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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“It was against this backdrop of needing to ensure the security and resilience of Singapore's water supply that we set out to create drinking water from used water. We started pilot testing in the 1970s. It took us more than two decades before we were ready to scale up production of NEWater. We built a demonstration plant, started water quality measurement programmes, and rallied the entire nation's support. It is a feat to be proud of that we have integrated our used water into the water system into a closed loop, safely and reliably. Drugs disposed of in sinks or toilets will be substantially removed through the water reclamation process. Our NEWater technology is so reliable that the Reverse Osmosis process will effectively remove any remaining pharmaceutical compounds when treated used water is channelled into the NEWater production. PUB's constant monitoring showed that pharmaceutical compounds were not detected in our drinking water. I hope that will put to rest Ms Irene Quay's concerns about PUB's treatment capabilities in removing drugs from used water. Every time I describe to an international audience how we, as a nation, drink and use water from this system with full confidence of its safety and hygiene, I cannot help but beam with pride. Today, NEWater is a national tap that is recognised internationally for its high quality and sustainability. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked about new developments in the water sector. PUB is not done with R&D. We are pushing on. The Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC) allocated PUB $200 million for R&D, which includes pursuing breakthrough technologies.”
“As a small island state, Singapore's survival and success is a miracle. We have too little land to cultivate food meaningfully, no natural resources to enrich ourselves and remain one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. We must never forget that the 1961 and 1962 Water Agreements ensured a supply of water from Johor to meet Singapore's needs, and were so sacrosanct that they were guaranteed by both Singapore and Malaysia in the Separation Agreement. Sacrosanct to this day. Yet, we were determined to build a successful, thriving and liveable home and by pursuing sustainable development from the word "go". We overcame our challenges through two key approaches. First, long-term planning. Even as the Government tackled current problems, it scanned the horizon for threats and opportunities and planned decades ahead; decades, not years. Second, the ability to implement policies and plans effectively. Faced with a challenge, we start small, learn from others, harness technology, invest in R&D and keep on trying until we get it right. Then, we take our solutions and scale up to benefit the whole nation. In doing so, we also grow our enterprises and create good jobs for Singaporeans. This is the essence of our Water Story. We now welcome the Singapore Food Agency into our MEWR family. It is with the same understanding that food security is an existential issue, just like water, that we are writing our Singapore Food Story. But first, Mr Chairman, let me dwell on our Water Story. Since Independence, there has been the perception that water could be used as leverage against Singapore. Indeed, there have been threats to cut off our water supply.”
“Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to use slides to accompany my speech, please?”
“The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) was introduced to address the effects of cheap sourcing that had depressed wages for local cleaners hired by cleaning businesses. While PWM is mandatory for these cleaners, it is not applicable to foreign cleaners, who are typically hired on different terms, with employers bearing other related expenses, such as additional levies and accommodation arrangements. PWM is intended to sustain productivity-driven wage growth for resident low-wage workers. Hence, the collection of related data focuses on local cleaners. Nonetheless, as at 31 January 2019, about 23% of licensed cleaning businesses employing foreign cleaners were paying wages at or above the levels stipulated under the PWM to their foreign cleaners. We encourage more employers to upgrade their workers' skills and implement productivity-based wage progression in accordance with the key tenets of PWM, regardless their workers' citizenship.”
“We do not track the number of local cleaners being hired directly by food and beverage (F&B) establishments. The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) applies only to local cleaners employed by cleaning businesses. The model does not apply to cleaners hired directly by F&B establishments as, unlike outsourced cleaners, they are not subject to the effects of cheap sourcing that had depressed wages. Employers are, nonetheless, encouraged to upgrade their workers' skills and implement productivity-based wage progression in accordance with the key tenets of PWM. The Government will continue working closely with the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners to ensure that PWM for the cleaning sector remains relevant and aligned with the industry's transformation goals.”
“Across all three years, plastics collected for recycling that were not processed in our local plastic recycling facilities were sorted and exported to countries in Southeast Asia and the wider Asian region, such as China, India, Pakistan, Australia and South Korea.”
“Singapore generated 832,200 tonnes of plastic waste in 2013, 869,000 tonnes in 2014, 824,600 tonnes in 2015, 822,200 tonnes in 2016 and 815,200 tonnes in 2017. Of the plastic waste generated, Singapore recycled 6% to 11% of it across the different years, with the rest being incinerated. In 2017, about 4% of the plastics collected for recycling were processed in our local plastic recycling facilities. The rest were sorted and exported for recycling.”
“My Ministry announced in 2015 that we would build a new hawker centre in Bukit Batok town by 2027. We will provide further details, such as the location and expected date of completion, when ready.”
“In the household sector, we introduced the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) in 2008 and 2011 respectively, which has raised the EE of energy-intensive household appliances, such as air-conditioners and refrigerators. This has helped households to reduce their energy consumption and save on costs. In the building sector, the Government has been driving the adoption of energy-efficient design and solutions for more environmentally sustainable buildings. We are making good progress. The UHI is a complex topic and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and other relevant Government agencies will continue to study this in greater depth. This includes investing in research and development to better understand the effect of rising temperatures on our local microclimate, as well as tapping on technology to help Singaporeans cope with rising temperatures.”
