Vivian Balakrishnan
Singapore
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not issue advisories on wait times at overseas airports. Travellers may wish to monitor airline and airport websites, as well as news reports for real-time information on wait times and potential disruptions at specific airports.”
“When the conflict in the Middle East deteriorated and commercial flights were halted in March 2026, the Singapore Government mounted four repatriation flights from Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah to bring stranded Singaporeans home.”
“The Government has stepped up public engagement to explain our foreign policy fundamentals and responses to key international developments to Singaporeans and to hear their views. We do this through dialogue sessions across segments of society, including students, youths, businesses and community leaders.”
“And the larger point during the Committee of Supply was that precisely, because the world is in such a difficult, prickly, volatile and dangerous state, actually, if we keep our wits about ourselves, we maintain unity and we continue to have this clear eye-realistic, but principled, approach, there are many opportunities for Singapore.”
“Well, in short, I completely agree with you. And that is why we have indeed been hosting these events and in your own capacity as a national athlete and also as an official now, you have seen how it works in practice.”
“Since 2022, about half of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) employees are women. The proportion of women in senior appointments has remained stable at about a quarter. We recognise that overseas postings are disruptive for officers with families, especially female officers who bear greater caregiving responsibilities.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,437 lines we hold for Vivian Balakrishnan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 21 of 49.
“The results from Phase 1 of our Second National Climate Change Study, which concluded in early 2015, projected mean temperatures across Singapore to increase by 1.4°C to 4.6°C by the end of the century depending on the level of future greenhouse gas emissions (see schematic below). Without mitigation actions, mean temperatures could increase to 32°C. These findings are consistent with the global projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5)3. The actual extent to which these temperature increases are realised in Singapore will depend on how successful global mitigation actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are. A global challenge, such as climate change, is best addressed on a multilateral basis. We, therefore, strongly support the multilateral negotiations taking place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), where a new global agreement on climate change is set to be adopted at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP-21) in December 2015 in Paris. Singapore is participating actively in the preparatory conferences and related events of the COP-21. We have consistently tried to play the role of a constructive bridge-builder and have been invited to facilitate numerous discussions at past climate conferences. Page: 93 This year, we are deeply committed to achieving a meaningful agreement in Paris. It is our foremost priority that the agreement be an inclusive one that enjoys universal participation by all countries, in light of each country's national circumstances and responsibilities. To achieve this, the international community must come together and demonstrate the political will to arrive at a consensus.”
“For example, food waste recycling pilots are being implemented at two hawker centres and centralised recycling chutes will be installed for all new Build-To-Order flats to make recycling more convenient for residents. MEWR and NEA are supportive of the efforts taken by various retailers and supermarkets to reduce the excessive use of plastic bags. For example, since 2007, NTUC’s FairPrice Green Rewards scheme has provided a 10-cent rebate for customers who bring their own bags and spend a minimum of $10. In 2014, more than nine million plastic bags were saved through this scheme. Another example is that of IKEA Singapore, which started charging for disposal plastic bags in 2007 and stopped providing them altogether in 2013. We also encourage households to re-use their plastic bags, such as in using them to bag their refuse to ensure good public hygiene. Everyone has a part to play in taking stewardship of our environment and sustainable development. MEWR, MND and other agencies are working to bring about closer partnership between the public, private and people sectors for all Singaporeans to participate in caring for our common spaces and environment for a more Sustainable Singapore. Page: 173”
“Environmental sustainability has always been a focus in the development of Singapore. Last year, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the Ministry of National Development (MND) released the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB) 2015. This sets out the Government’s strategies for a Liveable and Endearing Home, a Vibrant and Sustainable City, and an Active and Gracious Community. Over the next few years, the Government will implement the sustainability policies and schemes in the SSB 2015, including working towards a "Car-Lite" Singapore and a Zero Waste Page: 172 Nation. The greenest transport system is one where most trips are on public transport instead of private cars. We aim for public transport to be the choice mode for Singaporeans – accessible, connected, comfortable and green. To this end, the Government is significantly enhancing the rail and bus networks and ramping up infrastructure to encourage more people to cycle and walk. We are also doing more to make our vehicles greener and cleaner. From 2017, we will set higher emission standards for vehicles and will impose tighter and more comprehensive regulations on the quality of petrol and diesel fuel supplied in Singapore. We have also implemented the Early Turnover Scheme (ETS) and the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) to incentivise the use of vehicles with cleaner emissions and a lower carbon footprint. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) are planning to trial an electric vehicle car-sharing programme to assess whether this would be feasible in our local context. To work towards a Zero Waste Nation, many initiatives are being introduced to conserve the environment through the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).”
“At the Committee of Supply (COS) 2015, the Government announced that an additional 10 new hawker centres will be built by 2027. They will be located in new estates or existing ones that are relatively under-served. Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Batok Towns are two areas identified for these new hawker centres. As we are still in the early planning stages for these centres, the Ministry can only provide more details of the proposed hawker centres in these areas when the plans are ready.”
“Stallholders in 15 hawker centres purchased a 20-year lease under the Stall Ownership Scheme launched between 1994 and 1997. These stall owners were allowed to sell, transfer or sublet their stalls during the lease period. The leases for these sold centres have expired or will be expiring in the next few years. Page: 171 When the leases of these centres expire, all stall owners who wish to continue working personally as hawkers may take up tenancy at a NEA-managed hawker centre at the prevailing market rent. As a special concession, hawkers who were originally subsidised stall-holders would only have to pay the prevailing subsidised rent. In all cases, they would have to personally operate these stalls. Stall operators who currently rent their stalls from stall owners in these centres may choose to participate in open tenders for vacant stalls in all our hawker centres. There are currently more than 100 vacant stalls in existing hawker centres and over 300 available stalls in new hawker centres scheduled to be completed by 2017.”
“Precautionary measures are also taken by Government land owners, such as NParks, SLA and MINDEF. These measures include (a) vegetation trimming to reduce fire load, (b) creation of buffers to prevent fire spread, (c) increased frequency of patrols by NParks rangers, and (d) restrictions on the use of pyrotechnics during military training (where applicable). During dry spells, agencies will implement additional fire prevention measures such as not parking vehicles or operating equipment that generate excessive sparks or heat in dry vegetation areas and conducting more patrols or daily aerial surveillance of hotspots of their respective managed areas. SCDF will also step up patrols at potential hotspots to detect fire risks and take action to mitigate any fire occurrences. In addition, to strengthen our emergency plans and responses, SCDF conducts regular joint wild fire simulation exercises with the relevant agencies at various locations, especially areas that are highly vegetated. A high level of emergency preparedness and validated response plans will help minimise damage to life, property and greenery, should any vegetation fire occur.”
