Vikram Nair
Singapore
“I thank the Minister of State for the answer, as well as forming a workgroup to look into this issue. I think it is worrying that platform workers have a much higher rate of workplace injuries than many other groups and I think compensation is one component, but does the Minister of State think any interim measures are needed while the wo…”
“I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I think it is an improvement from the last time this question was asked two years ago, which was 17 minutes and 164 minutes. So, there is improvement. But a one-and-a half-hour waiting time is still quite long.”
“Thank you, and I thank the Minister of State for flagging the answer to me as well. So, I have a supplementary question. The answer was that the Ministry is engaging the digital service providers as well as preparing advisories for parents.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the response and to explain that the OCHA Directions are being issued to Telegram as well. The only reason I mentioned Telegram specifically is it seems to emerge in a whole range of crimes, including selling of drugs, etomidate, sexual crimes, scams.”
“It seeks to enable efficient cross-border travel while retaining Singapore's legal framework and ensuring that foreign officers cooperate within defined limits. It also provides for reciprocity, so that Singapore officers can exercise similar functions in Malaysia.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I note that amongst the different sources of energy, diesel prices have risen much higher than electricity prices. And diesel fuels many commercial operators, including buses and lorries, which feeds into many other sectors.”
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“There is not much that Singapore can do to change these global forces. Against this backdrop, I support the Budget measures which provide much needed support and relief to individuals and businesses faced with cost crunch and disruptions. There is a wide range of assistance to both individuals and businesses to deal with these challenges. For the housing issue, a comprehensive proposal has been put forward which I am sure will be elaborated on in Ministry of National Development (MND)'s Committee of Supply debates. Young couples will now have more chances to get a BTO flat, there will be more financial assistance to tap into the resale market and there is a wide range of financial and social assistance being given out, including GST Vouchers, Cost of Living support payments, U-Save rebates and support for parents with children, all the way from babies to tertiary education and for lower-income groups, many of these measures would more than offset the rise in cost of living. Now these are commendable and, I think, these are measures that we can take because we have the luxury of strong reserves as well as prudent financial planning and these measures will alleviate some of the immediate cost of living pressures for many people. However, high prices and high inflation is likely to be here to stay and the only real long-term solution would be to ensure that Singapore continues to grow and remain an attractive place to invest and do business and this in turn will create attractive jobs for Singaporeans. This Budget provides significant support for multinational corporations (MNCs) that choose to locate here, people who do R&D, for local enterprises to build up as well as for local enterprises to go global.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the last few years have brought some unprecedented challenges for us. The withering effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt. In the budget debates we had the two years before, we were discussing public health issues, taking measures to minimise the loss of life and prevent people suffering the serious effects of COVID-19. The travel, tourism, retail and F&B industries were hard hit as people cut down on travel and going out. Today, the lingering tail continues to be felt with the delays and slowdowns in construction culminating in long queues for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats and a frothy HDB resale market as people compete for the more limited supply of available flats. The war in Ukraine has been another body blow to the world economy. Ukraine was the largest wheat producer in the world and also a large producer of corn, barley and sunflower oil. Russia was one of the largest producers of oil and gas. Now that these supplies have been disrupted from the world market, energy prices have spiked, as have food prices because wheat and the other materials produced are not just food for us but also food for livestock. This coupled with the supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 have caused inflation and rising costs on the global scale. To deal with inflation, central banks in many places have started raising interest rates. In Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) does not raise interest rates, but the banks generally take the lead from international benchmarks when setting their own lending rates. So, this has meant that interest rates in Singapore have also spiked, causing higher loan payments for borrowers, which include the many mortgages as well as companies for their trade loans.”
“The MOP is a fair measure for those who obtained subsidised BTO flats or obtained subsidies for purchasing resale flats. I do not think it is necessary for those who bought resale flats at fair market value. I believe the unintended consequence of this measure is that the supply of resale flats is restricted, because every transaction results in a resale flat being taken off the market for five years. I think it is still fair to retain the Seller's Stamp Duties to prevent pure speculation, but without the MOP, which prevents the sale altogether. I believe that if resale prices moderate such that buying a flat in the resale market is comparable to the price of a BTO flat once resale subsidies are priced in, the long queue for BTO flats would ameliorate. Notwithstanding my suggestions though, I support Minister Desmond Lee's Motion wholeheartedly. I think HDB has done a wonderful job of providing affordable housing for Singaporeans for many generations. The last three years of COVID-19 slowed down flat construction and skewed the queue and waiting time for BTOs. I support the plans to expand and catch up on the building of flats and hope that this will help to ameliorate the real pain point at the moment, which is the supply crunch of BTO flats. I do not think we can, or should, break the system as suggested by the Progress Singapore Party and the Workers' Party.”
“In the long term, as HDB flats cross the 60-year mark, for example, some would have values drop. But in my view, this would create more options for the secondary housing in the resale market. Currently, if people want shorter-lease flats, the only options are 2-room flats for seniors. In the coming years, we may have a resale market with cheaper flats on shorter leases for those who prefer larger houses for a shorter period of time. I see many examples of this at my Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS). There are families with teenage children who want a larger flat while their children are teens or who have parents moving in. They need it for immediate purposes, but in the longer term, say when seniors pass on or when children grow up, they may want the flexibility to change their housing arrangements. I believe a housing market that has flats of all sizes at different price points will, ultimately, give all people more options to find a flat that suits their needs in the secondary market. This will reduce the crunch on the BTO market. The HDB market is, currently, an anomalous situation because of the slowdown in building that occurred over the last two years. I also believe that the spike in demand has been contributed to by the big difference between the HDB resale market and the BTO market. Every buyer would like to buy on the BTO market, and so, they try their luck in the ballot as long as they qualify. The only ones to buy in the resale market are those who have the means and who need a flat urgently. This brings me to a suggestion I had previously made. I think we should take off at least one of the property cooling measures for the resale market that I believe may be driving prices up instead, namely, the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) for resale flats.”
