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 Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) key interest is to safeguard Singapore’s water security and confidence in our water supply. Hyflux is currently involved in two desalination plants under the Design, Build, Own and Operate (DBOO) arrangements. Hyflux owns Tuaspring Desalination Plant wholly via its subsidiary and has a 30% minority stake in SingSpring Desalination Plant. Hyflux does not own or run any NEWater plants in Singapore. PUB has been closely monitoring developments relating to Hyflux's debt situation and its business reorganisation. As reported in the media, Hyflux has entered into a restructuring agreement with an Indonesian consortium, SM Investments Private Limited. This is a commercial matter and restructuring discussions are ongoing. It will, therefore, not be appropriate for my Ministry to comment on the details. Nonetheless, Members can be assured that we will not allow our water security to be affected. The DBOO model allows us to tap on private sector expertise to deliver cost-effective solutions for NEWater and desalination. We have welcomed participation from both local and foreign companies. At the same time, water security is critical to Singapore's survival. Where we have allowed private sector participation via the DBOO model, safeguards are in place. PUB has adequate measures to ensure DBOO plants remain in operation and supply is not disrupted. It is a top strategic priority of the Government to keep our taps flowing.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) is in close contact with the waste and recycling companies in Singapore and understands that our recycling industry is able to sell their plastics and paper to overseas markets. Some of the recyclables collected in Singapore are processed locally by recyclers, such as TES and Cimelia, which treat e-waste. Some local companies are also processing our plastic waste, for example, A~Star Plastics and Plaspulp Union Company. We will continue to monitor the developments relating to China's ban on imports of certain unprocessed waste. Meanwhile, we are building up the local recycling industry. Where possible, we want to better extract resources from waste and close the waste loop domestically. NEA is currently studying e-waste and plastics recycling solutions and technologies available in the market and assessing their suitability for adoption in Singapore. The findings will help us further develop Singapore’s recycling capability as part of our Environmental Services industry transformation efforts.”
“Of the 114 hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and NEA-appointed operators, only the hawker centre at Our Tampines Hub (OTH) operates 24 hours a day. On average, about 20% of its 42 stalls operate 24 hours a day. This was in response to requests from the community for a 24-hour hawker centre. But as the demand from patrons has not materialised, both hawkers and the operator are recalibrating the arrangement.”
“Cyclical repairs and redecoration (R&R) works are carried out at hawker centres by the respective Town Councils or the National Environment Agency (NEA) every five to seven years. This ensures that hawker centres are well-maintained, to provide patrons and hawkers with a pleasant and hygienic cooking and dining environment. R&R works are typically completed within two to three months, depending on the scope of works and size of the hawker centre. In planning for such works, NEA will seek feedback from the Hawkers Association and stallholders on the preferred closure periods, so that stallholders have ample advance notice and can make their plans accordingly. We also work with contractors to plan for the shortest possible closure period to enable stallholders to resume their businesses as soon as possible.”
“We will continue with the SEHC model and improve it so as to serve patrons well and look after the well-being of our hawkers. I ask Members to give the model time to adapt, adjust and optimise the outcomes we seek to achieve: first, the availability of affordable food options that do not deny respectable earnings for our hawkers and, at the same time, moderate the free market F&B alternatives; second, a decent living for our local hawkers that is sustainable even while providing affordable options; and third, to preserve our hawker centres, where we are proud of our unique vibrant social spaces as community dining rooms where everyone goes to, where affordable food is also good food. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor will take the rest of the questions and then we will take the supplementary questions. Thank you, Deputy Speaker.”
“Overall, the average monthly stall vacancy at SEHCs, at about 10%, is not exceptionally high and is not a bad result, considering that most stalls are new. Many of the hawkers are also new to the trade and need time to experiment with their recipes and decide if this is the career for them. The centres also need time to build up footfall. The market mechanism is working, and the Government should not intervene unnecessarily in mandating low or no rental, which could otherwise affect fair competition. Hawkers are entrepreneurs after all. We want to reward successful hawkers to sustain the trade and preserve our beloved hawker heritage. It is natural to have some level of churn as better hawkers replace those who are less suited for the trade. Market forces would lead to a fair distribution of hawker stalls, which ultimately benefits residents. It is inappropriate for the Government to subsidise a hawker on the basis that business is poor. This would be unfair to a better performing hawker who thrives on healthy competition. It would also be unfair to other private sector food shop operators located in close vicinity to the centres. The model must, therefore, ensure that rentals and costs are transparent and fair to hawkers, but cannot subsidise hawkers to the extent that it distorts the workings of the market. In summary, despite implementation challenges, the SEHC model is generally sound. Food prices are kept affordable with a good variety of high-quality options, and the majority of hawkers are doing well at the SEHCs. We should not undo these achievements. As with any trials and experiments, we cannot always get it right the first time. We have heard the feedback and will adjust the model to better serve Singaporeans.”
“During my walkabout at Shunfu Mart Food Centre, I had noticed an economy bee hoon and nasi lemak stall which had a faded sign advertising to hire a stall assistant. The hawker shared that her children were not interested in helping out at the stall and she had been unable to hire an assistant despite advertising for a long time. SEHCs have also managed to attract new entrants to sustain the hawker trade. The median age of hawkers at the seven SEHCs is 43, significantly lower than the median 60 at our existing centres. This is an encouraging sign and can be attributed to various initiatives introduced by SEHC operators, for example, Timbre's Incubator Programme and OTMH's Train and Place Entrepreneurship Scheme nurture new hawkers. Collectively, the five SEHC operators have trained a total of 38 aspiring hawkers since they started operations. These efforts complement NEA's ongoing incubation stall programme (ISP), which has supported 12 aspiring hawkers to date. Eight of them are still on the programme, while the rest had decided that they were either not suitable for the hawker trade or withdrew due to personal reasons. In addition, the operators have introduced productivity measures, such as centralised dishwashing, which allow hawkers to focus on their cooking and reduce the amount of menial tasks they need to do. Taken together, these initiatives reduce the physical burden of being a hawker and can go a long way to help sustain our hawker trade. Nonetheless, the SEHCs will take time to establish themselves. Ci Yuan Hawker Centre, the first SEHC, only started operating three years ago, with the latest at Pasir Ris opening in January. Hawkers at these new centres need time to build up a clientele.”
