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 18 of 61.
“Members have made many suggestions, eg, build smaller flats, review the HDB resale levy, provide additional HDB concessionary loans and more subsidised HDB rental flats, etc. I have already dealt with the building of 2-room flats earlier in my speech. Let me now address the other suggestions. 4.15 pm First, resale levy. The rationale of the resale levy policy is simple. Our housing subsidies are limited. Our housing subsidies do not stop at one. To encourage mobility, we provide a second subsidy because we want to achieve a social good. But to maintain a fair allocation of public housing subsidies, we have to reduce the second subsidy, and this is where the resale levy plays a part. This is why HDB is able to give priority to first-timers who have more urgent housing needs. The current levy system is such that the levy is computed as a percentage of the selling price of the first subsidised flat. For example, if you own a 2-room flat, the levy is 15% of the selling price of the 2-room flat; 20% for a 3-room flat; and 25% for 5-room and larger flats. This graded resale levy means that lessees in smaller flats, if they do their sums, will find that it is still worthwhile to move to a larger flat. Let me also say that those who do not buy a second subsidised flat from HDB need not pay any resale levy. They just keep the proceeds from the sale of their flat and all the profits thereof. Many MPs have fed back to me that the resale levy policy is not quite fair in many ways. One of the criticisms is that, given its objective of reducing the subsidy that second-timers enjoy on their second subsidised flat, why do we peg the levy to the resale price of the first subsidised flat? We have reviewed the policy. We have taken into account all the feedback.”
“Or it could simply be because the expenditure patterns or the incomes of the family are not sufficient to support the old loan. And this is the problem in the first place, ie, because the family was not able to service the old loan, that is why they came to see Dr John Chen at his meet-the-people session, and that is the reason why we are now looking at different ways to help. But the best way to help them may not necessarily be the way that they want us to help them. One possibility could be for the family to sell off their flat, buy a smaller flat that is within their means. If the family wants to do that, HDB may be able to give them a smaller loan. Contrary to what Dr John Chen said - that the HDB sent a letter to him and said, "No, this is the only way out." - in most HDB letters, there is always a clause that says, "Can you please come and see us and we will discuss your problem with you?" I do not think any financial institution in Singapore is as reasonable as that. But, as a result of this discussion and the counselling that takes place, ways and means of helping the buyer can be found. The intention is to find a way out for such people but, as I said, the solution may not be the one that they insist upon. I think therein lies the problem in many cases. If they are able or willing to make some adjustments or sacrifices, I am sure we will be able to find a solution. Anyway, for this particular case, I will ask HDB to follow up with the family concerned. I recognise that, in some cases, where the flat owners are in severe financial hardship, for example, they have been retrenched or suffer a substantial pay cut, it may actually be better for them to either move to a smaller flat or even to a rental flat to help these households.”
“Dr John Chen cited a case where the owners could not include their children as co-lessees to help service the mortgage loan because they did not have the cash to redeem the outstanding loan. I must thank Dr John Chen for making such a long speech, so that I can make an even longer one! I have come across Dr John Chen's case in my own constituency, and I believe many other Members have too. The issue arises because it is important for HDB to now impose credit assessment on all its mortgagors. In other words, just like any commercial banks, for financial prudency reasons, HDB cannot simply give out a loan without looking into the ability of the family to repay that loan or without looking into or assessing the value of the flat which that loan is held against. It is simply unwise to do so. Indeed, some of the problems that these families face are because they were able to get loans that were higher than what they could prudently afford. Dr John Chen asks why do we need to impose a transfer of ownership just because we want to make the daughter a co-owner of the flat? The answer is because there are certain legal requirements that need to be met. For example, if you are using your CPF funds either as a lump-sum payment or for repayments, CPF Board requires that you become a legal owner or part-owner of the flat, and that requires you to make a legal transfer. Why do we talk about a new loan? Why are we not giving the same loan as before? It could be because the value of the flat has fallen. As a result of the fall in the equity value of the flat, the new loan, which cannot exceed 90% of the valuation of the flat, is less than what the old loan was.”
“Well, let me ask again: is this fair? Should we be giving the same level of subsidy to the singles as we do to the families? Rule 2 says, "Give more to those who need more". So, as families have more pressing housing needs, we will continue to give higher priority to families. But having said that, single Singaporeans have also contributed. I think we have to recognise that, and we are recognising that. And this is the reason why singles aged 35 and above, who have not enjoyed any housing subsidy, can get a CPF housing grant of $11,000 to help them to purchase HDB flats. So, with this, they are able to either purchase a resale flat or, if they want to, they can actually purchase some of the new 5-room and Executive apartments that were recently put on the market at market prices. As I said, this was a pilot project. We sold about 100 of them in this way. Twenty of them, or 20%, were sold to singles using the housing grant. So, this is another way for us to recognise the contribution of singles, but calibrating our subsidies in such a way that we do not have parity with the families. Let me now touch on an issue which many Members of the House have brought up. They have asked for more assistance to be given to those who cannot service their mortgage loans and to facilitate downgrading, including elderly households who wish to downgrade for life-cycle reasons. I think Members of this House know that those who need assistance to tide them through temporary financial difficulties can get various financial assistance measures from HDB. There is a whole range of them. But just to name a few, HDB will allow the lessees to reduce or defer their loan instalments, extend the loan repayment period, or allow the payment of mortgage arrears by instalments.”
“So, that is Rule 3: money is never enough. Let me now, having set the three rules, see how it applies to the various specific suggestions that Members have made. Mr Cedric Foo and Mr Ang Mong Seng suggested that we remove the income ceiling for the purchase of subsidised HDB flats so that even high-income households can enjoy one subsidy. I am all for as many people as possible living in HDB flats going through the HDB experience. But I think there has to be a limit, a cut-off. The current HDB household income ceiling is $8,000. What is $8,000? $8,000 means that almost 90% of households in Singapore can or are eligible to purchase a subsidised flat. So what are we talking about if we were to increase the ceiling? Should we subsidise the top 10% of households to purchase subsidised housing? I do not think so. By any standard, this is already extremely generous. Mr Cedric Foo also suggested that we allow high-income households to buy new flats at market prices. Yes, I think that is a workable solution. In fact, HDB has indeed put some of the new flats on the market to be sold as resale flats at market prices. The response has been good and we will be considering doing more of this. Mr Wee Siew Kim asked if we could allow older singles to buy flats directly from the HDB. I think what Mr Wee is really asking is that we allow singles to buy new flats at the same subsidised prices as families. Am I correct?”
