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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“Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Zainal Sapari suggested extending LBS in various ways. In fact, we have already extended the maximum lease under LBS to 35 years. We do not currently plan to extend further. But HDB will exercise flexibility to allow some needy seniors below the age eligibility criterion to tap on LBS on a case-by-case basis. 5.45 pm We have also extended the LBS to 4-room flats to cover the majority of seniors. For those in larger flats, it is better to tap on other monetisation options, such as right-sizing to a smaller flat. So, I want to dwell a bit on what we want to do to make right-sizing more attractive. Today, if you right-size, you already get the chance to get a Silver Housing Bonus of up to $20,000. We are providing more options for seniors to do so. That is why we introduced the 2-room flexi scheme, with flexibility on the choice of lease length, the flat size and internal fittings. We are building more of these 2-room flexi flats and setting aside supply of such flats specially for seniors. We are also offering priority to those moving near their existing flat or near their married children. So, we are seeing better success rates for seniors who are applying for these 2-room flexi flats. Currently, the numbers who take up the right-sizing option are not large. When we survey and ask people, they tell us that the process is sometimes quite daunting. So, we will work at making the entire process of right-sizing much easier through three moves. First, we will introduce more hand-holding for our seniors. Seniors who are interested in exploring their monetisation options can walk-in to the HDB Hub or branches and receive one-on-one financial consultation.”
“This was to provide additional grants for second-timer families living in rental flats, so that they can purchase their own homes. Mr Saktiandi mentioned this and asked about the status. We have just opened up for applications in December and I recently visited some of the families who applied for the scheme. One of them is a single mother who moved into her rental flat a few years ago, together with her daughter who just entered secondary school. They are getting support from various parties, including from the family. The grandmother helps to look after the daughter after school so that the mother can work. There is an aunt who takes her daughter to the library because she enjoys reading. There are Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) officers who check-in with them regularly to see how they are doing. So, it shows that this is not just about getting a flat, as important as that is. It is about the family having all-round support which the Government and the community can provide. That is what we are doing with Fresh Start. In this case, the family will be applying for a new 2-room flexi flat by the end of the year. We are very happy for them and we wish them all the best in their Fresh Start journey. I have shared broadly our approach in helping these vulnerable groups. Minister of State Koh Poh Koon will elaborate further and give more updates on the progress of the Fresh Start scheme. Another important group that we watch out for is our seniors. They have a nest egg in their HDB flats and many would like to tap into this nest egg so that they can live out their golden years comfortably. Today, seniors who wish to monetise their flat can consider a range of options. They can rent out a room, they can apply for LBS.”
“Singles can also opt for a resale flat and benefit from the enhanced CPF Housing Grant announced in this year's Budget. For example, for a first-timer single buying a resale flat under the Single Singapore Citizen (SSC) Scheme can now qualify for the CPF Housing Grant of $25,000 for a 4-room or smaller flat, or $20,000 for a 5-room flat. Eligible singles applying under the Joint Singles Scheme (JSS) will receive the CPF Housing Grant of the same amount as first-timer families. Several Members − Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, Mr Louis Ng, Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Miss Cheryl Chan − also asked about how we are helping vulnerable groups, including divorcees and single unwed parents. We are fully committed to helping them with their housing needs and making sure no one falls through the cracks. If they are unable to afford a flat and do not have alternative housing options, HDB will assist them with a rental flat, and we are continuing to build more rental flats to meet these needs. In the last three years, HDB has helped nearly 2,000 single parents with a public rental flat. And by single parents, we mean divorcees with children as well as unwed mothers with children. This is about 27% of all households who were allocated a public rental flat during that time. Every case that HDB receives is unique and our officers will review each case very carefully. If necessary, they will work together with the local social service agencies − the SSOs, the Family Service Centre social workers − to assess the family's situation and they will exercise flexibility for those in difficulties. Besides helping with rental, we also introduced the Fresh Start Housing Scheme last year.”
“At the same time, I encourage young couples to do your research and consider the different housing options. Be prudent and find a place that is within your budget and means. If you are looking for resale, choose a flat with a sufficiently long lease to cover your needs. Then, like Mr and Mrs Sin, you will have a home and a nest-egg that you can tap on for retirement later in life. While our focus is on helping first-timers, HDB flats also meet the housing needs of Singaporeans at every life stage. Our family, job and financial circumstances change over the course of our lives. The housing arrangement that was suitable when we were young may no longer be the right fit some years down the road. For those who come back to HDB again as second-timers, we are helping them with a number of measures that we have introduced or enhanced in the past few years. For example, some may wish to move closer to family members after their grandchildren are born, or as the grandparents age, for mutual care and support. These families can benefit from the enhanced Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS), or 3Gen flats if they are buying new flats; or they can benefit from the Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) for resale flats which we introduced earlier. We are also providing more housing options for singles. We have opened up 2-room BTO flats to singles in 2013. The initial response was very strong. And the application rate was 57.5 in the first exercise in 2013. We have brought this down to 6.6 last year. To date, 9,700 singles have successfully booked a flat. We will continue to put out more 2-room BTO flats to meet the needs of singles.”