“SEHCs are establishing themselves within their communities and serving the residents well. Ci Yuan Hawker Centre recently passed its three-year mark. The hawkers are doing well and 97% of them chose to renew their contracts in July this year. At Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre, the renewal rate is similarly high at 96%. SEHCs at Kampung Admiralty and OTH are also doing well with hardly any vacant stalls and a long waiting list of potential hawkers. This is similar to NEA-managed hawker centres, where only 3% of cooked food stalls are vacant. SEHC operators have also kept their centres open during breakfast, lunch and dinner – a major request made by the public. In contrast, some existing hawker centres focus on only one or two main meals a day, and some hawkers only work three to four days a week. To ensure vibrancy, SEHC operators have also introduced creative initiatives to increase footfall, such as complimentary parking, lucky draw programmes and shuttle bus services for office workers. The SEHCs are leading a new model of clean and productive hawker centres, applying the best practices they have learnt in the private sector to overcome the constraints of labour shortage. All the SEHCs come with productivity initiatives, such as automated tray return systems (ATRS) and centralised dishwashing (CDW). Providing trained and properly supervised cleaners and a more hygienic environment have increased table turnover rates, benefiting both patrons and hawkers. The average tray return rates at SEHCs are much higher than those at our existing hawker centres because of the operators' efforts in implementing the ATRS. It makes the jobs of our cleaners easier and alleviates manpower shortages that our hawkers face in looking for workers to wash dishes.”
“These are generally lower than prices at surrounding coffee shops and food courts. We cannot force hawkers to sell at cheap prices for all dishes at each stall. Instead, the operators have made available at least one affordable meal option at $3 and below for each stall and allowed hawkers to determine prices for other dishes. This means that prices are not kept artificially low. Instead, operators work with hawkers to offer a range of food offerings at different price points, so that there are both attractive options that residents are willing to pay for and, at the same time, affordable options when residents want that. Some hawkers have also chosen to price their dishes low to attract more customers. For example, "Old Times" at the Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre prices all dishes below $3. Indeed, at each SEHC, there are close to 40 affordable options of various kinds of meals from 40 different stalls. Secondly, SEHC operators have curated food stalls for quality and variety. They have tapped on their networks of hawkers and have the expertise to conduct food tasting when letting out stalls. They have also introduced interesting food options, such as prawn paste chicken rice and halal zi char, and new dining concepts. This ensures a good variety of food options, which is not always a given in existing hawker centres. Even in popular hawker centres like Tekka, we can find rows of stalls offering similar food because NEA is required to award one vacant stall at a time based on tendered rentals to the highest bidder. NEA does not have a mechanism to curate an attractive collection of food options at each hawker centre, like in the case of the SEHC model. Such an allocation system run by NEA would be complex to execute and be subject to potential audit issues.”
“Third, a large part of the hawkers’ operating costs, like the Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) and table cleaning fees, are “pass-through” charges, which the operators do not benefit from. As a reality check, we compare some of these costs with the alternatives like hiring additional hawker assistants, or the consequences of cheap sourcing low-quality workers. Fourth, operators are required to reinvest at least 50% of any operating surplus into social benefits for the hawker centres and stallholders. I am heartened by the recent public discussion on how existing NEA centres are run better than the SEHCs. It is testimony that existing hawker centres under NEA management have done well over the years to meet the needs of their communities and the hawkers. But it is not enough to keep doing things the same way. This is why we have to continue with the SEHC model. Several Members asked what makes a successful hawker centre. I believe most of us have patronised our favourite stalls at popular hawker centres, such as at Tiong Bahru or Adam Road. Many such existing centres are well-established in their communities. They have anchor hawkers who draw customers from all over the island. The new hawker centres do not enjoy this advantage and need time to build up a clientele. Location and connectivity are important factors. New hawker centres at Kampung Admiralty and Our Tampines Hub (OTH), situated at transport nodes and co-located with other public services or amenities, have enjoyed good business. Higher business volume will help stallholders cope with costs. On the whole, SEHCs have achieved good outcomes despite the short time they have started operations. Foremost, food prices at SEHCs are affordable and comparable to existing centres.”
“We have started at seven new hawker centres, out of more than 100 managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA). These SEHC operators bring new ideas and inject innovation that hawkers individually or the Government cannot. We are giving an opportunity to those with expertise and networks in the F&B industry to apply themselves to socially oriented purposes. For example, they are able to curate food stalls for quality and variety. They are also able to bring in famous food recipes and are better placed to run hawker incubation programmes to help sustain the hawker trade. They also innovate to improve footfall and enhance vibrancy of the centres through better marketing and place-making programmes, and not just leave it to chance. As the single operator of each hawker centre, with F&B and management competencies, these SEHC operators can help our hawkers weather the competition from other F&B alternatives and adapt to technological disruptions better than the hawkers can individually. In time to come, the better SEHCs will develop capabilities to support and sustain the hawker trade that we will appreciate. To ensure that we select the right operators who do not profiteer, NEA has put in place safeguards through the tender and evaluation processes. First, NEA favours operators with lower overall charges to stallholders. Operators are required to propose rentals and operating costs upfront and cannot change these over the term of the tenancy. Second, operators must be transparent about costs. All new charges, including optional charges for value-added services, must be approved by NEA.”
