Mah Bow Tan
Singapore
“The previous generation of Singaporeans overcame huge odds together to create this improbable nation which we call home. Let this generation work as one to define our country for the next lap of our journey. Sir, on this note, I fully support the amended Motion. Page: 143”
“Like all upgrading programmes, there is a certain budget, and a certain pace at which we will build. We have completed the LUP and now we are going on towards the HIP. The Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) is ongoing.”
“For those who cannot afford home ownership, we will provide rental flats. For the rest where there is hardship involved, that is where the safety net comes in. I do not think we should make the safety net so wide as to bring in everybody.”
“Building a studio apartment is no different from building any other HDB flat. If a person applies now and the building works start now, he can get it in two-and-a-half years to three years. We have stepped up the building of studio apartments over the last couple of years.”
“Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health (a) how many people have signed an Advance Medical Directive (AMD) and how many have revoked them since; and (b) whether there is a need to review the current rules on AMDs which do not require a person who has revoked the AMD to inform the Registrar, thus causing uncertainty for hospitals t…”
“Parents who wish to exert more control over the maximum mobile service charges incurred by their children may consider service options such as mobile pre-paid cards. IDA is aware of the public's concerns on mobile subscriptions, and will continually review policies and look into measures to further protect the interest of consumers.”
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“Flats are eligible for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) if they were built in 1986 or before and have not undergone the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP). Blks 213 to 224 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh are among some 300,000 flats eligible for the HIP. Given this large number of eligible flats, there is a need to prioritise the blocks to be upgraded under the HIP. Besides the age of the flats, there are other criteria for selection of precincts for the HIP. These include the condition of the flats, geographical spread and support for Government programmes. Column No : 2297 SOCIAL WORKERS IN GOVERNMENT'S EMPLOYMENT (Salary and accreditation scheme) 33. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what is the current pay of social workers under the Government's employment and whether this is competitive with the private sector; and (b) whether there is an accreditation scheme for social workers.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is a good time for us to adjourn the debate. Resolved, That the debate be now adjourned. - [Mr Mah Bow Tan].”
“The present reservations on Articles 2 and 16 are necessary to protect the rights of our indigenous population in our multi-cultural society. Our Inter-Ministry Committee on CEDAW will continue to review our reservations and the specific issues raised by the UN CEDAW Committee. Singapore's dialogue with the UN Committee was a valuable learning experience. Women in Singapore have come a long way but there is room for improvement and more can be done to raise the status of women. We will continue to work with the Women's NGOs such as the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations, the National Trades Union Congress Women's Committee and the People's Association Women Integration Network (WIN) Council to raise awareness of CEDAW and gather feedback on the aspirations of women in Singapore. These apex organisations represent more than 90% of women's groups and are our valuable partners in the promotion of the status and well-being of women. 3.00 pm”
“With amendments to Article 122 of the Constitution, a child born overseas can now be a citizen by descent as long as the child's mother or father is a Singaporean. Other significant milestones included the removal of the one-third quota on the intake of female medical students to the National University of Singapore's medical faculty in 2003 and the equalisation of medical benefits for civil servants in 2005. The gender wage gap has also been narrowing. Women earn 86% of what their male counterparts earn, up from 83% a decade ago. Our younger and better-educated women are earning wages comparable to their male counterparts. The Gender Empowerment Measure ranked us 18th out of 175 countries, which goes to show that our women have economic and political opportunities comparable with that of our men. The Committee was also pleased that an Inter-Ministry Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) had been set up to monitor Singapore's implementation of the Convention. The Committee cited it as an example which other countries could follow. While the Committee welcomed the significant progress made by women in Singapore, it made comments on a few issues. These include the lack of explicit laws against gender discrimination, the application of Syariah law in matters relating to family and inheritance for the Muslim community, the level of women's participation in politics, the trafficking of women, the protection of foreign domestic workers and foreign wives. The Committee also urged Singapore to withdraw our four remaining reservations to the Convention, namely, Articles 2, 16, 11 and 29, and to consider acceding to the Optional Protocol. MCYS has taken note of these comments.”
“We have and we will continue to apply the two-envelope system very selectively for Government Land Sales sites where we want to achieve very specific development outcomes. Column No : 2164 CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) (Singapore's Third Report) 23. Prof. Thio Li-ann asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) if he will provide an update on the presentation of Singapore's Third Report before the Committee overseeing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) at its 39th session; (b) whether Singapore's performance of its treaty obligations has improved; and (c) whether any action will be taken on the recommendations the CEDAW Committee has made or reiterated. The Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon) (for the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore presented its Third Periodic Report at the 39th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on 1st August 2007. I am happy to report that the UN Committee has commended Singapore on the significant progress made by our women, especially in the areas of health and care for the elderly. The Committee welcomed the withdrawal of Singapore's reservation to Article 9, which requires States Parties to grant women equal rights with men to acquire, change or retain their nationality. When Singapore first appeared before the Committee in 2001, a child born overseas could only acquire citizenship by descent if the father was Singaporean.”
