Mr Speaker: Order. Oath and Affirmation of Allegiance.
The hon Member who is taking his Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance today will proceed to the Table to do so when his name is called.
[(proc text) The following Member made an Affirmation of Allegiance: (proc text)]
[(proc text) Mr Tan Kiat How (East Coast) (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Order. Questions for Oral Answer.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing Regulatory Framework for Integrated Shield Plans and Assessing Practice of Pre-authorisation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"1 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health given Integrated Shield Plans are primarily healthcare financing tools, whether the Government will consider reviewing the regulatory framework for Integrated Shield Plans to give greater regulatory oversight to the Ministry, or adopting a stronger dual or co-regulation model, to ensure better alignment with national healthcare priorities and patient protection.
2 Mr Vikram Nair asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health what are the measures the Ministry intends to take to address the issues of escalating private healthcare costs, insurance premiums and insurers refusing pre-authorisation certificates at certain hospitals.
3 Dr Hamid Razak asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health given that pre-authorisation helps ensure that policyholders have access to non-panel doctors and receive cost-effective treatments, whether the Ministry will implement measures to ensure that policyholders continue to have access to the full benefits of their Integrated Shield Plan should an insurer stop issuing pre-authorisation certificates.
4 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health given recent unilateral changes by Integrated Shield Plan insurers, such as new pre-authorisation rules for existing policyholders (a) whether the Government will consider a dedicated healthcare insurance law to protect consumers and establish a mandatory dispute resolution platform; and (b) whether there are regulations to prevent insurers from influencing healthcare decisions against policyholders’ best interests.
\tThe Minister of State for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 1 to 4 together?
\tMr Speaker: Go ahead.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: My response will also address oral Question Nos 73 to 75 from the Order Paper on 22 September 2025.
Allow me to begin by putting the issue into perspective. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has previously explained the current state of private healthcare and insurance: insurers, private hospitals and providers have got themselves tied up in a knot, resulting in escalating private hospital bills, rising premiums and more safeguards introduced to the claims process. The concerns raised by Members point back to this deeper issue.
A significant root factor is the design of private health insurance. Insurers know that policyholders are worried about unexpected large hospital bills, so they offer plans with generous coverage and benefits through Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) and riders, covering almost to the last dollar with little co-payment.
But when someone else – in this case, insurers – pays for almost the entire bill, the dynamic between patients and providers changes. There is tendency for over-servicing and unnecessary treatments.
This is backed by data. The likelihood of a patient with a private hospital rider making a claim is 1.4 times that of a patient without a rider. The size of the claim is also on average about 1.4 times that of a patient without a rider.
Rising private hospital claims put a strain on insurance. For IP portfolios to be sustainable, insurers raise premiums to cover claims. Policyholders have seen sharp increases in premiums for private hospital plans, namely IPs and riders. They also introduce more safeguards to manage claim costs, which helps insurers moderate premium growth to some extent.
So, in response to the Member’s question, Mr Fadli Fawzi is right that features such as \"as charged\" expands coverage and contributes towards weakening the discipline of insurance claims.
There are other features too, such as covering deductibles and co-payment, which also need to be looked at.
But private healthcare insurance is in its current unsustainable state not because of collusion or anti-competitive behaviour. That usually leads to supernormal profits by market players at the expense of consumers. Here, insurers are either making losses or barely breaking even on their health portfolios. The situation is due to excessive competition that has gone wrong – another type of market failure.
Mr Yip Hon Weng and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked if there could be new laws for stronger regulatory oversight. We already have a Competition Act to proscribe collusion and anti-competitive behaviour. If we strengthen regulatory oversight, it should be to correct the market failures arising from unsustainable and self-harming competition that have taken place today. Regulations to prevent insurers from correcting the current problem will likely exacerbate the situation, make private insurance even more unsustainable, with no market correction mechanism.
Should there be disputes over specific claims, policyholders can take it to the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC), an independent and impartial institution that assists with insurance-related disputes. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will also take action against insurers if they do not pay claims in accordance with policy terms and conditions or have unfair claims handling practices.
MOH will continue to work with MAS to exercise regulatory oversight over IP insurers and products.
Members also asked about the practice of pre-authorisation. Pre-authorisation is an administrative arrangement – not a contractual benefit – offered by insurers. It enables insurers to review and approve medical treatments and associated fees, to make sure that they are medically necessary and covered by the policy, before they occur. This arrangement also gives patients the assurance about what will be covered. Today, five of the seven IP insurers provide pre-authorisation. Regardless of pre-authorisation, IP policyholders enjoy their full contractual benefits and can still make claims for their treatments according to the terms and conditions of their policy.
Panels are another means that insurers use to manage claim costs, by ensuring that doctors on the panel adhere to fee ranges set by the insurer. Seeing a panel doctor typically allows policyholders to enjoy more favourable co-payment terms. All policyholders remain entitled to their full contractual benefits, even if they seek care from a non-panel doctor.
Most insurers have at least 600 private specialists on their panels. MOH monitors insurers’ practices and works with them to ensure adequate panel coverage at the overall and speciality level. With Extended Panels, most IP insurers also allow policyholders to access doctors on other IP insurers’ panels, subject to review.
The trends we see – escalating costs, premiums, tightening claims management practices – are consequences and symptoms of the knot that insurers, doctors, hospitals and policyholders are caught in.
Regulation will not loosen this knot; it will make it worse. If we restrict insurers’ claims management practices, we will likely see even larger premium increases. And if we cap premium increases, products will become unviable, which will hurt policyholders.
So, we need to loosen and untie this knot, step by step. Every stakeholder needs to do its part and MOH will facilitate the process.
We have urged the insurance industry to relook their overly-generous policy design, such as minimal rider co-payment. Insurers will need to balance between providing assurance and protection, and encouraging prudent consumption and servicing.
We will do more to educate consumers on choosing the appropriate health insurance coverage for their needs. We are in fact launching a public education campaign soon.
To rein in private sector cost increases, MOH has developed and published over 2,800 doctor fee benchmarks, which providers and insurers reference to set fees and review reimbursements respectively. We will study what more can be done to guide fee setting by private hospitals.
MOH will also continue to work through the Multilateral Healthcare Insurance Committee, which brings together key stakeholders from healthcare providers, medical professionals, insurers and consumer representatives, to address these issues collaboratively.
Mr Speaker: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
\tMr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for her response. Many Yio Chu Kang seniors who have been faithfully paying their premiums are now worried that with the sudden rule changes, like the new pre-authorisation requirements, it could disrupt their ongoing treatments.
Could the Minister of State explain what safeguards are in place to ensure that existing policyholders, especially seniors who are in the midst of treatments, are not disadvantaged by such unilateral insurer decisions?
And secondly, some of these residents have also asked me if an insurer delays or rejects a pre-authorisation without good reason, what recourse do they have? And I hear from the Minister of State that fee benchmarks are being published, but will the Ministry also consider publishing data on insurer performance, such as approval rates, turnaround times, appeal outcomes, so that Singaporeans can see whether insurers are acting in their best interests?
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for your question. I just want to clarify though that we are discussing this matter in the context of the IPs. As you can appreciate, the IP is a term insurance, very much like typical insurance policies. It is a term insurance which only goes towards coverage for the duration of the term.
