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.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,030 lines we hold for Mah Bow Tan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 16 of 61.
“The majority of HDB households whose youngest lessee is above 60 years old have no outstanding home loan. Only about 1% [1,037 cases] of these elderly households are in arrears of three months or more for their HDB loans*. The percentage has remained largely unchanged in the last three years. *HDB does not have data on arrears cases for bank loans. Under HDB's mortgage financing policy, the maximum loan repayment period that HDB grants to its mortgagors is 30 years, subject to a 65-year age limit. It is not to the benefit of mortgagors for HDB to extend the loan repayment period beyond this. First, mortgagors will incur additional interest costs for longer repayment periods. Secondly, it will be increasingly difficult for those above 65 to service a mortgage loan, as they will also need to cater for their retirement needs. To help mortgagors tide over temporary periods of financial hardship, HDB has in place several financial assistance measures. For example, Under the Reduced Repayment Scheme (RRS), mortgagors are allowed to make repayments ranging from 50% to 75% of their current instalments. HDB has no plans to extend the maximum loan repayment period. EMPLOYMENT OF THE ELDERLY AND EX-OFFENDERS 25. Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Minister for Manpower in view of the initiatives put in place by the Government to employ the elderly and ex-offenders, (a) what is the progress in helping these groups find employment in the Government and the private sector; and (b) for each of this group from 2004 to 2006, how many are employed in the Civil Service and in which areas.”
“A separate Dealer’s Individual Licence for each premises for selling non-approved telecommunication equipment is required. "The applicant/registrant is required to seek the necessary approvals from other relevant authorities in Singapore relating to its business, where required. In addition to the IDA telecommunication dealer licence, secondhand dealers of telecommunication equipment are also required under Section 6 of the Secondhand Dealers Act to apply for a separate Secondhand Dealers licence from the Police Licensing Division. Information on the Secondhand Dealers Licence as well as the application form can be downloaded from http://www.spf.gov.sg/licence1/". DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SINGAPORE WORKERS BY FOREIGN BOSSES (Complaints) 23. Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Manpower if his Ministry will set up a bureau to receive complaints of cases where Singapore workers are discriminated against in their application for jobs by foreign bosses.”
“The application guidelines for both licences are also available on IDA's website. When a person comes to Police to apply for a secondhand goods dealers licence to trade in used mobile phones, Police will also inform him then that he needs a licence from IDA as well in order to operate as such a dealer. ________________________________________________________________________________ * Pursuant to section 5(1) of the Telecommunications Act: Power to license telecommunication systems and services 5. -(1) A licence may, with the consent of, or in accordance with the terms of a general authority given by the Minister, be granted by the Authority either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as the Authority may impose and specify in the licence and either irrevocably or subject to revocation as therein specified for the running of such telecommunication systems and services falling within section 3 as are specified in the licence. ^ https://licences.business.gov.sg FAQ #1 : 1 Do I need to apply for this licence? You will need to apply for the Dealer’s Individual licence if you intend to manufacture, import, hire, sell, offer or possess for sale any telecommunication equipment other than approved telecommunication equipment or equipment set out in the First Schedule of the Regulations. For details on the guidelines and licence conditions, please refer to "Guidelines on Licensing Schemes" - Guidelines for Telecommunication Dealers Licence. For details of registering telecommunication equipment with IDA, please refer to "Registration of Telecommunication Equipment". It is useful to note that the application for Dealer’s Individual Licence is based on per premises or outlet.”
“The Community Improvement Projects Committee (CIPC) provides funding support for infrastructural and recreational facilities, and general amenities in HDB estates for the benefit of the residents. For private estates, public agencies such as PUB, LTA and NParks carry out maintenance and improvement works to meet the needs of residents there. In addition, improvement projects can be conducted under the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP). EUP works involve improvement to footpaths and lighting, upgrading of neighbourhood parks, fitness corners and playgrounds, as well as improving connectivity and accessibility. My Ministry will study Ms Lee’s suggestion to see if funding for small-scale projects can be considered for private estates. SECONDHAND DEALERS ACT (Licensing of used handphone secondhand dealers) 22. Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will inform secondhand dealers who sell and buy used handphones that they need both the telecommunications licence pursuant to section 5(1) of the Telecommunications Act and a secondhand goods dealers licence pursuant to section 6(1) of the Secondhand Dealers Act. Mr Wong Kan Seng: Many secondhand handphone dealers appear to have a wrong perception that they only need a Telecommunication Dealer’s Licence* from IDA in order to trade in secondhand handphones. Police had therefore sought IDA’s assistance in August this year to put up a notification on the government's online business licensing services portal^ to inform secondhand mobile phone dealers that they need both the Telecommunication Dealer’s Licence from IDA and the Secondhand Dealers Licence from Police, in order to trade in secondhand mobile phones.”
“In cases where the feedback or request requires the inputs of more than one public agency, the receiving agency will liaise with the relevant agencies to provide a coordinated response. TRAFFIC SUMMONS FOR SPEEDING 18. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the last five years (a) how many traffic summons were issued for speeding; and (b) how many driving licences were revoked or suspended.”