“Many successful hawkers tell us that they hope their children will not follow in their footsteps. The challenges of the trade deter many young Singaporeans. We have to transform and find ways to make the hawker trade sustainable, or we may end up with hawker centres without hawkers. The demographic profiles and needs of residents have also evolved, particularly in newer estates. Patrons are more well-travelled and demand fresh concepts and wider food variety. Hawker centres have to compete with coffee shops, food courts and other food outlets in the community. Even the traditional model of dine-in meals has been disrupted by central kitchens and food delivery services. We must help our hawkers meet these challenges, just like how we try to help our taxi drivers face the wave of challenges from disruptive competition like Uber and Grab. To adapt to changing needs and circumstances, it is critical to find new operating models to sustain the hawker trade. This is similar to the role which the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Fairprice has played in the supermarket landscape. Over the years, NTUC Fairprice has been innovating and moderating prices of essential groceries, which has catalysed the transformation of the mom-and-pop grocery shops. Over time, as customer profiles change, NTUC Fairprice continues to meet the needs of a wide spectrum of customers, by providing diverse product lines from affordable house brand options to premium brands. Even NTUC Fairprice would not have been sustainable if they only provided affordable alternatives without the attraction of choice for their customers. This is why we are trialling the SEHC model for our new hawker centres.”
“These will provide about 800 new hawker stalls at significant investments. Each hawker centre costs $15 million to build. The Government absorbs the building costs and subsidises their ongoing maintenance but does not recover such costs from stall rental. We recognise, however, that just by building new hawker centres, we cannot automatically expect them to be viable and sustainable. In the early 1970s, the Government started building hawker centres to resettle street hawkers, so as to improve hygiene and food safety standards. Over time, they became our signature community dining rooms. To this day, they enable us to preserve the important culture of eating out together, regardless of our status, rich or poor, young and old. Over time, too, a good number of these first- and second-generation hawkers, who receive cheap subsidised rentals, only work short hours. Residents, in turn, feedback that some existing centres do not fully cater to their dining needs. I was at Shunfu Mart Food Centre during a recent Ministerial Community Visit in Bishan East-Thomson Constituency. The hawkers only open for breakfast and lunch; some even just for breakfast. Residents do not have access to affordable food in the evening. This situation reflects a need for the careful balancing act to look after the interests of both hawkers and the community. Ultimately, hawker centres exist to serve Singaporeans. But we also have to be fair to hawkers and safeguard their well-being. Our social and demographic landscape has changed significantly. Today, the median age of our hawkers is about 60. We have about 6,000 cooked food stalls at our 114 hawker centres. More than one third of our hawkers and their assistants will retire in the next 10 years. Being a hawker is physically demanding.”
“Thank you. I thank the 13 Members for raising many thoughtful questions on the socially-conscious enterprise hawker centres (SEHCs). I will speak on why we embarked on the Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) model, how we select operators, and share our views on how the SEHCs are performing. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor will elaborate further on our efforts to refine the SEHC model and better support our hawkers. Hawker centres are an integral part of Singapore. They are our community dining rooms – well-loved by Singaporeans from all walks of life. They serve three key social objectives by providing: one, affordable food in a hygienic environment; two, a decent living for our local hawkers; and three, vibrant social spaces to bond our communities. These are good objectives to achieve individually; but together, they compete against one another. So, tradeoffs need to be made for an optimal outcome. Let me start by recalling that the Government restarted building hawker centres in 2011, after a hiatus of almost 30 years. We were concerned about the lack of affordable dining-out options for Singaporeans at a time when there was a boom in coffee shops and food courts. Natural market forces were pushing up rents at those private food and beverage (F&B) outlets and, consequently, food prices. The public was concerned about the rising cost of living. In response to widespread appeals by Singaporeans, we resumed building hawker centres to serve as a ballast to stabilise cooked food prices against the emerging dominance of coffee shops and food courts. The Government has committed to building 20 new hawker centres by 2027 in new estates or existing ones that are relatively underserved.”
“Yes, I will cover Question Nos 1 to 8 and Senior Minister of State Amy Khor will cover the rest.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members for raising many thoughtful questions.”
“To promote the environmentally sound management of e-waste, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has worked with industry partners to set up voluntary e-waste recycling programmes which provide recycling bins at public locations for consumers to recycle their e-waste. Examples of these programmes include StarHub's Recycling Nation’s Electronic Waste (RENEW), Singtel x SingPost ReCYCLE and the M1 Drop-off Point Campaign. There are currently more than 500 such voluntary e-waste recycling bins across Singapore, and around 170 of them are found in commercial or retail buildings. In 2017, these bins collected about 140 tonnes of e-waste in total. Building on these voluntary initiatives, my Ministry will implement a national e-waste management system based on Extended Producer Responsibility by 2021. The mandatory system will scale up our e-waste management efforts and consumers can expect greater convenience when recycling their e-waste.”
“Since 2004, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has progressively opened up its reservoirs and waterways for water sports and activities, such as kayaking, dragon boating and fishing, under the Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters Programme. This is to bring the community closer to water, so that they can better cherish and appreciate this precious resource. Today, the public can fish at designated areas within 10 reservoirs and five waterways, such as Kolam Ayer ABC Waterfront, Geylang River, Rochor Canal, Bedok Reservoir, Lower Seletar Reservoir and Pandan Reservoir. The full list can be found on PUB's website. Popular fishing locations, such as Bedok Reservoir, Pandan Reservoir and Kolam Ayer ABC Waterfront, are frequented by recreational users, including families and anglers, especially on weekends. The designated fishing areas are located a safe distance away from water activity zones, footpaths and park connectors. As reservoirs are key sources of water supply, ensuring the water quality in our reservoirs is of utmost importance. Nevertheless, PUB will continue to assess and open up suitable new sites for water sports and activities. Exercising a little consideration goes a long way in making our reservoirs and waterways a safe and pleasant environment for all to enjoy. PUB appeals to the public to adopt responsible fishing practices, such as fishing only at designated areas, casting lures with care to avoid injuring others, and discarding unwanted fishing lines and hooks properly. Members of the public are encouraged to call the PUB hotline at 1800-2255-782 should they spot any illegal and unsafe fishing activities.”
