Sun Xueling
Singapore
“We are deploying electric vehicle (EV) chargers in tandem with growing demand, within the constraints of space and electricity. As EV technology is continuously improving, we are also mindful not to overbuild as chargers can become obsolete quickly.”
“I thank Member Dr Choo Pei Ling for raising feedback from her Tengah residents. Currently, two multi-storey car parks in Tengah have EV chargers, and LTA subsidiary, EV-Electric (EVe) Charging Pte Ltd, is in the process of deploying EV chargers in another eight multi-storey car parks in Tengah.”
“The Government targets to deploy 60,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030, which comprise 40,000 in public car parks, and 20,000 in private premises. As of March 2026, there are 30,500 EV charging points deployed in Singapore. We are on track to achieving our 2030 target in tandem with the growing demand for EVs.”
“In 2025, about 30% of Build-To-Order (BTO) blocks were completed earlier than their estimated completion dates at the point of flat booking. On average, these blocks were completed about two months earlier.”
“Yes, thank you. We agree with Dr Neo that it is important to bring together the wider ecosystem and we will consult all stakeholders. The Ministry of Transport's immediate focus is to drive the usage of drones more extensively, especially by the public sector and this is because we already have many potential use cases.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Earlier, I mentioned in my reply that the HDB notifies buyers at three junctures. This is to give buyers adequate time to plan. And that is why it is at the one year before, six months before and three months before.”
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“For those with medical conditions that make it difficult to flat-share, HDB already allows them to rent alone if they have a doctor's recommendation to do so. Separately, since 2015, HDB has made available some new 1-room rental flats with partitions to create separate sleeping areas for each occupant. Almost 500 of such flats have been completed, and about another 200 are under construction. We will explore how to make more partitioned flats available to Joint Singles. Miss Cheryl Chan also suggested further finetuning the criteria for other groups who may need rental flats. For seniors with serious illnesses who monetised their homes to fund their treatment, HDB considers their medical conditions and expenses if they appeal for public rental, and exercises flexibility based on their individual circumstances. Seniors whose family relations have broken down but still own a flat can seek help from Family Service Centres, which would facilitate family reconciliation and coordinate support for the seniors’ other needs. This is important as the senior still has rights to his or her property. If the senior is in urgent housing need in the interim, MSF and HDB will work together to provide accommodation for the senior. Ms Rahayu Mahzam also spoke about having more flexibility and compassion in assessing applicants' eligibility for various schemes. As the Member has noted, we do exercise flexibility based on the circumstance of each case. But we will be happy to engage the Member on this specific case and assist the resident where needed. Let me now address Miss Cheryl Chan's suggestion to allow more flexible usage of CPF OA monies for older HDB flats.”
“We will share more details in due course. The regulations are just one aspect. It is also important that the private sector also study the provision of AL services to cater to this segment, so that Retirement Housing products can be more meaningful and attractive for seniors in the long term. These findings will help shape and regulate the development of the private retirement housing market going forward. Mr Henry Kwek also touched on how we could facilitate and strengthen family support for our seniors. MND recognises the role that housing can play in encouraging mutual care and support among family members, whether it is through introducing flat typologies that are suitable for multi-generational living, such as our 3-Generation (3Gen) flats; or helping families to live together or close to one another, through our various grants and schemes. For instance, priority schemes, such as the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), the Multi-Generational Priority Scheme and the Senior Priority Scheme, which give flat buyers priority when applying for a new flat with HDB with or near their parents or married children. And we also have the Proximity Housing Grant (PHG) which was only just enhanced last year. Those who purchase a resale flat to live with their parents/children can enjoy a PHG of up to $30,000, while those buying a resale flat to live near their parents/children can enjoy a PHG of up to $20,000. Over the years, our public rental flats have played an important role in helping our most vulnerable seniors who face difficulties in securing a roof over their heads. Singles currently apply for public rental under the Joint Singles Scheme and share a flat. Miss Cheryl Chan suggested allowing those with health conditions to live alone.”
“It is, as the Prime Minister said in the National Day message last year, a "high-rise kampung where residents are out and about, socialising with family, friends and neighbours, and yet never too far from home". We will look to do more of such integrated developments, where there are suitable sites. However, not all seniors may wish to move out of their current residence, as many may prefer to age in place. Therefore, the Government's strategy is also to retrofit existing HDB estates to make them senior-friendly. We will make sure that there is a good range of socio-communal facilities, such as eldercare and childcare centres, so that our seniors have good access to the provision of various services, wherever they may be staying. Members have also suggested having Group Homes and AL services for seniors in our public housing, which Senior Minister of State Amy Khor has responded to. We will share more details at the upcoming Committee of Supply debate. As for the private sector, MND, MOH and URA agree with Ms Rahayu Mahzam that there is an increasing need for more diverse housing options for seniors, particularly those that twin housing and care services, to better allow able seniors to meaningfully age in place. Developers and senior care operators have, indeed, shown interest in providing retirement housing concepts in Singapore. Agencies have been working with them to study and facilitate suitable retirement housing typologies in the private market that will work for our local context. Taking the lessons from the Jalan Jurong Kechil development, one area that we are keenly studying is how best to ensure future retirement housing products in the private market properly cater to their intended demographic, by introducing appropriate controls.”
“While HDB communal areas are typically not provisioned with toilets as they are located near the residents' homes, neighbourhood centres or eating establishments so that seniors can have ready access to toilet facilities. Nonetheless, should there be demand for public toilets at specific locations in selected precincts where there is an ongoing Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), Members can highlight the request under the NRP. HDB will assess these requests on a case-by-case basis. Dr Teo Ho Pin raised the issue of funding caps for CIPC projects. While there are caps in place for items on the CIPC menu, these are meant to ensure prudent use of Government monies. Nonetheless, we can assess requests on a case-by-case basis. Beyond just housing estates, we also carefully consider how buildings can be thoughtfully designed to cater to all elderly users and workers. We agree with Mr Zainal Sapari that it is important to provide adequate rest areas for our elderly workers and we will work with the other agencies to look into the Member's suggestions. Ms Joan Pereira suggested building more blocks of integrated housing, similar to Kampung Admiralty. Indeed, Kampung Admiralty has been lauded as a model to be emulated, clinching the World Building of the Year award at the 2018 World Architecture Festival. In Kampung Admiralty, HDB advanced the concept of being senior-friendly by building a whole development with senior residents in mind, and integrating their housing with healthcare, wellness and eldercare facilities. They also included a childcare centre, shops and eateries that bring the different generations together.”
