Tan Kiat How
Singapore
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Thank you, Mr Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the policy objective of the Speak Mandarin Campaign, and we have remained consistent and united on this objective over the years. The question is our measures – how might we show some flexibility when it comes to movie screenings?”
“Sir, I can take the Member's question first, about the institutional arrangement. IMDA works very closely with different Government agencies including the NHB. In fact, we work closely on films, the classification of films. So, there is no need for an explicit institution arrangement as they are already doing so.”
“These are the primary objectives, but we will continue to see how we can think about meaningful information for family members. I know family members when they put their loved ones in nursing homes, there is a range of factors they consider.”
“These are lessons we have learned and we will make sure that those lessons would be incorporated in our standard operating procedures in our approach next time. Lastly, I just want to thank the Member for coming by at least a few times to my constituency to speak to my merchants, the hawkers, the residents.”
“For example, there are no dialect restrictions for arts performances or content available on the Internet and online streaming services. On free-to-air television and radio, we believe that Mandarin should continue to be the mainstay.”
“If there is more demand, we will discuss it with the film distributor and see how we can provide additional flexibility. But we will take a review as it comes along and it is certainly something for which we will speak to all members, industry partners, community partners about, and take their views on board.”
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“We trust that there are norms which govern how we conduct ourselves and interact with one another. We must aspire to bring this to the online space as well where our seniors will be able to go online safely without anxiety; where our children can go online confidently without having the fear of cyberbullying or encountering harmful online content. But it is all up to us to keep our digital streets safe. Each one of us can play our part to build a safer, more inclusive and kinder digital society. With that, Sir, I support the Motion.”
“I hope that everyone will make good use of these resources to benefit more Singaporeans. The DSL framework is a starting point to help Singaporeans embark on their digital journey. Just as we start learning to write by mastering each stroke, acquiring digital skills must also start from the very basic level. With a solid foundation, as digital technology advances, we will be more confident in learning new skills and keeping up with the times. We will regularly review this framework to ensure that the content it covers meets our current needs. (In English): Let me conclude. Over the years we have made great strides to build our vision of an inclusive and safe digital society. We have a strong "hardware" foundation in terms of access to devices and broadband connectivity. We are strengthening our "software" layer by building up Singaporeans' skills and competencies to navigate the online space safely and confidently to fully benefit from exciting digital opportunities. However, as many Members have spoken passionately about, we must aspire to go beyond the "hardware" and "software", and nurture our "heartware" on how we treat one another and to foster a kinder online space for all where we make an effort to listen with the aim to understand, instead of shouting to press across our point; where we make an effort to respect another person's viewpoints and find common ground even if we disagree on certain issues; where we make an effort to offer a kind word, instead of joining in to spread negativity. In our physical world, we are comfortable to let our loved ones walk freely down the street, trusting that they will have pleasant interactions with people and not have to look over their shoulders for threats.”
“I was most heartened by her resilient spirit and willingness to learn, and we want to support Singaporeans like her with the right tools, resources and competencies to pick up the skills they need. To do so, we are collaborating with partners under the DfL movement to develop resources in line with the DSL framework. Interested learners can access in-person learning at the SG Digital Community Hubs where Digital Ambassadors and Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors will walk alongside less-digitally savvy Singaporeans on their journeys. Learners can also learn at your own pace and access videos and guidebooks on the Digital for Life Portal. Those who are keen to help their family and friends pick up skills can use these resources to teach them. The digital resources in English will be rolled out progressively from this month, and resources in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil will be available by the first half of this year. Sir, let me say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Digital Skills for Life (DSL) is a bottom-up movement, and we hope to see more partners and organisations join in, pooling our efforts to achieve success together. We will make the relevant content and other teaching materials available online for partners to use for free. This is a small contribution to the global digitalisation process. Our partners can refer to these resources when conducting digital skills training. They can also use innovative ways to help learning and further promote the DSL movement. For example, turning materials into games to make children's learning more interesting and vivid, or creating audio and video content in dialects to introduce the five basic skills to the elderly.”
“Firstly, setting up and using smart devices, how to operate the basic functions on our devices. Secondly, exploring information online. Through the Internet, we can access limitless information and new opportunities. But we need to know how to search, view and retrieve this information safely for our use. Thirdly, communicating online with others. Fourthly, transacting online for greater convenience – accessing banking and Government services, booking healthcare appointments, just to name a few examples. And importantly, fifth, being safe, smart and kind online – understanding how to keep ourselves safe from scams and false information and how to build a positive presence online. These are all practical skills that can make a real difference to Singaporeans' day-to-day lives. Let me share one example. A few years ago, I met an elderly lady at the SG Digital Community Hub at Heartbeat@Bedok. She was asking our Digital Ambassador many questions on how to use her smartphone and I saw her taking copious notes down on a small, little notepad. She was probably around her late fifties and early sixties, speaking in Mandarin. When I asked what she was learning, her answer both surprised and inspired me. She said that she was a victim of an online scam and she lost some money. She was there to learn how to make sure that this would not happen to her again. So, instead of being fearful and withdrawing, she wanted to confront the issue head on by learning how to safeguard herself. There are many seniors like that. The Digital Ambassador at the Hub patiently walked her through practical cybersecurity tips that would be useful for all of us. For example, how to create a stronger password instead of just using the default password "Password" which scammers could easily guess.”
“Outside schools, there are many opportunities for students, young people and members of the public to explore new technology. For instance, community partners like SGBono and VIVITA have been collaborating with the Bedok Social Service Office to bring tech experiences closer to children from less privileged backgrounds who typically would not have such opportunities. Earlier, Members raised many good initiatives in the community. For the general public, we have programmes like ExperienceIT and MakeIT at our libraries. These showcase emerging technologies and innovations, such as AI, machine learning and 3D printing, through informative displays and hands-on activities. So, please check out these exhibits and showcases at your nearest library. At the same time, we recognise that some of us may not be ready to take on the more advanced digital skills. We may want to focus first on building the fundamentals to go online safely and use digital services and tools confidently in our daily lives. To support this, IMDA will launch Digital Skills for Life (DSL) today. In the handout distributed, Members will find a factsheet with more details on DSL. Unlike existing frameworks to equip Singaporeans with digital skills for the workplace or specific sectors, DSL outlines the digital skills to enable Singaporeans to carry out day-to-day tasks online. We have referenced overseas examples and got inputs from experts. But more importantly, we heard from Singaporeans themselves. We learned from our insights from reaching out to more than 280,000 seniors through the Seniors Go Digital programme over the last three years and I would like to especially thank the 16,000 learners who were part of the pilot last year for their valuable feedback. The DSL framework covers five competencies.”
