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 Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) recognises that our financial sector plays a key role in advancing our environmental objectives. We work closely with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to promote green financing in Singapore and to increase the financial sector's awareness of environmental risks and opportunities. The Government has taken a pragmatic approach through the adoption of international standards, market-led best practices and capability-building in the development of green financing in Singapore. There has been progress on various fronts. One, in 2015, the Association of Banks in Singapore issued the Guidelines on Responsible Financing. Our local banks have all adopted these guidelines to evaluate their borrowers’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and help borrowers improve their sustainability profiles. Most recently, in April 2019, the local banks announced their decision to cease the financing of new coal-fired power plants. Two, the Singapore Exchange introduced the "Comply or Explain" Sustainability Reporting Guide for listed companies, beginning from the financial year ending on or after 31 December 2017. The inaugural sustainability reports by first-time reporting companies have progressively been published. Three, to encourage the issuance of green bonds, MAS introduced a Green Bond Grant Scheme in 2017, which helps to defray the cost of certifying sustainability-oriented bonds as green bonds. This scheme leverages international green bond standards to promote convergence and harmonisation with regional and international markets. Over $4 billion of green bonds have been issued to date.”
“Fundamentally, food safety is a joint responsibility across the industry, consumers and the Government as food can be contaminated at any point along the food supply chain. While SFA continues to be vigilant and ensures that regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced, the industry and consumers must also play their part to upkeep high standards of food, environmental and personal hygiene at all times.”
“Food handlers and FHOs working at premises that have been suspended due to food hygiene and safety lapses are required to undergo retraining and be recertified for Basic Food Hygiene Course (BFHC) and WSQ "Conduct Food and Beverage Hygiene Audit" programme respectively. SFA will continue to work with the industry to build a strong food safety culture among food business operators through strengthening their food safety management systems as well as competencies of food handlers and FHOs. At the same time, SFA is taking steps to strengthen the regulatory regime for food hygiene and safety. For a start, heavier penalties will be imposed on food operators involved in significant food poisoning incidents. Total composition amounts will be increased and food operators who commit serious food hygiene and safety offences will be prosecuted in Court. In appropriate cases, SFA will also press for deterrent sentences to be imposed by the Court. A multi-pronged approach to incorporate good food hygiene and safety practices as well as good environmental and personal hygiene to prevent and control infection is important to mitigate gastroenteritis. In the recent spate of outbreaks in preschools, SFA and the Early Childhood Development Agency issued an advisory to emphasise the need to maintain environmental cleanliness and put in place infection control measures. This includes reinforcing good personal hygiene practices in every individual to prevent the spread of diseases and to protect oneself from acquiring infections. For instance, areas with vomitus must be properly cleaned with bleach to disinfect, and children and preschool staff who are sick should stay at home so as not to spread infection.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) takes a serious view of food safety. SFA will take enforcement action against operators who fail to adhere to food hygiene and safety regulations, and for any food hygiene lapses found. SFA conducts regular inspections on a risk-based approach. From January 2018 to March 2019, more than 95,000 inspections of food operators were conducted to ensure compliance with food hygiene and safety. In particular, more than 3,700 checks were conducted on food caterers, a category of food business that poses higher food safety risks. The Government is paying close attention to the mass gastroenteritis incidents reported between November 2018 and March 2019. Joint investigations by the Ministry of Health and SFA thus far found that poor food handling practices, the lack of environmental cleanliness both in the food preparation and common areas, and poor personal hygiene practices were the main causes of these outbreaks. Gastroenteritis can be caused by eating contaminated food or coming in contact with an infected person or an environment contaminated by viral gastroenteritis. On poor food handling practices, SFA has taken enforcement actions for the lapses found and required operators to rectify the lapses. SFA has stepped up surveillance and engagement of all food operators, particularly for food caterers supplying food to preschools, and during festive seasons. Advisories are issued periodically to remind food operators to ensure that their food handlers observe good food hygiene and safety practices, and that their Food Hygiene Officers (FHOs) fulfil their duties to ensure good food hygiene and safety practices and adherence to time-stamping requirements.”
“We do so on a goodwill basis without prejudice to our rights under the 1962 Water Agreement. When we are unable to import any water from Johor due to pollution, Singapore has no obligation to supply treated water to Malaysia. During these pollution incidents, PUB works closely with the Johor authorities to flush the polluted water column from the Johor River. Such collaboration between PUB and its Johor counterparts has helped us to manage the pollution incidents. PUB conducts stringent water quality tests to ensure that the raw water from the Johor River is suitable for treatment before resuming abstractions and operations. During such temporary disruptions, PUB steps up production at desalination plants and local waterworks to meet Singapore's demand. Nevertheless, pollution incidents along the Johor River impact the water supply of both countries and remain a serious concern. We will continue to engage our Malaysian counterparts on the need for them to take measures to prevent future pollution incidents along the Johor River.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB) will shut down its Johor River Waterworks when the Johor River is affected by pollution upstream of our waterworks. Johor also has water treatment plants along the Johor River, upstream of the Johor River Waterworks, and will shut down the plants when pollution occurs upstream of them. Since 2017, there have been seven pollution incidents along the Johor River which caused PUB's Johor River Waterworks to be temporarily shut down. These incidents have been traced to illegal discharges from premises, such as palm oil mills and chicken farms, within the catchment area. These pollution incidents typically cause disruptions ranging from several hours to several days. So far this year, there have been two pollution incidents, with the most recent one on 4 April 2019, where there were high ammonia levels in the Johor River. Given the importance of the Johor River to the water supply of both Singapore and Johor, we have expressed our concern over the frequent recurrence of pollution incidents to Malaysia, both at the federal and state levels. Most recently at the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in April, Prime Minister Lee raised concerns over pollution in the Johor River and the severe impact of pollution incidents on both countries. Under the 1962 Water Agreement, Singapore is entitled to draw 250 million gallons per day (mgd) of water from the Johor River, while Johor is entitled to buy treated water up to 2% of the total quantity of water we import to Singapore on any given day, or about five mgd when Singapore draws its full entitlement. In practice, we have been selling Johor 16 mgd of treated water, which is in excess of their entitlement, at Johor's request.”
