Masagos Zulkifli B M M
Singapore
“Coordination between Early Intervention (EI) centres, families and preschools is important for the continuity of support for children with developmental needs.”
“The Taxi Subsidy Scheme supports persons with disabilities (PwDs) who are unable to take public transport, by providing means-tested subsidies to offset the cost of taxi travel to school, work and employment-related training supported by SG Enable.”
“The Skills and Salary Guidelines published by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) guides social service agencies (SSAs) to pay their employees fair and competitive remuneration and maintain the sector's attractiveness. The Guidelines are adjusted so that salaries remain competitive with comparable roles in competing markets.”
“Staff turnover rates vary across social service agencies (SSAs). An individual's decision to leave an organisation is influenced by a myriad of factors, of which pay is only one.”
“Beyond the requirement of a structured daily programme, community-based SCFA administrators have the flexibility to offer programmes and additional enrichment activities that meet the needs of their students. MSF does not track staff salaries and turnover of SCCs in general nor those that administer SCFA.”
“Male preschool educators comprised about 1% of the early childhood workforce in each of the last five years. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has not issued guidelines pertaining to the rules set by preschool centres specific to the conduct of male preschool educators.”
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“The grounds under which the Minister can impose Special Administration Orders are: first, the designated party is or is likely to be unable to pay its debts; second, the occurrence of a public emergency; third, the Minister considers it in the interest of the security and reliability of the supply of water in Singapore; and fourth, the Minister considers it in the public interest. These are similar to those found in a Special Administration Order regime of other essential services. I would like to assure the House that the power to issue a Special Administration Order would not be exercised lightly. Such Orders are meant to ensure Singapore's water security and would be used only under exceptional circumstances. PUB will continue to rely on existing contractual remedies under the Water Purchase Agreements as far as possible. Mr Speaker, Sir, as I have said in my opening speech, PUB's role continues to evolve. This Bill is an important step forward as PUB builds up its coastal and flood protection role, strengthens its oversight over water concession companies, implements smart water meters and enhances the security of our water tanks. Sir, with that, I beg to move. 4.05 pm”
“The majority of these partnerships have been successful. Given this, why the decision to introduce legislative levers over DBOO plants now? Allow me to explain. As part of our regular review of the safeguards over DBOO plants, we observe that, unlike other critical infrastructure, the Government did not have legislative safeguards for critical water infrastructure under the Public Utilities Act. We concluded that it would be prudent to put in place similar safeguards, especially as more DBOO plants are being completed. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah also asked if the legislative levers over DBOO plants are triggered by the Hyflux situation. The review to enhance our oversight over DBOO plants started way before the Hyflux situation emerged. That said, the Hyflux situation was a reminder that we need to exercise proper oversight over our DBOO plants which are a key part of our water supply infrastructure and have effective levers to intervene when necessary in order to ensure Singapore's water security. As mentioned in my opening speech, PUB has in place robust contractual safeguards which allowed us to successfully execute the contractual remedies for the Tuaspring Desalination Plant. With the additional legislative safeguards introduced under this Bill, we will further strengthen our oversight over critical water infrastructure and enhance our levers, in case it is necessary to intervene. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Gan Thiam Poh also asked for elaboration on when and how Special Administration Orders will be invoked versus the existing contractual safeguards. PUB's interest is in safeguarding Singapore's water security.”
“For example, PUB employs the design and build model where it partners the private sector to design and build the plants while PUB owns and operates the plants. As explained in my opening speech. the DBOO model has been useful in allowing us to tap on private sector innovations and cost efficiencies to deliver water services more effectively. By combining design, build, own and operate functions in the same DBOO contract, it gives the private sector a strong incentive to ensure that the project design takes into consideration operational and other life-cycle costs. The DBOO model also strengthens the capacity of the private sector, just like Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has asked just now. When companies undertake DBOO projects, we hope they develop a track record that allows them to grow in our region and compete on the world stage. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about PUB's ability to maintain oversight over concession companies which are struggling. As I had explained in this House in April 2019, even though PUB does not interfere with business decisions made by the concession companies, PUB monitors the performance of the plants under the DBOO models to ensure that the concession companies can meet the contractual obligations to PUB. Concession companies are required to submit financial reports to PUB on a regular basis. Where there are issues, PUB will require the concession companies to rectify them, failing which, PUB may exercise its right to terminate the DBOO contracts and take control of the plants. These contractual oversight will continue and, with the new legislative mechanism, will have greater assurance and oversight over our DBOO plants. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah rightly pointed out that PUB has been partnering with the private sector under DBOO model for over 10 years.”
“Where feasible, we could even integrate nature-based solutions, such as the planting of mangroves to break wave energy. While structures such as tidal gates and barrages stop sea water from flowing inland, they would likewise prevent storm water from flowing out into the sea, especially when intense rainstorms coincide with high tides. As such, we will need to install outlet pumps at some of our waterways to pump floodwaters into the sea. Finally, our vast network of inland drains must also be expanded and upgraded to cater to more intense and frequent rainfall. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah rightly pointed out the extent of infrastructure works required to protect our coastline. She asked if we will tap on local resources and companies in this journey. Coastal protection is a new area in Singapore and capabilities will need to be built up. We will indeed have to tap on the best engineering capabilities available. Where they are not available in Singapore, we will have to bring them in, even as we grow our own talent and capabilities. The Government and industry will have to work hand in hand. We are confident that over time, we will grow a strong and vibrant local industry, just like what we did with our water sector. We hope that our local firms will proactively build up their capabilities in coastal protection, hydraulic modelling, and flood risk forecasting just to name a few areas, and to tap on these opportunities when available. I will next address the questions on safeguards over PUB's DBOO plants. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the feasibility of the DBOO model and whether other operating models for water plants have been considered. Besides the DBOO models, PUB also employs other models.”
“We have to use a combination of funding tools – the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund, borrowing, budget from the Government-of-the-day, as well as past reserves for measures such as land reclamation. PUB is working with agencies to refine our modelling and develop more detailed plans on the type of protection measures required and the costs. This will allow the Government to better assess the funding required and financing options. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked what measures will be in place to ensure strict oversight and prudent utilisation of the Fund. First, it will be ring-fence through this legislative amendments to fund expenditures relating to coastal and drainage flood protection measures. Second, PUB will have oversight over the management and withdrawal of the Fund. PUB will publish the Fund utilisation annually in a separate section in its financial statements. Third like any other large scale and complex development projects the Government undertakes coastal protection and drainage measures will continue to be subject to MOF's evaluation and prevailing approval processes. Finally, the Government will also employ a competitive tendering processes to ensure that the cost of the coastal protection and drainage measures implemented are value for money. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for some examples of the uses of the Fund. Ensuring our flood resilience will require careful planning and seamless integration of protection measures in our infrastructure. First, to prevent sea waters from flowing inland, we will need to construct structures such as sea walls, revetments, dykes, tide gates or barrages to serve as coastal defences and physical barriers. We will study the feasibility of all these options for our coastline.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Members for the support and comments on the Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill. I just want to make one comment that Er Dr Lee Bee Wah mentioned about self-sufficiency. I think we have to be careful about this word. We are not self-sufficient, but we should say we are resilient. We are resilient against weather, we are resilient against possibly climate change just to put a point across. Thank you. Let me run through the queries and concerns raised topically. I will begin by addressing coastal and flood protection issues first. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for about the Government's plans to ensure that there are sufficient funds in the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. Climate change and rising sea levels will not only affect our current generation but future generations and beyond. Coastal protection requires hefty upfront investments. But once built, they benefit many generations of Singaporeans. This is a complex and significant, long-haul effort and we need to distribute the share of funding more equitably across current and future generations. The $5 billion injection from this term of Government represents our generation’s contribution towards safeguarding Singapore’s continued survival. Setting up the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund now provides us with a longer runway to build up the Fund, and allows the Government to save up across successive terms. The Government will top up the Fund whenever our fiscal situation allows. Given the significant outlay required, the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund will not be the only source of funding.”