“Partners have also come forward to generously contribute some $14 million to the DfL Fund, which supports digital inclusion efforts, including ground-up projects from the community. I am heartened that there are many who are willing to step forward to support their fellow Singaporeans. I encourage more partners to step forward and work together with us. For example, Ms Usha shared examples of how we can better involve members of the arts community in our digital inclusion effort. We will certainly reach out to them. Sir, we have made good progress to enhance access to digital connectivity and services. But access alone is not enough. After all, what good is connectivity and a digital device if we do not have the skills to use them for our benefit? Ms Mariam Jaafar spoke about AI literacy and Mr Sharael Taha spoke about how we must give all Singaporeans, especially students from lower-income families, opportunities. I agree with them. MOE launched the Transforming Education through Technology plan in September last year to further strengthen students' development of digital literacy and technological skills, starting with AI literacy. Yesterday, MOE has also responded to questions from Members on opportunities for our students to learn about AI. Together with MOE, we introduced the Code For Fun (CFF) programme to expose students to coding and computational thinking. Since 2020, it has been mandatory for all upper primary school students to go through CFF or a comparable coding programme. As technology continues to evolve, IMDA and MOE will review the CFF enrichment programme to ensure that it is relevant and up to date. We are working towards introducing new content on AI and data literacy in the refreshed curriculum for 2025.”
“Mr Ong also asked if we can ensure that future digital infrastructure designers and programmers are exposed to digital accessibility. We will continue to work with our Institutes of Higher Learning on this. For example, students in the Diploma in Design at Ngee Ann Polytechnic design electronic devices to support users with disabilities as part of their curriculum. We will continue to work with Institutes of Higher Learning to incorporate some of these considerations into their curriculum. I encourage industry partners to make use of these resources and do more to make their services accessible to all Singaporeans. At the same time, I commend the spirit of Mr Ong's remarks and suggestions. All of us, as a society, can do more to make our digital services and products more inclusive. As a first step, it is oftentimes understanding where each other is coming from and how we can take pragmatic steps to achieve that. In that regard, I would certainly love to invite Mr Ong to address and speak to many of our community partners on this aspect. We will reach out after this Sitting. This brings me to my next point. The Government cannot do this on our own. I am glad many Members – Ms Hany Soh, Mr Ong Hua Han, Ms Usha Chandradas and others – emphasised that this is a whole-of-nation effort. The Government, corporates, communities and individuals must come together to support different groups who need help on their journeys. The Digital for Life movement launched in 2021 is an important part of this collective effort. And it is making encouraging progress, bringing together three key partners – the public sector, private sector and people sector – for this common cause. Over 140 DfL partners have reached out to more than 270,000 beneficiaries.”
“Ms Nadia Samdin raised the importance of supporting persons with disabilities with assistive technology and learning digital skills. Persons with disabilities who need assistive technology, such as a specialised keyboard and mouse, can tap on the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)'s Assistive Technology Fund, which provides individuals with a means-tested subsidy of up to 90% of the cost of assistive technology devices, subject to a lifetime cap of $40,000. The fund can be used to acquire, replace, upgrade or repair those devices. They can also receive assessment and training in the use of these devices at Tech Able, which is an assistive technology centre jointly managed by SG Enable and the disability social service agency, SPD, at the Enabling Village. The Digital Enablement Programme, which Ms Nadia Samdin mentioned, is a Digital for Life (DfL)-funded programme which supports persons with disabilities with essential digital skills for a world of hybrid work. As of March 2023, the programme has supported 200 training places. I agree with Mr Ong Hua Han that industry partners, especially those providing essential services, must play their part to enhance the accessibility of their services. We are lowering the adoption barriers for industry partners through providing resources and tools. SG Enable provides e-accessibility training and consultancy services for companies to learn how e-accessibility features can be incorporated into their digital services. The GovTech Accessibility Enabling Team (ALLY) has developed Purple ALLY, a free and open-sourced testing tool for digital teams to check how they can make their digital products or services more accessible.”
“For example, in 2022, 86% of seniors knew how to find information online, a 29% increase from just three years ago in 2019. I am always inspired by our seniors who gamely picked up digital skills even though it can be challenging at the outset. This is a testament to their spirit of lifelong learning and the dedication of SDO's Digital Ambassadors, our Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors as well as family and friends who patiently guide seniors on their digitalisation journey. Singaporeans who want to learn digital skills can visit one of the 37 SG Digital Community Hubs islandwide and they can visit one of the more than 200 roving counters in our workplaces, healthcare institutions and community spaces. Another aspect is designing services inclusively, with the needs of specific groups in mind. Ms Nadia Samdin and Mr Ong Hua Han spoke about supporting persons with disabilities. In particular, I would like to thank Mr Ong for his feedback on behalf of the deaf and the visually impaired communities, and for his thoughtful suggestions. We are making progress towards our goal of making all high traffic Government websites fully accessible to persons with disabilities by 2030. We have increased the percentage of high traffic Government websites which are fully accessible from 61% in 2022 to 73% last year. Mr Ong Hua Han mentioned that we have introduced sign language interpretation for key national events and critical public announcements to improve access to information of national importance. Today, 61% of free-to-air TV programmes carry subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. We are working with Mediacorp to achieve our target of 70% coverage of free-to-air TV broadcasts accessible through sign language interpretation, captioning or subtitling by 2030.”