“PUB has made major investments to bolster our water security over many decades. NEWater and desalinated water, which are weather-resilient sources, were introduced to supplement our local catchment and imported water sources. Today, these weather-resilient sources are able to provide 55% of Singapore’s water demand and will provide a safety margin during dry periods. Thus, despite experiencing the longest dry spell in 149 years in 2014, as well as the dry weather earlier this year, we did not have to put in place mandatory water restriction measures or water rationing. The construction of a third desalination plant in Tuas will begin later this year and additional desalination plants are being planned for. These projects will ensure that we continue to be resilient during periods of drought in the future. However, we must not be complacent. Climate change will bring more extreme weather including more frequent and more prolonged dry spells. We have also noticed that water consumption increases during dry periods despite reminders to conserve water. We are thus Page: 170 studying the need for legislative amendments to impose water restrictions for non-essential activities, such as the washing of cars, watering of grass and lawns and water features, during severe droughts. If everyone puts in effort to conserve water, this will go a long way in ensuring resilience of our water supply under all circumstances. The Wildfire Task Force (WFTF), led by SCDF and comprising HDB, SLA, NEA, NParks, JTC and MINDEF, was set up in 2005 to drive a whole-of-Government approach to address the risk of vegetation fires, especially during dry weather. The task force convenes regularly to share statistics on vegetation fires, weather updates and potential hotspots.”
“High-rise littering is an anti-social and serious offence that poses both hygiene problems and safety hazards to the public. NEA enforcement officers Page: 149 received about 2,500 cases of feedback on high-rise littering in 2014. In most cases, the situation improved following outreach and education efforts by my Ministry, the Town Councils and grassroots organisations. In areas with persistent high-rise littering despite outreach and education efforts, surveillance cameras will be deployed to catch irresponsible high-rise litterbugs in the act. In 2014 alone, my Ministry took more than 800 enforcement actions against persons caught for high-rise littering.”
“As for other possible impacts such as on aviation, there are plans in place to coordinate a quick response and mitigate the impact of such volcanic ash. The severity and duration of a volcanic eruption would vary. The last documented case was the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in Luzon Island, Philippines in June 1991. Following the eruption on 14 June 1991, air quality in Singapore went into the moderate or unhealthy Page: 143 range for three days. Based on the new PSI scale with 24-hour PM2.5 included, the readings were 91, 112 and 91 for 17, 18 and 19 June respectively. No other adverse effects were reported.”
“The likelihood of a major earthquake occurring in Singapore is extremely low. Most earthquakes tend to occur at the active margins of tectonic plates, such as in Sumatra, Java, the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand and South America. Singapore is situated about 400 km from the nearest plate margin. The crust underlying Singapore is considered stable by experts in geology, and the records from our seismic stations and global positioning instruments show no evidence of active faults within Singapore. Despite this, Singapore can be affected by tremors from distant large earthquakes. Some high-rise buildings may sway as a result of such tremors. However, few events release enough seismic energy for tremors to be felt here and even then much of the energy is lost by the time it reaches Singapore. Hence, such tremors are unlikely to be significant enough to cause structural damage to our buildings. Buildings in Singapore are designed to established building codes and are, therefore, sufficiently robust to resist the tremors arising from distant earthquakes. For example, tremors were felt in Singapore in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2009; and there was no structural damage to our buildings. Singapore is a few hundred kilometres away from the nearest volcano, but if an eruption is sufficiently large and winds are unfavourable, it could result in fine windborne ash reaching Singapore. The possible downstream consequences are that air transport, air quality, water quality and cleanliness of open areas could be affected by suspended ash and ashfall. Where air quality is concerned, the approach we take is to monitor and prepare for such episodes as we do for transboundary haze. NEA also provides relevant information for the public on its website.”
“Air quality readings are monitored continuously by the National Environment Agency (NEA) through a network of 22 stations across Singapore. Four of these are located near industrial estates that are close to residential estates, including one near the industrial estates at Sungei Kadut. Factories must ensure that their operations comply with the requirements under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) and its Regulations. Industries that are known to have processes with higher air pollutant loads are required to engage an accredited surveyor to conduct source emission testing and submit the test report to NEA each year. NEA also conducts scheduled and random factory inspections. Over the past five years, seven factories in the Sungei Kadut area have been fined for not meeting NEA’s emissions standards or not maintaining their pollution control equipment properly. We welcome all feedback and members of the public who wish to report sightings of smoky stacks can do so via the NEA hotline or myENV app. To improve air quality and safeguard public health, my Ministry has recently tightened industrial emissions standards for a range of air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and carbon monoxide. With effect from 1 July 2015, new industrial plants have to comply with these new standards while existing plants are expected Page: 142 to comply within three to eight years for the range of pollutants.”
“My Ministry has been working with the Town Councils (TCs) to control the rodent population in our public housing estates. To assist the TCs, my Ministry provided co-funding for the treatment of rodent burrows under the Rat Attack Programme. Fifteen TCs have come on board the programme since 2011, including Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East TC. Our studies have shown that rodents are adapting well to our urban environment, moving beyond burrows and multiplying quickly in poorly managed bin centres and bin chutes. The TCs have also provided feedback that the Rat Attack programme should directly target the rodent population at its source. To help the TCs reduce the rodent population more effectively, we have revised the Rat Attack programme to shift its focus from treating rodent burrows to culling rodents in bin centres and bin chutes where their food sources are. Details of the revised programme will be announced by the end of this month. The tackling of the rodent infestation issue requires every stakeholder to play his part. My Ministry will review the Rat Attack programme and the enforcement regime for rodent infestation from time to time. We strongly encourage all TCs to come on board the revised Rat Attack programme to reduce the rodent population in our public housing estates. Page: 121”
“These groups care for our waters by conducting clean-ups, carrying out learning trials to facilitate experiential learning about water management and encouraging people to enjoy water responsibly. Arising from various measures taken by PUB and stakeholders’ involvement, our waterways are cleaner than before. That said, it is unavoidable that some debris will end up in the water. Most of the debris consists of fallen leaves. To keep our waterways clean, the Department of Public Cleanliness (DPC) from NEA deploys contractors to clean public drains regularly under its integrated public cleaning contracts. About $37 million a year is allocated Page: 120 to the cleaning of public drains. Looking forward, we hope to enlist the help of every Singaporean to care for our waters. PUB will continue its efforts under the ABC Waters Programme to bring people closer to water, so that they can enjoy and cherish this precious resource. PUB is looking at implementing over 100 ABC Waters projects by 2030. In addition to the 27 completed projects, 23 projects have been approved to date for implementation under the Programme. If resources permit, more projects will be carried out in future phases of the Programme. By 2030, we plan to increase the total area of reservoirs and length of waterways opened to the public to 1,039 ha and 100 km respectively.”