“Can the Minister clarify under what circumstances these powers will be invoked? I would like to take this opportunity to remind members of the public that protection of water resources is not just the responsibility of the Government. Everyone has a duty to save water to ensure that we have enough water resources. 3.50 pm”
“The Bill also introduces powers for the Minister to issue Special Administration Orders under certain circumstances. This will allow the Government to take steps to ensure that Singapore’s water security is not compromised, such as by ensuring that the DBOO plants continue to operate regardless of circumstances. Nonetheless, the concession companies of these DBOO plants may be concerned about whether these powers will affect their rights and interests under their existing agreements with PUB. Can the Minister clarify when Special Administration Orders will be invoked, versus the existing contractual safeguards? Even as our Government and Public services work tirelessly to develop our self-sufficiency and grow our water supply, we must not rest on our laurels, and we certainly cannot be complacent. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everybody that water security is not the sole responsibility of the Government. Every one of us residing in Singapore, from commercial entities and organisations to individuals, must play our part to use water responsibly. Let us reduce, reuse and recycle water and do our part to mitigate the impact of climate change. Sir, in Chinese, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Government has a long-term vision and plan to build more barrages along our coastlines. May I ask if we could deploy more local companies to build these barrages? This will not only help our local companies, but also ensure that we have enough relevant knowledge that will be useful in time of crises. The Government also seeks to be empowered to issue Special Administration Orders to the water supply companies. This will further ensure our water security. However, it may also bring some uncertainties to relevant companies.”
“So, besides shoring up our coastal defences, we can also shore up our job creation for Singaporeans, and the local knowledge around such projects. Water security is also a critical issue. The low rainfall in Singapore and droughts affecting our neighbours such as Malaysia from whom we get our water supply give rise to grave concerns. There are different scenarios that can be played out: (a) reduce the supply of water to us; or (b) see the price of water going up. The PUB has been doing a good job over the years to improve our self-sufficiency on water. By this year, PUB will have three desalination plants, and three NEWater plants under the Design-Build-Own-Operate (DBOO) model. This means that a private organisation builds, owns and operates some of the facilities or structure of the plants, but there is some degree of support from the Government. Together, these plants make up a significant part of our water supply. It is important for us to strengthen oversight of these DBOO plants. I note that the amendments to the Bill will now allow PUB to be informed of, or to give approval to companies or persons gaining significant control of these critical water infrastructure. I support this as water is our critical national resource. We have to ensure that these DBOO plants are in good hands and operate reliably to meet our nation's water needs. However, given that PUB has been partnering with the private sector under the DBOO model for over 10 years, with majority of the partnerships being successful, some may wonder was the decision triggered by the situation with Hyflux? Definitely, this is a good move. Perhaps MCCY should also introduce this over our Sports Hub.”
“Ultimately, these proposed amendments will allow PUB to continue to fulfil its mission of safeguarding our water security, and ensuring a safe and reliable supply of water for all. Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] 3.42 pm Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, climate change and global warming have caused sea levels around the world to rise. Singapore, being a small island nation surrounded by water, is vulnerable to rising sea levels. So, we must seriously take action to protect our country and our future generations as climate change is not a distant problem. It is right on our shores. The establishment of the Coast and Flood Protection Fund is a concrete step in the right direction. It demonstrates the Government's commitment to make good judgement and give priority to Singapore’s long-term interests. I know it is tempting for some political leaders to kick the can down the road, leaving it to the next government to handle. But not this Government in Singapore. Even amidst other challenges for budget, we must not be distracted from this crucial challenge. Substantial funding is necessary to implement the coastal protection and drainage measures. During the National Day Rally last year, our Prime Minister mentioned that coastal defences may cost $100 billion or more over 100 years. What are the Government’s plans to ensure that there will be sufficient money in the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund? As I believe existing infrastructure will have to be enhanced, or even new infrastructure may have to be built as part of the protection measures, I hope we will tap on local resources and companies for these works?”
“For example, they need to take the necessary steps to prevent unauthorised access to the water tanks in their buildings, as these intrusions may disrupt or contaminate the water supply to consumers. Currently, a lapse in water tank security, such as failing to lock the water tank access door, is already an offence under the Public Utilities (Water Supply) Regulations. The offence carries a maximum penalty of $10,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both. PUB can offer to compound the offence by collecting a sum not exceeding $3,000. Clause 10 introduces a new section 45A to provide increased deterrence and enhance the security of water tanks by raising the maximum penalty amount for such offences to a fine of $50,000, or imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both. This is in line with the maximum penalty amount for causing contamination to the water supply by PUB, or interfering with or disrupting PUB’s water supply. In addition, the maximum composition sum for such offences will also be increased from $3,000 to $10,000. The increased penalties will serve to remind building owners and management teams to take water tank security seriously. The vast majority of the building owners and management teams are diligent in ensuring water tank security and need not be concerned by the change. Mr Speaker, in summary, PUB’s work continues to evolve. As PUB takes on a new role to defend our coasts, it also continues to diversify our water sources, digitalise its operations, and enhance water security. The proposed amendments to the Public Utilities Act that I have elaborated on in my speech are necessary to ensure that the Public Utilities Act remains effective and relevant.”
“Clauses 2, 5, 6, 7 and 11 will update the Public Utilities Act to extend existing powers of PUB in relation to water meter installation, maintenance and enforcement to cover smart water meters. These powers will support PUB’s Smart Water Meter Programme, the first phase of which involves the deployment of some 300,000 meters, starting from next year, in new and existing residential, commercial and industrial premises. This will allow PUB to leverage digital technologies to encourage behavioural change towards water conservation, optimise water demand management, and achieve greater operational efficiencies. The updated provisions would empower PUB to: first, install smart water meters, including ancillary equipment; second, enter premises at reasonable hours or at such other time as may be agreed with the owner or occupier of the premise to carry out inspection or works on smart water meters; third, direct the owner to remove any object that hinders or obstructs access to a smart water meter; and fourth, take action against any person who interferes, interrupts or obstructs with the operation of a smart water meter supplied by PUB. In addition, the amendments specify the circumstances under which a person would be presumed to have tampered with a smart water meter and thus committed an offence. The last group of amendments relate to water tank security. While PUB had made great efforts to protect its water infrastructure and ensure that potable water supplied to consumers is safe and fit for drinking, building owners and managing agents also have a part to play in ensuring our water remains safe for drinking.”