“Proposals that are deemed to be acceptable by the CEC then move on to the second stage of tender evaluation. At the second stage, the price envelopes of only the short-listed tenderers are opened. The site is then awarded to the tender with the highest bid among the short-listed tenderers, taking into consideration the Government's reserve price. The price envelopes of the other tenders that are not short-listed are returned un-opened. In line with the vision for the Beach Road site, the evaluation criteria for the site focused on four key aspects: (i) appropriateness to context; (ii) quality of architecture; (iii) composition and placement of uses; and (iv) track record of the tenderer and the design team. These criteria have also been used by the Government in evaluating the concept proposals for the two Integrated Resorts. Various steps have been adopted for the Beach Road site tender to ensure that the criteria are transparent and well understood. These include a public briefing to all prospective tenderers on the evaluation criteria early in the process to ensure that they are clear on the tender conditions before they work out the details of their proposals. All the prospective tenderers have also been given an opportunity to present their proposals to the CEC after the close of tender. The use of the two-envelope system, the assessment criteria, the composition of the CEC and the final award of the tender have been approved by a Ministerial Committee, comprising the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law, the Minister for Trade and Industry, the Minister for National Development and the Second Minister for Finance.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Beach Road site offers a unique opportunity to realise a large scale, high-quality landmark development for our city centre. The development promises to be a major element of the city skyline as it will be highly visible from Nicoll Highway, the Padang, War Memorial Park and Marina Bay. At the same time, the site poses a number of design challenges due to the scale of the development, the unique context of the site, the need to integrate the development with the Esplanade MRT station, and the need to sensitively complement four conserved buildings. Hence, the Government has adopted a two-envelope tender approach for the Beach Road site to allow us to achieve a high-quality development that can add value to our city and, at the same time, achieve a competitive price. The conventional "price only" tender approach is not able to achieve both these objectives. Although it is possible to stipulate broad planning and urban design parameters under the "price only" tender approach, such guidelines cannot assure the quality of the development as a whole. The Government has used the two-envelope system twice prior to the tender for the Beach Road site - for the Urban Entertainment Centre site at Victoria Street in 2005, and the Collyer Quay site in 2006. Under this approach, tenderers are required to submit two envelopes at the time of tender submission - one containing the Concept Proposal and the other containing the Bid Price. The Concept Proposals are evaluated first by a Concept Evaluation Committee (CEC), which comprises representatives from both the public and private sectors who have the relevant experience and knowledge regarding development projects as well as expertise in evaluating architecture and urban design concepts.”
“Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) if he can give an update on the pace of wage restructuring, including the percentage of companies which have moved away from a seniority-based wage system; and (b) what percentage of companies is required to do so before the Ministry will consider restoring the CPF cut for workers above 50 years old. 18. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Manpower (a) of those companies that have moved away from a seniority-based wage system to a flexible wage system, what percentage of these companies do the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute and what does this percentage translate into for the SMEs as a whole; (b) what percentage of the workforce is employed by SMEs and what percentage of the workforce in the SMEs will have to be moved to the non seniority-based wage system; and (c) what programmes are in place to help SMEs adopt flexible wage systems and what time duration is the Ministry working on.”
“But because it is such a new scheme, it is important for us to help people to understand this scheme. It is a scheme which, I believe, will be very attractive. We are making it attractive by adding another subsidy to the scheme. But we want to make sure that people understand the scheme. There will be some who will not understand. There will be some who may be misled or whatever. So let us roll out the scheme first to those households who really need the scheme. By this, I mean the lower income households, those who are living in 3-room flats. Those who are living in larger flats - 4-room or 5-room flats - they have other options, the option of downgrading. They also have another attractive option which is to rent out a room. If a person has a 4-room flat, he can rent out one or even two of those rooms and earn quite a handsome income. A room can now rent for about $450. A person can rent two rooms for about $900-$1,000. Or if he has an opportunity to move in with his children or relatives, he can rent out the whole flat, which again provides him with an additional income of something like $1,500 to $2,000. Sir, my answer to Mdm Halimah really is: let us implement this scheme first for the 3-roomers. Let us help people to understand the benefits of this scheme, make it popular and then, if necessary, we can start looking at larger flats. Because the 3-room flat households actually have less options, especially the low income ones. Let us concentrate on helping this group first and later on we can consider expanding it to other flat types as well. Column No : 2152 WAGE RESTRUCTURING (Update) 17.”
“The 25,000 households that I referred to earlier constitute about 10% of the total number of 2- and 3-room households in Singapore. So it is not insubstantial. If I may explain - what is the purpose of this lease buy-back scheme? As we are preparing our population for retirement adequacy, we must recognise that there is a very major asset which many Singaporeans, if not most Singaporeans, own, and that is, their HDB flat. The value that is captured within this asset is very substantial. We did a survey about two years ago and the Department of Statistics' figures showed that the average net value - that means after deducting loans and so on - of a typical HDB flat in Singapore was about $154,000. That is overall. For the lower income, it was quite significant too. It was over $100,000. So this value is there. The challenge for us is to see how we can monetise the flat - unlock the value that is in the flat in order to allow people to provide for their retirement. But an equally important challenge is to see how we can continue to let them have a roof over their heads. We have implemented several options over the last few years in order to help to monetise the flats. For example, studio apartments. These studio apartments are suitable for those who have got larger flats. They can sell their large flats and downgrade to studio apartments. They can then unlock the value of their large flats. Even after they have paid for the studio apartment, they would have a surplus. Those who do not wish to downgrade to a studio apartment, they can downgrade to a 2-room flat or even a 3-room flat if they are living in 4-room or 5-room flats. This latest proposal - the lease buyback scheme - is another option that we are offering.”
“Sir, based on preliminary estimates, about 25,000 elderly households living in 2-room and 3-room sold flats should be able to qualify for the lease buy-back scheme (LBS). This number is likely to increase in the future as our population ages. One of the conditions of the lease buy-back scheme is that HDB lessees who have already enjoyed two housing subsidies will not be eligible. Why is this so? Because of the policy of limiting each household to two housing subsidies. We need to ensure that housing subsidies are fairly and equitably distributed among eligible households. Mdm Halimah asked if HDB will exercise flexibility to extend the lease buy-back scheme to those who have taken two housing subsidies but who are now in financial hardship. As with our other housing policies, HDB is prepared to be flexible in implementation to help those in genuine hardship. But each appeal will have to be evaluated carefully and factors such as whether there is family support available will be taken into account. This is to ensure that the subsidies we offer through the scheme are well targeted at those elderly households who need the additional help.”