“PUB launched the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters, or "ABC Waters" Programme in 2006 as a long-term initiative to transform Singapore’s utilitarian drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful streams, rivers and lakes that are well-integrated with the surrounding parks and community spaces. Through the Programme, stormwater run-off is detained and treated using ABC Waters design features before they reach the waterways. These features are environmentally sustainable green features integrated with the urban development. The waterways and water bodies are also enhanced aesthetically, creating new community, social and recreational spaces near water and encouraging new lifestyle activities and attractions to flourish at these spaces. As Singaporeans enjoy our waters, they will cultivate and develop a sense of shared ownership towards our water resource. The ABC Waters Programme enhances our quality of life, and brings us closer to the vision of transforming Singapore into a "City of Gardens and Water". As of end May 2015, PUB has completed 27 ABC Waters projects across Singapore at a total cost of approximately $134 million. Under the Programme, PUB has also opened 974 ha of reservoirs and 94.6 km of waterways to the public for recreation. The Programme has been very well-received by the public. So far, more than 1,800 community events have been held at various completed ABC Waters projects. The Programme has also been successful at encouraging communities to take ownership of our waterways. Under PUB’s Friends of Water Programme, 316 community groups have adopted Singapore’s waterways, with 275 taking ownership of ABC Waters projects.”
“The actual flow rate available at fittings and appliances vary based on the types of water fittings/appliances used, the size and layouts of the units and the number of concurrent use of the fixtures. The Professional Engineer has to work closely with the developers and architects on the design for the water installations and ensure that it complies with SS CP48. In view of the recent proliferation of water appliances and the need to conserve water, PUB is reviewing the requirements for minimum pressure standards at residential units. Extensive consultation with industry stakeholders and the public will be necessary and we will not rush into formulating new regulations. Page: 139”
“Over the last five years, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) received about 100 pieces of feedback on low water pressure from Housing and Development board (HDB) units each month. The causes of low water pressure are mainly due to partially closed valves in the water supply pipes to the units, stoppage of pumps and chokage in service pipes and fittings due to encrustations. These fixtures are usually installed and maintained by either the Town Council or the building or unit owner. PUB works closely with the Town Councils to attend to feedback received. For partially closed valves often due to earlier works which required them to be closed the problem is resolved by fully opening the valve in the water supply pipe, either by the customer, the Town Council, or PUB. Many of these cases are resolved easily by PUB advising owners over the telephone. For cases due to stoppage of pumps usually caused by power failure or a faulty valve in the pump system, the problem is resolved by restarting the pump by the Town Council. For cases of chokes due to encrustation of older pipes, PUB would advise the household to replace these pipes. In most cases, the problem is resolved within the day. Currently, the Singapore Standard CP 48 – Code of Practice for Water Services (SS CP48) stipulates the requirements for all plumbing systems. This is a national standard on water services, drawn up in consultation with engineering professionals, members of the industries and other Government agencies. It specifies the maximum and best water conservation flow rates for different fittings and appliances in the customers' premises. The Code does not specify minimum pressure at each HDB unit. This is similar to practices in England, Wales and Hong Kong.”
“The Ministry’s long-term vision is to prohibit smoking at all public places except at designated smoking points to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Smoking is currently prohibited in nature reserves under the Parks and Trees Regulations as it poses fire hazards that can harm the rare and endangered flora and fauna in the nature reserves. There are also some parks which have been designated as smoke-free parks as they are in close proximity to institutions, such as hospitals and polytechnics. Smoking is also prohibited in selected areas of other parks, such as covered spaces, buildings like shelters and toilets, playgrounds and fitness corners. The National Parks Board works with the Health Promotion Board and its volunteers under the Blue Ribbon project on outreach efforts to discourage smoking in all parks. The Ministry is also considering enhanced smoking prohibition in other premises, such as Institutes of Higher Learning.”
“Food left on open ground without proper disposal poses a risk to public health. It attracts rodents, cockroaches and other pests. Containers with stagnant water enable mosquitoes to breed. The feeding of stray pigeons is specifically prohibited under the Animals and Birds (Pigeons) Rules. Pigeons may transmit serious infections including meningitis and encephalitis. Offenders may be fined up to $500. From 2013 to 2014, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) took enforcement action against 95 offenders for feeding pigeons. Persons who feed other stray animals without clearing leftover food or food containers may be fined up to $2,000 for littering under the Environmental Public Health Act. AVA and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will continue to work with animal welfare groups to ensure proper stray animal feeding practices. NEA will have to take enforcement action against irresponsible feeders. Rodents proliferate when there is poor food storage and improper waste management. NEA conducts systematic inspections of public areas, including food establishments and shopping malls, to identify potential food sources, harbourages and rodent burrows. NEA also subsidises the Town Councils’ "Rat Attack" programmes. All stakeholders must ensure cleanliness of their respective premises, good housekeeping, proper refuse management and comprehensive pest control.”
“I thank the Member for her suggestion on naming and shaming people who engage in high-rise littering. Since we have just introduced these high-resolution video cameras for high-rise surveillance, and since we are now able to identify and proceed with prosecutions of hundreds in the first instance, I do not want to rush into this next stage. I think naming and shaming, in a sense, works well for the Corrective Work Order. But I do not want to jump straightaway into this. The Member is right in a sense that for people who are convicted in a Court of law, there are some records for that, but I do not think our Courts – lawyers here can correct me if I am wrong – provide a database where you can log on and search on who has been convicted for littering, at least not yet. Give us some more time to pursue surveillance, prosecute people, subject them to high fines, and I think the message will get through. Page: 152”
“So, in fact, part of the reason for our current reconfiguration is that we are trying to identify the most effective Wolbachia strain which also has a dengue virus inhibitory impact. Sorry to give the Member a technical answer to that question. The bottom line is this: we already have a very low mosquito population in Singapore. Paradoxically, if you already have a very low mosquito population, it is very expensive to try to suppress that population further. In fact, because we have got a low mosquito population and relatively low infection rates, we also have low immunity and, therefore, from time to time, we are prone to these epidemics. Like many things in Singapore, we are also victims of our own success. Nevertheless, I want to give the Member the assurance that if we can find the right strain of Wolbachia and it is effective in lowering the mosquito population and the rate of dengue, Page: 151 we will do so, and I am sure the Member will support us as well.”