“Rule 1: Serve the public good Public housing subsidies serve important social objectives and reflect our societal values. For this reason, our public housing policies are pro-family and promote the strengthening of family bonds, and through the way we disburse public housing subsidies, we also aim to promote rootedness and social mobility among Singaporeans. And because we try to achieve these social objectives, we are able to justify using taxpayers' money to provide housing subsidies. That is Rule 1: serve the public good. Rule 2: Give more to those who need more Those who are in greater need of assistance will receive more. For this reason, first-timers who have yet to own their homes are given priority over second-timers. Similarly, families are given more subsidies than singles. It is not that singles do not get any subsidy, and I will elaborate on that later. But they will get less than families. Why? Because families need them more. Citizens get subsidies; PRs do not. So, Rule 2: give more to those who need more. Rule 3: Remember that money is never enough There is a limit to the amount of housing subsidies we can provide. For FY06, if Parliament approves, my Ministry will be given $1.24 billion to fulfil our mission, ie, "to create the best physical and living environment for building a vibrant city, a robust economy and cohesive communities." Out of this total of $1.24 billion, $878 million, or 71%, will be spent on public housing. We will use it to finance the various public housing programmes, including subsidies for sold and rental flats, CPF housing grants, upgrading, estate renewal programmes, and other major infrastructure projects. The bottom line is that increased expenditure in any one area means that something has to give in other areas.”
“Of course, they will have to take into account the general market conditions, the conditions of the housing market as well as the conditions of the local market flat prices in the vicinity of their development. HDB's involvement will be in disbursing the CPF housing grant of $30,000/$40,000 to eligible first-time buyers because the flats obviously would be sold at market rates. We will await the response from flat buyers to this pilot project before we decide whether and where to launch the next few DBSS projects. Sir, let me now deal with a host of issues which touches on the public housing subsidy or, more precisely, the allocation of public housing subsidies. There have been many calls by Members for HDB to be more generous in its allocation of public housing subsidies to be more flexible, to be more understanding, and to give more assistance to many groups of people - downgraders, older singles who want to buy direct from HDB, elderly singles who want to live in HDB rental flats on their own, and so on and so forth. Mr Wee Siew Kim talked about displaced parents and older singles. He confessed that he did not quite understand the problems of singles because he is not single. But I thought he was single once! So he should understand. 4.00 pm Sir, I really wish I could accede to all these suggestions, as I believe that all these groups have genuine needs to varying degrees. Unfortunately, this is not possible, because life is not so simple. It is always about scarcity of resources and how we allocate these scarce resources. I have attempted to set out three simple rules so that we can all be on the same page, as it were, when it comes to allocation of housing subsidies.”
“Mr Ang Mong Seng suggested that HDB convert some of the unsold 5-room flats in Jurong West into smaller 2-room flats. I am happy to inform them that we are going to do that. We will implement a pilot project and we will convert some of these unsold 5-room and Executive flats in Jurong West into either two 2-room flats or, maybe, one 2-room and one 3-room flats, depending on the size of the flat and the configuration. In this way, we will be able to meet the demand for these smaller flat types much quicker. I hope that we will be able to have the first batch of 100 converted 2-room flats available for sale and occupation before the end of this year. Let me turn now to Dr Ong Chit Chung. He asked several questions about the Design, Build and Sell Scheme, or what we call DBSS, for short. Let me recap again for Members' information. Under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS), the private sector is the one that will take over from HDB the entire development chain, meaning from tendering of the land to the design, construction and pricing of the flats. Why are we doing this? We hope that through private sector participation, we will be able to see more innovative flat designs, they will do things that HDB may not think of doing, we will give ourselves wider choice of flats and, ultimately, I hope better value-for-money for flat buyers. We launched the pilot DBSS site in Tampines last year. The tender closed towards the end of last year. There was very good response. The successful tenderer is likely to launch the sale of the flats in the second half of this year. What is the pricing? I do not know. Because as I said, the pricing of these flats will be determined by the developer.”
“Like all other new HDB flats, we will be building the new 2-room flats and they will come with the 99-year lease. Because it will be a better store of value, and it will allow the owners eventually to convert the flat to cash one day. To ensure that these flats cater to the target group, we will set a monthly household income ceiling. This household income ceiling for 2-room flats will be $2,000. This roughly corresponds to the 25th household income percentile, and it is between the $1,500 household income ceiling that we apply for subsidised HDB rental flats and the $3,000 which we apply for 3-room flats. Of course, those earn more than $2,000 should be able to afford the 3-room or even larger flats. HDB intends to launch the sale of the first batch of 2-room flats in Sengkang, comprising about 90 units, under the Build-to-Order (BTO) system by the middle of this year. The flats will be about 45 square metres in size. Dr Amy Khor said that it should not be too small. I agree. I think 45 square metres, and I have seen some of the 45-square-metre flats, is quite comfortable. I think it is a nice size. We will of course integrate it with the 3- and 4-room flats. We will not build stand-alone blocks because it is very important for us that all our HDB estates are mixed in all various aspects. We will finalise the flat pricing nearer the launch but, I repeat, we will ensure that they are affordable to the target group. Dr Lily Neo asked whether these flats will have elder-friendly features. I will ask HDB to take this into account when we build the flats. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked how MND intends to meet the needs of lower-income households and downgraders while the 2-room flats are being built.”
“The DOS study, that I mentioned earlier, also showed that among those who shifted to smaller house types between that 10-year period, 1995 to 2005, a higher proportion of those in their fifties and sixties moved to 1- and 2-room flats compared to the younger age groups. This is not surprising because as our population ages, as life-cycle needs change, it is quite natural and in fact it is a wise thing to do, to right-size and move to a smaller flat. So it is timely for HDB to be building 2-room flats again. This not only will help the first-timer low-income households who may not otherwise be able to afford a flat, but it will also help the second-timer households who wish to move to a smaller flat for family life-cycle reasons or financial reasons. The new 2-room flats will be priced in such a way that they are affordable to first-timer households at the 10th income percentile, which is around $1,000 per month, based on DOS data. Of course, at this income level, they will qualify for the additional CPF housing grant as well. To keep prices low, the flats will be built in non-mature estates for a start. I hear the sentiments of several Members - Mdm Cynthia Phua, Mdm Halimah, and others - that we should bear in mind that the flats should also be scattered in mature estates. I agree that eventually, we should do that. But I think, for a start, let us build them in the non-mature estates. Mr Othman Haron Eusofe asked whether they will be on shorter lease - 60-year lease. I presume Mr Othman feels that we can make the flat more affordable if we reduce the lease by one third, because there is land cost involved. This is really not the case. We are not able to proportionately reduce by one third, so the saving is really not that much.”
“They should take into account factors such as the stability of their household income and the projected financial needs of their household, because this may affect their future ability to service the mortgage. To drive home this message, HDB will provide all mortgage loan applicants with credit assessment and financial counselling. For the purpose of credit assessment, HDB will assess household income based on the average income over a two-year period preceding the flat purchase. In addition, we will require at least one of the flat buyers to be in continuous employment for at least two years prior to the flat purchase. Again, the purpose of this is for financial prudence, to ensure that the flat buyer has a steady income to service the mortgage loan. I expect 6,000 households, or roughly 40% of the first-timers, applying to buy HDB flats, whether new or resale, to be able to take advantage to qualify for the grant. This will go a long way towards helping them achieve their dream of owning their first home, and a stake in Singapore. Sir, let me now touch on the issue of 2-room flats. PM announced in the Budget Statement that HDB would resume building 2-room flats in order to make it more affordable for low-income households. As Members may know, HDB stopped building 2-room flats for sale in the early 1980s, at around the same time that we stopped building the 3-room flats, because at that time, most buyers were opting for larger flats. Today, there are about 6,300 2-room sold flats in the market. In recent years, demand for 2-room resale flats has increased sharply, mainly from singles and second-timers. As a result, resale prices of 2-room flats have shot up, increased by 36% since 2002, when the market as a whole went up by about 6% or 7%.”