“The reality is that because of Singapore's economic growth over the decades, even flats bought in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are selling at well above the prices they were bought for. They did not fall in a straight line based on their lease. Also, because HDB flats are sold at a subsidised price, most homeowners will continue to enjoy an upside if they sell their BTO flats in their lifetime. Alternatively, if they do not wish to sell it, they can pass it on to their children. Does this mean prices will rise forever? Probably not. It is likely that towards the end of a flat's lease, likely the last 30 years or so, prices will trend downwards. Is it unfair that prices do not rise forever and eventually come down? I believe not. By the time flats get to this stage, it is likely the original owners and several others would have bought and sold it over the years. For those who have not sold their flats but rather lived in the flats, they would have enjoyed living there for more than 60 years or around two generations. This is a long time to enjoy your home. Those who buy closer to the end of the lease will be able to negotiate a lower price for it. We can see this in the private property market where several private properties are reaching the end of their lives. While we talk about $1 million public housing, there are also landed properties available for less than $1 million. There are landed houses in Jalan Chempaka Kuning selling for less than $1 million at the moment. The reason is that they have a remaining lease of less than 12 years, yet even these houses have a ready market and transactions are taking place. There are people who would like a larger house and are prepared to accept a shorter lease in exchange for a lower price.”
“Related to this, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim also made the argument that the Government should encourage more people to rent rather than own flats, and that this too should be provided by the public sector. I respectfully disagree. Flat ownership gives every Singaporean a stake in Singapore and its success. If Singapore enjoys economic growth over a long period of time, homeowners will see home prices rise. By allowing every Singaporean easy access to buy at least one subsidised flat in their life, every Singaporean is assured of some upside in the course of their life, as long as they own a flat and Singapore continues to do well. If one bought a BTO flat and lived in it for five to 10 years and later decided they wanted to move to a different place later, they would at least have enjoyed some upside and have some additional cash when they sell, if they want to move to a new place, assuming Singapore has done well and the resale prices have gone up. On the other hand, if they rented for 10 years, in those 10 years, they would have paid their landlord, perhaps helping their landlord pay their mortgage, while at the same time losing their own opportunity to enjoy the upside from property appreciation at that time. Currently, the fact that Singaporeans are able to get onto the property ownership ladder allows all of them to enjoy and benefit from Singapore's economic growth. I believe home ownership is a worthwhile aspiration for our Government to support and making us a nation of home renters is not a good substitute. Against this backdrop, the flat price Bala's Curve that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim distributed is not an accurate description of how flat prices actually behave in the secondary market.”
“I believe, the real reason for the spike in resale prices now is the limited supply relative to demand. If people who buy flats become unable to sell because of the imprisoning effect of a land cost upon sale, then resale prices are likely to spike as the only supply will be those who own older flats not subject to the scheme. The new flats will have more difficulty coming into the resale market to bring prices down. This will exaggerate the already divergent market between resale flats and BTOs. Ultimately, I believe this proposal proposed by the PSP and supported by Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, would have even more distorting effects on the market, adding to the long queues at BTO launches and saddling all of them with a massive fee when they want to sell, which means they actually pay more than current flat owners. This would also restrict the additional supply and the resale market leaving prices to spike further in the short-term, which is where we face problems. The PSP also proposes a rental housing scheme with rental houses in prime areas for people who want them. He appears to be targeting the millennials. While I have no objections to the expansion of a rental scheme, ultimately, this has to be compared to other priorities. HDB has a limited supply of flats every year and with expanded supplies, the demand at these prices is much higher than the available supply. I therefore believe HDB should continue to prioritise building flats for those who need BTOs first. And in the event we reach a stage where the demand for BTO flats is adequately abated, we can then consider other priorities such as public housing. I think the priority for rental housing should still be families in financial difficulty who cannot afford to buy flats.”
“She is correct that all of us, all Singaporeans are subsidising the buyers of new HDB flats and this is one of the many matters discussed in our Budget debate. The current deficits are fully budgeted and paid for each year. Under PSP's proposal, though, the initial Government subsidy will be even higher. The cost of building the flat and the cost of land do not change. The cost of land and cost of building will still be the same. The only difference is the initial income from selling the flats would be less. So, this means the initial Government deficit will be very significant when the scheme is launched, which means we will need more taxes to fund it. Subsequently, if and when people sell flats, the Government may get money in fits and starts, but this will be more difficult to properly budget for because we do not know how many people will sell and how much will be earned from this and it will be difficult to predict and plan spending on the basis of income at the time people sell flats. So, while Mr Leong talks about the importance of affordable and available housing, at the same time, he talks about wanting an exuberant or vibrant resale market for those who want to sell their flats. Clearly, if you are being honest, there is a tension between affordability and an exuberant resale market. If the resale market is very exuberant, prices would be high. And this is what people who want to sell would want, but this is not what buyers would want. In fact, many of the buyers at those prices would be unhappy if they see others getting windfalls based on the lottery at the BTO, which will only be exaggerated if we follow Mr Leong's proposal of the low initial sticker price. The truth is that the effect of PSP's proposal on the resale market is uncertain.”
“So, if prime area flats are not priced significantly more than other areas, then the lottery effect there would be even greater because everybody wants a prime area flat and those who get the windfall, those who succeed in getting the prime area flat will feel very happy and those who lose out will be resentful. I believe this would simply exacerbate the current BTO problems. Already, at current BTO prices, even non-mature estate flats are severely oversubscribed. With an initial sticker price that is even lower than the current price, the queue is probably going to explode. I mean, who would not want a flat at that price? For those people who win the lottery to buy the flats, however, if for some reason they decide to sell their flats, they will then realise there is a huge bill to pay in terms of land costs. People may need to sell their flats for any number of reasons, including changing family or financial circumstances. However, it is, at that point, they will be stabbed with a huge sticker price which will be more than the price they actually paid for the flat. If families do not have several hundred thousand dollars in cash readily available, they will not be able to sell their flats. Thus, even if a couple is divorcing or the family size gets smaller, say with children moving out, or bigger, or say, with children arriving or parents moving in, families will not be able to sell if they cannot stump up a large amount of cash. Ms Hazel Poa talked about the ills of Government subsidies for public housing. This was a criticism of the current scheme where HDB provides a house below the price of building it and has to make up for this deficit from the current Budget every year.”