“I thank Ms Lim for asking that question. I am afraid I have to give the Member a technical answer, if the Member does not mind. Wolbachia works at two levels. One is that if you have a Wolbachia-infected male mosquito mating with a native female mosquito, the offspring are not viable. One means of control is to release male mosquitoes and hope that these male mosquitoes will mate with the female mosquitoes out in the wild and, therefore, by reducing the offspring, you reduce the population. The advantage of that is that you are releasing male mosquitoes and male mosquitoes do not bite; it is only the female mosquitoes that do. In terms of public acceptance and public messaging, that is probably easier to achieve. The downside of that is that in order to keep the population suppressed, you may have to keep releasing more of these mosquitoes. So, that is why the comment that such a strategy may be more costly because you have got to keep releasing successive waves of Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes. The other alternative is to release both male and female mosquitoes with Wolbachia. The purpose of that strategy is to infect most mosquitoes out there in the wild with Wolbachia because there is a secondary effect of Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes. It makes them a bit more resistant to the dengue virus proliferation within the mosquito itself. That has been tried in some places. My hesitation is the fact that you are going to be releasing female mosquitoes which actually bite people, and I think there will be some public resistance to that. The secondary consideration there is that not all Wolbachia bacteria are the same.”
“NEA will take menstrual cycles into account. The Member's first point was on No Cleaners Day. It is something that we want to work on at the community level. The schools have begun programmes where the students do get involved in cleaning their classrooms. I think some schools may even have extended it to cleaning toilets. I will leave Minister Heng to decide whether to go as far as what the Member has recommended, of not having cleaners in schools. That will be quite a big step to take. We want to do more public environmental education. But whether you want to pass legislation to make it mandatory for four hours, I think, that, again, may be overdoing it at this point in time. But let us not dismiss it completely. I agree with the Member on her suggestion. There are five million handphones with cameras. Earlier, when I said we are going to make it easier for people to submit photographic or video evidence, I do need to also make it easier for them to use their smartphones. We will develop apps, or we will encourage the development of third-party apps, so that everyone is put on notice that it is not just the NEA officer who is there to detect and deter littering but, in fact, all Singaporeans – everyone who cares about the environment.”
“In fact, just this Sunday, the Rochor Canal project was officially opened by Ms Denise Phua. Members can see that the photo on the right is not an artist's impression but an actual photograph of the event on Sunday. Another two projects at Sungei Api Api and Sungei Tampines are scheduled to open later this month, and another four projects will be completed and opened to the public later this year. We will also be starting work on six new projects in 2015. Mr Gan Thiam Poh would be happy to know that there are plans to implement projects at Sungei Pinang and the canal along Hougang Avenue 10 in 2016. And, over time, we hope to bring ABC Waters projects to more communities across Singapore. Mr Chairman, as I round up, I just want to reiterate that as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, it is a legacy that we have inherited and we have a responsibility to build on that legacy to protect our environment and to provide a higher quality of life for all Singaporeans. I thank Members for your support over the years and I will be happy to take any questions or clarifications which arise.”
“Together with the Stamford Diversion Canal, which will be completed by the end of 2017, the level of flood protection for the Stamford Canal catchment area which includes the Orchard Road area, will be enhanced significantly. Our drainage improvement efforts, over the years, have reduced the flood-prone area in Singapore from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to only 34 hectares today. Unfortunately, for Mr Lim, Mountbatten Road, especially that section near Sea View, is a part of those 34 remaining hectares. It is low-lying. In fact, it is only about 1.4 metres to 1.5 metres above sea level and the drains there are subject to tidal influence. PUB will be upgrading the drains, but the long-term solution is to raise the platform level of the road and premises. Owners of premises in that neighbourhood will realise that as and when they submit plans to redevelop their houses and premises, PUB will insist on increasing the platform level. So, until Mountbatten as a whole increases its platform level, the risk of flooding remains. In the meantime, we will continue to provide timely advisories and information to residents. They can subscribe to our free SMS advisory services as well as use our apps so that they, at least, have time to prepare and to respond to any emergencies. The last episode Page: 148 the Member described occurred on 26 December and, as luck would have it, coincided with the high tide. I cannot give a 100% assurance that these things will not recur, but we will reduce the probability and the impact and we will work on a long-term solution. Let me quickly move on to the ABC Waters programme because that is very popular with the public and Members in this House. We have completed 27 ABC projects so far and more are forthcoming.”
“I think it was Mr Seah Kian Peng who mentioned, and it is worth reiterating, that last year, despite the dry spell, our water consumption went up during the dry spell. This clearly Page: 147 is not a sustainable trend. Whilst I do not envisage the need for water rationing, I do need to put people on notice that if the dry spell or drought is prolonged, we will have to impose water restrictions and to impose this through subsidiary legislation. In addition, we will also study whether we need to further refine the current legislative framework to give legal effect to water restrictions. What that means is that during prolonged dry spells, we will make it illegal to use water to wash cars, pavements or to water grass and lawns. It is possible to make people change habits. Over the years, our per capita domestic water consumption used to be 165 litres per person per day – that was in 2003. Today, we are down to about 150 litres per person per day. We aim to bring this down to 140 litres per person per day by 2030. I want to quickly move on to the issue of flooding which Mr Lim Biow Chuan brought up. Members would have noticed that PUB has actually been working very hard over the last three years. Since 2012, they have completed drainage improvement projects at more than 190 locations. Work is ongoing at another 119 locations and this will be completed within the next three years. This year, we will commence drainage improvement projects at another 35 locations. 7.00 pm The Stamford Canal Detention Tank construction work is progressing well and we expect it will be ready by 2016.”
“Thank you. Members would have noticed that we had our longest dry spell in 149 years last year. I think Members would also be aware that we are facing – not as severe as last year – but nevertheless, drier weather than usual this year. The reason we did not have to resort to water rationing last year, unlike some neighbouring areas, is because of our many years of investment in water infrastructure and, in particular, our desalination plants and water recycling activities. That enabled us to tide over the situation last year. This year, in fact, our desalination and recycling plants are functioning at 70% capacity and that is why if you jog around our reservoirs, the water levels are not as low as it would be otherwise. If you want to see low water levels, perhaps, look at what the water levels are in golf courses, in the natural ponds in those areas. Mr Seah Kian Peng is right that we need to prepare for periods of drought and dry spells in the future. Pursuant to this, we will build a third desalination plant in Tuas, and construction will begin later this year. We are also planning on additional desalination plants which will be sited in other parts of Singapore and we will announce that later on. We recognise, however, that water infrastructure takes up land, and land is precious. We will, therefore, be exploring the possibility of building the Water Reclamation Plant and NEWater Factory in Kranji underground. This, obviously, will be more expensive. So, we have to carefully study the financial and technical aspects of doing so. Nevertheless, we have to start conserving land on a whole-of-Government basis.”