“The 11% figure that I cited, which is the increase in HDB resale flat prices from 2002 to 2007, yes, that is a reflection of the total price which includes the cash over valuation price. So, in other words, it is the actual transacted price and not the valuation price. The cash over valuation, or what is called the CoV in the market, is not always positive. In fact, in the earlier years, in 2002 and even before that, the CoV was actually negative. Buyers were not prepared to pay the valuation price. They were only going to pay a price below valuation. But, today, it is a seller's market. So, the cash over valuation has turned positive. It is part and parcel of the market process. Valuations are done on a general basis by a panel of valuers. Sometimes, depending on the market situation and depending on the individual preference of buyers, they may be prepared to pay a lot more than the valuation. Hence, you have the phenomenon of a very positive cash over valuation situation today. The CoV actually goes up and down, depending on the state of the HDB resale property market. Column No : 2149 HDB FLATS (Lease buy-back scheme) 16. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many 2-room and 3-room flat owners who are 62 years old and above and who are first-time HDB flat buyers will be eligible for the lease buy-back scheme; and (b) whether his Ministry will consider allowing some flexibility in its implementation so that even those who are second-time buyers of such flats and who are facing hardship will be allowed to benefit from this scheme on a case-by-case basis.”
“Sir, on the Lift Upgrading Programme, the Government has, as she knows, committed to completing the Lift Upgrading Programme for all eligible flats in Singapore by 2014. At the moment, the programme is on track. Yes, some of the costs have gone up, but I do not envisage that we will need to go past this target date of 2014 that we have committed to. As for tender prices, I think it is prudent for us, when the tender prices exceed the budget, to go back to the drawing board and see in what way we can cut down on the scope of works. This is not unusual. We do this all the time. But, of course, where the scope of work cannot be pruned or cut down and the budget is still exceeded, then, obviously, we will have to look into making further budget provisions. But I think it would be wise and prudent of us to rework the project to look at ways in which we can save, rather than to automatically accept whatever tender comes up in the tender process.”
“At the current $8,000 income ceiling, about eight in 10 Singaporean families are eligible to buy subsidised public housing. Higher income households exceeding the income ceiling have many other housing options, including the purchase of resale HDB flats. First-timer families with household incomes of up to $10,000 can also consider buying new Executive Condominium (EC) units with a housing grant of $30,000. As the vast majority of Singaporean families qualify for subsidised public housing under the current rules, HDB has no plans to raise the income ceiling. However, HDB recognises that there may be cases deserving special consideration and will exercise flexibility accordingly. HDB will continue to monitor and review its policy on income ceiling, to ensure that the majority of citizen families can continue to enjoy subsidised public housing. Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have two supplementary questions for the Minister. In relation to the recent increase in the construction cost, will there be a slowdown in the rate of the Lift Upgrading Programme? The other question is this. Recently, I was asked by the consultant to cut down on the provision because the tender returns exceeded the budget. I would like to ask the Minister whether there will be an additional fund provided, rather than to cut down on the provision, as we have already made known to the residents.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, property prices in Singapore have increased in recent years, supported by strong economic fundamentals. Prices of private residential property have risen by 23% over the last five years, while HDB resale flat prices have increased by 11% also over the last five years since 2002. In line with the increase in resale flat prices, new flat prices are on average about 8% higher today, compared to 2002. Notwithstanding the price changes, new HDB flats continue to be sold at subsidised prices. Just as first-time flat buyers of HDB resale flats enjoy a housing grant of $30,000 or $40,000, depending on whether they live near to their families, those who buy new flats from HDB also enjoy a discount off the equivalent market price. The difference between what a buyer pays for his new flat and what it is actually worth in the market is the subsidy provided by HDB to him. As the selling prices of new HDB flats are pegged to resale prices and not based on costs, the increased activity in the construction industry recently will not directly impact on the prices of new HDB flats. Sir, the Government remains committed to making home ownership affordable to the vast majority of citizen households, especially first-timers and low-income families. Despite the increase in new flat prices, new HDB flats are still affordable. On average, new flat buyers today use about 20% of their monthly household income to service their mortgage loan. This is below the normally accepted ratio of about 30%-40%. More than 70% of new flat buyers are able to service their housing loans entirely with their CPF contributions. The MP has also asked if HDB will be reviewing the household income ceiling of $8,000 for the purchase of subsidised new flats.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No.18(3) which require a Petition to be referred to the Public Petitions Committee, the Petition presented by the Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration at the Second Reading on the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill." As I indicated to Members earlier, this motion will enable Members to air their views and raise their concerns on the matters raised in the Petition during the debate on the Second Reading of the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill. Matters in the Petition can therefore be thoroughly and properly debated, discussed and decided by Parliament. Question put, and resolved. That, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 18(3) which require a Petition to be referred to the Public Petitions Committee, the Petition presented by the Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration at the Second Reading on the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill.”