“Currently, BTO flats are not priced according to their cost. They are instead priced based on a variety of factors linked to affordability, including ratio of income to price, mortgage serviceability and location, as the Minister had explained. The median household, according to the Minister, would be able to afford 80% of available flats. Land cost is not currently passed on to buyers, but rather it is taken into account in HDB's books when HDB uses land from our land reserves. So, HDB is paying for the land cost, not the buyers of flats. So, the cost is currently not being passed on to the buyers directly and the current subsidy that buyers get is actually the difference between the actual cost of building the flat, which is the building cost and the land cost, against the price they actually pay. Under Mr Leong's proposal, the upshot is that for everyone who chooses to sell their flats, they will now be required to pay land cost, something they were not previously required to, which will be a huge lump sum payment at the time of sale. I think it is common ground, then, that most people will end up paying more for their flat at the time they sell than they currently do. So, for everyone who sells their flats, which is the majority of Singaporeans, they will pay more under Mr Leong's proposal than under the current scheme. Additionally, the way in which the flat is priced may create severe market distortions at different points in time. At the time they are launched, the flats will appear very cheap because they are launched only at the cost of construction.”
“Mr Speaker, I support the Motion in the name of Minister Desmond Lee. The last few years, particularly with COVID-19, have presented HDB with some unprecedented challenges. One of the main issues faced by my residents in recent times, is not so much the affordability, but rather, the availability of BTO flats. People who want BTO flats are unable to get them and there is a long list of people applying for one, including new couples, first-timers, divorced couples looking for new homes, singles and older couples looking to downsize. Each has their own unique needs and stories and I have appealed for many of these residents. Most people I have appealed for pointed out that the big differences in prices between HDB BTOs and resale flats are the prime reason they wanted BTOs rather than going to the resale market. Against this backdrop, I have some serious concerns with the proposal put forward by Mr Leong Mun Wai and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP). Mr Leong proposes pricing flats based on two components. First, construction costs and a notional premium based on location. Second, at the time anyone chooses to sell, they will pay the full cost of the land. He acknowledges the cost of the land will be the higher component, so the price they pay for land will be more than the price of the flat. The breakdown he used was for a $350,000 flat, $140,000 would be the price for the flat at the time of purchase and $210,000 may be the payment made for the land at the time of sale. The Workers' Party's Mr Jamus Lim, also seems to agree with this proposal to separate the land charges from the building costs and to pass on the land charges at the time of sale. There are some important implications from the PSP's proposals.”
“Finally, third parties dealing with persons who have financial issues but were not made bankrupt may not know that this person has financial issues. They would then be at risk of dealing with someone who is in substance insolvent but may not have been made a bankrupt because there was no PTIB found who was able to act. This problem may be particularly acute for those who have, for example, gone into a cycle of debt starting with consumer credit, taking on more credit, say, from licensed money lenders at high interest rates to pay off earlier debts. This borrowing to repay old debts generally leads to the ballooning of debts, which are detrimental both to borrowers and lenders. I would be grateful if the Minister can share whether there are any safeguards, particularly for those cases where the PTIBs may not be willing to take up an appointment, to ensure that those who otherwise qualify for bankruptcy will still be able to take out the appropriate applications.”
“This has, naturally, resulted in a heavy case load for the OA's office as well. In that sense, I can see where this legislation is coming from. It is creating, as a default, that the PTIB will administer all bankruptcies and the burden is on the applicant applying for bankruptcy to identify the professional before the application can be made. This will have the dual benefits of having a professional administering all bankruptcies, by the sound of it, except for the few where public interest is triggered, while at the same time reducing the burden on the OA. The only concern I have with this proposal is whether it would mean that those with smaller claims and estates would no longer be able to avail themselves of the protections afforded by bankruptcy. The main downside of requiring a PTIB to be appointed for each bankruptcy is that it may be difficult to find professionals who are prepared to administer smaller estates at an economic price, particularly where the applicant is the bankrupt himself. If we take the classic example of a small estate – a person without any substantial assets – the estate itself may still take some time to administer, so there is a risk that the professional who is doing this will be liable for the costs in the meantime. There are also considerable benefits for a person with a small amount of debt to be provided the protections offered by bankruptcy, such as the moratoriums against actions and avoiding the stress of having multiple creditors following him. His creditors will also be protected by knowing that they will be dealt with equitably rather than each one feeling pressurised to take their own enforcement action if the bankruptcy is deemed to be uneconomic.”
“Mr Speaker, the bankruptcy regime is one that balances many competing interests. On the one hand, it tries to protect creditors by ensuring that the assets of a bankrupt can be properly accounted for, realised and distributed in a fair way to all creditors. This prevents creditors from feeling pressurised to act unilaterally or to act faster than the others. Counterintuitively, it also protects the interests of the bankrupts themselves by taking away the stress and pressure of having to deal with a larger number of creditors and allows them to continue working, earning a salary and meeting their basic living requirements while ensuring that contributions are also made towards the payment of their debts. Finally, and importantly, a bankruptcy also protects third parties dealing with a bankrupt as they will then be able to make appropriate precautions when extending credit or entering into transactions, because the fact of bankruptcy is a public matter and anyone dealing with the person would be able to check. In facilitating the administration of a bankruptcy, it is usually helpful to have a professional – often, it is an accountant – involved as this will ensure an orderly realisation and distribution of the assets of the bankrupt. The professional should be disinterested and act impartially as between the debtor and the creditors. Where a professional is not appointed, the default would be for the OA to administer the estate of the bankrupt. The OA has historically administered a large number of bankruptcies – I think the figures revealed by the Minister were 99% originally and 60% presently. This would be, I believe, especially the case where the assets of the estate are small and the debts are small.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for the answers to many of the burning questions that are being faced by people looking for HDB flats. One suggestion I had previously made was to look at the supply of resale flats and how we can have more of that in the market because, with more resale flats in the market, that would lower the retail price and, hopefully, get more first-timers looking to the resale market. And the suggestion I previously made was to look at reducing or waiving the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) period for resale flats. To be fair, I think the answer I was given then was that that may not be a viable solution because those who sell resale flats will go back into the market. So, would the Minister consider waiving or reducing the MOP for those who sell resale flats but do not intend to go back into the market, say, for those who are moving to stay with their children or maybe even upgrading to private property?”