“The aim or the intent is not to impact the ordinary buying and selling of shares in such companies when they are listed on the stock market by retail investors. However, significant owners of residential property holding entities will be subject to the usual stamp duties when they transfer equity interest in such entities, like what would happen if they were to buy or sell the property directly. With the changes in CPF grants, let us take a look at how a resale HDB flat compares against the BTO options today. Let us take the example of a couple looking to settle down in their first home together and looking to buy a place near their parents in Tampines, a mature estate. The price of a 4-room new flat in Tampines is about $300,000 to $360,000. A 4-room resale flat in Tampines is now selling for about $430,000, before grants. With the grants, the resale flat price will be comparable to a new flat price. So, a young couple looking for a flat in Tampines can buy a resale flat and move in immediately. We will do one more enhancement for the resale market, and before Members get excited, let me assure Members that it has nothing to do with price or grants, but we are going to do something for the transaction process. Today, doing a resale transaction can be quite an involved process, even with the help of an agent. It takes about 16 weeks to complete a resale transaction and requires two appointments with HDB. We can do much better than this. So, we can leverage technology and make the process faster and more streamlined. HDB is working on this and will announce the details by the end of the year. I hope that all these measures will make housing more affordable and accessible for young couples and help them to start their marriage and parenthood journey early.”
“But we expect resale prices to remain stable for a few reasons. Firstly, there is currently a healthy resale flat supply. A good number of owners will be selling their existing flats when they move into their newly completed homes. So, that additional supply will help to soak up the increase in demand. Moreover, sellers will need to be realistic in pricing their flats because home buyers always have the option to buy a new flat from HDB. So, that puts some reality check on the prices that sellers would be able to set. The resale price is also linked to the overall state of the property market. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah suggested removing the ABSD for Singaporeans. Several other Members have mentioned this on previous occasions as well. I note the suggestions. The property measures have helped to achieve a soft landing in prices. Today, housing demand remains firm, given the current interest rate environment and income growth. So, we will continue to monitor this carefully to maintain a stable and sustainable property market. Mr Yee Chia Hsing had at the Budget Debate suggested reviewing the concept of ownership of residential properties, such that if a residential property is held by a corporate entity or a special purpose vehicle, and the shares of the company are transferred from seller to buyer, the normal residential stamp duty should apply. The Government has been studying this issue. In principle, we should treat transactions in residential property on the same basis, regardless of whether the property is transferred directly or through a transfer of shares in a company whose primary business is in residential property in Singapore. So, we plan to make legislative changes to effect this.”
“Effectively, the new rentals will be about or less than half of market rentals, and couples taking up these options can save more than $1,000 a month by renting a PPHS flat instead of a flat in the open market. This will give young couples more affordable options to start their lives together while waiting for their new flats to be completed. Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Ms Tin Pei Ling also suggested making available PPHS flats to couples who are still applying for BTO flats, meaning to say, their flats have not been booked yet, but they are still in the process of applying. We can study this but let us remember that PPHS rentals are highly subsidised, so it is fair that we set clear timelines for the couples to stay in PPHS. The best way to ensure this is when they have already booked a flat, and then we know that the flat is booked and there is a specific timeline for which they need the PPHS rentals. Finally, there are always resale flats for couples who want to move in quickly and have specific preferences on location, for example, if they wish to live close to their parents. And there are many more options to choose from in the resale market. We know that affordability can still be a concern for such young couples, especially when they are just starting out. That is why we have increased the grants for resale flats, as announced in the Budget. With the enhanced grants, most young couples should be able to afford the downpayment for their resale flats. In fact, together with existing grants, resale flat buyers can enjoy as much as $110,000 in housing subsidies. Mr Alex Yam and Assoc Prof Randolph Tan asked if the enhanced CPF Housing Grant will push up resale prices. We are aware of this risk and have studied the matter very carefully.”
“Then, those with urgent housing needs and who are less particular about location can apply and need not wait for the usual SBF exercise which only happens twice a year. This will be a new sales mode with balloting priority given to first-timers. HDB will launch the first such exercise in the latter half of this year and will announce more details when ready. Regardless of how long the waiting time is, as highlighted by Mr Gan Thiam Poh, PPHS allows couples to start building a life together while waiting for their flat to be completed. To date, about 2,000 households have lived in PPHS flats and we have welcomed more than 400 "PPHS babies". One such couple is Mr and Mrs Leong. They booked a BTO flat in 2013, and then while waiting, they moved into a PPHS flat in Dover Road with their three-month old daughter. While they were there, they welcomed the arrival of not just one, but two other daughters while staying in the PPHS flat. Their new 4-room BTO flat in Keat Hong is ready, and the family of five will be moving in soon. So, I think Ms Josephine Teo and the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) office will be very happy with what we are doing. We know that every dollar counts for a young family just starting out. That is why HDB rents out PPHS flats at subsidised rates. Mr Darryl David and several Members have asked whether we can lower the rents even more. We have studied this very carefully. To help families further, we have decided to lower PPHS rents by $200 to $400 per month, depending on flat type and location. So, in the example of a 3-room flat in Jurong, with the new rent, it will be $600; and in Commonwealth, it will be $700.”
“So, we have looked into their requests seriously and I am happy to announce that HDB will offer BTO flats in some projects with a shorter waiting time. We are achieving this not by rushing the construction but by commencing construction ahead of launch. So, the waiting time will be cut to around two and a half years. 5.30 pm We target to launch the first batch of such flats in 2018. We will start with about 1,000 flats spread out among our non-mature estates. In addition, we will launch these projects with special quotas to further prioritise young couples who are ready to settle down. At least 95% of 4-room or larger flats will be set aside for first-timer families, which is a 10-percentage point increase from the existing BTO quota. These flat types are the most popular amongst first-timer families. The quotas for smaller flat types will remain unchanged to meet the housing needs of second-timers, singles and the elderly who right-size. Besides BTO, our Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises are also a popular option for couples who wish to get their new flats quickly. Due to their large scale and variety, balance flats are currently only offered twice a year and applicants will apply for a specific town and the flat type. But there are some balance flats left unsold after each SBF exercise. Each time we put out an SBF exercise twice a year, there will still be flats that are left unsold. I have asked HDB to offer these unsold flats for sale in a more efficient manner. Instead of releasing these unsold flats by specific towns and flat types, we will pool together unsold units and put them out for balloting at more regular intervals.”