“Since 2006, all new HDB estates have incorporated Universal Design features, for instance, building common spaces with ramps instead of steps, having barrier-free routes to connect various amenities, having more seating in common spaces, and mounting letter boxes at comfortable heights. Within the flats, lever door handles and rocker switches are mounted at lower heights, and we have widened corridors and doorways to allow for better wheelchair manoeuvrability. Our short-lease 2-room flexi flats, which are meant for seniors, also come fitted upfront with grab bars. Under the Optional Component Scheme, seniors may choose to have their flats come complete with a wardrobe, kitchen hobs and cabinets. These come with elderly-friendly features, such as lower clothes hanging rods for easy reach, and wheels on the bottom of kitchen cabinets so that they may be rearranged easily. In addition, seniors can opt for lower kitchen countertops and cabinets, especially for wheelchair users. To better facilitate smart systems, such as monitoring systems for elderly care, HDB is piloting smart-enabled homes in Punggol's Northshore district. These homes will be equipped with additional infrastructure, such as additional power and data points, to support the easy installation of smart systems within the flat. We expect these flats to be completed next year. For existing blocks, Members will also be familiar with the various upgrading programmes in your respective neighbourhoods, such as Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) which provides senior-friendly features. Members are also welcome to play a role in adapting the estate to the needs of elderly residents. For instance, Town Councils can add more benches and ramps by tapping on our various upgrading programmes.”
“Mr Speaker, Members have made many useful points about how we can help our seniors to Age with Purpose. It is not surprising that housing and the design of our urban environment is close to the hearts of many, given that it affects the daily lived experiences of all Singaporeans. Ms Rahayu Mahzam spoke about how we could build more facilities, such as toilets and benches, near to senior fitness corners and parks to encourage seniors to exercise more frequently. Our parks are enjoyed by families, groups of friends and Singaporeans of all ages. All of them have benches and resting spots which seniors may use. In addition, toilets and shelters have been installed in our bigger and more frequented parks, such as our national gardens, regional parks and nature parks. The National Parks Board (NParks) has been upgrading our green spaces to encourage seniors to age not only actively, but also comfortably and safely. These efforts include incorporating new senior-friendly amenities, such as fitness corners, shelters, toilets and footpaths; replacing metal drain covers next to footpaths to minimise the risk of seniors tripping and falling over; and also improving the lighting in parks. NParks has made good progress on these initiatives and will continue to enhance efforts in this area. For instance, by FY2019, we will have introduced 48 senior-friendly fitness corners and 17 shelters, as well as finished enhancements, at various parks. By FY2020, we will have added 19 new toilets to various parks and park connectors. We will continue to review the provision of senior-friendly facilities in our parks. Apart from parks, we agree with Dr Lily Neo and Ms Tin Pei Ling that it is important to consciously design our housing estates and buildings to be senior-friendly.”
“As I have mentioned, the way we have been supervising this is that we are looking at it on a risk-based assessment. So, as I have shared, it is based on tip-offs or surveillance, and when that happens, then AVA samples different fins within the consignment for further testing and DNA analysis. On whether or not there should be a mandatory labelling scheme, currently, AVA regulates food labelling primarily for the purposes of food safety and public health. AVA would need to carefully study the effectiveness, the regulatory impact and resource implications of a food labelling scheme based on environmental considerations.”
“In accordance with the CITES regulations, AVA requires all imports of CITES-listed shark species to be accompanied by permits. I mentioned this before. So, this is the first layer of checks. As I have also mentioned earlier in my reply, AVA then adopts a targeted approach to act on shark fin consignments that may have been brought in without the necessary permits or have been wrongly declared. These consignments then undergo DNA testing to verify if the species declarations are accurate. So, when a shark fin consignment has been flagged, based on tip-offs or surveillance, AVA samples different fins within the same consignment for further testing and DNA analysis.”
“Pet boarders currently are not required to be licensed unless they are on farm land. We also need to be mindful that there are many pet boarders out there who are do-gooders, well-meaning pet lovers, who provide pet boarding facilities. But like I mentioned earlier, we will be undertaking a holistic review. And there are various different stakeholders that we have to consult. So, rest assured it is not that I do not want to give a timeline, but because we want to be comprehensive and holistic about it. Therefore, I do not want to pre-commit. But rest assured, it is going to be a holistic review.”
“AVA has a list of commercial boarders in the pet farms. On the timeline that the Member asked, as I mentioned earlier in my reply, we will be revealing more details in due course, but rest assured that it is going to be a holistic review. We will be engaging various stakeholders when we conduct this review. I had mentioned pet owners, industry players and Animal Welfare Groups because there is a delicate balance that we need to seek between their various needs and their interests.”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Ms Sun Xueling.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“Under the Housing and Development (Animals) Rules, recalcitrant owners who refuse to allow HDB officers to enter and inspect their premises may be brought to Court where they can be fined up to $4,000 upon conviction. In cases where there is reasonable cause to believe that the welfare of the pets is compromised, or there is mistreatment, AVA today has powers under the Animals and Birds Act to enter the premises for investigation. The owners, if convicted in Court for failing to provide adequate care for their pets, may be liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both. AVA can also seize the animals if there are concerns about their welfare. To answer Mr Gan Thiam Poh, NParks officers will have these same powers even after the Bill is passed. Mr Yee Chia Hsing further suggested that agencies be given powers to forcibly remove pets from private homes due to disamenities arising from the pets but added a caveat that this should only be used when all other avenues have been exhausted. Indeed, we would need to consider very carefully whether to put in place such powers for NParks officers, as the powers are very intrusive. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to conclude by thanking Members once again for their support and suggestions. NParks will continue to engage and work with stakeholders on holistic and science-based strategies to enhance animal health and welfare, as well as ensure that we co-exist harmoniously with wildlife and other animals. Mr Deputy Speaker, 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.”
