Lee Yi Shyan
Singapore
“When Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong opened the Heartbeat@Bedok on 4 February 2018, we unveiled a locally-installed art work named “Pulses”. Singapore is no Florence but we could still envision our version of renaissance. Given this context, would the Minister enlighten us how MCCY views arts and culture development in the community?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if the Government has a framework to review and reduce outdated and obsolete regulations on a regular basis to keep the regulatory burden light. Would the Ministry consider applying expiry dates or sunset clauses to newly introduced regulations?”
“How would the Ministry encourage Singapore entities to capture the intellectual property created, so that we can monetise them and invest in our future? Does MOT see the need to champion research and development (R&D) activities in intelligent transport technology?”
“How would a wide range of solutions be coordinated amongst different agencies responsible for service delivery? Mr Chairman, just as the Government rolls out the 23 Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) to transform our industries, is there a similar masterplan to transform our Public Service to be a smarter Government?”
“Now that the region has caught up, China has risen, we need to make continual and further adjustments to our strategy to sharpen our competitiveness. Being multilingual and deeply connected to the regional hinterlands must be our strategic priority. I support the Budget.”
“It is not just physical connectivity that we need to build, but the psychological bridge to understand the world, to reach out to complex issues and to deal with them tenaciously. There is no silver bullet but hard work aplenty. Mr Deputy Speaker, there is great urgency. I support the Budget.”
The complete record
Every one of 438 lines we hold for Lee Yi Shyan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 9.
“Madam, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. Some of the stalled or delayed projects have high visibility obviously because of publicity. But, on the whole, if you look at the Government projects that have been given out, the number of projects that became non-viable because of financial difficulties or other reasons remains quite low. For instance, LTA awarded in the last 10 years more than a thousand projects, but there were only three that stalled. In terms of productivity weightage, under PQM, it ranges from 80-20 to 60-40. So, in the straightforward projects where it is only construction, when the design is given, the weightage for quality and productivity is about 20%. In a design-and-build project, where there is a lot more complication, then the quality weightage is higher, at 40%. As to further incentives to help the industry to upgrade, this is the emphasis of our work in the Ministry. In fact, I lead a Committee that studies ways where we can further enhance the programmes that BCA already has in helping companies to invest in automation equipment, in upgrading their workforce and benchmarking themselves against the best practices in the industry, both domestically and internationally. Obviously, we are very interested in the subject and we want to achieve bigger improvements in the years to come.”
“Mdm Speaker, all Government projects which exceed the value of $10 million each are evaluated under the Price-Quality Method (PQM), where the productivity of building method would be taken into consideration for award. The Page: 23 Government awarded about $43.5 billion worth of construction projects between 2012 and 2014. About three-quarters of the 590 projects above $10 million during this period went to the lowest bidders.”
“The first thing that the train company SLM did was to send a rescue train to come in and bring the passengers away. Within the next hour, all passengers had moved on to the rescue train. But the second problem, which was not expected, happened. After they transferred all the passengers to the rescue train, because it was on a slope, the new train could not have power to decouple from the stuck train, to move on. A week later, there was a series of enactment and study, and they figured that if they had increased enough power, the train could have actually moved off. On the instruction manual, it was recommended for them to use P1 gear, instead of P2. So, with simulation and so on, they discovered that that could be done. What SLM, together with Hitachi, has done is to revise the manual and improved the design of the power line at both ends of the station, such that even if the power line gets weakened over time – because it is metal – there is some protection so that it will not be protruding externally to cause the damages. I think they have taken reasonable steps to prevent such incidents from happening. Monorails all over the world do not, like MRT, have a tunnel where you have evacuation Page: 19 route, railing or steps on the side. With its kind of design, passenger load and its slow speed, we are reasonably confident that such an incident will not happen in future. The four hours that the media referred to was by the time the last person was evacuated. Actually, the evacuation took place soon after. Because it was a one-by-one kind of operation, it took a while to get everybody – 61 people – out of the train.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Yes, it is true that the monorail system, Sentosa Express, follows the stringent requirements of the Japanese monorail system, which is not just used in Japan, but also in China and some Middle Eastern countries. With the OEM's recommended maintenance schedule and parts replacement, SLM working with SMRT carried out those inspections. Some of them are daily; some of them are weekly; others are at the longer intervals. SDC itself also commissions independent audits to make sure that operationally, it is safe and professionally managed. On certain aspects, for instance fire safety, they will have to comply with SCDF's requirements. Let me explain a little further about the 4 December incident. For the monorail to run, there is a swinging arm on the monorail and there is a power line that is semi-embedded along the track to supply the power. This arm will have to be in contact with the power line in order to tap on power for it to move. As soon as there is no contact, the train will stop. Unfortunately, in this case, at one end of the terminal, at the Beach Station, the power line has lost some tensile strength. Over a period or a long time of use, the power line can be slightly dislodged, and that was what happened. So, when the train moved off, it entangled the power line and started to cause damages on both sides. The first train suffered some damage; the subsequent train which was the one that carried the 61 passengers, got its arm dislocated and was stuck there. The passengers were safe; there was no fire. The train was made of non-combustible materials, both internally as well as the structure. A series of recovery actions started.”
“Mdm Speaker, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) is the statutory board that oversees the operations and safety of the Sentosa Express. The operations of the Sentosa Express are managed by Sentosa Leisure Management (SLM), which is fully owned by SDC. SLM outsources the maintenance of its trains and tracks to SMRT, which has a team of 16 professionals on site at the Sentosa Express Depot. The SMRT team undertakes routine preventive maintenance works, troubleshooting of minor issues as well as repairs of the trains and tracks. A technical team from SLM works closely with the SMRT team as well as the Sentosa Express' Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Hitachi Asia Limited, to undertake a range of regular inspections as well as procure and replace parts.”