So, if your residents are in a situation where they are within that period of their term and they then meet the requirements and the criteria for their claims, I do not see why they would be affected by anything. Because they lie in the bed they make, the contract that they have signed within that contractual period.
When we talk about pre-authorisation, as I explained earlier, it is a slightly different animal. It is not part of the term's conditions. It is an administrative process. It allows for treatments that are pre-planned, hospitalisation or surgery that is coming up for policyholders to get confirmation to see whether this treatment is something that their insurers would pay for.
What we hear, what we understand is that, typically if there are rejections, it is possibly because there is an exclusion in the original contract, so you could not have gotten it covered anyway, or the fees are too high, the treatment plan may be too aggressive, meaning you have not considered other treatment plans. But it still does not take away from the fact that if you do then consume a treatment and it falls within your contract, you can still claim from your insurer. It is just that there was no pre-authorisation.
As for the recourse, so if let us say, you submit a pre-authorisation claim and it is rejected, or in that recent case, suspended, it just means that you need to consider your options. If you feel that the treatment or you accept the reason that the treatment is aggressive or it is not covered, then you may need to consider whether you want to choose an alternative treatment. Or if you feel that actually that is a treatment that is purely covered, you can go ahead and you will then have to make the claim subsequently.
There can still be disputes, of course, as with other similar grounds. But there is very little leverage. There is going to be back and forth, but there is lesser leverage for the insurers to reject. Because if it is truly something that is circumscribed by the contract, then there is no running away from having to pay out according to the terms of the contract.
Mr Speaker: Mr Vikram Nair.
\tMr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): I thank the Minister of State for the explanation and the plans in this complex area. I agree that the greater the insurance coverage, the more likely the cost will be to escalate.
I have two clarifications on this. One, is the Ministry looking at any regulatory measures to make sure that healthcare providers do not use insurance as an opportunity to overcharge? And this may include disciplinary proceedings, and so on.
The second is from the point of view of the insurance users. I take the Minister of State's point that this is a contract, but in practical terms, quite often the people who buy insurance policies do so on standard terms; they do not negotiate it and they do not really have that option to go to a different insurer so readily, once they have been in a contract for a certain period of time. So, I think there is an element of consumer protection that needs to go in as well. Even though the insurance is renewed yearly, if the coverage does get worse, I think the Ministry should have some guidelines on when it will step in to protect consumers.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: On the first question, I just want to assure the Member that we take a multi-pronged approach in trying to deal with this matter. Our conversations, discussions and engagements with insurers on their insurance product design is one, but we are also looking at different elements, including introducing fee benchmarks which we have done since 2018. We have introduced benchmarks for private professional fees and this guides the pricing and guards against overcharging. So, there are some levers here.
We are now studying the possibility of going beyond professional fees, by introducing more benchmarks for hospital charges to guide fee setting by private hospitals. So, that is one measure in which we are trying to do.
Separately, related to the Member's second point, it is also about consumer education. And that is also another aspect of the work that we are doing. I mentioned earlier that we are going to be embarking on the public education campaign. It is about explaining and providing information to policyholders about the different options they have, how they should calculate, what coverage they need versus how much they want to spend on now. Because, sometimes, it is just over-coverage and you are not actually going to be consuming it; it is not going to be good for you. So, education should also entail them appreciating what are some of the options they have so they do not get caught up in a particular situation which is not feasible for them.
And so, basically it is about trying to ensure that consumer protection is something that is top of mind.
Regulatory was one of the things that the Member asked about, regulatory measures. It is not that it is not without any regulatory measures. Right now, MOH and MAS work together, we have intervened in recent years to improve consumer fairness and protection. But we have also already, in place, regulatory measures to ensure that the insurance providers keep to certain key parameters. For IPs, for example, they tap on MediSave as part of the payment and so, we have levers to make sure that they comply with the different parameters that we require of them, in terms of riders, in terms of co-payments.
Ultimately, at the end of the day, it is all about making sure that there is consumer protection. But it must be done in a fashion that is meaningful, that actually helps the situation rather than exacerbate it.
\tMr Speaker: Dr Hamid Razak.
\tDr Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to declare my interest as a practising orthopaedic surgeon in the private sector. I would like to thank the Minister of State Rahayu for clarifying.
On the issue of Extended Panels, from what I understand, there are differences in practice between insurance companies. For example, the Extended Panel benefit could be by way of contract, which then means that if the pre-authorisation is withdrawn, the benefits will still reach the patient or the consumer. However, if the Extended Panel benefits are by pre-authorisation, then unilateral decisions by insurance companies to stop pre-authorisation would mean that these benefits do not reach the consumer or the patient.
So, I hope that the Ministry, in the process of untying the knot and in discussion with the companies, will look at these varying practices between the insurance companies and really look at it from a point of access to care from the consumers' perspective.
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the question. Indeed, the commitment is about consumer protection and ensuring a sustainable system that can be meaningfully tapped on when policyholders or patients want to have options. So, I just want to make a distinction between the measures or regulatory efforts that goes towards the protection versus administrative matters that help insurers deal with this issue. I have explained earlier that pre-authorisation and also empanelment of doctors, is a way for insurers to manage their costs, manage the claims.
With panels, how it works is that, usually there is an additional rider that the patient or policyholder can tap on, on top of the coverage. And because of that there is a need for the insurers to make sure that they are limiting their exposure of costs. And they put in then, a panel, and that panel has, at the backend, some arrangements of fees with the insurers. So, that is how the system works and in a way, it is a mechanism for the insurers to manage their costs.
So, on MOH and MAS' part, we work closely to exercise regulatory oversight so that IP insurers protect the interests of policyholders and that their products are sustainable. And as I mentioned earlier, there are certain parameters which we look at. But IPs and riders are private products and insurers have to compete in a competitive market.
Our general practice is to avoid intervening on aspects that are integral to market competition, such as premium, such as service quality. So, while we have an eye out to consumer protection, we do make sure that we allow for the insurers to also use certain mechanisms to get themselves out of the situation.
To also allay the Member's concerns, there is a requirement for notification if they change their terms and conditions. So, that is another layer. They are made to inform their policyholders on it. There are also opportunities if there are, indeed, disagreements, the policyholders can reach out to FIDReC to have their disputes resolved.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Mariam Jaafar.
\tMs Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): I thank the Minister of State for all the explanations. I understand that it is really a difficult knot to crack. I have a few supplementary questions, but I will make them short.
First of all, on fairness and patient interest, I think patients really care that many of them have been paying for a very long time. It is an annual product, but they have been paying for years and years and years. And now they see premiums rising and they are facing more exclusions and tighter panels. So, how is MOH ensuring that patient protection actually is at the heart of the regulatory framework rather than insurance profits?
Second, the Minister of State mentioned about education of the consumer. I think part of education involves transparency. If insurance premiums include administrative costs, including the costs around the panels that we were talking about, and their profits are not quite visible to patients, will MOH require clearer disclosures so that patients can make more informed choices about the value of their coverage?
Third, since MOH currently relies on persuasion rather than statutory authority over the private component of the IPs, how can patients be assured that insurers cannot prioritise profits over their interest? And related to that, MediShield Life is tightly regulated by law, so a lot of basic IP protections are there. But is MOH considering stronger statutory powers over the private portion of IPs to better protect patients? The Minister of State mentioned that patients can also go to FIDReC if they have any disputes. But FIDReC, the name itself suggests that the primary lens there is financial. And so, would MOH be open to a separate panel that also looks at it more from a health and a patient protection standpoint?