“For water quality, NEA's continuous buoy-based coastal water quality monitoring sensors deployed along the Straits of Johor have not detected any unusual variation in the key physical, chemical and microbiological water quality parameters. NEA has also taken the additional step of collecting water samples at Pulau Ubin and its vicinity to test additional parameters, including compounds Malaysia has identified due to the chemical waste dumped in Sungai Kim Kim. These compounds have not been detected in our water samples. NEA has also not detected any anomalies in the quality of the waters at our recreational coastal beaches. The Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) online sensors have shown that the water quality of Johor River, our waterways and reservoirs in the north and north-eastern part of Singapore, as well as the water supply is within normal variations. Onsite inspections and water quality checks have also shown no abnormalities. As a precautionary measure, PUB has installed oil booms at the outlet drains and estuaries along the north and north-eastern coast of Singapore. This incident has no impact on our water supply as the chemical dumping location is outside of our Johor River catchment area, where part of our water supply comes from. There have been no reports of unusual fish mortality at our local fish farms in the Straits of Johor. The Singapore Food Agency's tests of seafood samples from these fish farms for compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, VOCs and heavy metals, have not detected any anomalies. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if there are any significant developments. We will also continue to step up our checks and enforcement, to protect our environment and safeguard the health and safety of Singaporeans.”
“According to media reports, since 7 March 2019, more than 3,000 Johoreans fell ill as a result of illegal dumping of chemical waste into Sungai Kim Kim, a river in Pasir Gudang. Hazardous fumes caused severe symptoms, including nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. Thousands needed immediate medical attention and many, including children, were admitted to hospitals for treatment. All 111 schools in the Pasir Gudang district were closed on 13 March 2019 for more than two weeks. Throughout this period, our agencies have been closely monitoring the situation and putting in place precautionary measures to guard against any potential pollution impacts arising from the illegal dumping of chemical waste at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang. We have not detected any pollution impacts on Singapore's air and water quality or water supply. The National Environment Agency (NEA) continuously monitors the ambient concentration of a variety of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) at our air monitoring stations, including at four stations located in the north-eastern region of Singapore. These include benzene, toluene and xylene, as well as other common VOCs from industrial emissions which are also closely monitored by other environmental agencies, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency. NEA has not detected any elevated levels of VOCs. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index has also been in the Good to Low-Moderate range, while the one-hour PM2.5 readings remained in the Normal range. The Singapore Civil Defence Force has also deployed its portable stand-off chemical gas detectors at the northeast region of Singapore to detect toxic chemicals and has not detected any toxic chemicals in the air.”
“PUB has also put in place a mandatory water efficiency labelling scheme (MWELS) to help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. We have set minimum water efficiency standards for water fittings and appliances. To further drive the use of more efficient water fittings under the MWELS, the minimum efficiency standards for all fittings will be further raised to two-ticks from today, 1 April 2019. The responsibility of water conservation does not fall on households alone. Businesses must also play a part. For the non-domestic sector, large water users are required to prepare and submit Water Efficiency Management Plans, which help them to better understand their water usage and identify ways to enhance their water efficiency. PUB supports businesses implementing water-efficient projects through the Water Efficiency Fund. PUB is currently working with the Singapore Environment Council to develop a Green Labelling Scheme for commercial dishwashers, commercial washer extractors and high-pressure jet machines in Singapore, to encourage businesses, such as hotels, food and beverage outlets and Town Councils to purchase water-efficient equipment for their business operations. Water is a scarce resource that should not be taken for granted. I urge everyone to do our part to use water wisely, so that we can continue to enjoy it for years to come.”
“I thank the Member for his call for all Singaporeans to use water prudently. While we continue to plan ahead and invest in infrastructure and research and development to ensure our water security, we must sustain our push for water conservation. The costly but necessary investments in our water infrastructure will be for naught if we do not manage our water demand. We need to continue to work hard to encourage all Singaporeans to use water prudently. We believe that such good habits are best cultivated from young. Since 2016, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has worked with schools to organise Water Rationing Exercises in the month of March, as part of Singapore World Water Day. This year, approximately 47,000 students from 116 schools, ranging from preschools to tertiary institutions, participated in these exercises. This is the largest number of participating schools to date. In addition, PUB worked with the Ministry of Education to incorporate water conservation topics in the curriculum. These help to reinforce the value of water amongst the students and the need to "Make Every Drop Count". For our larger community, PUB takes a multi-pronged approach to encourage water conservation and empower individuals to better manage their water usage. PUB has been carrying out Automated Meter Reading trials, most recently in Punggol and Yuhua. As part of the trials, residents were able to access their water consumption data in near real-time through a mobile app, as well as participate in various water conservation themed games. These have helped to encourage the residents to change their water usage behaviour and adopt good water-saving habits. As the trials have shown encouraging results so far, PUB is exploring how this system can be progressively implemented nation-wide.”
“Well, as with any DBOO plants, PUB monitors the desalination plant – in this case TSDP – to ensure that it is operating reliably and executing its contractual obligations to PUB. And then when troubles emerge, the responsible and fair thing to do is for PUB to require TPL to rectify it, and not to immediately issue a default notice. In fact, to give them time to do so. When these things happen – it is not just in the case of TSDP, it happens in other plants, too – there is a need to give them time to rectify. If they can rectify them well and to the satisfaction of PUB, then the contract has not been violated. PUB has been in talks with TPL regarding its defaults all this while and has given TPL as much time as possible. Our duty is to ensure water security and take all the necessary steps within its contractual rights, primarily to protect Singapore's water security. So, I think we have done that.”
“Well, we have two options. One is to assert our rights, stress Hyflux even further by asserting that right, and after the whole process, we may not get anything at the end of the process. Therefore, we have made the decision that because we are not likely to get anything from claiming the compensation, we have decided to not claim for the compensation.”
“No, this was very recent since 2017. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): I would like to ask how does the Minister justify using taxpayers' monies to take over a negative-valued asset from Hyflux?”
“PUB conducts many, many tests on our water system to ensure water safety, including TSDP. Therefore, we are certain that water supplied to our consumers is safe to drink and for use. Even during the times when we had concerns about their operations, they were able to address these concerns. But more recently, because of the financial situation, it begs the question whether that is sustainable. Therefore, we have put in the default notice to them to say that we are concerned: one, that operationally they are not able to address the issues to assure us they can continue to produce water; and secondly, that they are financially distressed and that they have not proven that they can sustain the plant for the next six months. There was another question.”
“But the Government cannot use taxpayers' monies to help investors recoup their investment losses. Even if there are any proceeds from the takeover of the Tuas plant, we must remember there is an order of who gets what first. In this case, Maybank will still receive payments from TPL before all other general creditors, including PUB.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Firstly, we have to look at many areas. But there are two important areas that we always have to focus on. One is the operational ability of the company to make sure that we continue to be able to produce water, almost at will. And that has been compromised in the last few months with the inability by Hyflux or TPL to assure us that they can do so. And that is connected with the second one somewhat, which has to do with the financial ability to support it. So, we will continue to work on these two issues because they are the most important ones. They ensure that we continue to have plants that will continue to operate while under the PPP model. The second question is whether we should bail out our investors. The financial performance of companies, as mentioned by Minister Ong Ye Kung in a previous answer, depends on many factors. It could include global business conditions, competition, performance of specific projects and also its own business decisions. Therefore, investors in search of returns must understand that returns come with some risks. Before I answer specifically to that question the Member has asked, let me reiterate what I have said in my answer. First, the current valuation of the purchase price for the Tuas desalination plant is negative. That is clear. In fact, while it is a current valuation and after the formalities are done, we are certain it will continue to be negative. Second, because of this, TPL has to pay PUB. But PUB recognises its inability to do so, and PUB has indicated it will waive the compensation sum. Like I mentioned just now, it is actually a positive impact on TPL. We can understand the concerns and anxiety of the retail investors and we are saddened by their plight.”