“Second, these designated parties cannot be dissolved, terminated or wound up voluntarily without PUB’s consent. The dissolution, termination or winding up of these designated parties will adversely affect our water security. If there are court proceedings for the dissolution, termination or winding up of these designated parties, PUB will be a party to such proceedings, and the court must consider representations made by PUB in such proceedings.This ensures that the court does not make any decision without having considered water security considerations. In addition, the creditors of these designated parties cannot enforce security over the property of such parties, or enforce any court order against such parties, without giving prior notice to PUB. Third, the Minister will be empowered to issue Special Administration Orders (SAOs). An SAO is an order of the Minister directing the takeover of control of the affairs, business and property of a designated party by another person, so as to ensure the continued operations of the DBOO plant for the public interest. Mr Speaker, Sir, we are mindful that while such powers are similarly found in the other legislation I referenced earlier, concession companies may have some concerns over these powers. I would like to assure Members that these levers will not be exercised lightly and the Bill has limited their use to exceptional circumstances, such as when Singapore’s water security is under threat. As far as possible, PUB will continue to rely on existing contractual safeguards where appropriate, which have served PUB well thus far. But as I mentioned earlier, when it comes to water security, we take no chances. The third group of amendments relate to smart water meters.”
“While we have already strong contractual safeguards, given that water security is an existential issue to Singapore, we need to always look for ways to strengthen safeguards over our water infrastructure. We have reviewed the regulatory regimes of other critical infrastructure, such as electricity and telecommunications, and concluded that it would be prudent to adopt similar legislative safeguards that are already in place in these sectors. Taking reference from these other legislation, the Bill will strengthen PUB's oversight of the concession companies. These concession companies, as well as any underlying trusts or business trusts that may be set up to hold the plant assets, will be designated by PUB and be subject to additional oversight mechanisms under the Bill. Broadly, under clause 8, all designated parties will be subject to three types of oversight controls. First, a person who becomes a substantial controller or indirect controller of the designated parties that own and operate the DBOO plants will need to notify or seek approval from PUB. This is to ensure that control of DBOO plants rests with individuals or groups whose interests are aligned with the long-term interests of Singapore’s water security and the public interest. For example, we may need to ensure that there is sufficient diversity in the ownership and operation of DBOO plants in Singapore. This will reduce the risk to Singapore’s water security from having mega conglomerates monopolising our critical infrastructure but then unexpectedly collapsing. Given the strategic role that DBOO plants play in Singapore’s water security, PUB must maintain oversight of controllers who directly or indirectly control substantial equity interest and/or voting power in these designated parties.”
“The Prime Minister also said in his National Day Rally speech, that everything else must bend at the knees to safeguard the existence of our island nation. Planning and investing long-term for coastal defences and national flood protection will be critical to ensure that Singapore has adequate resources to meet this challenge. The second group of amendments will provide for legislative safeguards over our water infrastructure, especially water supply plants. As the House is aware, we have been diversifying our water sources by building up four national taps over the decades. The intent is to safeguard our water security. As we build up our desalination and NEWater capacity, PUB has partnered the private sector to design, build, own and operate our DBOO, some of our desalination and NEWater plants. This DBOO model allows PUB to tap on the expertise and resources of the private sector to deliver water solutions most cost-effectively. By the end of this year, PUB will have six out of 10 desalination and NEWater plants under the DBOO model. The remaining four plants are owned and operated by PUB. For the DBOO plants, PUB has put in place robust contractual safeguards to ensure water security. For example, concession companies that own and operate DBOO plants are obliged to seek PUB’s approval when there is a change in control. Under the contractual terms, PUB can terminate the contracts and buy over the plants, or in some cases, step in to operate the plants, should the need arise. We have successfully executed some of these contractual remedies in the past to ensure our water security. Water security is critical to Singapore’s national security.”
“PUB will work with agencies and other stakeholders to enhance our coastline defences and coordinate policies to facilitate decisions on land use, development and activities to safeguard Singapore against rising sea levels. To provide for the substantial capital outlay and implement coastal and flood protection in a fiscally sustainable manner, Deputy Prime Minister announced in his Budget speech that a Coastal and Flood Protection Fund will be set up within PUB, with an initial injection of $5 billion from the Government's FY2020 Budget. We will use this fund prudently to implement coastal protection measures, which could include sea walls, tidal gates and pumping stations. These are all being studied, and may need to be deployed together to prevent flooding. The Fund will also be used to help PUB expand Singapore’s drainage infrastructure to cope with more intense rainfall arising from climate change. The Coastal and Flood Protection Fund signals the Government’s resolve in tackling long-term existential challenges such as climate change. Prime Minister mentioned at the National Day Rally last year that climate change adaptation might cost $100 billion or more over the next 100 years. Given the significant outlay, we will need a combination of funding methods to finance our adaptation measures. The Coastal and Flood Protection Fund will be just one source of funding. We will study this closely and assess what other appropriate funding sources should be used. These sources may include budgets of Ministries, borrowing and tapping on Past Reserves where land reclamation is involved. Climate change defence is existential for Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Public Utilities Act was last amended in February 2018. Since then, the work of PUB has continued to evolve. First, as I had announced during my COS speech a few days ago, PUB will be given an expanded mandate to defend our coasts against rising sea levels. Second, as PUB continues to diversify Singapore’s water sources, the number of desalination and NEWater plants has increased. There will be 10 such plants by the end of the year, up from seven in February 2018. Third, PUB continues to leverage technology to improve service quality. As announced in January this year, PUB will roll out some 300,000 smart water meters in homes and commercial and industrial buildings by 2023. Lastly, to complement PUB's efforts in ensuring the security of our water supply, we will also need building owners and managers to do their part to keep our water supply system secure, by protecting their water tanks against unauthorised access. Against the backdrop of these developments, it is necessary to update the Public Utilities Act in four key areas to ensure that it remains effective and relevant. Let me go through each group of amendments in turn. The first group of amendments will expressly confer new coastal protection functions on PUB and legislate the new Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. PUB is currently the national authority for drainage and inland flood protection. Given the synergy in tackling inland flooding and coastal inundation risks together in a holistic manner, the Government has tasked PUB to be the national Coastal Protection Agency.”
“Mr Chairman, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Thank you, Mr Zainal, for the question on COVID-19, especially in relation to our community. Obviously, when we congregate, for example, in mosques or during festivities, infections can occur. At the mosques, for instance, we will shake hands with each other. Sometimes, we hug each other. In the past, our ladies used the praying veils provided by the mosques. Or our foreheads will touch the mosque’s carpeted floor during prayers. MUIS and the Mufti have given guidance so that we can momentarily change our normal practice. For instance, please bring our own prayer mats to use during prayers because COVID-19 can be spread when someone coughs on the same carpeted floor that come into contact with our foreheads during prayers. We can also cut down on handshakes. If we want to shake hands, make sure that we have washed our hands first with soap, and after shaking hands, wash them again. But I think if we are often seen washing our hands every time we shake hands, we will perhaps be seen as being disrespectful. So, my suggestion is to greet each other this way (Minister places his hand on his chest) while we deal with this COVID-19 situation. But in time to come, as I said earlier, we must also further improve our level of hygiene, personally and for the individual, so that we take care of our health as well as our loved ones’ health. This is how we manage the COVID-19 issue for the long-term.”
