Teo Ho Pin
Singapore
“Mr Chairman, Sir, when Total Defence was first introduced in 1984, it was recognised that threats will not simply affect our military but potentially Singaporeans, combatants and non-combatants alike. Thus, we must continue to build resilience in our people and community.”
“Chairman, over the past year, we have witnessed an increase in the number of cybersecurity breaches. As a response to these incidents, many countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen their cybersecurity capabilities.”
“Sir, I wish to seek an update from the Minister on the skills upgrading and development of public officers as well as aspiring public officers, especially in the three areas which I have mentioned. Can the Government also consider giving out scholarships to nurture and attract talent in these fields? Role of PMO”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we should empower the community to come up with innovative solutions like North West 911 and build capabilities in our people to cope better during emergencies.”
“The French Government passed a law in 2016 mandating that large supermarkets have to donate excess food to food banks and charitable organisations. If we had a similar initiative in Singapore, we can not only reduce the amount of food waste, but we can also help those in need.”
“Sir, I have three clarifications for the Senior Minister of State. First, will the Ministry consider licensing PMDs so as to manage the growth of PMDs in Singapore and also to make it compulsory for the PMD riders to attend a safe riding course?”
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“Sir, on world-class construction companies, I would like to ask the Minister some questions: (1) What are the measures taken by BCA to nurture world-class construction firms? (2) How do we benchmark local construction firms against global construction players? (3) How is BCA acting as a regulator or authority to upgrade the construction industry? How do we measure the performance of BCA? What are the targets set for the construction industry to upgrade? Next cut, Sir, on building defects, my questions are: (1) What are the measures adopted by BCA to reduce the occurrence of building defects in newly completed buildings? What are the yardsticks used by BCA to monitor the effectiveness of such measures? (2) Is there a set of national building quality standards made available to consumers as a layman guide on building defects? (3) Can BCA allocate funds to conduct regular consumer education programmes on building defects? Sir, my questions on tender award system are: (1) Can BCA review the tender award criteria and provide guidelines on how tenders can be awarded according to track record and performance for both the public and private sectors? (2) Can BCA set up a web-based database with information on the quality of work of completed projects such as on time completion, CONQUAS score, buildable score, etc? On licensing of contractors: (1) Why is BCA refusing to license contractors and sub-contractors to ensure that construction works are done professionally with high quality and safety, despite widespread bad practices in the industry? (2) What further measures can BCA do to promote good construction practices? (3) What teeth does BCA have against contractors who adopt unscrupulous practices at the expense of consumers?”
“MND suggested that it be done during the Interim Upgrading Programme or the Main Upgrading Programme, but I think this is not a good approach. The Interim Upgrading Programme is co-sponsored by the town council and the HDB, and the residents do not have to pay for the cost. If the work of lift upgrading is included in the IUP, residents will have to bear the extra cost. This will have the effect of discouraging residents from voting for the IUP, thus impeding the progress of IUP. If the work is included in the Main Upgrading Programme, it is not very ideal either, because the cost of MUP has to be partially borne by the residents. With the added cost of lift upgrading, they will have to bear a greater financial burden. Those less well off residents would opt out of this programme. Sir, I would like to suggest that lift upgrading be treated as a special programme by HDB where tenders are called on a collective basis, and carried out in stages. Within five years, all the 1,000 blocks of flats would have their lifts upgraded. Those blocks which do not have lifts would have lifts installed. This will be more convenient to the elderly citizens. An overall tender system will lower the cost by 20% and will therefore benefit both MND and the residents who would have less to pay. May I also find out how much will each resident be expected to pay? Will the residents be allowed to use their CPF savings to pay for the cost? Can those who are unable to pay be allowed to defer payment until after they have sold their flats?”
“Many of our blocks of flats are built in columns, in which there are only two flats per floor, and some blocks do not have common corridors. And if we need lifts on every floor, new corridors will have to be constructed. This would cost a lot of money, and I think the Government would best be undertaking this and giving a separate lift upgrading programme on top of the Interim Upgrading Programme and Main Upgrading Programme. Sir, I would also like the Ministry to consider more carefully in its planning and think of the handicapped and the people who are elderly. In terms of choosing of materials, for example, pavements could have non-slippery materials, or material that is not uneven so that people with walking sticks would not stumble against them. Sir, we should also have ramps and other handicap-friendly community facilities, because as the population gets older and there are more disabilities, these would be important considerations. Mr Ang Mong Seng(In Mandarin): Sir, the phenomenon of an ageing population stands out very clearly in the older HDB estates. The issue of providing and enhancing facilities in the estates for the convenience of the elderly is very much on the mind of town councils, HDB and grassroots leaders. Among the various amenities, the upgrading of lifts has become more and more important. For the past few years, I have been pestering the Ministry of National Development to upgrade the lifts in the old estates. So they called me a friend of senior citizens. At present, there are nearly 1,000 blocks of flats which do not have common corridors. These blocks should be installed with lifts to make it convenient for the elderly citizens. We all know the importance of lift upgrading in these blocks, but the question is when to upgrade them.”
“Sir, we must review the registration for flat policy to be more pro-family and to better meet the needs of Singaporeans. I would like to suggest the following proposals for the Minister to consider: (1) Build on demand flats. HDB can adopt a similar approach, as adopted by private developers to build flats based on demand of the population. Selected sites of about 500-700 units can be chosen for development at specific locations. Singaporeans can then be invited to select these flats based on specific location. If there is no demand for a specific location, HDB will not proceed with the development, and an alternative site will be sought. In cases where the take-up rate may not be 100%, the remaining flats can be rented out to families who need transitional housing such as bankrupts, widows, retirees, singles and young married couples. (2) Reclassification of zones. Can HDB consider reclassifying its zoning system? Many flat applicants would like to choose flats by specific location such as town or constituency. (3) Master listing of available flats. Can HDB consider consolidating a master listing of all flats available, so that flat applicants can have more choices for a flat? Assoc. Prof. Toh See Kiat (Aljunied): Sir, I have a specific cut on lift upgrading, but I find that many of my colleagues have already spoken on this. And following in their wake, I would like to join in the call for lift upgrading. On lift upgrading, I want to emphasise that we are not just talking about installing new and faster lifts. By lift upgrading, I want to call for lifts on every floor. As the population ages, we need lifts on every floor, even for low-rise buildings. In the past, buildings below 4 storeys did not have any lifts at all.”