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: To respond to the question by the Member, I just want to reiterate again the points that I made. Because the sentiment is really about wanting to make sure that our policyholders and patients, who are going through very difficult situations, are not shortchanged or disadvantaged because of unsavoury practices by the insurance providers. I just want to give that blanket assurance that that is indeed something that we need to look at and that there are already efforts in place for us to address that.
What I do want to reiterate is that the manifestation of some of the issues that we are seeing today, in terms of escalating costs and premiums, is not necessarily completely resolved by just regulation alone. There are many different dimensions of it and I mentioned earlier that we are taking a multi-pronged approach to deal with this matter. Just allow me to recap and elaborate a little bit more.
As explained, we take a multi-pronged approach. One of the approaches is about having that discussion with insurance providers to make sure that they review their insurance policy design product. Separately, we are also putting in benchmarks, fee benchmarks, to protect against overcharging and guide the pricing, because it is also about how much is charged versus how much they are going to claim. We also put in place measures to enforce against a small minority of doctors who actually make errant claims, because they are the ones who then put in the wrong claims, and end up ballooning the claims. So, there is a claims management office that sets up the claims rules and puts through a claims education process. We are also continuing to drive efforts to improve awareness of these claims practices.
We are also contemplating setting up more private hospital options, especially affordable ones, very much like Mount Alvernia, and we are exploring the possibility of new not-for-profit private hospital.
These are some of the efforts that we are going to do, but even if we do this decision, it will take a few years.
So, what I am trying to demonstrate is that there are many different dimensions that we are looking at in terms of trying to undo this knot, in terms of trying to reduce the claims. Because it is an ecosystem. It is not just about the rising costs. We have to appreciate that the rising claims or the rising premiums cost is as a result of increased claims, it is as a result of consumption and excessive one at that, and it is as a result of over-coverage. So, these are the things that we need to unpack.
Therefore, some of the proposals or suggestions that the Member put up is, indeed, something that we consider. We already have levers; MAS, MOH have levers, in terms of oversight to ensure that the practices and the product design is something that is sustainable and ensures protection. There are avenues for the policyholders and claimants to make claims. FIDReC is one part of it, but there are dimensions of the holistic assessment of whether claims are necessary. It is something that they will have to take into account as well.
We will continue with the education so that people have more choices. We will consider proposals of putting in more information so that people can make a judgement call and better decisions.
But we need to do so meaningfully. These are things that we will continue to do to improve on this issue of rising healthcare costs as well as rising premiums.
\tMr Speaker: Last supplementary question, Mr Fadli Fawzi.
\tMr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): I have three supplementary questions. Firstly, given that healthcare expenditure has been rising quickly, at what point would the Government consider disallowing insurers for providing as-charged coverage for non-cancer treatments? Secondly, given that since 2018 there still has been rapidly escalating healthcare costs, does that suggest that the private industry is not compliant with the guidelines? And thirdly, the Minister of State mentioned that MOH is also studying the creation of other benchmarks. I am wondering if the Minister of State can clarify if the benchmarks will be for costs, like the cost of consumables, like hospital gowns, meals consumed by patients, to limit the size of insurance claims?
\tMs Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the questions. I worry that as we are discussing these issues, we run the risk of conflating many different issues together. There are many different dimensions and contributions towards increasing healthcare costs, including also an ageing demography and an increased burden of chronic diseases.
And at a larger level, there are a lot of things that MOH has to do to address the cost. This is also in the space of putting in Healthier SG, doing upstream efforts, making sure screening is in place, making sure our people are healthy. There is a whole slew of efforts that we are putting in place to arrest the increased healthcare cost.
This particular situation that we are debating here today relates to a different dimension. It is about how people are consuming products. It is about how the insurance system works. It is about the design of the insurance product. And it is making sure that the different stakeholders in this ecosystem are aware that they all need to do their part.
MOH will continue to facilitate this process and it is important for us to appreciate that it is not just about putting in regulations. It is not just about putting in the rules, because we do need to assess. Some of the suggestions that Members have raised here today are things we need to assess, because it may cause a reverse effect.
There are measures and ways in which insurance companies will need to address some of their costs to remain sustainable. We need to make sure that those efforts then do not undermine the protection, fairness and transparency to the policyholders. So, that is something that we will continue to manage. We will take in the suggestions and we will continue to review it. But the issue is about making sure that everyone in the ecosystem plays a part.
The Member had asked specifically about the benchmarks that I mentioned earlier. I do not have details at this juncture. We already have benchmarks on the professional fees. We are looking at how we can also create some benchmarks on the hospitals' costs, which would probably include some of the elements the Member mentioned.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rationale for Selection Criteria and Less Generous Compensation under VERS","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"5 Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry’s plan to only select certain HDB precincts for Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) will result in VERS having a lottery effect; and (b) whether the Ministry can design VERS to apply to all HDB flats.
6 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for National Development (a) how does the Ministry define and quantify the less generous compensation terms of VERS as compared to SERS particularly in relation to a flat’s market value; (b) what safeguards will protect homeowners whose VERS compensation could be lower than their outstanding mortgage; and (c) what is the projected median cash top-up required for displaced households to secure replacement housing.
7 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the primary policy rationale for compensation under VERS being less generous than SERS; (b) how does the shift away from the SERS lottery effect support the goal of long-term housing affordability; and (c) what assurance can the Ministry provide that VERS will primarily serve as an orderly renewal programme and not a wealth-generating one.
\tThe Minister for National Development (Mr Chee Hong Tat): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 5 to 7 together?
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Thank you, Sir. My reply will also address a related question by Mr Andre Low for written answer on 24 September.
Starting from the late 2030s, we will begin to see more HDB flats reach the 70-year mark of their 99-year leases. The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will adopt a multi-pronged approach to keep our older flats and estates liveable and vibrant.
First, we will upgrade the ageing flats to ensure their safety and liveability. These older flats would have already benefited from one round of upgrades under the previous Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) or the current Home Improvement Programme (HIP) for flats that have passed the 30-year mark. We plan to introduce a second round of upgrades via HIP II for flats which pass the 60-year mark. HIP II will ensure that our older flats are able to last the flat owners till the end of their 99-year lease.
Besides the flats, HDB will also upgrade our older estates and neighbourhoods through programmes such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP). We will ensure that residents who are staying in older estates can continue to enjoy a vibrant neighbourhood with refreshed facilities and greenery.
Complementing these efforts is the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). The primary purpose of VERS is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of ageing estates by spacing out the redevelopment and construction works in towns where there are many older blocks that were built around the same time.
As I had explained in an earlier media interview, VERS is a complex policy and a long-term undertaking for our society. It will impact existing flat owners and future generations of Singaporeans. So, the policy must be designed carefully to be fair and sustainable for both groups. We aim to firm up as many of the policy details as possible during this term of Government.
After we have established the VERS framework and parameters, we can then start with a few selected sites, likely in the first half of the next decade. We will continually review our processes as we go along and progressively scale up the VERS programme by the late 2030s, when more HDB flats reach their 70-year mark.
Sir, while the details of the scheme are still being firmed up, I would like to highlight three key considerations which I hope we can have broad agreement on from both sides of the House.