“We cannot hope to create world class enterprises by confining our revenues to Singapore's market, or depending on archaic business model. This is why, under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2015 plan, the Government has helped SMEs access public research capabilities in A*STAR Research Institutes, Centres of Innovation (COIs) and Private-Sector Translators (PSTs). As a result, over the period of 2011 and 2012, average R&D spending by SMEs undertaking R&D grew 25% from $1.27 million to $1.58 million in 2012. Revenue from commercialisation of products and services by SMEs attributed to R&D in Singapore reached $763 million in 2012. Mr Chua has also raised a point about a dedicated agency to support development of SMEs. SPRING Singapore is, in fact, the de facto primary agency which looks after the SME sector, providing a broad range of programmes to support the capability development of SMEs. It works closely with other agencies to ensure alignment of programmes and strategies for the SME sector. A multi-agency approach with each agency looking at specific focus ensures that willing and able SMEs receive the level and type of support they need to thrive. Mr Deputy Speaker, in conclusion, I have outlined how the Government has established a comprehensive eco-system to nurture and support the growth of SMEs in Singapore. I would like to assure Mr Chua that Government will do everything in its means to create a competitive and vibrant economy made up of many world class enterprises. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)] Adjourned accordingly at 7.15 pm. Page: 125”
“It took into consideration close to 1,900 responses from individuals and organisations, to seek a balance between the needs of businesses and individuals. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, in English. Mr Chua has spoken much about world class enterprises. In my view, a world class enterprise has two important attributes. First, it has a competent leader backed by talented people. As such, SPRING and IE Singapore work closely to help our enterprises develop systems that will attract and groom talents. Through SPRING's SME Talent Programme, some 400 enterprises have come on-board with 820 students for talent development. In addition, IE Singapore's Young Talent Programme (YTP) has supported over 800 undergraduates through overseas exchanges, study trips and internships since 2013. The second attribute of a world class enterprise is that its business model must stand out from competition, and sometimes with very few competitors. Consider the example of WhatsApp. When it was acquired by Facebook last year it had only 55 employees but worth US$21 billion. We all know that an SME with 55 employees is a small company, even in Singapore, but its business model sets it apart. The question is whether we can produce our Page: 124 own WhatsApp and Facebook – small but with world class capabilities. Our tech start-up scene has grown and become vibrant. A study shows that in the past three years, at least 27 Singapore-based start-ups were bought out for more than US$0.5 billion. Each of them was worth US$18.5 million on average. Through Minister of State Teo Ser Luck's leadership at ACE and JTC's LaunchPad, the Government hopes to further enhance Singapore's environment for innovative start-ups.”
“One such collaboration in the F&B sector between the Government, the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association (SFMA) and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) has benefited 50 restaurants thus far. We hope that more trade associations and bigger companies can tap on initiatives such as the Cluster Initiative Programme (CIP) and the Call-For-Collaboration (CFC) programme, to come together as a whole to help SMEs develop and innovate. Page: 123 In addition, the Government is also working with individual companies to support business growth and internationalisation plans. For example, under its Capability Development Grant (CDG), SPRING provides funding to SME to support areas such as raising service standards, technology innovation, leadership development and growing a global brand. Through the Global Company Partnership (GCP), IE Singapore provides tailored assistance through assessing the business model and needs of each enterprise, and developing a support package for companies to go overseas in key business areas such as branding, IP management and supply chain management. IE Singapore also helps companies understand the opportunities in targeted market, links them up with in-market intermediaries and business opportunities and recommends the best market-entry models. Collectively, more than 2,000 companies have been assisted by SPRING and IE Singapore in 2013. To ensure that our policies continue to meet the needs of our businesses, we have always been keeping close communication with industries and seeking feedback from them and the public. As an example, consultations for the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) were extensively carried out over three rounds over the course of one year.”
“I agree with Mr Chua and the Government does indeed take a differentiated approach when formulating policies relating to SMEs. As mentioned in my English response earlier on, many SMEs have benefited from schemes such as the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) and the Innovation and Capability Voucher (ICV). These schemes provide SMEs with funding and professional advice, and support SMEs in stepping up productivity in areas such as automation, IT solutions, financial and HR management, and innovation. Since the start of the productivity drive in 2010, we have invested more than $2 billion through the various schemes and helped more than 70,000 SMEs in raising their productivity. To help more SMEs and micro-enterprises have better and faster access to such productivity schemes and its benefits, we have therefore expanded the SME Centres into one-stop Centres, doubling such Centres from five to 12. Seven of these Centres are located at CDCs or CCs, to make it convenient for SMEs to seek help. The Government has also set up the SME Workgroup led by Minister of State Teo Ser Luck, bringing together grassroots advisors, Government agencies and businesses on a single platform, to improve outreach to SMEs. Last year, our collective efforts through SPRING, the SME Centres and the SME Workgroup reached out to some 100,000 SMEs. Although economic restructuring may be difficult, we have confidence in achieving our targets and we have to attain these targets. Currently, the Government is working with trade associations to develop industry-specific productivity solutions.”
“More than half of the SMEs surveyed are rethinking their business model. As Mr Chua pointed out, many SMEs understand the need to moderate labour supply at the national level. The truth is that we still are adding workforce, new workers into our labour pool. In the first half of this year, we added another 11,200 foreign workers and 41,000 local workers into the workforce. And as the Prime Minister has highlighted at the opening of the National Productivity Month, we do not expect any further major measures to tighten the foreign manpower numbers. Mr Chua has also made several points about employing older workers. We acknowledge that higher costs of medical and insurance premiums for older workers are characteristics of their employment. Therefore, a Special Employment Credit can help mitigate costs in this regard. The current tight labour market has caused many SMEs to re-think their business model, which is essential to economy-wide restructuring. In addition, at the national level, we Page: 122 continue to see robust growth in net business formation. In the first half of this year, net business formation was 14,800 companies, compared to 20,000 in the whole of last year, 15,900 in 2012 and 13,800 in 2011. These new entries into the economy would add to the competition for workers in the labour market. This is another reason why existing firms need to raise productivity quickly. Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech on Pg xxxx.] Mr Chua has highlighted that enterprises differ by size and scale, and suggested that policies be calibrated according to the needs of our enterprises.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, first, let me thank Mr Thomas Chua for introducing this Motion, for very passionately reflecting SMEs' sentiment and for his four special requests. Page: 121 For Singaporeans to enjoy higher standard of living, we need to create good jobs and good jobs come from a vibrant, diversified and globally competitive economy. We can only be globally competitive if our companies are constantly innovating, transforming and creating products and services of higher value. Given that we have about 180,000 businesses in our economy and the fact that 99% of them are SMEs which contribute 50% of our GDP with 70% of employment, we need a customised approach, as Mr Chua has suggested, to help our companies of different sizes in different industries to improve their productivity. Let me elaborate. For the purpose of this discussion, let me focus my discussion on SMEs. For this very large group of enterprises, the Government introduced the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) in Budget 2010. In the following three years, we have seen rising utilisation of PIC amongst active companies: it was 33% in 2011, 37% in 2012 and 40% in 2013. In all, companies have enjoyed $1.5 billion in PIC benefits, with SMEs making up around 95% of the beneficiaries. Another popular programme SMEs have benefited from is the Innovation and Capability Voucher (ICV) administered by SPRING. Since 2013, SPRING has awarded 8,500 vouchers amounting to $42.5 million to SMEs for consultancy and capability building. We monitor SMEs' receptiveness to the need for change and productivity upgrading on a regular basis. A recent DP Info survey shows that the proportion of SMEs seeking to improve productivity has continued to rise steadily, from 58% in 2013 to 87% last year.”