“In 1998, it took an average worker about three years to afford the downpayment to buy a home in the UK. Today, it takes 20 years − from three to 20 today. As a result, many young people in the UK have no chance of buying a property. Our situation in Singapore is very different from the UK and other countries and this did not happen by chance. It is because we made home ownership a strategic priority from the start of nation-building and have continually invested in it over the decades, a point which Mr Alex Yam and many other Members of this House made earlier. That is why couples are today assured of a quality home at an affordable price even before they get married, something that no other country in the world can offer. We are committed to keeping this Singapore dream alive − to help couples secure their flats more quickly, start their families, sink roots into the community and have a concrete stake in our nation. As Mr Gan Thiam Poh highlighted just now, first-timer married couples with or expecting a child already enjoy priority under the Parenthood Priority Scheme. As with many other first-timer families, mature estates and larger flat types are popular with such applicants. But I would encourage them to apply in the non-mature estates, where nine in 10 applicants of BTO flats are successful. In fact, if you are a first-timer applying for a BTO flat in non-mature estates, you can book one within the year, unless you insist on choosing a specific town or location. So, if you apply for a flat in a non-mature estate today, the waiting time comprises mostly of the construction time of about three to four years. But I know that there are many young couples who hope to move into their homes quickly to embark on this marriage and parenthood journey together.”
“Madam, I would like to start by sharing the story of Mr and Mrs Sin. Mr Sin is from the Pioneer Generation and his wife is 66 years old this year. They used to live in cramped conditions in a rented flat in a Chinatown shophouse. When HDB started the Homeownership for the People Scheme in 1964, they were among the first to sign up for a 3-room flat in Havelock Road. The flat gave them a home to call their own and a concrete stake in the wealth of the nation. They stayed there in the same home for almost 50 years, brought up two children who are now married and have their own families. Last year, Mr and Mrs Sin decided to right-size to a 2-room flexi-flat near their second child. They converted some of their home equity into cash and CPF savings. They are financially independent and they can now enjoy their golden years with their two grandchildren. This is the Singapore Dream, HDB-style, and their story is not unique. I am sure many of us can relate to this in our lives or that of our parents or we would have met many residents like them. While we have achieved tremendous success with home ownership, I recognise that Singaporeans are still concerned about the future. It is reflected in the speeches of many Members during the Budget Debate and I have also met many parents who worried about their children's future as well as young Singaporeans who ask me whether they can look forward to a better life than their parents had. I understand these concerns and they are not unique to Singapore. They are felt everywhere around the world. Enabling home ownership is a major challenge in cities everywhere. Young people struggle with high living expenses and home prices. For example, I read a recent report of the situation in the UK.”
“Mdm Chairman, I thank Members for their keen interest and suggestions on MND matters. With your permission, I would like to show some slides on the light emitting diode (LED) screens.”
“Madam, I believe the Finance Minister had explained in the Budget Round-up Speech that land sales, revenues go into our past Reserves. So, unless the Workers' Party would like the Government to use past revenues, then this option is not going to be made available. And Mr Low said we should study all taxes, all different forms of revenues, before making a decision. But this is what we are doing. We are studying all revenue options, we are keeping all options open, and we are looking at different possibilities to ensure that we have a sustainable fiscal system for the long term. And on the point of accountability, I will leave the Senior Minister of State to make the clarifications.”
“Madam, in response to questions that Mr Low raised, I would say that, as the Finance Minister said, we are studying all revenue options. Let us do not jump to the conclusion of which particular tax is going to be increased or when. The point is that we are preparing ahead and we are studying and keeping all options open at this time. GST is a progressive tax the way we have designed it. It is not a question of whether the offsets are sufficient to cover everything that the low income has to pay, but it is the overall progressivity of the system. The way we have designed GST with a permanent voucher is to make it a progressive consumption tax. That is the way the system is designed. We have had many debates in this House about this particular design feature of our GST system. More fundamentally on this issue, we have to ask ourselves, and if I could ask Mr Low these two questions. Firstly, do we agree that our longer-term expenditures, despite our best efforts to be prudent in spending, whatever we do, do we agree that our long-term expenditures are going to go up, particularly in areas like healthcare, with a population that is ageing rapidly and with huge infrastructure requirements that we do need to put in place to prevent our basic infrastructure from deteriorating and decaying? Do we agree that these long-term expenditures are going to go up? Second, if we agree that long-term expenditures are going to go up, is it not proper and responsible and prudent for the Government to start thinking ahead of what these expenditure needs are and preparing for all options and studying what revenue options we need to prepare for this eventuality? That is where we are today, and that is why the Finance Minister has highlighted in his speech to study all options.”
“Madam, as I mentioned earlier, later this year, we will be making available MyInfo service to all SingPass users. So, that will mean that all SingPass users can potentially access this service where, through one touch, you can automatically fill up information and forms with different Government agencies. I think it is a very convenient service. The Member is right that we cannot force people to use the service. Ultimately, Singaporeans must also give consent for their data to be shared for privacy reasons. There will be effort to reach out and educate people and to show them how useful the service is, what can it do for them, the convenience that it provides and, through that, we hope the take-up of the service will eventually start to go up over time.”