“Sir, the HDB Main and Interim Upgrading Programmes have received much support from many HDB residents. The upgrading programmes have revitalised our older housing estates and, at the same time, kept our communities together. The success of these programmes has spurred a lot of interest among HDB residents. Many are now requesting for their flats to be upgraded. I would like to suggest the following for the Minister to consider. 1) Revised MUP and IUP cut-off dates. Due to the age criterion, and the cut-off dates set by HDB, many blocks of flats are not eligible for upgrading. I hope the Minister can consider revising the cut-off dates of flats so that more Singaporeans can benefit from the upgrading programmes. 2) Lift upgrading programme. Last year, I requested for a special lift-upgrading programme. I hope the Minister will consider implementing a Special Lift Upgrading Programme to expedite the installation of lifts on every floor. Our fast ageing society has created an immediate demand for such added services in a high-rise public housing. 3) Design rectification. Many old HDB flats have design features which encourage mosquito breeding, for example, bamboo pole holders, concealed drains, canopies, metal decking roofs, etc. These design features are costly to rectify to prevent mosquito breeding. The Environment Ministry has been working closely with the town councils and HDB to resolve such problems. But the lack of funding has slowed down the efforts, leading to frequent outbreaks of dengue fever. To address this problem, I would urge the Minister to consider implementing a one-time goodwill repair programme for these flats.”
“(f) Can we relocate our military airports to offshore islands so as to free up valuable land as well as lower noise levels? (g) What are the developmental provisions made to support future lifestyles of Singaporeans which include more pro-family living?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head U of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, concept plans are long-term plans to determine the land use of Singapore. In formulating a concept plan, it is important that long-term planning parameters are adopted so as to meet the desired outcomes. Singapore is a land scarce country. The planning of land use plays a vital role in determining the kind of society and the environment in which we will live in. I understand that it may be difficult to forecast the future. We must, nevertheless, adopt a practical and flexible approach when drafting our new concept plan. It must be forward looking and have provisions to inject flexibility to meet changing demands of our society. The concept plan must also adopt a longer time-frame, maybe 30 years, to enable both businesses and individuals to plan for their future. I understand that URA has formed two focus groups to gather feedback on the proposed Concept Plan 21. In addition, I would like to highlight the following concerns which I hope the Minister can clarify: (a) What are the long-term planning parameters adopted when the Concept Plan 21 was drafted? Can the URA explain to the general public how these parameters have been derived? (b) What are the projected figures for population growth, foreign manpower, and immigration over the next 10, 20 or 30 years? (c) What is the long-term mix of public and private housing? (d) How do we provide adequate "green lungs" in our high-density and high rise built environment? (e) How do we reduce the effects of warming in our built environment, and address environmental concerns such as air, water, solid waste, chemical and noise pollution?”
“Although a Fair Trading Act will provide the necessary legislative framework to attain a fair trading marketplace, consumer and trader education also plays an important part to ensure that fair trading business transactions take place. To facilitate the development of Singapore into a global trusted business hub, CASE has embarked on two key initiatives, namely, CASETRUST, an accreditation scheme for good business practices, and Consumer and Trader Education - a long-term programme for educating consumers and traders to enhance consumer protection in Singapore. As for trustmark, CASE has announced its CASETRUST award in December last year. It is preparing grounds to enable businesses to adopt good business practices and achieve business excellence. I hope that the Ministry can provide funding to spearhead this scheme to be a national and international trustmark for Singapore. Consumer education has always been a key thrust in enhancing consumer protection . To-date, CASE has launched a series of intensive education drives aimed at the grassroots, consumers and businesses. Such drives involve rotating around the constituencies with seminars, speeches at both macro as well as micro levels. I hope the Ministry can consider setting up a consumer education fund where like-minded organisations like CASE can tap on this fund to provide education to consumers on a sustained basis. In countries like New Zealand and Australia, government support has enabled many organisations to provide useful consumer education materials, such as leaflets and information booklets, to consumers. Educating consumers will help to avoid and thereby reduce disputes, and will be good for businesses overall. 2.30 pm”
“CASE has been told of couples being led from room to room once inside the time-share company's premises, bombarded by sales person after sales person. Even more horror stories of drinks being spiked, and other unconscionable conduct being practised by these companies. The problem is very real as bouncers are sent in some cases to collect dues, and after the deal is closed. Some even engaged lawyers to chase an airtight deal where consumers had been made to sign away all their rights. CASE has seen contracts where the consumer signs every possible right away. CASE has seen women and men of all ages including professionals in a dilemma as to what to do. As the sums are large, CASE has to deal with the trauma and emotion, and even threats of suicide. All the above illustrations show that, notwithstanding the laws we have in Singapore, there are still loopholes that we have to plug. More businesses have joined our call for a Fair Trading Act as such an Act will rid their respective industries of rogue traders who give them a bad name and also will mean that businesses can then compete on a level playing field and hence reduce business costs. I hope that the Minister can consider implementing a Fair Trading Act to further enhance Singapore as a fair trading business hub and shopping hub. Sir, I move on to my next cut on trustmark. In an open market like Singapore, where goods and services can flow into the country freely, we must protect both consumers and good traders. To achieve this, we need to instill trust and confidence among consumers and traders.”