“Prof Fatimah Lateef also asked if there would be changes to the National Biodiversity Centre, which is currently under NParks. With the reorganisation, NParks will be able to integrate its existing expertise in biodiversity, conservation and ecology with AVA’s capabilities in animal and plant health, as well as veterinary science. This will enable NParks to add new dimensions to its Nature Conservation Master Plan, which is coordinated by National Biodiversity Centre. For example, NParks will be able to better incorporate the monitoring and management of zoonotic diseases into its wildlife management and species recovery programmes. Next, let me address Members’ comments on pets. I fully agree with Mr Gan Thiam Poh that pet owners need to be responsible for the welfare of their pets. The Animals and Birds Act has mandated that pet owners show a duty of care to their pets. NParks will continue AVA’s good work to remind pet owners that “A Pet is for Life”. Through the Responsible Pet Ownership programme, we hope to equip potential pet owners with knowledge on the care and responsibility that comes with owning a pet. With the Bill, NParks will take over the administration of the Animals and Birds Act, and its officers will be suitably empowered to take enforcement action against anyone who commits an act of animal cruelty or fails to provide adequate care for their pets. Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Yee Chia Hsing highlighted the issue of irresponsible pet owners in HDB flats causing disamenities to their neighbours. In such cases, AVA, and in future, NParks and HDB will work with the flat owners, grassroots leaders and Animal Welfare Groups to resolve the issues, and to rehome the animals if necessary.”
“A variety of measures are used and there is no reliance on any one single method for a quick-fix. Taking on board the lessons that AVA has learnt in dealing with wild birds, NParks will monitor the population, occurrence, diet and movement of wild birds, so as to develop effective long-term strategies to mitigate the disamenities caused by them. For example, NParks is replacing roost trees with other trees that still provide shade but are less attractive to the birds, to reduce the number of roosting sites. We have also found recently that with the pruning of potential roost trees, we are able to direct birds away from roosting closely to residential areas. I would like to assure Members that NParks will undertake a holistic and scientific approach and also learn appropriate lessons from experiences overseas to support our efforts in wildlife and animal management. For example, by applying population studies, active tracking and modelling techniques, NParks was able to identify the various troops of macaques in the Upper Thomson area. NParks then worked with the grassroots leaders and residents to stem habits like feeding and poor handling of household trash, and to actively drive the macaques away from residential areas. Only when a macaque has acted aggressively will NParks step in to relocate it, or if necessary, put it down for public safety reasons. To address Prof Fatimah Lateef’s question about NParks’ budget for animal management, we are currently focusing on ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders and continuity for all existing programmes. Thereafter, NParks will undertake a comprehensive review of our animal management measures, including the appropriate budget required.”
“In particular, NParks will be contributing its expertise in veterinary health and zoonotic diseases to the group. NParks will also undertake a holistic review of the regulatory approach for animal-related businesses, such as pet boarders, pet breeders and veterinary centres. As part of this review, NParks will engage industry players and animal interest groups to find the right balance across their various needs and interests. Third, we will continue to take a holistic science-based approach to animal management This entails understanding the underlying drivers, putting in place appropriate public education programmes, and applying the appropriate animal-management measures for each specific case. A sustainable animal management strategy requires a holistic suite of measures. This can include removal of food sources, use of contraceptives, habitat modification and population control. For instance, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Mr Louis Ng spoke about the management of wild birds in HDB estates. AVA has worked closely with grassroots organisations, Town Councils and NEA to educate the public about proper food waste management, as well as stepped up enforcement in problem areas where the presence of improperly disposed of food waste exacerbates the situation. AVA has repeatedly highlighted in its public communications that such food sources attract birds and increase their population. This point has been carried by various media outlets, such as The Straits Times, Channel NewsAsia and Today, in their coverage of such issues. Apart from controlling food sources, AVA has trialled various measures to move the birds away from trees near residential areas, such as the use of lasers, natural bird repellent and passing low electrical currents through roost trees.”
“The Working Group’s flagship community education project, the Monkey Guards Programme, teaches people how to respond to monkeys and to guide them away from residential areas. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has raised the issue about stray cat feeding. Many community cats are taken care of by regular, responsible feeders. In this regard, agencies have worked with the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) to adopt a calibrated approach to allow such feeding whilst taking action to prevent disamenities. When NEA officers encountered cat feeders, they take down their particulars. If the officers return and find that the site is not cleared after a reasonable amount of time, they will be able to carry out enforcement using the particulars collected earlier. But we take the point that Er Dr Lee has raised. At locations where cat feeding has exacerbated rat problems, NEA and AVA will work with the CWS to tighten the processes. For instance, feeders may be asked to clear up immediately to mitigate the problem. Next, NParks will build on AVA’s existing partnerships with animal interest groups, animal-related businesses and other stakeholders, as it continues to refine and implement our animal and wildlife management strategy. NParks will also work closely with other public agencies in carrying out its functions. Er Dr Lee raised the issue of illegal fishing at Sungei Seletar. NParks and the Public Utilities Board will continue to monitor the situation and step up enforcement where necessary. To address Prof Fatimah Lateef’s question on how NParks will partner other agencies to safeguard public health, NParks will join MOH and NEA, as well as SFA, which currently work closely together, to address public health issues. This is made an express new function of NParks in clause 3(a) of the Bill.”