“The Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) Fund is a co-funding scheme that supports companies to reduce waste and encourage recycling. As of July 2018, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has disbursed $1.4 million for 19 completed projects and committed another $2.5 million in support of 22 ongoing projects. The People, Private and Public (3P) Partnership Fund supports ground-up environmental initiatives. Over the past three years, about $3.2 million was disbursed in support of more than 3,000 projects, with about three quarters of funding going towards waste minimisation activities. We supported the Zero Waste SG's Bring-Your-Own Campaign which has averted the use of two million pieces of plastic disposables and packaging waste. Four hundred and thirty retailers and food and beverage (F&B) companies came together to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable containers, bottles and bags. We also supported Fraser and Neave (F&N) to work with retailers and tertiary institutions to raise awareness of recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans. We are heartened that some food delivery companies are discouraging the overuse of plastics on their own accord. Foodpanda and Deliveroo provide options for customers to exclude disposable cutlery in their orders. We welcome more of such initiatives from the food delivery and F&B industries and are prepared to support companies' efforts to reduce plastic packaging and plastic waste through the 3R and 3P Partnership Funds.”
“To further boost this effort, the water closet replacement project was launched, where PUB has successfully replaced non-water efficient water closets, basin and kitchen taps for some 3,700 eligible households to date. Recognising that showering contributes most to household water usage, smart shower devices will be installed in 10,000 new homes over these two years to motivate residents to watch and cut down on water usage during showers. PUB is also keeping up its efforts in the non-domestic sector. PUB has been working closely with more than 600 large water users in the submission of their water efficiency management plans. PUB is working with companies to progressively develop and make available water efficiency benchmarks and best practice guides. These will be resources developed with the industry, for the industry. Companies have already responded positively, with a number looking to implement water efficiency projects. Water is a scarce resource that should not be taken for granted ever. I urge everyone to do our part to use water wisely, so that we can continue to enjoy it for years to come.”
“Mr Speaker, in Singapore, water is priced to reflect its scarcity value. We have raised water prices to reflect the rising costs of water supply, so that our water system remains financially sustainable. This will allow us to continue investing ahead of time to ensure a secure and reliable water supply, while encouraging everyone to conserve this precious resource and use it wisely. I mentioned during my Ministry's Committee of Supply debate this year that Singapore’s daily household water consumption has decreased from 148 litres per person in 2016 to 143 litres per person in 2017. This is encouraging. The increase in water prices is not the sole reason for the reduction in household water consumption. Our water conservation measures, such as minimum water efficiency standards and the mandatory water efficiency labelling of water fittings and appliances, are also important factors. Over the years, we have progressively expanded the mandatory water efficiency labelling scheme to cover more fittings and appliances and phased out the less efficient ones. These efforts are bearing fruit. The Public Utilities Board's (PUB’s) household water consumption study last year showed that more than half of the water fittings and appliances used by households are water-efficient models. We will continue to encourage the use of more water-efficient products. Starting this month, PUB will require all dishwashers sold in Singapore for household use to have a water efficiency label, so that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions. From April next year, all other water fittings with a one-tick rating will be phased out from the market.”
“The Sungei Road Hawking Zone (SRHZ) was closed on 10 July 2017. Ahead of its closure, various agencies, including the National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), Workforce Singapore (WSG), and Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC), provided SRHZ users with financial, employment and social support. These included the provision of lock-up stalls at hawker centres managed by NEA, referrals to other flea markets, financial assistance and job placement. In September last year, we updated that the Government had engaged about 200 SRHZ users. Close to 80 received some form of assistance. Since then, the agencies have helped about 20 more former users. Hence, to date, a total of about 100 out of the 200 users have received Government assistance. Around 40 former users have taken up stalls at hawker centres, and about 30 former users have chosen to operate at other flea markets. Another 30 users have received employment and/or financial assistance. Of the 200 users who were engaged, 100 or so users have declined assistance. We understand that they have other means of support, such as employment or family support. We will continue to engage and render assistance to former SRHZ users who come forward.”
“We are committed to keeping our watercourses free from pollution and will continue to review the effectiveness of our regulatory and monitoring regime in safeguarding our water resources and the environment.”
“The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has in place a comprehensive water quality monitoring programme to ensure that our potable water supply complies with regulations and international standards and is safe for drinking. Microplastics, which include microbeads, are removed at our waterworks that treat water for potable supply. At our NEWater and desalination plants, microplastics are removed using reverse osmosis membranes. Monitoring by PUB shows that our drinking water is free from microplastics. PUB also ensures that all used water is collected and treated at water reclamation plants to internationally recognised discharge standards. During the treatment process, microplastics in used water will be substantially removed as sludge and incinerated. The bulk of the treated used water is further processed and reclaimed as NEWater. As a result of these processes, only a miniscule amount of microplastics is discharged into the sea. Nevertheless, PUB is looking into incorporating membrane bioreactor technology in our used water treatment process to further improve the microplastics removal rate. We are monitoring international developments on microplastics, including microbeads in cosmetics. The National Environment Agency encourages businesses to reduce the use of microbeads in their products. Multinational corporations, such as Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, L'Oreal Group, Colgate-Palmolive, and Estee Lauder Company, have voluntarily phased out microbeads in their products. Major local retailers, such as Guardian Singapore, Watsons and NTUC Fairprice, have also indicated that they have phased out microbeads in their house-brand products.”
“In the same vein, the Government called a Call-for-Collaboration (CFC) for the provision of e-payment solutions for food businesses in April 2018. This will reduce the costs to hawkers who wish to adopt the option of electronic cashless payments to increase productivity. For cleaning, NEA adopts procurement best practices to maximise value for money. These include open tenders to facilitate price competition, and demand-aggregation to bring down unit costs. NEA also adopts a price-quality model which balances between costs and service standards to stallholders. We will continue to monitor the costs to stallholders closely and, where necessary, review the measures to help our stallholders better manage their business costs.”