“After all, the Public Petitions Committee will not be debating the substance of the Petition but only performing a largely secretarial function by receiving the Petition and then forwarding it back to the House where it may be subsequently debated, if the Member who submitted it wishes. But this issue should be canvassed now together with the other Penal Code amendments. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have discussed my proposal with the Nominated Member presenting the Petition, and he is supportive of this motion and its intention.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the Petition that has been presented by the Nominated Member be referred to Parliament for consideration during the debate on the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill? Currently, Standing Order No. 18(3) requires a Petition to be referred to the Public Petitions Committee upon its presentation. In the meantime, the contents of the Petition may not be disclosed or discussed by Members until the Public Petitions Committee has met, deliberated and reported to the House. As Members may be aware, the Petition relates to the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, the Second Reading of which has been set down on the Order Paper for today. It does not make sense for Members to avoid discussion of the Petition or the contents therein when debating the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill later today. Besides, the content of the Petition has been widely publicised on the media, and a full copy was posted on the Internet for signatures before submission to Parliament. Therefore, in order to enable the Petition to be referred to Parliament for debate during the Second Reading of the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, I intend to move a motion to seek the general assent of the House to suspend the operation of this Standing Order. I would like to emphasise that the intention of this motion is to facilitate, not avoid, debate on matters raised in the Petition. The House's agreement to the motion will allow Members to receive a copy of the presented Petition immediately and to fully debate the issues in the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill and the Petition together. This is more appropriate than having the Public Petitions Committee deliberate the Petition.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are three more Bills listed in the Order Paper for Second Reading. As these are major Bills, I propose that we debate them tomorrow. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Thirteen minutes to Six o'clock pm. APPENDICES”
“Tomorrow, Madam. Mdm Deputy Speaker: So be it. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, That Parliament do now adjourn. - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Nine Minutes to Seven o'clock pm. WRITTEN ANSWER TO QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY 3.00 PM WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE BUS SERVICE (Update on utilisation rate) 20. Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Transport if he can provide (i) an update on the utilisation rate of the wheelchair accessible bus (WAB) service by the physically handicapped and (ii) a progress update on the roll-out plan for the WAB service in Singapore.”
“Since 1st January 2005, a total of 3,700 private residential units have been issued Strata Titles Board orders for collective sale and for which the purchasers have been granted planning permission. They comprise 1,156 units in the Core Central Region (CCR)1, 1,551 units in the Rest of Central Region (RCR)2 and 993 units Outside Central Region (OCR). When redeveloped, there will be 8,303 new units, comprising 2,126 units in the CCR, 3,213 units in the RCR and 2,964 units in the OCR. 1 Postal Districts, 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core and Sentosa. 2 Central Region outside Postal Districts 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core and Sentosa. PROGRESS OF SINGAPORE CORD BLOOD BANK 4. Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the progress of the Singapore Cord Blood Bank (SCBB), in particular, (a) over the last two years, what is the number of donors and the number of transplants carried out; (b) whether many cases/patients require a waiver or reduction of the retrieval fees; and (c) how does its performance compare with that of the two privately-run blood banks.”
“Section 92(9) of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act provides that a strata title board shall make a final order or determination within six months from the date it is constituted. In the first eight months of 2007, the Strata Titles Boards (or STB) received a total of 60 applications relating to en bloc sales, compared with 43 applications received in the whole of 2006. Of the applications received this year, 32 had been concluded and these were done within five months. Only one exceptional case had to be extended as an earlier date for the hearing could not be scheduled as the Counsels for both the applicants and respondents were involved in other matters in the Courts. The remaining applications were received in the recent few months and are being processed. The Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Bill, which will be read the Second time in Parliament this afternoon, will seek to increase the number of Deputy Presidents and panel members that can be appointed to the STB. This will allow more boards to be constituted to deal with applications even more expeditiously. RE-EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION (Coverage of employees in uniformed services) 28. Mrs Josephine Teo asked the Minister for Manpower if the proposed re-employment legislation is intended to cover employees in the uniformed services.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, pursuant to Standing Order No. 44, I beg to move, That the Ministerial Statement on the CPF Reforms and Other Measures for a Secure Retirement be considered by Parliament. Question proposed.”
“The Member asked about the rentals. The rentals for the transitional office space and vacant State properties will depend very much on the business plans of the successful tenderers and, of course, also on the prevailing market conditions. URA and SLA will continue to identify more of such transitional sites as well as vacant State properties which can be put to use as offices. RE-EMPLOYMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR (Update) 7. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what measures has the public sector implemented to promote the re-employment of employees aged 62 years and above; (b) what is the impact of the headcount freeze and best sourcing policies on the re-employment of such employees; (c) what are the terms of re-employment offered to such employees; and (d) whether such re-employment is offered to all grades of employees. 8. Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for each of the years from 2004 to 2006 (a) what is the percentage of workers which the civil service and statutory boards respectively offered re-employment to after they reached the age of 62, expressed as a percentage of the total number of workers reaching 62 in each of these two entities; and (b) how do these figures compare with the private sector's re-employment rate for workers aged 62 and above during the same period. 9. Mrs Josephine Teo asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance if he can give an update on (i) the recruitment of employees aged above 40 and 50 into the civil service over the last three years and (ii) the current practice of the civil service in re-employing staff who retire at age 62.”
“Mr Edwin Khew Teck Fook asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide more information on the earliest availability of temporary offices to ease the office space crunch; (b) what will be the average size of these offices; and (c) what will be the approximate cost to lease them. Mr Mah Bow Tan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the sale of the first transitional office site at Scotts Road was announced in early July 2007. Tender for the site closed on 22nd August 2007 and has been successfully awarded to the highest bidder. The site has a lease of 15 years. The successful tenderer can construct a 3- to 4-storey development and make available 16,000 square metres of office space in about a year's time if he is able to rush the planning and construction of the building. Besides this transitional office site at Scotts Road, SLA has also made available a number of vacant State properties which can be quickly retrofitted and put to use as office. To date, SLA has made available 17 properties with a total gross floor area of 102,000 square metres for office use. It recently awarded the tender for nine of these properties, with gross floor areas ranging from 700 square metres to about 20,000 square metres, and together can generate a total supply of about 54,000 square metres of office space. These properties include the former CPIB Building at Cantonment Road, the former CID Training Centre at Pearl's Hill Terrace, the former ITE premises at Pasir Panjang and the former Gan Eng Seng School and River Valley Primary School. The tenancy for these properties generally is for three years and will be renewable on terms of between three and six years. SLA is currently in the process of evaluating the tenders for several other properties for office use.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the impact of the sub-prime crisis on the domestic property market remains to be seen, as new developments are still unfolding everyday. According to MAS, banks in Singapore have limited or insignificant exposure to the sub-prime market crisis in the USA. Local banks have issued statements to affirm this. MAS has also clarified that banks in Singapore do not issue sub-prime loans to local home-buyers. Moreover, MAS has reminded local banks to conduct proper credit assessments when granting loans. The property market is driven by economic fundamentals and confidence. So far, there is no sign of a negative impact from the US sub-prime crisis. Our economic growth is still healthy. The key downside risk would be from a slowdown in the US economy, should their consumer spending and business investment be affected by tighter financing conditions. At this stage, the impact on Singapore's economic activities does not appear to be widespread or large. MTI is of the view that Singapore's fundamentals remain robust and, as the Minister of State for Trade and Industry told the House earlier, the growth forecast of 7%-8% remains unchanged. Unless economic growth is affected, the impact of the sub-prime crisis on HDB flats will be minimal. HDB housing loans are funded by the Government. The requirements of owner-occupation, credit assessment and restriction for each household to own only one HDB flat also help to provide stability in the public housing market. The impact of the US financial market on the rest of the world remains to be seen. The Government will continue to keep a close watch on the US sub-prime market and global credit situation. OFFICE SPACE CRUNCH (Availability of temporary offices) 6.”