“The need for a Fair Trading Act in Singapore in today's context cannot be understated as it has been pursued by at least two of my predecessors in CASE. The need to consider such an Act began with the need to address the problems faced particularly by HDB dwellers in their quest to rid themselves of the persistent vacuum cleaner salesman who would not leave their premises even at midnight until a deal was closed. The salesman would exert high pressure sales tactics, mislead the consumers on product functionalities, cajole the consumers and if all things fail, I understand that in the dead of the night, play the sympathy card of losing their job, having mouths to feed and so on. Regrettably, at the end of the day, consumers then in the 80s had no protection of the law as there was no cooling-off period and high-pressure sales were not easy to prove. In any event, such was not actionable in court due to the subtle difference between misleading and deceptive conduct which the law would catch and that which it could not. For example, as long as an armchair was top leather and the bottom could be PVC, there was no remedy to the consumer who thought he was buying a full leather armchair or represented that that was leather. This situation evolved to the more sophisticated time-share companies in the 90s, and which still persist today and where consumers are "losing" millions of dollars in high-pressure sales. For example, young couples are identified on the streets and then told of lucky draw winnings. A visit to the company's premises, however, is necessary to collect the prize. Both couples suitably enticed find that the trip to the time-share company can be the beginning of the most trying part of their marriage.”
“Both our business community and people will be affected in one way or another in the transition. We must continue to strive to work hard together to cope with these changes. I believe our concerted efforts will definitely bear fruition for future generations of Singaporeans. We must continue to support good governance to safeguard our future. In a globalised environment, it is even more crucial to have good governance to ensure that Singapore can thrive in the global world successfully.”
“(b) Reduction of National Development Expenditure This year's budget has allocated a lower development expenditure for the Ministry of National Development. The $500 million reduction in development expenditure will have an adverse impact on the construction industry, which is presently experiencing low workload. The projected slowdown of HDB building programme will further aggravate the state of the construction industry. Many local construction firms are HDB contractors and, thus, will not be able to secure enough contracts this year to keep their workforce. The decrease in development expenditure will further dampen the industry, resulting in more job losses. There will be more intense and unhealthy competition among contractors, leading to undesirable consequences such as poor construction quality and safety. As the Government is actively promoting sporting and healthy lifestyle among Singaporeans, we should expedite the construction of park connectors and upgrading of sports complexes. Older design swimming pools should also undergo major upgrading to keep abreast of new lifestyle aspirations of Singaporeans. Sports complexes can be upgraded with modern equipment, like those of the California Fitness Centre, to attract Singaporeans to keep fit. Sir, the construction industry is in need of assistance to get out of the crisis. Many construction firms are finding it difficult to survive in the present environment. Unless the Government steps in to assist, we may lose some construction firms, including some construction pioneers of Singapore. This will retard our efforts to nurture local SMEs to be world-class companies. Sir, the next few years will be testing years for Singapore as we transit from the old to the new economy.”
“In the knowledge-based economy, our local SMEs will continue to perform a vital role to spearhead Singapore's globalisation efforts. But, the Government must be proactive to help local SMEs perform this role. The SME 21 plan is a step forward in building the capabilities of our local SMEs. But we need to identify the potential of SMEs in the products and services industry. More efforts must be channelled to help SMEs that have good potential to develop niches and position their products and services in the global marketplace. More generous grants can be given to accelerate their globalisation efforts. Feedback from local SMEs indicates that many of them are facing problems of high rental and labour cost in Singapore. The cost of Government services and compliance cost have also contributed to the increased business costs. In order to position local SMEs in the new economy, I would like to propose the following measures: (a) Property Tax Cut The cut in property tax and the removal of the existing 25% property tax rebate in July 2001 will not help much in reducing business costs. SMEs, especially owner-occupied businesses, expect a higher property tax cut to enable them to ride out the crisis. Since the implementation of GST, the tax base of the Government has broadened. It is about time that the Government seriously considered removing property tax in Singapore, especially for owner-occupied properties. This would not only encourage asset ownership but also reduce the cost of businesses that invest in property for long-term growth. Our taxation policy must not pose unnecessary hindrances to the growth of our local SMEs.”
“However, recent findings have shown that pre-school education plays a critical role in nurturing young minds to be well equipped for mainstream education. Today, children in mainstream education enjoy subsidized education while those in pre-school centres pay market rates ranging from $25 to about $800 per month. This has placed much financial burden on families with two or more children. If the Government were to encourage Singaporeans to have larger families, we must provide this basic support of subsidizing pre-school education. This is in line with the Government's focus on educating our young. On Eldercare and Medical Endowment Fund, the contribution of $250 million to the Eldercare Fund and $100 million to the Medical Endowment Fund is a welcomed move in view of the fast ageing population. The rising health cost in Singapore has been a concern for many Singaporeans, especially the elderly and low-income earners. Besides supporting nursing homes and medical bills of the lower-income individuals, I hope the funds can also be used to provide free community ambulance services for the elderly and primary healthcare services at the community. In October last year, the Ministry of Health implemented a pilot Primary Care Partnership Scheme to contract private clinics to serve needy elderly in the community. This scheme can be expanded to provide a wider range of medical services for the elderly. The eligibility criteria should be reviewed to allow more elderly to qualify for the scheme. The scheme can also be extended to young children below the schooling age. On nurturing small and medium businesses, local SMEs play an important role in our economy. They comprise 92% of the total establishments in Singapore and employ 51% of our workforce.”