“For example, SG Bono, a non-profit organisation refurbishes donated laptops for use by lower-income families, especially those with school-going children. I am particularly glad to know that SG Bono extended this support to madrasah students from lower-income households since 2021. Mr Vikram Nair spoke about hawkers. It is another group of microbusinesses or Singaporeans that we are supporting through the Hawkers Go Digital programme. As of November last year, more than 11,000 stallholders, which is around 60% of all hawkers, have adopted e-payments via the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform. Under this programme, SGQR has facilitated an average of 5.1 million transactions worth $42 million per month between June and November last year. In addition to SGQR and e-payments, this digitalisation support to hawkers and heartland merchants give them the confidence to come onboard other digital initiatives such as the CDC Vouchers. I am very encouraged to see many stories of how these heartland merchants and small businesses have further built on this foundation and gone further to transform their business models and capture the opportunities of e-commerce. Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Ong Hua Han and others spoke about the Seniors Go Digital programme and asked about the progress. The Seniors Go Digital programme was set up to equip seniors with basic digital skills so that they too can be part of a digital society and enjoy the benefits of going digital. At the time of the programme's inception in 2020, the need was particularly pressing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have conducted training for over 280,000 seniors. Uptick in seniors' adoption of digital skills has improved over time.”
“Mr Sharael Taha stressed the importance of supporting lower-income households with digital connectivity. IMDA introduced the DigitalAccess@Home scheme in April last year to support lower-income households with subsidised broadband and digital devices through a simplified and streamlined application process. Since then, we have supported about 6,800 households. In particular, together with preceding schemes like NEU PC Plus, we have supported a total of 26,000 households with school-going children with access to digital devices over the last three years. [Please refer to "Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information", Official Report, 10 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 119, Correction By Written Statement section.] Currently, 98% of resident households with school-going children have computer access. We will continue to support the remaining 2% through schemes like DigitalAccess@Home. This complements efforts by MOE and schools to support students' home-based learning by providing school-prescribed personal learning devices to secondary school students under the National Digital Literacy Programme. In addition, schools loan computers and internet-enabling devices to students who require them for school work. We will continue to work with schools and our community partners to reach out to all families with school-going children. We also introduced the Mobile Access for Seniors scheme in June 2020 to provide lower-income seniors with subsidised smartphones and mobile data plans along with training. Since 2020, over 11,000 lower-income seniors have benefited. Importantly, industry and community partners play a big part to support digital access for lower-income households.”
“27 million Singaporean households have claimed their vouchers. I believe most Singaporeans claimed their CDC Vouchers digitally. However, those who prefer to use physical vouchers can visit Community Centres to print hard copy vouchers. To better support residents, student volunteers, Silver Infocomm Wellness Ambassadors and our Digital Ambassadors are on hand to help. Singaporeans who need in-person support for Government services can visit one of our seven ServiceSG Centres. The Centres can help with close to 600 Government services and schemes. Last year, close to 400,000 transactions for services such as Singpass applications, CPF and IRAS services were completed at ServiceSG Centres. Making digital work for all also means supporting all Singaporeans, regardless of their circumstances, to benefit from digitalisation. It is often said that the measure of a society is how it looks after its most vulnerable. We are taking steps to support those who need more help to benefit from going digital. In this regard, we are building on a solid foundation. Last year, IMDA released the inaugural Singapore Digital Society report as a stocktake of our efforts. We have made good progress over the years. We are one of the most digitally connected countries in the world. Our digital inclusion efforts are well regarded internationally. Singapore has ranked first on the Inclusive Internet Index from 2018, to the latest report released in 2022. These datapoints show that we are on the right track. But we are not resting on our laurels. I thank Members for their valuable suggestions on how we can better support lower-income households, small businesses, seniors and persons with disabilities with digitalisation. Let me touch on some of our efforts.”
“We work with partners, such as the Media Literacy Council, to develop resources for parents and caregivers. MCI has also worked with technology companies to launch an Online Safety Digital Toolkit in March last year, which guides parents to make use of the parental controls, privacy and reporting tools, as well as self-help resources on the social media platforms. Collectively, these efforts aim to make the online space safer for all and empower individuals with the know-how to protect themselves and their loved ones and it is an ongoing journey. We will continue to work with partners in this effort. Sir, let me turn to the theme of digital inclusion. Members have made many good points on how digitalisation has brought benefits and opportunities to Singaporeans. Indeed, as a little red dot with scarce natural resources, we cannot afford to unplug from the global digital economy, especially when others are actively pursuing strategies to be more digital, including leveraging emerging technologies like AI. Therefore, our aim has always been to make digital work for all so that every Singaporean can benefit. I am glad that all Members share this belief. Mr Yip Hon Weng, Ms Jessica Tan, Mr Ong Hua Han and Ms Usha Chandradas spoke about some of the challenges that Singaporeans face when going digital. I can relate to these points. I meet many Singaporeans in similar circumstances in my walkabouts, Meet-the-People Sessions as well as many focus groups. Making digital work for all is not just about going digital, but also recognising that some Singaporeans still prefer non-digital options for certain transactions. Our approach is therefore not digital only for all. An example is CDC Vouchers, which Ms Jessica Tan mentioned earlier. Within a week of the launch, 80% of the 1.”
“The Government will continue to work with our tripartite partners, including our Labour unions on this important effort as suggested by Ms Jean See, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Mark Lee. Dr Wan Rizal raised the issue of the impact of technology on mental health and well-being. This House will have a fuller discussion on this topic during the Motion on "Advancing Mental Health" next month. So, let me just broadly touch on MCI's approach on this issue. MCI recognises that technology and social media use can have grave impact on mental health and well-being. As Dr Wan Rizal, Assoc Prof Razwana Begum, Ms Nadia Samdin as well as Ms Mariam Jaafar had mentioned, such risks include exposure to harmful online content, such as cyberbullying and self-harm content, as well as excessive and problematic use of social media. To mitigate these risks to Singaporean users, MCI has introduced regulatory measures to enhance online safety for users, which Minister Josephine Teo will touch on later. We also work with partners across the public, private and people sectors to raise awareness amongst Singaporeans on online safety and good practices on using technology in a healthy and balanced manner. For example, we work with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to strengthen cyber wellness education in schools, teaching students to be discerning, safe, respectful and responsible users of the online space. They are also taught the importance of respect and empathy, how they can protect themselves and others online and to seek help when necessary. Dr Wan Rizal also spoke about the role of parents. We agree that parents play a crucial role in guiding their children's digital journey, especially at the early stages.”
