appointed consultants select equipment suitable for muscular and strength development. For the elderly fitness stations, the focus is on equipment which emphasise aerobic fitness and flexibility. All the equipment must comply with Singapore Standard 5342007, which specifies safety requirements for outdoor fitness equipment. As for the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), it currently comprises only the push-ups, sit-ups and a 2.4-kilometre run. These exercises do not require any special equipment and can be done at the fitness corners or even at home.”
“In response to requests from religious organisations to allow some flexibility in the use of industrial space for religious purposes during factory downtime, the Urban Redevelopment Authority introduced a set of guidelines allowing religious organisations to use industrial premises zoned Business 1 on a limited and non-exclusive basis. The predominant use of the premises must remain that of industrial activities, and the religious use must not alter the primary character and function of the industrial premises. Since the introduction of the guidelines in June 2012, 17 churches and two Taoist temples have been approved non-exclusive and limited use of industrial premises for religious activities.”
“Tiles, like all fittings, fixtures and finishes in a flat, are subject to wear and tear over time. They may dislodge due to various reasons, such as differential thermal expansion and contraction of tiles, or the natural deterioration of the bond between the tiles and the screed surface. All these can cause a loss of adhesion between the tiles and the screed surface, and the dislodgement of tiles. In the past two years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received about 2,000 cases of dislodged floor tiles per year. This works out to a nationwide yearly average of about two cases per 1,000 dwelling units, or 0.2% per year. Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance of their flats, including repairs for general wear and tear. In private developments, developers generally only rectify dislodged tiles during the one-year Defects Liability Period (DLP). Some developers may offer repair for dislodged tiles for a slightly longer period, for example, three years, but those are generally done on a goodwill basis. HDB's practice has been more generous. Besides helping flat owners repair dislodged tiles originally provided by HDB during the one-year DLP, it also offers goodwill repairs for dislodged tiles for up to 15 years. For flats that are older than 15 years, HDB will help carry out inspections and assist the owners to remove and dispose of the affected tiles. HDB can also provide owners with a list of registered repair contractors whom they can then engage on a private basis.”
“The management of the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) electronic parking system (EPS) car parks are decentralised to 10 different EPS service providers. Each service provider has a 24-hour call centre to provide assistance to motorists via the intercom installed at the entrance/exit gate of the car park. When feedback is received through the intercom, staff at the call centre will assess the situation and a response officer will be deployed to the affected site if the system-related issue cannot be resolved remotely. For system-related issues, HDB's contract agreements with the service providers stipulate that the response officer should reach the affected site within 10 minutes, under normal traffic and weather conditions. HDB can impose liquidated damages on service providers who fail to meet this requirement.”
“Meaning you want it to be longer? We will study it. That is something that we continue to review. So, whether or not we should review the number of occupants, which is something that we are reviewing already. This follows from the earlier discussion we had in this House on the Planning Act changes and several Members had suggested that the numbers in the HDB flats ought to be reduced further. We are studying that and we can take into consideration the Member's suggestion also on duration of lease.”
“Madam, there is already a regulation around short-term stays. That already exists today. So, I am not sure whether the Member is asking for even tighter rules around that.”
“Madam, these are part of HDB's operations and I would rather not say how often HDB does it, in case people try to second guess HDB's operations. Suffice to say HDB will do regular random checks by itself but, on top of that, whenever HDB receives feedback, HDB will also do a check on the particular unit.”
“Madam, Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats are meant for occupation by the flat owners and family members. However, HDB flat owners can sublet their flat after meeting the required minimum occupation period (MOP) and obtaining HDB's prior approval. HDB takes a serious view of unauthorised subletting and/or overcrowding. When letting out the flat, flat owners have to ensure that the number of sub-tenants does not exceed the allowable maximum, which varies with flat type. Failure to obtain prior approval or observe the maximum number of sub-tenants allowed is a breach of the Lease Agreement, and action can and will be taken against the errant flat owners. In the last three years, there were 70 cases where enforcement action was taken against errant flat owners for unauthorised subletting and/or overcrowding. HDB conducts checks and investigations on flats suspected of unauthorised subletting and/or overcrowding based on feedback from the public. HDB itself also conducts its own random checks on flats, and works with agencies like the Police, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) or the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), when there are suspected infringements under the Penal Code or relevant Acts under these agencies. To educate the public about subletting rules, HDB also publicises actions taken against flat owners in cases of unauthorised subletting or overcrowding.”