“Madam, I thank the Member for his question. Well, let me also say that I am going to give a fuller reply on productivity measures on Parliamentary Question No 29, so it is either sometime later or tomorrow that I will address that issue. In terms of productivity gain, I do not think we can have a model where we have an unrestrained number of and injection of workers into the pool to realise our growth. I do not think that will help us achieve qualitative growth – in other words, good quality growth. What we are trying to focus on now is, given that manpower constraint is a fact and given this constraint, the question is how do we grow out of the current level of GDP? If we benchmark our industries against other best practices in other advanced economies, we know there is still room for growth: maybe it has to do with the way we embrace technology; maybe it has to do with the skill level of our workers. And also, sometimes, it is the way we structure our industry: maybe certain components are lacking, certain supply chains are missing. Therefore, when we benchmark our industries with the rest, we find lessons to be drawn in how we can improve our industries' structure and competitiveness. We want to see the wages of our workers go up because this is good for them. But we also want to maintain or improve our competitiveness of that particular industry. The link between these two is actually innovation and productivity. There are companies that can do it and we want to encourage many more of our companies to be able to do so. Page: 33”
“For the retail sector, for instance, there is "sales per square foot of retail space". There is also turnover of inventory and so on. I would like to assure the Member that there is a whole series of measures to help us finetune the sectorial productivity plan. Our long-term target for GDP growth is between 2% and 5%, but this is on the optimistic assumption that the external environment is favourable. It will be all right as long as we are able to achieve productivity growth between 1% and 3%. And as we all know, achieving productivity growth of 3% is a very challenging target. So, most likely, our growth target for Page: 32 this decade will be between 2% and 4%.”
“Madam, I thank Ms Foo for her supplementary questions. Indeed, it is true that the macroeconomic conditions that we are facing now provide us with some headwinds and also some crosswinds. And depending on the sector that we are in, some of the sectors which are dependent on the US market, for example, are doing fairly well. But those that are more closely related to China and the Euro zone will find the demand lacking and, therefore, their export business may be affected. On the domestic front, many in the services sector will continue to be faced with cost pressure, especially on manpower cost. If they are in sectors that are very competitive, for example, in the F&B and retail business, they may be faced with the challenge of not being able to pass on the cost to the consumers. Therefore, without being able to do so, they will feel their profit margins being squeezed. Nevertheless, the Government is working with the various trade associations and industry bodies to roll out productivity improvement plans that are very customised and tailored to the needs of the sector. For instance, the construction sector is known to suffer from slow productivity growth. This is measured in terms of value-add per worker. But if you monitor the square metre constructed per man-day, they are actually making progress over the last three years. In other words, for every man-day, they are constructing more square-metre space year-on-year. However, if this increase is not reflected in the prices of their contracts, then the net effect may be a reduction in productivity. What we are doing with the various sectors is to make sure that there are more indicators that just value-add per worker as a measure. There is a whole set of finer measures that are peculiar to the industries.”
“There are several terms used to describe the severity of the condition. One is "corrosion"; second is "rusting"; and the other one is "staining". If we are able to clean the lift frames, as they should be, let us say on a weekly or monthly basis, the staining can be removed quite easily without having it develop into rusting or corrosion of the steel. The maintenance regime can be incorporated into the regular cleaning schedule of Town Councils, and, as I said, HDB will be happy to work with the respective Town Councils with Page: 15 such problems on finding ways to minimise the cleaning frequency.”
“Well, I thank the Member for her input. Based on what I understand, stainless steel, again, requires maintenance. It is not totally maintenance-free. If you go to very high grades of stainless steel, the maintenance is less frequent. Given that LUP is an islandwide programme, we are working with a certain budget in mind. We should also be mindful of the fact that we should not over-engineer the specifications such that the cost will go up and we cannot extend the coverage of LUP as wide as possible. HDB has, in that instance, decided on stainless steel grade 430. It is still, nonetheless, stainless steel, but the grade is 430. But subsequently, it has reverted to grade 304 which, so far, I think, has proven to be of a higher quality.”
“Madam, let me thank the Member for her questions. There are many grades of stainless steel. They are used in different environments. Among different grades, stainless steel has a common characteristic – they are corrosion-resistant, but not corrosion-proof. Depending on the grade used, they all need to be maintained. Maintenance, in this case for the lift frames, would mean using washing detergent, and sometimes, certain chemicals, to wipe the frames. The frequency required would be about once a month. In the high usage areas where the lift frames are likely to come into contact with chloride ions, meaning salt or sweat, then, those parts would need to be maintained more often. Since 2005, HDB has specified the stainless steel grade 430 to be used. This is applied in all the LUP projects plus new lift installations islandwide for the next seven years or so. It is not just specific in MacPherson area. Over the island, there are 8,000 such lifts and their frames being installed. Having learnt from the feedback from the various Town Councils, HDB has since 2012, switched to a higher grade of stainless steel, that is stainless steel grade 304. That has reduced the frequency for maintenance but it does not eliminate maintenance altogether. It still requires maintenance that will remove what would look like coffee stains on the lift frames. I thank the Member for her patience and her Town Council's patience, for working with HDB. They are, together, looking for other ways, for example, applying certain coatings that may reduce the maintenance frequency and extend the life and appearance of the lift frames.”
“This makes us very comparable to Hong Kong, and well ahead of other cities like New York, Melbourne and London.”