“There are 500 qualified arborists in Singapore today. Two hundred are employed by NParks to oversee its tree management programme. The pool of 200 NParks arborists is adequate for now. MND and NParks are continually reviewing our resources to ensure that there are sufficient arborists to handle the work requirements.”
“Madam, the fact that there is an appeals channel and the fact that HDB already exercises flexibility for cases that do not meet the income criterion, this is public information, and we do already receive many appeals on that basis. So, anyone who has an application for a rental flat and their application is rejected on an income basis can freely put up an appeal, either through their Member of Parliament or to HDB directly. On the supply of rental flats, that is, indeed, being stepped up and there are more rental flats coming into the market. 12.24 pm”
“Madam, as we have stated before, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) reviews the eligibility criteria for HDB rental flats from time to time and will continue to do so, taking this suggestion and others into account. Whether the criteria are based on household income or per capita income, there will always be a few deserving cases that do not meet the cut-off. That is why HDB already exercises flexibility so that families which do not meet the eligibility criteria can still get a rental flat, if they have no other housing options or family support. This includes bigger families, even if their household income exceeds the income ceiling.”
“Trees under the National Parks Board's (NParks') purview are regularly inspected by NParks’ Certified Arborists. Inspections are not outsourced to landscape companies. Beyond regular inspections, NParks prunes trees to make them more resistant to storms. NParks also substitutes storm-vulnerable species like the Albizia with hardier trees. This comprehensive tree management programme has been effective in reducing the number of tree incidents by more than three-fold since 2001. Having said that, trees can fall despite our best efforts. When accidents happen due to natural causes, NParks’ public liability insurance only covers claims where NParks is shown to be negligent. If NParks has exercised its duty of care in keeping to its tree management regime, the insurance will not pay out as NParks would not be culpable for circumstances beyond its control.”
“Both Mr Louis Ng and Ms Thanaletchimi sought clarifications for the new section 31(K), which empowers BOA to appoint investigators to investigate into the commission of an offence under the Act. I would like to explain how this process will work out. Under the current Act, BOA will form an investigation committee which will be chaired by a Board member and comprise two other registered architects with more than 10 years of practising experience, and a layperson. The investigation committee is in charge of evaluating the findings and making a recommendation to the Board on the investigation. The new section 31(K) allows BOA to appoint an investigator or more than one investigator to assist the investigation committee, such as assisting to obtain evidences. Such a person may be a retired Police Officer who is familiar with our laws and knows how to conduct proper investigation and search for evidence. BOA and the investigation committee will make their own independent decisions and disciplinary decisions after the hearing. But appeals on BOA's decisions can be made to the Minister. This is in answer to Ms Thanaletchimi's query. Madam, I believe that I have addressed the issues raised by the Members. I would like to once again thank them for their support for this Bill. With that, Madam, 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)]”
“At the same time, the offences committed will be reported to the foreign architect's original country or territory of registration, where the relevant authorities there will also follow up with the relevant penalties. So, this is for the first category of foreign architects who can qualify to practise independently. The second category of foreign architects are those who can only practise in collaboration with a local registered architect on a project basis. They will not be issued a practising certificate by BOA and so they are not Qualified Persons who can offer architectural services independently in Singapore. For this category of foreign architects, in the event of a suspected offence, BOA will write to the foreign architect's original country or territory of registration. The foreign architect will then be subjected to the investigation and disciplinary proceedings and relevant penalties imposed by the relevant authorities there. BOA can also reject future applications from such a foreign architect to register for collaborations, depending on the seriousness of the offence committed, because a new registration for practising in collaboration with a locally registered architect is required for every new project. So, if an offence is committed, BOA will take that into consideration before issuing any new registration. Next, on the increase in penalty which is something Mr Louis Ng asked about. This increase in the maximum penalty is to ensure that there is sufficient deterrence against any potential wrongdoings. In fact, the higher level of penalty has also been benchmarked and is similar to that imposed by other professional boards in the medical and legal professions.”
“Let me briefly set out what this process entails. First, a foreign architect will need to be qualified and recognised in his/her own country, the original country or territory of registration for mutual recognition, based on the agreed criteria set out in the mutual agreements between BOA and the registration authority of the participating jurisdiction. Following that, the foreign architect will have to pass the examination set by BOA to ensure that he/she has the knowledge of the practice laws, rules and regulations and other conditions of practising in Singapore, and then pay the prescribed fee, before this architect is entitled for registration under the new section 15(2A). The need to pass an examination set by BOA before the foreign architect can seek registration will hence also apply to ASEAN architects recognised under the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Architectural Services. This was the query that Mr Louis Ng asked. So, yes, ASEAN architects will also have to take the examinations. And with these examinations, that is the way we can ensure standards are not compromised. Mr Louis Ng also enquired about penalties for foreign architects who are registered with BOA under the new section 15(2A), and how we can offer mutual recognition while protecting the profession in Singapore. Perhaps, I would like to explain this in two parts because there are foreign architects who qualify to practise independently in Singapore under the new section 15(2A). These foreign architects who can qualify to practise independently will be required to maintain a valid practising certificate and they will be subjected to the same disciplinary procedures and penalties as anyone who is registered under the existing section 15(1) with a valid practising certificate.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Members who have spoken and also for their support of the Bill. Ms K Thanaletchimi and Mr Louis Ng sought several clarifications on the administration of the Architects Act, and I will clarify the queries that they have. Let me start with Ms Thanaletchimi's query on the election process for the President of BOA. If there is a tie of votes that she had asked, another round of secret ballot will be carried out. And should there be another tie of votes, the successful candidate will be determined by the drawing of lots. This is already set out in the rules of the Procedure for the Election of the President of BOA. So, this is already in place. In fact, these rules are read out before the commencement of any voting. Ms Thanaletchimi also sought a clarification on section 11 of the Bill, about the recovery process should the person pay money to an unauthorised architect and how would they recover the money in a Court. Indeed, as she has asked, the person would have to file a civil suit to recover the money paid to the unauthorised architect and this is consistent with the recovery process for other professions as well. Ms Thanaletchimi asked about qualifications. The new section 15A provides for the recognition of local registered architects who intend to supply or offer to supply architectural services in any participating jurisdiction. For anyone, including foreign architects who are seeking registration under section 15(1)(a) and 15(1)(b) to practise in Singapore, the qualifications recognised by BOA are already listed on its website. They can refer to that for any clarification. Mr Louis Ng sought clarifications on the registration process under the new section 15(2A) for foreign architects from a participating jurisdiction.”