“Madam, as I have mentioned earlier, if you look at the overall picture, the situation for elderly singles is getting better because if we look at the application rates for the elderly group as a whole, the success rate and the application rates, are not too bad. The one group where the application rates are still very high are the non-elderly singles because 2-room flexi flats can go to the elderly, non-elderly singles and the families. So, non-elderly singles, because we have opened up to allow them to buy 2-room flats in 2013, there is still a backlog to clear. We are still clearing the backlog. Today, the application rate for this particular group is 6.6. This was in 2016. So, it is about seven. And at an application rate of seven, this means that you have to try several times before you are successful in getting a 2-room flat for the non-elderly singles group. So, the way to resolve this is really to try and ramp up the supply of 2-room flats, which we are doing, and we hope to clear the backlog over the next two years.”
“Madam, in 2016, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received an average of 2.7 applications from families, elderly and singles for every 2-room flexi Built-To-Order (BTO) flat that was offered. Singles were allowed to buy 2-room flexi flats in non-mature estates from July 2013. And to address the strong demand, HDB has increased the 2-room flexi flat supply in non-mature estates from 320 units in 2012 to an average of 4,000 units per year between 2014 and 2016. Forty percent of 2-room flexi flats are set aside for elderly applicants, including singles aged 55 and above. These applicants enjoy priority allocation if they apply under the Senior Priority Scheme to age-in-place or move nearer to their parents. The remaining flat supply is divided equally between non-elderly singles and families. In addition, any balance of flats not taken up by the elderly or families will be offered to singles. Singles can also consider the option of buying a resale flat on the open market. With housing grants totaling up to $55,000, resale flats have become more affordable for singles. First-timer singles buying resale flats jointly can enjoy the same amount of housing grants as first-timer families, which means up to $110,000.”
“Most of the lifts in Housing and Development Board (HDB) residential blocks meet the minimum internal lift car dimension requirement as stipulated by the Building and Construction Authority's Building Control Regulations. However, some of the lifts in older HDB residential blocks may have smaller lifts that do not meet this minimum requirement. These lifts can accommodate a wheelchair, but not an ambulance stretcher in an inclined position. HDB will work with the respective Town Councils to see what can be done for these lifts.”
“Madam, the circumstances under which transactions will apply are very clearly laid out in the Bill, so we will use this to apply and see whether any transactions would qualify or would need to pay for the additional new duties. The criteria and the test that we have laid out are very clearly spelt out, so we will use this objectively. On valuation, there are clearly spelt out valuation methods to do valuations. I do not think we need to get into a debate on that. I think these valuation methodologies are already in place today to value properties. Mdm Speaker, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Lawrence Wong.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Madam, I do not want to speculate on the impact at this juncture. We would not know how prevalent it is because the people who are doing this today, doing this share transfer, are not required to declare. So, we do not have data on the numbers who are doing it. I would not want to speculate on the impact. We know that there is a differential which we are closing today. We believe it is the right thing to do and we had taken time and effort to study this to make sure that whatever measures we are putting in place are balanced, appropriate and do not also impact negatively on legitimate business transactions. That is what we have done.”
“Madam, on the third point, as I have mentioned, this is not done in haste. If this was done in haste, we would have probably done it much earlier. But we took time to study, to carefully consider the measures before putting it together. We are doing it three Sittings in one, not to rush through but because of the market sensitivity of the measure. On the impact of the property market and the broader issues of high-end residential property market, whether there is, indeed, an oversupply, that is a separate matter regarding property market conditions in general. I do not want to get too much into that debate but it would suffice to say that our aim is to ensure a stable and sustainable property market in Singapore. That is what we seek to do and we are continuously monitoring the property market conditions to achieve this objective.”