“In line with this measure, a series of conversations called CiptaSama@M³, was formed to hear the views of the Malay/Muslim community on national issues that are of greatest concern to them and to co-create solutions that can be implemented so that we can prosper together as a nation. We have started the conversation with the leaders and volunteers of the M³@Towns and we look forward to engaging members of the community from all walks of lives in the coming months. In building a Community of Success, we must continue to uphold the three key values of the community – Character, Competence and Citizenry. As our asatizah shape the community’s character and identity, we must be committed in our investment to enhance our asatizah’s competencies. We will also invest in the future of our children and youth by providing educational support to develop a future generation that is competent and capable in contributing back to society. And we are determined to work together with the Malay/Muslim community, not just to build a Community of Success, but also to build a prosperous future together for Singapore. 11.00 am”
“Concurrently, we must grow the numbers of our youth who can graduate with a University degree. During my Hari Raya speech, I called this our "blue line" and MENDAKI must help as many as possible across it. The truth is, addressing dropouts and failure rates are already problems of yesterday. We need to prepare our young for a tomorrow that will be challenging and volatile. In today's economy, ITE, Polytechnic and University qualifications are merely hygiene factors. MENDAKI's efforts are only as good as it keeps pace with the changing educational, social and economic landscape. Thus, we have started a comprehensive review of MENDAKI's policies and programmes, to ensure that MENDAKI can be an effective partner to MOE and our educational institutes. Beyond that, there must be an equal emphasis on lifelong learning in our community, much like in the past, when we emphasised the importance of educating our children well. We cannot just be focused on tax-rebate vouchers to manage today's cost of living. Our community must also take advantage of other forms of support like the SkillsFuture Credit, to acquire new competencies and qualifications for better-paying jobs, especially when their current skills run the risk of being irrelevant in the near future. The same applies to Malay/Muslim SMEs and funding support for digitalisation and venturing overseas for them to grow. Minister of State Zaqy will speak on the shifts MENDAKI will be making and how we are encouraging lifelong learning. Mr Chairman, allow me to conclude in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our community can do more to contribute in various areas and sectors. Many initiatives have been rolled out by our volunteers at M³@Towns with the close cooperation of MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA.”
“As several of our Members of Parliaments pointed out, we must support our asatizah in this journey. We are therefore making an investment not only in asatizah training but also to transform the formal religious sector. To facilitate this transformation, MUIS has developed the Asatizah Workforce Development Plan (AWDP), on which Senior Minister of State Maliki will elaborate later. Mr Chairman, how effective our asatizah are in nurturing the character of our community therefore hinges on their competence. But for our community to succeed, we must also encourage every Muslim to aspire towards excellence and contribute to the community and Singapore. Inasmuch as the camaraderie amongst our healthcare workers and home-team members matters, it is also their competence that earned them the trust of Singaporeans in the fight against COVID-19. As a community, we have come a long way. In 1980, only 16% of Malay/Muslim students achieved five GCE "O" level passes. We marshalled community resources to form MENDAKI, which then worked with MOE as a partner to develop a support system for Malay/Muslim students. By the end of the decade, we doubled the proportion of Malay/Muslim students who achieved five GCE "O" Level Passes. Today, this proportion is four times that in 1980. Last year, our students outperformed their OECD peers in Mathematics and have made substantial improvements in reading. Today, nine in 10 of Malay/Muslim students in a P1 cohort make it to University, Polytechnic, ITE or other post-Secondary education institutes. As we move forward, we must try to make sure that all our students are able to acquire at least a Nitec – this is the "red-line" that MENDAKI must ensure no one falls below.”
“In my view, the more pertinent issue is to work with the community upstream in strengthening families and preventing divorces. Through M3 flagship programmes like Bersamamu and FITRAH, our asatizah volunteers have helped close to 3,000 soon-to-wed couples as well as 40 families where at least one parent is incarcerated. There are many ways an ustaz or ustazah can contribute. The Muslim community needs religious curriculum developers for our madrasahs, specialists to administer religious programmes in MUIS, ROMM and our mosques and jurists to support our Syariah Court and Fatwa Committee. These institutions need able asatizah. Importantly, we need asatizah who do not shy away from grappling with contemporary issues. As a Muslim Singaporean, I feel proud that our asatizah have risen to the occasion. For example, when NEWater was introduced, our asatizah sought to understand the water technology used and were quick to recognise that the end-product was clean and that means, also Halal. Such clear-minded, progressive thinking is even more important in exceptional times, like now. To minimise the risk of transmitting COVID-19, our asatizah gave guidance on bringing our own mats when we pray in the mosque and refraining from shaking hands for now. Singapore is probably the only place in the world where Muslim religious leaders give practical, medically-sound advice with such speed. If we can train and enable more asatizah to support our community in these ways, our community will be better for it. The job of an ustaz is not easy. To perform his job well, an ustaz must not only be well-versed in Islamic knowledge, but also be au fait with psychology, sociology, social work, comparative law, science and technology and more.”
“After extensive engagements, COFA found that the community would like to our asatizah to guide them on issues of the modern world and to see them connecting with other communities to build a cohesive society and contribute to Singapore. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Maliki, will elaborate further on what we intend to do with COFA's recommendations. I agree with Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin, who spoke about the importance of being able to address Muslims who live in our multicultural society. And as Mr Irshad said, there is diversity not just in our society, but also within our community. We can look into grooming more religious leaders who can engage in various languages. MUIS will also work with our asatizah to develop a body of knowledge and practice to guide Muslim life in multicultural societies. Singapore is not alone in this challenge. There are other minority Muslim communities around the world that share our belief that Muslims can thrive in plural societies. We want to learn from these communities, we want to learn from each other and this is why MUIS will organise an International Conference on Communities of Success later this year. We must also re-think the role of asatizah. Over the past two years, the work of M3 has shown us that asatizah are well-placed to provide spiritual guidance and support in various facets of Muslim life, beyond the mosque and the madrasah. They can provide pastoral care to the incarcerated, the sick and the aged. They can be spiritual guides to couples, whether they are trying to build a new family or overcoming trials and tribulations to preserve the home. Mr Faisal Manap asked how the Syariah Court has handled the divorce cases that has come before it.”
“They teamed up with the riders of Dadah Itu Haram, who delivered the food to frontline healthcare workers in Singapore General Hospital. Over the past week, MUIS raised money in the mosques to contribute to the Courage Fund. Mendaki, too, organised a walk to raise funds. MESRA Youths made and distributed 1,000 ribbon flowers to our frontliners to tell them – we remember you. Many Malay/Muslims have been at the frontline in the healthcare sector, home team and even the passenger transport sector. I am proud they are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow Singaporeans in this fight. During this crisis, we see that citizenry is genuinely demonstrated. Standing bravely at the frontline and stepping forward to help, exemplify character, the second "C" and one of the three qualities that our community wants to be known for. As Muslims, character is closely intertwined with our religion, culture and therefore our identity. There are many minority Muslim communities around the world that struggle with the practice of Islam in secular jurisdictions, multicultural societies and against contemporary challenges. In Singapore, we are fortunate to have a strong fraternity of asatizah, who are also fellow Singaporeans and their guidance has made all the difference for our community. Our asatizah bear significant responsibility in guiding the community on how to thrive in our multicultural society, live in harmony with others and navigate contemporary and future challenges. This is why we formed the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA) last year, to better understand what our community would like to see in our asatizah, and in turn, how we can better support the asatizah fraternity.”