“This is similar to the power the President has in relation to other key public appointments including Permanent Secretaries and the Judiciary. This, of course, makes the Chief of the DIS more difficult to appoint and replace in the event there is a disagreement between the Government and the President. But given the importance of this appointment, I think it is necessary to have this safeguard. The one clarification I have, though, is if the DIS chief is in the same line as the Chiefs of the Navy, Army and Air Force, this actually means that that person could potentially be a target in times of war. But if this person happens to be a civilian, then, is that really the intention of this Bill? That is a simple clarification. Of course, if the chief is going to be a military person, then, this is not an issue.”
“Would the DIS continue to deploy people into the other services to support their operations? Fourth, given the significantly different skills involved in the DIS as compared to the rest of the armed forces, would DIS recruits and employees be required to go through the same type of training as other parts of the armed forces are, such as, for example, BMT and IPPT? If so, is there a chance we may lose people who have special talents in the cyber domain, but who may not have other military skills? Would the DIS also be staffed with civilians, for example, rather than uniformed military personnel? And would the chief of the DIS be a civilian? Fifth, would the DIS also take over responsibility for intelligence gathering for the whole armed forces, or would each of the services, such as the Army, Navy and Air Force, still have their own intelligence capabilities? The final point on the first Bill is this – and this is actually a question that is interesting from an internal law perspective as well. Would Singapore consider an attack on our key civilian or military digital infrastructure by a foreign state actor a hostile act in contravention of international law? This has important implications, for example, on whether and how we believe we would be entitled to respond in the event we are subject to such attacks, including, for example, whether hackers are legitimate targets in the event of such an attack. I do have a short comment for the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and since it is a short Bill, the comment is short. I note that the commander of the DIS is going to be put on the same level as the other service chiefs, such as those in the Army, Navy and Air Force, and it will be one of the appointees in which the President has a discretion to approve.”
“And I would argue that this should cover digital attacks on civilian infrastructure to disable their operations as well. There is much debate on this however, and not all experts are agreed that such attacks would constitute violations of international law and the prohibitions against armed conflict. Additionally, there is also difficulty of pinpointing whether an attack originated from a specific state, especially if it takes place in the digital domain and many of these attacks may continue to persist even in times of peace. It does not take much imagination to expect that military technology and infrastructure, which is increasingly dependent on technology, can also be subject to digital attacks. As we move to more automated warfare, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, we must also equally protect the technology that drives those new systems. To me, there is no doubt that the digital domain is as important as the kinetic one and countries are just as vulnerable to serious disruption and paralysis from digital attacks as they would be from kinetic ones. Based on the Minister's speech introducing this Bill, I understand that the creation of this new DIS is an evolution. The DIS will be evolving from the existing C4I unit: Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence. I have a few clarifications for the Minister for Defence on this topic. First, to what extent would the DIS be built on the existing people and infrastructure in the C4I unit, as opposed to new appointees? Second, when does the Minister expect the DIS to be operationally ready? Third, currently the C4I team supports the operations of the Army, Navy and Air Force and is an integral part to their operations planning.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support this Bill. The creation of the armed forces for Independent Singapore started with the Singapore Army Act in December 1965. The creation of the Singapore Navy and Air Force followed in 1967 and 1968 respectively. These three services have formed the core of Singapore's armed forces ever since. The creation of a fourth service some 54 years later is, therefore, a significant milestone. The reality of digital threats has been recognised for some time and have been raised in the course of MINDEF's Committee of Supply (COS) debates for several years. Earlier this year, Minister Ng Eng Hen addressed this issue during this year's COS and foreshadowed the creation of the Digital and Intelligence Services (DIS) Unit in the course of this year. This Bill facilitates that process. The digital domain is undoubtedly critical in our daily life. Our civilian life depends heavily on it. Our bank records, health records, transactions with Government and even daily expenditure are all increasingly electronic. This is why each institution that deals with electronic data needs to ensure the security of that data and the integrity of those systems. Important infrastructure and daily operations are also dependent on technology. Earlier in his speech, Minister Ng highlighted how fuel shortages across the US East Coast in May last year were due to ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline. Another example raised during the COS debates was how Iranians could not top up their gas and petrol stations in October last year because the payment systems were hacked. As a matter of international law, it is unlawful for a state to target civilian infrastructure.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for raising this topic in Parliament and for making very clear that a big focus of the programme is to rehabilitate prisoners. In line with this, I would like to ask whether prisoners are allowed access to newspapers, television or the Internet, and, if so, whether there are any restrictions on this or any security considerations relating to this.”
“Women are often caregivers in many households, for both the young and the elderly. This paper proposes broadening the Household Services Scheme to include basic child- and elder-minding services, to give families more options. Financial support will be given to caregivers for the elderly with different grants, and access to affordable preschools will be enhanced. Additional support is also being rolled out for those caring for persons with disabilities and children with developmental needs. The above are just a few examples of changes in this wide-ranging paper that aims to create a more equal society for women, both at home and at work and support the important role they play in both areas. (In English): Deputy Speaker, I support this Motion.”
“Access to affordable preschools is going to be enhanced and there is also a focus on the mental and physical health of caregivers, with support networks being set up. These options are important because they, significantly, ease the load many women carry at home. Again, as with FWAs, I would suggest that all these grants and support be provided on a gender-neutral basis, so that if the caregiver at home is the man, these grants and support should be equally accessible to them. In addition, I would suggest that it may help to have support networks that are specific to male caregivers as they may face a different stigma from female caregivers. A newspaper feature on stay-at-home fathers who did the caregiving while their wives were the primary breadwinners highlighted the stigma that many of them face. Yet, these are the best examples of men supporting their wives with their aspirations and should be celebrated. If this gets more normalised, this may have a much stronger impact on the overall journey to gender equality. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to say some words in Tamil. (In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last year, I discussed in this House the experiences shared with me in one of the dialogues on Women's Development that I attended with Ms Indranee Rajah with women from the Indian community. Many of the issues raised now see benefits through direct action plans. One big development is enshrining the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices into law. This will mean that opportunities will need to be given to people on merit, and irrelevant considerations, such as gender, should not be taken into account. Measures are also in place to protect those who speak out.”