“Town Councils were set up to perform estate management functions for public housing estates. Their role is to manage and maintain the common areas under their charge in HDB estates. The Town Councils are similar to the management councils for private condominiums. Both the HDB and condominiums residents pay monthly services and conservancy charges towards maintenance of common facilities. HDB Branch Offices are set up to provide lease and tenancy services to HDB flat lessees and tenants. In private landed residential estates, the public areas and amenities come under the purview of various public agencies, which serve the needs of the residents by carrying out the routine maintenance and improvement works. For instance, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) looks after the maintenance and upgrading of roads, pavements and street lighting, whilst the Public Utilities Board (PUB) oversees drainage-related works. Given the smaller scale and generally more exclusive living environment found in private residential estates, compared to the HDB estates, it is more effective for the respective public agencies to carry out such works directly. Nevertheless, MND will consider the request and review the need to set up a one-stop centre as suggested by MP Lee Bee Wah. In addition, to address the concern that a member of the public may not know which is the right agency to call to convey his or her feedback, the Government has implemented a “No Wrong Door” policy since 2004. This means that the officer of a public agency receiving the call will help to put members of the public in touch with the right agency.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank all the Members who have spoken for supporting the motion. I cannot agree with them more on the sentiments that they have expressed. I think the most important point that all Members have made is that we are sending a signal, if Parliament approves this motion, that it reflects what Singapore is, ie, we are a multi-racial, multi-lingual society and we need to have this diversity of languages reflected in Parliament, especially where important matters are discussed. So, I hope that Members will approve this motion. Let me, as an aside, explain to Mr Sam Tan that this motion is only for the duration of the Eleventh Parliament, because we will need to amend the Standing Orders if we wish to make this change permanent, and we do not intend to amend the Standing Orders until an appropriate time. May I thank Members again for supporting the motion and I hope for Parliament's support. Question put, and agreed to. That, notwithstanding Standing Order No. 48(7), with effect from this day's sitting until the end of the 11th Parliament, a Member may use any or all of the four official languages in a speech in the proceedings of this House. BANKING (AMENDMENT) BILL 3.19 pm Order for Second Reading read.”
“Sir, allowing Members a greater opportunity to use mother tongues in this House will not only make for more effective debate, especially when the issues can be better expressed in their own language context, but will also allow the House to reflect the multi-racial and multi-lingual heritage of Singapore. In line with this, there will be changes made to the Official Reports of the Parliamentary Debates to incorporate the written transcripts of mother tongue speeches, for public record and access. Now, copies of speeches made in non-English by MPs in this House are already available for Members' reference and these are deposited in the Parliament Library. I believe Members will welcome these changes to our House proceedings and support this motion. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 3.06 pm”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That, notwithstanding Standing Order No 48(7), with effect from this day’s sitting until the end of the Eleventh Parliament, a Member may use any or all of the four official languages in a speech in the proceedings of this House". Mr Speaker, Sir, this motion seeks to obtain the House's agreement to lift the current restriction on the use of multiple languages by backbench Members in making their speeches in this Parliament. Members will recall that the restriction was lifted specifically for the Debate on the President's Address in November 2006 when Parliament opened for the session. During that debate, Members welcomed the opportunity to make their speeches in English and mother tongues. In fact, there were a total of 13 speeches recorded in multiple languages over the four-day period. The new Members, particularly, made use of the opportunity to deliver their maiden speeches in mother tongues and English so as to reach out to their constituents and also to a wider section of Singaporeans. Mr Speaker, Sir, this Parliament has seen the entry of more Members who are bilingual or proficient in more than one of our official languages. This is the result of our education system, which has placed emphasis on bilingualism, and nurtured a new generation of Singaporeans who are comfortable in both English and their mother tongue. Though English will remain as the common working language for Singaporeans, there is room for greater use of dual or multiple languages in our Parliament when national issues are debated, so that Singaporeans of all races and all generations can be engaged on these issues.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have come to the end of a few long days of a very passionate and useful debate. Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-Two Minutes to Seven o'clock pm to a date to be fixed. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY 3.00 PM FERTILITY RATES AND MATERNITY LEAVE 16. Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what is the total fertility rate (TFR) in Singapore since the implementation of the enhanced baby bonus and extended maternity leave schemes; (b) whether there are any significant changes in the fertility rates amongst the different demographic groups according to age, race, income and educational levels; (c) what is the rationale for capping the government-paid maternity leave reimbursement at $10,000 per month (inclusive of CPF contributions); and (d) whether this policy discriminates against the top 5-10% of the female workforce.”
“Sir, I do not think the Member of Parliament needs to worry about the PAP MPs. I think he knows that the PAP MPs are able to acquit themselves well. If he sits in the Chamber and listens to their maiden speeches, I think he will know that they are able, as the Prime Minister said, to not just find their voice, but also their feet. However, having said that, what is wrong with having more views, more people in this Chamber, debating, giving us the benefit of their views and their wisdom? What is the problem with having more of that? If we are really serious about canvassing a broader range of views on different issues, then I think we should not be worried or concerned about having NMPs in this House. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 1(1) of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, resolves that there shall be nominated Members during the term of this Parliament." ADJOURNMENT”
“If the Member is able to cite certain cases where the Opposition has supported Government policies, then I will be very happy. All I can say is that those are the exceptions that prove the rule because, generally speaking, the Opposition Members have not supported Government policies, not because they are not good policies but because they are in the Opposition. And that is really the essence of what I am trying to say. The Opposition's views are constrained. When they speak, they have to oppose the Government. With the NMP scheme, which I commend to the House, the NMPs who come to this House add value to the debate over and above what we are saying, over and above what the Opposition Members are saying. Here is a group of people who represent certain interests, who have certain specific views. They come to this House, with our blessings of course, because we decide whether we have them in this House. They come here and add value to the debates in this Chamber. And there is nothing undemocratic about it because, as I have explained, we are not the only ones who have Nominated Members in this House. The House of Lords may have a different function, according to the MP for Potong Pasir, but essentially, the crux of the matter is that they are not elected by the people, but appointed. And they are as democratic as any other Parliament. In fact, apart from the two examples I cited, in the debate to amend the Constitution, the Deputy Prime Minister at that time gave a long list of about 20 other countries which also have Nominated Members of Parliament in different variations.”
“I am asking the Member whether he is worried that there are people who would actually come to this House and speak on issues which concern the people, even if they are not elected? What is wrong with that?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, does that mean that the Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir does not want to have other views in Parliament, other than his views and the views of the other Members in this Chamber? Why is he afraid to have other people in this Chamber talking and putting forth their views on issues even though they are not elected and not represented?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I listened very carefully to Mr Chiam. He made quite a number of points - seven points according to my notes - and every single one of those points has been made by him in the past debates in 1992 and 1997, and every single one of those points has also been explained and responded to in every one of those debates. So, I guess we could, of course, rehash and go through Hansard, which I have a copy here. It is about this thick and I could refer him to just the pages. But to be fair, these are important points that he has raised, and I think I should address them very briefly.”