“Madam, in the Taiwanese case, the recent explosion is due to a pipeline supplying petrochemicals to a chemical plant. The gas carried there is propene (C3H6), which is different from the natural gas that our SPPG is distributing. Propene is a heavier gas than air. So, when it leaks, it tends to stay underground until it gathers a bigger mass, which makes it more dangerous. Whereas natural gas, in our case, is lighter. So, if it leaks, it tends to dissipate into the air quickly, therefore, reducing a volume build-up and explosion. Having said that, they are all inflammable. The results of the investigation in Taiwan have not been released, so, we probably can take some lessons from that incident at a later stage. In the case of Singapore, I mentioned SPPG being the one that manages our natural gas distribution pipelines on the mainland mostly, whereas our petrochemical pipelines are mostly concentrated on Jurong Island. And therefore, they are supervised by SCDF which imposes in them another and more stringent set of construction, operation and maintenance regime. We have confidence that the two sets of pipelines are separately managed, and there is sufficient rigour and robustness in the way that they are maintained and operated. The Member also asked about the frequency of leaks. For high-pressure gas pipelines, there was one case that took place in 2012 on Jurong Island. The leak was detected early, so there was no casualty or fatality. It was rectified in a relatively short time, as the gas supply was resumed after a short while. Over the last five years, there were 500 minor gas leaks – 300 were detected by SPPG and 200 were reported. These represent a frequency of 0.1 incident per 1 km of pipeline.”
“EMA conducts annual audits and enforcement checks to ensure that SPPG carries out the pipeline surveillance and maintenance processes as scheduled. The service life of gas pipelines is about 50 years. SPPG systematically replaces pipelines before the end of their service lives, or earlier if the condition of these pipelines is found to have deteriorated. Our high-pressure pipelines are less than 20 years old, so they are well within the estimated service lifespan. As for water pipes, PUB's water mains are relatively new, with an average age of 24 years. Since the 1980s, older pipes have been systematically replaced with cement-lined ductile iron and steel mains, which are more durable and have an expected lifespan of 70 years. A strict maintenance regime is in place to ensure that our water pipes remain in good working condition. There is a dynamic leak detection programme in which all water pipes are checked for leaks at least once a year. Our leak rate is six leaks per 100 km of pipes each year, which is among the lowest in the world.”
“Ensuring the safety of our utilities infrastructure is a key priority. EMA has put in place robust regulatory requirements and conducts regular inspections to ensure the reliability and safety of Singapore's gas pipelines. Careful attention is paid to the planning and design of our gas network. SP Power Grid (SPPG), which manages Singapore's gas network, must conduct a risk assessment exercise and meet the requirements set by SCDF and other authorities, before constructing a pipeline. All high-pressure gas pipelines are constructed using high-strength steel with anti-corrosion coating. Pipelines on the mainland are buried at a depth of 1.5 metres on average Page: 29 and further protected by concrete slabs to ensure pipeline integrity. Gas that is distributed to consumers is also odorised to facilitate detection in the event of any leak. To ensure that the pipeline network remains in good working condition, SPPG carries out various surveillance and maintenance measures, as required by the Gas Transporter Licence and relevant codes of practice such as the Gas Safety Code and Gas Supply Code. SPPG continuously monitors pipeline pressure and flow for any anomalies. It also surveys the pipeline network regularly for leaks using gas detectors. Such surveys are conducted more frequently in crowded and residential areas. For example, SPPG inspects the pipelines in the vicinity of MRT stations on a monthly basis, while non-residential areas are surveyed on an annual basis. In addition, SPPG conducts annual mechanical inspections of critical pipeline components and inspects high-pressure pipelines using pipeline inspection gauges every five years to ensure that the pipelines remain in good working conditions.”
“Portals like Airbnb and many others promoting sharing of resources in an open economy is an emerging trend, and many of these websites or portals do have disclaimers which state that for people who are either offering their services or booking their services, they have to comply with the local laws and regulations. I think in this context of renting out properties for less than six months, clearly they are in infringement of our Planning Act. So, the necessary action will be taken. But going further in the long term, we have to study the implications of promoting or sharing of such resources in an economy, which, in itself, is positive, but then again, it is at the expense of existing regulations that tend to protect both consumers and service providers. Because we also do not want to see a situation where people sign up and are promised certain services or products, but, in the end, services are not delivered to them. So, I think we have to look at both the interest of the larger public, as well as the appeal or attraction of such form of resource sharing.”
“Well, that is why the post-AEC 2015 agenda is important. I think the ASEAN member states and the officials are working hard to try to define the next steps, and some of the deliverables that we can achieve in the next two to three years. ASEAN being a consensus-building body and also recognising that there are different developmental stages among the 10 member countries, it takes time to come to consensus and agreement that can be accepted by member countries. So, on the whole, while ASEAN AEC blueprint is not perfect, I think we are headed in the right direction.”
“With that, I support the Motion. Page: 104”
“We encourage businesses and the people sector to work with the Government so that we can serve the people in innovative ways. Generally speaking, whether or not a city can become a Smart City depends on its people's participation. Technology is merely a tool; people are the real driving force behind all the imagination and wisdom. Let us build a people-oriented Smart Nation together! (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, the information revolution and Big Data have the potential to transform the way we work, live, play, transact and organise. We, as citizens, will enjoy a better quality of life as customised solutions to problems will help us achieve more work-life balance. For example, the elderly living amongst us can be supported with better telemedicine and social worker surveillance; we can work two days a week at home because "face-time" at work today can be enhanced with technology. We can all be trained for higher productivity and better paying jobs with the help of technical aids at work. Over time, as we grow into a smarter nation, an overview of all the ground feedback and suggestions received through apps will help our Government agencies to develop a holistic view. As we work together, we can bring about better outcomes for all – greater convenience in our day-to-day living, better and greener living environments. To achieve this, citizens must be empowered and have access to information. The Government will need to create the environment for this to take place. A city is a Smart City if its people make it smart. Technology is an enabler, but it is the people that can make things happen. The application of Big Data can help us build a Smarter Nation and Society. I call on all Singaporeans to work with us to create our common Smart future.”