“The Fiance/Fiancee Scheme allows courting couples with marriage plans to apply for an HDB flat in advance. The scheme provides such couples with the flexibility to plan ahead and time their flat purchase according to their marriage plans. From 2002 to 2006, HDB received a total of about 22,500 applications for new flats under the Fiance/Fiancee Scheme (FS). This works out to an average of about 4,500 applications annually. About 30% of the applications were from couples up to 25 years old, 55% were aged between 26 and 30 years, and the remaining 15% were aged 31 years and above. Out of the 22,500 FS applications received, about 15,000 proceeded to book a flat from HDB. FS applicants may decide not to book a flat from HDB for various reasons. For instance, some may have subsequently chosen to stay with their parents, while others may have purchased a resale flat from the open market under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme. Among the 15,000 FS applicants who booked a flat from HDB over the past five years, less than 200 cases (about 1.2%) cancelled their flat booking due to break-up of relationship, including annulment/divorce. COST OF TREATING SUBSIDISED PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS (Figures) 7. Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Health for each of the years from 2000 to 2006 (a) what is the annual cost incurred by each public hospital to treat subsidised patients, segmented by ward class; and (b) what is the annual amount of subsidies provided by the Government for subsidised patients at each public hospital, segmented by ward class.”
“The main income sources of Town Councils are Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) collected from residents and Grants from the Government. Under the Town Councils Act, Town Councils are required to set aside 30% to 35% of the S&CC collections and Government Grants into a sinking fund for major cyclical works like repainting, re-roofing, rewiring, replacement of lifts, etc. The balance of the funds is used for routine operating expenditure to maintain the town. These include repairs of lifts and other common property, cleaning services, horticulture services, utilities charges and town management fees. Town Councils are free to set their own S&CC rates. However, they should consider both short-term and long-term needs when planning and managing their finances. It is not prudent for a Town Council to adjust its S&CC rates based solely on the operating results of a particular financial year. HDB FLATS (Fiance/Fiancee Scheme) 6. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for National Development over each of the last five years (a) how many couples have applied for new HDB flats under the Fiance/Fiancee Scheme; (b) what are their ages; and (c) how many applications for new flats under this scheme have been cancelled as a result of annulment/divorce.”
“Our efforts have helped our students improve their financial literacy and this topic will continue to receive the attention it deserves in our institutions. DIVORCES (Measures to reduce) 35. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what measures are being taken to reduce the divorce rates, especially of those aged 20 to 24; and (b) whether there is a correlation between earlier marriages and earlier divorces.”
“Mr Michael Palmer asked the Minister for Education in light of certain local banks launching or intending to launch credit cards where no minimum annual income is required and targeted at students 18 years of age and above, what plans does his Ministry have to prepare our young adults so that they do not become burdened with insurmountable debts even before they have earned their first dollar. Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: I thank Mr Palmer for his attention on this subject. He had similarly raised a query on financial literacy in February 2007. Prudence and care in the use of credit facilities, including credit cards, is part of financial literacy. Let me share some of the key actions taken by MOE. Since January 2004, financial education messages have been delivered through appropriate subjects in the formal curriculum such as Civics and Moral Education and Social Studies at the primary and secondary levels. At secondary level, students are taught why we must exercise caution when we borrow and the dangers when we rely on credit facilities excessively under a module on basic money management. By working with external partners, schools supplement these lessons on financial education with financial literacy board games, workshops and inter-school competitions for their students. A financial literacy enrichment activity entitled 'SAVING - the Sensible Habit' has been made available to all primary schools. Our young should learn the importance of responsible decision-making and develop good habits in financial matters from an early age. As they progress to post-secondary institutions such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics and universities, this is reinforced through various means like mentoring, peer sharing, talks and seminars.”
“Based on HDB's records for the past five years, there were about 1,500 HDB flats per year that were sold upon divorce. Upon disposal of their matrimonial home, divorced persons with legal custody of at least one child would constitute a family nucleus and will have the option of buying a new or resale HDB flat according to their eligibility. For instance, divorced persons who are first-timers can list their child as an essential occupier to buy a subsidised new flat from HDB or purchase a resale flat with the CPF Housing Grant. First-timer low-income households can also apply for the Additional CPF Housing Grant of up to $30,000 if they meet the income ceiling and eligibility criteria. Divorced persons who are second-timers can also buy a subsidised new flat with their child, subject to payment of the resale levy. Alternatively, such households can buy a flat from the resale market without the need to pay the resale levy. A re-constituted family comprising a second-timer divorcee who re-marries a first-timer can also apply for a half CPF Housing Grant. It is not advisable for unemployed divorced women with children to buy a HDB flat, as they will not have an income to service their mortgage loan. Such households should only consider buying a flat when they are financially ready. In the interim, they should turn to their families, such as staying with relatives for mutual care and support. They can also consider renting a room from the open market as this will involve a smaller financial outlay than buying a flat. However, in cases where the divorced spouse has no family to turn to and is unable to find accommodation on her own, HDB can consider their appeals to rent a subsidised flat, taking into account the merits of the case. CREDIT CARDS FOR STUDENTS 32.”