“They will qualify for the additional grant whether they purchase a new flat from HDB or a resale flat with the existing CPF housing grant. In other words, if you buy a new flat, you are already enjoying an implicit subsidy. So you will get the additional housing grant on top of that. If you buy a resale flat, you will get two grants - the first grant and the additional grant. The lower-income households that are earning below $1,500 per month will receive the maximum grant of $20,000, because obviously they need the greatest help. This grant will be in addition to existing housing subsidies. It will be paid into the CPF Ordinary Accounts of eligible first-timer households. Similar to the existing CPF housing grant, flat buyers can use the additional grant to pay for their flat, including the downpayment. This will make it easier for eligible first-timers to purchase a flat. Dr Amy Khor cautioned that we should guard against some of the unintended consequences of low-income families, for example, not being able to pay for their mortgage instalments. I think this is a very valid concern, and I share her sentiments. We want to help low-income families to , as I said, get on the ladder of home-ownership. But we must also make sure that they are aware of the responsibilities of home-ownership, and that they are ready for the long-term commitment that comes with home-ownership, because it is indeed a long-term commitment. So I would like to repeat the message that I have constantly sent to all flat buyers, which is to remind them of the need to exercise financial prudence and to remind them to purchase a flat only if they can afford to and to choose a size that they can afford.”
“The third way in which we promote home ownership is that we will continue to provide a range of housing options, so that Singaporeans can purchase a flat that they can afford, a flat that is suitable for them and for their families, ranging from the studio apartments - the smallest flats - to the 2-room flats, which I will elaborate on later, 3-room flats, 4-room flats, 5-room flats and up to the Executive Apartments. This range of options for Singaporeans allows us to fulfil our promise that 90% of Singaporeans can afford a home - at least a basic flat in Singapore. 3.45 pm Sir, let me now touch on the additional CPF housing grant which I mentioned earlier. The purpose of the grant is to help lower-income first-timer households build up their assets, to give them a stake in Singapore. Dr John Chen and a few others asked: why only first-timer households, why not give it to second-timer households, why not give it to those who are in financial difficulties? Sir, we have first-timer households who have not yet had a flat. We would like to encourage and assist them to get on to that first step of the home ownership ladder. As for the second-timers, ie, the people who have already owned a flat, there are many other ways that we can help them financially. The purpose of the grant is not to solve their financial problems. It is, as I said, a way for us to help the low-income particularly to build up their assets to own their first home. To qualify for the grant, first-timer citizen households must satisfy the usual eligibility criteria for the purchase of a subsidised HDB flat, namely citizenship, family nucleus and non-ownership of private property.”
“If they are earning, say, below $1,500, they may get another $20,000. So it is $60,000. If we compare that with the price of a 3-room resale flat, we are talking about as high as 40% of the price of a 3-room resale flat in a non-mature estate. And that is not all. On top of that, if one takes an HDB concessionary loan to finance the purchase of his flat, he is enjoying an additional subsidy. How much subsidy are we talking about? If a person takes a $100,000 30-year loan and if he assumes a 1% interest subsidy, we are talking of a subsidy of more than $10,000, over and above the upfront subsidy. Because we want to encourage social mobility, citizen families can get a second housing subsidy, which is known as the second bite but, of course, the second bite will be smaller than the first bite. And if they are upgrading to a larger flat, they can get a second concessionary loan - again, another bite. Recently, the Department of Statistics (DOS) did a study on housing mobility of Singapore resident households over the last 10 years. It showed that of the estimated 354,000 households who changed residence during this 10-year period, more than 60% upgraded to a larger house type. This trend was particularly evident among the 1- to 3-room households. Over 80% of them had upgraded to larger housing types 10 years later. DOS will be releasing the study findings later. But what this shows very clearly is that our home ownership policy has succeeded in promoting social mobility among Singaporeans, giving them a chance to move up, giving them hope for the future, giving them a chance to own the home of their dreams.”
“The accepted norm by banks and by other housing authorities around the world is that it is considered affordable if less than 40% of the household income is used for housing. This is known as the debt service ratio. And if the debt service ratio is less than 40%, then usually we say, yes, that particular type of housing is affordable to that family. What about Singapore? What is the situation here? Last year, those who bought their flats from HDB used, on average, 20% of their monthly household income to service their housing loans. In other words, we have a debt service ratio of 20%, which is considered to be very comfortable, in terms of servicing a housing loan. Further, because we have CPF in Singapore, what this means is that most of our flat buyers can service their housing loans entirely from their CPF contributions, without touching their take-home pay. By "most", I am talking about 70% of flat buyers. The second way in which we promote home ownership is to give generous subsidies to first-time citizen households. I do not know whether Singaporeans appreciate how much they get in total, in terms of the housing subsidies. Let me elaborate. Those who purchase a resale flat can, of course, get a CPF housing grant, ie, either $30,000 or $40,000. Those who buy a new flat will enjoy an even higher subsidy. Now, as the Prime Minister announced in his Budget Statement, we are going to provide an additional CPF housing grant of between $5,000 and $20,000 to first-timer households who are earning below $3,000 per month. These are explicit and substantial subsidies. These are cash subsidies. And if we add it all up, assuming that a first-timer household is buying a resale flat, living near their parents, they get $40,000.”
“Sir, I would like, first of all, to thank the many Members who have spoken on public housing policy, led by Dr Amy Khor, Dr Lily Neo, Dr Ong Chit Chung, Dr Wang Kai Yuen and many others. They have raised many important issues and I will address each one of them in turn. But, first of all, allow me to start from the beginning. Our public housing programme is one of the success stories of independent Singapore. Today, 84% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats, and out of this 84%, 95% of them own their own homes. No other country in the world has done as much for its citizens in this area, and I think this is something that we really should be very proud of. Owning a home has given Singaporeans an asset as well as a physical stake in the nation. It has also strengthened our social cohesion and our sense of belonging to this country. So, when an NSman does his National Service duty and does his incamp training, he knows that he is training to defend his country. He is also training to defend his family and his home. We will continue to assist Singaporeans to own their homes. Let me touch on the three ways in which we encourage and promote home ownership. The first and most fundamental, of course, is that we price our flats affordably. In other words, we price them in such a way that most Singaporeans - up to 90% of Singaporeans - can own, at least, a basic flat. Many Members have at various times, asked me, "What do you mean by affordability? How do you know that people are able to afford the flats?" One conventional way of measuring affordability is to relate it to income. In other words, what percentage of their household income is used for housing?”