“When we use our phones, our devices will send out information regarding our location and travelling speed. These information, after central processing, are relayed back to our phones. This is a typical example of how Big Data has changed our way of life. Many cities have applied Big Data in many areas, such as education, healthcare and R&D. In commerce, Big Data has been used to predict customers' needs. The best examples are online shopping giants, such as Amazon, eBay and Taobao. Take Taobao, for example. Over the weekend of the "Singles' Day" last year, they managed to achieve online sales of 35 billion yuan! Compared to the traditional retailers, the online shopping websites and the telecommunication companies that support them have a better understanding of their customers' needs. Our retailers and related industries should rethink about their future development strategies. Some analysts forecast that Big Data will bring about a major revolution which will threaten the survival of many traditional trades. But I believe it will also bring along new opportunities and create new job opportunities. Whether we can benefit from it depends on whether we are aware of the arrival of the Big Data era and are prepared for it and whether we can change our way of doing things, improve the capability of our workers and fully embrace the arrival of the Big Data era. Page: 103 MND and its Statutory Boards will step up their efforts in R&D and innovation to use Big Data more effectively in urban planning, land use, township building, landscape design and even in people's day-to-day lives, so as to provide more and better people-oriented services. In this process, we will share appropriate data and information with the public so that we can build a good living environment.”
“They can track how long a person stays in a mall, which floors and, perhaps, which corner of the floors. They can advise mall operators, for instance, which area has the highest traffic and the duration of the customer's stay or contact time. Perhaps, they know more accurately of customer traffic than the mall operators themselves. The possibilities are endless. Big Data will be useful for many other industries like transport, healthcare, education, hospitality and so on. Already, Singapore is home to many thriving industry clusters involved in urban solutions. We are already training 2,500 data Page: 102 analytics professionals over the next few years that will create skilled jobs in consulting, IT, engineering, research and business incubation. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] There is a popular joke these days that the largest tribe on earth is the "nodding tribe". Every person sitting at the bus stop or on the MRT, or even crossing the road, has his head lowered and eyes glued to the smart phone. According to statistics, Singapore has a population of 5.4 million, but there are seven million smart phones among us. In fact, Singapore is often ranked as one of the most connected nations in the world. The availability of smart phones means that there is considerable sensor and processing power in the hands of Singaporeans. The use of Big Data has been spreading without even being much noticed. For example, when we activate Google Map, besides seeing the possible routes, we will also see green, red and yellow segments on these routes, indicating different traffic conditions. How does Google know which road is congested? Actually, it relies on each of us.”
“Besides solving urban development challenges, the information revolution and Big Data have a role to play in creating new industries and jobs for Singaporeans and in changing the way we do business. On the so-called "Singles' Day" last year, the Chinese version of Valentine's Day, Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd captured online sales of 35 billion yuan. This was just over a 24-hour period! Alibaba, which has just launched its IPO in the US earlier this month, could be valued up to US$250 billion and oversaw US$248 billion worth of transactions last year. Alibaba is an example of the pervasiveness of online retailing. There are many others like eBay and Amazon.com. So, what does that mean for the traditional brick-and-mortar retailers in Singapore? Consider that the retail sales for Singapore last year was just $40 billion, just about four times what Alibaba achieved in just one weekend. It certainly means that we have to up our game. Our retailers can no longer just rely on traditional marketing strategies; those without a valid web- and mobile-commerce strategy will face a very imminent and severe challenge. A friend owning a retail chain told me jokingly that he would start a logistics company soon and he will cross-train his sales staff to become logisticians. Why? Because the information revolution will disintermediate many middlemen. But, on the other hand, e-commerce and mobile commerce will also create a huge demand for logistics companies, IT analysts and warehousing and delivery workers. We will need to prepare our workers and PMETs with the right skillsets as Big Data descends upon us. Telecommunication companies with mobile and data networks are sitting on information goldmines.”
“Some of these ground-up innovations, as one may say, may not follow exactly or conform to existing organisational boundaries or the incumbent's interests. But they make us challenge existing norms and consider service gaps that were not apparent before. As we embrace diversity and ground-up innovations, we have to expect some unconventional ideas that, nevertheless, serve the interests of the larger society. These examples are a few of the many that showcase the role of an active citizenry in formulating innovations in Singapore. However, an active citizenry needs to be supported with Open Data. By adopting a more open approach to the data possessed by the Government, citizens and businesses will be better placed to develop innovative solutions to improve the experience of city living. In Singapore, I am pleased to learn that our Open Data initiative has been helping to lay the groundwork for an active citizenry. Launched in 2011, the Data.gov.sg website brings together over 8,000 datasets from more than 60 Government agencies and provides useful resources for app developers. To date, more than 130 Apps were created using Open Data. This is an excellent start. Page: 101 To support Open Data, the Government is putting in place the relevant processes and infrastructure. I am happy to note that, this morning, IDA announced its S$1.2 billion plan to establish a new infrastructure for cyber security and data analytics. The new tenders will adopt a co-sharing, co-sourcing model in partnership with industry players, which will help the Government develop capabilities and co-create solutions, thereby facilitating more active Government-citizen engagement and, more importantly, a more nimble response.”
“Singaporeans are now so reliant on mobile communication and the Internet that they become uncomfortable without it. Of course, this is not unique to Singapore. There is a saying on the Internet now that the largest tribe on earth belongs to the "nodding" tribe. This "nodding" tribe refers to people who, while sitting at the bus stop or Page: 100 on the MRT, or even crossing the road, have their heads lowered and eyes glued to the smart phones. In Singapore, our IT MasterPlans have produced one of the most connected cities in the world. In fact, Singapore is often ranked as one of the most connected nations in the world. The availability of smart phone technology means that there is considerable sensor and processing power in the hands of Singaporeans. The innovative use of Government data to create apps to enhance the way we live, work and play is evident in IDA's Apps4SG competition. One of the top three finalists, "Route My Day" is an app which plans daily activities or weekend errands by proposing a variety of routes as well as the most efficient one with the least number of stops so that one can finish up running errands in the least time. Our community is capable of creating solutions that make life better with innovation. The GrabTaxi app matches demand and supply for taxis fast over the 3G network. Through it, commuters can benefit as they are able to book taxis from not just one but all companies and enjoy a high probability of booking. Another good example is the MyBusMate app, which tracks the movement of school children on their buses in real time. This gives parents peace of mind when they know that their children have arrived safely in school. Schools and bus companies can use this information to more effectively plan school excursions or bus routes.”