“Sir, when the same motion was moved by the Leader of the House in 1992, 1997 and 2002, the Party Whip was lifted. For this motion, I wish to inform Members that the Whip would also be lifted, on an exceptional basis. Question proposed.”
“Sir, the then Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, in his Second Reading speech in 1989 to amend the Constitution to provide for NMPs, summarised the reasons why the NMP scheme was proposed, and there were three reasons: (1) to build consensus; (2) to encourage political participation and contribution, to get those who can contribute to good government to serve, and (3) to accommodate constructive dissent and alternative views. So these were the three reasons that were given for the NMP scheme. Since we implemented the scheme in 1990, Parliament has granted 41 individuals the privilege to take part in the proceedings in this House. Some of them have served more than one term as NMP. In the last session of Parliament, nine new NMPs were appointed. While not all of them made the same level of contribution to the debates in this Chamber, it is my view that they generally acquitted themselves well. Members in the House in the previous session of Parliament will recall the many valuable contributions and impassioned speeches from NMPs such as Dr Loo Choon Yong, Ms Eunice Olsen, Dr Geh Min and Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim. They spoke on a broad range of topics ranging from sports and casinos to competitiveness and entrepreneurship, from the environment to juvenile delinquency, to R&D, to scholarships. Sometimes, they were critical of Government policies, at other times, they supported our policies. They added fresh perspectives to the debates in this Chamber, with their objective non-partisan views. They did not have to resort to political posturing. In summary, I believe that they have been a plus for our Parliament. I therefore commend Members to once again vote in favour of the motion.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That this Parliament, in accordance with section 1(1) of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, resolves that there shall be nominated Members during the term of this Parliament." Sir, the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore provides for the appointment of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs). However, before they can be appointed, Parliament must resolve, at the beginning of a new Parliament, that there shall be NMPs. Once Parliament so resolves, the public will be invited to submit nominations to a Special Select Committee (SSC) of Parliament. Representatives of major functional groups will also be asked to nominate. The Special Select Committee will then recommend the nominees for the President’s approval. Over the years, we have increased the number of NMPs from two to six, and then later on to nine, and we have also finetuned the selection process. Apart from inviting the general public to submit the names of suitable persons, six major functional groups, namely, business and industry; labour; the professions; social and community service organisations; tertiary educational institutions; and last but not least, media, arts and sports organisations. So these are the six functional groups. They are also invited to propose candidates for consideration. Sir, the merits and usefulness of having the NMP scheme have been thoroughly debated since the Constitution was first amended in 1990 to provide for it. At subsequent sittings of Parliament which considered the motion to have NMPs (we had three of these sittings, ie, in 1992, 1997, and then 2002), we also exhaustively debated the need to continue with the scheme. In each case, Parliament voted in favour of NMPs.”
“Because, after all, I presume he is the Member for Potong Pasir, and not just the Member for 55% of the people of Potong Pasir.”
“This was what my Minister of State was putting across just now that, when the constituents vote for the PAP candidate, they are not just voting for the goodies, they are not just voting for that part of the package, they are also voting for all the other policies that come together with the package - the prudent fiscal policies, the taxation policy, the low direct taxes, low GST. That is what they are voting for. When Mr Chiam and Mr Low come to the House with a bill and say, "Why don't you give me this money since you have promised it?", surely, that is being very naive, is it not? They are saying to the Government, "Here is my bill for the upgrading, but I don't support all your other policies. You go and deal with the people. You go and sell your other policies, difficult though that may be. I am only going for the good part. I am going to advocate "unconditional permanent needs-based welfare", because that is popular. And I also want upgrading, because that is also popular." Sir, my message to the Opposition Members is that they should put up their policies. We put up our policies in the elections. We go to the people and we say, "Please decide." The Member for Potong Pasir says, "I do not need the Government's package. I can do it on my own." Is that not what the Member for Potong Pasir said? I heard him say very clearly, "I do not need the package", and that was before the election. After the election, he now says, "Please give me the package." I think the Member for Potong Pasir should tell us how he is going to implement his policies, how he is going to implement his promise to the people of Potong Pasir, and not just to the 55% who voted for him but also to the rest.”
“Sir, I think Mr Chiam and Mr Low have selective hearing. In the elections, what the PAP candidate said was, "I will approach the Government, specifically the Minister for National Development, with a certain package for my residents. And if I am elected, I will fulfil that promise." So, Mr Chiam heard the $80 million part but he forgot about the second part. The first part says, "Yes, we are going to have a $80 million package for Potong Pasir." The second part says, "if the PAP candidate is elected." But the PAP candidate was not elected. So, how is he going to get that package? We now have Mr Chiam saying to the Government, "Here is a bill for $80 million." Mr Low is even better, instead of asking for $100 million, now he says his bill is actually $140 million. He has a bill, but he forgets that there are other parts to it - that the bill comes with a cost, that it involves the Government having to undertake certain policies. If we undertake all those policies, we generate surpluses, then we are able to distribute some of these surpluses in the form of upgrading programmes, for example. What if we were to follow the Workers' Party's policies and, say, instead of having a social security system based on CPF, housing and the 3Ms, we go for the "unconditional permanent needs-based social security net"? That is what the Opposition is advocating, is it not? That is the Workers' Party's platform. That is the Opposition's platform, and, if we go for that, then that is where the money is going to. We are not going to have enough money for upgrading. We are not going to have enough money for education, healthcare and so on.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, under Standing Order No. 91(5), may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, under Standing Order No. 91(5), may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“We have two tiers of rental currently because, in 2003, we extended the eligibility for rental flats from $800 to $1,500. Actually, we have two rental rates – the first is for those below $800, which is $30 a month; and those between $800-$1,500, $60 a month. So for those below $800, the $30 a month will remain. For those above $800 and less than $1,500 for the first phase of the renewal, they will also not be affected. But I think these are the details that will come up. So we will actually phase in the realignment very gradually for the next group that the Member is talking about. 5.39 pm”
“Is it a deserving case or not? Have they fallen into financial difficulty through no fault of their own – they lost their job, they were retrenched, had a salary cut? Or, they made money from their first flat, they went on holidays, they renovated their flats, they bought jewellery, they had a wonderful time, and then they bought a second flat, they stopped work, and the banks came after them. Is that a deserving case? I think this is why we have to look at each and every case rather than having blanket rules – rules that are so broad that they actually create more problems for us in the future.”