“Sir, this is the first time that I have heard that there are people complaining that we do not debate Bills thoroughly in Parliament. As I explained, before the Bill is read the first time, or when it is presented to Parliament, and before it is gazetted, there are explanatory notes being given. In fact, in the case of the Casino Control Bill, which is a very complicated Bill and, as Mr Steve Chia noted just now, it is actually a huge stack, the Ministry in charge, the Ministry of Home Affairs, actually provided a lot of explanatory notes, provisions, explaining why the various clauses are drafted as such. It is during this time that public feedback and consultation are sought, and Members can actually go through these notes and make reference to them to prepare for debate on the Bill. So it is not correct to say that there is no time given or there is not enough information given as to the contents of the Bill. I think what the Member is probably commenting on is that the Bills that are put to Parliament are actually passed and not that there is not enough debate. In fact, most of the Bills, controversial Bills particularly, see extensive debate in this House, not just from Members of the Opposition and the Non-Constituency MPs, but also from the PAP Members of this House. So I dare say that if the PAP Members can take the trouble and the effort to do their homework and come up with very cogent, relevant and useful points for the Minister to consider, I do not see why other Members cannot do the same.”
“So, from this, one can see that sufficient information is already provided on the purposes and scope of the Bill at the First Reading. What Members should do is to look at the details of the Bill, do their homework, study the Bill carefully, research the matters brought up in the Bill so that they can be well prepared when they finally come to Parliament to speak after they hear the Minister's Second Reading. Sufficient time is also given to Members to examine the Bill in detail before its Second Reading. Why? Because the Standing Orders stipulate that there must be at least seven clear days after the Bill is gazetted before its Second Reading. Usually, in our case, because Parliament sits on average every month, there is, in fact, much more than the seven clear days that is stipulated in the Standing Orders. At the Second Reading, the Minister would make his speech to elaborate on the Bill, then the debate follows and Members can make their views known and question the Minister on specific aspects of the Bill. Sir, the current practice has served us well. It is also the practice in the British House of Commons and other Commonwealth Parliaments in Canada, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, to name a few. There is no need to change this practice.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Steve Chia has asked that the Ministers should speak at the First Reading of the Bill and his reason for asking for this to be done is that he can better understand why the Bill is introduced when it is read the first time. Sir, currently the objective of every Bill is stated at the end of the Bill. There is an Explanatory Statement in the Bill and this statement states the purpose of each section or amendment and whether public monies will be spent as a result of the Bill. So Members do have a good idea as to why the Bill is introduced at its First Reading. In some cases, like the Casino Control Bill, for example, information is also set out in the Bill, giving the legislative origins or the history of the provisions. For Bills which have a significant public impact and, I think, this is what Mr Steve Chia was referring to when he said that there is not enough time being given, the public consultation exercise is usually conducted on the intended provisions of the Bill and this is undertaken by the Ministry in charge before it is introduced in the House. I can cite some recent examples. We had the Parks and Trees Bill and the Competition Bill in 2004, the Workplace Safety and Health Bill, the Biological Agents and Toxins Bill and the Deposit Insurance Bill in 2005. In fact, I recall that most of the MAS' Bills which are, by nature, very technical, are given a round of public consultation before they are introduced. This consultation process generates the publicity and the awareness of the proposed legislation and its policy directives. In some instances, the Ministries concerned also put up a statement to give more details of the Bill before the Second Reading.”
“Sir, the answer is very simple. 90% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. HDB RESIDENTS (Killer litter offenders) 3. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many HDB residents have been caught for committing killer litter offences for each of the last five years; (b) what penalties - with a breakdown of the number of each type of penalty - have been imposed on these offenders for each of the last five years; and (c) are there any plans to further step up enforcement actions as well as impose heavier penalties for killer litter offences.”
“Sir, I am not exactly sure how such a database will help. It is not a situation where there are very few transactions in the marketplace. There are 30,000-over transactions every year. There are transactions all over Singapore - in estates which are affected by the EIP as well as those which are not affected. Buyers and sellers have a lot of avenues - they can visit the HDB's website where there are records of transactions and where they can tell whether the EIP limit is reached or not - to guide their decisions. They can also avail themselves of the services of thousands of housing agents in Singapore. And, last but not least, they can look out for the classified advertisements in the papers which also will give them data on this. So, I am not exactly sure how HDB maintaining such a database would help. But if the Member has got a specific proposal, we will be happy to look at it.”
“So when the Workers' Party suggests that we dismantle all this, I am not sure whether they understand what they are suggesting. Therefore, it is very important for us to point out the consequences of what they are suggesting, and why we think that they are wrong. And it is important for us to get an opinion from the Workers' Party. Mr Low is not in this House but, perhaps, I would be able to get an answer from him at the next opportunity. It is better for him to answer Dr Amy Khor than for me to do so. But whatever the motivation behind its manifesto, the consequences of following that path are really very dangerous and very disastrous - it is like playing with fire. It is important for us to point this out so that people can understand why is it that we think it is wrong. And to point this out vigorously. I hope that the next time we meet in Parliament - or even before that - this matter will be clarified, so that at least we get the fundamentals right and the basic understanding correct - is this necessary or not? Then we can start talking about the mechanics of it. Dr Amy Khor has stated her position very clearly. She says she supports the policy, she understands why it is necessary, but she asks certain questions about the workings of the policy. I think those are very fair questions and we will certainly take them into consideration. But let us get the fundamentals correct - is this necessary, is it important for us to have integration policies in Singapore? The answer is definitely yes.”
“In the early sixties when we had our public housing programme, the Government took the opportunity to mix the population. As a result of that, not only do we have multi-racial HDB estates but we have multi-racial constituencies as well. So each constituency in a way is like a mini-Singapore, and it is for this reason that our MPs understand the concerns and problems faced by the different races. And it is also for this reason that our own residents of different races understand the problems of other races. I think this is something that we must continue to maintain. Having a multi-racial housing estate has allowed us to build this very tolerant and harmonious society where for over-40 years, we have had no problems with racial riots, none of the problems that we see in many other multi-racial societies. What we did in the sixties was for new flats. Then we realised that with the flats becoming available for resale, people were starting to regroup again. And, hence, when the trend was very clear in the early eighties, in 1989 the EIP was put in place. So for us in Singapore, this is a lesson that we have to learn. We have to be proactive in our policies. We have to make sure that people live together as neighbours so that they learn, their children learn that different races have different customs, different taboos, that we eat different foods, listen to different music, we worship different Gods, and yet, at the same time, despite these differences, we have the opportunity to mix together - to go to the same hawker centre, to go to the same market, to go to the same school, to take the same lift, same bus/MRT to work, and so on. I think this is a very important aspect of Singapore life that we need to preserve.”