First, in managing ageing flats and estates, our first priority is to ensure that Singaporeans have a home for life.
Today, about 2.5% of HDB households do not own flats that cover the owners to at least age 95. So, 2.5%. The current median lifespan of Singaporeans is 84. Hence, almost all our HDB households own flats with leases that can cover the owners for life.
We will continue to closely monitor the proportion of HDB households who do not own flats with sufficient duration of leases that can cover the owners to the end of life and keep this number as small as possible.
Second, as I mentioned earlier, the primary purpose of VERS is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of towns where many older flats were built within short periods of time. This will allow redevelopment works to be carried out in phases within such towns, which will be less disruptive to residents and heartland businesses.
Based on this approach, it is not necessary for every older flat to go through VERS, as we are mindful of the disruption to our residents who will need to relocate when their flats undergo VERS. In addition, VERS, as the \"V\" suggests, is voluntary. So, there could be instances where residents who are offered VERS, collectively decide not to proceed.
For residents who do not go through VERS, they can continue to stay in their flats until the leases run out. The Government will support them in other ways to keep their flats and estates liveable and vibrant, including through upgrading programs like HIP II, SUP and NRP, which I spoke about earlier.
This area of work is an important part of our review as we want to look after residents who go through VERS and also those who do not go through VERS.
Third, HDB flats are sold with 99-year leases. A leasehold system ensures fairness to future generations. After 99 years, the land is returned to the state and we can recycle it to build new homes for future generations. This approach allows our current generation to enjoy a diverse range of affordable and accessible housing, while also taking care of the needs of future generations. It improves inter-generational mobility and prevents our society from being split into property owners and those who are not.
Mr Low asked how the VERS package would differ from the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) package. We had explained previously that VERS and SERS have different objectives. SERS is for selected precincts with high redevelopment potential, unlocked through compulsory acquisition. In contrast, VERS is also to spread out, space out the redevelopment of older towns over time and it will be voluntary in nature.
Flats offered VERS will have shorter remaining leases compared to the flats which were previously offered SERS, so the overall compensation for VERS would be lower compared to SERS.
Based on the questions from Mr Foo and Mr Low, I note that there is broad agreement from both sides of the House that VERS should not create a lottery effect or end up becoming a wealth-generating programme. I agree with these views from both Members.
MND is working out the details of the compensation package. Just as how the valuation of flats varies today, the compensation amount would similarly vary across different VERS sites and flats. We are also studying details such as the voting process and how to support the various demographic groups across different VERS sites with relocation options.
MND and HDB will engage Singaporeans on the framework and policy parameters when we are ready with the draft proposals to take in further views and feedback before we finalise the policy and implementation details.
Mr Speaker: Mr Andre Low.
\tMr Low Wu Yang Andre (Non-Constituency Member): Speaker, I thank the Minister for his response. I appreciate it is early days for the VERS policy and I appreciate that we are also in broad agreement about its objectives.
I think I just want to raise some supplementary questions to clarify and hope the Minister can clarify that these topics are under consideration as we build up this policy.
Firstly, as a preamble, I think we can agree that most of the residents who may be subject to VERS will probably be seniors and the elderly. A lot of them will have paid off their mortgages. They would have been expecting to live in these flats until they pass on. So, how can we assure the public that we will consider these considerations when we try and ensure that these seniors are not left with, let us say, outstanding mortgages that the compensation amount cannot cover, or they are forced to deplete their retirement savings in order to top up with cash outlay, in order to secure replacement accommodation?
And secondly, I understand the voting process is also being worked out. Perhaps the Minister can also clarify if we are thinking about doing the voting at the estate level or at the block level? How will we deal with situations where let us say three blocks in a five-block cluster have agreed to it, but two blocks are hold-outs? And also, I understand voting is part and parcel of existing programmes like upgrading. However, the consequences of being in the minority that disagrees and is brought along when the majority agrees to the VERS programme, are much heavier for those who are unwilling to participate. So, how will we make sure that the needs of the minority who disagree are met?
\tMr Chee Hong Tat: Mr Speaker, I would like to first thank Mr Andre Low for re-affirming that the Workers' Party and the Government are in broad agreement on the objectives of VERS, as I shared in my main reply earlier. I thank him for that.
Mr Low has also raised some very valid questions in terms of how we are going to carry out the VERS policy. These are indeed some of the key considerations that my colleagues and I are currently discussing. I agree with Mr Low that the large majority of the flat owners for the flats that are going through VERS, would likely be seniors. If we can maintain the gatekeeping for people to buy homes that can last them for life, so by the time the flats reach the time that they need to go through VERS, which will be at least about 70 years or more, we would expect that most of the residents staying in these older flats would be seniors and hopefully, they would have already paid off their mortgages.
So, that is why we feel that it is important to have that upfront gatekeeping, to ensure that when people buy homes, we keep the number of people who cannot stay in these homes till the end of their lives to be as small as possible, so that homes can be for life.
I also agree with Mr Low that the voting process needs to be looked at carefully. Because the stakes are higher, as Mr Low pointed out, compared to say, going through HIP. So, certainly I think we would have to pay careful attention to how we manage the voting process to ensure fairness to different stakeholders. Whether we do it at the estate level or at the block level, I think these are important issues that we need to look at. I do not want to jump too far ahead, so I do seek Mr Low's understanding that these are details which I think we would have to share after we have carefully considered the different options.
But if you think back on the objectives of VERS, which is to facilitate the orderly redevelopment of older towns where there are many flats that were built around the same period, I think you do need to implement some of this redevelopment, not block by block, but at least a cluster of a few blocks, so that it will be a more orderly process for the redevelopment works.
Mr Speaker: Mr Foo.
\tMr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Speaker. My view is that indeed we should not create a lottery effect with the implementation of VERS. I am also glad that the hon Member, Mr Andre Low, has also agreed that it should not be a wealth-generating tool. In fact, Mr Low has also raised important points that the Minister has agreed should be considered.
I have two further clarifications, I think they elucidate the complexity of the issue.
First, the Minister has shared that the intent of VERS is to ensure an orderly redevelopment. At the same time, because it is going to be voluntary, it is going to be subject to voting. My question is what levers do we have to ensure that there will be a certain amount of success in the voting process? If not, then, how does the orderly redevelopment take place.
My second clarification is, to ensure that VERS does not become a lottery, indeed, as the Minister said, to ensure that we have homes for life, it means that the alternatives to ensure that all our Singaporeans have homes that are good and fit for accommodation for the entire duration of the tenures, will need to be important. So, NRP, HIP II – these are important programmes.
\tHowever, the more attractive these programmes are, HIP II and NRP, the less likely you may have residents who will vote for VERS. Therein the inherent complexities of this. So, it is not an enviable task that the Ministry and the Minister has to deal with. I fully appreciate the challenges. My question is, will we look at VERS together with HIP II and NRP, weigh the considerations in the implementation?
\tMr Chee Hong Tat: Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Foo for his two supplementary questions. Indeed, I think this consideration between how we can help residents who go through VERS and how we can also look after residents who do not go through VERS, is an important one.
I would say that while we are firming up the policy parameters and the details of VERS, it should not stop us from being clear. Because there will be residents who do not go through VERS – either because they are not offered VERS or because they voted not to proceed with VERS collectively – that we will have to make sure that their flats and their estates can remain liveable, can remain safe and can remain vibrant.