“The primary objective of hawker centres is to provide hygienic and affordable food. The Government has invested in helping stallholders make a decent living and preparing them for future challenges, such as increased manpower shortage and rising labour costs. The implementation of centre-level productivity initiatives, such as Centralised Dishwashing and Automated Tray Return Systems, will enhance productivity in our hawker centres. It will also reduce the hawkers' workload while addressing their manpower constraints. As labour costs are expected to increase in future, the productivity savings from these initiatives will translate into cost savings for the stallholders. To help lower the initial cost burden, the Government is co-funding up to 70% of the operating costs of these initiatives for two years. This has been well-received in the hawker centres which have come on board our Productive Hawker Centres initiative, where more than 90% of the stallholders have adopted Centralised Dishwashing services. With these services, stallholders no longer need to collect and wash crockery or employ someone to do so. Stallholders also do not have to buy their own crockery as these are provided by the Centralised Dishwashing vendor. In October last year, the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the Hawkers' Productivity Grant that provides funding support for the purchase of kitchen automation equipment. This also helps to increase our hawkers' productivity and reduce their workload. Stallholders can claim 80% of the qualifying cost of the equipment on a reimbursement basis, up to a total of $5,000 within a three-year timeframe. As of 31 August 2018, NEA has approved 170 applications.”
“Having achieved its initial objectives of forging community partnerships and providing capacity building for MMOs, the CLF Steering Committee was succeeded by two committees in 2015, namely, the Malay/Muslim Capability Development Fund (MMCDF) Steering Committee and the CLF Leadership and Advancement Benefaction Scheme (CLF LABS) Steering Committee, which collectively oversee CLF. MENDAKI serves as the CLF Secretariat, and also administers the MMCDF, which supports projects by the MMOs. CLF LABS supports youth-led and informal groups in test-bedding innovative ideas with MENDAKI’s seed funding. Moving forward, the Malay/Muslim political officeholders and I will strengthen collaboration across our key community institutions comprising MESRA, MENDAKI and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). We will strive to enhance MENDAKI's and MESRA's programmes so that, collectively, they can reach more community segments and deliver greater impact. They will also strengthen the last mile for outreach, as well as expand and develop our pool of volunteers and community leaders. MESRA, MENDAKI and MUIS will work in partnership with Government agencies, MMOs and other partners to harness the Malay/Muslim community's energy and creativity to contribute back to the community and the wider society.”
“The People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Co-ordinating Council (MESRA) and the Malay Activity Executive Committees (MAECs) play a key role in developing opportunities for which the Malay community can interact and collaborate with other communities and groups in Singapore. MESRA coordinates the efforts of the MAECs, which are based at Community Clubs across Singapore. The Community Leaders’ Forum (CLF) is a platform under the Council for the Development of the Singapore Malay/Muslim Community (MENDAKI), formed in 2003 to support Malay/Muslim Voluntary Organisations (MMOs). Our MMOs are central to efforts to uplift and empower the Malay/Muslim community. The Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) will continue to support the MMOs in areas, such as education, youth, family and employability. For example, the Youth-in-Action programme carried out by 12 MMOs, such as the Association of Muslim Professionals, the Majulah Community and the Progress Class Society, addresses low school attendance rates and negative social behaviours, complementing efforts by schools. The CLF will also continue to fund partners that collaborate with community or Government agencies to address social issues. For instance, through the Vista Sakinah programme, the CLF funds the Singapore Muslim Women's Association (PPIS) to support remarriages and stepfamilies. Over the years, CLF has made significant progress. Within 10 years, the number of CLF partners increased from 10 MMOs and two mosques in 2004, to 65 in 2015. CLF identified service gaps that led to the implementation of flagship programmes by CLF partners, including Tiga M, Community Tuition Subsidy Scheme (CoTS), Family Excellence Circles, and SENSE employability programmes.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been working with the relevant authorities to identify a suitable site on mainland Singapore for the conduct of post-death rites prior to the scattering of cremated remains at sea. The provision of such a facility is in response to public feedback, to preserve the dignity and decorum of post-death proceedings and to ensure adequate provision of after-death care facilities to meet the needs of the various communities in Singapore. The site at Tanah Merah was proposed in consultation with the relevant authorities and with careful deliberation over competing needs. In addition, NEA has commissioned an Environmental Impact Study to be completed by 2019 to better assess the possible environmental impact of the facility. NEA has received feedback from stakeholders and engaged interested parties, for example, the sailing fraternity, on their suggestions. We will take into account the outcomes of the Environmental Impact Study and suggestions from stakeholders when considering the next steps. NEA will also be engaging stakeholders and interested parties when the study is completed.”
“The Public Utilities Board's (PUB’s) key interest is to safeguard Singapore's water security and confidence in our water supply. There are two desalination plants that Hyflux is involved in under a Design, Build, Own and Operate arrangement. One is the SingSpring Desalination Plant, which is majority owned by Keppel Infrastructure Trust with Hyflux owning a minority stake. This plant is not affected by Hyflux's recent debt and business reorganisation. The other plant, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant, wholly owned by Tuaspring Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyflux, is affected by the reorganisation, but continues to supply desalinated water to PUB. Hyflux, Tuaspring and its creditor are currently in discussion on the potential divestment of Tuaspring. As this is a commercial matter, it will not be appropriate for my Ministry to comment further. Nonetheless, we are monitoring developments closely. Members of the House can be assured that there are adequate measures in place to ensure the plant remains in operation. Any divestment has to be approved by PUB. Water supply is an existential issue and is one which PUB treats with the utmost seriousness. Water supply infrastructure is planned well into the future and investments made ahead of demand. We just opened our latest desalination plant, Tuas Desalination Plant, in June 2018. More water supply infrastructure is being constructed over the next few years. We will not allow the security of our water supply to be affected.”
“Should the El Niño occur, it is not likely to have a significant impact on rainfall patterns in Singapore and the nearby region, due to its expected weak intensity and late development during the year-end rainy season. We do not expect a repeat of the strong El Niño event experienced in 2015/2016, which was one of the strongest in recent history and led to significantly reduced rainfall in Singapore. MSS will continue to monitor developments and provide relevant alerts to the public and relevant agencies.”