“Madam, I can confirm that that is, indeed, the case. We will have to continue to study this. After putting in this measure, I think there will be adjustment in the way industry players respond to this, so we will have to monitor very carefully. Indeed, we have also put in place, as I mentioned in my Second Reading speech just now, a specific anti-avoidance provision for the new measure, which will have the ability to cover arrangements that have the effect of reducing or avoiding liability of the new duties. We have also put in place flexibility provisions so that even after this measure, we can make further changes if need be.”
“Mdm Speaker, we all take pride in the efficiency of the Government but I can confirm that this did not happen just after Mr Yee's speech in the Budget Debate. It is something that we have been monitoring quite carefully and we have been studying this. As Members can appreciate, the design of the scheme itself and the issues at stake are quite complex. So, we have been studying this very carefully before working out the measures that have been proposed today. I should also clarify that the motivation for this Bill is not to raise revenue. It is not a revenue-raising measure per se but the motivation for doing this is to remove the existing differential in the stamp duty rates, which I have explained earlier. With regard to revenue issues, we have already spoken about this at length during the Budget Debate. The Minister for Finance has highlighted our approach for new sources of revenue in his round-up speech and we had a discussion on this in the COS for MOF as well. We are studying all options carefully to determine the best way to raise revenues to support our future expenditure needs. Mdm Speaker, on that note, I beg to move.”
“Mdm Speaker, copies of the Bill and a handout have been provided to the Clerk, who will distribute them to Members now. [Copies of handout distributed to hon Members.]”
“Mdm Speaker, I have the President's recommendation for the introduction of this Bill. I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to amend the Stamp Duties Act (Chapter 312 of the 2006 Revised Edition)." [(proc text) Bill read the First time. (proc text)]”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2017/2018 and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Sir, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow? [(proc text) Resolved, "That progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow." − [Mr Lawrence Wong.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Thereupon Mr Deputy Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]”
“Sir, as I had said, the answer is yes. The intent of what we are trying to do is to treat significant owners of residential holding property entities, who transfer shares in these entities, in the same way as if they were to buy and sell property directly. So, to the extent that ABSD, and buyer's stamp duty apply on the buy side, and seller's stamp duty apply on the sell side, then potentially they would also apply in the case when such shares are being transferred.”
“Yes, Sir. On the first question, the answer is that anyone with an existing flat who wants to sell the flat and buy a new flat using the proceeds from the sale of the flat as well as their savings, so they want to do a back-to-back but then the back-to-back is very difficult to do. They have to do it on the same day so they typically need a Temporary Loan and we will extend that to anybody in that category. The Temporary Loan applications start from tomorrow. The second question is on rejuvenation projects and urban projects. We already do a lot of consultation for these projects. We engage different groups and stakeholders. We go to the community and we get feedback. We are doing this for the Rail Corridor, for example. And for many of the projects which I talked about, in fact, all of them, be it the Kallang River Rejuvenation, Jurong Lake District, Punggol, we will have exhibitions, we will showcase the ideas and we will get feedback and inputs to improve on these ideas. On local participation, this is already happening to the extent that these are Government projects and the Government is putting them out as a developer. We do encourage local architects, consultants, engineers and contractors to take part. In some instances, when it is a big master planning project, we will even require that foreign firms participating in the design of the master plan partner a local firm which has local knowledge of the environment.”
“For example, during last year's COS Debate, Minister Grace Fu shared with the House that MSO would work with the Town Councils to help coordinate their responses to municipal issues in housing estates. The Minister also shared that MSO would look at improving coordination over a few issues, such as high-rise littering and pigeon-feeding. I would like to ask the Minister how MSO has strengthened its service delivery and interagency coordination over the past two years. MSO”
“All these will be done in a way that is sensitive to the rich heritage and biodiversity of the river so that, over time, we can transform the entire riverfront and bring back new life and vibrancy to the area. Mdm Chairman, I have just shared a few of our urban transformation plans. There are many more that are being worked on. These are major moves that will take decades to complete and the Government cannot do this work alone. We will need close partnerships with the community and private sector and the collective efforts of all to develop new innovative urban solutions. So, I call on Singaporeans to join us in this exciting journey to build and remake our entire city. The best cities in the world are defined not by their buildings or infrastructure, but by their people − it is the spirit and imagination, the culture and identity of our people. So, we must be prepared to adapt to change and constantly innovate and improve. We must continue to embrace diversity and welcome new ideas and talent. We must be prepared to work hard and make sacrifices today so that we can reap the fruits tomorrow. That is what our Pioneers did for us; and that is how we can, in turn, pay it forward for our next generation − a greater city, an endearing home, a better Singapore. [Applause.] [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] Strengthening Service Delivery of Municipal Services Office (MSO) The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development and Ministers for Education (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim): Sir, MSO plays an important role to improve the Government's overall coordination and delivery of municipal services. Since its inception, MSO seems to have grown in its engagements with other agencies and types of issues it helps to address.”