“I notice that Mr Low Thia Khiang is not in the House. I think it would have been a question better answered by him. When the Workers' Party proposed in their manifesto that we dismantled the Ethnic Integration Policy among other policies, I was not sure whether they thought that it is no longer necessary for us to have this Ethnic Integration Policy because Singaporeans have matured or whether they do not, in the first place, believe that it is necessary for us to have this policy, ie, that it is all right to have racial enclaves, that there is nothing wrong with it. Sir, I think it is very important for us to remind ourselves in this House that racial harmony is not a given for Singapore. It is not a given for any multi-racial society. Certainly, for Singapore, we have had experience with racial riots in the sixties. And if you trace the history of public housing in Singapore, you will understand the role that public housing has played in helping to create a much more integrated and tolerant Singapore. What do I mean? In the fifties and sixties, if you recall, Singaporeans were living in segregated communities, according to race, and even according to dialect groups. So, you had Malays in Geylang Serai and Jalan Eunos; Indians in Serangoon Road and Naval Base; and the Chinese were not just concentrating in one area - they were concentrated according to dialect groups. So you had Cantonese in Kreta Ayer; Teochews in Boat Quay and Hougang (as some of them are still today); Hokkiens were in Telok Ayer; Hainanese were in Beach Road and also Middle Road areas. So, each of these communities was either monolingual or mono-dialect and their approach to things was also along those lines.”
“It is not possible for the HDB to specifically target just the EIP sellers for assistance. We do exercise flexibility across-the-board, for everybody. Recognising that in a slow market, there would be more difficulties in selling their flats and, on a case-by-case basis, we have allowed them to extend the time taken to sell their flat and we have given them financial assistance so that they do not have to sell their flat in the first place. Most of the time these measures have been able to relieve the pressure on the sellers. The next question was whether we should have the quota as a band instead of a specific number. When we set the numbers in 1989, we specifically set each of the limits for both the neighbourhood as well as the block much higher than the corresponding proportion of the ethnic groups in the general population. For example, the Chinese proportion in the population was 77%, the neighbourhood limit was set at 84% and the block limit at 87%. For the Malays, the proportion was 14%, the neighbourhood limit was 22% and the block limit was 25%. There is a margin to allow us to be more flexible in terms of facilitating the buying and selling of flats. I am not sure that a band will help because, at the end of the day, when you reach the limits of the band, what do you do? What we will do is to go back to what she asked in the first place, ie, review the quota from time to time, exercise flexibility as and when we can, but bearing in mind the overriding objective of the scheme, which is to make sure that our housing estates remain mixed and that we do not allow the races to start to congregate again. Bearing that very important objective in mind, we will conduct our policy reviews. The last question she asked is about the Workers' Party's manifesto.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, as far as the review of the EIP is concerned, like all HDB housing policies, we do conduct regular policy reviews from time to time. In the case of ethnic limits for the EIP, these limits were derived in 1989 based, firstly, on the proportion of the different races in the general population, and, secondly, on the projected demand for HDB resale flats from each of these races. Over time, as the situation changes, we will review these limits, keeping in mind the objective of the scheme. I must say, Sir, that we have been reviewing the limits regularly and, so far, we have not seen it necessary to change them. However, having said that, we will continue to keep an eye on the numbers and we will, as in other policy matters, conduct a review of the EIP as well. In the case of flexibility in times of a slow economy, I have to point out, as I explained in my answer, that the number of people who are affected by the EIP is not very large. In fact, in terms of percentages, the total number of EIP appeals that we receive every year is less than 1%. We have about 300 appeals and total annual resale transactions for HDB is about 30,000 to 35,000. We find that in most cases the people who are affected by the EIP, after a while, would not have a problem selling their flat. It is a function, first of all, of the asking price of the flat. It is a function of the economy. In a weak market, most flat sellers would find greater difficulty in selling their flat, not just those affected by the EIP. It is also a function of the size of the flat, the location and condition of the flat, and so on. There are many factors that determine whether a flat is easy to sell or not. In a slow market, everybody is affected.”
“Racial riots in other countries have shown how easily inter-ethnic tensions can be stirred if racial enclaves are allowed to develop and fester. Abolishing the EIP would be a dangerous step in this direction. It will lead to our housing estates, schools, neighbourhood shops, markets, social and recreational amenities, and ultimately our politics being developed along ethnic lines. The EIP is an important pillar of social stability in Singapore, which we should preserve.”
“To achieve its objective, the EIP is implemented strictly by the HDB. Waiver is considered only for cases where there are very exceptional circumstances. Over the last five years, HDB has granted EIP waiver to an average of less than 20 appeals a year. However, HDB does exercise flexibility under certain circumstances, for example, by allowing households of mixed marriages/parentage to be reclassified to meet the ethnic criteria. HDB's data shows that most flat-owners who wish to sell their flats are able to do so without any difficulties, despite the EIP. With the large number of resale flats transacted annually, sellers who are realistic in their asking price should be able to find buyers from the eligible ethnic groups. For those who have bought another flat and need more time to sell their existing flats, HDB can assist them by granting a time extension. Between 2002 and 2005, HDB granted approval to 50 cases that requested for more time to sell their flats due to EIP restrictions. HDB also has various financial assistance measures to help lessees who are facing financial hardship and have problems meeting the HDB mortgage loan repayments, so that they are not compelled to sell their flats as a first option. In addition, HDB will continue to actively develop and promote the various HDB towns to make them attractive for all races, for example, by planning adequate places of worship, eating houses, schools and other facilities that are important to the different ethnic groups. The Government recognises that there are households which are inconvenienced and may need more time to find a suitable buyer for their flat because of the EIP. But this is a sacrifice that Singaporeans must be prepared to make to safeguard racial harmony in our society.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, before I respond to Dr Amy Khor's specific questions, allow me to explain the rationale for the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP). The Government introduced the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) in 1989 to ensure a balanced mix of the various ethnic groups within HDB estates. At that time, a discernible trend was observed of racial enclaves starting to form in our HDB estates, which would have serious implications for our multi-racial society. The vast majority of Singaporeans live in HDB estates. By providing HDB residents of different races with more opportunities to interact as neighbours, the EIP fosters ethnic tolerance and understanding, and strengthens our social cohesion and national unity. The EIP has been effective in maintaining ethnic balance in our HDB estates. Over the years, it has helped to lower ethnic concentrations in towns with a high concentration of a particular race. For example, the percentage of Chinese in Sengkang has been lowered from 90% in 1989 to 80% today, Malays in Bedok from 23% to 19%, and Indians in Woodlands from 12% to 9%. When the EIP was implemented in 1989, 35 HDB neighbourhoods, or 28% of the total number of neighbourhoods, had hit the EIP limits, ie, the maximum allowable proportion for each of the ethnic groups. Today, 41 or 25% of the 162 HDB neighbourhoods have hit the EIP limits. Without the EIP to place a cap on ethnic proportions, the ethnic concentrations in the affected neighbourhoods would have been higher. Let me now address the specific queries raised by Dr Amy Khor. Over the last five years, about 300 applications for sale and purchase of resale flats were rejected each year due to the EIP. This is less than 1% of the total number of resale transactions received by HDB each year.”