“In view of the fact that the Limited Partnership Act was enacted in 2008 to provide for the establishment and registration of limited partnerships, the Architects Act is now also being updated to allow for the licensing of limited partnerships that provide architectural services in Singapore. Finally, Madam, the amendments proposed in this Bill are timely. They will enable our Architects to operate more effectively in a globalised world and also ensure that BOA continues to play an effective role in supporting the growth of the profession. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“For example, BOA may impose a restriction on a foreign architect to only provide architectural services in Singapore in collaboration with a local registered architect with a valid practising certificate on a project basis, rather than doing so independently. I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify that an architect providing architectural services independently in Singapore as a Qualified Person is required to be a registered architect with BOA and must have a valid practising certificate. This does not change even with the amendments in this Bill. Next, on Disciplinary Proceedings and Penalties, the proposed changes in this Bill also seek to enhance the disciplinary proceedings and penalties currently provided, which include the following: (a) BOA will be allowed to appoint independent investigators, where necessary, to enable the Board to more effectively deal with disciplinary proceedings; (b) the maximum penalties for certain offences in the Architects Act will be raised to ensure sufficient deterrence; (c) a new offence is created under the new section 12(1A), which makes it an offence for a person to engage the architectural services of another person in relation to any building works unless the other person is authorised under the Act to supply architectural services; and (d) a person will not be allowed to use the word "architect" or any of its derivatives as part of the name of an architectural practice if the person is not authorised under the Act to supply architectural services independently. This is to avoid misleading the public that the person is authorised to provide architectural services. Thirdly, on Licensing of Limited Partnerships.”
“For locally registered architects seeking to practise overseas, they must, first, be recognised in Singapore before they engage in the practice of architecture in a participating overseas jurisdiction. By that, we mean any country or territory outside Singapore in relation to which a mutual recognition arrangement is in force. The need for such domestic recognition is a standard feature of the mutual recognition arrangements we have currently with various jurisdictions. For example, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand have a Trilateral Agreement under the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Architect Framework. Singapore has also signed the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Architectural Services with other ASEAN member countries. Such a domestic recognition allows for the qualifications and experience obtained by an architect in the country or territory where he or she is already registered to be recognised by the participating overseas jurisdictions. This will make it easier for Singapore-registered architects to practise abroad in a participating jurisdiction and will open up opportunities for them overseas. Likewise, a foreign architect from a participating jurisdiction can be registered in Singapore to engage in the practice of architecture in Singapore, subject to the following conditions. First, the foreign architect must meet the registration requirements as agreed to by BOA and the registration authority of the participating overseas jurisdiction, pass the necessary examinations as approved by BOA and also pay a prescribed fee. The amended Act will also allow BOA to impose any prohibitions, restrictions or conditions as to the practice of architecture in Singapore when registering a foreign architect.”
“Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". The Architects Act was enacted (a) to provide a framework for the registration of architects; (b) to regulate the qualifications and practice of architects; and (c) to enable the Board of Architects (BOA) to license corporations, partnerships and limited liability partnerships. The last set of amendments to the Architects Act took effect on 1 December 2005, which included enlarging the composition of BOA and enhancing its disciplinary process. Today, with globalisation, more architects are likely to provide architectural services in foreign countries and territories in addition to their country or territory of registration. In particular, many of our locally registered architects are well recognised for their skills and professionalism and many of them are already expanding their businesses overseas. Hence, we need to amend the Architects Act to facilitate our locally registered architects to provide architectural services overseas. At the same time, we must regulate foreign architects who provide architectural services in Singapore. The proposed changes in the Bill will seek to give effect to arrangements made between BOA and the appropriate foreign registration authority of any country or territory outside Singapore, for the mutual recognition of the qualifications and standards adopted by each of the parties to the arrangement regarding the practice of architecture. It will also enhance disciplinary proceedings and penalties and allow limited partnerships to provide architectural services in Singapore. Let me go through these in turn. Firstly, on Mutual Recognition Arrangements.”
“Most first-timer families who apply for a Build-To-Order (BTO) flat in the non-mature estates are able to book a flat within their first or second try, and definitely on their third try. Those who are unsuccessful in getting a flat after five or more attempts would have applied for BTO flats in the mature estates or flats under the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. Such flats have very high application rates and lower chances of success in the ballot. Hence, we encourage first-timer families to apply for BTO flats in non-mature estates, so that they can get their homes soon.”