“Finally, on this front, I also welcome the initiative to promote greater board diversity. This is being done through changes in the listing rules and the Code of Corporate Governance. Again, I note that diversity is not intended to cover gender alone, but also other forms of diversity, which I assume would also include race and professional backgrounds of members of the Board. As Boards provide leadership to companies, having diverse boards would provide companies with a greater breadth of perspective as well as having a positive knock-on effect within the ranks of companies, as diverse boards are more likely to pick from a wider pool of talent for leadership and executive positions in the company as well. These legislative changes detract somewhat from the "freedom to contract" model we have adopted in relation to employment law, but I believe that these are necessary derogations as these initiatives protect employees in vulnerable positions. The combination of more FWAs as well as fair consideration principles being legislated could go a long way to allow men and women the ability to remain in the workforce and not be embarrassed or discriminated against if they decide to take different work arrangements to attend to caregiving needs. When we move from the workplace to the home, we also find that women often bear the bulk of caregiving responsibilities. The second set of actions, 7 to 11, provide a wide-ranging suite of measures to lighten the caregivers' load. Action 7 provides direct respite for caregivers by adding basic child- and elder-minding services to the Household Services Scheme. The financial strain will be eased with grants, such as the Home Caregiving Grant and the expanded Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund, with further future support envisioned.”
“So, Singaporeans had to be given fair consideration before you could employ foreign workers. If these guidelines are now legislated, then it will apply more broadly to all employers, even those who do not employ foreign workers. Grievance handling procedures and protection of complainants will also be required. I expect this will require a cultural shift amongst employers in Singapore. For a long time, we had a strict contractual interpretation of employment rights and it was easy for employers to both hire and fire. Now, employers will need to make hiring and promotion decisions more carefully and, in practical terms, will likely need to properly document decisions to prevent allegations of unfairness. There is also legislation envisioned in relation to FWAs and new tripartite guidelines that envision requiring employers to fairly consider requests for FWAs. Many employers had to radically rethink their work arrangements over the last two years with the work-from-home requirements. Hopefully, the lessons learnt from this experience will not be lost but will, instead, be utilised when we return to business as normal. Of course, flexible work is a lot more than just working from home. It includes the option to work shorter hours or fewer days in a week, which will require employers to put in more thought in the work scope of individual employees. Again, though, these FWAs should be equally available to men and women to be effective. This is so that, for example, in certain households, if men wish to play a bigger role in caregiving, they may also need to avail themselves of FWAs to play this role. Otherwise, if FWAs apply only to women, it may have the perverse effect of forcing women to continue to bear the caregiving load using these arrangements.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the journey for equal rights for women has been a long one. Around 200 years ago, the first organised women’s movement started in the UK. They were called the suffragettes, fighting for suffrage or the right to vote. It was only in the last century that women obtained the right to vote in most countries. Singapore moved quickly – we passed the Women’s Charter in 1964 and the aim of this legislation was to give women equal rights in marriage and at work. This ended longstanding practices like polygamy. Women were also required to attend school and encouraged to join the workforce and did well in both areas. Women have enjoyed equal rights at law for a long time. However, equality at law was the start of the journey. Equal rights, in substance, are a longer journey and this White Paper facilitates that journey with concrete actions. The 25 action plans are comprehensive and touch on many of the issues women face today. While there are many initiatives I find interesting, I will focus on two broad areas in this speech, namely: (a) equal opportunities in the workplace; and (b) the recognition and support for caregivers. In simple terms, these initiatives strive towards substantive equality at work and at home. Under Area 1, Actions 1 and 2 provide an important development in Singapore’s employment law. I had spoken in favour of anti-discrimination legislation in earlier debates. This is relevant to many contexts, including protecting against discrimination based on gender, race, religion and, back then, it was nationality. In the absence of legislation, MOM had given effect to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices by linking companies’ rights to tap foreign workers to compliance with these guidelines.”
“The UK as well now allows both, although it circumscribes limits to the proportion of damages that can be claimed in certain situations. The main concern cited against this is the risk of frivolous lawsuits and that the advocate, by taking an interest in the litigation, may not be able to perform his duty as an officer of the Court. On the risk of frivolous lawsuits, I think this is unlikely to be high because lawyers will be bearing the risk and it will be a big investment for them as well. In relation to lawyers acting as professionals, I think this risk can be managed and other countries, such as the US and the UK, are able to function with this. Foreign Custody / Maintenance Orders Singapore is a melting pot and our legal system currently provides a robust and clear framework for foreign judgments to be enforced here. One area though, where this is not so easily enforceable, is in the case of matrimonial law. And we are also a melting pot for mixed marriages, where 25% of Singaporeans marry spouses of a different nationality and we have lots of foreign marriages. However, it is not automatically easy to enforce custody orders or maintenance orders from a foreign court. These have to still be enforced under first principles through the Guardianship of Infants Act. So, I would be grateful if the Ministry could consider making it easier to enforce maintenance and custody orders from foreign courts, especially if divorce proceedings are determined there. Family Justice and Litigants-in-person”
“Chairman, access to justice is an important issue and in recent times, MinLaw and the Singapore Courts have taken important steps to make sure that those who need to access the legal system are able to get it. This includes making proceedings easier for the self-represented, the expansion of legal aid by easing the means test and providing funding for some criminal legal aid cases too. It is also considering a fully funded public defender’s office. These are important developments which I support. Over the last year, the Ministry has also permitted the use of third-party funding and conditional fee arrangements for arbitrations, as well as for proceedings before the Singapore International Commercial Courts. This is a helpful development that levels the playing field somewhat, between local and international law firms. However, one area where I still believe more can be done is in the area of domestic litigation for those who do not qualify for legal aid, but who may still lack the resources for an expensive, longdrawn suit, even if they have a valid claim. In these types of situations, I have two suggestions. The first is that we can consider permitting conditional fee arrangements for these situations as well, meaning that lawyers can have outcome-based payments rather than collecting fixed payments. The other is to allow damages-based awards. This means they can collect a proportion of any damages recovered. The country with the most liberal system in relation to the above is probably the US and, despite the potentially high legal costs there, access to justice is rarely a complaint by civil litigants because if a person has a good case, it is usually possible to find a lawyer to take it up and share the risk.”