“PUB has, therefore, indicated that it is willing to waive the compensation sum and purchase the desalination plant at zero dollars. Let me be clear. PUB’s actions do not weaken either TPL or Hyflux, and do not disadvantage those who have invested in Hyflux. Indeed, it is quite favourable to TPL. TPL has, in fact, noted in its letter to PUB on 20 March 2019 that if PUB terminates the WPA, it would alleviate the pressure on the rest of the Hyflux group. It positively impacts Hyflux's value and hence the value of the Hyflux shares being offered. In its announcement on 26 March 2019, Hyflux further stated that SM Investments Pte Ltd, the prospective investor of Hyflux, had concerns over working capital requirements post-investment and that PUB’s actions should alleviate such concerns. The current situation with Hyflux does not mean that we should dismiss the PPP model altogether as our other PPP projects are working well. The safeguards that PUB has built into the PPP contracts have worked well to ensure our water security. In fact, TPL provides an example of how these safeguards are robust and have served their purpose. That said, we are always studying ways to strengthen the safeguards and enhance our operations and will continue to do so. Let me assure Members of the House and all Singaporeans that PUB will always act to ensure Singapore's water security. Water is an existential issue for Singapore. Water security is integral to Singapore’s national security. PUB's recent actions reinforce that. We will never allow Singapore's national or water security to be compromised.”
“As with other such PPP projects, PUB built in safeguards in the Water Purchase Agreement (WPA) signed with TPL. Since 2017, TPL has been experiencing difficulties fulfilling its contractual obligations under the WPA. These include a failure to keep the plant reliably operational as required. More recently, it has also failed to produce financial evidence to demonstrate its ability to keep the plant running for the next six months. PUB gave time to TPL to try to sort out its problems, but PUB’s concerns have been growing over time. To safeguard our water security, PUB issued TPL with a default notice on 5 March 2019 to require TPL to remedy the defaults within the default notice period. If they failed to do so, PUB would terminate the WPA and take over the desalination plant. This is to ensure that a critical asset remains in safe hands and avoids uncertainty over the operations of the desalination plant. Ultimately, PUB’s actions are based on our overriding objective of ensuring Singapore's water security and that water continues to be reliably produced at the plant to meet the needs of Singapore and Singaporeans. The purchase price for the desalination plant will be determined by an independent valuer in accordance with the WPA. Based on current valuation, the purchase price is negative and TPL will, hence, have to pay PUB a compensation sum. TPL itself has stated that there is a high likelihood for this. The desalination plant has been and will likely continue to lose money for the next few years. In addition, PUB would have to incur costs to make good the plant and ensure that it operates reliably for its remaining lifespan. However, given TPL's current financial position, PUB is unlikely to recover the compensation sum from TPL.”
“Where there are issues, PUB will require the concession companies to rectify them, failing which, PUB may exercise its rights to terminate the PPP contracts and take control of the plants. We do not exercise these termination rights lightly but will not hesitate to do so when it becomes necessary to safeguard our water security. As PUB continues to operate its own desalination and NEWater plants, PUB has the operational capabilities, experience and manpower to take over and operate the private plants, should the need arise. Hyflux is currently involved in two PPP projects with PUB: the SingSpring Desalination Plant (SSDP) and the Tuaspring Integrated Water and Power Project (TIWPP). SSDP is owned by SingSpring Trust, which is majority owned by Keppel Infrastructure Trust, with Hyflux owning a minority stake. The SSDP is not affected by Hyflux's debt and business reorganisation nor is it subject to the moratorium that has been imposed by the Court. As for TIWPP, it is owned by Tuaspring Pte Ltd (TPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyflux. Let me briefly recap the events leading up to today. In 2010, PUB called an open tender for a 70 million gallons per day desalination plant to be completed by 2013. In its tender bid, Hyflux proposed a different business model, one of an integrated desalination and power plant. Hyflux made a business decision to build the power plant that has a capacity significantly more than what the desalination plant needed, with the intention of selling excess power to the national power grid. Hyflux’s bid met PUB’s requirements for constructing and operating a desalination plant and was the most competitive bid among the submissions. PUB also took into account Hyflux's expertise and track record. Thus, PUB awarded the tender to Hyflux in 2011.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. I know that many Singaporeans are concerned about what the ongoing Hyflux restructuring means for our water supply. Water is an existential issue for Singapore. The Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) priority has been and will always be to ensure Singapore's water security. Over many decades, we have diversified our water sources and built up our four national taps. NEWater and desalinated water are integral to our water security, as they are weather-resilient and can supply water even during dry spells. As part of our plan to build up our desalination and NEWater capacities for our water security, the Government has partnered the private sector to design, build, own and operate (DBOO) some of our desalination and NEWater plants. Today, we have five NEWater plants and three desalination plants. Out of these, three of the NEWater plants and two of the desalination plants, including Tuaspring, are based on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The remaining three plants, as well as all our other water supply assets, are owned and operated by PUB. The PPP model has been useful in allowing us to tap on private sector innovations and cost efficiencies to deliver water services more effectively. To ensure that water security is never compromised, PUB has put in safeguards as part of the PPP contracts. Even though PUB does not interfere with the business decisions made by the concession companies, PUB monitors the performance of the plants under the PPP model to ensure that the concession companies can meet their contractual obligations to PUB.”