“Someone in that group would take a picture of an item in need of repair, briefly describe it or share its location, and then the maintenance staff in the group will promptly follow up and later on showing another picture of the repair work done. All these "closing of loops", so to speak, took place in hours instead of days. This informal chat group, in effect, has replaced the archaic paper-based work order system that we grew up with not so long ago. It is arguably even more convenient and efficient than the EMSU (Essential Maintenance Service Unit) system because one could attach pictures and specify its geo-location. This is an example of what an IT-empowered user group could accomplish using merely ordinary tools in their hands. In MND, amongst our agencies, such as HDB, URA, BCA, AVA and so on, we have long established e-Government services. These e-services are constantly updated to meet the changing user needs and circumstances. Whether it is HDB's Infomap app or URAMaps App, there is ample room for continual improvement. In fact, our agencies are working on the next generation of architecture for Big Data applications. But other than Government systems, an active citizenry and business community are integral contributors to a Smart Nation. I believe the old top-down way of organising our information-gathering and decision-making will have to evolve towards a flatter architecture of decision-making. In this way, we can better accommodate the input of people and businesses in tandem with the infomatised world that we live in. In Singapore today, there are eight million mobile phones out of our 5.4 million population. And out of the eight million phones, seven million are smart phones.”
“If Google were to translate this data into text, it would produce enough material to fill about seven billion novels, all in one day. If we look at Facebook, its users upload almost five billion content items and click 4.5 billion "likes" a day. One estimate says that in 2012, a total of 2,900 exabytes – and one exabyte is equivalent to one billion gigabytes – was stored in the world. Academics have estimated that the world's information storage capacity is growing about four times faster than the world's GDP and its computational power about nine times. This proliferation of data is already being used to improve the lives of people around the world. Facebook users are known to raise funds for charity. Others raise funds for their start-ups and yet others start their first e-store on Facebook. Big Data is poised to shake everything up, from businesses to science, education, healthcare, economy and the Government. We are just at the tip of the iceberg and we will have to be fully cognisant of the impact of Big Data on our society and the way we organise Page: 99 ourselves. Community-driven information gathering and decision-making frameworks promote active citizenry. It is spreading fast around the world. In New Haven, Connecticut, a person called Ben Berkowitz created SeeClickFix in September 2009. This was sometime back. SeeClickFix is a web tool and, of course, later became a mobile app that allows citizens to report non-emergency neighbourhood issues, which are communicated to the local government, as a form of community activism. It now covers 25,000 towns and 8,000 neighbourhoods, both in the US and abroad. Fast forward to 2014, in my own constituency, we have a WhatsApp chat group reporting on maintenance issues on the ground.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to support the Motion of thanks to the President. Page: 98 More than half the world's seven billion people live in cities. This proportion will increase to about three-quarters by 2050 even as the world's population grows from seven billion to nine billion. The lure of cities comes from the promise of better lives and, indeed, urbanisation brings undeniable benefits. The compactness of city living allows the greatest and most efficient utilisation of infrastructure and resources. Aggregating masses of diverse people and cultures accelerates the innovation of ideas. But good cities are the exception and not the norm. Not all cities thrive. Some decline, while others stagnate. Poor urban planning, development and management are oftentimes the downfall of cities. Proliferation of crime, degradation of the environment and formation of slums are common sights. Singapore has been fortunate to stay on the path of sustainable growth and development but we will need to explore new ways to avoid the pitfalls and challenges of urban living. There is a certain urgency to do so as the urban development challenges faced by developed cities like Singapore are becoming increasingly complex and global. The complexity of our urban development challenges stems from the differing and sometimes conflicting needs and interests of our citizens. This complexity is often accentuated by the growing interconnectedness of Singapore and the rest of the world. While an instant information world exacerbates our problems, the same information revolution also provides us with solutions to the complex problems we face in urban development. Consider, for instance, Google processes over 20 petabytes of data every day.”
“Mdm Speaker, the Member is correct. In our non-eligible units, there are some that are high-rise but many of them are low-rise. Low-rise flats are usually fourth floor so there are very few benefiting units and some of them are segmented. We will find solutions that will suit low-rise and high-rise flats. We will continue to look for solutions, whether it is from the professional circle or from residents themselves.”
“Yes, Mdm Speaker, we are open to look at solutions beyond this timeline. This timeline is to end this year but if we continue to find solutions that make sense we will definitely consider them.”
“Well, we look at every case on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes, it is not the financials that they need. Sometimes, it is really the other form of assistance, maybe HDB loan and so on. Let us look at the specific case and see who else requires such assistance. Like the Member Ms Denise Phua said earlier, some people prefer to stay in the same place rather than moving away. There is a trade-off between going to a new place with lift access and staying at the same old place.”
“Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State for the remaining 200 units, for those who really need the lift, the Ministry is willing to help them to relocate, am I right? Okay. Currently, the cap, the construction cost is $30,000. Will the Ministry consider giving them the $30,000 for them to relocate?”
“Madam, I thank the Member Denise Phua for her very good suggestions. I can understand the needs out there. In short, yes, we Page: 60 welcome these suggestions. We have a particular exercise running for two years now called "Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living". We have asked HDB residents and some of the University and Polytechnic students to come forward with ideas that can help improve HDB living. And in this particular case, certainly we can look into asking them for ideas that can help immobile or physically challenged residents without lift access to see how they can access the lifts better. On the cost cap, I think we should also realise that it is not just adjusting the cost caps incrementally. Some of these costs are two to three times the cost caps. So, it is a huge cost. It is not something that within reason we can easily say, "Let's do it". Also, it is not so much design. We cannot blame it totally on design. I remember distinctly when I was growing up and living in HDB flats for 20 years, there was a period of time people generally disliked choosing units next to the lifts because they value privacy more than anything else so they would choose units that were further away. So, the needs and lifestyles have changed. We have come to such a point that lift access becomes of great importance and becomes appreciated. We have to continue to adjust and see how our flat configurations can suit the new needs. In this case, it is retrofitting. I am sure our new flat design has all taken into consideration accessibility and universal design to aid mobility. So, in short, yes, we will consider all these suggestions.”