“The Government is mindful of the need to plan for and mitigate rising temperatures. Apart from climate change impacts, temperature rise is also partly due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect from urbanisation. Government agencies have implemented measures to help Singapore cope with rising temperatures and have plans to do more. For example, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) uses urban environmental modelling to design and orient blocks of flats to maximise wind flow and shade in estates. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the National Parks Board (NParks) and other agencies have incorporated green open spaces in our urban landscape and distributed greenery to cool the environment through shade provision and evapotranspiration. We are also encouraging the use of coatings and building materials that limit the absorption and retention of solar radiation. A key contributor to the UHI effect is heat generated by human activities requiring energy consumption. Hence, a key strategy under the Climate Action Plan is to improve our overall energy efficiency (EE), particularly in the industry sector, which is the largest consumer of energy. I will cite a few examples. We amended the Energy Conservation Act in 2017 to enhance the energy management practices of large industrial energy users. Our carbon tax came into force in January this year and sends an important price signal to incentivise emissions reductions in the most economically efficient way. In tandem, we enhanced our grants this year to support the industry sector’s push to improve EE.”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“AVA already imposes regulations to provide consumers with pertinent information, such as ingredients and allergens. SFA will continue to work with partner agencies, such as MOH and HPB, on food labelling. Third, forming a single agency like SFA will enable deepening of food safety expertise in Singapore. The NCFS, which Prof Fatimah Lateef alluded to, will be transferred to SFA under the Bill. NCFS will bring together more than 100 food scientists from AVA, NEA and HSA, and consolidate key competencies in food diagnostics and research on food safety. Consolidation will also eliminate the need for food samples to be tested in multiple laboratories across different agencies with different competencies. This streamlining of processes as well as the sharing of facilities and technology will allow for greater operational, testing and cost efficiencies to be achieved. This further ensures that our food continues to be safe for consumption, and standards are benchmarked internationally. NCFS will also develop commercial laboratories to support the food safety testing needs of food businesses as production and exports increase. Mr Speaker, let me conclude. SFA will draw on the lessons learnt and results achieved by AVA, NEA and HSA, and write a new chapter in the Singapore Food Story by bringing together stakeholders from farm-to-fork to co-create solutions to ensure and secure a supply of safe food for our people. Sir, with that, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M].”
“In fact, over the last five years, NEA has conducted more than 600,000 unannounced inspections of food retail outlets. Where necessary, we will enhance regulatory oversight and penalties. As Mr Mohamed Irshad has highlighted, our regulatory regime will need to evolve with changing business models, including online food sales and food delivery. In addition to the emphasis on food safety, SFA will, as part of its functions, look into harmonising licensing standards and combining existing licences for food businesses. Our vision is for businesses across the supply chain to only have to interface with one agency. This will take time, and we will work closely with the industry to put in place facilitative regulations. For example, we are looking into ways to streamline the licences for premises carrying out both central kitchen and catering operations. As pointed out by Mr Henry Kwek, there is much potential to leverage the trusted food safety standards in Singapore to promote internationalisation efforts by the food industry. This is an area that SFA will continue to work with MTI and ESG on. Mr Mohamed Irshad has suggested that SFA could tap on similar opportunities in the halal food market. MUIS will primarily focus on certification of halal food for consumption by Muslims in Singapore. SFA will support our food companies to look for opportunities in the region and the Middle East. Mr Ong Teng Koon and Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the role of SFA with regard to nutrition. HPB will continue to promote the consumption of healthy food, and SFA will provide the relevant support. Mr Leon Perera spoke about food labelling as a tool to help consumers make informed choices.”
“I thank Mr Henry Kwek for recognising efforts by the agencies to keep swine flu out of our food supply. AVA, NEA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) work closely under the One Health framework and follow a protocol to respond to and address food-borne outbreaks. Information received by each agency, whether from individuals or doctors and laboratories, is tracked and analysed centrally to ensure that any unusual increase in notifications linked to food establishments is investigated promptly. Second, having a single agency like the SFA will support consistent administration and enforcement of the regulatory framework for food establishments, balanced against supporting enterprise and job creation. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Mr Mohamed Irshad and Ms Anthea Ong have suggested, we can harness technology and data to make our regulatory regime more effective and efficient. Let me give an example. Joyvio, one of the largest end-to-end fruit companies in China, developed an app that tracks the product's thousand-mile journey from a vine to the supermarket shelf. With a simple scan, shoppers can tell which field the fruit came from, who was in charge of its production, what tests it went through before entering the market, and even details about the soil and water tests from the farm. This allows consumers to check that the fruit has not been contaminated anywhere along the way. Similar ideas can be applied in Singapore. As suggested by Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Saktiandi Supaat, SFA will also raise the level of accountability of operators and the food industry which must take greater responsibility for the hygiene standards at their premises to ensure food safety. This will be complemented with robust enforcement, as suggested by Mr Leon Perera.”