“All AVA staff in its present food-related and non-food undertakings, including secondees, will be transferred to SFA and NParks respectively. The Member may wish to refer to the new section 25(6) which is inserted by clause 7 of the Bill for AVA’s non-food undertakings. Persons on secondment in AVA’s food-related undertakings will have been transferred to SFA under the Singapore Food Agency Bill 2019 which this House has just passed. Members also spoke about animal management. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Gan Thiam Poh spoke about the need for us to co-exist harmoniously with animals, birds and other types of wildlife. Indeed, in our biophilic City in a Garden, we live in close proximity to nature and should continue to try to minimise friction in human-animal interactions. The transfer of animal-related functions from AVA to NParks will put us in a better position to do so in several ways. First, as Er Dr Lee Bee Wah suggested, we will continue to heighten public awareness regarding wildlife. Should members of the public encounter wildlife, such as snakes or wild boars, they can call the existing Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600, which NParks will take over from AVA. This is also the hotline that Prof Fatimah enquired about. We have also put up advisories in parks where there have been previous sightings of wild boars so that members of the public would know how to react if they come across them. NParks will also continue to work with nature groups, Town Councils, as well as schools on public education and engagement programmes. For instance, AVA and NParks are members of the Long-tailed Macaque Working Group alongside volunteers from animal interest groups, such as the Jane Goodall Institute.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members for their very animated speeches and for their suggestions and views. Let me start by addressing Members’ comments on the Bill. Mr Louis Ng expressed concerns about the limiting effect of the new definition of “animal” which replaces the present one in the National Parks Board Act. The new definition is non-exhaustive, as signified by the use of the word “includes”. The new definition in the Bill, therefore, allows for the inclusion of invertebrates as an animal. Mr Louis Ng also asked why we split the duties of AVA’s DG of Agri-Food and Veterinary Services among four newly-created DGs in the Animals and Birds Act, the Wild Animals and Birds Act, the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, and the Control of Plants Act. The administration of each of these four Acts will be transferred under the Bill from AVA to NParks. Each Act has a significantly different and distinct purpose and scope from the other. Hence, the Bill provides the flexibility to appoint separate technical experts for each role. But notwithstanding this, as Mr Louis Ng has pointed out, the same person could be appointed as the DG for more than one role, if he or she has the right expertise. Regardless of the number of officers performing these roles, they will report to the same Chief Executive Officer who will ensure that there continues to be close coordination across the different teams. Prof Fatimah Lateef asked about the staffing arrangements. The senior management of AVA and NParks have engaged their staff through several townhalls and engagement sessions to ensure that they are aware of their roles and reporting structure after the reorganisation.”
“And that is why Singapore has a comprehensive harm prevention strategy against drugs where preventive drug education is our first line of defence, then coupled with tough laws and vigorous enforcement against drug traffickers, and structured rehabilitation and supervision to help abusers kick the drug habit. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, my colleague, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin, will now be addressing some of the other issues that Members have raised. 6.19 pm”
“It will also be an offence for an adult who does not take reasonable steps to prevent a young person from consuming illicit drugs in the adult's possession. Our children are innocent. We cannot allow them to have their lives ruined just because of the bad choices adults make with regard to drugs, or their irresponsible behaviour, for example, leaving their children in the care of caregivers who are drug abusers or drug traffickers. The new punitive measures will prevent these tragedies from further happening. We are also ensuring better support for young drug abusers and helping them turn over a new leaf by making it compulsory for parents/guardians of youth drug abusers who are under CNB's supervision order to attend counselling. Family support is important in our rehabilitation efforts for drug abusers. For inmates, SPS will continue to work with families and also MSF to identify the needs of their families, provide intervention and increase family involvement in inmate rehabilitation. Members Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Pritam Singh have highlighted the importance of ensuring adequate resources for the counsellors and also their psychological well-being. These are the important points which I have highlighted. But we must also guard against the external influences which propagate the use of drugs and help those who have been negatively influenced to prevent more people from taking drugs. The introduction of contamination offences moves to stem this. We share Member Er Dr Lee Bee Wah's concerns about the availability of information on drugs online.”
“But we use digital technology to help, where possible, and the app and video-conferencing initiatives mentioned by Mr Mohamed Irshad will go a long way to benefiting inmates, including drug offenders. Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Louis Ng provided other good suggestions for inmates, such as having more open visits, providing them with more workbooks and healthy physical activities, and providing them with more support during the initial incarceration phase. These are some of the good practices SPS has already put in place and they will continue to work on them. Mr Melvin Yong also spoke about early interventions for abusers’ families. We recognise the importance of families to the rehabilitation process. Hence, SPS will be restructuring family programmes in the prisons and working with MSF to identify inmates’ family needs early, provide intervention and increase family involvement in inmate rehabilitation. We will also continue working with community partners to ensure that abusers’ children who are at-risk are referred to the proper channels for assistance and counselling where required. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, the amendments to the MDA are significant. There is a sizeable section in the amendments that is devoted to protecting our children and our youths from drug abuse. The examples Mr Christopher de Souza brought up earlier in his speech are shocking, sad and true. The new amendments to the MDA will thus make it an offence for an adult who possesses illicit drug to knowingly or recklessly leave it within the access of a child.”
“CNB and SPS track the person throughout his detention and the CBP phase as well as the supervision phase. What Mr Desmond Choo mentioned are rough indicative ranges. But each individual is different, so their own risk and progress will determine the length of each phase. If the person shows very poor progress, he may be detained for up to four years in DRC for rehabilitation, coupled with five years of supervision. Regular reviews are done to assess rehabilitation progress. It is a step-down approach. As he shows improvement and stays clean, he can be considered for progressively lower frequencies of urine/hair testing until he is assessed suitable for release from his supervision. The journey is difficult and, ultimately, the ability of the person to stay clean depends on his own resolve. But we are doing more to provide support where we can. In that respect, Mr Pritam Singh, Mr Murali Pillai, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Ms Joan Pereira have asked whether there are adequate support and training for counsellors. All of SPS' correctional rehabilitation specialists possess qualifications in relevant disciplines, and SPS also provides on-the-job training. It is a very meaningful, rewarding but challenging calling. Thus, there are also senior staff there to provide guidance and help them avoid burnout. SPS also has an inhouse team of psychologists that they can turn to for mental or emotional support. SPS also collaborated with the Social Service Institute to introduce training modules last year that will help build up the capabilities of case managers and counsellors. As several Members have noted, all these rehabilitation initiatives can be resource-intensive.”
“There is also a lot of information on the Internet on carrying out drug activities. While we cannot police the whole Internet, if a person in Singapore disseminates or publishes such information online, without any legitimate purpose, he can be investigated for an offence under section 11(D)(2). We are now building upon the success of past efforts in addressing reoffending. The Taskforce on Drugs was formed in October 2011. Chaired by then-Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Mr Masagos Zulkifli, one of the key recommendations was the implementation of a structured aftercare regime with more scaffolding for offenders, tighter supervision and enhanced community support. The Mandatory Aftercare Scheme (MAS) was piloted in 2012 and operationalised in July 2014. Under MAS, higher-risk offenders, including LT inmates, go through structured stepdown interventions like compulsory counselling, case management and supervision. It has only been a few years since MAS was implemented but the results are encouraging. The two-year recidivism rates for LT offenders have come down from 38% for the 2012 release cohort to 27% for the 2015 one. Ex-inmates have also provided feedback that having counsellors and officers walk with them in their reintegration journey has helped them stay accountable and provided them with a source of support when they struggle with life outside. Given how instrumental post-release support is in helping repeat offenders turn over a new leaf, we are doing more on this front, including increasing post-release supervision for abusers to a maximum of five years. Mr Desmond Choo asked whether the DRC length is too short and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah also asked how we determine when a person no longer requires supervision.”