“Mr Chairman, last year, during my Hari Raya speech, I said that our Malay/Muslim community is a Community of Success, or in Malay, Masyarakat Gemilang. While we are part of the Malay diaspora in the region, there are three things that make our community unique – character, competence and citizenry, or what I call the 3Cs. The first "C", character, is about the outlook of the community and the values that it cherishes. The second "C", competence, is self-explanatory. We cannot be successful if we are liabilities. The third and final "C" is citizenry, a sense of responsibility towards nation-building and society. We cannot be satisfied merely with being equal in rights, we must also be equal in substance as citizens. Singapore is our home and we have a duty to it. Mr Chairman, in the midst of our fight against COVID-19, I want to start by talking about citizenry. In a number of dialogues with the community, we received feedback that the community is happy with the support that the Government is extending to citizens in response to COVID-19. I am happier to see that the community is contributing where it can in the fight against the virus, not just happily receiving help. For example, Masjid Assyakirin teamed up with Bo Tien Temple, representatives of the Baha'i faith, the Calvary Bible-Presbyterian Church and Jurong Christian Church to prepare lunch boxes and notes of appreciation for healthcare workers in Jurong Polyclinic. In support of their initiative, Al Ayza Restaurant sponsored half the food and helped with delivery. Other Muslim-owned restaurants, such as Kinamaya, Rumah Makan Minang, Hajjah Maimunah Restaurant and Positano Risto, also stepped up.”
“Singapore enacted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) in 2014 to send a strong signal that we will not tolerate the irresponsible actions of errant companies, whether Singapore-based or otherwise, that harm our environment. In 2015, NEA issued legal notices under the THPA to six companies to take immediate measures to stop the fires that caused haze that affected Singapore. Two of the companies responded and explained that they were no longer associated with the affected lands. Upon further investigation, NEA accepted their explanation and closed these two cases. The cases against the other four companies are still open. If the directors of the relevant companies enter Singapore, they will be required to assist in our investigations. Action will also be taken against one of the directors who has an outstanding court warrant against him. The THPA is not a panacea or the only tool to fight transboundary haze. Although none of the investigated companies has been prosecuted yet, the THPA has nevertheless put added pressure on companies to behave responsibly. We have no plans to offer financial incentives to whistle blowers at this moment.”
“In addition to setting energy efficiency standards for common industrial systems and equipment, NEA analyses the energy performance of systems and equipment of more than 180 energy-intensive companies regulated under the Energy Conservation Act and shares the findings with individual companies, as benchmarked against others in their respective manufacturing sub-sectors. Climate action requires collective action from all stakeholders. We have been working with our 3P (People, Private and Public) partners to co-create and co-deliver solutions for our environmental challenges. My Ministry will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.”
“Singapore's Climate Action Plan outlines our climate mitigation strategies across key sectors – namely, the power, industry, transport, buildings, households, and waste and water sectors. Improving energy efficiency is a key strategy that not only contributes to emission reductions, but also enhances companies' long-term business competitiveness. The Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) launched by the National Environment Agency (NEA) in 2010, aims to support companies in their energy efficiency efforts. The EENP is a voluntary, industry-focused programme, in partnership with the NEA, the Economic Development Board and the Energy Market Authority. As of January 2020, 302 companies have joined the programme. As part of the EENP's learning network, NEA organises the biennial National Energy Efficiency Conference. Companies, organisations and individuals are also recognised for their achievements in energy management through the annual EENP Awards. These platforms allow companies to share best practices and promote the adoption of energy efficient technologies. The Government also works closely with industry-led work groups such as the Singapore Chemical Industry Council Industry Sustainability Committee, the Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers Advisory Committee and the Food Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Committee to support companies in energy efficiency improvement. The manufacturing sector in particular is heterogeneous, with varied manufacturing processes and bespoke equipment and systems.”
“Solar energy costs have gone down all over the world, not just in Singapore. I just came back from Saudi and they are deploying solar panel fields – these are so huge and I am so envious that they have so much land. So, not only do they have energy under the ground, they now have energy above the ground. They have so much energy that they are not using it at all most of the time. They just want to do it because there is the land that they have and they think this is the way to go to be green. For us, the only large amount of space that is not used would be the reservoirs. On the cost of solar panels alone, it is now low enough for us to benefit from the economic gains.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question, especially on how do we support our local farmers and local production. There are many ways. If you are all familiar with the four Ps of marketing, it is not just about pricing. Pricing is just one point at which we can push products faster. Sometimes, pricing, if it is too cheap, like salt becomes a useless product. It is not something people value. And therefore, we will be helping our local producers to learn how to market their product better. For example, Red Mart is now marketing the local produce, selling through the electronic means, through Internet. It is achieving some measure of success because they know how to market it properly. It is not just about shelf display and so forth. Apart from that, we also have achieved some form of scale. This is particularly important for our fish industry. The technologies we have put into our fish industry are quite costly. And if they only do it in Singapore, they will not be able to achieve the scale per unit. Therefore, we are happy that they have now expanded beyond Singapore shores. For example, Apollo has got concessions now in Brunei, Barramundi Asia too, as well as some other of our fish farms. And this will enable them to achieve and spread the cost of their early investments over a larger unit, a larger production. That too will help us to achieve the pricing points that would be attractive to Singaporeans. But beyond that, I think there is also a segment of our buyers who are looking for sustainable products. The number may not be big but over time, the young will demand that products that they buy are sustainable ones. Therefore, it is important for our local producers to learn how to produce these sustainably.”
“Everyone must do their part. This is not a magic bullet. The Project Wolbachia will not be a magic bullet. We still need to ensure the breeding in our homes is well controlled.”
“We are extremely careful in deploying this technology because we are introducing something that is, while natural – Wolbachia is naturally occurring in mosquitoes – we are doing it artificially. We are injecting huge numbers into the community. So, apart from the effectiveness of the technology, we are also mindful, as Mr Louis Ng had mentioned, of the disamenities that residents may suffer from suddenly having millions and millions of mosquitoes in their neighbourhood. So, there is some socialisation that has to take place. I am happy that where it has been tried out, in Yishun and Tampines, the outcomes have been good – 90% suppression. But the disamenities and the complaints have persisted. When I do my house visits, residents will still say they see a lot of mosquitoes now. Then, when I explain to them it is the Project Wolbachia. They say, "Yes, I know. What shall do?" I tell them, "Do whatever you need to do – spray, hit – do whatever you need to do to make sure you do not suffer from these dis-amenities". 4.00 pm Therefore, we need time. I think we need time to make sure that as we expand the areas where we deploy the Wolbachia, that the people are also used to this. But here is the good news. We hope that, as we suppress the mosquito population, we can then introduce fewer male mosquitoes over time. But that is still a hope; that is still something we need to try and we need to validate. Project Wolbachia will take some time but it is going to be a very important tool that we can use in times when climate change brings higher temperatures, which in turn, encourages mosquito breeding. We need to have an arsenal of weapons to deploy. In the meantime, we must still do what we must do, which is to suppress the breeding of these mosquitoes within our homes.”