“I thank the Member for the questions. Firstly, when we talk about Malay/Muslim, we also mean Malay and Muslims. Inevitably, the Malays are the larger portion of our community and, therefore, inevitably also we have to give them as much focus, in fact, proportionate focus. But it does not mean we will leave anyone else behind. We look forward to Indian Muslim Associations and other associations that are in line with us to support the development of our communities. In fact, I am very happy to hear that the Indian/Muslim community feel a little bit left out, that they think that they are not part of the efforts, but they certainly are. As for SIC, we do not want to pre-empt the need to understand what we need in the building blocks towards establishing SIC. We have to engage the asatizahs, we have to engage the community and, indeed, that is why COFA has been formed. COFA will form the first building block towards the establishment of an SIC. But, like the Member and myself, we look forward to the establishment of SIC. But we should not hurry. Lastly, on youth development, it does not really matter in what form it takes in the mosque, organisation or the support for it. We all know how important youths are and we certainly will not neglect them.”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The committee in Madrasah Wak Tanjong is still newly established, so we should allow them to get used to working together, just like the M3, with MUIS ready to assist the madrasah and will be neutral. This is important and, with cooperation, we can build a stronger, better and more effective madrasah institution in Madrasah Wak Tanjong. After a few years, we hope we will build more trust. Because the funds allocated come from the community, it should be monitored so that, if we are queried, we know where the funds are located and their effectiveness. Am I open to involving Members from the Opposition? I think we could ask the same question whether we could involve Members from the Opposition in the duties of the People's Association or CCs. I think, in principle, perhaps we could. However, in terms of purpose, if the Opposition’s purpose is to oppose and disagree with what we are doing, I think it is better for the Opposition to focus on what they think is good for the community. And we can still work together in matters where we do not have to disagree.”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We chose these eight towns as these towns have the highest percentage of Malay residents. This would ensure a high degree of effectiveness based on our available resources at this point in time. However, this is just the beginning. We will expand it to other areas later.”
“These initiatives contribute to our larger effort to prepare for an Islamic college in Singapore. Senior Minister of State Maliki Osman will share more. Mr Amrin Amin asked about efforts to enhance our madrasahs, and Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim asked for an update on MUIS’ support for Madrasah Wak Tanjong. Our madrasahs are key components of a larger blueprint for developing asatizahs of the future. In this regard, we are strengthening our madrasahs holistically. In support of this vision, I am pleased to update that the first batch of 26 students under the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has begun their studies in Madrasah Aljunied. This programme aims to develop future asatizahs with a broad set of knowledge and skills to guide the community. In addition, MUIS has worked closely with Madrasah Wak Tanjong on a Comprehensive Assistance Package to strengthen its administration and education programmes with a new management board who will be able to contribute multiple perspectives to guide the madrasah. Mr Chairman, allow me to conclude in English, please. (In English): I shared the story of Muhammad Imran Rahim, an everyday hero who inspires us. He said, “I can’t discount the number of people who helped me to get to where I am today. It’s the least I can do, especially if one has the know-how to help others.” Each of us can set this circle of excellence into motion if we work together for a common cause, if we encourage others to persevere, and if we help the next generation. In turn, our community will become stronger. And M3 will provide the networks and resources to leverage the rich relationships and expertise in our community. Come forward and work with M3. Together, we will build a Community of Success.”
“Prof Fatimah Lateef and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar respectively asked about plans to prepare our religious teachers, or asatizahs, for a changing world, and an update on the plans to develop an Islamic college in Singapore. Our asatizahs of today and tomorrow are the guardians and guides of our community’s core values. Our aspiration is for them to reach the highest level of religious scholarship and leadership, contributing to our community in Singapore and beyond, especially in building up religious knowledge that is appropriate to guide a Muslim community living in harmony with other communities and the wider society. With their grounding in both Islamic knowledge as well as secular subjects, asatizahs are well-placed to serve in many adjacent fields, such as social work, counselling, Islamic finance and law. We will start in two areas. First, we will establish a Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA). This committee comprises community and religious leaders, asatizahs and individuals with relevant professional expertise. COFA will co-create our vision of the "Asatizah of the Future" together with the community, and advance the thinking on the skills and competencies that our asatizahs will need to better serve the Singapore Muslim community in the future. With the findings of COFA, we will be able to share more about the long-term plans for developing our asatizahs by the end of the year. Second, in line with the vision of "Asatizah of the Future" we will roll out the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) for all returning religious graduates in 2020. PCICS will replace the existing Islam in Context Programme today, and place greater focus on helping participants acquire work-relevant skillsets.”
“Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim queried on how our community organisations are nurturing our children. A mindset of pursuing excellence must be established in our children from young. It starts with nurturing the traits of initiative, resilience and a desire for learning and knowledge. Our community is familiar with the Malay Language Month and we look forward to celebrating the month of Ramadan. I am pleased to announce that Yayasan MENDAKI will organise the inaugural Raikan Ilmu, or Celebrate Knowledge, Month this October. This will be a month dedicated to celebrating knowledge and excellence, because the pursuit of knowledge is highly regarded and is a central part of the culture of our Malay community. The Raikan Ilmu Month will start with the launch of a Heritage Gallery to commemorate the community’s journey in pursuing educational excellence. It will also capture MENDAKI’s history and honour our predecessors who had been involved in the founding of MENDAKI. In conjunction with Raikan Ilmu, MENDAKI will partner M3 agencies to organise activities as part of this year’s MENDAKI Learning Festival, with activities for all age groups. For instance, Jump Career Fairs by MENDAKI SENSE will cater to workers and professionals keen on career training and skills upgrading, while the Future Ready Marketplace aims to advise youths on careers and professional development. For preschoolers and their parents, PlayFest focuses on early childhood education and learning through play. The Learning Festival will also celebrate the achievements of our graduates through the Anugerah MENDAKI Awards ceremony. Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad will share more on MENDAKI's many initiatives. I would now like to touch on our religious life that has a profound impact on our community's values.”
“For example, eight Malay/Muslim organisations, including the Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP), the PMBM Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM) and the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM), have collaborated to provide a one-stop service centre at Wisma Geylang Serai or Kurnia@WGS. We have heard the concerns from the ground that those in need do not always know where to go. Kurnia@WGS brings together eight of our community's social service organisations under one roof in partnership with M3. Similarly, the Singapore Malay Teachers’ Union worked with M3 agencies to encourage their members to volunteer. Teachers play a critical role at the M3@Towns, connecting schools to the community and reaching out to students beyond the classroom. A group of successful lawyers have also come forward to organise legal talks called Tipah Tertipu under the SHIOK Series in December 2018 at Woodlands Galaxy CC. They educated Malay residents on protecting themselves from scams. Muhammad Imran Abdul Rahim is a young lawyer who volunteers at M3@Town. He began volunteering in Woodlands in 2016, after realising that many residents faced legal issues but lacked advice. He used his experience and worked with other young lawyers to hold legal talks and pro bono legal clinics for residents and help out with community events. I hope that the examples of M3 collaborations across our community organisations and volunteers will give assurance to Mr Mohamed Irshad on the potential of M3 to help achieve common social causes. Just as we call on more to step forward to volunteer, we will continue to work with community partners, such as voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), professional groups and the Malay and Indian Muslim organisations, to tap on strengths and amplify synergies.”