“Thirdly, the master developer will plan for and implement district-wide systems like district cooling, pneumatic waste conveyance system to support the district, all of which will help to reduce energy usage and enhance the sustainability and attractiveness of the environment. Beyond Punggol, we are also looking to introduce the master developer approach in other new residential and mixed-use districts, where private developers will be given greater flexibility in planning and developing at a district level. We will provide for such an opportunity in Kampong Bugis, which is a new residential precinct. The whole precinct is about 17 hectares in size. The traditional approach would be to carve it out and put out individual plots for sale. But this time, we will tender out the entire site for a master developer. We will give flexibility for the master developer to come up with the overall plan and develop the project by phases, in line with market demand. But the master developer will also have to be responsible for certain outcomes. We want this to be a people-centric, car-lite precinct. We will require the master developer to put in place a more comprehensive network of pedestrian walkways, cycling paths, as well as community and green spaces. We will also want the master developer to put in place district level systems to manage waste and storm water. The development of Kampong Bugis will form part of our larger rejuvenation efforts for the Kallang River. Along the way, we will enhance the river with more greenery, seamless jogging and cycling paths. More homes will be introduced and the older industrial estates in the area will be rejuvenated.”
“First, we will appoint a Master Developer for the whole district and allow more flexible land use within the area. In the Punggol cluster, most of the developments are undertaken by Government agencies, so we will appoint Jurong Town Corporation (JTC) as the Master Developer. JTC will then have the flexibility to develop the district based on land use and gross plot ratio guidelines at the overall district level. In other words, instead of having planning controls imposed on individual land parcels, JTC will be able to optimise land use across the entire development and find ways to integrate the needs of different users. 6.00 pm For example, since SIT's campus and the JTC's business parks are located side by side, we can have closer integration of the facilities. SIT's research labs, incubator spaces and learning facilities can be located inside JTC business park buildings and shared with the industry. At the same time, SIT can host industry research and development facilities and startup spaces within their buildings. This will help to create synergies between students and businesses, between academia and businesses, facilitate test-bedding and prototyping of new innovations. The second benefit of having such a master developer is that it can help to more comprehensively design and implement good pedestrian connectivity and public spaces. Traditionally, a desired network of public spaces and connectivity links can only be realised over a long period of time as the various land parcels are developed step by step. With a master developer overseeing the implementation of an enterprise district, the key pedestrian routes and public spaces can be identified upfront and a more comprehensive network can be implemented.”
“So, we will integrate our new developments with the surrounding greenery and water bodies in Jurong Lake Gardens which, itself, is being enhanced and revamped as our new National Gardens in the west. This will be a beautiful new setting for waterfront housing and office spaces. When we complete the High-Speed Rail Station, it will not only be a major transport node connected to our Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines but will also have a central linear park on the surface, connecting to Jurong Lake Gardens. This will not just be a second CBD. But it has the potential to be a centre with multiple dimensions. The High-Speed Rail Station will make Jurong Lake District a new gateway to Singapore and a regional hub for ASEAN businesses. Jurong Lake District is near the new Tuas Terminal that we are building in the west. It is also close to other knowledge and economic centres, like the Jurong Innovation District, the CleanTech Park and the Nanyang Technological University campus. So, more than just another CBD, this can be a Central Innovation District, an incubator for new ideas and innovation and a catalyst for Singapore's next stage of transformation, the way Jurong Industrial Estate kickstarted our manufacturing sector 50 years ago Another new area is Punggol North. This is a mixed-use area comprising residential land uses, the new Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) campus and also commercial and business park users. This growth cluster within Punggol New Town will have a focus on the digital and cybersecurity industries, and Punggol will be a key area for us to drive our Smart Nation initiatives. We are designating this as our first "Enterprise District" where we will try out several new planning concepts.”