“I am quite sure one of them is the UNFCCC framework itself because it has set a mood in the whole world, that countries, companies, had better moved, had better transformed, whether or not you are going to be transparent or otherwise, because that is where the world is going. And out of responsibility or even out of marketability of the products, that is how people will move. Whether they will move faster with disclosure or not, I am not so sure. I will say though that our SGX has already made the right moves to require companies to do sustainable reporting and they have to comply or they have to explain, if they do not make sustainability efforts.”
“The carbon tax is only one of many measures that we have put in to make sure that we nudge our industry, our transport, our buildings towards meeting our targets. But there is also a reason behind that, like I mentioned in the early part of my speech. It is to make sure that we too will do our part in the United Nations' framework for climate change. Our emission is barely 0.11% of the world's – about 50 mega tonnes. UK – five hundred mega tonnes, thereabout. China – 10 giga tonnes. So, even if we were to halve or eliminate our total GHG, we would not have moved the needle. It is all these other big emitters that must do their part to make sure that we can save our planet. But the framework is one where everybody must do their best within the constraints of what they can do. So, our solutions fit ourselves and we believe that with what we have put forth, including the time frame, we will be able to manage to achieve our GHG commitments including the new ones that Senior Minister Teo announced, to reduce it by half in 2050 and to being carbon neutral in the second half of the century. It is important that in the context of which we look at commitments, it is also to look at the constraints and the context of each country's make-up of how they produce these GHG in the first place. There was a second question on public disclosure. I do not know how we can draw clear causality between the rules around disclosure and the outcomes around reducing GHG. Surely, there are many other things that have nudged or transform these companies to achieve reduction in the GHG emissions.”
“However, only by living and practising sustainability together can we mitigate the impacts of climate change and secure the resources needed to take Singapore into the future. Let us all play our part and work together, as one people, to ensure that Singapore remains a liveable home for our future generations. Mr Chairman, I will now hand over to Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor to address other strategies that will make Singapore a clean, sustainable and liveable home. [Applause.]”
“To build our sustainable Singapore together with Singaporeans, Deputy Prime Minister announced at Budget the establishment of a Singapore Eco Fund. Mr Mohamed Irshad and Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked for details of this fund. We are happy to announce that the $50 million Singapore Eco Fund will be made available later this year to the people, private and public sector, to support the co-creation of a sustainable Singapore. We welcome project proposals which involve the community and can deliver measurable impacts on our sustainability goals. My Ministry will also set up an SG Eco Office to co-ordinate sustainability projects across Singapore. 3.15 pm Mr Chairman, let me conclude. When we started our journey as a nation, our founding fathers gave us a vision of being the cleanest and greenest city in Southeast Asia. Even for this, we were inspired to do it together. Mr Lee Kuan Yew said in 1968 at the launch of the inaugural "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign, "For only a people with high social and educational standards can maintain a clean and green city". And he went on to say, "Only a people proud of their community performance, feeling for the well-being of their fellow citizens, can keep up high personal and public standards of hygiene." We are now on our journey towards a sustainable and climate friendly Singapore. It is a journey that we can only make together. Prime Minister, at a tree-planting event in 2014, said, "But we also have to do more than just plant trees; we also have to make the whole of the environment sustainable, friendly to people, and also for Singaporeans to be friendly to the environment". It is for this reason that the Government will place sustainability at the core of everything we do.”
“Third, we will develop indicators for towns to track their progress and benchmark against national sustainability targets in carbon, energy, water and recycling. This will drive home the message that the effort of each and every Singaporean counts. I am happy that Tampines, Choa Chu Kang and Nee Soon Towns are coming on board to become Singapore's Eco Towns. Let me share some initial efforts. In Tampines, we are piloting new sustainability projects which can be replicated in other towns. The first project, "Sustainability @ Tampines Park", will be Singapore's first community-based circular eco-system for food production. Residents from 12 HDB blocks will be segregating food waste generated in their homes, to be fed to black soldier fly larvae. The larvae will produce fertiliser for a new vertical vegetable farm, and the larvae will be fed to tilapia cultivated in the Tampines Park pond. Not only will this project reduce food waste, it will simultaneously strengthen the community's food resilience. The second project in a different part of Tampines is the introduction of "Eco Boards". Eco Boards are low-energy digital boards that provide block-level information on water and energy use to residents. Together with Singapore Power and Temasek, we plan to build Eco Boards in several sites across Tampines Town. These Eco Boards will enhance the residents' awareness of their resource usage and illustrate the impact of green infrastructure such as solar panels. More details on the three Eco Towns will be announced over the coming months. I believe that the success of these Eco Towns will inspire other towns to begin their own journey of transformation towards sustainability.”
“Last year, my Ministry convened our first Citizens' Workgroup on recycling, where 48 participants joined us on a month-long journey of co-creation. We will be setting up two more Citizens' Workgroups this year, focusing on more issues that Singaporeans care about. One Workgroup will start the conversation on how we can increase demand for local produce. I invite interested members of the public to visit our website at foodstory.sg to find out more about the Workgroup and sign up for it. Another Workgroup on reducing the excessive use of disposables will also be set up. As we have done with the recycling workgroup, we will carefully consider and work with these workgroups to realise some of their recommendations. It is our aspiration for Singapore as a nation to practise sustainable development and put sustainability at the centre of the way we live, work and play. At Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke about the Ministry of National Development's (MND) Green Towns Programme, which injects sustainability into the infrastructure of HDB towns. Beyond the look and feel of housing estates, MEWR will introduce initiatives that will encourage Singaporeans to live and breathe sustainability. Let me elaborate. We have come far in the last 20 years since the development of Punggol as Singapore's first Eco Town. We have a vision to transform all HDB towns into Eco Towns. First, as we rejuvenate neighbourhoods, we will create more sustainable community touchpoints. We will build sustainable hawker centres that strive towards zero waste. Second, we will introduce community-based programmes that foster sustainability initiatives on the ground.”
“In addition, we will give all 1 to 3-room HDB households a $50 voucher to offset the cost of changing their shower fittings to more water-efficient 3-tick models. If all eligible households make the switch, we can collectively reduce emissions equivalent to taking around 12,600 cars off the road and save up to 400 million gallons of water annually. Next, let me focus on the ground-up efforts of our youths and citizens to address climate change. I commend our youths who are channelling their passions into positive change for the environment. During the Year of Climate Action in 2018, more than two climate-related activities per day were conducted, and youths played a big part in them. Recently, a group of 50 youths participated in the Environmental Track of the Youth Action Challenge organised by MCCY, submitting projects ranging from waste reduction to green technologies. We work together with these youths to deliver some of these ideas into reality. To empower our youths with knowledge and experience on sustainability, my Ministry is working with MOE and the National Youth Council (NYC). We want to introduce more sustainability programmes in schools and community facilities. Even Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) @ Coney will be designed to be a eco-experience for our youths to learn and enjoy. The Government will work with schools to introduce initiatives which will integrate green infrastructure, sustainability programmes and curriculum design to inculcate positive environmental values in our youths, like ones done in Mee Toh School. Another group of Singaporeans whose efforts I would like to recognise are those that are willing to share their experiences and ideas on sustainability.”