“These residents have made efforts to stay together as one big family so as to look after their parents. But, they are always being left with not much rebate when Government shares its surplus. On Widow Fund, the competitive society and cost of living in Singapore have made life very difficult for one group of Singaporeans, that is, widows. Families that are struck with disaster, such as death, or major illness of their sole bread-winners, usually encounter much difficulty to raise their families thereafter. Their quality of life deteriorates very quickly and their children's education is badly affected. A widow with two or more children to support will face grave difficulty to balance between work and family. There is a drastic lack of communal support facilities and affordable family service centers to help these families. I would urge the Government to consider setting up a Widow Fund to provide special assistance to these disadvantaged families. This will provide a level playing field for their children to succeed in life. The present assistance schemes provided by the CDCs and various constituencies are inadequate to alleviate the financial burden faced by widows. Very often, the financial assistance is short-term and does not alleviate the long-term financial burden of widows. I would urge the Government to show more compassion to widows, and help them to live life more comfortably. My sympathy and admiration goes to all widows who make untiring sacrifices for their children to succeed in life. Sir, they deserve special attention. On subsidy for pre-school education, in the past, the Government has taken a position that pre-school education should be left to the private sector, and thus not much support was given to pre-school operators.”
“Sir, I would like to propose the following measures for nurturing small consumers and SMEs to transit into the new economy:- On personal tax and GST rebate, the cut of income tax rates and one-off income tax rebate of 10% have indeed lowered the tax burden of many workers. A comparison among low, middle and high-income earners shows that low-income earners (those earning $35,000 per annum) will enjoy a tax saving of $175 while the middle income (those earning $50,000 per annum) and high-income earners (those earning $100,000 annual income) will have $375 and $1,775 tax savings respectively. As all income earners suffer a flat rate of $250 GST rebate cut, this has drastically reduced the income tax saving of low-income earners. Sir, whether you are a low or high-income earner, you still pay the same price for a cup of coffee and a bowl of noodles. The increasing cost of living has put much financial burden on many small consumers. It affects their quality of life. I hope the Finance Minister can consider more innovative ways to give out tax rebates, which will benefit low-income earners. A good example to follow is the National Wages Council which recommends a fixed and variable salary increase mechanism to help low-income earners. Income tax rebate can also have both a fixed sum rebate and a percentage cut to motivate all our workers. As for S&C and utilities rebates, we should extend the benefits to HDB Executive flat residents and retirees living in private estates. Some Singaporeans in these groups do not enjoy much benefit from income tax rebates or other relief. For example, in Woodlands New Town, we have quite a number of multi-tier families staying in jumbo HDB Executive flats.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion as proposed by the Finance Minister. This year's Budget is indeed a good Budget filled with goodies for everyone. It is a Budget aimed at nurturing Singaporeans and our businesses to transit into a knowledge-based economy. The Budget will provide a boost for Singapore to position itself in the new economy. It will also help Singaporeans to prepare themselves for global competition. As a small country with limited resources, Singapore has no choice but to continually carve out niches to position itself in an increasing seamless global market. Development of human capital has always been our main focus. The Government continues to invest heavily in educating our young, and upgrading the skills of our workers. While we are constantly chasing global trends, we must not forget those who may encounter difficulty to keep pace of the changes. Every effort must be made to help these fellow Singaporeans feel at home in Singapore. Otherwise, dichotomy will occur in our population, thus weakening our social fabric. Thus, the key challenge facing the Government is to develop a globally competitive workforce, and at the same time continue to improve the quality of life of all Singaporeans. Although this year's Budget is a generous one, I am sure the Government can do more to help small consumers and small businesses. This is particularly so for many working Singaporeans who had suffered CPF cuts over the last two years. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have also been badly affected by the financial crisis and globalisation trends.”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister of State whether it is fair for HDB to force applicants to either select or cancel the flat at the time of selection? Also, can HDB allow applicants to keep their queue number for subsequent selection of flats?”
“May I ask the Minister of State is it safe to run the trains when the system detects a missing train and what other measures have the Ministry taken to ensure that the LRT system is safe, besides the manual safety check system as proposed by SLRT recently?”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister whether the Ministry of Trade and Industry would consider taking other measures to stimulate competition among the oil companies in Singapore, such as introducing a competition law or supporting CASE's call for oil companies to display their petrol prices at pylon signages? BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: MTI is studying the practicality of introducing a competition law for Singapore. It can introduce more competition but it can also cause rigidity in certain industry categories. So we are looking at the pluses and minuses of such a competition law for Singapore and weighing the pros and cons. For some of the FTAs that we are negotiating, having a competition law will be a subject for negotiation also. As to whether we should require petrol pumps to display prices on pylons, I believe this is something which is better for CASE to raise, because we should not require it by regulation that they must display their prices in a particular manner.”
“To counter this problem, we can consider building smaller swimming complexes, ie, maybe a 50-metre pool and a 25-metre training pool, instead of large swimming complexes which are currently built only for large population catchments. Sir, I understand that it is generally expensive to operate a swimming complex as the income generated is low while operating costs are high. However, if we look at it from the pro-family as well as the healthy lifestyle perspectives, the benefits to be gained should outweigh the costs in the long run. Besides, the smaller swimming complex can be built near a cluster of schools and be utilised for extra-curricular activities. Finally, I wish that, as a good start, the Government will consider forming a working committee to study the physical infrastructure needs for building and strengthening family bonding within our communities. This should send a clear signal to all citizens that the Government is actively seeking ways to improve the quality of life of all Singaporeans by taking the positive step towards fulfilling its commitment to S21.”
“In short, there is a need for more public parks to be built in Singapore to support the pro-family movement. (3) Rejuvenate our beaches. We have to rejuvenate and inject more life into our shores and beaches. Today, our beaches are not very well maintained and, hence, not attractive to many Singaporeans. There is a general lack of facilities and activities along our beaches. Firstly, the seabed and water do not cater well for swimming and water-sports activities. Secondly, some of the beaches have pests such as crows and strays which create much nuisance to beach goers. Beaches are good spots for pro-family activities. They serve as good recreational venues for family outings and picnics. The Government should place more emphasis in rejuvenating our beaches. For example, there should be more water-sports facilities for activities such as boating, windsurfing or canoeing. We should also increase the number of food outlets, such as ice-cream, drinks or snack stalls, to be located along the beaches to add more life to our beaches. Some areas should be cordoned off to provide swimming bays with ample toilet facilities to serve the beach users. (4) Build more swimming pools within the community. Based upon the current planning ratio, some communities are deprived of swimming pools because they do not have the required population catchment to be entitled to a swimming complex. This policy needs to be reviewed if we want to encourage families to play together. Swimming pools provide good opportunities for the whole family to keep fit as well as to have fun together.”