“And this is not just a slogan or a clever turn of phrase. It is a strategic imperative. We must continue to enhance our greenery further, not just at the ground level, but even sky-rise level. We must enhance our biodiversity and learn to live in harmony with nature, the flora and fauna around us for all to enjoy. Likewise, on economic infrastructure, we are known for good economic infrastructure, which attracts companies from around the world. But we cannot afford to stand still while others catch up and move ahead. So, how can we invest in new infrastructure to make Singapore even more competitive, attract more investments and create more jobs for our people? CFE had studied this and set out several recommendations, as several Members have also highlighted. Let me share some of the areas that MND and URA are working on. Our aim is to create new growth centres not just in the downtown area, but all over our island. And these new centres can be nodes for related industry clusters to come together, including in new growth areas like FinTech and cybersecurity. We will also set up more innovation spaces for incubators, accelerators and startups. This was something that Mr Liang Eng Hwa had suggested earlier in the Budget Debate. These new centres will be attractive spaces for Singaporeans to live, work and play together. One such centre is Jurong Lake District which, Members would be aware, is also the site of the High-Speed Rail (HSR) Terminus to Kuala Lumpur. This is no ordinary site because when we consulted with many experts, including experts from abroad, they have told us that it is very rare to find such a site in other cities, which is located in a setting of lush greenery and water, the way we have in Jurong Lake District now.”
“What more can we do in Singapore where everything is already developed? But the fact is that we have yet to reach our physical limits. We are optimising land use to free up more space. I mentioned this last year where, through the movement of Paya Lebar Airbase and the city ports, we can free up much more space for new developments. We are exploring ways to expand space options, including underground space, as Mr Darryl David mentioned just now. And underground space is not so much for underground living. I do not think we are ready for that. But we can certainly put utilities and storage facilities and many other things underground. Then, valuable surface land can be freed up for housing, greenery and other uses. So, there is tremendous potential to dream big, think boldly and build a new Singapore for the next 50 years. We must not let complacency set in or, worse, allow a culture of stasis to take root and ossify our society. The same spirit of innovation that we need for the economy must be applied to planning our future city and home. We must find innovative ways to build new infrastructure for the future. We must develop new and innovative urban concepts that will make Singapore a more attractive, sustainable and liveable home. Take the example of how we have succeeded in building a Garden City. Some of you would have read the recent reports of how Singapore was ranked as the city with the highest density of trees worldwide. It is a result of decades of hard work, with a strong personal push and commitment by our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. But now that we are where we are today, what comes after this? Are we done? Is this the climax of all that we need to do? In fact, our next phase is to be a City in a Garden.”
“All these are crucial in enabling economic growth, generating jobs and improving the quality of life for our people. We cannot assume that all new infrastructure will be automatically put in place and old ones will be automatically upgraded by the Government. Look at the situation in many first-world democracies where infrastructure is deteriorating. Just take America as an example where some cities are literally still relying on water and sewage pipelines that were built more than a century ago. Why is this happening? Partly because of "Not in my back yard" (NIMBY) mindsets and opposition from various interest groups, because it is not in my backyard, I oppose a new infrastructure next to my home. It is partly also because infrastructure projects are very expensive and many governments do not have the resources to fund them. Private financing has been cited very often as a way around this, but public-private partnerships (PPPs) are not the silver bullet. Ultimately, someone still has to pay, which means either higher user charges or taxes. Because of all these difficulties, there is a tendency for politicians to kick the infrastructure can down the road and focus on short-term deliverables. And that is why you see the situation you see in many advanced developed countries − infrastructure gets neglected and the result is deteriorating infrastructure. We are not immune to these pressures, so we must never assume that infrastructure will automatically get done in Singapore. If the economy fails, if there are no fiscal resources, if there is an incompetent government, then nothing will happen and infrastructure will stagnate and Singapore will decline. Some people have also asked me if there is a lot more we can do, given our land constraints.”