“Climate change poses existential challenges for Singapore as an island city-state. In 2016, we published our Climate Action Plan which outlines Singapore’s long-term strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change. We continue to build on these plans. This year, we announced the introduction of a carbon tax which will take effect from 2019. This tax will incentivise emissions reduction across the economy and encourage our companies to adopt more energy-efficient practices as we transition to a low-carbon future. We have also made progress in adapting Singapore to the potential impacts of climate change. In June, we opened Singapore’s third desalination plant in Tuas, and two more are currently under development. These weather-resilient sources will contribute to our water resilience as we continue to diversify our water supply. To prepare for warmer temperatures, agencies have put in place precautionary guidelines for groups that are at higher risk of heat injury, such as outdoor workers. Across the Government, agencies will continue to take steps to build a carbon-efficient and climate-resilient Singapore. But climate action cannot be the sole undertaking of the Government. Everyone must participate in this effort. This is why we have designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action, to raise our national consciousness of climate change and galvanise ground-up action for a sustainable Singapore. So far, more than 250,000 individuals, organisations and educational institutions have made Climate Action pledges. We are encouraged by their commitment and hope this momentum continues beyond 2018. The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) assesses that there is a 60%-70% chance of a weak El Niño developing late in the year.”
“This will level up the capabilities of the industries in managing their water use. Water is valuable and I urge all companies to look into water conservation efforts. PUB stands ready to help companies in this.”
“PUB will continue to work closely with industries on water efficiency benchmarks and guides for other sectors. Through these benchmarks and guides, companies can assess how well they fare relative to their peers and learn from best practices. As the benchmarks have just been published this year, PUB will monitor the performance of the companies and help them improve their water efficiency, especially those who fall below the median performance. Through one-to-one engagement sessions, PUB advises the companies on opportunities for water savings and offer customised expertise for water recycling and reuse projects. To encourage companies to implement such projects, PUB provides funding support, such as the Water Efficiency Fund and the Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund. Companies can tap on these funds to carry out water audits, water recycling, use of alternate sources of water, and the test-bedding of innovative water technologies. Companies have responded positively, with a number looking to implement new water efficiency projects. For example, PUB has worked with and co-funded Micron Semiconductor Asia Pte Ltd to install a wastewater recycling plant this year. Once implemented, there will be an expected annual reduction of 400,000 cubic metres (m3) in their NEWater demand. To recognise exemplary companies, PUB introduced the Water Efficiency Awards in 2017 for companies which are within the top 10th percentile of the industry-specific benchmarks. Last year, 27 award recipients from seven industries were presented with these awards. PUB is taking it one step further. From 2019, all large water users will need to appoint a certified water efficiency manager who has undergone training on how to conduct water audits and implement water efficiency measures.”
“As one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, water has always been an existential issue for Singapore. We need to invest ahead in weather-resilient water sources and expand and renew our water infrastructure and network in a timely manner. But this is not enough. To ensure the long-term sustainability of our water resources, it is equally important that we manage demand and use water prudently. The non-domestic sector currently makes up more than half of our total water demand, and this is projected to increase to about 70% in 2060. Companies must use water efficiently. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) requires large water users in the non-domestic sector to monitor their water usage through the installation of water meters and submit a water efficiency management plan annually. Through this process, companies can better understand their water usage patterns and identify ways to conserve water. Since 2015, more than 600 large water users have been submitting their plans annually. This has given PUB insights into how various industries use water and enabled PUB to develop targeted initiatives. During the Committee of Supply debate this year, I announced the launch of the Best Practice Guide on Water Efficiency for the Buildings sector. Another two guides – for the Wafer Fabrication and Semiconductor sector and the Refineries, Petrochemicals and Chemicals sector – were launched during the Singapore International Water Week last month. PUB has also developed water efficiency benchmarks for the office buildings, hotels, retail malls, wafer fabrication and semiconductor sectors. The series of consultations with industries and relevant stakeholders, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has mentioned, was instrumental to the development of these guides and benchmarks.”
“My Ministry will not be tracking the fulfilment of the pledges but will be happy to work with interested parties to support their plans. NEA offers a Climate Action SG Grant for NGOs and interest groups to fund projects that promote climate action messages, promote the 3Rs and energy conservation. Successful applicants receive a grant of up to $5,000. We have also supported organisations with good ideas to reach out to a wider audience. For example, we worked with PacificLight on their climate action-themed "Crea8 Sustainability" competitions for educational institutions. We encourage parties who have taken the climate action pledge to share their progress at suitable events so that there are mutual sharing and mutual encouragement as we all walk the sustainability journey together for the good of Singapore and the world.”
“Recently I went to the UN to present Singapore's first Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. I shared that Singapore's sustainable development is a whole-of-nation effort. Since our Independence, we have balanced economic growth with environment protection and social inclusion. We have also taken a long-term approach towards policy implementation, based on collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships. Our Year of Climate Action efforts is a good example of how we have come together as a nation to fight climate change and ensure sustainable development. We will continue to work with stakeholders to promote climate action messages in the second half of the year. The recent Partners for the Environment Forum on 10 July 2018 was themed "Accelerating Action on Climate Change" and gathered more than 260 participants to discuss how to better collaborate on climate action. A Climate Action SG Alliance has been formed by 18 corporate, educational and civil society leaders to develop new climate action initiatives to rally the public. In the coming months, they will look at how to promote education in schools on waste minimisation, how to encourage businesses to be more environmentally sustainable, and how to educate the community on recycling right. Individuals, organisations and educational institutions that have taken the climate action pledge have taken an important step by making a public commitment of their plans. As organisations and institutions are at different stages of their climate action journey, they are able to craft their own pledges to commit to a realistic and achievable climate action plan that works for them.”