“Living in an urbanised environment like Singapore, it is crucial for us to build more parks to provide green lungs in our living space. In land-scarce Singapore, it is even more critical for the Government to strike a balance between allocating land for public parks and land for pure commercial uses, such as golf courses. Parks provide excellent venues for families to get together. Experiences from several countries have shown that many families do visit and spend a lot of time having recreation in parks. Such open spaces also help families to relax and unwind on weekends, especially after a long week at school and work. In Singapore, parks do not seem to attract enough locals as they generally lack attractions and facilities. Some parks charge an entrance fee, which then deters people from visiting them. There are also instances where the authorities charge car-parking fees and keep up the pace of issuing parking summons after some parks become popular which, in turn, in the long run, discourage regular park users. Sir, we should build more national, regional and neighbourhood parks in Singapore. More pro-family facilities such as children's playgrounds, games corners, barbecue pits, multi-purpose courts and open fields, should be provided within the parks to attract more Singaporeans to fully utilise our parks. In addition, the necessary transport infrastructure should be built to cater for a seamless journey from home to the park. For instance, parks should be easily accessible by public transport and there must be ample free car-parking facilities for park users who drive. The Government should seriously consider providing subsidy for operating all parks in Singapore. So far, no commercial parks have been successfully operated in Singapore.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion as proposed by Dr Lily Neo. As spelt out in the S21 Report, we want to build strong families in Singapore in the new millennium. In order to achieve this national goal, we need to put in place pro-family policies to support family development as well as family bonding. The allocation of national resources to build the necessary physical infrastructure for facilitating family-friendly activities will signify the Government's firm commitment to building strong families among Singaporeans. With regard to providing pro-family infrastructure and facilities, I would like to propose the following for the Government to consider: (1) Build pro-family integrated facilities within HDB towns. HDB and town councils must make conscious efforts to build pro-family facilities within HDB towns. We must plan and implement improvement projects to encourage family members to come together to have fun. We should build 'social centres' where families and their neighbours can gather conveniently for social interaction. A typical 'social centre' would include facilities for all age groups, such as children playground, barbecue pit, fitness corner, reflexology path, multi-purpose court and seating facilities. By integrating these facilities into a 'social centre', family members will have ample opportunities to interact, leading to the strengthening of family bonding. Where possible, such integrated facilities should be located within HDB precincts or near neighbourhood centres. The increased accessibility and convenience will ensure higher utilisation of such social centres, enhancing the opportunities for families to stay and play together. (2) Build more parks.”
“Sir, let me now request for some clarifications on a few amended clauses in the Act. New sections 8(1) and 10 insert the words "the appropriate qualified person". May I ask the Minister: is the word "appropriate" necessary? If yes, what is the distinction between an "appropriate qualified person" and a "qualified person"? New section 16 sets the prescribed limit to be $10 million for building works that require the appointment of accredited checking organisation. May I ask the Minister on what basis is this limit derived? Why is there a need to prescribe a limit for an accredited organisation to check only buildings of a certain value if safety of the public is at risk? Finally, new section 16 also defines the "value of building works" which means the total cost to be expended in carrying out the building works (including foundations, structural frame, finishes and installation of services). However, we have left out "walls and slabs" as part of building works. I propose that we insert the words "walls and slabs" after the words "structural frame". Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Both the accredited checker and professional engineer are registered under the same Professional Engineers Act. So, why not put the professional engineer solely responsible for his own actions? Raising the registration requirements and imposing penalty for malpractice to ensure higher standards of professional practice could achieve this. In short, if the root cause of designing structurally unsound buildings lies in the quality of training and registration system of professional engineers in Singapore, then how does the "double checking" system ensure that the accredited checker will not commit the same mistake as the professional engineer? This is exactly what happened in the Compassvale School's roof collapse. Sir, I would like to urge the Ministry to explore other options which will instill professionalism in the construction industry. We need to have a system whereby professionals take responsibility for their professional work, and face the consequences for failing to perform their work competently. A system that instills professionalism (ie, one who takes responsibility for his own actions) will go a longer way than a system that creates mistrust (ie, one who doubts his own standard of work) and distrust (ie, one professional having to check on another professional's standard of work). Therefore, the accredited checker scheme needs to be reviewed, as it may not provide a holistic solution to having structurally sound buildings in Singapore. On the contrary, construction practitioners have raised concerns that the accredited checker system has increased the cost of construction, and also caused a shortage of professional engineers in Singapore. The increased cost of construction is eventually transferred to property purchasers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to raise the following concerns which the proposed amendments would affect the construction industry and eventually the general public. Essentially, the proposed amendments seek to fine-tune the Accredited Checker Scheme and increase the penalty for breach of duty by the accredited checker. The system of accredited checker was introduced after the collapse of Hotel New World in 1986 and now, we are again amending the Building Control Act due to the collapse of Compassvale Primary School. It seems like the proposed amendment is a reactive rather than a holistic approach to improve the safety of building works. May I ask the Minister, by amending the Act, how can we assure the general public that our buildings are safe and structurally sound? Singapore is probably one of the very few countries in the world that implements the accredited checking system whereby it is mandatory for an accredited checker, who is a professional engineer, to check the work of another professional engineer. Obviously, this double-checking system results in unnecessary duplication of professional work, contributing to construction productivity losses and manpower wastages in Singapore. It could be argued that the structural soundness of buildings concerns public safety, hence the need for double-checking. But this approach may not effectively enhance the safety standards and professionalism in the construction industry. Sir, we need to examine the root cause leading to the design of structurally unsound buildings. If the problem lies in the lack of competence of professional engineers, then we should address the issue of increasing the stringency of laws governing the registration of engineers or reviewing the professional training of engineers.”