“We have the Community Rehabilitation Centre for moderate-risk abusers and we have the DRC for high-risk abusers. So, it is not that experimentation with drugs is cost-free for the young. I also want to emphasise that we are not becoming more permissive about drugs. Drugs come at a high cost to society, and suffering behind every abuser is a family. We have no reason to go soft, and we must not. What we are doing is keeping abreast of new research and developments, to inform and refine our approach, to help us better achieve our aim of reducing overall drug abuse. Even as we undertake these new initiatives to better protect our children and youths, we must guard against individuals who undertake contaminated practices to spread the use of drugs and cause others to abuse drugs. They can harm not only our young but also others. On the introduction of contamination offences, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked whether someone replying to another person's question about manufacturing drugs constitutes a contamination offence. This will depend on the context in which the question is asked, and also the answer given. The proposed section 11(D)(1) requires that the person who provides the information knows, or has reason to believe, that the recipient intends to carry out the manufacturing. It is also not intended to target the provision of information for legitimate purposes or licensed activities, for example, staff in a pharmaceutical company licensed to manufacture medication, providing information to one another as part of the manufacturing process. The Minister has explained earlier that we have provided for defences in the Act, and the subsidiary legislation will set out the scope of authorised activities.”
“It will differ for each abuser and this is calibrated to the abuser's and his family's specific needs. Some sessions will involve only the youth abuser, some only the parents, and others are joint sessions. Each family is different. Hence, the rehabilitation process must have the flexibility to cater to the unique circumstances and needs of these different families. Sometimes, the counsellors need to counsel the parents privately, to address complex issues affecting their child. As the Minister mentioned earlier, parents/guardians today are already required to attend the counselling sessions, just that some persistently absent themselves. Hence, we have now made clear in the MDA that they have a legal responsibility to attend counselling, which is key to supporting their child's or ward's rehabilitation. Failure to do so will be an offence and we intend for this to come into force by the first half of this year. Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Desmond Choo had asked whether the focus on rehabilitation and the perceived lack of penalties may encourage more young abusers to experiment. Mr Deputy Speaker, our criminal justice system places a lot of focus on youth rehabilitation because, as far as possible, we want to give them a chance to turn over a new leaf, so that they do not ruin the rest of their lives. We want to intervene early and effectively, to allow them to continue to study and be with their families where possible. I would like to assure Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Desmond Choo that, currently, youth abusers already undergo specialised risk-based interventions and this does not change under the amendments. For youth abusers under 21, we have the Youth Enhanced Supervision for low-risk abusers.”
“The purpose of section 11B is, first and foremost, for deterrence, as we do not wish to see innocent children harmed because of the bad choices others make. Nevertheless, please rest assured that our enforcement agencies will also work together with the AGC, MSF and other relevant authorities to assess how to best safeguard the family's welfare. To answer Mr Melvin Yong's and Ms Anthea Ong's question on the age cutoff of 16, section 11B(1) is intended to protect younger children who may not understand the dangers of drugs and are at higher risk of accidental ingestion. That said, we are concerned about older youths as well and, as Mr Melvin Yong observed, more liberal attitudes, combined with easy access to drugs, mean that they may be more likely to give in. Hence, there is also a section 11(B)(2), which makes it an offence for an adult who permits, or does not take reasonable steps to prevent, a young person under 21 from consuming illicit drugs in the adult's possession. As Mr Faisal Manap has mentioned, education about these offences is important and raising general awareness will help deter such irresponsible actions. We will continue to educate all members of the public through our various preventive drug education platforms. Next, to support youth drug abusers and get them to turn over a new leaf, the support of their parents and guardians is critical. On the topic of compulsory counselling for parents/guardians of youth drug abusers who are under CNB's supervision order, Ms Anthea Ong and Dr Intan Mokhtar have asked for further details. CNB has worked with social service providers to structure the counselling programme. It consists of a minimum of 25 sessions and lasts up to a year.”
“Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked why we have decided to take this strong stance, given the alternatives and tradeoffs. In the cases that Mr Christopher de Souza has cited, this is what our officers see on the ground – young children found in drug dens. They were put in danger, some by their own parents. Others were passed around among caregivers who were either drug abusers or traffickers. Paraphrasing what Dr Intan Mokhtar said, as adults, we cannot ignore our responsibility towards our children. This is regardless of means or wealth. There is a basic baseline safety that must be upheld and children from all backgrounds are deserving of that same protection. Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked why we decided to create this specific provision in the MDA rather than rely on other Acts. This is because of the specific trends and issues we have observed in the course of drug enforcement. The provisions in the CYPA, for instance, require that the offender has a custodial relationship with the child. Whereas in the cases we see, there are scenarios, such as a parent leaving his child at a friend's house. The friend then abuses drugs, and the child is exposed to the drugs left openly around. Under CYPA, the friend may not be liable, having no relationship with the child, even though his behaviour has put the child in danger. The MDA, hence, provides specifically for such permutations of scenarios on the ground and the punishments correspondingly reflect the great capacity for harm that drugs can have, especially on children. Assoc Prof Walter Theseira has valid concerns about how this ultimately works towards the welfare of the child.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Members who have spoken. Many of them strongly support Singapore's comprehensive anti-drug strategy. I thank them for their views and their support as we continuously enhance our enforcement efforts, calibrate rehabilitation approaches towards drug abusers and penalise actions which can lead to the spread of drug abuse. The amendments to the MDA are significant and I would like to, first, touch on the areas which relate to how we are better protecting our children and youths from the dangers of drug abuse. Members have shown strong support for the creation of new offences relating to the exposure of children to drugs and permitting young persons to consume drugs. Mr Christopher de Souza has reminded us about the episodes which happened last year, where a one-year-old boy was rescued from suspected drug traffickers after his caregiver left him in their care; where a four-year-old girl was discovered with her mother, with sachets of methamphetamine; and a three-month-old girl found in a unit with a suspected drug trafficker and drug abuser and preliminary investigations showed that "ice" was abused during pregnancy and after the child was born. These are all shocking, sad and true. We need to move quickly to protect our children and prevent tragedies from happening. Dr Intan Mokhtar asked whether aside from the abuser, other adults in the household will be implicated if drugs are found within a child's access in the home. CNB will carry out due investigations to establish the ownership of the drugs found in the household. Any adult who is in possession of the illicit drugs and knowingly or recklessly leaves the drug exposed, knowing that the child is likely to have access, may be prosecuted for this offence.”