This is something which we will have to pay careful attention to. We will share more details of HIP II when we are ready. But the concept of HIP II is, say, at the 60-year and above mark, to be able to invest in upgrading the interiors of the older flats to keep them safe and liveable and to also pay attention to looking after the needs of the residents as they age together with the flats. So, the upgrades will also have to pay attention to making the flats senior-friendly and safe.
That is something which, I think, we are quite clear. That regardless of what the package for VERS is, this objective of upgrading our older flats to keep them liveable, safe, upgrade our estates to keep our estates vibrant and liveable; that is something that we will do.
On top of that, there will be a need to think through the parameters of VERS. Because Mr Foo is correct that if we do not have anyone voting for VERS, supporting VERS, going through with VERS, then we cannot achieve the objective of orderly redevelopment.
So, that is something we will have to think through and strike a careful balance on, so that we are fair to both the existing flat owners, but also to future generations and to keep this sustainable.
\tMr Speaker: I am moving on to the next lot of questions. Mr Foo Cexiang.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Provision of Affordable Meals and Other Contractual Obligations at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"8 Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the National Environment Agency will review the practice of operators of Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres requiring hawkers to absorb the 10% discount offered to customers paying via the operator apps.
9 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what principles currently guide who should bear the cost of providing affordable and nutritious meals to low-income patrons; and (b) whether the Ministry will review the current distribution of responsibility for providing such meals to low-income patrons between Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre operators, their stallholders, NEA, and consumers.
10 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre operators require the approval of NEA to change contractual terms with stallholders; (b) how regularly does NEA review contracts between SEHC operators and stallholders; (c) whether NEA can and has exercised its veto against such contractual terms; and (d) whether NEA intends to conduct a comprehensive review of the SEHC model.
\tThe Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Goh Hanyan) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): Mr Speaker, may I seek your permission to take Question Nos 8 to 10 from today's Order Paper together?
\tMr Speaker: Go ahead.
\tMs Goh Hanyan: My response to this Parliamentary Question (PQ) will also cover questions filed by Mr Gerald Giam, Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik, Mr Ng Shi Xuan1 and Ms He Ting Ru regarding Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs). If their questions have been addressed in today's combined response, they may wish to withdraw their questions.
Mr Speaker, I thank Members for raising various questions about SEHCs. I will explain the SEHC management model and address various concerns, including the Government's role in overseeing SEHC operators and their relationship with stallholders.
When the Government resumed building hawker centres in 2011, we introduced the SEHC. This is to harness the experience and expertise of food and beverage (F&B) industry players to bring fresh perspectives and best practices to hawker centre management, active placemaking and meeting residents' needs for accessibility to affordable food options across all three meals.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) maintains oversight over operators who are appointed to maintain and manage SEHCs. Operators must comply with the requirements set out by NEA. These requirements strike a balance between ensuring that patrons' needs are adequately served and safeguarding stallholders' well-being. NEA also seeks to provide SEHC operators with sufficient flexibility to allow them to operate SEHCs effectively.
To safeguard the interests of stallholders, the NEA has, and since 2018, put in place basic guidelines for tenancy agreement terms. For instance, stalls should not be required to be open for more than five days per week and no more than eight hours a day, and limits are set on amounts that operators can charge stallholders for contractual breaches. The key features of NEA's guidelines had been made public during the Parliamentary debates in 2018 and 2024. Before stallholders sign these tenancy agreements with an operator, NEA would review the agreements and engage operators to adjust their clauses if necessary.
Since 2019, the NEA has capped stall rentals to average independently-valued rents, as well as discounted rent in the first two years of a centre's operation as we recognise that an SEHC's footfall and operations would require time to be built up and stabilise.
Beyond these guidelines, operators have the flexibility to state the other terms of their agreements with stallholders, based on operational needs. However, these terms must be made upfront by operators, so that hawkers can make informed decisions based on their business preferences and cost considerations. Operators must also explain these terms clearly to stallholders. NEA officers would usually be present at these tenancy agreements signing sessions. After tenancy agreements are signed, operators must not impose any charges that were not specified in the agreements.
As tenancy agreements are private arrangements between the operators and stallholders, it would not be appropriate for NEA to mandate public disclosure.
Some Members have asked about affordable meal options. In line with the primary mission of hawker centres to provide affordable food options, NEA requires SEHC operators, as part of tender requirements, to implement ways to make food affordable. So far, SEHC operators have done so by making at least one value meal available at each stall. Value meals are part of the range of food options afforded by the SEHCs at variety price points.
SEHC operators explain the value meal requirement upfront to stallholders when signing the tenancy agreements. Each stallholder then has the flexibility to propose his or her value meal item, while retaining the prerogative to offer other food options at higher prices. This takes into account their costs and pricing strategies. Operators will also review their value meal prices from time to time and have previously adjusted prices upwards based on feedback from stallholders. Importantly, stallholders are not expected to make a loss from selling such value meals as they should have taken these into consideration when negotiating the rent with the operators.
Some Members have also asked about charitable meal schemes. So far, only Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre has such a scheme. The operator's Pay-It-Forward initiative was a well-intentioned initiative to give lower-income members of our community some additional support as part of our shared interest to make the hawker centre an inclusive community dining option.
The scheme was made known to stallholders upfront before they decided whether to rent stalls at this particular SEHC. NEA was also aware of the scheme. Therefore, stallholders who decided to proceed with renting stalls at the centre, rather than choose other centres without such a scheme, would have factored the costs into their business consideration. Notwithstanding this, I understand that the operator has not implemented the scheme to-date and following feedback from stallholders and the public, the operator has decided to remove the requirement from new agreements and tenancy renewals.
Some operators have developed phone apps which offer discounts to loyal customers. This is among various initiatives introduced by operators to attract patrons, increase footfall and encourage repeat customers at their SEHCs, which would also benefit stallholders. SEHC operators bear the costs of developing such apps and conducting marketing and publicity efforts, while stallholders bear a portion of the costs by providing discounts in return for increased sales. This is an example of the partnership and shared efforts of operators and stallholders to make their SEHCs vibrant and successful.
SEHC operators are required to conduct quarterly feedback sessions with their stallholders, which are also attended by NEA representatives. This serves as a regular platform for stallholders to provide feedback or ideas on improving the operations of SEHCs, or raise any areas of concern. For example, one operator took in feedback about high gas costs and will explore lower cost options after the current gas contract expires. Another operator stepped up checks on the segregation of trays and crockery following feedback from stallholders as well. This consultative approach between operators and stallholders fosters trust and understanding and allows differences to be addressed and SEHC operations to be improved.
Mr Speaker, our SEHCs have been vibrant and have brought many benefits to our community. Satisfaction levels for various aspects of SEHC management have been higher than 80% based on NEA's surveys between 2021 and 2024. Stall occupancy rates are at about 96%.
Nevertheless, we always welcome and have heard your feedback. NEA has always sought to strike a balance between safeguarding the interests of both hawkers and patrons, whilst giving SEHC operators sufficient room to set requirements aligned with their business strategies to help their SEHCs thrive and succeed. Moving forward, we will continue to improve the SEHC management model through constructive engagement with stakeholders and continuous refinements to better serve the interests of our community.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Foo Cexiang.