“Let us leave it at that. Mr Zainal Sapari and Miss Penny Low were concerned about the impact of construction works on residents. The Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) already requires Page: 140 construction sites to meet high standards on noise and dust and, for large contracts which exceed $10 million, they have to appoint an Environmental Control Officer (ECO) to be responsible for maintaining these standards. As a regulator, NEA takes enforcement actions against those who fail to comply. We will study the suggestion by Mr Zainal Sapari on the management of dust standards in Australia and other countries, including sensors and imposing standards. I have also noted Miss Penny Low's suggestion on green buildings. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) administers the Green Mark scheme and BCA also published the third Green Building Masterplan last year. We also have incentive schemes, including the Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET) and Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe). I am going to call on Minister Grace Fu to address the issues related to hawker centres and waste management. The Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to show some slides and also to speak in Mandarin?”
“LTA will also be test-bedding a diesel hybrid bus and there are also plans for the Economic Development Board and LTA to conduct a pilot electric vehicle car-sharing programme. Let me now move on quickly to transboundary haze. We passed the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) last year. We have been actively monitoring the haze situation since the Act came into force. So far, the trigger conditions for the Act have not been invoked yet. But actually, there were even more hot spots in Riau last year than there were in 2013. The only reason we were spared was because the winds were in our favour. We will have to continue to monitor the situation and, especially during the dry period, which will begin from June to October. The legislation is not a silver bullet. Haze is a transnational problem and it requires all affected countries to come together. We welcome Indonesia's ratification of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. They finally did so last year and we remain committed to working with them to tackle this recurrent problem. We had previous good collaboration in Jambi province and we hope to resume our joint project there. I want to reiterate the importance of cooperation with foreign governments and private companies. All of us need to work together to deter the culprits who have been damaging our health for the sake of short-term private profits. I do not intend to engage in barbs with other foreign politicians. But let me just say this: remember that it is not just Singaporeans who are the victims. There are even more Indonesian victims who are suffering even more because they are living right in the midst of the peat fires. The governments of Indonesia and Singapore have a duty to cooperate to deal effectively with this problem.”
“With effect from August 2015, Euro II and Euro III light commercial diesel vehicles will be given a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) bonus of 10% of the remainder of the vehicle's 20-year lifespan. Similarly, heavy commercial diesel vehicles will be given a COE bonus of 90% of the remainder of its 20-year lifespan. This slide gives Members some indicative numbers. Without going into details, the point is that the actual cost savings will depend on three factors: the number of years left on the COE; the age of the existing vehicle at deregistration; and the Prevailing Quota Premium. The point is that we will make it worth their while to replace their older pollutive vehicle with a cleaner newer vehicle. Miss Penny Low mentioned that she was worried about black smoke from vehicles. We, in fact, tightened the standards for diesel vehicles. The standard used to be 50 Hartridge Smoke Units (HSU). We tightened it to 40 HSU since January last year. In 2014, there was, in fact, a 19% decrease in the number of Singapore-registered vehicles being caught for Page: 139 emitting black smoke. This is not solved yet, but it is improving. There were also questions about the carbon footprint of our vehicles. Right now, road vehicles account for about 15% of Singapore's carbon footprint. Under our SSB, we plan on having a public transport modal share of 75% by 2030. Our current number is about 59%. So, we have got a lot more work to do together with the MOT to shift more of us into public transport. 6.30 pm One other scheme which we hope will make a difference is the improved Carbon Emissions Vehicle Scheme, announced by the Minister for Transport earlier.”
“We are not close enough to our Page: 138 target of 50 µg/m3. So much more needs to be done. Last year, industries, such as power stations and oil refineries accounted for almost 99% of locally generated sulphur dioxide emissions and a significant 43% of PM2.5 emissions. We are, therefore, working with the companies involved in these industries to reduce their emissions and we will be tightening the industrial emissions standards for a range of air pollutants in order to help us achieve our targets for cleaner air. More details on this will be released later. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang rightly pointed out that vehicles are significant domestic contributors of PM2.5. To be exact, our vehicles account for 57% of local PM2.5 emissions. We need to do more to ensure a cleaner fleet. Last year, NEA announced that the Euro VI standards for new petrol and diesel vehicles will be implemented in 2017 and 2018 respectively. To pave the way for cleaner vehicles and reduced emissions, we will also have new and more comprehensive fuel quality regulations on fuel itself. This will be implemented from 2017. So, the vehicle emission profile as well as the fuel standards will be improved. We will also be enhancing the Early Turnover Scheme for diesel vehicles. In 2013, we had 37,500 Pre-Euro and Euro I vehicles on the road. We introduced ETS in April 2013 and, as of December 2014, about 6,200 of these vehicles have been replaced with less pollutive new models ahead of time. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) and my Ministry will be extending the Early Turnover Scheme to allow an additional 59,000 Euro II and Euro III commercial diesel vehicles to qualify for this scheme. In other words, in previous years, it was only pre-Euro and Euro I. But now, we are extending it to Euro II and Euro III.”
“The Padang is sacred ground and we need to make sure it is clean after the National Day Parade, as a reflection of our national pride. I am also pleased to inform Members that the various Town Councils – and this is one where I hope the Opposition Town Council will also participate with us – are planning on setting a day aside to mobilise the community to clean our own neighbourhoods and give our cleaners a day off. This is an opportunity for us to show appreciation to our cleaners. It is an opportunity for us to activate our neighbourhoods and, hopefully, if you had to pick up litter from your neighbourhood, I think you will take more proprietary interest in making sure everyone keeps it clean. I agree with Mr Png Eng Huat on campaigns and that campaigns have a part to play. Our campaigns have never stopped. I think what has changed is behaviour, and perhaps, our propensity to enforce in the past. But now that we have changed to a higher enforcement posture and, with more volunteers and everyone being prepared to exert peer pressure, I am determined to make a difference on the ground as far as littering is concerned. Let me now move on to air quality. Many Members have raised pertinent points. In 2012, we committed to achieving air quality targets benchmarked against the WHO's Air Quality Guidelines and we said we will achieve this by 2020. If I could display that slide, you will realise that we are not there yet. In 2014, the annual mean for PM2.5 was 18 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) while our target is 12 µg/m3. You will notice that PM2.5, in fact, rose in 2013 and that was because of the episode of severe transboundary haze that we had that year. As far as sulphur dioxide is concerned, the chart will show Members that our highest 24-hour mean was 83 µg/m3.”