“The Anak Bukit proposal was drawn up under URA's Identity Plan in 2001 as one of the possible ideas to rejuvenate key nodes in various parts of Singapore in the longer term. URA subsequently reviewed the proposal and found that the proposal of covering the canal was not cost-effective. There are other options to inject vibrancy and life into the area, such as the setting up of outdoor refreshment areas/kiosks in front of the shopping centres, and the provision of a temporary car park in the area. URA is ready to work with the Merchants Association of the shopping centres in the area on these options. Column No : 2121 SMALL BUSINESSES IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES (Figures) 5. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Trade and Industry, since 2000, (a) how many small business entrepreneurs and proprietors have been forced to close down their businesses due to poor business; (b) of these, how many still have outstanding corporate or Government financed loans for their businesses; (c) how many of these past entrepreneurs and business owners are now in financial difficulty and have problems servicing their business liabilities; and (d) how many have been made bankrupts or face legal bankruptcy.”
“Residents and grassroots organisations can, and should, continue to play a part by forming neighbourhood watch groups in their own estates to enhance the security. In the estates where neighbourhood watch groups have been formed, they have proven effective in preventing vandalism in car parks and other public areas. HDB will continue to work closely with the Police and the local community to enhance the safety in HDB car parks. Column No : 2119 WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Column No : 2119 OUTSOURCING OF TRAFFIC FINES (Figures and trends) 1. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the total number of traffic fines issued to motorists for road obstruction and the monetary value arising therefrom, for this year to-date, compared to the same period before the outsourcing of such traffic fines to plainclothes traffic wardens; and (b) what trends can be drawn from such findings, ie before and after the outsourcing of such traffic fines.”
“In 2004, there were 1,026 seizable offences which occurred in all multi-storey car parks, including HDB basement carparks. While the Police closely monitor the incidence of offences in car parks across Singapore, it does not track separately the occurrences of offences by whether the car parks have basement or not. Therefore, the number specifically for HDB basement car parks is not available. The majority of offences (around 80%) committed in multi-storey car parks involve motor vehicle theft, theft of motor vehicle parts and theft from motor vehicles. Security is a key consideration in the design of HDB basement car parks. Where possible, HDB will design car parks with void openings to minimise blind corners and enable surveillance from the public areas. The lifts in these car parks are also fitted with vision panels to provide greater visibility at the lift lobbies and car park areas. These design features, coupled with well-lit car park decks and staircases, have helped to enhance the general safety of HDB basement carparks. HDB works closely with the Police to educate the public on what they can do to protect their own vehicles and belongings. For example, by printing the crime prevention message 'Lock Look Leave' on parking coupons and displaying the message on wall murals in HDB car parks, they hope to remind motorists to ensure that their valuables are not left behind and that their vehicles are properly locked before they leave the car park. HDB also provides the Police with regular feedback on car parks which are more prone to crime and vandalism so that the Police can increase their patrols in these areas.”
“As a general principle, HDB/URA do not allow heavy vehicles to be parked at housing estates as they pose traffic hazard and noise and smoke nuisance to residents. These vehicles have to be parked at designated heavy vehicle parks located at the fringe of the housing estates or near to industrial areas. It is for this reason that HDB/URA had turned down past requests for a heavy vehicle park to be built in the Sengkang and Punggol areas. Nevertheless, to meet the short-term needs of residents in these towns, URA has identified a vacant site off Anchorvale Street at the periphery of Sengkang Town for the provision of a temporary heavy vehicle park. The temporary heavy vehicle park will have 250 lots and is scheduled for completion in July 2006. It will be removed when the site is needed for future development, which is likely to be in five years' time. Column No : 2113 WORKERS TRAVELLING IN LORRIES AND PICK-UP TRUCKS (Numbers of injuries and fatalities) 28. Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide the numbers of injuries and fatalities to workers travelling in the cargo area of lorries and pickup trucks to or from the workplace in each of the years from 2000 to 2003.”
“MND and HDB have been exploring reverse mortgages as a possible way to provide elderly HDB lessees with an additional source of income for their retirement needs. For reverse mortgage to work, the scheme must be commercially viable, and offer sufficiently attractive terms for elderly HDB lessees. We have met up with the industry associations and several industry players to discuss this matter. We hope they can offer a scheme that will meet the needs of elderly lessees. Elderly lessees can also make use of other existing schemes to derive income from their HDB flat. For example, they can sublet their entire flat or a room in their flat, if they satisfy certain conditions such as length of occupation of their flat. Flat lessees can also sell their existing flat and move to a smaller flat or Studio Apartment. They can use the income or sales proceeds they obtain to purchase an annuity. Column No : 2111 SENGKANG AND PUNGGOL (Parking lots for heavy vehicles) 27. Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for National Development (a) if he will give a status update on the frequent requests for heavy vehicle parking lots in the Sengkang and Punggol areas; and (b) whether there is a plan to build these lots and, if so, what are the specific details of the location and timeline.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, low-income Singaporean families who cannot afford to buy HDB flats can rent subsidised 1- and 2-room flats from HDB. The qualifying monthly income ceiling for the HDB Public Rental Scheme was raised from $800 to $1,500 with effect from 1st October 2003. Current rentals are very affordable and are pegged according to the income of the household. For households with monthly income of up to $800, the average rent is about $30 for a 1-room flat and $60 for a 2-room flat. For those with monthly incomes between $801 and $1,500, the rentals are $110 for a 1-room flat and $140 for a 2-room flat. The current income ceiling of $1,500 corresponds roughly to the 23rd household income percentile. In other words, about one in four households can qualify for subsidised HDB rental housing. As for higher-income households, they have other housing options. Nevertheless, requests for subsidised rental housing from households with monthly income exceeding $1,500 but are in financial hardship can still be considered on a case-by-case basis. We will also continue to closely monitor the housing needs of Singaporeans and we will review our policies accordingly if necessary. Column No : 1988 CHANGI AIRPORT (Provision of aviation fuel) 15. Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang asked the Minister for Transport what are the commercial arrangements for the provision of aviation fuel at Changi Airport, and in particular (i) who are the concessionaires (ii) how are the concessions awarded; (iii) the duration of the concessions; and (iv) the pricing and conditions of service.”