\tMr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Speaker. I thank Senior Parliamentary Secretary for her very comprehensive reply as well. I have three supplementary questions. The first, how do the average independently assessed value rents, which the SEHCs rentals are kept at, compare against that of NEA's own-managed hawker centres?
The second, while the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has mentioned the intent is that stallholders are not expected to make losses from selling the value meals, has NEA conducted a survey to understand if that is how indeed all hawkers understand the policy intent and have implemented it in such a way? I ask because I would expect there to be a wide variation in the practices on the ground, because there are some food types like \"cai png\" or economy rice, where this would be much more easily implementable as compared to say, Japanese food, where the base of the food cost is already higher.
My third clarification is, I understand that the discounts that the operators have on their apps for loyal customers can benefit the stallholders, but I would argue that they certainly would benefit the operators as much, if not more. So, my question is, does NEA know the proportion of the costs being borne by both sides? Is it the operators that bear the bulk of the cost, or is it the hawkers? I would argue that the operators should bear the bulk of the cost, because if indeed, it is for attracting footfall to the hawkers, then we can leave it to the hawkers themselves to implement their own discounts, rather than having one centralised and imposed on them.
\tMs Goh Hanyan: I would like to thank the Member for his questions. For the first question, the Member asked about the average independently valued rents at the SEHCs, how do they compare with that at NEA-managed hawker centres? Sir, I have some figures here. They are generally comparable. In 2024, the median monthly rent at SEHCs, compared to non-subsidised stalls at similar NEA-managed hawker centres, were $1,750 for the former and $1,450 for the latter. So, pretty comparable.
However, I would also like to highlight that when we compare rent, it should also not debase on absolute rent because we have to consider stall sizes and amenities in the centre. Those who have been to SEHCs would recognise that the stall sizes there are slightly bigger and also, there are other amenities that the stallholders would benefit from.
\t
The second question that the Member asked was about whether NEA has conducted a survey to understand how hawkers have understood the requirements and implemented the value meal requirement. To talk the Member through the process of how hawkers are made aware and how they implement the value meal requirement: first, these terms are made clear upfront by the operators prior to signing the tenancy agreements with the stallholders and they are required to then explain the terms clearly to the stallholders. So, the stallholders walk in with their eyes wide open about what is required and what they need to provide for the value meals.
Operators then work closely with the stallholders on the provision of these value meals, so that they can determine what to sell for these value meals. As the Member has suggested, a \"cai png\" stall will have a very different way of putting together some ingredients to meet the budget meal price, whereas a Japanese stall or a noodle stall would have a different way of putting together a meal that is within this price. I think it is also important for me to highlight that stallholders are not expected to make a loss when selling the value meals. The price is given and the stallholders then have the flexibility to put together a range of ingredients to meet that price.
And that is not the end of story. From time to time, we understand that prices would increase with inflation and other reasons. Operators have also then reviewed these value meal prices and adjusted accordingly based on feedback from the stallholders. So, I would say that it is an ongoing process and the stallholders are continuously engaged to ensure that they understand and implement these value meal requirements properly.
For the last question that the Member raised about the proportionate contribution between stallholders as well as the operators, I am glad that the Member has also pointed out that a loyalty programme pretty much benefits all parties in this situation. It benefits the stallholders because of increased footfall. Operators tend to gain as well and, of course, patrons tend to benefit from these discounts.
The discounts are then born by stallholders at the stall level. And this will help to attract returning customers. Operators then invest in centralised systems. So, in all the cases that we have seen across SEHCs that have operated such programmes, the operators are the ones that develop and maintain these apps and publicity efforts. Because these apps and different publicity efforts vary from location to location, the cost then varies across centres. But what is clear is that these are not passed on to the stallholders. These are done and extracted from the 50% of operating surplus that we require SEHC operators to plough back into the centre.
I would also like to highlight that beyond developing these apps, there are other ways that our operators have also driven traffic to centres, which, I think, we can agree could be very costly undertakings, such as shuttle buses, organising festive events, fringe events and so on.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Two supplementary questions for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. The first is in relation to the \"Pay It Forward\" free meals. Can I understand if NEA was aware of the contractual obligation of this, especially given that the operators would also have explained this to the hawkers themselves? And given, I think, what Senior Parliamentary Secretary said just now about how hawkers are not supposed to be making losses on these charitable initiatives, does NEA now take the view that these should not actually be part of the SEHC operator contractual agreements, and that these will be also included in the NEA guidelines going forward?
The second is in relation to the part on my original PQ, in terms of whether the Ministry will review the current distribution of responsibility for the provision of affordable and free meals, given that now it seems to have befallen squarely on the hawkers themselves?
\tMs Goh Hanyan: Sir, the Member asked two questions. I will answer the first part of the first question squarely, and then I will combine my answer to the first and the second question.
So, the first part of the first question is, was NEA aware? I mentioned in my reply just now, NEA was aware of the \"Pay It Forward\" programme and the requirement that was put into the tenancy agreement. To explain, for tenancy agreements, NEA has specific guidelines that were shared in previous Parliamentary debates. I mentioned examples of working hours as well as liquidated damages and a cap to those amounts. Beyond these hard guidelines, NEA does provide flexibility for operators to then commercially decide, together with the stallholders, on what might be the most appropriate other conditions to build in that recognise location and centre-specific differences. So, it will safeguard a certain set of guidelines; and for everything else, there is flexibility for operators to decide on that to stallholders.
What is important to us is that these are made clear and agreed upon with stallholders when tenancy agreements are signed. Because that is where stallholders should also have the responsibility and the ability, frankly, to then agree to these things, calculate it as part as their business decisions when deciding to locate their business in the SEHC versus other SEHCs or NEA hawker centres. So, NEA was aware.
The point about charitable initiatives and hawkers not expecting to make a loss, I would like to first differentiate. There are the value meal requirements, which are your lower-cost items, generally between $3.00 and $3.50 per meal, versus the \"Pay It Forward\" initiative. So, these are two very separate concepts. For the value meal requirement, that is where we say that hawkers are not expected to make a loss. I give you a price, $3.00 to $3.50, and then you figure out how to meet that within the cost of your ingredients so that you are not making a loss. So, my comment was related to the first concept.
The second concept on \"Pay It Forward\", because the stallholders then discuss that together with the operator, it is within the stallholders' consideration set as well, how they will then meet that. If they say they are able to, that is their business decision. And I assume that accounts for their pricing and their marketing strategies as well. I thought to make it very clear that these are two very different concepts.
To the Member's question about the distribution of responsibilities for providing low-cost nutrition meals and whether that is entirely fallen on the hawker itself and whether we should review the spread of responsibility. I think we should recognise that the value meal requirement, firstly, again to reiterate, that hawkers are not expected to make a loss. An additional point is that, today, value meals account for 5% to 20% of the number of meals a hawker sells. So, the hawker themselves, this is not expected to result in any business losses.
This should also then be seen in the context of what the other parties in the system are supporting hawkers with as well. As I mentioned earlier, operators, for instance, are expected to plough back 50% of operating surpluses to conduct activities that drive traffic to the centre and that benefits the hawkers. And now, the Government steps in as well: the cost of constructing and maintaining a hawker centre, we all know it is in the millions, and that is something that the Government does not recover from the operator and the stallholders.
So, in fact, there is the value meal requirement, but there is also the context in which we are supporting hawkers that we should also recognise that other parties have provided support for our hawkers too.
Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said that NEA officers are present at the contract signings. Does NEA have the power to veto specific clauses, specifically those regarding the turnover-based rent, mandatory supplier use or punitive fees?
And secondly, I want to come back to the point that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has addressed just now about the value meals. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary said that the hawkers are not expected to make a loss selling the value meals, and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary went on to say that the provision of the value meals is a shared responsibility and pointed out the Government already heavily subsidises the construction and running of the hawker centres. However, given that hawkers are often low-income earners, why should individual hawkers have to bear any of the cost of a social programme, like the provision of a value meal? Should the cost of this not be socialised?
\tMs Goh Hanyan: The Member's first question was about contract signing and whether NEA has any veto rights within the contract signing process. First and foremost, NEA officers are generally there during the tenancy agreement signing to ensure that terms are explained properly and that hawkers and the stallholders themselves understand what is being communicated. NEA would step in: one, I mentioned earlier on when the guidelines that we put out, the few guidelines that we think are \"no-nos\", we will step in if those are being infringed. And the other point that we may come in is when we believe that some of the conditions might be too one-sided or overly legalistic. In certain cases when we see that there may be hidden costs, we would then step in.
Certainly, there is space for us to come in to do that, but more often than not, I think it is reasonable for us to leave some flexibility because the stallholders are there, and if it is understood and it is clearly explained to them, then the conditions and terms would be inside the contract.
The other question is why should hawkers have to bear any of the cost? I suppose my question back is what is the cost that the Member is referring to? Over here, we are saying that value meal items, it should be a price point and then the hawkers themselves would sell a meal that is at that price point, within a suite of food options that could be at different prices. So, you have one at $3.00 or $3.50, and then you have the ability to sell other meal items at various price points, depending on your business strategy.
We are not asking the hawkers themselves to dish out a subsidy for these budget meal items. We are asking them to come up with an item on their menu. And so, the cost, in this case, is not as direct as the Member has said, in terms of us forcing the hawker to provide a certain subsidy upfront.
Mr Speaker: Moving on to the next lot of questions. Ms Mariam Jaafar.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Question subsequently withdrawn: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry conducts a review of the Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) model on a regular basis; (b) if so, what is the frequency of the review and when was it last reviewed; and (c) what are the findings from its latest review."],"footNoteQuestions":["8","9","10"],"questionNo":"8-10"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"HDB Shop Rental Trends and Efforts to Keep Rents Affordable","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"11 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development (a) for each year in the past three years, what has been the year-on-year increase in average rental per square foot for HDB commercial units (i) rented directly from HDB (ii) sublet from a master tenant that rents from HDB and (iii) sublet from a private owner, respectively; and (b) whether HDB is considering approaches to keep rental rates in check in each of these categories.
12 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for National Development for each of the past five years, including 2025 to date, what is the average rent per square metre and average rent quantum for commercial units successfully tendered out by HDB that year for medical facilities (i) island-wide (ii) within existing HDB blocks and (iii) within new BTO developments, respectively.
13 Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether an update can be provided on HDB’s efforts to keep the rent of HDB shops affordable, in particular those selling cooked food or providing medical services; and (b) whether HDB is exploring ways to moderate rental increases in high-rent areas, including by increasing the supply of HDB-owned shops.
14 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development (a) as of August 2025, how many HDB shops are (i) sold and (ii) rented out directly by HDB respectively; (b) how many HDB shops which have been sold have a remaining lease of less than 10 years, as of August 2025; and (c) whether the recent steep rise in the rent of privately held HDB rental shops is due to a shortage in supply of HDB shops.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for National Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 11, 12, 13 and 14 in today's Order Paper together?
\tMr Speaker: Please go ahead.
\tMs Sun Xueling: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) plans its towns and estates comprehensively to ensure that residents have convenient access to affordable goods and services. A key measure is to ensure a good supply of shops in every HDB estate and town, so that there is healthy competition. As of August 2025, there are around 15,500 HDB shops in Singapore. Of these, about 8,500 are sold and hence, privately owned, and about 7,000 are rented out by HDB.
For shops rented out by HDB, there are various measures in place to keep rents stable. All shops are typically rented out by HDB for a period of three years. When the existing tenancy is due for renewal, the rent for the next tenancy period is assessed by professional valuers appointed by HDB, taking into account recent rents of comparable premises in the vicinity as well as prevailing market and local conditions. Under this approach, rents in 90% of HDB rental shops have not seen an increase in rents in the last five years. Over the last three years, average rents increased at a moderate pace of between 1.3% and 3.3% per year.
For all new generation neighbourhood centres, new eating houses and new supermarkets, HDB applies the price quality method (PQM) tender with 60% of points assigned to the quality of the operator, which includes aspects such as good track record and community initiatives. Such tenders allow HDB to holistically evaluate both price and quality factors instead of simply awarding to the highest priced bid.
As for HDB shops that are sold, their rents are determined by their respective owners, similar to any other private property.
We are aware that per-square-foot rents for privately-owned HDB shops have seen a steep increase recently. This coincided with a higher proportion of rental transactions involving smaller sized units, which tend to command higher per-square-foot rents.
HDB ceased the sale of HDB shops in 1998 and now rents out shops to businesses directly. There are around 740 privately-owned HDB shops sold on 30-year leases, more than 80% of which have less than 10 years of lease remaining. These shops will progressively be returned to HDB and then tenanted out.
The remaining of around 7,700 privately-held HDB shops were sold on 99-year leases and they still have more than 30 years on their lease remaining.
HDB will continue to provide new shops in new public housing developments and we will also inject new retail supply to meet demand in existing estates when necessary, including the option of selectively acquiring privately-held HDB shops if needed.
Overall, we will see an increase in the supply of HDB shops, a higher proportion of which will be directly rented out by the HDB.
On the rents for HDB shops tended out for medical facilities, I will provide the average rent per square foot. This is because shop units of different sizes and the absolute rent quantum, therefore, does not provide a meaningful comparison. The average rent per square foot was $10.40 in 2020, $10 in 2021, $16.80 in 2022, $17.50 in 2023, $22.70 in 2024, and $28.50 in the first half of 2025.
For vacated units in existing HDB blocks, which are typically in older estates, the average rent per square foot increased from $5.70 in 2020, to $11.40 in the first half of 2025. In comparison, the average rent per square foot is higher for new lettings in new Build-To-Order (BTO) developments, which increased from $12.30 in 2020, to $39.30 in the first half of 2025. The difference is mainly due to the fact that these new leases are located in newer residential areas where the shop units are newer and the businesses may consider them to be more attractive.
Until recently, we have been letting out most shop units for general practitioner (GP) clinics purely based on price. To improve quality outcomes and to lower the bidding pressure, HDB and the Ministry of Health (MOH) have started piloting PQM tenders for GP clinics since May this year, with 70% of points assigned to the quality of the operator. For the first PQM tender awarded to a GP clinic in Bartley Beacon, the awarded rent was $16.70 per square foot, which is lower than the average awarded bid of $35.50 per square foot for designated GP clinic tenders in new housing projects awarded in the last three years.
On sublet rents, HDB currently does not collect these data, which are part of the contractual agreements between HDB tenants and their sub-tenants. We understand the concerns that sublet rents could increase more significantly than what HDB charges the main tenant. We will continue to monitor the situation and explore appropriate ways to provide more information to all stakeholders.