“Divorced and widowed persons with child are considered eligible family units for the purchase of a new flat from HDB. By "single mothers", the Member may be referring to unmarried parents. For this group, they are treated no differently from other singles. An unmarried parent who is a citizen aged 35 and above can buy a resale flat under the Single Singapore Citizen (SSC) Scheme, or pair up with another eligible single to buy a resale flat under the Joint Single Scheme (JSS). They may also apply for the CPF Housing Grant for Singles, if they meet the eligibility criteria. Younger unmarried parents below 35 are encouraged to stay with their parents for mutual care and support. If this is not possible and the unmarried parent is facing hardship, we will exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis to allow the unmarried parent and child to rent an HDB flat on compassionate grounds. The intent is not to deprive unmarried parents of housing but to encourage them to look to their own families first for care and support. It is in line with our social objective to support the promotion of family formation through marriage. HDB FLATS SOLD UPON DIVORCE 31. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many matrimonial HDB flats have been sold upon divorce each year, over the last five years; and (b) what public housing options are readily available to just divorced lower-income or unemployed women with children, upon the sale of their matrimonial home.”
“There is presently an island-wide supply of about 29,360 parking lots to meet the overnight parking needs of 23,035 registered heavy vehicles. As such, there are more than enough heavy vehicle parking spaces. Many of the excess lots are located in workplaces like factories and at designated places outside HDB estates where heavy vehicles are supposed to be parked in the first place. However, heavy vehicle drivers/owners prefer to park near their homes for greater convenience as they are using the heavy vehicles as a means of personal transport to get to and from work. This should not be encouraged as heavy vehicles driven through residential areas or parked close to residential premises create disamenities for residents. Besides being a traffic hazard, such vehicles generate noise and pollution. Hence, there are many complaints against allowing them to be parked near residential areas. Both HDB and URA had, in the past, provided a number of heavy vehicle parks on the outskirts of some HDB estates. It is, however, becoming more and more difficult to provide such facilities near HDB estates because of competing needs for the limited land near HDB estates. Nevertheless, where suitable sites are available and where it is viable to do so, my Ministry will consider providing a few more of such temporary heavy vehicle parks on vacant sites away from residential areas, on a case-by-case basis; and on the understanding that these heavy vehicle parks will have to be removed when the land is needed for future development. APPENDICES”
“HDB will continue to monitor the public housing market closely to ensure that public housing remains affordable to the majority of Singaporeans. SETTLEMENT OF HOSPITAL BILLS 31. Ms Ellen Lee asked the Minister for Health (a) how many patients have not been able to pay their hospital bills at all in 2006; (b) what steps has the Ministry or the hospitals taken to recover these arrears; and (c) what Government assistance will be available to these patients who really have no means to pay their bills.”
“The Government is committed to ensuring that public housing remains affordable to the majority of Singaporeans, including lower-income families. There is an adequate supply of affordable HDB flats for lower-income flat buyers. HDB resumed building new 3-room flats in 2004 and new 2-room flats in 2006. New HDB flats are priced with a significant market discount to ensure their affordability to flat buyers, with first-time buyers eligible to take up a mortgage loan from HDB at a concessionary interest rate. Lower-income families with household incomes not exceeding $3,000 per month can also make use of the Additional Housing Grant (AHG) of up to $20,000 to pay part of the purchase price of the flats. Eligible first-time flat buyers who choose resale flats are eligible for the CPF Housing Grant of $30,000 or $40,000, as well as the AHG. Public housing has remained affordable to lower-income households. Last year, those who bought new 2-room and 3-room flats used an average of 20% of their monthly household income to service their housing loans. In other words, most of these families can service their housing loan entirely from their CPF Ordinary Account contributions, without any cash outlay. While the prices of HDB flats in the resale market have increased, this growth is in line with the general recovery of the property market. Lower-income flat-owners also benefit in terms of asset appreciation. I would also like to clarify that not all flats are transacted above market valuation; about half of resale flat transactions were at or below market value earlier this year. As buying a HDB flat is a long-term commitment, flat buyers should exercise financial prudence and decide on a flat that is within their means.”
“Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Minister for Defence (a) what is the rationale for pegging the compensation for dead or injured NSmen to the Workmen’s Compensation Act; (b) what are the quanta of monthly payments to NSmen who are disabled or paralysed in the course of duty; (c) whether the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Group Insurance Scheme covers death or injuries in the course of duty; and (d) whether the SAF will consider paying for group life and/or disability insurance for non-commissioned full-time NSmen.”
“While HDB tries to minimise walking distance between residents' flats and car parks, a walking distance of up to 400 metres is considered reasonable when HDB groups its car parks for season parking. This is similar to the planning norm used in the location of bus stops from HDB flats. Based on this distance, motorists would generally take less than 10 minutes to walk from the car park to their flats and vice versa. The walk would generally be within sheltered areas under HDB void decks or linkways. The season parking demand by residents as a percentage of the total number of lots provided by HDB island-wide is about 60%. In the event that residents are unable to find a parking lot at the car park nearest to their block, they can park at another car park within the same car park group. In grouping HDB car parks for season parking, car parks within reasonable walking distance from one another are grouped together, and those in high demand are grouped with those in lower demand. Where there are localised shortages, HDB will construct additional parking lots, by extending the existing car park or by building on vacant HDB land. If HDB is unable to do so, parking lots from other Government agencies located nearby can be considered, subject to the requirements and constraints of these agencies. COMPENSATION FOR DEAD OR INJURED NSMEN 57.”