“Mdm Chairperson, the roots of criminal activity for some offenders start early. This can start with delinquent behaviour and then evolve into involvement in drugs or gangs. Typically, where they get involved in drugs, this is the start of a downward spiral, as they may move from gateway offences like glue sniffing to starting to take drugs and eventually the stronger ones like heroin and methamphetamines. Thereafter, it is a very difficult task to break them out of the cycle. Singapore has a strong, well-known Yellow Ribbon Programme to help rehabilitate offenders and help them get back into society. However, I think it is even more helpful if we can intervene at an earlier stage, say, at the first signs of delinquent behaviour, or, if possible, even before that, if it is possible to identify youths at-risk. I would like to ask the MHA what programme it has for early intervention to prevent crimes and whether there are any plans for further programmes?”
“Mdm Chairman, MHA has expanded the use of cameras over the years to improve crime detection and prevention with less heavy reliance on manpower, which is severely constrained. I recall the move to install Police Cameras in the access points of all HDB flats. Following this, the number of loan shark harassment cases had reduced significantly. And I am aware of at least one murder case where the Police identified and arrested the suspect based on the footage and cameras. Our roads, too, have become safer. We see more signs of speed cameras and traffic light cameras, which, in turn, generally, encourage compliance, so much so that, whenever there is trouble, people ask for more cameras to be installed. I had raised previously in this House that I receive regular complaints from residents in relation to speeding at Woodlands Avenue 5 and the initial response was that the Police would send more patrols. But residents were wondering why cameras were not used instead of patrols. On this, I have two questions. Are there any plans by the Police to increase the use of cameras and surveillance where needed and do the developments in technology mean that the use of these cameras would be less costly in the coming years and therefore, more widespread? Technological and Data Capability”
“How does Singapore compare with countries that do not impose the death penalty in relation to these serious crimes?”
“Mdm Chairperson, the death penalty has been a part of Singapore’s criminal justice system from colonial times. Capital punishment is not new or unique. It has been a part of criminal justice systems for thousands of years and references to it can be found in the Code of Hammurabi in Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. It is usually reserved for the most serious of offences. Over the last 50 to 60 years though, a number of countries, including most of Europe, have abolished the death penalty. There are various groups lobbying for its abolition in many parts of the world, including in Singapore. This is usually based on humanitarian grounds because, despite the seriousness of the crime involved, when one looks at the world from the perspective of the offender, there is usually a sad story involved as well. In Singapore, the death penalty is used only for a very small number of offences, including for murder, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms and drugs. Of these, the largest number of death sentences are meted out for drug trafficking. Singapore has done well in keeping these serious crimes under control. Our rates of murder, kidnapping and firearm use are extremely low, with the latter two offences being very rare. While drug-related offences are more widespread, in relative terms, compared to other countries, Singapore’s rate of drug addiction and drug-related crimes is amongst the lowest in the world. That drug trafficking is more rampant than the other serious crimes is not surprising because there are well-financed organised syndicates running this business. I would like to ask MHA to what extent it believes the death penalty is important in deterring serious crimes and what role it plays in keeping Singapore’s rates of serious crimes low.”
“I would like to thank Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Second Minister Maliki Osman and Senior Minister of State Sim Ann for sharing with this House the hard work of MFA. I think it has been a particularly trying year with COVID-19 and all the extra work they had to do. So, thank you to all the Consular staff as well. With that, Mdm Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $482,360,900 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $16,000,000 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Chairman, we have had a strong relationship with India over the years. Historically, it was India's independence that paved the way for many former colonies of the United Kingdom, including Singapore, to also become independent, in the post-war wave of decolonisation. In more recent years, ties have been strong between India and Singapore with multiple top-level meetings taking place between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Relations have been cemented with the Singapore-India Strategic Partnership signed during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Singapore in 2015 and updated in 2017 and 2018. There were several high-level, Ministerial visits taking place between the countries during 2018 and 2019 as well prior to the pandemic. Over the last two years, though, actual visits have been difficult. I would like to ask the Minister what the state of Singapore-India relations was like during the pandemic and whether there have been any potential areas where we can further develop the partnership in the coming year. Relations with Australia and New Zealand”
“Chairman, the US has been an important power in the world and the region since World War II. The US was a reluctant entrant in that war, but its entry into the war was definitive in the Pacific theatre. Since then, whenever there have been violations of Article 24 of the UN Charter, the US has played, again, a decisive role in these matters, including in the invasion of Kuwait. More recently, though, the US seems to be heavily preoccupied with internal matters, particularly with the mid-term elections coming in November and it looks like control of both Houses may be in the balance. The recent US withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as the strong statements ruling out military involvement in Ukraine seemed to suggest that its appetite for involvement in foreign conflicts is limited. There is a risk that if the world perceives that the US and the major powers are less prepared to uphold law and order, then potential aggressors would be emboldened to act in violation of international law. Are there any steps that we can take to continue to engage the US and to keep them involved and interested in the region? Indo-Pacific Economic Framework”
“Chairman, I had filed this cut prior to the Russian invasion to ask for MFA's response in relation to the situation in Ukraine. Since then, the invasion has taken place and I think the Minister has made Singapore's position clear in the Ministerial Statement. I do have a few related questions, though. As we speak, the fighting is still ongoing. According to reports, Ukraine is significantly outnumbered by Russia's military and military resources, but they have been putting up fierce resistance. It is not clear how long Ukraine will be able to hold out for or how long this conflict will last. There has been news coverage, both of Ukrainians in Singapore, as well as Singaporeans in Ukraine. Does MFA see itself playing any further role in this issue, including facilitating the exit of Singaporeans from Ukraine, and/or facilitating the stay of the Ukrainians in Singapore, in the event something untoward happens and they are unable to return home?”