“I would also like to assure Mr Saktiandi Supaat that even as we allow new food to come in, SFA will take reference from global standards, such as those set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, in permitting food additives for use in Singapore. Ms Anthea Ong and Mr Melvin Yong raised an important initiative which AVA and NEA are already collaborating on – reducing food waste. In fact, food waste is one of NEA's priorities in the Year Towards Zero Waste. My Ministry recognises that Government regulations may promote the reduction of food waste, and will look further into it with our partners, taking into consideration other factors, such as food safety and business costs. I urge Ms Anthea Ong, Mr Melvin Yong and other Members to continue supporting community efforts to redistribute food better so that there is no hunger even among our needy and, in the process, reduce food waste. I will now move on to outline three strategies which SFA will adopt to ensure the safety of food in Singapore, an area which many Members have spoken about. First, the formation of SFA will integrate operations related to food safety which currently resides across AVA, NEA and HSA. These range from providing a single contact point for the public to provide feedback, as suggested by Ms Anthea Ong, to combining contact tracing and industry engagement operations. This will allow SFA to manage more holistically across the entire farm-to-fork supply chain to pinpoint and remedy critical points, and react more quickly to food safety incidents, as raised by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Prof Fatimah Lateef and Mr Saktiandi Supaat. These efforts over the years have strengthened coordination across the Government in response to food safety threats.”
“SFA will work together across the Government, and with industry and other stakeholders, including fellow Singaporeans, to write the Singapore Food Story. Third, SFA will continue supporting our companies to expand and grow overseas. These overseas-based Singapore companies will be able to overcome land constraints and even manpower constraints, and access new and bigger overseas markets. This allows them to bring down costs through economies of scale and reduce the price of exports to Singapore. Mr Henry Kwek has also rightly identified this as an area of tremendous economic opportunity for our local companies, especially if our companies develop expertise in highly sought-after farming technologies that are resource-efficient, high-yield, and climate-resilient. Barramundi Asia, which aspires to produce the fish equivalent of Kobe beef, has expanded to Brunei, where they are developing a 6,600-hectare fish farm to export an estimated 40,000 tonnes of fish back to Singapore. I hope to see more of our local farms succeeding in overseas markets. Our three food baskets are what I call "supply-side strategies". However, the demand side of the equation is equally important. SFA will continue to prioritise public education and outreach to complement the three food baskets, as mentioned by Mr Mohamed Irshad. These include supporting local produce, as suggested by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Melvin Yong, and promoting the consumption of substitutes, such as liquid eggs and more sustainable foods, such as plant-based protein, as suggested by Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Mohamed Irshad.”
“One such initiative is the "Earn and Learn Programme", a work-study programme through which students from Temasek Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic work at local farms and apply the knowledge and practical skills learnt in school. SFA will continue working with the industry and the Institutes of Higher Learning to enhance manpower development for the agriculture sector, as raised by Mr Melvin Yong, and create meaningful value-added jobs for our future workforce. Given our lack of natural resources, such as land and water, the future of farming in Singapore has to be one that is technology- and R&D-driven, climate-resilient and resource-efficient with high productivity. Going forward, we expect to expand further into controlled environment agriculture in indoor vertical farming and deep-sea fish farming in our waters. We recognise the contributions by our existing farmers. They bring valuable experience and we would like to continue working with them to improve Singapore’s food security. We will take a pragmatic approach by helping existing farms modernise. In addition to productivity, we will also prioritise the environmental sustainability of food production. As part of the MEWR family, SFA will work closely with NEA and the Public Utilities Board to find synergies in food production, water, waste and energy. This will ensure that our local food supply will remain resilient in the face of wider trends, such as resource scarcity and climate change. Together, we can become a world leader in agri-food solutions, just like how we have turned our constraints in water to strategic advantages. Our Water Story, which Members, including Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Ms Anthea Ong, had talked about, is well-known internationally.”
“In fact, our officers were accrediting farms in Thailand over the Lunar New Year break while many of us Singaporeans were taking a break and enjoying good food with our families. I would like to express my appreciation to our officers who have worked hard over the years to strengthen our food security and safeguard our national security. Our food importers are also a key node in the supply chain, and we must ensure that they are prepared to withstand potential shocks from climate change and geopolitical developments, as highlighted by Mr Mohamed Irshad. SFA will introduce requirements for importers of key food items to adopt plans to mitigate any supply disruptions. As Mr Ong Teng Koon has highlighted, food security is fundamental to national security. In the long run, securing our food supply is also the primary way to mitigate price volatility and spikes. This is a focus of SFA, which will continue to contribute to whole-of-Government efforts to provide affordable food accessible to all Singaporeans, as highlighted by Assoc Prof Daniel Goh. Second, SFA will intensify efforts to grow an agri-food ecosystem in Singapore, as suggested by Mr Mohamed Irshad and Mr Melvin Yong, thereby reducing our dependence on imports. This requires close coordination between SFA and other Government agencies in domains, such as land planning, industry development and financing, and skills training. SFA will also partner our industry stakeholders across the food supply chain to catalyse industry transformation. Transforming the industry requires us to cultivate a generation of "agri-specialists". AVA has been working with our Institutes of Higher Learning in this area.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank Members for their support and thoughtful feedback on the Bill. SFA will focus on food safety and food security. These are mutually reinforcing objectives. Food safety is a prerequisite for a resilient food supply, and key to developing a thriving agri-food industry. Allow me to outline SFA’s priorities in these two areas and address some of the specific comments. I will start with food security. Mr Ong Teng Koon referred to recent potential disruptions in our egg and seafood imports and asked how SFA can better handle such incidents without causing alarm. The answer is that SFA will ensure our food security by developing and enhancing our three national strategies to obtain food. We call these our three "food baskets". First, SFA will build on the existing work by AVA to diversify import sources. AVA has already expanded our import sources from 140 countries in 2004 to around 180 countries today. We take for granted apples from Poland, bananas from Ecuador and Mandarin oranges from China in our supermarkets. These are, in fact, the fruits of a deliberate strategy to diversify our food sources. Imports will remain our largest food basket for the foreseeable future. SFA, in partnership with relevant Government agencies like MFA and Enterprise Singapore (ESG), will continue to diversify our food sources, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Saktiandi Supaat have suggested. This includes working with importers to organise overseas sourcing trips and business matching sessions, as well as increasing the number of farms across different countries which can export to Singapore.”