“In evaluating suitable sites for foreign worker dormitories, one of our key considerations is the compatibility of the use with the surrounding land uses. As far as possible, we try to site workers' dormitories away from urbanised and built-up residential towns. Many of the dormitories are in fact within or close to industrial areas. We also allow industrial and warehouse buildings in certain areas to convert some of their space into workers' dormitories, either for their own factory workers, or to house other foreign workers, subject to their meeting certain technical requirements. However, not all industrial areas can accommodate foreign workers' dormitories. For example, we cannot site workers' dormitories too near to areas where pollutive industries are located, as we need to make sure the foreign workers are not affected by the safety hazards that such industries may pose. So, while we will do our best to site workers' dormitories away from residential areas, in less urbanised areas or nearer to industrial areas, some of them may still need to be located at the fringe of residential areas. I hope that Singaporeans will accept their presence in our midst and be more understanding and accommodating towards them, as they are here to contribute to our economic growth. SECURITY VIGILANCE IN SINGAPORE (Update) 40. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security in view of the recent attempted terrorist incident in UK as well as the detention of a British car bombing suspect in Brisbane while boarding a flight to Singapore, whether he will provide an update on Singapore's security vigilance.”
“Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That, pursuant to Article 42(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, each Deputy Speaker shall be paid with effect from 1st April 2007: (1) a monthly allowance equal to 15% of the monthly salary payable to the Speaker; and (2) a GDP Bonus pegged at 50% of the GDP Bonus rates payable to the Speaker. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Six minutes to Five o'clock pm to a date to be fixed. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SEXUAL OFFENCES WITH MINORS (Investigations) 1. Mr Siew Kum Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs for each of the last ten years (a) how many cases were investigated by the police involving allegations of sexual intercourse between a female minor and a male who was below the age of 21 years where the male claimed to have reasonable cause to believe that the minor was above (i) 16 years and (ii) 18 years; and (b) of these cases, how many were not the first case against that male.”
“Resolved, That, pursuant to Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Speaker shall be paid with effect from 1st April 2007: (1) a monthly salary and allowance equal to 50% of 1.48 times the salary and allowance payable to a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service; (2) a non-pensionable annual fixed bonus pegged at the norm Performance Bonus rate of a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service; and (3) a GDP Bonus pegged at the GDP Bonus rates payable to a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service. REMUNERATION OF DEPUTY SPEAKERS Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, That, pursuant to Article 42(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, each Deputy Speaker shall be paid with effect from 1st April 2007: (1) a monthly allowance equal to 15% of the monthly salary payable to the Speaker; and (2) a GDP Bonus pegged at 50% of the GDP Bonus rates payable to the Speaker. Madam, the allowance payable to the Deputy Speakers had been set at a percentage of the actual salary received by the incumbent Speaker. In line with the recent salary revisions announced by the Minister in charge of the Civil Service for Ministers and civil servants, the Deputy Speakers will also be paid a GDP Bonus. Parliament is asked to approve the Motion, which will peg the Deputy Speakers' allowance to 15% of the Speaker's part-time salary and 50% of the GDP Bonus rates payable to the Speaker. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move, That, pursuant to Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the Speaker shall be paid with effect from 1st April 2007: (1) a monthly salary and allowance equal to 50% of 1.48 times the salary and allowance payable to a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service; (2) a non-pensionable annual fixed bonus pegged at the norm Performance Bonus rate of a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service; and (3) a GDP Bonus pegged at the GDP Bonus rates payable to a Senior Administrative Officer on the minimum point of the Ministerial Range 4 (MR4) as specified in the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service. Madam, on 9th April 2007, the Minister in charge of the Civil Service announced the revision of salaries and allowances for the Civil Service, including the political, judicial and statutory appointment holders. As Article 41 of the Constitution states that the Speaker shall be paid such salary as Parliament may from time to time determine, the House needs to pass a resolution to put into effect these salary revisions for the Speaker and Deputy Speakers. The Speaker's full remuneration, like those of Ministers and other elected officeholders, is pegged to the salary scales of the Senior Administrative Officers' Scheme of Service. Parliament is asked to approve this Motion to fix the Speaker's remuneration to 50% of the full-time rate in line with the current part-time arrangement of the Speaker. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to.”
“Of the 10,000 complaints on stray cats received per year, half were lodged with the Town Councils. The remainder were lodged with AVA and HDB. Approximately 18% of the total complaints received by the Town Councils were repeat complaints. AVA and HDB do not track the number of repeat complaints. CLASS C WARDS (Patient profile) 5. Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong asked the Minister for Health for the last three years, what has been the profile of patients using Class C wards in restructured hospitals, in terms of types of housing and/or income levels and how does the Class C patients' profile compare to the national profile of the population.”
“(1) There are 9,700 rental flats under the Joint Singles Scheme. Of these, 2,480 are occupied by single tenants mainly due to demise of flatmate. AIR TRAVEL BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA AND ACROSS ASEAN (Liberalisation) 28. Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on the progress of discussions to liberalise air travel between Singapore and Malaysia and across ASEAN.”
“In late March this year, the media reported that two rental flatmates had an argument, leading to one death. This generated public interest in HDB's Joint Singles Scheme, where HDB requires a single to pair up with another single before they could rent a one room flat from HDB. HDB's rental flats are heavily subsidised; they are meant primarily for low income citizen families who do not have other housing options. However, low income singles who need subsidised rental housing may apply to share a rental flat with another single under the Joint Singles Scheme, if both are 35 or older. For singles who are unable to pair up with their relatives or friends, HDB assists by making available a list of single persons who are also searching for flatmates. The flat-sharing arrangement allows our limited rental flats to help as many needy singles as possible. Currently, there are 7,200 rental flats that are shared by two flatmates under the Joint Singles Scheme(1). In addition, flat-sharing facilitates mutual care and support, which is especially important for the elderly singles. Can HDB reduce conflicts between flatmates? HDB will facilitate replacement of flatmates if they are unable to get along. After one party moves out, HDB allows the remaining tenant a grace period of six months or more to find a replacement flatmate. Going forward, MND will embark on a review with MCYS to study the appropriate housing for the poor elderly, taking into consideration not just their physical but also their social and emotional needs. But I would like to stress that the family must continue to play a key part in supporting the elderly. Heavily subsidised rental housing should only be for those who do not have family support nor the financial means to help themselves.”