“I will take the second question first. On that point, the assessment has to be made as to how big a security lapse it could be if the security officer were to leave his position. So, the authorities will take a case-by-case approach. As I mentioned, they will look at the action that has been taken. They will look at the potential penalties, there is a range of options. And as I mentioned, the authorities will actually take a very calibrated and targeted approach. Actually, the new penalties now allow for them to do so. Because, previously, under the old set of regulations, the authorities really only had two options: either to give a warning or to basically revoke or suspend the security officer. Now, the authorities can compound the offence. So, if there were any transgressions, they will look at the offence and see whether or not it warrants a lower amount of fine. And whether or not they actually implemented that will depend on how serious the security transgression was, and they will definitely look at the circumstances of the case. With regard to the Member's first question on the movement towards shift hours, definitely the Security Industry Transformation Committee, which has been very instrumental in looking at the Security Industry Transformation Map, wants to have better working conditions for our security officers. So, definitely, where possible, and the security agencies are able to adjust their working hours, they would encourage the security agencies to move towards shorter working hours.”
“I thank the Member for her three supplementary questions. On the first question, the removal of the overtime exemption, currently there are security officers who could be potentially working 90 hours a week. So, with the removal of the overtime exemption, we hope to remove this exemption that was given to security agencies and bring it down to 72 hours or less. Actually, employees as well as the security agencies do not have to wait till January 2021. They are encouraged to move on to these new working hours as soon as practically possible, and also to ensure that their wages are protected with the PWM that I had talked about earlier. Many of the security officers will see their minimum base wage increase by approximately a minimum of 3% per year all the way to 2024. So, that is the first point. On the second point, already currently in the private security landscape where the security officer was seen to be sleeping on the job or consuming alcohol on the job, which is unprofessional conduct, some of the security agencies are already taking measures, such as the docking of pay, for instance, of the security officer. So, even with the new code of conduct amendments, which move some of the code of conduct breaches over to the regulations, the Police and the authorities will actually take a very calibrated approach, a very targeted one. So, we will look at the actual egregiousness of the offence that was committed, and we will look at the range of penalties that are available. I think my answer to that second part actually also answers the third question that the Member had.”
“The exemption given to the security industry, which allows them to exceed the Ministry of Manpower's statutory limit on overtime, will be removed from January 2021, so that officers will no longer work excessive hours. PWM wages will increase by at least 3% per year till 2024. To open new opportunities to experienced officers, a new Specialist Diploma in Security Consultancy by Temasek Polytechnic will commence in April this year. MHA has also reviewed our regulations to support the security ITM. For security agencies, the annual Security Agencies Grading Exercise was reviewed in 2018 to give greater weight to technology adoption and training. Security officers, too, have an important part to play in the industry’s transformation. As part of efforts to enhance the professionalism of the industry, MHA has made certain Code of Conduct breaches that pose a risk to public safety and security compoundable offences under the Private Security Industry Regulations. Our aim is not a punitive regime, but to deter and take targeted action to address unprofessional behaviour, such as sleeping or consuming alcohol on the job, as this may lead to security lapses. First time offenders will generally be given warnings, as has been the practice previously. However, the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department now has the flexibility to impose a composition fine if a security officer repeatedly or egregiously breaches the Code of Conduct, whereas previously it only had the more severe options of suspending or revoking his licence. Only in the most severe or recalcitrant cases would penalties, such as licence suspension or revocation, and prosecution be considered.”
“The private security industry is an important partner in our efforts to keep Singapore safe and secure. To uplift the industry, the Security Industry Transformation Map (ITM) was launched in February 2018. The ITM aims to shift the industry away from its current manpower-intensive service model, to one that integrates skilled manpower and technology to deliver higher quality security services. We want to achieve outcomes of high performing security agencies, more meaningful and better-paying jobs for security officers, and also better security for Singapore. We are making good progress. On the demand side, to encourage buyers to adopt outcome-based contracts which integrate manpower and technology, we have launched a tailored guide for the industry, as well as a training course for procurement officers. The Government will take the lead, with all Government agencies adopting outcome-based security contracts progressively from the middle of this year. This is significant, as Government contracts amount to over $350 million per year, which is about one-fifth of industry demand. On the technology front, the Infocomm Media and Development Authority and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched the Security Industry Digital Plan in July 2018 to provide security agencies a step-by-step guide on adopting digital technology. Funding is available for security small and medium enterprises to adopt pre-approved digital solutions under the Productivity Solutions Grant. To uplift security officers and improve the attractiveness of the industry, the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the industry was enhanced in November 2018, to place stronger emphasis on skills and competencies.”
“Firstly, based on our understanding, the number of singles who have not been able to find a suitable, eligible single person to live or rent with, is not large. But where such cases are surfaced to us, HDB will try its very best to find a suitable person to co-rent with the applicant.”
“I thank the Member for his question. For non-citizen parents with a Singapore Citizen child, we will adopt a child-centric approach. So, in such cases, the Member could reflect the case to HDB and HDB will take a child-centric approach and make sure that where the applicant has no other options for housing, they will make sure that accommodation is provided for the child. On the second question, could I ask the Member to repeat, please?”
“Based on my understanding, there are no penalties. But as I have mentioned, because there is an EMMP, there is regular consultation between the parties. MPD would modify their environmental plan in consultation with the relevant technical agencies when there are unanticipated environmental impacts.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. Following planning approval, MPD implements an Environmental Management and Monitoring Plan (EMMP) to ensure that mitigation measures are being carried out during the Mandai Rejuvenation Project's development and operations. The EMMP is monitored and reviewed by an Environmental Advisory Panel which includes subject matter experts from the scientific community, academia, nature groups and the private sector. If there are unanticipated environmental impacts that require additional mitigation, MPD should modify their EMMP, in consultation with the relevant technical agencies. The Member had asked about the eco-link. It has already started construction. I will have to check whether or not it was part of the EIA. Based on my understanding, it was.”