“They can either buy a smaller flat, they can rent a flat from the market or they can rent a flat from people who are eligible to sub-let their flat. There may be others who are able to take a bank loan but prefer not to, and we have such cases. Such appeals are not acceded to. Last but not least, there are other avenues such as staying with friends or relatives. We have often emphasised that where there are alternatives, like staying with your friends or relatives, or your family, look at those alternatives first before you come to HDB. So each case is processed very thoroughly. It is not a frivolous decision. Each case is looked at very closely, submitted to a committee to look at again before it is finally approved. But the record shows that and this is what I would like to inform the House, where there is severe financial difficulty, HDB has been very, very flexible. Column No : 1987 RENTAL FLATS (Provision of more options) 14. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider providing rental flats which are not as highly subsidised as the present HDB rental flats but yet are lower in rental compared to the private rental flats, so as to provide more options to lower income Singaporeans who find it difficult to purchase their own homes.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the policy is clear that those who are no longer eligible for a concessionary loan would have to go to the bank for a loan. Who are these people? These people come from various categories. Some are from high income households, so they would not be eligible for a HDB concessionary loan in the first place. Are these people in financial difficulty? The answer is no. So, they would go to a bank for a loan. Having gone to the bank for a loan, they run into difficulty. What do we do? Surely, we cannot be helping them. Then there are the Permanent Residents. They also are not eligible for concessionary loans. They go to the bank for a loan; they have difficulties. They come to HDB for help. Should we help them? Again, the answer is no. Then there are those who have already received two loans, and they are now going for a third loan. And here we do help such cases. As I explained in my answer to Mr Ahmad Khalis, even those who come to us for a third loan and a subsequent loan (a fourth loan), we look at each case carefully, and where such cases are deserving, we help them. It is not possible for us to have all these rules fully transparent. In fact, HDB takes a lot of trouble and effort to go through each case - then put up its views to a Committee, who looks at the merits of the case and then makes a decision. There are no hard-and-fast rules but where there is genuine difficulty, then certainly these cases will be looked at very flexibly. There are many cases of appeals who come to us and many a time, we find that they are not really having serious financial difficulties. They may have sold the flat and received a large sum of money from their flat. For such people, there are alternatives.”
“Given this additional responsibility, I think it is important for people to exercise it responsibly. Once they have made their decision, it is difficult for us to go in and help them if things go wrong. So, the message must always be to exercise this responsibility carefully. Finally, on whether we will review the policy of downgraders, most of the people whose loans have been rejected - those who came to appeal - have been those whom we have found to be not really in serious difficulty. The 19% of successful cases that I mentioned earlier are those who have been identified to have some genuine difficulties, and HDB has been very flexible with them. For the other cases, including those who have sold their flats or had their flats repossessed, some have been able to look for alternative arrangements. Others, we will help on a case-by-case basis. I do not think it is necessary for us to make a change in the policy.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, on the question of helping those who have difficulties servicing their bank loans. I stress that these are financial transactions between two private parties. In other words, when buyers go to the banks to take a loan, they have to face the consequences if they subsequently default on their loan repayments. So, I always emphasise and stress this repeatedly that when they go to the bank to take a loan, they must be aware of the commitment that they are undertaking and they should exercise extreme prudence and not go into something that they are unable to afford later on. Having said that, as usual, if there are people who come to us, who appeal to the HDB, and they are in severe financial difficulties, we will look at their cases and where they are justified, we will try to help them on a case-by-case basis, either with a subsidised rental flat or through some other means. As for hard-sell tactics by the banks, I think this is really something that buyers have to be aware of. We are not able to prevent somebody from making decisions which are not wise ones. What we can do is to educate and to caution. But having done so, it is finally really up to the individuals to make that decision. Sir, the whole idea of allowing the banks to give bank loans is to give more choices to people. In this respect, those who have gone to the banks for loans, the overwhelming majority do not have any difficulty servicing their loans. As a result of this move, they have been able to enjoy different loan packages from the banks and they have also been able to enjoy the relaxation of some of the rules which allow them to sublet or resell their flats, eg, a reduction of their minimum occupation period.”
“As for the other appellants, the main reasons they were unable to obtain a bank loan were: (i) They did not have a regular income or their income did not meet the banks' requirement; (ii) They were unable to substantiate their income; (iii) They had poor credit records; or (iv) They had legal suits filed against them. Following HDB's assessment of their cases, 280 appeals (or 16%) were successful. Those whose appeals for a third or subsequent HDB concessionary loan were rejected can consider other forms of accommodation such as renting a room or a flat, or staying with their relatives. Households in severe financial hardship may also apply to HDB for subsidised rental housing. Finally, Mdm Halimah asked whether there is cause for concern that many will not be able to service their bank loans. There are some who have not been able to do so. But these numbers are not significant at the moment. However, we are monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, I emphasise again that a HDB flat is a long-term financial commitment. All flat-buyers need to exercise financial prudence in their flat purchase. They should consider buying a flat only if it is within their means, after taking into account possible changes in their household income and the mortgage loan interest rate.”
“Thank you. First, let me explain that the majority of HDB flat-buyers can get concessionary loans. This includes all eligible first-time buyers, and those who are upgrading. The few groups who need to obtain a bank loan include households with monthly incomes exceeding $8,000, private property owners, Singapore Permanent Residents, those who have already enjoyed two HDB concessionary loans, and those who have enjoyed one concessionary loan and are buying a similar-sized or smaller HDB flat. Let me now provide some numbers in response to the Members' questions. Mdm Halimah asked what is the trend for bank loan cases. In 2005, the number of HDB flat buyers who purchased their HDB flats using bank loans was about 18,000. This number was comparable to the 17,000 bank loan cases in 2003, but lower than the 23,000 cases in 2004. So, it went up from 2003 to 2004, and it came down in 2005. In terms of profile, nearly all the bank loan cases were for the purchase of resale flats. 22% were Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) households, 27% had already previously enjoyed two concessionary loans, while 19% were downgraders who did not qualify for another concessionary loan. 24% were eligible for a HDB concessionary loan but chose to take a bank loan instead. The number of flat owners who refinanced their HDB concessionary loans with bank loans has been generally small. Around 700 households have done so since bank origination started. Next, in response to Mr Ahmad Khalis, in the 24 months from January 2004 to December 2005, HDB received about 1,700 appeals for a third or subsequent concessionary loan. Of these, two-thirds were buying smaller flat types. Among the appellants, 190 were undischarged bankrupts and ex-bankrupts.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos. 12 and 13 together, as they are related?”