“Sir, let me first address Members' points on the impact of digitalisation on the workforce and on mental health and well-being. Ms Tin Pei Ling, Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Mark Lee asked about the impact of digitalisation, especially the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our workforce and our SMEs and our businesses. The field of AI, generative AI, in particular, is evolving rapidly. Analysts' predictions on the impact of AI on the workforce and industries vary greatly and sometimes, even contradict each other. But there is broad consensus that AI is here and its development will have profound effects on the world and the certainly for us on this little red dot. We should not be overly fearful or be overly anxious of this trend. Instead, we should confidently embrace the possibilities with AI. The competition is not between "man" and "machine" but which economy and society can better use technology to improve our competitiveness and our lives. Singapore is well placed to harness the power of AI, as we have done in previous waves of technological change. The Government's approach has always been to support our businesses and workers to adapt to changes so that they can fully benefit from the opportunities that digital technologies can bring. Some examples include how we are using Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs), which are specific to different sectors, help employers and workers understand and prepare themselves for future tech-enabled job roles. SkillsFuture and Workforce Singapore offer programmes to support workers to upskill and reskill to take on new jobs. For those who wish to transit to tech roles, they can tap on IMDA's TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme.”
“Sir, I rise in support of the Motion in the name of Ms Tin Pei Ling. I thank Members for their thoughtful suggestions on building a safe and inclusive digital society. I will speak on the topic of digital inclusion and Minister Josephine Teo will speak on issues related to digital trust and safety. With your permission, Sir, may I ask the Clerk to distribute to Members supplementary materials on the topics that Minister Josephine Teo and I will cover today. Members may also access the handout through the MP@SG Parl mobile app.”
“Sir, like all neighbourly disputes or issues around living in an HDB estate where we live in very close proximity to one another, these are matters that we have to work through, closely as a community. HDB takes a mediative approach. Where friction arises between neighbours – it could be noise, it could be air-conditioning condensation – we take a mediative approach and advise flat owners and tenants to be mindful of causing disturbances and there are many existing mechanisms, whether through mediation and other platforms, where some of these issues can be brought together, discussed and, hopefully, amicably resolved. And by and large, that approach has worked. It is about being considerate to one another. These are matters that we continue to look at and work closely with our partners on. I assure Members that, as a result of this relaxation, these are matters that we will still continue to look at. 12.29 pm”
“Sir, sorry. I thought the Member meant the occupancy cap, whether it applies to whole flat rentals or bedroom rentals. For the non-citizen quota, it applies for whole flat rentals.”
“Sir, Mr Pritam Singh has two supplementary questions. Let me take them in turn. The first one is a relatively factual one, whether the occupancy cap applies to flat or room rentals. It applies to all room rentals, tenant composition and so on. But a more important point he was asking was related to what Ms Denise Phua and Miss Cheryl Chan were asking as well, whether there is enough manpower for enforcement. Sir, we take the feedback on disamenities and complaints seriously and we will proactively work with the community partners to deal with these matters. But again, let me just set in context that, as of now, the complaints received resulting from tenancy rental, feedback on nuisance between neighbours is about 1.5% of all the total number of feedback received from nuisances caused by neighbours. And that is why we have to also look at these numbers and have an appreciation of whether there will be a sudden explosion of disamenities. But we take all complaints seriously and will continue to work closely with community partners, including Town Councils. On the Member's second query regarding the quantifiable measure for noise, I invite the Member to file a Parliamentary Question on this because separate data on this is not available to me at this point in time.”
“Sir, on the first question, I would like to just highlight some of the figures I mentioned earlier my reply. I said that about 58,000 of HDB whole flats are rented out and this is only about 5% of the approximately one million sold flats islandwide. And of these 58,000 HDB whole flats that are rented out, only 16% are rented out to six unrelated occupants. So, by and large, our neighbourhood estates are still majority owner-occupied. Again, I also mentioned that we are not sure if all of the tenants and landlords will take full advantage of this relaxation. That is the first clarification. We agree with the Member that it is important to maintain the Singaporean characteristics of an HDB estate and that is the reason why we have the non-citizen quota at 11% at block level and 8% at the neighbourhoods. And to share with the Member, as of December 2023, less than 2% of HDB neighbourhoods and about 1% of HDB blocks are affected by the non-citizen quota. So, by and large, owner-occupied. We do not expect the operation and maintenance costs of common areas and facilities, like lifts and playgrounds, to go up significantly. Like the Member said, most of the users are existing owner-occupiers.”
“Sir, Mr Louis Chua earlier, in his first supplementary question, also asked about the projected number of rental units that will be available because of this relaxation. If we look at the analysts' reports, actually there is a range of views and most of them also cannot find a strong position of whether this will increase the supply because it really depends on whether landlords and tenants take up this additional relaxation. I have looked at some of the analysts' reports. Some said that, the supply might actually decline because, for example, if a company is renting out two flats for eight workers and they are renting in two flats now, they may combine, at least for the next few years, into one flat. At the same time, some of the landlords might take advantage of this temporary relaxation to increase the number of tenants in their flat. So, most analysts also cannot project the number of flat supply that may come onstream because of this. Earlier in my reply, I also mentioned that this move should be seen in the context of the suite of measures that have been put in place: increasing the number of flats available in the market, increasing the number of Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) flats available, the suite of measures that were put in place to moderate the imbalances between demand and supply.”
“Sir, on the first supplementary question by Mr Louis Chua, I think he has also filed a Question for Written Answer in Parliament today. More details will be shared if there is a written answer. But suffice to say, in general, over the past five years, the proportion of flats rented out and the average number of occupants in each flat type has been fairly stable. For the second supplementary question, can the Member repeat? I missed out that point.”
“The second point is that issues around noise disamenities go way beyond just about rental units. It goes into many of the other aspects because tolerance levels and sensitivity to noise are actually a very complex and multi-faceted issue, and we have had many discussions about this issue in this House. Suffice to say that these are issues that we continue to take seriously and work together with community partners through the different mechanisms to minimise neighbourly disputes and to still take a mediative approach in the first instance. In most cases, that works. If need be, HDB will not hesitate to take firmer action against serious disamenities, including revoking the permission to rent out the flat or bedroom.”