“I thank the Member for his feedback. As I have said, we will look at each case on a case-by-case basis. In the specific case that he has mentioned, if the party does not own the property after the divorce comes to HDB and satisfies the needs-based approach that we mentioned, then we will work with him to ensure that he has housing options.”
“I thank the Member for his supplementary question. I would first like to add that, in terms of numbers, as of 2016, shared care and control constitute 4% of all divorce care and control Orders. So, the numbers speak for themselves. As to his point about whether or not we work closely with Family Courts, I think we have to make decisions independently, somewhat. We cannot be influencing the Court's decisions. But I take his point that we should closely monitor the number of cases where parties are awarded shared care and control and ensure that, when they come to HDB, there are housing options for them on a needs basis.”
“I thank the Member for her very comprehensive sharing and I note that she has worked with parties before, so, she thoroughly understands the situation. We understand the concern that mutual agreement might be difficult and, as I have mentioned, we will exercise flexibility for those who face financial hardship or lack family support. We will take a needs-based approach and take each family's circumstance into account. We will ensure that parents with shared care and control have options to provide housing for themselves and their children. On housing counselling for divorcing parties, I will take her feedback back to make sure that the officers who interact with the divorcing parties are understanding, take all their sharing into consideration and, hopefully, that can help to make the process less taxing for all parties. I would just like to add that in situations where the settlement of the matrimonial flat and issues of custody and care and control have already been addressed by an interim judgment, for instance, HDB is prepared to consider requests to submit flat applications depending on the facts of the particular case. So, any parties undergoing a divorce may seek advice from HDB on their housing options.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. Time bar aside, divorced couples with shared care and control of their child, as I have mentioned, are still required to obtain their ex-spouse's written agreement before they apply for a flat. This is because both parents have equal rights to buy a flat with their child and HDB is not in a position to determine which parent should exercise the right. This is also to be consistent and fair to all HDB flat owners and households, where each person can only be listed in one HDB flat. But for those who face challenges in reaching an agreement, HDB will exercise flexibility, if they face financial difficulties or lack family support. We will ensure that parents with shared care and control have options to provide housing for themselves and their children. So, we recognise that each of the family's circumstances are different and it is best to take an approach where flexibility can be exercised to meet the specific circumstances and needs.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. Industrial premises are required to appoint a fire safety manager (FSM) if they accommodate 1,000 or more occupants, or if their floor area is 5,000 square metres (sqm) or more. Today, more than 85% of industrial premises are required to appoint an FSM. For very large industrial premises, however, the FSM must be a senior fire safety manager. Large industrial premises are defined as those that have a floor area of 50,000 sqm or more; or have a basement storey with floor areas of 10,000 sqm or more; or that is 31 storeys or more in height, including any basement. A senior fire safety manager is required to have at least three years' experience as an FSM and may be required to hold other relevant fire safety qualifications, depending on the risk nature of his particular premises. The Member had mentioned first responders. Under the Fire Safety Act, all industrial premises that accommodate 1,000 or more occupants, or have a floor area of 5,000 sqm or more, and any company storing more than five metric tonnes of petroleum and flammable materials are required to form a company emergency response team (CERT). CERT members are trained in firefighting, rescue and first aid, and are the first responders to fight the fire before SCDF arrives. To operate as a team, CERT comprises six members at the minimum. Larger or riskier premises should consider having a larger CERT.”
“Mr Speaker, between 2015 and 2017, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) attended to about 150 industrial fires on average each year. Of these, about five each year required prolonged operations by SCDF to put out. SCDF conducts fire safety inspection of industrial premises regularly to check if fire safety measures, such as sprinklers, fire alarms and exit signs, have been properly maintained. SCDF also checks for infringements that could compromise the fire safety of the building and its occupants. These include obstructions to escape routes, overcrowding, unauthorised fire safety works and unauthorised change of use. In the past three years, SCDF conducted about 10,000 fire safety inspections each year on industrial premises. Enforcement action was taken in about 3,200 cases each year. Fire hazard abatement notices were issued for less serious infringements. For more serious infringements, composition fines were issued. SCDF also prosecuted about 30 industrial premises each year for very serious infringements or recalcitrant non-compliance. In all the cases, the infringements were rectified after SCDF’s enforcement actions.”
“Mr Speaker, for every resident in difficulty, I would like to say to him that "Perhaps, I am not able to really feel the pain you are going through, perhaps I cannot fully understand the choices you have made, but I respect you always. Let me hear you, let me help you, let us work together and move forward hand in hand".”
“When faced with failure and humiliation, can we still maintain an optimistic and a positive mindset? Can we still maintain our confidence and courage? I think this will require our society to be more inclusive. In the past few days, Ministers and Members of Parliament talked about social inequality. To solve the issue of inequality, for sure, Government policies will play a role. However, we also need to realise that inequality is usually a perception. Even if we have the right policy, if we do not respect one another, people will not feel real equality. Coming back to the story of Mr Wong, I learned that his application was approved within a short period of time. In fact, his application was a rather simple process. The unhappiness before was likely a result of miscommunication. Sometimes, certain words we utter and certain body language could affect others profoundly. He may feel that his dignity is hurt and the society is unfair to him. When communicating and interacting with residents, if we could pay attention to details and be sensitive to one another's needs, unnecessary misunderstandings could be avoided. Each time we meet a resident, it provides us a valuable opportunity to help him, an opportunity to correct his perception of imbalances in life, and even an opportunity to change his life. Hence, we should treasure each opportunity when we meet the residents and make an effort to attend to the details, so that they truly feel that Singapore is a country with a human touch. Meanwhile, if each of us, regardless of race, religion and language, can have enough cultural confidence and leave some space for one another, then we will be able to feel that this is an equal and inclusive society.”