“Singapore designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action to raise awareness of climate change and to urge people to take climate action for a sustainable future. The public response has been very good. Many community groups, grassroots organisations, corporations, schools and non-government organisations (NGOs) have stepped forward to organise events and activities to raise awareness of the importance and impact of climate change, and to encourage the public to take responsibility to live more sustainable lifestyles. Since the Year of Climate Action was launched on 26 January 2018, more than a quarter million climate action pledges have been received. Of these, 221 are from educational institutions and 266 are from organisations, including NGOs. Many initiatives have come out of this Year of Climate Action. Let me highlight a few. The National Youth Council (NYC) is organising a series of youth conversations throughout the year, and climate change is a key topic. Youths have shown keen interest in how they can contribute to climate action. The Singapore Scout Association has introduced a new Climate Action Programme, where Scouts earn Climate Action Ambassador Badges by initiating climate action activities and encouraging the community to do likewise. The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has launched an EcoLifeSG app which helps users to calculate and track their carbon footprint. As part of United Nations (UN) Environment's call to action on World Environment Day, City Developments Limited (CDL) and Global Initiatives (GI) launched a "live" art installation at the Marina Barrage using discarded plastic bottles to raise awareness on the urgent need to reduce single-use plastics.”
“NEA will continue to partner stakeholders to expand education and training programmes to address the skills and manpower needs of the ES industry.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) launched the Skills Framework for Environmental Services (ES) in December 2017 as an integral component of the Environmental Services Industry Transformation Map (ES ITM). The framework maps the skills and competencies that workers in the industry need to perform their roles effectively. NEA’s daily-rated employees (DREs) are potential beneficiaries of the ES ITM. To equip DREs with the skillsets for future jobs, NEA has been providing training opportunities, such as Workforce Skills Qualifications courses in environmental cleaning, landscape operations and digital literacy. NEA also encourages its DREs to attend relevant training programmes under the ES Skills Framework to broaden and deepen their skills and knowledge. With the requisite training and work experience, DREs may take on more challenging or expanded roles within the agency and in the wider ES industry. One DRE who has benefited from NEA's upskilling efforts is Mr Somasundaram Ganeson. Mr Somasundaram was previously an Environmental Support Assistant who kept the streets clean. At 62, he was recently promoted to be a Higher Environmental Support Assistant in vector control, after completing a vocational course and attaining the skills needed for the new portfolio. Accordingly, he now commands a higher salary. Other DREs have similarly upgraded their skills and taken on new roles. NEA is also working with Post-Secondary Education Institutions to enhance existing technical courses and develop new Continuous Education and Training programmes on relevant topics that would also benefit DREs who wish to upskill and avail themselves of job opportunities in the industry.”
“Everybody must do their part. We also welcome anyone with good suggestions to write in to NEA via email or social media. Consumers can also encourage businesses to adopt environmentally-friendly practices through their purchasing choices and by giving them feedback. Everyone's effort is important in our journey towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation and achieving a circular economy.”
“We will look into how the reporting requirement can be extended to other large waste generators, such as industrial premises. My Ministry works closely with other Government agencies and private sector partners to combat food waste. NEA and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) have published food waste minimisation guidebooks for food retail establishments, supermarkets and food manufacturing establishments. NEA’s 3R Fund has also supported 22 premises to install onsite food waste treatment systems. Our food waste recycling rate has increased from 12% in 2012 to 16% in 2017. But we can do better. My Ministry will continue to explore how we can not only recycle more food waste but reduce its generation in the first place. To better manage e-waste, my Ministry will put in place an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for e-waste management by 2021. We are also studying the feasibility of extending the EPR concept to other waste streams, such as packaging waste, including plastics. We will bring forward the mandatory reporting of packaging data and waste reduction plans from 2021 to 2020. This will build on current voluntary efforts, such as the Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA), which encourages businesses to minimise packaging waste. Since its introduction in 2007, the signatories have collectively reduced 46,000 tonnes of packaging waste and saved over $100 million in packaging material costs. My Ministry recently announced that we are developing an inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan to be released next year. In developing the plan, we will be consulting the public and industry stakeholders on our strategies for achieving a Zero Waste Nation and circular economy. In the meantime, we encourage ground-up efforts to reduce waste and encourage recycling.”
“My Ministry and the National Environment Agency (NEA) adopt a combination of strategies to reduce waste generation and encourage recycling. In particular, we are focusing our efforts on three priority waste streams – food waste, e-waste and packaging waste. While there has been progress, more needs to be done to achieve our vision of a zero-waste nation and circular economy. To make recycling easier, those living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats or landed properties are provided with either a blue recycling bin under their block or a centralised chute for recyclables under the National Recycling Programme (NRP). This has led to an increase in recyclables collected, from 25,300 tonnes in 2011 to 44,400 tonnes in 2017. In a survey conducted in 2015/2016, more than 70% of HDB households indicated that they practised recycling. However, this has not translated into an increase in our domestic recycling rates, which have hovered at around 20% in recent years. Taken together, these figures indicate that households are generally aware of recycling, but do not practise it regularly. More needs to be done to make recycling part of daily living for all Singaporeans, by making it more convenient for households to recycle and through more outreach and education on good recycling practices. We also target large waste generators by requiring them to report their waste data and waste reduction targets and plans since 2014. In 2016, 269 large hotels and shopping malls provided this information to NEA. They have also become more aware of how to improve their waste management systems. The proportion of large hotels and malls that recycle has increased from 84% in 2014 to 94% in 2016.”
“Ultimately, we would like to help smokers kick the habit for the benefit of their own health, their loved ones, and the community.”