“Sir, I thank Miss Cheryl Chan for raising the three supplementary questions and I note that she also spoke about this matter in 2017, on the occupancy cap. At that point in time, we revised the occupancy cap from nine to six for HDB flats. In this instance, we are making a temporary relaxation to raise from six for 4-room and larger HDB flats, up to eight. Her question was, why not nine; go back the original number? There is no magic number. Firstly, at that point in time, for private residential apartments, the cap was also at eight and we reduced it to six – for the same reason, to minimise disamenities. For us, we will continue monitoring whether this move will help to elevate the rental tightness that we currently face and also, some of the consequences in terms of potential disamenities. So, I think we will continue reviewing the results of this move and we will continue to look and see whether this relaxation will continue. The second question is about whether we have enough resources to enforce. This is something we take seriously, and we will take the adequate steps to make sure that we follow up on feedback, complaints and to continue the tempo of inspections and enforcements. The third supplementary question, if I got it correctly as I was scribbling it down, is about noise disamenities and what are the steps that we can take. Well, Sir, firstly, let me set the context. The number of feedback relating to neighbourly disputes as a result of rental, is about 1.5% of the total feedback received about nuisance from neighbours. So, by and large, I would believe that most of the tenants and landlords are responsible in making sure they are aligned and consistent with the norms and culture in our HDB estates. That is the first point.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for her two questions. I believe these are at the back of the minds of many Members when they raise the questions today about potential disamenities. Let me set in context some of the key points that I highlighted in my earlier reply. Firstly, there are rules that are in place, both in terms of eligibility. For example, in HDB estates, who can rent a flat and a bedroom; and there are also non-citizen quotas that we have put in place and these rules apply. I also, earlier, mentioned that only about 16% of the rental flats that have been rented out are reaching the six unrelated persons occupancy cap. We do not have a feel of how many of the full tenants and landlords will take advantage of this temporary relaxation. At the same time, we are also putting in place measures to minimise potential disamenities. I mentioned earlier that those landlords who want to take advantage of this temporary relaxation have to apply to both HDB, prior to renting out, as well as to URA to increase to that eight unrelated persons occupancy cap. We will take all feedback and complaints seriously and we will investigate and take firm action if needed. Just to share with the Member, HDB investigates all feedback received and conducts routine planned inspections of almost 500 flats per month. URA, likewise, has been maintaining a high enforcement tempo over the last five years. On average, there were about 330 instances each year where enforcement actions were taken. So, I assure Members that we will take all feedback and complaints seriously; and we take firm action if needed.”
“Finally, in instances where tenants cause serious disamenities, HDB will take firm action by revoking the approval for the rental of the flat or bedrooms. Over the past five years, HDB has taken action against an average of 115 cases of unauthorised renting a year, including cases where flat owners had breached the occupancy cap. As we temporarily relax the occupancy cap, we will continue to take firm action against those who breach the rules. Depending on the severity of the infringement, HDB will issue written warnings, impose financial penalties or compulsorily acquire the flat for the most severe cases. Similarly, owners of private residential properties must first register with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to authorise their properties to accommodate more than six persons. In the event of serious disamenities, the authorisation will cease, requiring the property to revert to its original occupancy cap of six. URA undertakes regular inspections to ensure compliance with the prevailing occupancy cap. Those who breach the cap can be fined and/or imprisoned. Over the past five years, URA has taken action against an average of 244 cases per year for breaches of the occupancy cap in private residential properties. Sir, the relaxation of the occupancy cap is a temporary measure that will be in place for three years to better meet near-term rental demand and moderate rents for Singaporean households that need to rent. We will continue to monitor the demand and supply of open market rentals as well as residents’ feedback on disamenities. These will be taken these into consideration when reviewing whether the relaxed occupancy cap should be extended beyond 2026.”
“We have put in place the non-citizen quota of 8% for HDB neighbourhoods and 11% for HDB blocks, which limits the number of flats that can be rented to foreigners in each neighbourhood and block. Non-Malaysian Work Permit holders from the construction, marine and process sectors are also not permitted to rent HDB flats or bedrooms. These rules will continue to apply. A Member asked if we intend to limit the number of flats in an HDB block that may tap on the temporarily relaxed occupancy cap, to prevent overloading of existing infrastructure. While we do not currently have plans to impose such a cap, the existing non-citizen quota will help to limit the increase in occupants in each block, given that most of those renting at the occupancy cap are non-citizens. Second, HDB flat owners are required to seek HDB’s approval prior to renting out their flats or bedrooms. HDB also undertakes routine inspections to ensure that owners and tenants comply with the terms and conditions of approval and do not cause serious disamenities to the public. Over the past five years, instances of feedback relating to nuisance caused by tenants renting HDB flats or bedrooms constituted 1.5% of the total feedback on nuisance from neighbours. Where friction arises between neighbours, including tenants, HDB adopts a mediative approach and advises flat owners and tenants to be mindful of causing disturbances to others. Should the parties require additional mediative assistance, we will encourage them to tap on Government initiatives, such as the inter-agency Community Dispute Management Framework and the Community Mediation Centre, which provide facilitated mediation sessions that can help parties reach mutually acceptable solutions.”
“8% respectively in the third quarter of 2023, from 3% and 2.8% respectively in the previous quarter. That said, we expect rental demand to remain robust over the near term. That is why we announced the temporary relaxation of the occupancy cap for 4-room and larger HDB flats, and private residential properties of at least 90 square metres. From 22 January 2024, these accommodations will be allowed to house up to eight unrelated persons, up from the current cap of six unrelated persons. Allowing larger units to be rented out to more tenants will increase rental supply, even as we recognise that not all landlords and tenants will tap on the relaxed occupancy cap. By increasing supply, we aim to ease the pressure in the rental market and help to moderate rents overall. This will benefit all households seeking to rent, such as Singaporean families who are in-between homes, including those waiting for the completion of their new flats, as well as Work Pass holders who play a critical role in our domestic economy and essential services, such as healthcare workers. As of November 2023, there are approximately 58,000 HDB whole flats that are rented out. This is about 5% of the approximately one million sold HDB flats islandwide. Of these, 16% are rented out to six unrelated occupants. About 90% of these occupants are non-residents, with most in their 20s or 40s. Some Members have raised concerns about infringements of the occupancy cap and potential disamenities that may arise from this temporary relaxation. We understand these concerns. We have put in place measures to mitigate these infringements and disamenities. First, HDB regulates who is allowed to rent a HDB flat or a bedroom to minimise disamenities and maintain the Singaporean character of our HDB estates.”