“Yes, I admit that there are people who are currently in negative equity. And these are the people who bought the flat at a very high price; today, the market value of the flat has come down. Are there a lot of cases? Our current records show that the numbers are less than 1%. These are the people who generally have bought more than one flat. They had a subsidised flat earlier, they sold it at a profit and went into the market again at the peak in the mid-90s. And as a result of that, they are now in negative equity. Sir, we cannot prevent people from making decisions and arising from those decisions, having to suffer these consequences. But what we can do - and this is what I elaborated in the speech - is to provide them with financial counselling, make sure that the amount of loan that they get is commensurate with their household incomes and make sure that they do not over-extend themselves. If we provide all these and if they still decide that they want to proceed, if they suffer the consequences, then I think it is really something that they have to take responsibility for. But I am fully sympathetic to those who are in financial difficulty, who are in negative equity, and who have to sell their flat, who have no means, jobs have been lost, sickness in the family, misfortune, etc. These are the cases that we look at very closely and decide whether we should help them or not. That is what I mean by on a case-by-case basis, whether it is people coming for a second concessionary loan – those who are in negative equity – or people who come to us for rental flats even though they do not qualify, or people, like what Mr Charles Chong mentioned, who are affected by the 30-month debarment rule. He asked what are the criteria. The criteria are very simple.”
“Sir, let me explain the rationale for the debarment period. I think the Member is talking about the 30-month debarment period. What the debarment period does is that it discourages all those who have already got a flat, either a subsidised or a resale flat, or even a private home, from joining the queue for HDB flats. In other words, you already have a place, you have already enjoyed the subsidy, if you were to decide for whatever reason to sell and you want to come back to the queue, there is a 30-month waiting time. This is the genesis of that policy. However, I know where the Member is coming from. The Member is saying that there are some of them who have to give up their existing flat because of financial hardship, mortgage arrears, or whatever. Can we remove the debarment period? My answer is for such deserving cases, yes, we will do so. But I would not change the whole policy so that we can accommodate not just these cases but also all other cases. Because if we do so, then I think the queue for HDB flats is going to grow and balloon again, and we will end up with the same situation that we had earlier. Those who really genuinely want a flat will have to compete with all the others who are not really in need of a flat and, as a result, the waiting time gets extended. That will totally distort the HDB market.”
“The President has spoken about the challenges of globalisation, the ageing population and a new generation of Singaporeans with higher expectations and with views that they want heard. Many Members in this House have echoed these sentiments. In the light of these structural changes, I believe that it is timely for us to review the state of community building and to consider new initiatives to strengthen community ownership. We must ensure that the HDB living experience that I talked about continues to be a glue that bonds Singaporeans together to their country and to their fellow citizens. Therefore, I have asked my Minister of State, Ms Grace Fu, to lead a public consultation exercise with a group of MPs over the next few months to see how we can better build HDB communities. I hope that Singaporeans from all walks of life, all ages and all persuasions will come forward with ideas on how we can strengthen rootedness, community ownership and mutual support in housing estates. Mr Speaker, Sir, the vast majority of Singaporeans have benefited from our public housing programme over the last 40 odd years. Our home-ownership programme has not only successfully housed a growing nation but it has also strengthened social cohesion. It has provided Singaporeans with a valuable asset for their retirement. We will build on this strong foundation. We will upgrade our flats, build cohesive communities, rejuvenate our estates, transform our city to create a Singapore that is secure, prosperous and cohesive. Government will work hand in hand with all Singaporeans to make this a reality, and I am confident that, together, we can build a Singapore that we will all be proud of, that we love to call home for ourselves, our children and all others who share our vision.”
“But it is to avoid abuse of Government subsidies which are really meant for the lowest income. In this regard, I want to urge some Singaporean families not to think of subsidised rental flats as a cheap place to dump their elderly parents. This is an abuse of Government subsidies meant for the needy and a misguided approach towards fulfilling their responsibilities towards their parents. I had a recent appeal to HDB for a rental flat. The children said, "Please give a rental flat to our elderly parents. They are of ill health. However, we undertake to hire a maid to stay in the rental flat to look after them." Sir, I encourage families to have their elderly parents stay with them as far as possible for mutual help and support. Similarly, extended families should turn to one another for help in terms of hardship. In this way, we can keep our heavily subsidised rental flats for those who are really in financial hardship and who have no alternative housing options. Finally, I want to talk about the challenge of building inclusive and cohesive HDB communities. An inclusive Singapore society needs inclusive communities within our HDB towns. Over the years, we have paid special attention to make sure that our HDB estates are suitable platforms upon which we can build an integrated and cohesive community. So we have implemented policies, such as the ethnic integration policy, to make sure that every HDB estate is racially mixed. We have shaped the physical environment. We have provided void decks for people to come down and gather, RC centres, playgrounds and so on and so forth. So it is not just the building of the flat itself but the building of the community space. A lot of thought has gone into that.”
“But we also need to ensure that those who are ready for home-ownership - the family that I quoted earlier is certainly ready for that - that these families do not overstay in their rental flat. They should be encouraged to move on and not deprive more needy households of that rental flat. Therefore, to ensure that our housing subsidies are targeted at those who need the most, we will align our rental rates to household income. For the tenants whose household incomes have grown over the years, their rates will be adjusted to take into account their current household incomes. In this way, we hope to encourage them to move towards owning their own flats. It may be a small flat, it may be something larger if they can afford. If necessary, we will help them with whatever housing subsidies if they are eligible. Sir, even as the Government is committed to help the lower-income, we are faced with a dilemma. How many times do we subsidise them? How much help is enough? Some of the rental tenants have previously sold their subsidised flats, sometimes more than one, and made substantial cash profits. We have decided, in the interest of equity, that new rental tenants who have previously sold one or more subsidised flat will pay higher rates, taking into account the fact that they have benefited from an earlier housing subsidy. I would like to assure the House that over 80% of existing tenants, including all those with monthly incomes below $800, will not be affected by this rental rate alignment exercise, and they will continue to pay their current low rates. HDB will announce more details in a few days' time. I want to stress that the aim of this exercise is not to recover cost. Because if we did, then the rentals would be bumped up many, many times.”