“AVA’s remaining non-food plant and animal-related functions will be transferred to the National Parks Board (NParks) via the National Parks Board (Amendment) Bill 2019. The Minister for National Development will explain this transfer during the Second Reading of the National Parks Board (Amendment) Bill 2019.”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Last July, the Government announced plans to form the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to oversee food safety and food security from farm-to-fork. Currently, the regulation of the food industry is divided among three public sector agencies. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) regulates food safety before retail during import, local production and manufacturing. The National Environment Agency (NEA) regulates food hygiene at the retail level. Analysis of food samples is carried out at laboratories under the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The SFA will consolidate regulatory oversight for these different aspects of food safety and security in a single public sector agency. Singapore is not the first country to adopt a farm-to-fork model. We have studied other countries like Ireland, where a single agency is responsible for food safety along the entire food supply chain. There are merits to consolidate the responsibilities for food safety and security into a single agency. One, it emphasises the high priority and commitment that the Government places on food safety and security. Two, it allows uniform application of measures, faster response, and more efficient and effective use of resources and expertise. NEA will, however, continue to develop and manage hawker centres as our community dining rooms. This arrangement will enable sharper focus by SFA and NEA in their respective roles vis-a-vis hawker centres. HSA will continue to regulate health supplements. HPB will continue to promote the consumption of healthy food. SFA will support them from the food safety angle.”
“The interviews are conducted on a case-by-case basis because some of the asatizahs come from institutions that we do not know about and the ARB needs to find out more before considering whether to register them. For those who come from established institutions, we are not too worried. But we also do monitor them and we must make sure that we are satisfied that, coming from those institutions, they do not mar the reputation of such institutions by teaching segregationist teachings and so forth. The second question on the face-to-face interview, it is part of that process. I do take it that the numbers are not extremely difficult to manage, but we have to prioritise.”
“It is not easy for the asatizah to lose his accreditation. He must have been very egregious to have lost it. Therefore, the process of getting him on board should not be too easy either. So, the ARB and MUIS will look into how we can bring such asatizahs back to ensure that they do not then regress into the situation when their ARS registration was cancelled in the first place.”
“ARS is meant to build up and support our asatizah community, so that they are reliable and credible sources of religious knowledge for the Muslim community and play an important role in fostering peace and harmony. Mr Speaker, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]: I would like to thank our asatizahs for their hard work in implementing the ARS. ARS was made compulsory in 2017 and more than 4,000 asatizahs are currently registered under this scheme. Our community also supports this initiative. Through our collective efforts, we can build a Muslim community together that is strong, confident and constantly able to contribute to our nation's progress. The asatizahs' support of ARS is a reflection of their commitment to abide by the Code of Ethics that was established according to Islamic values that are durable, progressive and moderate. This is essential in promoting religious harmony within Singapore’s multiracial society.”
“Mr Speaker, the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) requires all Muslim religious teachers, or asatizahs, to abide by a Code of Ethics. This includes not encouraging extremism or violence, denigrating other racial and religious groups, committing ethical misconduct and promoting segregationist practices. The Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) oversees the ARS and is supported by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). The ARB consists of senior and respected asatizahs in the community. In the case of Mr Murad Mohd Said, who was placed on a Restriction Order in December 2018, his ARS-recognition was cancelled in May 2018, after he contravened the ARS Code of Ethics. This is how the ARS system should work. It monitors and takes action to bar those whose views are inimical to social cohesion from preaching. I wish to assure the Member that ARB and MUIS take ARS registration seriously. Processes have been put in place to ensure that our asatizahs registered with ARS can perform the role that the community entrusts them to do. These processes include instituting provisional periods of observation and requiring additional interviews when deemed necessary by ARB. Each asatizah would also be required to renew their registration every three years. All ARS-asatizahs are also required to go for regular training, and their suitability is periodically reviewed. If there are reports or if they demonstrate that they are unfit to be asatizahs, such as breaching the Code of Ethics, their ARS status will be cancelled. Both MUIS and ARB conduct regular reviews of the ARS system.”
“I thank the Member for the supplementary question. One of the important things we want to recognise is that after-death facilities are an important social infrastructure. We, as Singaporeans living in HDB estates, are very used to seeing funeral wakes at the void decks, and now, perhaps more frequently than before. This is one big-hearted society where we have never minded seeing either funerals or weddings right below where we live. As Members know, where funerals are conducted, even weddings, there are disamenities, and we have tolerated them for a long, long time ever since we have had HDB flats. We should keep that sense of accommodation, that sense of respect for people who need this in times of bereavement. At the same time, there are also people who want to choose other options where perhaps they want a quieter place to grieve for their loved ones. We also want to make sure that the religious beliefs and cultural preferences are also being met. Given all that, and the fact that, like I mentioned just now, the number of resident deaths is likely to double, we have to prepare now. We have to make sure that we provide for the spaces and give ample notice to everyone who is, in a way, affected by the presence of such social facilities. We will definitely consult the advisors as well as the grassroots to help us communicate with the residents and, at the same time, get feedback on the kind of concerns they may have. We will try, as far as possible, to mitigate the disturbances and disamenities that consequently can arise from putting such facilities near them.”