“We are doing this in our HDB estates to make them more beautiful, to make them more inclusive as well, so that we have an inclusive environment for people of all ages and abilities. We are building a more vibrant town with its own distinctive character, heritage and identity − attributes that Mr Alex Yam mentioned. We are also building more integrated mixed-use districts where people can live, work and play together. We are also taking steps to rejuvenate our older estates. So, it is not just about new towns, but we are also taking steps to rejuvenate the older ones. I note the suggestions by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Ms Jessica Tan to extend the HIP. I have explained before our position on this. We are still in the process of working through the current batch of upgrading for HIP. So, let us finish this first. We are studying the subsequent batches but, as I have mentioned before, this is contingent on the resources of the Government to fund such a programme because any upgrading programme is a major commitment that spans over many years. We have undertaken upgrading projects before and we will continue to do so. Senior Minister of State Desmond Lee will elaborate more on this. Madam, there is much that we can be proud of in Singapore, but we must never take this for granted. We have significant infrastructure demands in our next phase of development. We need to replace existing infrastructure assets which are ageing and also invest in new infrastructure projects. Members already know about our plans to expand Changi Airport and Tuas Terminal. And we have other infrastructure needs, too, including in our public transport system, our utilities system like water − which we had discussed extensively in the Budget Debate − sewage, waste, our power grids.”
“So, we have these three moves that we hope will make right-sizing more convenient, more accessible for all our seniors. We hope that this tailored package of measures will make the whole right-sizing process a more pleasant one for our seniors, from start to finish. Madam, a home is not just about the flat we live in, but the quality of our overall living environment − that means our HDB towns and also the rest of our city. That is something that we have always been very mindful of. What we enjoy today is the result of long-term commitment, meticulous planning and painstaking implementation, year by year, decade after decade. That is why, today, we have beautiful HDB homes set in lush greenery and waters, like what you see here in Tengah Forest Town where we are going to put up the first batch of flats by next year. I note what Mr Png Eng Huat said earlier about quality issues and defects. I will be the first to admit that HDB is not perfect. But which developer is? In all building projects, there will always be some defects here and there, and that is why there is a period where the developer will come in to remedy the defects. I would say, let us be fair and objective in assessing HDB's quality over the years and decades. Any objective assessment of the quality of HDB's projects would show that the quality has, indeed, improved. If you look at independent scoring of quality, like the CONQUAS score, which measures construction quality, indeed, they have improved over the years. And whenever we see that there are defects or issues, we will make sure that HDB goes in to remedy them and put things right. And if there are specifics in the case of what Mr Png had mentioned, we will look at them.”
“To make their experience more comfortable, we have implemented an elderly priority queue at the HDB Hub so that they can get prompt attention and our officers will guide them through the right-sizing process. Second, we will allow right-sizing seniors to defer the full downpayment until key collection. We know that some seniors find it difficult to fork out the minimum 5%-10% downpayment, as their monies are locked up in their existing flats. So, to help them, we will allow all buyers aged 55 and above who are right-sizing to a new 3-room or smaller flat to pay the downpayment and the balance purchase price later, at the point when they collect the keys to their new flat. This will be a big help to the seniors who are right-sizing. Third, we will introduce a new Temporary Loan to help those with cash flow issues at the key collection stage. Currently, those who are right-sizing can make use of the HDB cash contra facility. What this means is that when you sell your existing flat and you buy a new one, you can contra. But this requires some coordination in timing because you complete the sale of the existing flat and collect the keys to your new flat on the same day as a back-to-back transaction. This is not always easy to do. In practice, we all know that it takes time to sell the existing flat and it is not always possible to time the transactions so perfectly. So, we will provide right-sizing seniors with a Temporary Loan, which allows them to complete the sale of the existing flat after key collection. While we have seniors in mind, we will extend the Temporary Loan to our non-elderly who need this, so that a wider group of home buyers can benefit as well.”