“Together with the additional housing grant in the building of 2- and 3-room flats, this increase to our rental capacity forms part of the spectrum of housing assistance that we are putting in place to provide targeted special assistance for the less well off in our society. We cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all approach in providing accommodation subsidies to the low-income families. Whilst some will need a little encouragement and financial boost to own their own flats, others may have to depend on subsidised rental flats as their own option. HDB's rental flats are very heavily subsidised, as I mentioned earlier. Households earning below $800 a month currently pay a monthly rental of $30 for a 1-room flat and $60 for a 2-room flat. How heavily subsidised are these flats? Just to give Members an indication, recently, one household was found to have illegally sublet his 1-room flat for $500 a month. He paid $30 a month and he sublet it for $500 a month. Where was he staying? I do not know. But that is a rough indication of the rental value of the flat and hence the level of subsidy that we are talking about. The incomes of rental tenants do not remain static. They improve over time, and this is a good sign. HDB has 2-year term tenancy and they have gone round to do surveys on incomes. One of these households, the family was staying in a 2-room rental flat, they have been there since 1986. When they first started, the household income was $700 a month. Today, the household income is close to $5,000, but still staying in the 2-room rental flat paying $60 a month. It is good that household incomes have risen. I am sure that many who have lived in our rental flats have actually done well for themselves, and this is really a desirable outcome and we are very happy for them.”
“Globalisation is a boon for many Singaporeans but we know that there are some households who find it increasingly difficult to cope. So one of the priorities of my Ministry is to help these families in a sensible and sustainable way. I think many of the suggestions make sense from the point of view of the residents. But is it sustainable? I think this is something that we always have to bear in mind. I have spoken about many of the measures that we are putting in place to ensure that home-ownership remains an attainable goal for those in the low-income group - small flats, additional housing grant, etc. We do recognise that in every society, there will be some among the low-income group for whom home ownership is not a viable option. In recognising that, HDB currently provides very heavily subsidised rental flats. To further extend our help to such needy households, HDB has decided to increase the supply of subsidised rental flats. Currently, we have something like 40,000 rental flats in stock, but we believe that the demand for such rental flats will increase, and I have asked HDB to start the process of increasing the supply of such flats. For a start, what HDB will do is to convert some of the original 3- and 4-room rental blocks in Boon Lay and Woodlands, and this will give us about 1,000 units of 1- and 2-room rental flats. HDB will also build new rental flats, starting with around 1,000 units in the next few years, and we will locate these new rental flats in mature as well as in new estates, so that we ensure a balanced social mix, not just within the estate but across the island.”
“If he wishes to continue staying in his flat and he chooses to rent out a room, the going rate for a room is anything between $250 and $500, depending on the location. There is also the option of committing one's flat to a reverse mortgage. Since March this year, HDB has relaxed its regulations to allow the elderly to commit to a reverse mortgage. Not many have chosen to do so. I believe this is because they are not familiar with the scheme. Maybe there are also certain cultural objections or hurdles to it. Whatever it is, this is another option for them, if they wish to take up this option. Ultimately, what we want to do is to put in place a whole range of options for the elderly to be able to cash out, unlock value, monetise, or whatever you call it, so that they can then support a comfortable retirement. It is not just the CPF balance alone that represents the stored value for the elderly. Do not forget the value that is in their flat. And if we can do more of this, and if we can persuade and encourage our elderly residents to do this, I believe that the retirement years for many of them will be that much more comfortable. Each household, of course, will have to decide what is the best option for them, how best to unlock the value, based on their own lifestyle needs and their own preferences. But let us have the options in place on the table for them to choose. Between January 2003 and June 2006, some 18,000 HDB households, with at least one lessee 50 years or older, have chosen to monetise their flats by selling or subletting them. We will monitor the take-up rates of the various options and we will refine our policies further, where necessary, so that we can support them. Let me now turn to the low-income group.”
“One way to unlock this value is for the elderly lessees to sell their flat and to buy a studio apartment. A studio apartment is purpose-built for the elderly. The facilities are there inside the flat and there are also facilities in the vicinity of the flat, sometimes in the block itself. So this is a very good option for the elderly. Alternatively, they can downgrade to a smaller flat, such as a two-room flat. If, for example, a lessee has a three-room flat and he decides to sell it in today's market and buy a studio apartment, he can actually have about $80,000 in cash and CPF proceeds to supplement his other income. HDB's studio apartments have been very well-received. We offered over 1,000 units to-date and so far, close to 95% of them have been taken up. In September this year, we offered the first studio apartments in Bishan. We offered 176 units, 1,000 applications came in. To allow more elderly households to stay in our studio apartments, HDB will launch more studio apartments. We will also incorporate the studio apartments in our new SERS projects as part of the SERS replacement flats. In this way, we will be able to roll out the studio apartments at a much faster pace. Another option for the elderly is to move in with their families for mutual care and support, to either sell their flats or to rent them out, either the whole flat or one or even two rooms. Since 2003, HDB has progressively relaxed its rules to facilitate the subletting of whole flats. And to date, about 12,000 flat lessees have sublet their whole flats. There are many others who have sublet rooms. We do not have statistics on that because we do not ask them to register. Today, if a person has a 3-room flat and he sublets the whole flat, he can get a monthly rental of about $1,000.”