“The second question on, hearse routes, when we put out the tender for the funeral operators to build and design the funeral parlour, we will put this as part of the requirements for their proposal, such as what they will do, where they will route. We also advise them where are the best routes to take, to avoid the residents and Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats as far as possible. The 200 metres was not the exact reason why we did it. For Bukit Batok, first, as I mentioned, there is a dearth of such facilities in the western region. If you look at the map, the nearest one is in Choa Chu Kang. It is not so accessible, very far for many people. If you do not have a car, it is quite difficult to get there. So, we think it is useful to have one in that area. Secondly, the site is already surrounded by industrial buildings, shielded from the public view. Even so, when the operators come to build, we will ask them to build enough shielding, so that noise, disamenities or even sight can be mitigated.”
“NEA will also work with the other agencies and the operator to reduce the impact of hearses when they move in the area. This can include ensuring accessibility via different routes and avoiding roads within residential estates as far as possible. As a small and densely populated city state, there will always be competing demands for space to meet Singapore’s various development needs. From time to time, we may have to make adjustments to accommodate these developments. Through careful planning and by taking mitigating measures, the Government will make the best effort to minimise potential disamenities arising from these developments.”
“Mr Speaker, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will be launching four new funeral parlour sites for development over the next 10 years or so. This is to meet the growing demand for after-death facilities and services as our population ages. The demand for wake spaces is expected to rise in tandem with the increase in resident deaths, which is projected to double to around 40,000 annually by 2040. The sites were carefully studied and identified through an interagency planning process. They are distributed across Singapore to provide better accessibility for bereaved families and their visitors. The sites were selected after considering factors, such as development plans for the surrounding area, the capacity of the road network to support the anticipated traffic, and accessibility to public transport. The site in the industrial area along Bukit Batok Street 23 will cater to the demand for funeral parlour services in the western part of Singapore. The site is surrounded by industrial developments and is located next to an existing columbarium. NEA will require the proposed funeral parlour operator to put in place measures to minimise impact on the residents and other nearby stakeholders. These measures can include barriers, such as plantings and setback from the road to keep funeral activities discreet, and the provision of eco-friendly burners to minimise smoke emissions. Rituals and funeral processions will be confined within the site as far as possible, to minimise disturbance. The relevant agencies have assessed that the road network in this area is able to support the funeral parlour development and will require the operator to provide sufficient parking facilities within the site.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) currently licenses more than 39,000 retail food establishments, including food outlets, such as restaurants and caterers, to ensure that the food sold is prepared hygienically and safe for consumption. All inspections of retail food establishments conducted by NEA are unannounced. In the past five years, NEA has conducted more than 606,000 inspections in total. NEA will take strict enforcement action against retail food establishments that do not adopt proper food hygiene practices, as well as for any food hygiene lapses found. NEA will continue to monitor the situation closely and step up inspections, if need be, to safeguard food safety and public health.”
“" pilot at Tampines Greenlace Housing and Development Board (HDB) estate, where residents segregated their food waste and disposed of it in dedicated food waste bins on the ground floor. The food waste was then recycled at Our Tampines Hub to produce fertiliser and non-potable water. This multi-pronged approach has begun to yield results. Food waste recycling has increased from 13% in 2015 to 16% in 2017. Nonetheless, there is much more we can do. As part of our Year Towards Zero Waste efforts, my Ministry will continue to explore measures to better manage food waste in homes, schools, workplaces and food and beverage establishments. These measures will also be part of our inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan to be launched this year. However, the Government cannot do this alone. This is why we have set aside $2 million this year to fund ground-up projects related to Zero Waste. We will also consult the public and engage non-governmental organisations to seek their views and ideas and co-create initiatives to better manage food waste.”
“In 2017, about 810,000 tonnes of food waste were generated. Food waste is one of our largest waste streams and has a relatively low recycling rate. It remains one of our priority waste streams this year, the Year Towards Zero Waste, together with e-waste and packaging waste. My Ministry takes a multi-pronged approach to addressing food waste, which includes encouraging food waste reduction, food redistribution and recycling. Since 2015, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been running a food waste reduction campaign that includes media publicity to raise awareness and outreach programmes on ways to reduce food wastage in households. Educational materials, such as the Food Waste Handy Guide, which has tips to help consumers reduce food waste, are made available online and at community roadshows. NEA started the "Love Your Food @ Schools" programme in April 2017, which encourages schools to minimise food waste. To help the food and beverage industry reduce food wastage, NEA and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority launched food waste minimisation guidebooks for food retail establishments, supermarkets and food manufacturing establishments to provide guidance on reducing food waste across the supply chain. Guidelines on the proper handling and redistribution of unsold or excess food are also incorporated to facilitate food redistribution. To promote food waste recycling, NEA supports companies through its Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) Fund, to implement projects, such as the installation of onsite food waste treatment systems. NEA has so far co-funded 21 onsite food waste treatment systems. We also conducted a "Food Waste, Don't Waste!”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) maintains a strict regime to ensure food safety in temporary food stalls, for example, pop-up food stalls, fun fair stalls selling food, night market food stalls and bazaar food stalls. First, proper washing facilities, storage with temperature control and covered display showcases for food items must be provided at temporary fair food stalls. Second, NEA restricts extensive food preparation, such as degutting of fish and cutting of raw meat or vegetables in temporary stalls. The sale of high-risk food items, such as ready-to-eat raw seafood, is also restricted. Third, food handlers working in such stalls must be registered with NEA and pass the mandatory Basic Food Hygiene Course. NEA will take firm enforcement action against anyone who violates the regulations. Offenders may face licence suspension and/or a maximum penalty of up to $10,000 for the first offence. To uphold the food hygiene standards, NEA conducts unannounced inspections at the temporary food stalls. Where NEA assesses any potential risks, NEA will step up inspections as well as conduct joint operations with other agencies to curb illegal food handlers at the temporary food stalls. NEA will continue to monitor the situation closely and step up inspections, if need be, to safeguard the environment and ensure public health.”