“Our volunteers have told me that they want to take greater ownership and be able to contribute in ways which best suit their skills, experience, temperaments and preferences. I agree with them and we are going to expand our scheme to provide more avenues for them to pursue – advocacy, enforcement and public education. We will provide all new volunteers to our scheme the same training that a new NEA officer would undergo. The scheme will, therefore, allow them to also be accorded similar status and authority as a regular NEA officer. I will have to return to this House with Page: 137 legislative amendments. But the point is that members of the public who volunteer will become part of an extended NEA family and they will play a critical role in setting the tone, in helping us advocate for a clean environment and in enforcement if they wish to. But enforcement alone is not enough. We really need to reach a stage where there are internal values that guide our behaviour and we do not litter because we are proud of our environment and care for our neighbourhood. I just participated in the Green Corridor Run over the weekend. We were there because we want to preserve the Green Corridor through the heart of our natural reserve. The organisers did a wonderful job. There were water points and convenient drop-off bins. Yet, I still saw many runners simply dropping their cups along the trail. In this context, I need to encourage participants as well as organisers of mass events to focus on this message. I am glad Minister Ng Eng Hen, when he described plans for the National Day Parade, mentioned that spectators and participants will be encouraged to clean up the Padang at the end of the show and its fringe celebrations.”
“Another issue that has escalated over the years – and I think Ms Tin Pei Ling referred to it – is that of high-rise littering. Last year, we received 2,500 complaints. This is an increase. It was 1,600 in 2013. In the past, such offenders were very difficult to catch. We would receive over 1,000 complaints and we would, maybe, take about 10 offenders to Court. We have resorted to having to use high resolution high-rise video surveillance, and we have now successfully taken more than 500 enforcement actions against people who conduct high-rise littering. This was just last year alone. One high-rise litterbug was recently fined a total of $19,800, and many others are pending prosecution. Their actions do not just dirty our environment. They endanger public health and public safety. I believe all Members of this House will support our increased action, surveillance investigation and prosecution of such cases. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah also spoke about the need for greater community participation and a sense of ownership. I am heartened to see that there is a growing number of individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which have stepped forward into this space to help educate others about cleanliness, to be advocates, to help in public education and to take ownership of public spaces. NEA's Community Volunteer Scheme has now expanded to include over 250 passionate individuals from various NGOs. These community leaders and volunteers, reflect our values and help exert social peer pressure. We must become more like Japan and Taiwan, where it is peer pressure and role modelling which set the standard.”
“Last year, we issued 19,000 tickets for littering, double the rate in 2013. Let there be no doubt that litterbugs will face heavy fines and, for repeat offenders, Corrective Work Orders (CWOs). In fact, we have found that a CWO is quite a good deterrent because less than 6% of people who ever had to serve a CWO re-offended. So, we will have to step up enforcement. We have to make sure that the probability of being caught goes up significantly and we will continue to do so until there is a noticeable impact on the ground. Unfortunately, our enforcement officers on the ground are also facing resistance. We had a case last year in April. An officer approached an offender who was smoking illegally at the void deck. The offender refused to provide his particulars and ran away. When the officer attempted to catch up with him, he was punched in the face and we had to get help from the Police. Eventually, this person was charged for assault and sentenced to three months' imprisonment. Such cases are not common, but nevertheless, this shows a lack of respect Page: 136 for authority and signals, I think, another danger sign for our community. We will not tolerate abusive behaviour towards our staff. Therefore, to further protect our officers, we will be equipping them with the same body-worn cameras that the Police will be using. This will record the interactions between members of the public and our officers. We will also take up the other suggestions – I think it was from Er Dr Lee Bee Wah – to make it easier for members of the public to submit video or photographic evidence which we can use for investigation and prosecution. Again, these measures are a clear signal that we will increase the probability of culprits being caught.”
“These are some sad pictures which, unfortunately, many Members would be all too familiar with. There is an unsatisfactory state of cleanliness in Page: 135 Singapore. And Er Dr Lee Bee Wah is right. Just now Mr Png Eng Huat referred to Minister E W Barker's comment that littering has always been with us. I think you all know me by now, I am brutally frank. I would state that the standard of cleanliness in Singapore has fallen. Let us call a spade a spade. Let me share some numbers. Our surveys have showed that from 2006 to 2010, the number of litter items observed or collected had doubled. We are also projecting that our cleaning bill – the amount that public agencies spend to clean public areas, is as high as $120 million a year. That is not a small sum. People may not even be aware that there are some hotspots in Singapore that are being cleaned once every two hours. So, we are spending a lot of money, spending a lot of effort and we have got an army of cleaners. 6.15 pm But I do not think this is a sustainable solution. We cannot keep having an ever-growing army of cleaners. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah observed in her trip to Taiwan, and as all Members who have been to Japan would have noticed, they do not rely on an army of cleaners. It is about habits and peer pressure. Unfortunately for us, a survey that NEA conducted in 2010 revealed that a third of Singaporeans would litter if they think they can get away with it. Opportunistic littering. Such a blase attitude towards littering reflects a lack of pride in our own country, as well as a lack of respect and consideration for others. Therefore, we have to step up other measures. One measure that we have stepped up in the last couple of years is our enforcement efforts.”
“But, again, we will be monitoring the progress of the vaccine trials in other parts of the world as well as our own data. The moment we are convinced that it is safe and effective, we will make sure the vaccine is available to Singaporeans. So, you will have to watch this space. Mr Chairman, if I could get your permission to display some slides on the screen.”
“My Ministry has also had to take a very tough stance against errant contractors at construction sites. Last year, we issued more than 1,000 Notices to Attend Court and issued 132 Stop Work Orders. This is a two-fold increase from the year before. But NEA cannot be everywhere all the time. I realise its acronym can be said to be the "Nearly Everything" or "Nearly Everywhere" Agency, but this is physically not possible. Therefore, we need all stakeholders, citizens and residents to play their part to stay vigilant and keep their premises free of mosquito breeding habitats. Ms Lim also asked about the recommendations of the Dengue Expert Advisory Panel. They gave us many good suggestions, including affirming our current strategies. One proposal which they suggested to us was to continue our exploratory work on the use of Wolbachia bacteria as a novel but safe biological control method to suppress the local mosquito population. I am unable to give Members a specific timeframe now because one of their recommendations was to use a slightly different strain of the Wolbachia bacteria. We will have to introduce that bacteria into the mosquito population, establish another colony and then test again for both safety and efficacy. The Environment Health Institute (EHI) is working actively on this, but Members will appreciate that this is not something which I will rush into unless I am convinced that it is both safe and effective. A similar situation exists for vaccines. Members are right; there are several vaccines undergoing trials in different parts of the world. The key problem is that there is no single vaccine yet which is uniformly effective across all four serotypes. Nevertheless, in the long run, a vaccine is the definitive solution.”