“The upgrading efforts in our HDB estates have been complemented in recent years by the upgrading of private residential estates. Since 2000, we have implemented what we call the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) and 23 private estates have been selected so far, including Serangoon Gardens, Thomson Gardens and Sennett Estate. What we do is that we improve the footpaths and the lighting. We upgrade the neighbourhood parks, fitness corners, playgrounds as well as the connectivity and the accessibility of the estates. So we are going to do more of this and I expect to announce the private estates for the next EUP batch early next year. Mr Speaker, Sir, in implementing our public housing programme to pursue the goals that I have highlighted, we have to be mindful of the challenges we face. I think the House is familiar with these challenges but let me reiterate them. First, ageing population; second, the income divide, how do we help the lower income to move forward together with the rest of the society, even as we have to accept the harsh realities of globalisation; and the third challenge, how do we build cohesive HDB communities as part of the inclusive society? Let me first touch on the challenges of an ageing population. By 2030, one in five Singapore citizens will be seniors aged 65 and older. And one of the biggest worries in their retirement years is financial security, as Mr Inderjit Singh mentioned just now in his speech. That is the reason why we have put in place several measures to help the elderly to monetise or to unlock the value in their flats to overcome this asset-rich cash-poor syndrome that MPs have talked about in this House to enable them to enjoy a comfortable retirement. I mentioned earlier that the average HDB net equity is about $154,000.”
“What UD does is that it ensures that the design of the flats can cater for the ageing-in-place of the residents. So the corridors will be wider to facilitate wheelchair movement. The steps, if there are any steps in the flat, will be chamfered so that there will be stepless interiors. The switches, the taps and all that will be accessible and will be easy to use, bearing in mind the frailty of the elderly. Finally, to encourage senior citizens to exercise regularly and stay healthy, we have introduced senior citizens fitness parks that are equipped with special exercise machines. I must tell Members the story about how these fitness parks came into being. I was in Shanghai a few years ago and my wife and I were taking a walk one early morning. We saw these elderly Shanghainese exercising away happily in their public parks and they all look so fit and healthy. When I came back, I decided we should be building such parks in Singapore. So I tried. I wanted to build one in Tampines. HDB told me, "No. There is no budget for it because this is not a standard item." I am sure you all have heard this before. So I said, "Okay. I am going to raise my own funds." I did that. And here, I must acknowledge the contribution of Mary Ann Tsao from the Tsao Foundation and Lee Foundation. They helped me to raise the funds. We built it. It was a huge success. I was so surprised that it was full from morning to night. And where were the people coming from? Some of them were coming from as far away as Pasir Ris, Bedok and some even came from Hougang. So I said, "We have hit on something here." Since then, we have installed such parks progressively in many other HDB estates and we will do more for the benefit of our senior citizens. We have not forgotten private estates.”
“And last, but not least, to make sure that senior citizens keep fit and healthy, we will be introducing more senior citizens fitness parks. So these are the four components of the upgrading package for the senior citizens. Of course, the most important component and the most look-forward to is the Lift Upgrading Programme. For obvious reasons, it improves mobility for the elderly and it keeps them connected to community. That is why the Government last year stepped up the Lift Upgrading Programme and made this commitment to extend lift access to every floor of all eligible HDB flats by 2040. I am pleased to inform Members of this House that the programme is progressing on schedule and we expect that by the end of this financial year, about 65% of all eligible blocks will be selected for LUP. So we are on track for achieving the target that we set. The Government has also committed to specific timeline to achieve Barrier-Free Accessibility and this is to do so in all HDB estates by 2011. To achieve this, HDB cannot do it alone and this is where it has to work with other agencies such as the Town Councils, NParks and LTA. The aim really is to enable our senior citizens to move about with ease, not just within the block but also in between blocks and down the precinct. We carried out a pilot project in Bukit Batok East and I believe the feedback from the advisor, the MP and residents was very positive. So I encourage other town councils to draw up similar plans for their precincts for the benefit of their residents. To make our new flats more user-friendly for the elderly and the physically handicapped, what HDB has also done is, for new flats, they have adopted a new standard of design called Universal Design (UD).”
“But it is worth doing because if you do not do this, the older HDB estates are going to fall behind the newer ones and this is something that we want to avoid. The transformation in our HDB heartlands is no less exciting than what is happening in the city. If you go to Toa Payoh, if you go to the HDB Hub over the weekends, you will see what I mean - crowds of people shopping, auditioning for Singapore Idol, playing football, etc. The Toa Payoh Town Centre has been totally transformed. The estate itself has been rejuvenated with new upgraded flats. And what this means is that you attract younger residents to come in and they in turn help to revitalise the town. So what we will do is to draw up comprehensive rejuvenation plans for other estates, taking into account the residents' profile, the age of the estate and existing facilities. Regardless of whether the estate they live in is old or not so old, residents will have something to look forward to. We intend to do a make-over, in some cases, you could even call it an extreme make-over to our HDB estates. Our ultimate goal is to redefine the living experience for HDB residents. This will be the next major phase of the development of our public housing programme. Sir, in implementing the upgrading programmes, we will pay particular attention to the needs of our elderly residents. The aim is to make the HDB living environment conducive and comfortable so that they can be encouraged to remain healthy, active and involved in their communities. The upgrading package for senior citizens consists of several components - the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), Barrier-Free Accessibility (BFA). Then, we have recently introduced something new called Universal Design (UD) and I would elaborate on that later on.”
“I know that many Members in this House have raised this matter several times: why is it that we do not give an additional concessionary loan to those who wish to downgrade when we do for those who upgrade? I have explained why, for purposes of social mobility, we are prepared to grant the second loan for upgraders. But for those who downgrade, generally speaking, they would have a stored value which is unlocked from their first flat and they are actually quite financially capable of buying a smaller flat. However, there are cases that fall between the cracks. For whatever reasons, they are unable to finance that second flat and, for those cases, we will be flexible. Thirdly, sustaining the quality of living environment in HDB towns. HDB does this through a systematic rejuvenation of HDB towns through the many upgrading schemes that we have - MUP, IUP, LUP, SERS, etc. This way, the value of Singaporeans' investment in their HDB flats will be upheld. The Government has stated its mission to develop our city into a distinctive global city. Within the next 5-10 years, Marina Bay, Orchard Road, Bras Basah and Bugis areas - all these will be transformed. It would be unrecognisable. There will be a whole host of new developments that will come up in these areas. But beyond the downtown areas, a quiet transformation has also taken place in HDB estates over the years as a result of HDB's upgrading programmes. They have collectively brought about a quantitative and a qualitative focus to the HDB living environment. They are very expensive programmes. If we add up the bill so far, they have cost the Government about $7 billion to-date.”