“Nuisance issues at hawker centres relating to pigeons and crows arise when birds are attracted to food remnants. To address this, Government agencies, such as the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and the National Environment Agency (NEA), work closely with hawkers, hawker associations, and Town Councils to implement preventive measures. These include public education and enforcement against pigeon feeding and littering, proper food waste management, and surveillance and bird management operations. Other deterrent measures may also be implemented where required. These include the installation of bird spikes on building structures and beams to reduce perching opportunities, and nettings at the perimeter of hawker centres to prevent birds from entering. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to manage bird nuisance issues. Hawker associations which face difficulties with bird nuisance issues may approach NEA for support. Patrons also play an important role in contributing to the cleanliness of hawker centres, thereby reducing bird nuisance. I encourage all patrons to return their crockery and trays to the tray return points when they finish dining.”
“Smoking facilities, such as smoking rooms and pavilions, cannot completely eliminate the risks of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Tobacco smoke contains pollutants that can seep out of these facilities. Smoking facilities are also likely to become congregation points for smokers. As our housing estates are well-connected and densely built-up, it may be challenging to find appropriate locations for such facilities. Moreover, the daily sight of smokers gathering at smoking facilities could inadvertently give our youths the impression that it is normal to smoke. We want to avoid this and, therefore, have no plans to mandate the provision of smoking facilities in residential precincts or housing clusters. Our approach to protecting residents from second-hand smoke has been to progressively extend the smoking prohibition to as many public areas as possible. Within housing estates, these include places, such as sheltered walkways, exercise areas, playgrounds and common areas of residential buildings, such as void decks and lift lobbies. The National Environment Agency will continue to monitor and enforce against smoking violations at these locations. We urge smokers to abide by the smoking prohibition and strive to give up the habit for the benefit of their own health, their loved ones, and the community.”
“The Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) requires all Muslim religious teachers, or asatizahs, to abide by a Code of Ethics. This includes not encouraging extremism or violence, denigrating other racial and religious groups, committing ethical misconduct and promoting segregationist practices. The Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) oversees the ARS, supported by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). The ARB consists of senior and respected asatizahs in the community. In her Parliamentary Question (PQ), the Member refers to the case of Mr Murad Mohd Said, who was placed on a Restriction Order in December 2018. Murad's ARS-recognition was cancelled in May 2018, after Murad contravened the ARS Code of Ethics. This is how the ARS system should work. It monitors and takes action to bar those whose views are inimical to social cohesion from preaching. I wish to assure the Member that ARB and MUIS take ARS registration seriously. Processes have been put in place to ensure that our asatizahs registered with ARS can perform the role that the community entrusts them to do. These processes include, as the Member has suggested, instituting provisional periods of observation and requiring additional interviews when deemed necessary by ARB. All ARS-asatizahs are also required to go for regular training, and their suitability is periodically reviewed. If there are reports or if they demonstrate that they are unfit to be asatizahs, such as breaching the Code of Ethics, their ARS status will be cancelled. Both MUIS and ARB conduct regular reviews of the ARS system. ARS is meant to build up and support our asatizah community, so that they are reliable and credible sources of religious knowledge for the Muslim community and play an important role in fostering peace and harmony.”
“The contractor has reached out to the affected families with the offer of a replacement marble plaque and reinstallation at no cost to the family. NEA is closely monitoring the progress of the replacement works and will ensure that the contractor fulfils its contractual obligations.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) has relocated about 20,000 niches at Mount Vernon Columbarium Complex (MVC) to make way for the development of Bidadari Estate. As part of the support package for affected families, NEA offered to relocate the urn from MVC to a replacement niche at either Choa Chu Kang or Mandai columbarium, together with a marble plaque. These were offered on a goodwill basis at no cost to the affected families. NEA's offer was taken up by families for about 14,500 niches. The relocation of the urns was undertaken by the NEA-appointed contractor and witnessed by NEA officers, together with the respective families. The officers had also checked the plaques before installation. Visual inspections had not shown up differences as quartz plaques look similar to marble ones. When NEA was first alerted to the non-marble plaque material, NEA immediately investigated the matter and sent samples for laboratory tests. NEA found that samples from one batch of plaques were made of quartz, rather than marble. About 8,600 niches were affected. For these 8,600 niches, the contractor had not delivered the goods in accordance with contractual requirements. NEA takes a serious view of this performance breach and has directed the contractor to replace the quartz with new marble plaques, unless the families choose to retain the existing plaques. The contractor will bear the costs required to make good on what should have been delivered. Pending the completion of the replacement works, NEA has withheld payments to the contractor. NEA will also be claiming against the contractor for any difference in price between the quartz and marble plaques. Learning from this incident, NEA has incorporated the requirement of laboratory verification for materials in future tenders.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors and reports the air quality in Singapore through a network of five national air quality monitoring stations across the island. These stations are representative of the ambient air quality of the five regions, within which the civil and military airports are located. Criteria pollutants, namely, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), are continuously monitored and reported on an hourly basis as the Pollutants Standard Index (PSI). In 2018, the air quality in Singapore remained in the "Good" and "Moderate" range for 100% of the days, based on Singapore's PSI readings. The PSI reading is made available every hour on the NEA and haze websites, as well as on myENV app. Additionally, NEA continuously monitors the ambient concentration of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which are typically emitted by the industries. The VOC levels monitored in Singapore are comparable with the major European Union, Japan and United States cities.”