“The Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) was launched in 2001 to provide direct lift access to flats and enhance convenience for residents, especially the elderly and less mobile. At the start of the programme, there were more than 5,300 HDB blocks without 100% lift access. Among them, more than 1,000 blocks were initially found to be unfeasible for LUP due to cost or technical constraints. Over the years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has adopted innovative technical solutions and conducted some lift pilot trials to help such blocks with lift access. Some examples of these solutions that have been successfully implemented include lifts that do not have a machine room at the top of the shafts, that is, machine room-less elevators and bubble lifts. In some blocks, HDB has also successfully reconfigured lift access with new entry points to residents’ homes. More recently, HDB piloted the Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator and the Vertical Platform Lift in an effort to offer LUP to more blocks. However, both solutions have been assessed to be unfeasible for heavy residential use and will not be implemented in HDB estates. Through the various innovative solutions, the vast majority of the 5,300 blocks are now able to benefit from LUP. There remain only about 150 blocks where HDB has not found any solutions to overcome the existing constraints. On a flat basis, less than 1% of our sold flats do not have direct lift access. Singaporeans who are in urgent need of direct lift access due to medical conditions or disability may approach HDB for housing and financing assistance. HDB assesses each request on a case-by-case basis to see how best to render help.”
“Based on returns collated from key Government agencies that own a significant number of properties, there are around 1,000 Government properties that are vacant. These properties are of various sizes and located all over Singapore. The properties are vacant for various reasons, such as in the process of being leased, under review for redevelopment or pending demolition.”
“The Ministry of National Development takes a serious view on the safety of lifts in Singapore. We have previously explained the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) comprehensive approach spanning lift procurement, installation and maintenance to ensure that lifts in HDB estates are safe and fit for operation. There is a lift commissioning process in place, which includes an independent audit of key safety features and a stress test of 1,000 start-stop operations. These are over and above existing regulatory requirements. The lifts in Ms Tin Pei Ling's ward which have been experiencing higher than usual breakdown and fault rates are part of a batch of 469 lifts recently installed by Sigma. HDB's investigations revealed that while the design and installation of the affected lifts complied with the prevailing codes and standards, the doors and sensors are more susceptible to misalignment. HDB has been working closely with Sigma to address this issue. Apart from the recommissioning exercises which Ms Tin mentioned, Sigma has also been undertaking improvement works to make the doors less susceptible to misalignment. The works include modification, replacement and addition of some auxiliary components of the lift door to enhance door operations. As a result, we have seen an improvement in the performance of the Sigma lifts. To ensure that all issues are addressed and the improvements in lift performance are sustained, a separate team of quality inspectors has been brought in by Sigma to conduct 100% checks on every one of the 469 lifts. HDB is closely monitoring the work done by the company and will continue to hold Sigma responsible for the corrective action necessary to ensure that the lifts meet the required performance standards on a sustained basis.”
“The Town Councils Act empowers Town Councils to set by-laws to regulate the use of common property and impose fines for any contravention. Hence, Town Councils can take action under their by-laws against any person found pasting flyers and advertisements without the Town Councils' authorisation. If stickers are pasted on residents' doors or gates, the affected residents may seek help from their respective Town Councils. In practice, Town Councils would typically warn the advertisers against such actions. Town Councils may also remove the stickers or ask the advertisers to do so.”
“In the last three years, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) detected 10 cases of illegal wildlife trade at our border checkpoints. During the same period, 58 cases were detected within Singapore. Arising from these cases, AVA confiscated 660 live animals. While the vast majority were given to the Singapore Zoo or repatriated to the source country, 77 animals are still in AVA's custody pending further investigations and Court trials. AVA works closely with Singapore Customs and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on the detection of illegal wildlife trade cases. Information is also shared among our enforcement agencies to facilitate enforcement. While the authorities at all our border checkpoints remain vigilant, we also urge the public to do their part to refrain from such trade and report any suspicious cases. By working together, we can help stop the illegal trade in wildlife.”
“Currently, all spas (with or without massage services) and massage parlours are considered as "Massage Establishment (ME)" use and require a licence or exemption under the Police licensing framework to operate. URA evaluates ME applications on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration land zoning, local planning intentions and inputs from other agencies, such as LTA for traffic considerations and the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department for vice-related concerns. Where the proposed siting of a ME is assessed to result in disamenities to the surroundings, the application will be rejected. In particular, only MEs given a Category I licence or classified as Exempted under Police’s licensing framework can be considered for operation on commercial sites in residential areas. Category I MEs are subject to stringent qualifying criteria, including CaseTrust accreditation and a capital investment of at least $50,000. These conditions help to ensure that the applicant is willing to invest capital to run a legitimate massage business. The "Exempted ME" category is for activities that have minimal risk of causing vice or disamenities; examples include physiotherapy clinics and open-concept massage outlets. Should any ME be found to contravene the law, the Police will take enforcement action against the licensee and revoke the ME licence if necessary.”
“Madam, between 2012 and 2016, about two in five applicants who had been invited to select a flat under a Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise did not proceed to book a flat. The top three reasons given by these invited flat applicants were that their preferred units had been taken up, they would like to apply for flats in other sales exercises, or they had changed their minds and would like to consider other housing options. HDB shortlists flat applicants up to 300% of the flat supply. Depending on the flat supply and application rate, the average time taken to complete the selection of a BTO exercise and a SBF exercise is around six months and 10 months respectively. It takes longer for the SBF because the units are typically more spread out, more diverse, so more time taken to complete the SBF exercise. Flats which are not booked will be consolidated for offer in future SBF exercises. Flat applicants who are not shortlisted are informed that they are not successful. This allows them to make alternative housing plans, such as applying in the next BTO or SBF sales launches, or buying a resale flat on the open market. HDB has found this to be a better arrangement than having unsuccessful applicants stay in the queue, as the applicants may then end up having to wait for an even longer period of time, without any certainty that the flats will be available.”