“Singapore is small and we will always be resource-constrained. We have to consume wisely and reduce and recycle as much as we can. This fundamental constraint has not changed. The second key value relates to the fact that we are small, dense and crowded. Therefore, we need to be considerate to one another. Being a gracious people is not a luxury; it is essential for the circumstances in which Singapore society evolves. So, with these two values in mind – not being wasteful on one hand and being gracious and considerate to one another on the other – let us deal with the issues that Members have brought up. First, let me deal with public health and, in particular, dengue. In 2014, we had over 18,000 cases of dengue. This is slightly lower, compared to the over 22,000 in 2013. In the first two months of this year, we had 1,637 cases. Actually, this represents a 40% reduction in the number of cases, compared with the first two months of last year. It is improving but we are not out of the woods yet. The explosion of dengue cases in Singapore is part of a global resurgence of dengue in many cities in the tropics and even in some of the sub-temperate zones in other parts of the world. Ms Sylvia Lim asked about our strategy. I need to emphasise that, at this point in time, our key strategy remains the elimination of mosquito breeding. Page: 134 Last year, the staff of NEA carried out more than 3.5 million inspections islandwide. I am sure we would all like to record our appreciation to the 850 staff from NEA who worked tirelessly under the sun or rain, knocking on doors, facing sometimes not so welcoming receptions in order to perform their jobs, to inspect homes, construction sites and other public areas.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Members of the House, both the Government as well as the Opposition Members, for their support of the programmes of my Ministry. I also thank the 6,000 Singaporeans who contributed their ideas to the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB) 2015. I think it is very clear that Singaporeans are proud of our environment. Singaporeans want a liveable and endearing home, a vibrant and sustainable city and an active and gracious community. This is our 50th anniversary, our Golden Jubilee. It is worth reflecting that our Pioneers, led by Mr Lee Kuan Yew, had a very bold vision. Mr Lee insisted on a clean and green Page: 133 Singapore 50 years ago, way before being green became fashionable all over the world. He realised that a good environment was essential because this is democracy in action. We all breathe the same air, drink the same water, eat the same food at hawker centres and share the same neighbourhoods. The environment and the economy are not a zero-sum game. On the contrary, our Pioneer leaders recognised the synergy between having a green, clean and safe environment and a dynamic economy – they are part of a virtuous cycle. And achieving this required an exercise of strong political willpower. Our Pioneers were determined. They had detailed plans, they implemented and, enforced them and we arrived at where we are today. Singapore is recognised as one of the world's most sustainable cities, and clean and green. I want to address the issue of "clean" in more detail later on. It is now our responsibility to build on this legacy and I was also struck by the fact that if you had listened to all the speeches made, there are actually two key values underlying the conversations here. First, that we must not be wasteful.”
“But we can be the first nation where because we are a single level of Government, because we can digitise literally every square metre of Singapore, because we can make every lamppost an active, smart, geo-tag pillar, we can do things on a scale and on a level which is not so easily duplicated elsewhere. We will not be Silicon Valley, but we will be the ideal test site, a prototype site, to test prototypes, proof of concept. It is like what we did with water. We did not invent reverse osmosis but we upscaled it, we nationalised it. And, today, a Singaporean water company has opportunities all over the world. That is why we have chosen the concept of a Smart Nation, not merely a Smart City. But at the end of the day, we want to create more opportunities for all Singaporeans, we need to prepare them for these gut-wrenching changes which are going to occur, not over 200 years, but within one lifetime; to prepare ourselves for multiple jobs requiring Page: 96 multiple intelligences. 3.30 pm We want to make sure Government services remain responsive and accessible to all Singaporeans and we want to strengthen community bonds. This is also an opportunity for us to build trust, strengthen a collective sense of ownership and facilitate co-creation of the future by all Singaporeans.”
“Similarly, we are not going to leave old Singaporeans behind. We need to make sure they have access to all the new tools and technology, we have to educate them and SkillsFuture will also be relevant to them. Even this question of addiction – I see students in the galleries listening to our speeches – we do not want our students to be addicted to games. We want our students to create those games that other people become addicted to. That is where the value of creation is. Mdm Chair, even as we upgrade the "software" aspects of a Smart Nation Programme, Singapore also needs to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of the digital infrastructure and that we roll out projects that benefit all citizens. Members have heard the programmes and announcements by Minister Yaacob and, indeed, by the Ministers of all the other different Ministries. Smart Nation is a standalone project. You will see Smart Nation being rolled out in the budgets, programmes and projects of all the different Ministries. SNPO is just a small unit in PMO. Our job is to ensure consistency, coherence in policies to ensure that there is no wasteful duplication, to maximise synergies and to make sure that we work on a whole-of-Government basis. So, it is about alignment. It is not about duplication. I would also emphasise the point that Mr Singh has said that many of the technologies have already been invented. We are not here merely to duplicate and replicate them. That is why we chose the concept of a Smart Nation, and not a Smart City. Yes, you can have a driverless car driving around in San Franciso.”
“Mdm Chair, this is one of the few occasions I can agree substantially with Mr Pritam Singh. The advent of computers, the Internet, the World Wide Web, high resolution video, robotics, 3D printing, big data analytics and the Internet of Things have a profound implication on the way we live, work, play, study, communicate, socialise, even on politics. These are not just new tools. These are platform technologies. They will transform the basis on which we build our economies and our societies. Because Singapore is so small and so open, we have no choice but to be an open, dynamic, competitive and innovative society that embraces this revolution. We cannot be luddite, rejecting technological advances. We have to embrace it. We have to be at the forefront of this change. SkillsFuture is, therefore, an urgent and critical pillar for us to prepare our people for the digital future and to ensure that our skills remain relevant. Two hundred years ago, over 80% of the jobs in the United States were in the agriculture sector. Fast forward to today, it is less than 2%. It is not that the agricultural output has decreased. But technology transformed it. A lot more could be produced at a lower price for more people. A similar transformation, I fear, is going to occur for jobs which used to be white-collar middle-class jobs because routine work can be automated and you cannot compete successfully to be cheaper, better, faster than a robot or a computer doing routine tasks. Page: 95 Similarly, in schools, yes, we are going to teach in all schools access to coding and computational thinking. However, this is not just about geeks and technology. You are right – artistic ability, calligraphy, creativity, expression – all these are equally important skills for a digital future.”