“For the case at Mandarin Orchard Hotel, the outbreak was caused by environmental contamination of the Grand Ballroom with norovirus, a common virus that causes gastroenteritis, which was propagated by poor environmental and personal hygiene practices, such as improper cleaning of vomitus and banquet servers continuing to work while ill. NEA has taken tough actions against the food operators who have violated the law. The operating licence of Spize Restaurant at River Valley Road was terminated and NEA will also press charges against the operator in Court. The operating licences of Tung Lok, as well as the ballroom and affected kitchen in Mandarin Hotel, will remain suspended until the operators have complied with the requirements imposed by NEA, which includes sanitising the affected areas, reviewing the processes and rectifying the lapses. For the lapses found at FoodTalks, NEA will be issuing a summons to the operator. For selling food that is found unfit for human consumption, operators may face a penalty of up to $10,000 for the first offence and, in the case of repeat offenders, a fine of $20,000 or imprisonment of three months or both. In addition to strengthening the overall regulatory framework for food operators, NEA will enhance NEA's website and the myENV app to make it easier for consumers to check the food hygiene records of the operators. We are also looking into measures to better notify the public about a food operator's licence suspension. Consumers are urged to engage only licensed caterers, and consume catered food within the stipulated "consume by" time period. Consumers who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments should provide feedback to the authorities for further investigation.”
“In October, November and December 2018, there were five reported food poisoning incidents involving Team Catering Pte Ltd, Tung Lok Catering, FoodTalks Caterer and Manufacturer, Spize Restaurant @ River Valley and Mandarin Orchard Hotel. The joint investigations by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and National Environment Agency (NEA) confirmed that there were no links among the incidents. In the case of Spize Restaurant, it was a Salmonellosis outbreak of unusual severity which suggests that the food was heavily contaminated. There was strong evidence of poor personal hygiene and food handling practices by food handlers leading to contamination of ready-to-eat food and the environment. The operator was also found to have seven unregistered food handlers and preparing food outside of the licensed premises. In the case of Team Catering Pte Ltd, a number of possible commonly-found pathogens were identified from the human stool samples, including Clostridium Perfringens and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and several hygiene lapses and poor kitchen habits were identified, including improper storage of knives and poor housekeeping. In the case of FoodTalks Caterer and Manufacturer and Tung Lok Millennium Pte Ltd, while the causative pathogen could not be identified for both outbreaks, several food hygiene lapses were found at their premises, for example, no proper segregation between raw and ready-to-eat food in the same chiller compartment, no provision of handwashing facilities, and cockroach infestation.”
“There are over 6,000 cooked food stalls in the 114 hawker centres owned by the Government. Of these, about 40%, or 2,294, of stallholders pay subsidised rent. The rent for subsidised cooked food stalls is either $192 or $320 per month, depending on the scope of upgrading works carried out during the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme. Rents for non-subsidised cooked food stalls are on average about $1,300 per month as of November 2018.”
“In the last 12 months, between November 2017 and October 2018, foreign registered vehicles made about 24 million trips into Singapore through land checkpoints, or about two million trips per month. About 78% are made by motorcycles, 15% by cars and the remainder by goods vehicles, buses and taxis. To ensure compliance with the Environmental Protection and Management (Vehicular Emissions) Regulations, the National Environment Agency (NEA) enforces against smoky foreign vehicles at the Tuas and Woodlands entry checkpoints. Notices of composition are issued on the spot if foreign vehicles fail the smoke emissions test. Foreign commercial vehicles emitting excessive smoke will also be turned back immediately. In addition, NEA works with the Land Transport Authority and the Traffic Police to enforce against noisy foreign vehicles during joint blitzes. We will continue to look at measures to reduce emissions from foreign vehicles. Members of the public who spot smoky or noisy vehicles on the road are encouraged to report them to NEA via the online feedback form at: www.nea.gov.sg, myENV application or the NEA hotline.”