“Regarding the Member's question about the National Environment Agency's (NEA's) protocol in responding to feedback on unlawful smoking, NEA, upon receiving such feedback, will engage the manager of the relevant smoking-prohibited premises to ensure that signs are prominently displayed to remind smokers of the prohibition, and to remove any misleading cues, such as litter bins fitted with ashtrays. If the complaints persist, NEA will undertake further investigations by contacting the complainant and other witnesses for additional information. NEA may also obtain video footage from nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, if available. If the alleged offender is identified, NEA will interview the person to ascertain culpability. A summons may then be issued if there is evidence that an offence had been committed. Errant smokers can face fines of up to $1,000 upon conviction. All said, it is not possible for NEA to monitor every one of the 32,000 smoking-prohibited places at all times. Residents who come across people smoking in prohibited areas can submit feedback, including details of the incident, to NEA through the myENV mobile application, and NEA's hotline and website. Such information can provide useful leads for us to target areas where breaches of the smoking prohibition occur repeatedly. While enforcement of the smoking prohibition will continue, it is not the panacea to curbing inconsiderate smoking. Our hope is for smokers to be mindful of the potential harm they may cause others and not light up in places where smoking is prohibited. The families and friends of smokers, as well as the general public, can also help reinforce positive social norms through reminders.”
“The Government has, over the years, progressively extended the smoking prohibition to more public places to protect more people from the harmful effects of passive tobacco smoke. Such places include the common areas of housing estates, such as void decks, fitness corners and playgrounds, as well as sheltered pedestrian walkways and bus stops. In 2016, the prohibition was further extended to neighbourhood and reservoir parks. Today, smoking is disallowed in more than 32,000 places and progress has been made towards our vision of a smoke-free and conducive living environment. Generally, smokers appreciate the reasons behind these restrictions and most comply willingly. However, there is a minority who do not, and this is where the concerted efforts of various stakeholders can make a difference. When someone we know – be it a family member or a friend – lights up where he or she should not, we ought to remind them to spare a thought for those around. Such social cues are important for signalling and entrenching the positive social norms that smokers should abide by. Operators and managers of smoking-prohibited premises have a statutory responsibility to stop patrons from smoking and request them to leave if they refuse. Most managers are aware of the important role they play in safeguarding the health of their non-smoking patrons. Managers who fail to discharge their duties will be liable for a maximum fine of $2,000 upon conviction.”
“The average annual electricity consumption of commercial buildings from 2012 to 2016 was around 6,276 Gigawatt-hour (GWh) per year. The energy use intensity (EUI), which is the total annual electricity consumption per unit floor area, for commercial buildings improved by 7% from 2012 to 2016. Users of air-conditioning are encouraged to set their indoor temperatures at around 25 degrees Celsius. The Building and Construction Authority's (BCA's) Green Mark scheme, which certifies environmentally sustainable buildings, awards points for buildings whose indoor temperature is set at 24o to 26o Celsius and relative humidity at <65%, for the comfort of occupants. Buildings contribute up to a quarter of Singapore’s carbon emissions. The "greening" of buildings is necessary if Singapore is to continue developing sustainably and meet our international climate change commitments. BCA leads the Government’s climate change mitigation efforts for the building sector, and their third Green Building Masterplan is focused on changing the way building tenants and occupants consume energy. As part of our efforts in the Year of Climate Action, my Ministry will work with BCA on programmes to encourage owners and tenants of commercial buildings to reduce energy consumption and lower their carbon footprint.”
“This also helps to moderate the increase in food prices. We are committed to upholding the role of hawker centres as community dining rooms in both mature and new estates so that Singaporeans from all walks of life can enjoy food at affordable prices. We announced in 2015 that 20 new hawker centres with approximately 800 stalls will be built by 2027. Some of these new hawker centres will be located in new towns, such as Sengkang, Tampines and Sembawang. The managing agents appointed to run these new centres will be required to provide affordable food options. An example is Hawker Centre @ Our Tampines Hub, where hawkers selling local food offer at least one meal option priced at $2.80 or less.”
“The Makan Index, developed by the Institute of Policy Studies, is based on the average prices of five food types observed at selected hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops. The Government does not regulate the prices of food sold in coffee shops, food courts or hawker centres. Nevertheless, my Ministry ensures that affordable food options are available at all our hawker centres, including those in new estates. To moderate stall rentals and prevent rent-seeking behaviour, my Ministry has disallowed the subletting of stalls. We have also removed the reserve rent in our monthly stall tender exercises. This means that even if the bidding price for these vacant stalls is below market price, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will allocate the vacant stall to the highest bidder as long as there are competitive bids. About 40% of cooked food stalls have been awarded at bids that are below 85% of the assessed market rent. To assist stall holders with rising manpower costs, we are deploying productivity measures, such as centralised dishwashing, automated tray return, e-payment options, and kitchen automation in our hawker centres. These initiatives will reduce the workload of the hawkers and allow them to focus on food preparation and cooking, especially during peak hours. In addition, NEA has approved more than a hundred applications worth about $214,000 since the Hawkers' Productivity Grant was launched in October 2017 to assist hawkers adopt stall-level productivity measures. Those who have benefited from the grant have given feedback that the equipment helps to reduce food preparation time significantly. The availability of numerous stalls allows consumers to compare food prices and take into account affordability in their purchase decisions at hawker centres.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors air quality in Singapore through a network of real-time monitoring stations. Besides monitoring key air pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), these stations also monitor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are often associated with the handling and combustion of fuel oil. In the event of major fires, in addition to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) being activated, NEA officers will be deployed to monitor air and water quality in the vicinity of the affected premises during and after the incident. In the case of the Pulau Busing fire on 20 March 2018, the fire occurred at an oil storage tank operated by M/s PB Tankers Ltd. NEA officers monitored the ambient air quality and meteorological conditions while SCDF and the Company's Emergency Response Team were fighting the fire. The prevailing winds then were blowing from the northeast and the air quality was in the "Good to Moderate" range, with no spikes in the PM2.5, sulphur dioxide, VOCs and other air pollutant levels. The firefighting water was contained within the bund of the affected oil storage tank and the coastal water quality around Pulau Busing was not affected. As for the fire incident that occurred at No11 Kranji Crescent on 22 March 2018, NEA officers monitored air and water quality near the affected premises during and after the incident and did not detect any spikes in the air or water pollutant levels.”