“Chairman, over the last two years, the pandemic has changed the way we live and travel. When COVID-19 first broke out two years ago, we had many Singaporeans abroad who wanted to return, at a time when flights and travel were high-risk activities, and those returning Singaporeans also posed the risk of bringing COVID-19 home when they returned. More recently, when flights to many countries resumed, including the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) and shorter quarantine periods, Singaporeans resumed travel and I expect a number would have captured COVID-19 overseas. I myself mentioned earlier that I was part of this statistic when my family travelled to London and both my daughter and I tested positive. But my own experience with the High Commission in London was very positive and I am grateful for the assistance they rendered to help us navigate what needed to be done. Looking at the statistics, the number of people getting COVID-19, I can imagine there are likely to be many other Singaporeans who are getting COVID-19 abroad. In this regard, I would like to ask what was MFA's role like during the pandemic and whether its policy priorities have changed. Fight Against COVID-19”
“The weakening of this multilateral system is a serious concern for me, particularly where it appears to be that the major powers who were the architects of the system are themselves pulling away from it. This makes it more likely that major powers will clash and that smaller countries may get swallowed up or trampled on during these confrontations. What is Singapore's best approach in such an environment? I would like to ask whether MFA believes that Singapore can take any steps on our part to uphold the multilateral systems and the international order. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Multilateralism”
“On the back of these organisations, many countries, Singapore included, lived in a world that was relatively safe and provided the means for any country big or small to prosper and develop. Of course, there was no panacea to eliminate conflict altogether and poverty. But, certainly, as a whole, the end of World War II has marked a heightened awareness and compliance with these international norms than any century before. Against this backdrop, the events in recent years have marked strong pressures amongst nations to pull back from multilateralism. The fast-moving business cycles and dynamism of creative destruction have left many workers in countries feeling displaced as the companies they worked in were restructured or disrupted. At the same time, those who did the disruption profited handsomely, with fresh billionaires being minted every year, particularly in the technology sector. Free trade has been under continuing pressure, with the two largest economies, China and the US, having an intense rivalry in recent years that has made both more insular with their economic focus. The multilateral response to uphold the prohibition against the use of force is also under intense pressure. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a direct violation of Article 24 of the UN Charter. However, as Russia is a Security Council member of the UN, a coordinated response by the UN Security Council is not possible. It would be possible for countries to take action outside the auspices of the UN, say, if they were invited by Ukraine's government to assist. But other countries, including those in NATO, have been reluctant to get involved militarily as they are concerned this may escalate matters into a full-blown European war. As a result, Ukraine has been left to fight the war on its own.”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head N of the Estimates be reduced by $100." In 1945, following the end of World War II, the countries of the world came together to set up the United Nations. The leaders behind this initiative included the US, the Soviet Union, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom and France, the five permanent members of the Security Council. The Charter of the United Nations (UN) included articles prohibiting the use of force, save in limited circumstances. The same concept had been applied a year earlier in 1944 at Bretton Woods when the world community came together to set up the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which later became the World Bank. These institutions became operational in 1945, once enough countries signed up. Two years later in 1947, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was entered into, which laid the foundation for international trade and the World Trade Organization (WTO). After the horrors of World War II, the idea behind these international agreements was to set up systems for a multilateral world where countries could mutually benefit and prosper. The UN would facilitate collective action in relation to security matters. The IMF would help regulate financial and currency markets; the World Bank would provide loans, initially, to help reconstruct countries ravaged by the war, but later, to help developing countries in need; and GATT, which laid the foundation for world trade, was to help countries prosper through international trade.”
“I would like to thank Minister Ng Eng Hen, Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How and Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad for sharing with us the latest developments in MINDEF and to the whole team at MINDEF and the SAF for keeping us safe even during times of COVID-19. With that, Mr Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $15,775,728,900 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,090,745,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Just two clarifications. One is in relation to the 4G Army and the development, I think the changes are quite interesting to hear. I just want to check what steps will be taken to train reservists and upskill them. I am one myself. I am looking forward to using the new equipment, if it is available. The second, of course, is just to seek clarification that training has been going on smoothly with COVID-19. I think I have asked about that.”
“So, I would be grateful if I can get an update, first of all, on what are the safety measures that are being taken to protect Servicemen in relation to COVID-19 and reduce the risk of transmission of serious illness arising from COVID-19. Secondly, what are the measures that MINDEF has taken to manage the risk of COVID-19 and to continue operating?”
“Chairman, thank you. Even as we battle COVID-19, external threats persist. As we grapple with the pandemic and its effects, there have been new vulnerabilities for potential adversaries to exploit in order to target Singapore. At the COS debate last year, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen talked about disruptions to SAF's training activities as a result of the pandemic. He highlighted that there had been steady progress on resuming In-Camp Training and exercises, enabled by strict safe management measures and robust testing. The developments in the world that I have highlighted earlier make it imperative that SAF remains operationally ready and able to function at all times, even in this pandemic environment. So, now that we are one year on, I would be grateful if the Minister can provide an update on how the pandemic has affected SAF's operational readiness and whether it is still able to move into operation if necessary. SAF's COVID-19 Safety Measures Training in the SAF is an important and necessary part of our nation's defence. And as I have mentioned in my earlier cut, it is important for such training to continue even during this difficult period. So, this is, in fact, the flipside of my earlier cut. Now that SAF's training activities and operations are likely to require people to continue to work in close proximity – and these can be in camps, on ships, in military vehicles or even on exercises – there is clearly a risk of COVID-19 transmission. I also expect that SAF will need to work on scenarios on what will happen if parts of operational units come down with COVID-19.”