“HDB also has several assistance schemes, such as Sale of Flats to Sitting Tenants, Sale of 3-Room Buy Back Flats and Rent and Purchase Scheme, to help the lower income groups to own HDB flats. WORKERS FROM LOWER-INCOME GROUP (Training grants) 10. Mr Noris Ong Chin Guan asked the Minister for Manpower if his Ministry has any plans to provide further incentives to workers from the lower-income group to enrol for training courses to upgrade their skills, for example, by giving an appropriate level of training grants directly to these workers.”
“The CPF Housing Grant Scheme is also open to first-timer single applicants who are 35 years or more. Today, the grant is $11,000 under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme and double that, $22,000, under the Joint Singles Scheme. Sir, as there are sufficient avenues to meet the housing needs of singles, I think for now there is no need to allow singles to purchase new 4-room flats. Dr Teo also asked about downgrading during the first 5-year occupation period. In general, HDB requires lessees to occupy their flats for at least five years before they can sell them in the open market. This is to deter speculation on HDB flats, which are heavily subsidized. However, there are two options available to HDB lessees if they need, for whatever reasons, to downgrade to smaller flats within the 5-year occupation period. First, they can surrender their existing flat to HDB and then purchase a resale flat from the open market; or they can mutually exchange their existing flat with another lessee, provided both parties have completed a minimum 1-year occupation period and meet the requirements of the scheme. Dr Teo also asked about raising the income ceiling for rental flats. Sir, HDB reviews the income ceiling regularly to take into account changes in household incomes. In the case of rental flats, raising the ceiling from the current $800 per month to $1,000 per month may be against the Government's objective to help as many Singaporeans as possible become home owners. Nevertheless, I would like to assure the House that HDB does exercise flexibility to allow families with incomes exceeding $800 per month to rent HDB flats at subsidized rental if there are mitigating circumstances.”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary whether the HDB is prepared to relax the so-called offer of rejected flats for walk-in selection? There are new applicants for certain flats. Sometimes there are rejections. These flats are normally pooled and put up in advertisements for the next allocation. Can we open it up earlier so that applicants can walk in to select flats? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Mr Speaker, Sir, we can consider that proposal. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLATS (Purchase and rental) 9. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for National Development if the Housing and Development Board will (i) allow single persons to purchase new 4-room flats; (ii) allow HDB lessees (within the 5-year occupation period) to downgrade to 3- or 4-room flats; and (iii) increase the income ceiling for rental flats to $1,000. Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, as a general policy, our public housing programme requires flat applicants to form a family nucleus to qualify for the purchase of a new flat from HDB. This is in line with the philosophy that the family is the basic building block of a strong and stable society. However, to meet the housing needs of some Singaporeans who remain single and would like to live on their own, the HDB has in place two schemes, namely, the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme and the Joint Singles Scheme. Under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme, singles who are 35 years and above can buy resale 3-room or smaller flats located outside the urban areas. The 3-room flats provide more than sufficient space for singles who live on their own. Under the Joint Singles Scheme, two eligible single citizens can jointly purchase resale flats of any size anywhere in Singapore.”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary how many construction firms working on existing contracts have been asked by HDB to slow down their programmes, and whether the HDB will compensate the contractors if these construction works are slowed down? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, I am not aware that HDB has asked any existing contractors to slow down the existing building programme. What HDB has done is to evaluate the 14 contracts that will be awarded between now and October this year. In view of the reduced demand for HDB flats, HDB is now looking at the tenders that are going to the market, and those which we have called for tenders but not yet awarded. As regards compensation, for those tenders which are under the design and build category, HDB can consider it if contractors come to us and say, "You have called for tenders. We have put in effort for the tender and now you have decided either to defer or cancel it altogether." But so far, no contractor has come to us and asked for compensation.”
“Many HDB residents will question why should they pay for the cost of maintaining the roof, water pumps, lifts, structures, playgrounds, senior citizens' corners, etc, as some of these facilities do not benefit them directly. This will lead to potential conflicts among residents, thus weakening community bonding. Therefore, I would urge the Minister to consider either removing the proposed amendments in sections 65A, 65C and 65D or make it compulsory for such special upgrading works to be included in the IUP or MUP works, where necessary. These special upgrading works can be packaged in the list of essential works such as water proofing of toilets or changing of stack pipes which are presently included as compulsory works in the MUP standard package. In addition, I would urge HDB to bear the cost of making all HDB flats elderly and handicapped friendly, so as to meet the needs of a fast ageing population. As a good landlord, HDB has a duty to improve the accessibility and functionality of its flats, in particular, the installation of lifts that stop on every floor. The provision of lifts that stop on every floor is no longer a privilege but a necessity in Singapore.”