“Sir, my response will also cover matters raised by Mr Gan Thiam Poh scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. So, I invite the Member to seek clarifications if need be. If the question has been addressed, it may not be necessary for him to proceed with the question for future Sittings. Since 2022, we have seen sharp increases in rents in both the public and private rental market. Prior to the pandemic, rents had stayed broadly stable, even a bit soft. However, COVID-19 caused unprecedented disruption in the construction industry, global supply chains and border controls, and the ensuing construction delays contributed to significant tightness in our rental market. In addition to the supply-side constraints, the delays resulted in strong rental demand from Singaporeans who were seeking interim housing while awaiting the completion of their new residential units. Subsequently, with the easing of border restrictions in 2022, non-resident rental demand also quickly recovered. To address these supply and demand imbalances, we have undertaken a broad suite of measures to support households that intend to rent. This includes significantly ramping up our public and private housing supply and increasing the supply of flats available under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) for those awaiting completion of their new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats. Close to 100,000 public and private residential units will be completed from 2023 to 2025. We have also more than doubled PPHS supply to about 2,000 since 2021 and will further double it to about 4,000 units by 2025. Public and private housing rents have showed recent signs of stabilising, with the quarterly increase in public and private housing rents moderating to 1.9% and 0.”
“Sir, may I have your permission to give a combined reply to Question Nos 10 to 14 in today’s Order Paper?”
“Sir, the adoption of a community cat into one's home does not constitute theft, as such cats do not belong to anyone. That said, in the circumstances that the Member has raised, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the community cat has been abused, mistreated or is in distress, please let NParks know, NParks will investigate and take the appropriate enforcement action.”
“Sir, I understand that Dr Tan is not feeling well, which is why he is not in the Chamber. But he texted me to remind me that this question is on behalf of his Clementi residents. Sir, instances of pets being abducted or stolen from their owners may be regarded as theft and such cases should be reported to the Police. Over the past two years, the National Parks Board (NParks) has not encountered any such cases. As for community cats, they live in the open and move about freely, making it challenging to trace their exact whereabouts. There could be various reasons for a community cat going missing. It may have succumbed to other health and safety risks from its environment, such as exposure to the elements, road traffic accidents and diseases. It could also have been adopted. That said, where there are reasonable grounds to believe that a community cat has been abused or mistreated, NParks will investigate and take the appropriate enforcement action. NParks will continue to work with stakeholders, including community caregivers and animal welfare groups, to promote the welfare of pet and community animals. This includes encouraging responsible pet ownership and community caregiving, as well as the rehoming of suitable animals.”
“Sir, thank you. I just wanted to reply to Member Mr Gerald Giam's question just now. I have verified with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) colleagues. Just to reaffirm what I said – Singaporeans who have continued interest in courses offered by Udemy can use their SkillsFuture credits for such courses and submit their claims directly to SSG for reimbursement, upon completion of the courses. [Please refer to "Solutions to Defray Cost Increases in National Library Board's Decision to Cease Subscription to E-learning Platform", Official Report, 22 November 2023, Vol 95, Issue 117, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Sir, I would have to get back to Mr Giam for his question. [Please refer to "Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information", Official Report, 22 November 2023, Vol 95, Issue 117, Oral Answers to Questions section.] From the information I am given, it is possible for Singaporeans who have continued interest in courses offered by Udemy Business to use their SkillsFuture Credit for such courses and submit these claims directly to SSG for reimbursement upon completion of their course. But perhaps, if Mr Giam would like to seek specific clarification on specific courses, he can write to us. We will take a look and check it out.”
“We are actively exploring what other platforms can provide such needs for our learners. At the same time, we also shared with many members of the public who wrote in about some of the other alternative resources. For example, you have LearnX, which is on learning.nlb.gov.sg. It is a platform where NLB provides curated resources for our learners. We also shared a list of other platforms that are available for learners to tap on in the meantime, as we look at other resources, other online platforms for our learners, in the future. So, I wish to assure Members that this is something that NLB is very, very keen on because we want to support the lifelong learning and discovery needs of Singaporeans of all ages.”
“Sir, the refreshed proposal from the Udemy Business on its online resources is through an open tender or an open procurement approach. I do not think it would be appropriate for me to share some of the commercial sensitivities that might be tied to the proposal. But, perhaps, allow me to elaborate. It is not just about the cost per user. It is about the restricted access to the courses that are available under this new licensing model, which we do not think will meet the needs of the learners in Singapore. Allow me to use an analogy to explain. In the past, you go to a restaurant, you pay a price at the door, you go in. If it is a buffet, you choose what you want and you eat all you can. You can go to the cooked food section, there is a seafood section, a salad section, there are hot stations where they prepare food for you, then you have the drinks section and the desserts section. Choose what you want and eat all you can for a fixed price. But with a new model, maybe a restaurant tells you that the price that you pay at the door is a few times higher now; and when you go into the restaurant, you are only entitled to a plate of rice and maybe two or three dishes from the cooked food section. Anything else, you would have to top up or pay extra. So, now, you are no longer able to go to the salad section, you cannot go to the drinks section, you cannot go to the desserts section and you cannot go to the seafood section. So, the question for us is: with a much more expensive and costly model, does this still meet the needs of our learners? We assure the Member Ms Hany Soh and other Members that NLB is very concerned about the nutritional needs of our Singaporeans, especially the nutrition of the mind, their learning needs.”
“Sir, we regularly engage stakeholder groups, animal welfare groups and experts, and share our considerations. So, the framework is not something that is new or unfamiliar to many of our stakeholder groups. It is based on community inputs and, importantly, based on science. We assess what needs to be done based on internationally informed scientific evidence and how to customise it to our context. So, we will continue to engage. And we welcome inputs from stakeholders on how we should deal with wildlife encounters along the way.”