“Madam, first of all we should compare like for like. As I had mentioned, pricing can differ due to various reasons − a higher floor unit will be more expensive than a lower floor unit, and there are different characteristics of location as well. So, let us take all of that aside. Because if you take all of that aside, and you take, say, an SBF unit and a BTO unit in the same block, same floor, most of the time, they will be similar. But there may be instances, as I have explained earlier, where the SBF unit is sold at a later stage and if, indeed, the market has softened − it does not happen very often because our market is generally quite stable − but if indeed market conditions have softened, then HDB may sell that SBF unit at a later stage, due to market conditions, if the general market has softened, it may be sold at a slightly lower price than the original BTO price. That is the reason that I have stated earlier. I think that is fair to all home buyers because the transaction is done at the point of sale. If the market has come down, then we charge it at a slightly lower price. This is not a new practice. We have been doing it all this while. BTO batch by BTO batch, sometimes the prices differ because of market conditions. Balance flats, as the market adjusts, we also update the pricing. This has been the practice of HDB's pricing all this while.”
“Mdm Speaker, new HDB flats offered under the BTO and SBF exercises are priced using the same methodology, which takes into account the prices of comparable resale flats in the vicinity, as well as the specific attributes of the flats, such as storey height and design. However, the prices of SBF units may differ from that in the BTO exercise for several reasons. First, the SBF price may be slightly higher as the units are closer to completion. Second, the SBF prices may also be updated if there is a change in prevailing market conditions. For example, in cases where the prices of comparable resale flats in the vicinity have softened since the time of the BTO launch, the prices of balance flats may be lower than their original BTO prices. Regardless of whether the flats are sold under BTO or SBF exercises, HDB gives a generous market discount to ensure that new flats are affordable to buyers. On top of the subsidised prices, eligible first-timer families can also receive up to $80,000 in housing grants to help them purchase their flats.”
“Under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), residents move en bloc to a new precinct nearby, preserving the existing community ties built over the years. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has also put in place the Joint Selection Scheme, where up to six households affected by SERS can book their new replacement flats together, to continue living near their old neighbours. HDB conducts a biennial survey to gauge residents’ level of support and satisfaction for SERS, including the extent to which SERS has impacted their family and community ties. Over the years, our surveys have consistently shown a strong support level for SERS, at 85% or more, with residents affirming benefits, such as having a brand-new living environment, being able to move nearby and with their old neighbours.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has provided laminated timber bathroom doors for standard Build-To-Order (BTO) flats since 2001. These doors have undergone performance tests, including repeated wetting and drying cycle tests, and meet the requisite industry standards for use. However, depending on their usage habits, some residents could find such timber doors unsuitable. For example, in bathrooms where the door could be frequently splashed with water due to floor washing, bathing patterns or lack of shower screen. In such cases, deterioration would appear over time. It is thus the flat owners' responsibility to use and maintain the doors properly. Nonetheless, if issues with the laminated timber doors occur within the one-year defects liability period (DLP), HDB will perform rectification, which may include one-for-one replacement. Separately, HDB has been carrying out studies on new bathroom door options as part of its regular effort to keep flat fitting designs up to date. One new option is laminated unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) folding doors. These doors are durable, easy to maintain, and offer a modern timber look and feel that complements the bedroom doors. They are also more resistant to fungus growth. Since November 2015, HDB has introduced laminated UPVC folding doors for bathrooms in new public housing development launches.”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) exercises flexibility for deserving households who do not meet the eligibility criteria, such as the income ceiling, to rent a flat from HDB on a case-by-case basis. Between 2014 and 2016, about 1,900 households requested for a waiver of the income ceiling criterion, of which 273 applications were approved. The other applicants were assessed to be able to afford other housing options or had family support.”
“We have not seen an increase in the number of complaints received about service standards of managing agents (MAs). The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) receives about 30 cases of such feedback annually. This number has been consistent over the last five years. Management Corporation Strata Titles (MCSTs) have the flexibility to appoint MA firms that best serve their needs. To aid them in their choice, MCSTs can select from a list of MA firms accredited under the voluntary Accredited Managing Agent (AMA) scheme. This scheme is jointly administered by two industry associations: the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers, and the Association of Property and Facility Managers. Accredited firms are required to have staff who are trained in recognised estate or building management courses, and who also possess sufficient experience and knowledge in property and strata management. To help raise the overall competency of MAs, the BCA Academy also offers courses covering the strata management framework and relevant rules and regulations. We encourage MAs to make use of these training opportunities.”
“The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has not detected any cases of fake food products in Singapore to date. Fake food is defined as food that is made from ingredients that are not edible and can be hazardous when consumed. The Government places great importance in ensuring that our food is safe. In addition to sampling food imports for safety tests, AVA also conducts checks to ensure that food is accurately labelled. From 2014 to 2016, AVA took enforcement action against 26 cases of mislabelling of food products, including honey, black moss and chia seeds. The traders involved were warned or fined and required to correct the labels. The maximum penalty for importing fake food or mislabelling food products is a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both.”
“The Council of Estate Agencies (CEA) was set up in October 2010 to administer the new regulatory framework for the real estate agency industry. The annual number of estate agents (EAs) and real estate salespersons (RES) since CEA's formation is as follows:”
“As at end 2016, there were about 4,500 vacant rental flats. To promote home ownership, when existing rental flats are vacated, they can be considered for conversion to sold flats if viable. Over the years, about 9,300 ex-rental flats were converted, most of them before 2011. These flats are sold with the balance of the 99-year leases. Of these, about 9,000 flats have been sold.”