“Community programmes will be brought closer to residents to increase residents’ awareness and participation. M3@Town will also create opportunities for people, regardless of background and abilities, to volunteer and serve the people in their neighbourhoods. Our Malay/Muslim People's Action Party (PAP) Members of Parliament (MPs) are leading efforts to establish M3@Towns. They have brought the M3 agencies together in their towns and mapped out the needs, assets and community programmes at our Community Centres/Clubs (CCs), mosques and MENDAKI satellite centres. They have also begun to mobilise volunteers across M3. The launch of M3@Tampines and Pasir Ris-Punggol was the first step. M3@Town will be rolled out in six more towns this year in Bedok, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong, Marsiling-Yew Tee, Nee Soon and Woodlands. The success of M3@Town depends on members of our community who are our assets. We call on them to come forward, in particular, those who hold positions of expertise, leadership and responsibility. You can inspire our young. Regardless of whether you are teachers, Singapore Armed Forces personnel, Home Team officers, lawyers or professionals, including those from the healthcare sector, you have a wealth of experience that can inspire and encourage our young. For example, your stories as "mentors" will inspire them to take the long view of where they wish to go, beyond the twists and turns of the road ahead. The younger generation needs role models whom they can emulate. You have the ability to guide them on how to build professional networks and widen employment opportunities. M3 has started to work with our community organisations.”
“Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Faisal Manap asked about the progress and plans for M3. In the next phase, M3 seeks to achieve the following. First, enabling our community, especially our young, to access educational and developmental opportunities. Second, fostering sound values that undergird our socio-religious life – values that reject extremism and segregation, and nurture an inclusive, confident and progressive mindset of caring for the common good of society. Third, providing opportunities for our community to bond with others over common causes. When we work with other communities, we become familiar with one another, deepen mutual understanding and trust, and forge friendships. The M3 comprises circles of excellence in our heartland towns, tapping on assets in the community. These are no other than committed and capable individuals who are willing to contribute time and effort to the community in a structured way and flexibly co-creating services suited to the needs of the areas they serve. The soul of the M3 effort is about stepping forward and giving back. The circle is formed by successful individuals helping others around them to see possible paths ahead and creating opportunities for the next generation. Mr Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay, please. 11.30 am (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] M3 begins as a virtuous circle of excellence. A successful Malay/Muslim community must be anchored on strong local communities, drawing on the rich networks and relationships in our neighbourhoods and workplaces. This is where MESRA will focus its energy. M3@Town will mobilise people and community as well as national assets in our towns, connecting residents to a more efficient and effective last-mile service delivery.”
“Mr Chairman, for decades now, MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA have individually nurtured our community's values, uplifted individuals and families through education and community self-help, and fostered our community’s participation in our larger multiracial society. Together, and in a structured way, M3 and with the vast energy of the Malay/Muslim community, we can help one another reach even greater heights. At the 2018 National Day Rally, the Prime Minister said that M3 will work together more closely to fulfil the needs and aspirations of our community. We have made good progress. We have started to organise the ground, by connecting volunteers and programmes across M3@Town. We are laying the foundations for more integrated, citizen-centric last-mile help, starting with the launch of the M3 office at Wisma Geylang Serai, or M3@WGS. We have also launched pilots to make M3 felt on the ground, starting in Tampines and Pasir Ris-Punggol. In addition to the volunteers and staff of MUIS, MENDAKI and MESRA, M3@Town has also become a network for professionals to contribute in their local neighbourhoods. The KelasMateMatika@CC pilot was our first experiment to learn and get used to working together. This is important because we need to deliver joint M3 community projects which can be bigger. In fact, this programme, KelasMateMatika@CC, was preceded or developed successfully during the leadership of my predecessor, Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, during his leadership at MENDAKI. Now that the synergy from the model of collaboration in KelasMateMatika@CC has achieved good initial results, we will scale up the M3 efforts to benefit more in the community. MENDAKI will scale up from 300 KMM beneficiaries last year to 1,500 this year, working with their outreach partners from MESRA and MUIS.”
“We have a Climate Action Plan, and this has been very comprehensive, looking at various sectors. The things that the Government must do, people must do, and legislation that contributes towards the climate action, including energy efficiency, through the Energy Conservation Act as well as the Carbon Tax Act. It is really an omnibus of various legislation that, if you put together, we could call it a Climate Change Bill, in the absence of which, it is sufficient now, for what we have. With the measures that we have put in place, we believe that we will be able, in the first instance, to meet our nationally determined contribution for reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 36% by 2030 and then levelling after that. That is most important – getting the industries on board, at the same time, transforming them to be more energy-efficient and contribute towards the solution.”
“But the bad news is, we are still above the WHO standards and, therefore, we still have to do more. Can we do away totally with diesel vehicles? Once a more viable vehicle type that can go towards zero emission or when totally zero emission for the heavy vehicles category is in the market and is accessible and affordable, we will go for it. But for the moment, let us do this slowly, and help the industry transform and, at the same time, make sure that all of us breathe clean air.”
“I thank Assoc Prof Walter Theseira. When we took steps to reduce the number of diesel vehicles, it is really to enhance and increase the quality of our air. And this is not just through the diesel tax that we increased recently. We have others. We have the Vehicular Emissions Scheme under the Certificate of Entitlement scheme where we incentivise or disincentivise the use of pollutive or non-pollutive vehicles. We also have the Early Turnover Scheme which encourages diesel owners or companies to turn over their old vehicles into new vehicles. And this is important because heavy goods vehicles under the Euro VI standard are 20 times cleaner than the older ones or the oldest ones that are under the Euro I standards. At the same time, it is also more fuel-efficient. The outcome of this slew of measures for the last few years is, I would like to report, for example, from 2013 to 2018, 40,000 diesel vehicles or about 26% of commercial goods and buses have actually switched to these cleaner vehicles. Take taxis, for example. The proportion of diesel taxis decreased from 86% in 2016 to 73% in 2018. In fact, zero new diesel taxis were registered in 2018. That is great news. It shows that all these three measures are taking effect. More importantly, the sum of all these, including the decrease of the number of diesel vehicles on the road, from these classes of vehicles, have actually contributed to the decreasing trend of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5, which is very important. The World Health Organization's (WHO's) Advisory tells us that PM2.5 is carcinogenic, it can cause cancer. That is part of what diesel does. The tightened industrial emission, together with these, have seen the contribution of PM2.5 reducing over the years.”