“Well, Madam, 200 blocks still is a sizeable number as far as realising the economies of scale is concerned. But I think the issue is not really economies of scale. The issue is out of this very difficult configuration and sometimes the benefiting units are in between units that have lift access, Page: 59 how do you demolish existing balconies and punch through lift access shafts and so on? So, these are the kinds of challenges. The cost is not just marginal. Some of the costs are as good as building new flats itself. It is a very difficult cost-benefit situation. Based on some of the solutions that we are experimenting with, such as what we call the pneumatic vacuum elevator and the vertical platform lifts, some of these are being tried out. They still have not been installed but we will install them. Some of these really require user feedback to see how robust they are in serving traffic when it is installed in HDB flats rather than in special venues. The overall approach we take is one that, within our means, we will adopt innovative solutions that can mitigate or help solve some of these problems. In fact, some of them will not turn out very ideal because the blocks per se, if you build certain lift shafts, it becomes very convenient for residents at large but it may affect certain units facing the lift shafts in particular. So, there is no perfect solution. But the short answer is we will continue to try.”
“I thank the Member for her suggestion. In the EASE programme, we are indeed reviewing the criteria for qualifying households. Lowering the age to benefit more seniors is definitely a possibility. On the replacement of the clothes drying rack, I think besides HIP, we can have a look at some of cyclical maintenance programmes that particular estate is carrying out. If the Member has special needs for her constituency, we welcome her suggestions and we can take these offline. Page: 52”
“Madam, the past five decades of building HDB estates have given us invaluable experiences in creating homes to accommodate Singaporeans' aspirations. For most of us, HDB living is very much part of our growing up. It is part of our childhood, as well as intergenerational memories upon which Singapore's identity is built. The design of our new towns will surely be greener, Page: 128 user-friendlier and prettier. Let us hope that the "kampong spirit" of our society, characterised by generosity and mutual care would prosper, just as the city state flourishes into a large garden city.”
“To break our inertia and adopt unfamiliar but productive construction methods proven elsewhere, I am pleased to announce that the Government will require selected Government Land Sale (GLS) sites to adopt new productive technologies, such as Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). Since not many Members are familiar with the two methods, let me spend a little bit of time to explain what they are. First, PPVC is a construction method where the prefabricated and prefinished units are manufactured in the factory, before being transported and installed onsite, just like Lego blocks. In this Australian apartment block example, the installation only took nine days. This is how the completed building looks like. Second, in the CLT method, cross-laminated timber is used for structural and wall components to replace concrete and steel bars and brick walls. Besides residential and hotel projects, CLT has also been used in healthcare, sports halls and institutional projects. To pioneer the adoption of these methods, NTU will be the first local developer to adopt the PPVC system for its high-rise hostel project and the CLT for its upcoming Sports Hall. MOH will also pilot the PPVC system in a nursing home project. To build a productive construction workforce, we need to attract enough locals to take up various skilled jobs in the industry, as Ms Foo Mee Har has suggested. We are currently working with the industry stakeholders and the Institutes of Higher Learning to offer scholarships and sponsorships to attract students to study the relevant fields. We are also working to professionalise the industry's HR practices so that they could offer well-paying jobs and career development.”
“While the adoption of precast and prefabricated components in HDB projects is high, the same cannot be said of projects in the private residential sector. To catalyse the transition and accelerate the adoption of prefabrication, we will introduce the following measures: (a) mandating the use of Pre-fabricated Bathroom Units (PBUs) for all residential Government Land Sale sites in the second half of 2014; and (b) setting a minimum percentage of prefabrication level for Industrial Government Land Sale projects in the second half of the year. In anticipation of higher demand for precast and prefabricated components, BCA will roll out more land tenders to have about 10 integrated construction and precast hubs by 2020. Together with our firms' precast yards in Malaysia, they can meet the rising demand of precast components of the industry in the years ahead. As public sector projects are expected to account for about half of the total projected construction demand in the coming years, our public agencies are well positioned to take the lead in adopting productive technologies. Going forward, the public sector would not be just interested in the final outcome of the projects, but also give fair considerations to how productive the projects are being carried out. To this end, we will review our tender evaluation framework for public sector projects, to recognise the more productive methods of construction. We Page: 127 will progressively increase the weightage for the productivity component in the Price-Quality Method (PQM) to favour productive construction designs and methods. For the Quality Fee Method (QFM), consultants who adopt more buildable design will similarly be recognised with higher productivity scores.”
“We also need to develop new capacities in design, construction methods, in particular, in precast and prefabrication capacity. Finally, our public agencies will take the lead in adopting productive construction methods and best practices. There are many pieces in this jigsaw. But we are confident that, over time, we will put them together in partnership with our industry stakeholders. Ms Foo Mee Har suggested that we should help smaller firms invest in machinery and incentivise firms to adopt productive technologies. Indeed, we have done so. Since the launch of the $250 million Construction Productivity and Capability Fund in 2010, over 4,000 firms have benefited from the Fund and embarked on their productivity journeys. More than 80% of them are small companies. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked for an increase in the Fund. I am pleased to inform Members that we will top up the five-year Fund with another $30 million to benefit more companies before it ends in 2015. We will explore a second five-year tranche of funding to continue our support to the firms later on when the first tranche ends. Page: 126 To accelerate the use of precast and standardised components, as suggested by Dr Teo Ho Pin, BCA will, under its buildability legislative framework, require with effect from September 2014, the following: (a) the adoption of standardised floor heights and building component,s such as precast staircases, precast refuse chutes and doors, in new projects; and (b) the use of drywall as internal partitions for dry areas in all residential and non-landed developments. This would help downstream construction achieve better site productivity and quality standards.”
“I invite all Members and their residents to participate. To encourage ground-up proposals for precinct improvements, CIPC was conceived to co-fund grassroots organisations to carry out their community improvement projects. Mr Pritam Singh asked if there can be a better way to nominate CIPC projects with the CCCs. I believe all CCCs consult widely to derive CIPC project proposals and they would be happy to take in Mr Pritam Singh's suggestions. For most people, home purchase is probably the single largest financial investment one would make in his lifetime. Financial planning and adequate Page: 125 financial protection are, therefore, essential. Currently, at least 76% of HDB owners with outstanding loans are safeguarded by the HPS or an equivalent mortgage-reducing insurance. At the point of purchase, whether it is a new BTO flat or a resale flat, HDB will encourage all home buyers who take an HDB loan to take up HPS, and will explain to the buyer HPS' benefits and coverage. Regardless of whether the buyers plan to pay their mortgage instalments by cash or CPF monies, HPS will work the same way, giving financial protection to the flat owners and their dependents. Mr Pritam Singh may be pleased to learn that, in fact, HDB provides buyers with a guide book on the HPS to help home buyers understand the benefits of the scheme. Mdm Chair, let me now touch on the topic of construction productivity which several Members have spoken about. Raising construction productivity remains one of the key priorities of MND. We need to build a skilled workforce with sufficient local manpower participation. Our developers, architects, engineers and builders need to learn to work closely together through technologies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) platform.”