“Mdm Speaker, currently, NEA employs 622 daily-rated workers. The majority of these workers are involved in vector control, sanitation, cleansing and maintenance. About half of these 622 daily-rated workers are above the age of 62. In fact, 99.5% are above the age of 40. NEA will continue to re-employ daily-rated workers even beyond 62 years old, so long as they are medically fit to continue working and have shown consistent satisfactory work performance and good conduct. We do not have an age limit on the re-employment of such workers. However, the Daily-rated Employment scheme was discontinued in 2001 because new recruits are placed on either contract or permanent service. 12.01 pm”
“However, we need more than the Government's efforts to achieve the vision outlined in the SSB. As part of an Active and Gracious Community, individuals, companies and the community must also play a role towards creating a sustainable Singapore. After all, infrastructure, such as more convenient recycling chutes, will become white elephants if we do not utilise them well. We need everyone to take stewardship of our environment and sustainable development. It should be second nature for people, businesses and the Government to come together to care for our common spaces and environment, and champion a sustainable way of life. To reach out to passionate individuals, non-governmental organisations and companies, MEWR, MND and other agencies have organised many consultations and focus group discussions since last year. Many ongoing projects, such as our more than 700 Community-in-Bloom Gardens and our almost 350 litter-free Bright Spots, see active community participation and rely on a strong community spirit. Companies can also do their part. For example, the RENEW (REcycling Nation's Electronic Waste) programme by StarHub, recycling company TES-AMM and DHL makes it easier for Singaporeans to recycle their electronic products by providing e-waste recycling bins across Singapore. These are just a few examples of some of our efforts in bringing about closer partnerships with the public, private and people sectors. Together, we can be the proud stewards of a liveable home and sustainable city, one that can be enjoyed by many more generations of Singaporeans to come. Page: 71”
“Last year, MEWR and MND released the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB) 2015. This mapped out the Government's strategies for sustainable development in Singapore, guided by the vision of a Liveable and Endearing Home, a Vibrant and Sustainable City, and an Active and Gracious Community. Over the next few years, various Government agencies will invest in infrastructure and roll out the policies and schemes contained in SSB 2015. Many of the initiatives are already in progress. For example, to improve our air quality, NEA has tightened the emissions standards of vehicles in recent years and will further implement Euro VI emissions standards for new petrol and diesel vehicles from 1 September 2017 and 1 January 2018 respectively. To achieve a "car-lite" Singapore while bringing commuting convenience to residents, LTA and URA have drawn up plans to make towns more walkable and cyclist-friendly, starting with Ang Mo Kio town. All new Build-To-Order flats will also come with a centralised chute on every floor for recyclables, making it easier for residents to recycle. Another initiative is the Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme where a new project at Bukit Batok Canal saw its groundbreaking ceremony last month. Other projects along Kallang River, as well as Sungei Bedok, are also expected to commence this year. These projects complement our continued efforts on enhancing green and blue public spaces for the community and to provide a better living environment for our residents. The Government will be implementing more projects and reviewing more of our policies in Page: 70 the coming year and beyond to make Singapore more vibrant, liveable and sustainable.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA), Community Development Councils (CDCs), National Parks Board (NParks) and PUB co-organise Clean & Green Singapore (CGS) campaigns every year. Each CGS is a year-long nationwide initiative to galvanise the community to keep Singapore clean and green, promote the right social values and instil pride in our environment. In addition to CGS, targeted anti-littering campaigns are also launched to raise awareness, promote good social values and care for the environment. For example, on 6 June 2010, NEA launched a "Do the Right Thing. Let's Bin It" campaign based on the insights of a one-year sociological study on littering. This anti-littering campaign adopted a comprehensive approach towards promoting a change in littering behaviour through stepping up enforcement, improving infrastructure and carrying out more targeted public outreach and educational activities. To further reinforce the social norm of zero tolerance to littering, the Keep Singapore Clean Movement (KSCM) was launched in September 2012. It is led by the Public Hygiene Council (PHC), Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) and the Keep Singapore Beautiful Movement (KSBM). The year-long initiative was supported by NEA to champion community action for the community by the community to improve public cleanliness and littering habits. Since 2010, NEA has spent an average of $3 million per year on anti-litter campaigns and outreach activities. Page: 125”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) has rolled out the tray return initiative to 60 hawker centres since 2012. These centres have implemented the tray return systems at an average cost of $17,300 per centre. NEA plans to implement the initiative in the rest of our 44 hawker centres by the end of this year. Cleaning up after ourselves reflects our social graciousness and consideration for others. We hope that everyone will continue to support this initiative by returning our crockery after meals not only at hawker centres but also other food outlets, such as food courts and fast food restaurants. Page: 113”
“Using the new PSI incorporating the PM2.5 readings which the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) introduced in April last year, our air quality was in the "Good" and "Moderate" range for 353 days in 2014, and 350 days in 2013. We continue to be affected by transboundary haze from the region. The number of hotspots detected in Sumatra and Kalimantan in 2014 was, in fact, higher this year – 28,580 hot spots, compared to 18,129 in 2013. We were only spared poorer air quality because the wind conditions were favourable to us. This is why MEWR enacted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act on 25 September 2014. The Act is not a silver bullet and we do not underestimate the challenges of implementing it. Nonetheless, the enactment of this legislation has focused domestic and international attention on the haze problem and placed errant companies on notice that their irresponsible actions will attract prosecution. Regional cooperation within ASEAN remains a critical pillar of the ultimate solution. Local enforcement by local authorities at the sites of the fires is essential. MEWR and the National Environment Agency will continue to work closely with the region’s authorities and non-government organisations to resolve this recurrent regional problem collectively.”
“We have substantially implemented all the recommendations that were put up by the expert panel. We are actually projecting a future with even greater Page: 22 challenges. As global climate change occurs, we anticipate further rises in sea levels. We also anticipate more intense storms. So, even the levels of drainage standards we have imposed now may not be adequate for the future. So, this is an ongoing programme. Members will also appreciate that these are major and expensive works and they are disruptive. So, we have got to phase them out and ensure that we do not unnecessarily disrupt lives or spend too much money in advance of those needs. So, there is an element of judgement needed. I will just give Members a figure, so that you can get an idea of it. If you go back to the 1970s, Singapore had about 3,200 hectares of low-lying flood-prone areas. Today, the flood-prone area has been reduced to about 34 hectares; 3,200 hectares to 34 hectares. But to reduce 34 hectares to an even smaller number, it is like ascending the last bit of the mountain. It will get progressively more difficult. But we make this commitment that we will be open and we will acknowledge problems. That is part of the reason for our tweets on drains, that is, to send a message to the people that we will not ignore problems, we will be completely open and forthright about them. The other point is that we have a simple heuristic within PUB. If an area has had a flood, we will conduct a full investigation, identify the source, if need be, upgrade the drain. You will see continuous improvement. If any of you have got any specific concerns in your respective areas, please let us know.”
“It is too early to declare victory but we have made progress and I would say my colleagues are cautiously optimistic. We will continue to work hard and, over time, the results will speak for themselves.”