“The concept of communal living in HDB flats is similar to that of a private condominium where residents agree, at the time of purchase, to live together within a block or precinct and share facilities that are defined as common property. Common property includes items such as roof, building structure elements, external walls, lifts, stack pipes, playground, swimming pool, etc, that benefit residents within a block or a precinct. In a private condominium, the voting rights of the flat owners are specified in the Land Titles Strata Act where owners can exercise their voting rights according to share value. In the HDB context, the voting rights of lessees are normally only exercised during the Interim or Main Upgrading Programmes. Each eligible flat owner has one voting right irrespective of the size of the flat. The cost of maintaining and upkeeping of all these buildings is usually apportioned according to share value or voting right respectively. By segregating special upgrading works comprising additional lifts or such other works that are declared by the Minister and introducing selective voting for such work items, we are eroding the spirit of communal living and tampering with the rights of HDB lessees. The lift is a common property that benefits every resident in a high-rise block, irrespective of which floor he or she stays. Therefore, all residents should share the cost of maintaining, upgrading or installing new lifts. These are existing practices of both town councils and management corporations. Sir, I do not believe that selective voting for special upgrading works will work, and it is also not fair to the affected residents. Sir, if we were to start introducing selective voting for common property, the result will be disastrous.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Housing and Development (Amendment) Bill. The introduction of the new sections 13A and 13B that confer exclusive rights to HDB to use its name, symbol or representation will provide added protection to HDB residents. This will also prevent unscrupulous or unconscionable traders or individuals from abusing the name of HDB to take advantage of less informed HDB residents. Over the years, there have been several cases of cheating when traders, especially renovation or trade craftsmen, who claim to be accredited HDB contractors, carry out poor quality repair works for HDB residents at unreasonable prices. Very often, it is difficult to trace these culprits, and not much redress is made to the affected residents. With the introduction of these powers, I hope that the HDB can provide better protection to its lessees. To ensure that this legislation is effectively implemented, I would urge HDB to conduct more public education programmes to keep HDB residents better informed of the authentication procedures for HDB instructed works or accredited contractors. This will ensure that better quality of services and products can be rendered to HDB residents. To further protect HDB residents, the Ministry should also make similar amendments to the Town Councils Act. Sir, for the amendments to sections 65A, 65C and 65D regarding the introduction of special upgrading works, I would like to highlight some concerns. Although the amendment may seem logical and acceptable to HDB residents undertaking upgrading works, it has an undesirable impact on the concept of communal living and the definition of "common property".”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister of State how many workers have been injured using this mode of transportation so far, and have any workers died because of this mode of transportation?”
“Sir, may I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary how does the HDB ensure that the quality of flats is not affected if a contract is novated to another contractor due to liquidation of the original contractor? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, in the case of liquidation, it is a very unfortunate case. The HDB has a close monitoring system to monitor the progress of construction works on site. So HDB can pick up signs. For example, when a contractor is slow in completing the work according to schedule, then HDB picks up one sign. At some point, the HDB will talk to the contractor. And the contractor, at some point, might also be willing to novate his contract to another contractor. In such cases, the contractor who novates his contract over to another contractor will be debarred from HDB's future contracts. So the HDB contractor who tendered the lowest sum must make sure that he can complete the project. Otherwise, he will be penalised from tendering future contracts. And HDB, being the bigger developer in town, is a very important customer to all contractors. CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY (Nurturing of engineers and architects) 28. Mr Lew Syn Pau asked the Minister for National Development (a) how will his Ministry nurture local talents in the construction industry such as engineers and architects; and (b) in the tender for public projects, how can Government help our local engineers and architects to establish a track record that will enable them to compete more effectively for regional and other global projects.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for agreeing to build a park connector in Bukit Panjang. May I know what is the time frame for the construction? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: It will start soon. It will start at the end of the year.”
“In order to promote healthy living and provide a quality living environment for Singaporeans, I would urge the Ministry to give high priority to expedite the construction of park connectors in Singapore. Sir, I wish to seek the following clarifications from the Ministry: (1) What is the progress of park connectors in Singapore? (2) Can we provide more fitness facilities and toilets along park connectors? (3) Can the Ministry accord higher priority to construct park connectors within the housing estates? For example, there are two neighbourhood parks in Bukit Panjang which can be connected by a 1.2 km park connector. This connection will definitely promote healthy living and strengthen community bonding among the residents.”
“Sir, multi-storey car parks are provided for all new HDB estates instead of surface car parks to maximise land use. But the design of multi-storey car parks does not provide adequate elderly-friendly features. Car parks that are below 12.6 metre high or five storeys high are usually not provided with lift. As a result, residents especially senior citizens may encounter difficulty when carrying things from their cars to their flats. Furthermore, the height of the car park entrance is restricted to 2.15 metres. As a result, owners of certain lightweight vehicles are unable to park in these car parks. These residents do not have any other alternative car parks, thus resulting in much inconvenience. Sir, I would like to make the following suggestions for the Minister to consider: (1) Increase the height of multi-storey car parks' entrance to allow lightweight vehicles with height constraint to park. (2) Provide lift and ramps for all multi-storey car parks. (3) Use solar energy to light up multi-storey car parks. (4) Increase the floor to ceiling height of multi-storey car parks to allow better ventilation and daylighting. (5) Install better fire safety features instead of fire extinguishers or fire sprinkler system for multi-storey car parks. Now, on my second cut about park connectors. Park connectors have proven to be a success in providing green spaces for people to relax and keep fit. But the progress of park connectors' development has encountered various difficulties such as obtaining approvals from various authorities to construct park connectors over their respective land parcels. This has resulted in unnecessary delay of park connectors' development and also the construction of disjointed park connectors, such as the park connector in Ulu Pandan.”
“Sir, I will just ask four questions under this cut. (1) What is the basis of funding for upgrading of private estates? (2) Will the upgrading be administered through the CCC? (3) Who will maintain the additional facilities provided through this upgrading programme? (4) Can the Ministry consider setting up a private estates upgrading unit to coordinate the upgrading programme? 6.00 pm”
“(6) Provide a special grant to Town Councils, which have blocks with lifts stopping at every floor landing.”