“I would like to thank Assoc Prof Daniel Goh for his questions. Firstly, on whether the default taking place will affect the other water supply systems, it will not. Just like TPL, PUB has been onsite, in all the plants, we have been monitoring, we always monitor. We look at the operational readiness of these plants and then we also see whether they can keep up to the capacities that they are designed for and if they should default, the same step-in rights can be invoked. But more importantly, this 3P model, the large part of our water system is under PUB. So, this is not a huge part of what we have. In adopting the 3P model, we get many advantages, we are able to not invest in capital, pay only for what we need. We also can build the local capabilities of our enterprises, who can also then bring these for export purposes. At the same time, we also know there are risks involved and, therefore, we have put in enough measures to be able to take over the plant or own it in the event that these 3P partners are not viable anymore. And this is exactly what we are doing now where TPL is concerned.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Indeed, we are not privy to what is happening to the company because the company is, of course, exposed to many other factors that may affect its performance. As Minister Ong Ye Kung mentioned in his reply to a PQ recently, the financial performance of a company depends on many factors, such as the global business conditions, competition, performance of specific projects and also its own business decisions. So, we are not privy to this. But we are privy to how it is performing in the plant, which is that we are worried about its operational viability, and we also know that it does not have the financial ability to finance six months of its operation. Therefore, those are among the factors which, flagged out, are worries for us, that it will not be tenable for TPL to continue its obligation. Therefore, we have served the default notice in order to preserve our water security.”
“Together with their colleagues in the water, food and environmental sectors, these young people will see our plans through in the decades to come. Mr Chairman, climate change will bring new existential threats, but also exciting opportunities. We must do as our forefathers did: stay alert and nimble and continue to plan and prepare for the long term. It took us more than two decades to create NEWater. Likewise, the vision of a reservoir in the heart of the city was only realised many years after our Founding Prime Minister mooted the idea. We have ambitious plans for our water, waste and food sectors, but the road ahead is long and winding. We will persevere, for we are not done building a sustainable Singapore. I now hand over to the Senior Minister of State Amy Khor. [Applause.]”
“It has proven that co-digesting food waste and used water sludge can triple biogas yield, compared to treating the used water sludge alone. So, triple. The biogas is used to generate energy for the facility. This co-digestion technology illustrates the potential in exploiting synergies in the food-water-energy-waste nexus. We are preparing to scale this technology up and adopt it for the new Tuas Nexus, which will be operational in 2025. Mr Chairman, the plans we have for the water, food and environmental sectors will open up a variety of exciting opportunities for our enterprises and jobs in our industries. We hope to produce more of the likes of EnvironSens, TES, Sustenir and Barramundi Asia. We will also need many people with diverse interests and skills to help us tackle our challenges. Let me introduce some of the young Singaporeans who have already stepped up in our water, food and environmental sectors. Mr Ahmad Zaki Bin Salleh and Ms Rajakumar Amritha are at the forefront of our efforts to enhance food resilience and ensure water security. Ahmad Zaki, a senior engineer with PUB, oversaw the planning and construction of the Stamford Detention Tank, while Amritha contributes to the smooth operations at Woodleigh Waterworks. Ms Marie Tan and Mr Lee Yuan Hao are part of our growing agri-food sector to strengthen food security. Marie oversees fish health at Barramundi Asia’s nursery while Yuan Hao founded Ding He Agriculture, a vertical indoor agri-farming firm. Ms Jade Loh and Mr Heng Kim Soon are contributing to our Zero Waste Cause. Jade and her team at Plaspulp Union Pte Ltd explore recycling solutions for complex waste materials, while Kim Soon conducts R&D on uses for incineration ash.”
“ELP will emplace ITE graduates in industry and equip them with the knowledge and skills to become agriculture and aquaculture technicians. We will also partner universities to groom agri- and aqua-technologists and culturists, urban farming specialists and researchers to meet future needs. Like every sector in Singapore, the agri-food sector must embrace sustainability. Some of our farms are already employing circular economy principles. Indoor farm Sustenir is using carbon dioxide, a by-product from the petrochemical industry, to enhance vegetable yields. N&N, a layer egg farm, carries out bio-digestion using poultry waste to produce energy. This is then used to dry by-products from the food manufacturing industry to produce chicken feed. These examples show that what we see as waste in one sector can be feedstock for another. We will do more to find synergies across different systems, such as food, water, energy and waste, and then scale them up for commercial viability. We will apply the circular economy approach across systems to achieve zero waste and to lower use of resources. This requires an ambitious R&D programme, integrated upfront planning and design and close collaboration with the industry. This is the future economy, and the Government will invest significant resources to enable Singaporeans to thrive in it. In total, the Government will spend almost $400 million under Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2020 towards research and innovation in water, circular economy and climate change and food. These significant investments will help us to explore greater possibilities across the food-water-energy-waste nexus, achieve new results, and scale up. One early success is NEA and PUB’s successful trial at Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant.”
“Our plans to "Grow Local" also extend to productive and sustainable fish farming. Our vision is to develop Singapore into a tropical aquaculture hub, much like how we have the hydrohub. One area we are studying is deep sea fish farming, which can contribute significantly to local production. A local first mover is Barramundi Asia, which uses large sea cages to culture Asian seabass in the deep waters off Pulau Semakau, our landfill. I recently visited them and was impressed by their fish vaccination process. Using technology, Barramundi Asia can vaccinate 9,000 fish in one hour, compared to just 600 manually. SFA will work with agencies and the industry to open up more sites for deep sea farming with deep technology. Thus, R&D will be the key driver, again, to help us achieve our "30 by 30" vision, grow our enterprises and, consequently, create good jobs. We will grow an ecosystem of R&D players to support agri- and aquaculture industry developments. SFA’s Marine Aquaculture Centre will contribute to this effort by sharing its expertise and providing facilities for R&D. RIEC has also set aside $144 million for us to write the Singapore Food Story. Mr Desmond Choo asked how we will prepare Singaporeans for the growing opportunities in the agri-food sector. The agri-food industry will require a workforce with good understanding of urban food production processes and business models, and multidisciplinary expertise in science, engineering, info-communications and more. To this end, we have worked with Republic Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic to launch SkillsFuture Earn-&-Learn Programmes (ELP) for fresh Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates, leading to diplomas in Urban Agricultural Technology and Aquaculture.”
“For example, vegetable farms Kok Fah and Ho Ka Clean have been feeding Singapore for over 20 years. The Agriculture Productivity Fund (APF) has supported them to integrate climate control and automation into their operations, thereby raising their capacity and productivity. We will similarly work with our existing coastal fish farms. Singapore Aquaculture Technologies was one of the first coastal fish farms to adopt closed containment aquaculture systems. This protects fish production from sea-borne threats, such as algae blooms or oil spills. More than 90 farms have benefited from APF, and I encourage all our farms to tap on it. We will also expand production in state-of-the-art indoor farms. Farms, such as Sustenir and Panasonic, optimise plant growth and increase yield exponentially through high-tech solutions like LED lighting and climate control. By controlling growing variables, these farms are climate-resilient and can maintain high quality. We expect to see more such farms as successful tenderers in the recent agricultural land tender exercises begin production and scale up. Farmers of the future will operate computerised control systems in a pleasant environment. SFA will also support the growing interest in urban farming, such as on rooftops. This brings the community together, and attunes Singaporeans to food security, by involving them directly in food production. Such farms can also be used to testbed innovative technologies for growing food. We are working with the Singapore Land Authority, MOH and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to pilot this concept, repurposing the former Henderson Secondary School into an integrated space comprising an urban farm, a childcare centre, a nursing home and a dialysis centre.”