“Such vehicles should, however, not exceed an unladen weight of 2,000 kilogrammes if they intend to park within HDB multistorey car parks (MSCP) as the MSCPs are not designed to withstand vehicular weights beyond this limit. Those that exceed an unladen weight of 2,000 kilogrammes can park in HDB surface residential car parks. They can also park at commercial and industrial car parks, as well as heavy vehicle parks.”
“Currently, there are about 43,190 heavy vehicle parking spaces islandwide, which exceeds the 33,680 heavy vehicles registered with the Land Transport Authority (LTA). About 74% of the heavy vehicle parking spaces are privately operated and located in industrial estates. The remaining 26% of heavy vehicle parking spaces are managed by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the form of temporary heavy vehicle parks located within or at the fringes of residential areas. Over time, these temporary heavy vehicle parks will be progressively phased out, partly to make way for new developments, and partly because having heavy vehicles enter densely populated heartland precincts poses a safety risk, especially to the elderly and young children. To facilitate this transition, agencies are incorporating new heavy vehicle parks within industrial developments that are near to residential areas, where feasible. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of business owners to provide or secure parking for the vehicles that they own and to provide their drivers with the appropriate transport options to get to their vehicles for work. This is especially so if they require their drivers to work during odd hours. Commercial vehicles, such as vans and light goods vehicles, with unladen weight exceeding 1,800 kilogrammes, are generally not allowed to park in HDB residential car parks for safety and environmental reasons. However, HDB does exercise flexibility by allowing them to use the residential car parks if the vehicles can fit within a standard car lot and do not obstruct or endanger other car park users.”
“At the end of 2016, there were about 9,700 unsold private dwelling units, including from executive condominium developments, which have been launched for sale by developers. These include completed and uncompleted units. If we include those that have received planning approvals but have not yet been launched for sale, the figure is about 25,000 dwelling units. This is a historical low since the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) started compiling such data in 2001. The Member also asked about the number of dwelling units put up for sale by home owners. URA does not compile such data as home owners are not required to report their intention to sell their homes. The demand for private housing remains robust. In 2016, developers sold about 12,000 dwelling units, or 20% more than the approximately 10,000 units sold in 2015. Apart from housing demand, the Government considers other factors such as overall economic and property market conditions, to determine the housing supply to be provided in each Government Land Sales (GLS) programme. As the current inventory of unsold units is at a historical low, it is important to maintain a healthy level of housing supply to mitigate any shortages in the future. We do not have immediate plans to slow down or halt the supply of private housing through the GLS programme.”
“Eleven private events were held at Bay East Garden over the past year. The events are largely outdoor activities like family days and sporting events. Each event application is assessed by Gardens by the Bay Company (GB Co) to ensure a minimum amount of disruption and disamenity to Gardens' patrons and nearby residents. For example, events that attract large crowds or tend to be noisy will be directed to locations further away from residential areas. GB Co will also ask the organisers to keep local residents informed of upcoming events in the spirit of good neighbourliness. This allows for any concerns to be heard and addressed before the event takes place. Moreover, organisers must adhere to GB Co's venue hire terms and conditions. This includes requirements that organisers keep to within specific noise level caps at all times. Finally, event organisers have to adhere to the requirements of our traffic authorities. For instance, if buses are chartered for certain large-scale events, the organisers may be required to deploy Auxiliary Police for effective traffic management. GB Co officers carry out checks during events and organisers have been generally cooperative. GB Co will continue to work closely with event organisers to ensure that Bay East Gardens remains an enjoyable, inclusive, and well-utilised community space for all.”
“The first Construction Productivity Roadmap was launched in 2010. We tightened the supply of lower-skilled foreign manpower, required buildings to adopt more productive design, and supported firms as they invested in productive technologies and upgraded their workers. The second Roadmap was launched in 2015. It encourages even higher capital investments, intensifies our efforts to build up a quality workforce, and further facilitates collaboration among stakeholders across the construction value chain. Through the two Roadmaps, we have targeted a 20% to 30% improvement in construction site productivity by 2020. The results are encouraging. Annual site productivity increases have improved progressively from 0.3% in 2010 to 2% in 2015. A 2.0% increase is also projected for 2016. The cumulative site productivity improvement is about 10% since 2010. Almost $800 million is available to firms through the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund. As of end 2016, about $450 million has been committed to over 9,000 firms in the built environment sector, and 90% of these companies are small and medium-sized firms.”
“When the Housing and Development Board (HDB) receives feedback on hoarding in HDB flats, HDB will carry out an inspection. If excessive hoarding is found, the residents will be advised to remove the unwanted items and reminded to keep their flat tidy. Most residents are generally cooperative. In hoarding cases where there may be regulatory breaches, HDB will work with the relevant agencies, such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force, for fire hazards, and the National Environment Agency, for vectors. In cases of compulsive hoarding, which could be an indication of an underlying behavioural issue and would require professional help, HDB also works with health and social work professionals to provide counselling and appropriate assistance to the hoarder. HDB also ropes in the grassroots leaders and the hoarder's family in an effort to reduce disamenities. As for feedback received on the keeping of cats, HDB will work with the flat owners and Animal Welfare Groups, such as the Cat Welfare Society, to rehome the cats. Recalcitrant owners, including owners who refuse to open up their premises for inspection by HDB officers, may be taken to Court where they can be fined up to $4,000 upon conviction. In cases where there is reasonable cause to believe that the welfare of the cats is compromised, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has powers to enter the premises to investigate. The owners, if convicted in Court for the offence of failure in duty of care, may be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.”