“Yes, I believe that SCAL has submitted some complaints on profiteering to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and BCA is looking into these specific complaints. They have not reached the final conclusion on each of these complaints. But as and when they do, I will make sure that the results of these complaints are released to the relevant parties. As for the land that has been released, I think the intention of the release of more land for batching plants is to increase the number of players in the market, not to keep them at the same level or, worse still, to reduce the number of players. So if that is the objective, then I think it would not serve the purpose for us to release such land to the existing players. Having said that, if there are any complaints on profiteering, there are ample opportunities and avenues for the various complainants to bring their cases up, not only to the BCA. I am sure the Competition Commission may want to have a look at it as well. So, let us look at each of these complaints and see whether they are justified or not and, if they are, then I would like to assure the Member that action will be taken. SUBSIDISED BEDS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS (Adequacy) 9. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health, in view of the rapidly ageing population (a) whether there are enough subsidised beds for patients in public hospitals to meet the increasing demand; and (b) whether the Ministry has plans to increase the number of subsidised beds in public hospitals.”
“The Ministry has released the land, but what if it is awarded to the current player, will it help the situation?”
“Sir, the price of concrete is determined by the market. Following the sudden disruption in the supplies of concreting sand and granite from Indonesia in February and March respectively, concrete price rose to about $200 per cubic metre. This was due largely to the significantly higher prices of sand and granite and short term supply uncertainties. Since then, the industry has adjusted to the market, including the sand and granite prices from alternative sources. There is now greater supply and pricing clarity, and concrete price has fallen to below $175 per cubic metre. I understand that the industry associations, including the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS), the Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL), the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers (SISV), and the Ready-mix Concrete Association (RMCA) have come together to examine the cost structure of concrete production, and agreed on some principles on the cost-sharing arrangement for the increased costs of sand and granite for on-going projects. Currently, there are about 10 ready-mix concrete suppliers in the market. I believe there is sufficient competition in the market of concrete. However, the Government has released land for new concrete batching plants and, if necessary, is prepared to release more if there is demand for it. I assure the House that the Government will continue to monitor the situation closely, and will look at any specific feedback of cases of unjustified increase in concrete prices. Er Lee Bee Wah: Two supplementary questions, Sir. I understood that the Singapore Contractors Association Limited has submitted a thick file on evidence of profiteering. May I ask whether the Ministry has responded to SCAL's submission? My second question is this.”
“While some of these high priced transactions do take place, I am concerned that such reports may not paint the full picture and as a result may mislead home purchasers. For example, such record prices could be for a few choice units with special attributes and not be representative of the transacted prices for most of the units in the project. I have therefore asked URA to work with the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS) to see how we can give a fuller picture of the range of transacted prices for all newly launched private residential projects. This will further improve the transparency and efficiency of the Singapore property market and help buyers and sellers make more informed decisions. I want to assure Members that the Government will continue to monitor the property market closely. We will make sure that the market is as transparent as possible. Finally, we will ensure that there is a sufficient supply of land for private housing to meet the demand in the various regions through the Government Land Sales Programme. READY-MIX CONCRETE (Price increase) The following Question stood in the name of Mr Charles Chong - 8. To ask the Minister for National Development, in light of the Indonesian export ban on land sand and the disruption of supply of granite (a) whether the price increase for ready-mix concrete is proportionate to the price of sand and aggregate supplies obtained from Government stockpiles; (b) how many ready-mix concrete suppliers are there in Singapore; and (c) whether there is any evidence of profiteering by ready-mix concrete suppliers and, if so, what immediate and long-term measures will the Ministry take to rectify this situation. Er Lee Bee Wah: Question No. 8, Sir.”
“Sir, there were 581 sub-sale transactions in the first quarter of 2007. This is about the same as that in the fourth quarter of 2006. Of the 581 transactions in the first quarter 2007, 368 or 63% were in the Core Central Region (CCR). This Core Central Region consists of Districts 9, 10, 11, the Sentosa area as well as the Central Area. Then, there were 156 sub-sale transactions or 27% in the Rest of Central Region (RCR) and 57 transactions or 10% Outside Central Region (OCR). The figures for the fourth quarter of 2006 were about the same, in other words, 66% of sub-sales were in the CCR, 20% in the RCR and 14% in the OCR. The higher level of sub-sale activity in the CCR compared to that in the RCR and OCR was due partly to the strong foreign interest in this segment of the property market. It is in line with the robust growth of our economy and reflects the confidence of foreigners and investors in the growth prospects of Singapore. The number of sub-sales in the first quarter of 2007 is still lower than that in 1996, when sub-sales reached a high of 1,700 per quarter and accounted for up to 28% of all private residential transactions in a quarter. In comparison, sub-sales as a proportion of all private transactions in the first quarter of 2007 is 6.3%. Sir, I want to inform Members that sub-sale activity is only one of the many indicators that the Government keeps track of to ensure that the residential property market is healthy and growing in a sustainable manner. The Government also monitors the prices of private residential properties. Recently, there have been media reports which cited developers achieving record sale prices for their projects.”
“Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for National Development (a) if he could provide an update on the sub-sale situation of private properties in the central region and the outer central region in the light of rising sub-sales compared to previous quarters of the year; (b) if there are policy gaps today to contain specu-investment; and (c) what measures are there to ensure that the property market remains healthy.”