“There is also potential for companies and the community to engage in commercial urban farming that involves the community. Since the launch of the pilot rooftop farm, Citiponics in Ang Mo Kio, interest from the public – as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah mentioned just now – has increased towards urban farming in community spaces. We will provide more opportunities for urban rooftop farming. In the coming months, SFA will tender 16 rooftop spaces on HDB multi-storey car parks across the island, totalling over 30,000 sqm. As we grow our agri-sector, let us get involved in growing food in our own backyards. Now, let us talk about electrical appliances. Take refrigerators. They are amongst the top three highest energy-consuming household appliances today. However, many households continue to purchase 1 to 2 ticks refrigerators, partly due to the higher upfront costs of energy-efficient models, without considering the savings from electricity consumption over the long term. Similarly, showering takes up a significant proportion of water consumption, yet many households are choosing the less water-efficient fittings. To help households living in 1- to 3-room HDB flats invest in energy and water-efficient models, the Government will introduce a $24.8 million Climate-Friendly Household Package. These households will receive a once-off $150 voucher to purchase refrigerator models approved by NEA that have 3 ticks and above. Not only will this help fight climate change, households can benefit from electricity cost savings of up to $60 annually. We will also extend the "Switch and Save – use LED" programme launched in 2018 to all 3-room HDB flats.”
“This way, SFA can re-prioritise resources to focus on checks to ensure compliance with food safety requirements. Mr Louis Ng asked about the introduction of a Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. MEWR is currently working on a legislation to enhance our food safety regime. As part of this, we are looking to introduce a legislation to facilitate food donation. Any legislation will need to strike a balance between facilitating food donation and ensuring food safety. We will be happy to work with Mr Louis Ng. Mr Chairman, let me conclude my last section of my speech by touching on the role of all Singaporeans in taking climate action. As the Government, we are providing leadership in tackling climate change. We do this by enhancing our climate pledge under the Paris Agreement and working with the industry to guide their transformation to a low-carbon economy. While the Government can lead on sustainability, the people must champion its cause. For instance, Singaporeans can make conscious climate-friendly choices in our daily essentials, such as food. Locally-produced food is of high quality, incurs less carbon miles, lasts longer and tastes good. By eating local, Singaporeans are making an environmentally sustainable choice. In the process, we support our farmers by choosing food that is grown in Singapore. Since 2017, SFA has partnered Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF) to organise farmers' markets to raise awareness of local produce. Last month, I unveiled a new logo which Singapore farmers can soon use to help Singaporeans identify local produce. The community can also support local production by participating in community farming projects. For example, nearly 80% of NParks' Community in Bloom gardens grow edibles.”
“Last year, SFA implemented a new regulatory framework to require companies to seek its approval and undergo a scientific pre-market assessment before placing novel foods in the market. This framework facilitates the sale of alternative proteins in Singapore while ensuring their safety. Companies, such as local start-up Shiok Meats, who is looking to produce cell-cultured shrimp, will be able to benefit from this framework. To support the assessment of novel food, SFA will establish an international expert working group to provide scientific advice on food safety. Beyond food supply, we must not also forget our fundamental mission, that is to ensure that the food we eat is safe. SFA takes a serious approach towards upholding high food safety and hygiene standards. Since its formation, SFA has conducted more than 5,200 inspections in 2019 and taken more than 1,600 enforcement actions against errant operators. SFA will be introducing new measures to safeguard food safety. Premises which pose higher food safety risks, such as caterers and central kitchens, will be required to install closed-circuit television cameras. This enables them to monitor food safety performance and provide evidence in the event of food safety allegations. Enhanced measures will also be targeted at businesses that cater to vulnerable groups. Food businesses catering to preschools, kindergartens and nursing homes will be required to maintain food retention samples, which will facilitate investigations during food-borne outbreaks. From 2021, SFA will also introduce a single unified framework to license and recognise all food establishments. SFA will award a longer licence duration and a higher recognition to food establishments which uphold high food safety and hygiene standards.”
“To complement these efforts, SFA, Enterprise Singapore and the industry will be developing Clean-Green Standards for urban farms which harness resource-efficient technologies to produce food in cleaner environments. They will study ways to incorporate information that more people are concerned about, such as the carbon footprint of food they produce. The standards will serve as a mark of quality assurance that our farms can use to differentiate their products in the market. Let me move on to incentives and funding. Over the past five years, SFA has committed $38 million from the Agriculture Productivity Fund, or APF, to support more than 100 farms in their productivity-enhancing investments. I am happy to share that the APF will be extended till the end of 2020. Beyond this, we will review how we can expand our support for technology test-bedding, adoption and resource efficiency in our farms. New innovations to produce food more productively and sustainably are also needed. The first research grant call launched by SFA and A*STAR last December under the $144 million Singapore Food Story R&D Programme will facilitate this. One theme under this research programme is the production of novel foods, like alternative proteins. Traditional meat production methods are often land and water intensive, and generate high levels of emissions. Today, alternative proteins, such as Impossible and Quorn, are poised to become game-changers. I hope Members will enjoy the alternative protein food items from Tee Yih Jia Food and Empress served at today's tea break after our speeches. Miss Cheng Li Hui asked about food safety of novel foods. We will ensure that only novel foods that are safe for consumption are introduced in Singapore.”
“These technologies mitigate the effects of pollution and algae blooms that threaten both farms and our marine environment. Ideas like this is how we will transform fish farming practices so that they are more productive, sustainable and climate-resilient. Besides the use of technology, SFA will study the expansion of sustainable fish farming, where applicable, in the deeper southern waters of Singapore. We will ensure that such aquaculture is productive and environmentally responsible, such as shown by Barramundi Asia, Singapore's first and only deep-sea fish farm. SFA will work with stakeholders to study this. We are supporting different modes of fish farming. Where water quality is good, farms can carry out deep sea farming. Where it is not, farms can adopt closed-containment technologies. Where there can be synergies with land-based water and waste systems, land-based aquaculture can be conducted. Like land, every space at sea can be used for food production but must be judiciously managed. 3.00 pm Mr Gan Thiam Poh also asked how the Government is helping local farms remain competitive. Over the years, our economic agencies have been supporting local farms in their overseas expansion. Growing their businesses overseas allow farms to tap on land and manpower, lower production costs, and break into new markets. I encourage our farms to take a leaf from the food manufacturing industry, where companies like Tee Yih Jia Food anchor their expertise locally while expanding operations overseas. Some of our farms, like Apollo, have already done so. These food products produced overseas, while not "Made in Singapore", should be marketed as "Made by Singapore", since they uphold the same reputation for high quality and standards as those produced domestically.”
“Since 2017, SFA has been awarding agriculture land, through a competitive land tender basis, to agri-food companies with promising technologies. One such company is Green Harvest, a local vegetable farm. The farm uses modern greenhouse growing techniques which mitigates the impact of unfavourable weather conditions. We are helping them to adopt more technology and, with experience, we hope they can produce multiple times more vegetables than average. This year, SFA will study how the larger Lim Chu Kang agriculture area can be planned and redeveloped to enhance our food production. This study will consider feedback from farmers for centralised facilities and services to reduce the cost of food production. The study will also introduce circular economy principles, so that the by-product of one farm can be used as an input for another. SFA will work with farms, including successful tenders in recent land sales exercises, to work towards an exciting vision for Lim Chu Kang. SFA's plans for Lim Chu Kang will complement the development of the Agri-Food Innovation Park (AFIP), which we announced last year as a high-tech agri-food cluster in Sungei Kadut. The food production innovations developed in AFIP can scale up in Lim Chu Kang to contribute towards our "30 by 30" vision. SFA will also look to unlock the potential of farming at sea. Last week, I accompanied President Halimah to visit Eco-Ark. Eco-Ark's CEO Mr Leow Ban Tat, who had decades of experience in marine and off-shore engineering, including in Keppel, applied principles of oil rigs construction to that of a floating fish farm. He worked with his team to conceptualise, design and integrate a floating platform with closed-containment aquaculture technologies that treat influent sea water used to cultivate fish.”