“Under this scheme, private developers undertake the entire public housing development process - from the bidding for the land to the development of the flat, to the sale of the flat at market prices. The developer of the pilot DBSS flat chose to market its flats with premium features and designs. The response was overwhelming despite the higher prices. And given the demand, HDB is considering to release more sites for DBSS projects. Sir, at this stage, I would like to sound a word of caution. While we encourage social mobility, we must also ensure financial prudence. Why? So that home buyers do not end up over-stretching themselves. It is no use to buy a flat if you are not able to keep up with the mortgages. And for our home-ownership policy to be sustainable, and for homes to be a meaningful investment, the buyer must be able to do his sums and must be able to service the mortgage so that he can hold on to the flat over the long term. For this reason, HDB has implemented various measures to encourage financial prudence, that is, credit assessment and financial counselling. Then, from next year onwards, HDB will also require new flat buyers to get a letter, either from the HDB or from the bank if he is getting a bank loan, certifying how much loan he is eligible for before he commits to the purchase. There are also households who have downgraded to smaller flats because of financial hardship. I empathise with their difficulties and indeed, I am heartened that what they are doing is actually quite sensible. It is financially prudent and a practical thing to do. For deserving cases, I have asked HDB to exercise maximum flexibility in acceding to appeals for an additional concessionary loan to buy a smaller flat.”
“Because what we want to say is: "You have to try your best, and if you have already tried your best and you need that extra boost or leg up to buy your first flat, the Government recognises your effort and will help you to achieve this goal." I am happy to note that the scheme has benefited about 1,500 families to date, and I expect more to do so in future, especially as more smaller flats are being built and more people are familiar with the scheme. By building more affordable flats and targeting additional subsidies to those who need it, more low-income families will be able to become home-owners. We will continue to monitor the situation and we can adjust our policies to keep our promise that 90% of our people will be able to afford their own flats. Secondly, let me talk about social mobility. HDB policies promote social mobility. Citizen families upgrading to a larger flat are eligible for another housing subsidy. This is in the form of a second concessionary loan. A recent Department of Statistics' study on housing mobility which traced the movement of Singapore resident households in the 10-year period from 1995 to 2005 showed that 350,000 households changed residence during this period. And of these 350,000, more than 60,000 upgraded to a larger house type. This trend was particularly evident among the smaller flat owners, the one to three-room households. Over 80% of them upgraded to larger house types. This shows very clearly that our policies on social mobility have had an impact. To provide more housing options for first-time flat buyers and upgraders, we have introduced new forms of HDB housing. For example, we introduced the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) recently.”
“On top of that, HDB will also provide loans at concessionary rates to help them buy the flats. In 2004, HDB resumed the building of new three-room flats to provide Singaporeans with a choice of smaller flats. In March this year, I announced that HDB would start building new two-room flats to provide even more affordable housing options for low-income families. These flats are priced so that they are affordable to households earning about $1,000 a month, which is roughly equivalent to the 10th percentile of households. To date, we have offered for sale about 200 new two-room flats in Sengkang and Jurong West, and the response has been very good. About 95% of the two-room flats in Sengkang have been sold and HDB has received more than 200 applications for the 100 two-room flats that were offered in Jurong West. In view of this good demand, HDB will proceed to build more such flats. For 2007, HDB plans to launch about 4,000 new HDB flats, and half of these would be two-room and three-room flats and studio apartments. To specially enhance the affordability of low-income families, we introduced the Additional CPF Housing Grant in March this year. First-timer families earning up to $3,000 a month can enjoy an additional grant of between $5,000 and $20,000. So, if they were to apply for a resale flat and they qualify, say, for the $20,000 additional grant as well as the CPF Housing Grant of $40,000, we are talking about a total grant of $60,000, which is equivalent to about half the price of one of the smaller flats, which is a significant sum of money. However, there is a condition attached to the new grant, ie, that the applicants must have worked continuously for a minimum of two years. Why do we do this?”
“Home ownership has also provided Singaporeans with something very valuable, an asset, and not a small asset. The Department of Statistics did a study last year and they found that, on average, each HDB household has a net equity of $154,000, ie, the value of the home less the outstanding loan. As the President pointed out in his speech, public housing is one of the three key pillars in our social security system. It is a major transfer of wealth from the State to our citizens to share the fruits of growth so that no one feels left behind. As a result of this, HDB residents have this valuable asset, an asset that they can cash out of in times of need, and I will talk about this a little bit later on. Sir, as we stand at the turning point in Singapore's development, I want to reaffirm our Government's commitment to the home-ownership policy as a key pillar of our public housing programme. The Government will continue to support and subsidise home-ownership for eligible Singaporeans. This will contribute to the building of a Singapore that is secure, prosperous, harmonious and cohesive. How do we do this? The three approaches that have served us well are: (1) Ensure the affordability of HDB flats; (2) Promote social mobility; and (3) Sustain the quality of the living environment in our HDB estates. Firstly, let me talk about the affordability of HDB flats. The Government will ensure that HDB flats remain affordable to 90% of all Singaporeans. HDB will offer new HDB flats at heavily subsidised prices to eligible first-timers. Those who choose not to buy a new flat for whatever reason can choose a resale flat. If they do so, they will enjoy the CPF Housing Grant which is either $30,000 or $40,000.”