“Sir, to the Member's first question, NParks conducts regular ecological studies on the behaviour, habitats and trends of the local flora and fauna population. So, it is not just specific to crocodiles or specific animals – we do it on a large scale. Importantly, we also regularly consult experts from overseas. I mentioned the Northern Territory of Australia. We consult them regularly as part of our effort in Singapore, because they have much more experience dealing with crocodiles in their part of the world. We adopt best practices from jurisdictions like the Northern Territory as well as other parts of the world. And we do consult AWGs regularly. In the case of this crocodile, we had to move rather quickly. Once it was sighted, we had to quickly trap it to make sure that the area was safe for the public. But we actively reached out and explored various options to rehome or relocate the crocodile. So, we will continue to engage our stakeholder groups in Singapore. And to the Member’s last question, on public education. Yes, we will continue to do more.”
“In addition, NParks conducts regular population surveys of the reserve’s crocodiles and is exploring the use of technology to track their movements. NParks agrees with Dr Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer from the Nanyang Technological University and former President of the Nature Society (Singapore), who wrote an opinion piece in The Straits Times on 27 October 2023, and I quote him: "We need both a system and a culture for dealing with the joys and risks that come with having beautiful and majestic wild neighbours." To this end, NParks will continue to monitor and carefully manage the populations of local wildlife species to safeguard public health and safety. NParks will also deepen its collaborations with partners such as the nature community and youth leaders from the Youth Stewards for Nature programme, to promote safe and responsible human-wildlife encounters in our City in Nature.”
“NParks first explored the option of relocating the crocodile to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, but given the reserve’s large existing crocodile population of around 20 individuals, it no longer has the capacity for more crocodiles. In any case, moving the crocodile away from the Marina East beach would have risked it returning to the site, venturing to East Coast Park, or even straying into another area with high human activity along our coastline. If so, it would pose a substantial threat to public safety, given its large size and predatory nature. NParks also reached out to the Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG). However, as MWG shared with The Straits Times, multiple factors are considered in zoo population management and planning. These include whether the outcome of a move would favour the animal in terms of quality of life and welfare, and possible negative effects on the zoo’s institutional population planning and conservation commitments. In this case, MWG determined that it would not be able to rehome the crocodile in a way that met these criteria. As there was no feasible option for relocation or rehoming, NParks had to euthanise the crocodile in the interest of public safety. The decision was not taken lightly. The euthanasia was done by a veterinarian, in accordance with international standards. NParks has also put in place other measures to mitigate the risks to public safety from Singapore’s wild crocodile population. For example, at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, NParks has installed fences to prevent crocodiles from getting onto footpaths. NParks has also installed signs to alert visitors to the presence of crocodiles and to advise them to remain calm and back away if they encounter a crocodile.”
“In the case of estuarine crocodiles, like the one found near Marina East Drive, public safety is a major consideration as they are apex predators and stealthy, opportunistic feeders. They have attacked and killed children and adults in other countries. For example, on 23 October 2023, The Straits Times reported three suspected crocodile attacks in Sabah in the preceding month. To protect the public, the Sabah authorities had to cull five large crocodiles. When there are sightings of crocodiles in Singapore, NParks will first assess if there is an immediate threat to public safety. For example, if the sighting is at a recreational destination, NParks will trap the crocodile and try to relocate or rehome it. In doing so, NParks takes into account the strong homing instinct of estuarine crocodiles to return to the location of capture. If there are no suitable options for relocation and rehoming, the crocodile will be humanely put down. This approach is aligned with that taken in many other jurisdictions that have crocodiles or alligators, such as the city of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, where crocodiles are actively removed from areas of high human activity to reduce the likelihood of crocodile attacks. These crocodiles are either rehomed or put down. The crocodile that the Member has mentioned was a large adult, measuring around three metres long. That is almost one and a half storeys high. It was sighted around two kilometres away from East Coast Park, which is about a 10-minute swim for a crocodile moving at stealth in the waters. As East Coast Park is a popular destination that receives 7.5 million visits a year, the assessment was that the crocodile posed a significant risk to public safety.”
“Sir, as we transform Singapore into a City in Nature and bring people closer to nature, we will need to manage human-wildlife encounters carefully. This includes cultivating public awareness and appreciation, and weaving thoughtful biophilic designs into our urban spaces. At the same time, because we are a densely populated city-state, we will also need to ensure public health and safety. To do so, the National Parks Board (NParks) takes a science- and community-based approach to wildlife management. NParks studies the population trends and distribution of various wildlife species across Singapore. The findings of these studies guide the development of NParks’ wildlife management strategies. NParks also consults local as well as wildlife experts to ensure that its strategies are in line with international practices and standards. In managing different wildlife species, such as pest birds, long-tailed macaques, wild boars and crocodiles, NParks considers factors such as the species’ ecology and behaviour, threats to public health and safety, animal welfare, as well as impact on native biodiversity, habitats and the community. Based on an assessment of these factors, a range of measures may be adopted. These include public education, enforcement against illegal wildlife feeding, habitat modification to reduce food sources and translocation of the animals away from urban areas. NParks may also need to take steps to safeguard public safety. For instance, it may put up signage to advise the public on how to respond to wildlife sightings. NParks may also install exclusion measures such as fencing, or carry out direct population control where necessary, such as in the case of wild boars.”
“So, there is a need for the postal service. But how do we design a system that is fairer and sustainable for the long haul and where there is commercial incentive for the operator to continue to reinvest in infrastructure, in technology, in automation and, importantly, in jobs and the upgrading of its workers? So, that is at the heart of the review that the Government is doing.”