“We have designated 2020 as the Year of Singapore Food story to focus our national effort and attention. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the Government's success in food source diversification and its role in mitigating price hikes during supply disruptions. Today, Singapore's food imports come from over 170 countries and regions. This did not come by chance, but is a result of SFA's continuous efforts. While the Government does our part, we require the industry to also be pro-active in diversifying supply sources to enhance business resiliency. For example, since last year, SFA has introduced requirements for egg importers to adopt plans to mitigate the impact of any supply disruptions. With a well-diversified food supply, Singapore can reduce the impact of food supply shortages and price changes. However, consumers need to be mindful that the price of any particular food item is determined by a combination of factors, including import prices, exchange rates and profit margins which suppliers can command. Let me elaborate on our plans to produce food locally, enhance food safety and encourage Singaporeans to support local produce. Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about how the Government is helping the local agri-food industry grow. Our vision is to locally produce 30% of Singapore's nutritional needs by 2030, but from less than 10% today. As a small country with limited space, our land use faces many competing needs. We have dedicated less than 1% of our land for agriculture today. Within such tight land constraints, the "30 by 30" vision is highly ambitious, especially if we must achieve it within the same 1%. Yet, having visited some of our new-tech farms, I am optimistic that it is achievable if we invest in an innovative agri-food sector.”
“Mr Louis Ng conveyed feedback that the initial surge of male Aedes mosquitoes released under Project Wolbachia causes discomfort to residents. I hope to reassure residents that these male mosquitoes do not bite or transmit diseases – I say this in Parliament – and ask residents to be patient and bear with the initial surge. And I thank Mr Louis Ng for jointly spreading this message with us. I am pleased to say that the Project Wolbachia trials have achieved up to 90% suppression of the Aedes aegypti population within the Yishun and Tampines test sites. We are considering the expansion of Project Wolbachia to more neighbourhoods, in consultation with NEA's Dengue Expert Advisory Panel. To do this, NEA has set up a hi-tech mosquito farm which optimises mosquito production, the sorting of male mosquitoes from females and the transportation of mosquitoes for release. We are scaling up the facility's production to five million male mosquitoes a week, over the next few years, to battle dengue. This is a new and important means to future-proof ourselves against the faster breeding of mosquitoes, as a result of higher temperatures brought by climate change. Just as NEA is establishing mosquito farms, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is transforming food farms. Food, like water, is a resource that can be disrupted by climate change. In Asia alone, we expect an additional 250 million mouths to feed by 2030. Yet, the amount of arable land could fall by 5% due to climate change and environmental degradation. Singapore, which currently imports more than 90% of our food, will be vulnerable. In the face of these changes, we have developed three food baskets to ensure our food security by diversifying food sources, growing food overseas and growing local.”
“With the completion of Marina East and Jurong Island desalination plants this year, we will have five desalination plants. Our NEWater production capacity will also increase over the next five years, with the expansion of the Changi NEWater factory and development of Tuas Nexus. Good water demand management is equally important in complementing efforts in water supply. PUB's water conservation efforts have shown encouraging results, with household water consumption decreasing to 141 litres from 148 litres per person per day in three years. PUB will begin the deployment of 300,000 smart meters next year, as part of efforts to reduce water consumption further to 130 litres per person per day by 2030. To inspire Singaporeans to continue efforts in water conservation, I am happy to launch the 2020 water conservation campaign. I cannot do it now like the usual way, because of COVID-19. Today, PUB will kick off with a new video to remind Singaporeans of how far we have come in our water story. I feel touched and proud of our water story when I previewed the video. So will you, when you watch it tonight. It will encourage us, all Singaporeans, not to take our clean drinking water for granted. Besides rising sea levels and water resilience, Mr Amrin Amin, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Desmond Choo have rightfully pointed out that warmer temperatures caused by climate change can also affect the everyday lives of Singaporeans, because it leads to an increasing mosquito population. In fact, warmer temperature is one of the factors that led to the surge in dengue cases last year. Project Wolbachia is a tool which NEA is piloting to manage the mosquito population.”
“As announced by Deputy Prime Minister in the Budget speech, a Coastal and Flood Protection Fund will be set up within PUB, with an initial funding of $5 billion. The fund will be used in a fiscally sustainable manner to support the substantial capital outlay. Mr Mohamed Irshad asked about the immediate investments that will be made. Our near-term efforts will focus on studying our coastal areas to ascertain the type, feasibility and extent of measures required. We will phase efforts and start with the City to East Coast stretch and Jurong Island. The funds will also be used to expand and improve our drainage infrastructure to improve flood resilience. As we embark on coastal protection, we will also identify new opportunities for urban development. For instance, we could reclaim a series of islands offshore, and even connect these islands up by building barrages to create community spaces for Singaporeans and contribute to water resilience. PUB will partner various stakeholders to explore these possibilities. Mr Dennis Tan highlighted the importance of preserving and building our carbon sinks. We will preserve our green carbon sinks and identify nature-based solutions. For example, planting mangroves can both stabilise our coastline by preventing erosion, while preserving our green lungs and supporting biodiversity. Minister Desmond Lee will elaborate in his speech on Singapore's greening efforts. Adaptation efforts also involve securing our water supply. Singapore has developed a robust and diversified supply of water, as a result of our early and consistent investments in water infrastructure and research. Along with local catchment and imported water, we will continue to augment our water supply with weather-resilient sources, namely, NEWater and desalinated water.”
“45 pm To complement the CVES, we will enhance the Early Turnover Scheme (ETS) from 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023, including expanding the scheme to cover Euro 4 diesel commercial vehicles. The existing ETS will be extended until 31 March 2021. I have outlined our climate mitigation efforts. Let me now talk about how we will adapt to climate change. Climate change will bring about more frequent and intense storms, which may result in major flooding, especially in low-lying parts of Singapore. Mr Desmond Choo asked about PUB's plans to mitigate inland floods. Since 2011, PUB has spent almost $2 billion on drainage works, including major projects like the Bukit Timah Diversion Canal and Stamford Detention Tank. We will invest another $190 million, with six projects commencing this year, including the construction of a detention tank underneath Syed Alwi Road, which will enhance flood protection in the Little India area. Our investments will be complemented with developments in technology, such as short-range radars, to better predict and manage heavier rainfall. These efforts, however, will not be sufficient with climate change. With climate change, sea levels will rise faster than its natural cycle and along with heavy rains, will overwhelm drainage systems. Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Desmond Choo asked about our whole-of-nation strategy to coordinate coastal protection efforts. I am pleased to announce that PUB will assume the role of the national Coastal Protection Agency from April. With this new responsibility, one agency, PUB, will study both coastal and inland flooding holistically and develop models to guide our flood protection response. The investments to undertake coastal and flood protection could cost $100 billion over the next 50 to 100 years.”