“The Orchard Road No-Smoking Zone (NSZ) was brought into force on 1 January 2019, as part of the Government's long-term goal of achieving a smoke-free Singapore. Over the past few months, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has been actively publicising the NSZ through various platforms. Signs demarcating the boundary of the NSZ have been erected at lamp posts and dustbins, while advertisements have been put up at Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and selected bus stops and on buses plying Orchard Road. Community Volunteers have been engaging the public in the NSZ to raise awareness, while publicity materials are being displayed at our points of entry and on the Singapore Tourism Board's Visit Singapore webpage to alert foreign visitors to the prohibition. Travel agents, tour guides and hotels have also been informed about the NSZ so that they can advise tourists accordingly. Prior to implementing the NSZ, NEA had worked closely with the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) and building owners and managers to ensure sufficient provision of designated smoking areas (DSAs). There are now more than 40 DSAs within the NSZ, spaced about 100 to 200 metres apart. As footfall along the shopping belt is particularly heavy, efforts have been made to ensure that the DSAs are located away from the pedestrian thoroughfare. Smokers can find the location of these DSAs on OneMap and NEA's website, the myENV mobile application, and through publicity brochures disseminated at shopping malls and tobacco retailers within NSZ. We are monitoring the use of the DSAs and will assess the effectiveness of the NSZ in reducing the public's exposure to second-hand smoke.”
“The Orchard Road No-Smoking Zone (NSZ) came into force on 1 January 2019, as part of the Government’s long-term goal of achieving a smoke-free Singapore. To date, about 2,200 verbal advisories have been issued daily by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to smokers for lighting up in the newly-prohibited areas. Smokers, including foreign visitors, have been generally receptive when advised by NEA officers about the new law. Most comply by smoking at one of the more than 40 Designated Smoking Areas located within the NSZ. NEA will maintain this advisory approach during the first three months of the prohibition and will closely monitor the situation on the ground to ensure the NSZ is implemented smoothly. With the shopping belt and its main thoroughfare now smoke-free, we expect the overall shopping experience in Orchard Road to improve, as pedestrians can enjoy cleaner air and a healthier environment there.”
“SidePak and Dylos monitors are used to measure ambient Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) levels. However, monitoring ambient PM2.5 levels indoors does not specifically identify smoking activity, as sources of PM2.5 can be attributed to other activities at home, such as cooking and the burning of incense. Passive nicotine dosimeters measure airborne nicotine, a specific indicator of second-hand tobacco smoke, but are unable to provide real-time results. Hence, while such measuring devices are promising, they require further development before they can be used as good indicators of exposure to second-hand smoke. There are currently no plans for a study using such devices. We will continue to review the use of relevant technology for air quality monitoring. The law does not prohibit smoking in residential homes as these are private spaces. Nonetheless, we recognise that second-hand smoke from residential premises can waft into neighbours’ homes. We encourage smokers to be socially responsible and considerate when smoking so as not to affect their neighbours. Residents who are affected by second-hand smoke from their neighbours’ residences are encouraged to discuss and resolve the issue amicably or seek assistance from the Community Mediation Centre (CMC). As a last resort, aggrieved parties can file a case with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT). CDRT has the power to order parties to attend compulsory mediation in the Courts or at the CMC, to attend counselling or to fix the case for hearing by the Courts.”
“These plans and framework will help us to take timely and concrete steps to guard against sea level rise in the long term.”
“Climate change is real and we are already seeing some effects in terms of changes in our weather. Another effect is potential rise in sea levels. This is a complex issue with far-reaching implications, especially for an island city-state, such as Singapore. To understand the assessed risks and impacts of long-term sea level rise on our coastal areas, multiple agencies are working together to study this issue carefully. We have taken early steps to protect our coastal areas. Currently, over 70% of our coastline is protected from coastal erosion through hard structures or stone embankments. Since 2011, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has revised the Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage to raise minimum reclamation levels for newly reclaimed lands and minimum platform levels for coastal developments by one metre, to at least four metres above the mean sea level. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has also raised some roads near coastal areas, including a stretch of Changi Coast Road and Nicoll Drive. We are building future developments at higher platform levels as a safeguard against rising sea levels. For example, Changi Airport Terminal 5 will be built at 5.5 metres above the mean sea level. More will be done. In 2015, the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, a department under the National Environment Agency, projected that Singapore could experience sea level rise of up to one metre by 2100. Building on these findings, work is currently ongoing to assess the risks and impacts of such long-term sea level rise on Singapore's coastal areas. Government agencies are developing a national framework for coastal protection, which includes developing long-term plans to protect vulnerable areas from sea-level rise.”
“At the same time, we can all play a part in the circular economy. Consumers can repair damaged furniture, appliances and clothes and prolong their use, or share less commonly used household items with neighbours. The industry should design products to last longer or to make recycling easier. Our NGOs can help rally the ground in this effort. With our combined efforts, we can move closer towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation.”
“The circular economy framework is aimed at closing resource loops and creating economic opportunities by maximising resource use and minimising waste. Key elements include sustainable production and consumption, as well as managing waste as a resource, such as by promoting the 3Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle. These elements are already embedded in our existing policies and form the basis of our strategy towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation. We will introduce new legislation to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for e-waste by 2021. EPR adopts circular economy principles by incentivising better design of electrical and electronic products to make them last longer and easier to recycle, while ensuring that these products are properly collected and recycled at their end-of-life. Another example of the circular economy is the industry-led Singapore Packaging Agreement, where companies commit to reduce packaging waste through changes in packaging processes, designs or usage practices, or recycling of packaging waste. We will build on this to introduce mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans in 2020. We are also studying the feasibility of extending EPR to manage packaging waste. Our industries have also adopted circular economy principles in their business models. For example, many construction companies recycle demolished concrete into aggregates which can be used to construct roads or manufacture concrete. In 2017, the recycling rate of construction and demolition waste was 99%. My Ministry is working on a Zero Waste Masterplan. We will consult our stakeholders, including households, businesses and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and invite feedback and ideas.”