“Second, on the Member's question about cross-subsidisation, we have to understand that it is not sustainable for a publicly listed company to sustain a loss-making business, especially for SingPost where the bulk of its revenue is from outside of Singapore and more than 90% of its profits are from unregulated businesses. A shareholder of the company will justifiably ask whether this cross-subsidisation is both ways. When the business is doing well outside of Singapore, it is expected to support the not-so-profitable businesses in Singapore. But what happens if it is the other way round? What if its businesses in other countries are loss-making? Is there an expectation for us to backstop those losses? So, we have to make clear that this is not the regulatory framework which we are operating under. The revenue, the profits, are ringfenced for the domestic regulated segment; they are not supposed to offset losses in its other businesses and vice versa. To give some context to the Member, SingPost just celebrated its 165 years of service in Singapore. It is a century-old business and a century-old sector, but the changes to its business model have been quite dramatic in recent years with digital technologies and, certainly, mail volume saw a huge decline during the COVID-19 period. So, we are reviewing the fundamental assumptions around the postal service for the long haul to make it more sustainable and fairer. While I talked about e-substitution, there is important business correspondence that will still require the basic mail service, although volumes are getting smaller and smaller. Many Singaporeans have shared with me that it is heartwarming to receive a post card from loved ones overseas or even when a child sends a post card to Santa Claus.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his two supplementary questions. Allow me to be clear in the first instance. There are two reviews that are ongoing. First, the Government is carrying out a fundamental review on the future of post and the longer-term considerations around this sector, as well as changes to the postal landscape in the coming years. As shared earlier, there is a global decline in mail volumes. In Singapore, the decline has been accelerating in the last few years with the advent of digital technologies and, certainly, over the COVID-19 period. We are doing a fundamental review on the future of the postal service. In doing so, we want to ensure that the postal service is sustainable for Singapore, sustainable for operators and sustainable for consumers. This may require us to relook existing assumptions, such as letter delivery standards. So, that is one review. The second review is by SingPost – I just wanted this to be clear. SingPost has committed to reviewing its costs and operations as part of its business transformation. The Government will work closely with SingPost in its review to ensure that it continues to meet its public postal obligations, while safeguarding the interests of the public and postal workers. So, there are two reviews. To the Member's first question, there is a technical clarification. Most of the mail volume in Singapore is not by the Government. The Government contributes to a very small proportion of the total mail volume in Singapore.”
“Sir, the average consumer sends less than one letter per month, so, the impact on consumers will be small, as I had shared earlier in my PQ reply. The bulk of the mail and letters, 80% domestic mail are by corporate entities, most of which are larger corporates like banks and financial institutions, but a significant portion is also by SMEs that the Member has mentioned. To mitigate this, SingPost will continue to provide appropriate bulk discounts to businesses and provide other customised support for this group of consumers and businesses. SingPost will also continue to honour all first and second local stamp purchased before the rate increase. So, to give assurance to the Member's residents who are using these stamps, they will be honoured even after the postal rate increase.”
“After the increase, postage rates in Singapore remain comparable to countries like Japan, which is about 78 Singapore cents, and the United States (US), which is about 86 Singapore cents. As noted by several analysts, there is no guarantee that the increase in postage rates will improve the financial position of SingPost. The boost to revenues may not compensate for the accelerated decline of letter volumes if customers opt for more e-substitution. As part of the postage rate increase, SingPost is also expected to invest in transforming its domestic post and parcel business so it remains efficient and provide high-quality service. Nonetheless, this is a move that could put SingPost on a more sustainable path to fulfil its obligations as a Public Postal Licensee.”
“Sir, from 9 October 2023, the postage rate for standard letter mail will increase by 20 cents to 51 cents. The impact will be felt mostly by corporate entities rather than households, as they account for 80% of all letter mail sent in Singapore. In fact, the average consumer sends less than one letter a month. Nonetheless, all households will receive a booklet of 10 stamps of 51-cent each, which is enough to cover the increase in postage fees for the average household for about a year. This is the first substantive increase in postage since 2014. In the 10 years since, the postal landscape has changed dramatically. For example, letter mail volumes have dropped by about half. As a Public Postal Licensee, SingPost has an obligation to deliver letters to every addressable place in Singapore. It is also a publicly listed company that engages in non-regulated businesses, such as logistics services and properties, locally and overseas. While the overall business of SingPost remains profitable in financial year (FY) 2022, more than 90% of these profits were attributable to its logistics business and largely contributed by its overseas investments. SingPost’s core business in Singapore is post and parcel, which incurred operating losses of $16 million. This is due to the global decline in letter mail, as well as intense competition from logistics companies and e-commerce players growing their own parcel delivery capabilities. As a result, per letter delivery costs have risen considerably. The Infocomm Media Development Agency (IMDA) approved SingPost’s request to raise postage rates to better reflect the cost of delivering letters.”
“Sir, I am very heartened that the children in Clementi are very caring and have a heart for animals. I do hope that this is something that they will carry back to the community, to care for the different animals in it. On the questions that the Member has raised, let me take them in turn. On the first, allow me to reiterate what I said in my earlier reply. A licence is required from NParks before an exhibition of live animals can be held. As part of the licence application process, NParks does look into the health, safety and welfare of the animals, including the provision of food, rest and housing, before the licence application is approved. As part of the licence application, NParks also looks at whether the exhibition has a public education element. As I mentioned earlier, our understanding for this art installation was that the animals would be there for a few days and the installation is meant to raise awareness on animal welfare and the need to care for and to live with the animals in our community. The last check that we did was when the poultry were returned to the Ground-Up Initiative, which had loaned them to NGS. When we checked with the organisers, they confirmed that the poultry were in good health. On the other question that the Member had on whether this is a trend and if there will be more such exhibitions involving live animals, I cannot speak for event organisers or venues that host such exhibitions. But what I can assure the Member and his residents is that NParks will assess each application carefully and make sure that they comply with the necessary requirements, including safeguarding animal health and welfare.”
“Sir, under the Animals and Birds (Pet Shop and Exhibition) Rules, a valid licence is required for any exhibition of animals, to safeguard animal health and welfare. The National Parks Board (NParks) assesses all such applications to ensure that they comply with its licensing requirements. For the art installation that the Member has referred to, NParks conducted a site inspection and obtained the input of one of its veterinarians, before issuing a licence to the National Gallery Singapore (NGS) for the exhibition. Through the inspection, NParks had assessed that the poultry would be provided with adequate food, water and rest, as well as appropriate housing. As the exhibition would raise awareness on animal welfare, NParks had also assessed that it would fulfil the licensing condition for public education. NGS also worked closely with Chicken Rescue Rehome (CRR), a local chicken rehoming group, to put in place safeguards such as requiring visitors to keep a distance and to avoid flash photography. Along with regular checks by CRR representatives and a dedicated team of carers, these measures ensured the well-being of the poultry throughout the five-day exhibition period. Sir, the poultry were then returned to the care of the Ground-Up Initiative, which had loaned them to NGS, and all of them continued to show signs of good health.”