“Meanwhile, residents who require direct lift access due to medical conditions can approach HDB for special assistance. Page: 124 Beyond LUP, we are now installing lifts in Multi-Storey Car Parks (MSCPs). Mr Yeo will be pleased to learn that by the end of this year, HDB will complete the lift installation for 73 MSCPs. HDB will start work on 200 more this year, and another 200 from 2015. We will complete installing all these lifts of MSCPs by 2017. Fifth, in addition to the LUP and MSCP Lift Installation Programme, we are making individual HDB flats more elderly-friendly. HDB is providing elderly-friendly fittings, such as grab bars, slip-resistant treatment to bathrooms and ramps, under the Enhancements for Active Seniors (EASE) scheme. The retrofitting for each flat costs $2,000 if the household opts for all the items offered; but the elderly of Singaporean households pay $100 to $250 only, depending on the flat type. Response to EASE has been positive: 24,000 elderly households have signed up. We are now reviewing the scheme, with a view to lower the age criterion for direct application and to expand the coverage of the items. We will complete the review in a few months' time. 5.00 pm Sixth, we are actively involving residents and grassroots organisations in shaping their living environments because it is only with the people's involvement that towns become stronger, cohesive communities. We have been doing so through the Community Improvement Project Committee (CIPC) and, more recently, through new initiatives like the "Cool Ideas for Better HDB Living". The Cool Ideas initiative aims to gather ideas from members of the public to improve the HDB living environment. We will be holding the Cool Ideas Exhibition 2014 later this month.”
“First, our major strategy is the Remaking of Our Heartland (ROH) initiative. We have, to date, announced two batches of ROH projects in six estates: Punggol, Yishun, Dawson, Hougang, East Coast and Jurong Lake. Works are underway to transform these areas with widened pavements for pedestrians and park connectors for joggers and cyclists, upgraded town centres, new community spaces and town plazas, heritage trails and landmarks reflecting the history of these places. We are now selecting three more towns under the ROH Batch 3 and will announce them in a few months' time. Second, from this year, we will ramp up the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) to help more households address maintenance issues earlier, which Er Dr Lee Bee Wah spoke about. We have selected 100,000 homes thus far, and we will now select 35,000 homes each year, up from 28,000 previously. Third, we will press on with the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) to add covered link-ways, playgrounds, street soccer amenities, pitches and residents' corners, to provide better amenities in existing towns. We have, to date, announced 85 projects, benefiting about 127,000 households. We will launch another 14 projects this year. Fourth, we will step up lift installation to make HDB estates even more elderly-friendly. We started on this as early as in 2001, with the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). Since then, with a budget of $5 billion, we have offered LUP to more than 5,000 blocks and 500,000 households. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang has asked about HDB's plan for the other remaining 200 blocks that are not feasible for LUP, based on today's cost and technology. I would like to assure Mr Yeo that HDB will continue to look for new technology to overcome existing technical and cost constraints.”
“We will have to build new towns taking into account their lifestyles and aspirations. Last August, HDB held the "Future Homes, Better Lives" exhibition, which showcased plans for three housing areas: Punggol Matilda, Tampines North and Bidadari. They are the distillations of our housing development experiences over five decades. The exhibition went well, generating great excitement and buzz about new HDB living. HDB has started launching BTO flats in Punggol Matilda last year and is on track to launching the first BTO flats in Tampines North later this year. The project will also provide 1,500 homes, including 50 3G flats for multi-generational living. Those currently living in Tampines, Bedok and Pasir Ris, with soon-to-be married kids, may find these 3G units attractive. Tampines North will become a new "green-shoot" of the existing Tampines Town. It will have two major parks, seamless pedestrian and cycling networks, and a new landmark mixed development that will be integrated with a bus interchange. HDB intends to launch the first BTO project in Bidadari sometime next year. As shared in the exhibition, Bidadari will be a tranquil urban oasis, a garden community well-served by amenities and transport networks. An Alkaff Lake Page: 123 will remind younger generations of a lake of the same name built in 1929 by the Alkaff family. A Heritage Walk lined by an idyllic canopy of mature trees will retell the stories of Bidadari and the contributions of past prominent personalities. Even as we build new housing districts and towns, we have not forgotten about existing towns where the majority of Singaporeans live. Resources permitting, we will upgrade and update them to keep up with the changing needs of our residents. We will do so in a number of ways.”
“When we started our public housing programme, our priority was to quickly move our people out of slums into basic, affordable housing. In the early days, flats were simple and utilitarian because we needed to house an overcrowded city urgently. While the young of today may not be able to imagine how anyone can live in such basic housing, these flats were a marked improvement from the attap- and zinc-roofed huts that many from the Pioneer Generation had grown up in. But as Singaporeans became more affluent, and basic housing needs met, we began to pay more attention to the design of our flats. Queenstown residents will recognise the distinctive "Butterfly Blocks" built in the 1970s. Page: 122 Bishan residents are familiar with their unique blocks with pitched roofs built in the 1980s. Since the first HDB town in Toa Payoh, HDB has built 23 more towns all over the island. Through refinements over the years, we have steadily improved the quality of HDB living. HDB developments, such as The Pinnacle@Duxton and Casa Clementi, have even won international accolades. The experience in developing them inspires us to build better new towns for the future. As one who has lived in Toa Payoh for 20 years, I was lucky to have witnessed first-hand a period of fundamental transformation in Singapore's housing scene. I am grateful for the Lorong 5 2-room flat and the Lorong 8 4-room flat which my family grew up in. Because of the comfortable shelter, we were able to focus on our studies and acquire useful skills that my parents did not have a chance to. But today's younger generation of Singaporeans has a different starting point. If they had grown up in modern Singapore in the 1990s, their expectations would necessarily be different from my generation's.”
“Mdm Chair, let me add my thanks to the Members who have just spoken, particularly for their comments on town building and construction productivity. Madam, may I also ask for your permission to show some pictures on the LED screens.”