“Singapore is also exposed to the volatilities of the global food market, because we import over 90% of our food. Just last year, Malaysia announced that it was considering limiting exports of eggs. 6.00 pm Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked how the SFA's formation will benefit Singaporeans and companies. SFA’s mission is to ensure and secure a supply of safe food for Singapore. As the lead agency to strengthen food safety and security, SFA will have regulatory oversight across the entire food chain, from farm-to-fork. It will also partner businesses to transform our agri-food industry and create, again, good jobs for Singaporeans. Mr Desmond Choo asked about SFA’s plans to strengthen our food security. SFA will pursue three broad strategies called the three food baskets – "Diversify Import Sources"; "Grow Local" and "Grow Overseas" – which I talked about during the Second Reading of the SFA Bill. Today, I would like to focus on our "Grow Local" strategy. Local production will reduce our reliance on imports and buffer the impact of overseas supply disruptions. That is, to locally produce 30% of Singapore's nutritional needs by 2030 – "30% by 30" or "30 by 30 vision". This is an ambitious multi-fold increase to our current production. Remember, we import over 90% of our food? To get to the "30 by 30 vision" will require our agri-food industry to adopt new solutions to raise productivity, apply R&D, strengthen climate resilience and overcome our resource constraints. We need new paradigms in the agri-food industry. Supporting our existing farms to innovate and increase productivity is a key pillar of the "Grow Local" strategy. Many of these farms are household names which produce eggs, vegetables and fish.”
“We will also partner other agencies and the industry to turn trash into treasure through circular economy strategies. JTC, in consultation with NEA, is developing the Multi-Storey Recycling Facility which is expected to be ready in 2021. The facilities will house multiple recyclers and be located close to other industries. This will present opportunities to reuse waste materials and other industrial by-products, thereby closing resource loops at the local level. Today, we already have NEWater. We are working on creating NEWSand! We are studying how we can turn incineration ash into construction materials, instead of landfilling it. NEA is leading the effort and has developed draft standards for the use of treated ash, such as for building roads. NEA has appointed industry players to demonstrate their technologies, with plans to start field trials next year. We will take careful steps though, as two-thirds of Singapore is water catchment that must remain free from pollution. Building a circular economy also requires international cooperation, as value chains are interconnected. Singapore will play a constructive role in this process. We supported the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Marine Debris two days ago, where ASEAN countries agreed to advance concrete actions on the circular economy, the same conference where Thailand gave delegates this T-shirt to demonstrate the potential of the circular economy. We will continue cooperating with our partners in the region to work towards zero waste. Mr Chairman, let me now turn to food, another essential resource. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates widespread declines in crop yields of up to 25% by 2050 due to climate change.”
“NEA set aside $45 million under the “Closing the Waste Loop” R&D Initiative to fund projects adopting circular economy approaches. Promising projects include Singapore Polytechnic’s development of green chemistry technology to recover precious metals in e-waste, and Nanyang Technological University’s method to rapidly convert food waste into high grade bio-fertilisers. The result of such R&D means more opportunities for our enterprises and, consequently, more jobs for Singaporeans. Take Singapore Polytechnic, which after developing a recycling process for solar panels that can potentially recover up to 90% of useful materials, signed a memorandum of collaboration with SembCorp Industries to develop a pilot recycling plant for used PV panels. Another company that has seized such opportunities is Westcom Solutions. Westcom got its researchers to help improve processes, to scale up and transition from being a company that distributes food waste digesters to one that manufactures them. I look forward to the day when our stores carry home food digesters that are compact, economical and easy to use, something we can put in our own homes, to convert our food waste into compost to grow plants and even food at home. This also reduces the need to transport food waste across the island and keep our waste system free from pests! As R&D powers our enterprises and creates new opportunities for them, it will also create new jobs for Singaporeans. We need engineers to develop standards for waste management and recycling operations, scientists to study micro-organisms for efficient food waste processing, and analysts to study the data created and create strategies for scaling up.”
“This same thinking applies to every other resource, for example, lithium-ion batteries found in almost all our electronics – handphones, laptops and even electric vehicles. Global demand is soaring, but mineral sources for lithium, cobalt and coltan are finite and costly to mine. Continuously exploiting these minerals may harm the gorillas that Mr Louis Ng was talking about. But we can collect these used uncontaminated e-wastes in meaningful amounts and apply R&D and new technologies to extract the precious minerals. This will increase our resource resilience and avoid harming the environment. Businesses are alive to the opportunities of the circular economy. Among them is our own homegrown e-waste recycling company, Total Environmental Solutions (TES). TES recovers treasures from trash, extracting gold, silver and palladium from e-waste. TES has plans to expand its lithium-ion battery treatment process facility. Recyclers like TES are important as they ensure that heavy metals from e-waste do not contaminate our environment but are instead recovered as valuable resources to power our economy. Let me focus on how we will recreate our Water Story in the environmental sector. Our vision is to close the waste loop through circular economy approaches and turn trash into treasure. This will also help to extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill, as Miss Cheng Li Hui highlighted. To do so, we need to invest in R&D, in close partnership with industry and research institutions, just like how we have grown our water industry and research ecosystem to tackle our water challenge. This will allow us to overcome technological barriers in our drive towards a zero-waste nation.”
“The impact of climate change goes beyond water. Indeed, the destinies of two other agencies under my Ministry – environment and food – are also tied to the impacts of climate change, like water. Resource scarcity is set to become the new normal. And with it, cascading impacts, such as disruptions to supply chains that fuel our economies, and increased risk of global conflict. We must, therefore, apply a strategic lens to Singapore's resource resilience. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, to meet this new challenge of securing our food and other resources, we can apply the lessons from our Water Story. Singapore designated 2019 as the Year Towards Zero Waste. We want to break away from the linear economy, where we take, make, use and toss without a second thought, because this is not sustainable. Therefore, we must make a paradigm shift towards circular economy approaches. Beyond protecting the planet, circular economy approaches can enable Singapore to overcome resource constraints and strengthen overall resilience. Many may not realise this, but NEWater embodies the circular economy. We use a resource, in this case water, for as long as possible, and ensure that what can be reused is put back into the system. This shirt, which I received recently at the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Marine Debris this week, is another good example of the circular economy. It says there that this polo shirt is recycled from 12 bottles, polyethylene terephthalate bottles (PET) bottles that all of us use. But I would encourage most of us to use reuseable bottles instead. It is made from these upcycled materials. In essence, what they have done is try to keep using what we have within our systems and not toss it away, in this case, into the sea.”