“I think it is necessary for us from time to time, in debates such as this, to sit back and take stock of what we have achieved. Our public housing programme has exceeded all expectations. Today, more than eight out of 10 Singaporeans live in HDB towns and estates across the island. More remarkably, 95% of all HDB residents own their flats. We have, to date, the world's highest home-ownership rate. I used to try and get statistics to see whether we were one of the highest, second, third, etc. The fact remains that we have actually the highest home-ownership rate in the world. This is something that many countries really respect and admire. By providing a physical stake in our country, our home-ownership programme has strengthened our sense of belonging to Singapore. It has made Singapore citizenship mean something tangible and to fight for. A typical HDB estate is like a microcosm of Singapore society, because this is where Singaporeans from all walks of life, races and religions live, work and play. So, HDB living is a shared experience which has become an emotional reference point for Singaporeans. We eat in the neighbourhood coffeeshops or hawker centres, watch our children play in the precinct playgrounds that we walk or, for those who are more energetic, we jog in the neighbourhood parks. We also share the frustrations of inconsiderate neighbours who decide to hang their mops when they are dripping wet so that they drip over our freshly washed clothes, or neighbours who decide that lifts are also public toilets. When young couples say, "Let us register for a HDB flat", Singaporeans know exactly what they mean. If you want to feel the pulse of Singapore, go to the HDB heartlands. There is where the Singapore heart beats.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion. The President has outlined his vision for Singapore and I quote: "Secure and prosperous, harmonious and cohesive, a country that Singaporeans are proud of and love, and that other nations respect and admire." Just a few words, very carefully chosen, each one its own, as well as collectively, full of meaning and inspiring us to achieve and move ahead together as one nation. Such a nation must first get its fundamentals right: to be able to feed, clothe and house its people properly, able to educate its children, take care of the less well-off and, most importantly, to be able to generate the wealth to do all of the above. Sir, I join this debate to talk about one fundamental aspect, ie, public housing. It has a key role to play in realising this vision and also to take us back and to see how it has played such a fundamental role in nation-building since independence 41 years ago. Members who are old enough may remember the Singapore of the 50s and 60s when many families used to live in over-crowded squatter colonies without electricity or proper sanitation, were prone to disease and fire, and I think many Members in this House would be familiar with what I am talking about. The challenge then for the new PAP Government was to build as many HDB flats as quickly as possible to get these families out of the slums and into proper housing. They did not care whether they had lifts on every floor or whether there were covered linkways. All they were interested in was: "Give me basic amenities, electricity and running water." And the PAP delivered. As I was listening to Mrs Josephine Teo just now, she reminded us not to forget how far we have come as a nation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, under Standing Order 91(5), may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?”
“As at February 2006, a total of 10,800 HDB lessees have rented out their whole flats. Of these, 4,600 were rented out to foreign workers. This is less than 1% of all HDB flats. In Boon Lay, Jurong and Woodlands specifically, the number of flats rented out to foreign workers were 97, 380 and 318 respectively. These translate into 0.9%, 0.5% and 0.6% respectively of the total number of flats in these estates. To maintain the good living environment and ambience of our public housing estates, HDB Branch Offices conduct half-yearly inspections of all approved subletting cases. They also work closely with grassroots organisations and the community to gather feedback on sub-tenants who cause disamenity to the neighbouring units. In the event of complaints, HDB will request the lessees concerned to take action to stop the disamenity, failing which HDB will revoke the subletting approval and require the lessees to terminate the tenancy. Over the last two years, HDB received only eight complaints of disamenity caused by sub-tenants, out of all the subletting cases islandwide. The current control measures are therefore adequate in minimising disamenities that may arise due to subletting of whole flats. RETURNING SINGAPOREAN CHILDREN (Placement in schools) 5. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for Education (a) how many children of returning Singaporeans seek placement in primary and secondary schools each year for the last five years; and (b) whether steps are being taken to make it easier for these Singaporeans to place their children in schools.”
“Hence, it is not necessary to impose quotas on the percentage of units in a block that can be sublet at this point in time. FOREIGN WORKERS (Rental of flats in Jurong, Boon Lay and Woodlands) 4. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the statistics with regard to entire HDB flats being rented out to foreign workers and HDB flats that are partially rented out to foreign workers, specifically in the Jurong, Boon Lay and Woodlands housing estates; and (b) what are some of the measures taken to tackle the inconveniences experienced by the residents in these estates that are caused by these foreign workers, such as large numbers of bicycles.”
“Foreign workers can rent whole flats from eligible HDB lessees under HDB’s Subletting of Flat Scheme. HDB also lets out rental flats under its Dormitory Housing Scheme (DHS) to companies in the manufacturing and engineering sectors for housing their foreign workers. The rental of flats to foreign workers by HDB lessees is subject to the prevailing subletting rules. Lessees are required to seek prior approval from HDB before renting out their flat and they have to provide the particulars of their sub-tenants to HDB. To prevent overcrowding, the number of subtenants allowed per flat is limited to 4 for 1- and 2-room flats, 6 for 3-room flats and 8 for 4-room and bigger flats. HDB lessees must ensure that their sub-tenants do not cause disamenity to the neighbouring units. To maintain a good living environment and preserve the ambience of our housing estates, HDB Branch Offices conduct half-yearly inspections of all approved subletting cases. They also work closely with grassroots organisations and the community to gather feedback on sub-tenants who cause disamenity to the neighbouring units. In the event of complaints, HDB will request the lessees concerned to take action to stop the disamenity, failing which HDB will revoke the subletting approval and require the lessees to terminate the tenancy. For lettings under the DHS, the companies are required to exercise control over their foreign workers. HDB also conducts regular inspections to check on the flats let out under the DHS. In the event that the workers cause nuisance to other residents, HDB would take action to terminate the tenancy and recover the flat. The current control measures are adequate, as the number of complaints of disamenity caused by foreign workers is minimal.”
“The cost of the upgrading plans that have been announced is $330 million for Tampines GRC, $500 million for East Coast GRC, $160 million for Aljunied GRC, $570 million for Sembawang GRC and $950 million for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC. Part of the budget for each GRC is for infrastructural works like providing new facilities and amenities. The rest is for HDB upgrading programmes, such as the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). The upgrading programmes for HDB estates are heavily subsidised by the Government. For example, under the LUP, citizen lessees who benefit from the programme co-pay between 5% and 12.5% of the total cost, based on their flat type, subject to a cap of $3,000. Singapore PR households do not receive any subsidies and pay full cost. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS INLAND REVENUE AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (Rising expenditure) 1. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what are the reasons for the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore's rising expenditure since 2002, despite the rising numbers of e-filing which saves administrative cost and decreasing head counts.”