“Chairman, as a small nation, Singapore's security is contingent on the stability of the wider region. Because of the open and interconnected nature of Singapore's economy, major destabilising developments elsewhere can have a very tangible impact on our lives here. The ongoing battle against COVID-19 is a clear example of this. Even at times when Singapore has appeared to be managing relatively well with the virus, we have seen other countries struggling. Our dependence on trade and travel has also meant this virus would, eventually, find its way back to Singapore. The SAF has played an important role in assisting our neighbours during times of crisis, including assisting with relief efforts, when neighbours faced natural disasters. Over the years, the Minister for Defence has updated the House on MINDEF's and the SAF's efforts to cooperate with international partners to safeguard the peace and security in the region. So, I have a question for MINDEF and the SAF and, that is, whether it is taking any steps to assist our neighbours in its battle against COVID-19. And, if so, how has it done? COVID-19 and Capability Development Plan”
“Could the Minister for Defence also provide an update on how these and other geopolitical security developments are shaping MINDEF's and the SAF's plans and priorities? How will MINDEF and the SAF respond to the challenges in our external environment and how will MINDEF and the SAF work with like-minded partners to address these threats? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“As a result, there is a discernible shift in the global centre of gravity and extra-regional countries are increasingly turning their attention here. This includes the European Union countries like the UK, France and Germany. In one view, this is a good thing as the more invested countries are in this region, the more likely they will play a role in balancing the powers in this region. However, with this growing attention focused on the Asia Pacific, we have also witnessed the emergence of new security arrangements, such as the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and the US. The flip side of this is that there are concerns that such developments may have a divisive effect in the region or could, potentially, trigger an arms race. Another trend that has emerged is the growing intersection between geostrategic issues and technology. Technology is a major area of contestation in the strategic rivalry between the US and China. Technology is also being used by both state and non-state actors that seek non-conventional ways to coerce their adversaries, including through cyber attacks and information warfare. Although Singapore is far away from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, I have seen messages being circulated in chat groups that seemed to be targeted at swaying public opinion in Singapore and I have my suspicions that such messages may be part of an info-operations exercise by foreign actors. While the pandemic has pushed us in the positive direction in terms of leveraging and maximising the use of digital platforms, this has, arguably, left our societies more susceptible to digital threats. Could the Minister for Defence comment on some of the trends in our security environment that MINDEF is watching?”
“Chairman, I beg to move "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100". We live in a dangerous world. In the past week, we have witnessed Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the largest war on the European continent since World War II. The signs of this conflict had been brewing for a long time. The Russian troop build-up along the Ukrainian border had taken place over many months and various NATO countries, including the US, had anticipated conflict would break out. Yet, when the time for fighting came, despite wide-spread condemnation from the international community, Ukraine had to fight alone against a much more heavily armed neighbour. This is an important reminder to all countries, particularly small ones like us, that we cannot assume other countries will come to our assistance when we are at war and we have to do all we can to defend ourselves. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has brought to light some concerning methods of coercion, including "false flag" operations – essentially, disinformation campaigns – to create a pretext for war. This is not the only hotspot. In the past year, we have witnessed other significant developments in the international security environment. The US-China rivalry has continued to intensify and we see that this is increasingly playing out in both countries' regulations in the trade and technology domains. We have also seen stronger rhetoric and action over Taiwan and this seems to be an increasingly likely catalyst if a conflict, intended or otherwise, were to break out between the two powers. In recent years, commentators have also suggested that the trajectory of the international order will be determined by developments in the Asia Pacific.”
“I also do not expect this to be a one-off effect because, if a resale flat is bought, it could still be put on the market again if needed, whereas now, if a resale flat is bought, it would be out of the market for at least five years, hence, constraining supply. So, in that sense, every transaction constrains the resale market further. It would also give resale flat buyers the benefit of flexibility – at least, one tangible benefit for the huge premium they would otherwise be paying. Currently, the two most common HDB appeals I get are either for new flats or to reduce the MOP because families need to change their living arrangements as a result of changing circumstances. I think one of the reasons for the high demand for BTOs, in particular, is the disparity in prices between resale flats and BTO flats. And I would suggest that, ideally, the price of a BTO flat with the resale levy should be somewhat comparable to a resale flat so that they become easy options for buyers to choose from. I believe that if more buyers are prepared to go to the resale market to buy their flats and the resale market is accessible, this would reduce the heavy demand we have for BTO flats at the moment. So, if this disparity falls enough, such that Government grants would make buying resale flats as attractive as new flats even for those who are house hunting, I think this would also further reduce the current pent-up demand for BTOs and the lottery effect people are feeling from this. Mr Speaker, I have covered three different topics that are important, I believe, in different ways but I, generally, support this Budget.”
“I had filed Parliamentary Questions on this previously and MND had indicated in its response that it did not believe removing MOP would increase housing supply and may encourage speculation because people who sell their flats may then look to buy new ones. I do not agree with this view entirely and I would suggest, perhaps, initially, HDB may wish to consider removing the MOP for resale flats while retaining it for new flats. This was actually the state of affairs for many years before MOP was extended to resale flats as well. Even without MOP, there are other disincentives to flipping flats, including the seller's stamp duty, which is higher if a flat is sold within a shorter holding period. In my view, one of the biggest drivers for new BTOs is that there is a huge price discrepancy between resale flats and new flats. A new flat is both brand new and has a fresh lease, and it comes at a lower price. So, as a result of this, there is almost no logical reason for anyone to buy a resale flat unless they feel they have no choice. At the same time, people who buy resale flats also get a feeling they are getting a raw deal and are envious of those who get new flats at a lower price. This exaggerates the "lottery effect" of new flats and those who are eligible for it vis-a-vis those who are not or who are lower on the priority list start feeling more resentful. My humble suggestion would be to take away the MOP for resale flats. This would, at least, create a greater supply of resale flats, which should ease their prices.”
“We need to reiterate the message that, for those with COVID-19 who are either asymptomatic or who have mild symptoms, there is no need to visit the doctor or the hospital. If necessary, sceptical employers who are asking for medical certificates can ask employees to send photographs of their current ART test results for human resource (HR) record purposes. I understand that even with the relatively large number of COVID-19 cases that are emerging every day, our hospitals remain able to cope with those who need urgent assistance. Our population is amongst the best vaccinated in the world. I think we are ready to open up. The third topic I wish to discuss, quite different from the earlier two, relates to housing. In my Meet-the-People session (MPS) cases, appeals in relation to housing are one of the common ones that come up. Housing affordability and availability are a concern for many residents. One of the curious issues that has arisen during the pandemic is that the housing market has heated up, both in the public and private sector. I think this is a combination of both increased demand and tightening supply. On the demand side, as more people are at home, the more people seek more personal space for themselves and family members. Thus, in large extended families, various members may wish to move out into houses of their own. New couples getting married want their own place as it may be difficult to move in with either of the parents. Appeals for new flats emerge regularly in my MPS. On the supply side, Build-to-Order (BTO) development has slowed down somewhat because of delays in construction. Additionally, the resale market has been limited by the imposition of minimum occupation periods, or MOPs, for both resale and new flats.”