“While stock levels had gradually increased to 72% by end 2018, after just two months this year, it has dropped again to 64%. That is why our weather-resilient NEWater and desalination taps are integral to our water security. Mr Chairman, even as we secure our water supply, we cannot ignore water conservation. Over-consumption is a challenge in many countries. In Qatar, where water is provided for free, daily consumption is around 500 litres per person. In Singapore, we have worked hard to embed water conservation in our national DNA. Our domestic water consumption decreased from 148 litres per capita per day in 2016, to 141 litres in 2018. But we agree with Mr Amrin Amin that we must do more, to reach our goal of 130 litres by 2030. To this end, we will help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions, such as through the Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme. Similarly, for the non-domestic sector, PUB is working with the Singapore Environment Council to develop a Green Labelling Scheme for commercial equipment, such as commercial dishwashers. PUB also supports businesses through its Water Efficiency Fund. One beneficiary is Hoya Electronics Singapore, which reduced its NEWater consumption by 75%. Last weekend, President Halimah officiated Singapore World Water Day, marking the start of a year-long conservation campaign. PUB is launching the inaugural #GoBlue4SG movement, to rally the community and celebrate our collective actions to conserve water. One of the highlights – City Turns Blue – will see more than 20 buildings light up Singapore's skyline on 22 March. I am heartened that over 150 schools will undertake water rationing exercises to drive home the value of water. I encourage all of us to "Make Every Drop Count".”
“This year, CCRS will embark on the National Sea Level Programme to better understand sea levels around Singapore so that we can develop robust projections and plans for the long term. Mr Chairman, we will also press on to ensure water security. When Marina East and Jurong Island Desalination Plants are completed next year, we will have a total of five desalination plants. Work on the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Phase 2 (DTSS2) is on track. We will continue to build up our desalination and NEWater capacities to ensure that our water supply is secure and resilient in the long term. Water security is an existential issue for Singapore. We will continue to do what it takes to ensure it. Members would be aware that, earlier this week, PUB issued a Default Notice to Tuaspring Pte Ltd (TPL), the Hyflux subsidiary that owns and operates the Tuaspring Integrated Water and Power Plant. As updated previously in this House, we have been closely monitoring developments and will not allow our water security to be compromised. We are concerned that TPL has been unable to fulfil various contractual obligations, in particular, by failing to keep the plant reliably operational as required. In addition, TPL has not been able to produce financial evidence to demonstrate its ability to keep the plant running for the next six months. Hence, PUB has decided to exercise its rights under its contract with TPL and initiate the necessary proceedings to safeguard the continued operations of the plant. This action is to safeguard our water security. Over the past five decades, we have worked hard to diversify our water resources and build up our four national taps. We saw how the Linggiu Reservoir stock level plummeted to 20% in 2016. It has yet to recover fully even after more than two years.”
“We are also exploring such floating PV systems off Singapore's coast, as well as integrating solar PV into our building facades to maximise solar energy generation. Promoting sustainable transport and managing vehicular emissions are also key. Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked about our plans to manage transport emissions. We promote cleaner vehicles through emissions standards and encourage the early replacement of older and more pollutive vehicles, such as through the Early Turnover Scheme. More than 40,000 commercial diesel vehicles have switched to cleaner vehicles under this scheme. We also work with MOT to encourage adoption of cleaner vehicles, and regularly engage the industry, such as commercial electric vehicle fleet owners like HDT and BlueSG, on their plans. As one of my colleagues, a Minister of Environment, quipped, "There is a link between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. You aim for cleaner vehicles to solve pollution, you will also solve greenhouse gases that will help with climate change." The preceding examples are what we all call climate mitigation. But that is not enough. The Government is also planning ahead to protect Singapore against climate change impacts. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about our initiatives to build climate resilience. My colleagues in the Ministry of National Development (MND) spoke at length on this. To guide our policies in fortifying Singapore against climate change, we must build up our knowledge of climate science. Indeed, because there is limited literature on climate change effects in the tropics, we can lead. This is why we set up the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) in 2013. We are stepping up investments to build capability in CCRS and the local scientific community.”
“On the other hand, climate change also brings more frequent intense storms, which could mean more floods, as noted by Dr Chia Shi-Lu. As a low-lying island, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise that can exacerbate flooding problems. Members may have seen the Straits Times' interactive graphic that shows "Singapore Underwater". That is already a reality in the Pacific Ocean where at least eight islands have disappeared under the sea. To enhance our flood resilience, we completed the Stamford Diversion Canal and Stamford Detention Tank last year. Upgrading works at two major waterways, the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal and Sungei Pandan Kechil, will be completed this year. We will commence drainage upgrading works at another 16 locations this year. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah noted, climate change must be tackled at regional and global platforms. In the meantime, we must press on to transform our economy towards a low carbon future and do our part for the planet. This year, the carbon tax takes effect. The Government is prepared to spend more than $1 billion to be collected over the next five years in tax revenues to help companies become more energy-efficient. We will step up solar adoption, as highlighted by Miss Cheng Li Hui. PUB is studying the deployment of floating solar Photo Voltaic (PV) systems at four reservoirs – Bedok, Lower Seletar, Upper Peirce and Tengeh. The Economic Development Board (EDB) is also exploring the possibility of a commercial floating solar system at Kranji Reservoir. Together, these systems potentially have a capacity to power 40,000 four-room HDB households each year – about half the size of Tampines. 5.45 pm It gets more exciting.”
“We will pose what we call "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" to scientists, such as producing desalinated water with energy use of one kWh/m3 (kilo Watt hour per metre cube) at the systems level. We already have the electro-deionisation technology that can potentially halve the energy required today in conventional reverse osmosis desalination. We are ready to scale up and deploy this technology at one of the process trains in PUB's Tuas Desalination Plant from 2020. The gains from R&D go beyond solving our water problems. Over the years, we have developed a thriving water industry, with over 200 companies and more than 25 R&D centres. Our investments in the past decade have created some 14,400 good jobs and economic value-add of over $2.2 billion annually, far more than our 2006 target of 11,000 jobs and $1.5 billion value-add. Singapore is now one of the best and busiest hydrohubs where companies come to prove their patents and scalability in a live water system. Our R&D efforts also allow PUB to grow our local enterprises when it partners the industry to develop innovative solutions. One example is EnvironSens. PUB worked with them to develop an early warning system that detects illegal discharge of heavy metals into the sewerage system. EnvironSens has already attracted investments to manufacture and market their products in countries, such as the US, China and India. We have come a long way in our Water Story, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Climate change is bringing new and wicked problems. It is no coincidence that we are building more desalination and NEWater plants. We need to produce water almost at will, regardless of whether the rains will come.”