“The budget of $160 million for the Aljunied GRC Town Improvement Master Plan comprises both funds from the Aljunied Town Council which it will use to carry out improvement works in the GRC over the next five years, as well as part of the budget the Government has set aside to implement the Estate Renewal Programme, including lift upgrading. Under the Estate Renewal Programme, eligibility for upgrading is based on the age of the blocks. In Aljunied GRC, there are nearly 200 high- and low-rise blocks that are eligible for the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) and the Town Council-Lift Upgrading Programme (TC-LUP). The criteria adopted by the Government to determine the prioritisation of eligible blocks for the LUP include the age of the blocks, achieving a good geographical distribution of the selected precincts, community bonding, the degree of support from the residents for HDB upgrading and whether or not the blocks are affected by future redevelopment plans. Column No : 1937 PRIVATISATION OF MEDISHIELD PLUS (Surplus funds) 6. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Health what is the Ministry's plans for the MediShield surplus contributed by members of the MediShield Plus scheme in light of its recent privatisation. 7. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Health whether those who were members of the MediShield Plus scheme before its privatisation will enjoy some benefits derived from the surplus of the scheme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir,to monitor and ensure migratory birds that land in Singapore are free from the avian influenza, AVA has put in place an active surveillance programme since August 2003. So far, samples taken from the migratory birds at Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve and Pulau Ubin have all tested negative for avian influenza. Measures have also been taken to prevent migratory birds from infecting local poultry or ornamental birds. AVA requires our local poultry farms to be bird-proofed to prevent contacts between migratory birds and poultry. AVA inspects the farms regularly to make sure that the bio-security measures are strictly maintained. AVA also requires mainland residents to cage their pet poultry. Since June 2005, it has banned poultry rearing on Pulau Ubin. Birds at the Jurong Birdpark and Singapore Zoo have been vaccinated against the avian influenza. The vaccination programme has also been extended to free-ranging birds in the Botanic Gardens and Sentosa. AVA also carries out tests on dead birds submitted by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the public. So far, the dead birds were mostly local birds, such as crows, mynahs, pigeons, and swallows, commonly found in our urban setting. Their samples have tested negative. Sir, I wish to reassure the Member that Singapore is free from avian influenza, and AVA will continue to be vigilant and guard against the spreadof the disease into Singapore. Column No : 1782 AVIAN FLU (Review of wildlife trade laws) 3. Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for National Development, in view of the risk of zoonotic diseases like avain flu increasing by contact between humans and wild animals, whether he will provide an update on the review of present laws relating to the wildlife trade.”
“The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has introduced various regulations and schemes to promote the design and construction of environmentally friendly buildings. Since 1979, energy conservation standards have been incorporated as part of the building design requirements. All new buildings must comply with the specified minimum standards of energy efficiency. These standards have been reviewed and raised periodically to keep pace with technological developments. In January this year, BCA launched a Green Mark for Buildings Scheme to encourage developers and building owners to build and maintain environmentally friendly buildings. This scheme is applicable to both new and existing buildings. The assessment criteria for the award of the Green Mark include energy efficiency, water conservation and the use of environment-friendly materials. Both builders and building owners have much to gain from the Green Mark awards. The benefit of achieving a Green Mark status goes beyond savings on the costs of operating these buildings. The Green Mark helps to raise the profile, and hence, value of the properties. Although this is a voluntary scheme, the response so far has been encouraging. Seventeen buildings have already been awarded the Green Mark, and about 20 more buildings are applying to be assessed. Since July last year, BCA has also required contractors in the top two grades of its Registry of Contractors to be certified to the ISO 14000 international standards for environmental management system. These companies have to put in place systems to promote recycling and minimise construction waste and pollution at their worksites. Moving forward, BCA will consider extending the scheme to medium-sized contractors.”
“Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for National Development if his Ministry intends to introduce measures such as tax incentives to encourage the construction of environmentally friendly buildings in terms of the use of recycled and recyclable building materials and fittings, being less wasteful in the use of materials than conventional buildings, use of non-toxic finishes, use of energy-efficient insulation and ventilation products, use of water saving toilets, as well as the minimisation of waste in the construction process.”
“The Town Council-Lift Upgrading Programme (TC-LUP) is a new programme which will help to speed up the pace of lift upgrading in HDB estates. It gives Town Councils greater flexibility in selecting blocks in their towns for lift upgrading, over and above the HDB's Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP). As such, it is not appropriate for HDB to co-pay for the TC-LUP. The TC-LUP will be restricted to blocks where the cost per flat does not exceed $5,000. The share of contributions for benefiting lessees under the TC-LUP will be similar to HDB's LUP, i.e. between 5% for a 3-room flat and 12.5% for an Executive flat. At the cost cap of $5,000 per flat, the flat owners share is between $250 for a 3-room flat and $625 for an Executive flat, which is below the contribution cap of $3,000 for lessees under HDB's LUP. As with HDB's LUP, it is important for Town Councils to have a clear mandate from residents who will benefit from the TC-LUP before proceeding. Under the Housing and Development Act, the requirement is to have at least 75% of eligible voters agree to the lift upgrading works before they can be carried out. This has similarly been provided for under the Town Councils Act. There is no reason to increase this figure to 80%. CONSTRUCTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS 2. Assoc. Prof.”
“Other items, like plastics and old newspapers, which are sold for recycling, are included in our recycling figures. ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS (Centralised system to track bed vacancies and waiting times) 24. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Health if his Ministry will consider setting up a centralised system to track bed vacancies and waiting times in the different public hospitals so as to provide information to ambulances, patients, prospective patients and members of the public, on the state of bed vacancies and waiting times at their Accident and Emergency departments.”
“To complement the local monitoring networks MSD has established links with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), to gain warnings and advisories from both centres, and additional information for analysis and verification. "KARUNG GUNI" TRADE (Regulations) 23. Mr Zainudin Nordin asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) whether the "karung guni" trade is regulated by law; (b) which agency is responsible for the enforcement against errant "karung guni" traders; and (c) if the data on volume and quantity of products and items recycled by these traders are captured by the National Environment Agency. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Karung guni traders collect old newspapers, clothing and used appliances such as refrigerators, TVs and washing machines, etc, from households and pay them a fee for these items. Most of these items are then either sold as second-hand goods or sold to local factories for processing or to exporters who send them to overseas recycling plants. Many karung guni traders typically operate alone as self-employed and may not be registered as businesses. As their operations do not pose any public health concerns, the National Environment Agency (NEA) does not regulate or license karung guni traders. However, if the karung guni traders commit an offence in the course of their activities, the relevant authorities will take action against them, eg, the Police will take action for criminal offences. NEA does not collect statistics on the volume or quantity of items specifically collected by the karung guni traders. Items collected by the karung guni traders which are re-sold as second-hand goods are taken out of the waste stream and not included in our waste statistics.”
“Our drainage system is designed with a capacity to cope with heavy storm floods that occur once in five years. We also have a deliberate policy to raise low-lying grounds in conjunction with redevelopment proposals and this helps to reduce the severity of floods caused by extreme storms. The ground levels of our reclaimed sites are at least 1.25 metres above the highest tide and levees or other protective structures are therefore not required. The current building codes of BCA require all buildings, including hotels and residential properties, to be constructed to withstand certain amounts of forces that could be brought to bear laterally on the buildings, eg, forces due to wind loads or lateral forces equivalent to 1.5% of the weight of the building, whichever is greater. This provides some degree of robustness, which may increase if there are also structural elements such as lift cores and Civil Defence shelters. Currently, the Meteorological Services Division (MSD) under the National Environment Agency operates a 24/7 weather surveillance to provide advisories, up to two to three days in advance and warnings closer to the event, to PUB and SCDF on the likelihood of prolonged heavy monsoon rain affecting Singapore. Following the tsunami disaster last December, MSD is also working together with regional countries to develop some early warning capability for tsunami. MSD plans to enhance the local monitoring systems to provide operational real-time seismic data for more timely detection of earthquakes. MSD will also work with MPA to add to the local tidal gauge network to provide real-time data on the tidal/water levels.”