“Sir, the HDB upgrading programmes, ie, MUP and IUP, are implemented in phases. Each upgrading precinct comprises between five and 10 blocks. Very often, covered linkways are designed to link blocks together, and from blocks to bus-stops or other amenities. But the Ministry does not allow the MUP or IUP budget to be used for covered linkways beyond the upgrading precinct. As such, covered linkways are sometimes not completely linked to blocks or public amenities to provide a seamless connection for residents. This is especially so when the linkway spans across land parcels belonging to different authorities. In some MUP and IUP, certain infrastructure works belonging to HDB, such as access road and car park, are not upgraded during the upgrading programme. This has affected the overall rejuvenation of the upgraded precinct. The upgraded precinct with its new facilities, such as lift stopping at every landing, will also increase the cost of maintenance for Town Councils. Sir, I wish to make the following suggestions for the Minister to consider: (1) Provide additional budget for covered linkways which link upgraded precincts to buildings or amenities outside the upgraded precinct boundary. (2) Coordinate with LTA, ENV and Land Office to ensure that linkways can be constructed to bus-stops or other amenities during upgrading programme. (3) Provide a budget to provide anti-mosquito breeding features to be incorporated in the upgrading precinct, such as clothes hanging poles. (4) Provide a budget for HDB to upgrade car parks and access roads of upgrading precinct during MUP and IUP. (5) Provide a grant for Town Councils to bring forward cyclical works of upgrading precinct so as to minimise inconvenience to residents.”
“Sir, a recent research in the United Kingdom has shown interesting housing trends in Europe. Home ownership policy has become problematic resulting in various problems in some countries. It was found that countries with high home ownership also have high social services expenditure. Those with high home ownership also experienced higher unemployment. Two possible reasons were cited for these trends. Firstly, market forces have severe impact on job security, thus making homeowners more vulnerable and unable to service their mortgages. Secondly, people tend to lose their drive to work or quit work once their mortgages are fully paid, thus resulting in wastages of human talent and resources. In view of these trends, I wish to make the following clarifications with the Ministry: (1) What is the percentage of HDB homeowners in mortgage payment arrears or receiving welfare assistance in the last 10 year? (2) What are the measures taken by the Ministry to balance between home ownership and family nuclearisation? (3) Can the Ministry consider removing the 5-year occupation requirement, and allow HDB flat owners to swop flats at market rates to live near their family members? (4) What is the impact of the home ownership policy on the mobility of labour in Singapore?”
“Sir, the Construction 21 report aims to produce world-class builders. To achieve this, there is an urgent need to inject more professionalism in the building industry. We must develop a core capability of local construction firms and provide more support for these firms to be world-class. I wish to seek the following clarifications from the Ministry: (1) What is the policy of the Ministry in nurturing potential world-class builders? (2) Will the Ministry provide incentives for construction firms to merge and strengthen their core capabilities? (3) What are the measures taken by the Ministry to improve professionalism in the industry? (4) Will the Ministry consider licensing building professionals so that better professional accountability can be achieved?”
“Sir, as stated in the Development Control Handbook 1991, developers of industrial buildings with a gross floor area of above 5,000 square metres are required to retain 30% of the development for 10 years from the latest date of TOP issuance. This policy was introduced to ensure that one major stakeholder would be responsible to prevent common properties of such buildings from falling into disrepair. With the progress of time and the increased professionalism of property management firms, such policy has become obsolete. To date, the Strata Titles Act has adequate provisions to make sure that all buildings are well maintained. As such, all residential developments are no longer required to have 30% retention, and yet are properly managed by the respective Management Corporations. The 30% retention policy for industrial buildings has indeed increased the holding cost and financial burden of developers and industrialists. It also restricts the opportunities for developers or industrialists to expand their businesses. Although developers or industrialists can sell the 30% to a single purchaser, the transaction chances are low. Thus, I would urge the Ministry to reconsider this policy of 30% retention for industrial building development.”
“Sir, Singapore aims to be a metropolis where people can work, live and play comfortably in the 21st century. To achieve this, we need to adopt strategic land use planning so as to meet the needs of both individuals and the business community. The Singapore Concept Plan is due for revision. I wish to seek the following clarifications from the Ministry. (1) What are the key considerations when drafting the Concept Plan 2001? (2) What is the balance between built-up area and the provision of green spaces in our living environment? (3) What specific planning features are incorporated to cater to the needs of the elderly? (4) What are the measures taken by the Ministry to ensure that high-density living will not affect the quality of living in Singapore?”
“May I ask the Senior Minister of State how does the crow trap work? I understand the crows are quite intelligent. If you have 6,000 crows, the town councils will spend a lot of time and effort trying to catch the crows. Encik Sidek bin Saniff: I can supply you the cage. It is a very simple one where you can put the bait inside, and the crows will come in. The moment they come into the box, they cannot come out because they are so large. Remember the monkeys, when they take something, they will refuse to let go their hands with the food. So they were caught by the Africans. I will let the Member have the opportunity to use it if he wants to. FOREIGN WORKERS (Living conditions) 2. Mr Gerard Ee asked the Minister for Manpower what steps are being taken to monitor the living conditions of foreign workers and what are the penalties for inhumane treatment of foreign workers.”
“Sir, since the introduction of the Neighbourhood Police Centres last year, a number of temporary NPCs were built to serve residents in various constituencies. As the NPC is a new concept, there is not much provision to integrate the siting of NPCs in both new and existing towns. Thus, not much priority is given to NPCs when they are selecting suitable sites for development. In many cases, NPCs were simply asked to co-locate with many other organisations. In view of the above, I would like to make the following clarifications: (1) Can the Ministry incorporate the planning of NPCs in the Development Guide Plan so that NPCs can be suitably located to better serve our residents? (2) What are the selection criteria when selecting a site for NPC? 5.30 pm”
“Sir, may I ask the Minister of State what measures have been taken by the Ministry to ensure that residents can post mails conveniently?”
“Sir, despite the advent of IT, letters still provide a common means of communication among individuals and businesses. Due to labour shortage, Singapore Post has been adjusting the collection time of mails from mail boxes and relocating some mail boxes. This has increased delivery time of letters and also caused inconvenience to some people. To overcome this problem, I would like to suggest the following for the Minister to consider: (1) Can we install outgoing mail boxes in all residential blocks? This will facilitate the posting of mails by residents. At the same time, postmen can conveniently collect mails after their mail delivery time. (2) Can we relocate mail boxes along roads, especially main roads, so as to reduce traffic congestion or provide parking bays for such mail boxes?”