“]: Mr Speaker, recently at my Meet-the-People session, a resident, Mr Wong, came to see me. He said he had an unhappy experience not too long ago when applying for a certain licence. He said that because he could not speak English, the staff at the counter could not understand him and asked him to stand aside. The staff then started to serve other residents and later tried to talk him into leaving. Mr Wong recounted his encounter over and over and could not get over it. He felt that the staff looked down on him. He also felt that people around him also started to look down on him after knowing that he could not speak English. He felt that he has lost face. Although I could not verify what exactly was the attitude of the staff at that time, according to Mr Wong, the expression and the look of the people around him have hurt his dignity. Mr Speaker, what is dignity? Some say dignity is a sense of being respected and valued. It is the indication of self-esteem and self-worthiness. In this society, only when the dignity of each person is protected can people feel a sense of belonging and the whole society be cohesive. For over 50 years after Independence, there are many welcome policies that look after the dignity of our residents, for example, the housing, MediSave and Baby Bonus policies. At the juncture of this new era, it is even more important to protect the dignity of individuals. Currently, Singapore is facing the potential threat of global trade wars and the challenge of economic restructuring. Amidst this tidal wave of change, many professions will be disrupted and new winners and losers will emerge. At this time, Singaporeans will need psychological and spiritual anchors.”
“And to our young, do we show them through our words and our actions that we value them regardless of what school they go to, how well they do in school and that we respect them as multi-dimensional individuals with various different potentials? When we have compassion and mutual respect for our fellow men and we demonstrate it through our words and our deeds, we uphold their dignity and we make a statement about what we hold dear in our society, that regardless of what life has in store for individuals and its infinitely varied and unequal economic outcomes, everyone has a place in Singapore society. No one is any less equal. When we respect one another and treat one another with civility and dignity, this mutuality of respect becomes a powerful anchoring force, providing assurance to every individual that he is loved and accepted. This brings people close together because they know that they are accepted, come what may. And this is the antithesis to social markers which serve to divide and to differentiate. Mr Speaker, there are uncertain times ahead with global trade being threatened and our economy undergoing economic restructuring. There will be new winners and new losers in a new paradigm. Inequality can become a serious issue, and social stratification can break the social compact in Singapore. Amidst this tidal wave of change, individuals will be seeking new anchors to preserve their world view and their sense of self-worth as jobs are disrupted and skills have to be relearnt. How we manage this transition together and how we help others around us will be a true mark of our compassion for our fellow men and our resilience as a nation. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“He shared with me happily that his licence application had been approved. I may never know the exact details of his original encounter. Nevertheless, it seemed to me to be quite a straightforward application. So, the unhappy incident could have been due to a breakdown in communication arising from language difficulties. This episode taught me that in our interactions with our fellow men, we need to put ourselves in their shoes, speak the language they speak, consider the options put to them to their world view. Sometimes, it is not so much what we do, but how we do it that matters. But creating an environment where people feel that they are respected and their sense of dignity is upheld, is not just the role of the Government. The Prime Minister, in his speech on Wednesday, spoke about social cues and social markers. That they become ways to pigeonhole or exclude others knowingly or unknowingly. This is where each of us can play a role, that we not become a perpetrator of such social markers. Instead, we should treat those around us, our fellow men, with mutual respect and compassion. It is only when mutual respect becomes part of our bigger culture that we can be assured that every citizen feels valued and respected just being part of our society. For instance, in our everyday interactions when we come across a service staff, a cleaner, a waiter, do we acknowledge their presence, smile at them and thank them for their work? When we walk into a shop, are we considerate to the shop assistants? This goes beyond superficial manners. It is genuine respect for someone else's work and consideration for someone else's dignity.”
“To achieve a sense of fairness and justness, Government policies which preserve meritocracy, equality and promote self-help are important. To a large extent, our Government policies strive to create equality in our society by making sure that all citizens have access to education, medical care, basic home ownership and jobs. This allows everyone to have the basics to live a life with dignity. And even for those who drop out or have fallen behind, there are Government schemes to provide them an opportunity to get back on again. For instance, we have the Fresh Start Housing Scheme which aims to help second-timer families with children and who live in public rental flats own a flat again. And should new gaps appear in society, Government policies will be looked at again to deal with new issues and new inequalities which may come about. But apart from good policies which strive to create equality, we should also be mindful of the processes and social interactions which can affect an individual's sense of dignity. For example, when the vulnerable and the needy go to Government agencies for help, are our processes sensitive to their needs? Do we make them feel that they are valued citizens, albeit they need help at this juncture? Are we mindful of the constraints that they face? I believe that every time a citizen comes forward to seek help, it is a moment in his life where we could help effect change. A moment where we could try to right life's inequalities, a moment where we could make an individual feel that he is respected and valued, regardless of his station in life. These are moments where we can uplift our citizens and show that we are a caring society. I subsequently met the same resident I mentioned earlier a month later at a block visit.”
“Mr Speaker, recently a resident came to see me at my Meet-the-People session describing his experience when he went to apply for a licence. He could not speak English, and apparently the staff at the counter did not understand him and told him to stand aside while they served others. Eventually, he said, they told him to leave. Over and over, the resident described to me his encounter. How he felt the counter staff looked down on him, how others in the queue became aware of his inability to speak English. I explained to my resident that I would write an appeal for him with regard to his licence application. But over and over, he continued to describe his encounter to me. He could not stop. Every look he thought he saw, every tone he heard, every slight he felt, his dignity, Mr Speaker, had been hurt. I thought back about the President's speech. We have programmes to build a fair and just society. I welcome and support these programmes. But to my resident whose dignity had been hurt, what is a fair and just society? We are all born with a sense of dignity. Some describe dignity as a sense of being valued, a feeling of being respected, a sensation of esteem of self-worth. It is tied to our self-identity, to the things that matter to us, and it is reinforced daily on how others react to us. When our dignity is maintained and our self-worth reinforced through words or deeds, we are at peace with ourselves and with society. When our dignity is threatened and our self-worth questioned, we may react in anger against those who look down on us. We may also become depressed, or demotivated. I would say, that how we recognise one another's needs for dignity and protect it, has implications for how fair and just our society is perceived to be and for social harmony.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply. I would like to enquire whether the pace of development of the CCI project is coming along as planned, given senior leadership changes at the Mayor's level on the Chinese side; and, secondly, what has been the feedback from our Singapore business community for pursuing projects in Chongqing. For instance, has local Chinese government support been forthcoming?”