Mr Speaker: Ms Mariam Jaafar.
\tMs Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply. I have two supplementary questions. The first is on the rental increases by category. I think the Senior Minister of State talked about the increase for private-owned properties as well as properties rented directly by HDB. But I did ask about that category of a sublet rents. I understand that that has gone up significantly, and if HDB's increases are only in the 1.3% to 3.5% range to the master tenant, I do believe that is going up much more for their sublets. So, what is HDB doing about that?
Secondly, on the medical clinics, could the Senior Minister of State share what are some of the quality measures that have been given priority? And in particular, do the opening hours of the clinics qualify as markers of quality? I ask this because I have asked this a few times in the House. In my area in Woodlands North Plaza, which is a big commercial centre, we have three medical clinics, none of which operate after 5.00 pm, and only till 12.00 pm on Saturdays, which is really unhelpful, especially for young families and families with seniors, where people have to take leave just to take their loved ones to the clinic.
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her two supplementary questions. I will handle the second question first. I have shared that HDB and MOH have started piloting the PQM tender for GP clinics. For the quality condition, where 70% of the points are awarded in this category, the following areas are considered. One is the care model, whether the clinic is offering multi-disciplinary care. The second area is the manpower quality, whether or not the assistants in the clinic have undergone training, whether the staff have undergone training. And thirdly, specifically on the operation side of the house, which is the operating hours. So, I hope that answers the Member's second question.
On the issue of sublet rent, indeed, that is an area of concern. We have been hearing anecdotal feedback. Per my main reply, unfortunately, at this stage, we do not collect the data of the rents between the master tenant and the sublet rent, though there would be instances where the data is actually furnished to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), because they have to pay stamp duties on rental leases.
Moving forward, I have shared that for new neighbourhood centres, we are applying the PQM model. And apart from looking at the generic affordability within the quality condition, we might look at how there can be a better provisioning of information with regards to sublet rent as part of the quality metrics.
Mr Speaker: Mr Henry Kwek.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru): I thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive response. I have a supplementary question on the rental in the resale shops, shops that are sold by HDB. I welcome the openness of MND to consider all options, including compulsory acquisitions. Can I just check: will MND be open to prioritising trades, where the cost of rental are leading to a much higher cost of living implications, for example, cooked food, so that interventions can be done sooner than later, given that that is a pressing concern on many Singaporeans' minds?
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his supplementary question. I did mention in my main reply that we will look at the option of selectively acquiring privately-held HDB shops, if necessary, and definitely, one of the considerations would be whether or not the product and service is essential.
But that said, I do want to also take a step back and make sure that we remember the larger picture, which is that the sold shops are privately owned. And the owners of these shops have obviously made their business calculations. And if I may refer Members to a recent Straits Times commentary by Prof Sing Tien Foo, who is a professor in the Department of Real Estate at the National University of Singapore, he did share that, ultimately, there is a limit as to how much private landlords can raise rents before losing their tenants.
I think that we have to allow market forces to play out. There is demand and supply considerations. Landlords make their business decisions. Tenants make their business decisions, but I think that when it comes to essential services, specifically in the areas of food and medical service, we will take a more critical look at it, especially where we deem that the supply in an area is less than what would be optimal, then HDB would look into potentially, selectively, acquiring shops so that overall supply goes up and that there are more options for residents in that area.
Mr Speaker: Mr Louis Chua.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Thank you, Speaker. Just two quick supplementary questions. Firstly, I do welcome the PQM at Bartley Beacon for the GP clinic. I just wanted to understand for subsequent renewals of the GP clinics at HDB estates, would there also be a similar requirement to have the quality of healthcare provision, being assessed as part of the renewal condition?
And secondly, in terms of the PQM method for new tenders across other trade mix, such as dental and so on, are these also being considered?
\tMs Sun Xueling: I am sorry, I did not quite catch the second question, but I will respond to the first one first. As I mentioned, HDB and MOH embarked on our first PQM tender in May this year. This was awarded in August, so we are still looking at the experience of conducting these PQM tenders, and we are thinking what would be the appropriate steady-state model.
But indeed, because medical services are essential to the community, I would say that it is more likely that we would be implementing PQM to more clinics rather than less. And for sure, new GP clinics in HDB estates will use the PQM approach. As for the Member's second question? I apologise.
\tMr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Extending the PQM method to other trade mix like dental and all that.
\tMs Sun Xueling: Yes, I had mentioned in my main reply that for all new neighbourhood centres, we are applying PQM for our HDB rental shops.
Mr Speaker: Mr Ang Wei Neng.
\tMr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast-Jurong West): I thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive answer, but I want to ask how many sold shops have HDB acquired so far and under what circumstances would HDB consider acquiring the HDB-sold flats. I ask this because I understand that some of the owners of the current HDB-sold flats often lease them out to the highest possible rent and frequently, this could result in units being leased to businesses, like spas or licensed moneylenders who can pay a higher rent. This, in turn, can lead to an undesirable business mix in the neighbourhood.
Thus, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether HDB would consider accelerating the acquisition of HDB-sold flats, in particular in the Nanyang division, where we have new BTO flats, but we do not have new supply of HDB shops and there is a shortage of eating houses.
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for his question. I will come back to the Member as to whether or not we have selectively acquired any HDB-sold shops before. I do not think we have done so, but let me come back to you on that point, because I have mentioned that this is not our current policy. [Please refer to \"Clarification by Senior Minister of State for National Development\", Official Report, 14 October 2025, Vol 96, Issue 7, Clarification section.]
And if we should look into it, it would be based on what I have shared with the Member Mr Henry Kwek earlier, who had asked a similar question, we would have to look at the overall supply of shops in the area. We have to decide whether or not these are essential services that we are concerned about. We have to determine if the market forces at play are not at the right balance, where residents are being adequately cared for. And it is only where all these conditions are met that we will consider selectively acquiring shops.
I will just like to share where the difficulty level is. You must understand that for the specific situations that Members are most concerned about, those sold shops were probably sold at a high market price, in the first place, to begin with.
So, what Members seem to be suggesting is to ask HDB to acquire that already highly priced sold shop. That is one possibility. Another possibility is to selectively acquire shops around it to increase supply. These are two different scenarios.
If we are to look at acquiring the sold shop, which is already transacted at a high price, I do not think that that is a good use of taxpayers' money. But if we are looking at selectively acquiring shops around that sold shop, which is charging a very high rental, leading to high product prices and so on and so forth, that is something that we can consider, but we will have to look at the overall supply of shops in the market, and what are the products and services they are offering.
\t
\tMr Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.
\tMr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Senior Minister of State for the range of replies on this issue. My question pertains to her point in her main answer. I believe Senior Minister of State repeated it in her reply to Member Ms Mariam Jaafar. This pertains to the sublet data. The Senior Minister of State said that HDB will continue to monitor this area.
Can I suggest to the Senior Minister of State that publication of this information would give, short of being a canary in the coal mine, a good indication of what is the situation involving some of the cost pressures that affect Singaporeans on the ground? So, rather than just monitor it, perhaps HDB should take a further step forward in line with what she said about IRAS data, for example, and compile it for the general public.
\t
\tMs Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for the suggestion. Indeed, I have mentioned that we are monitoring the situation and by that I mean that we will have to look at the data that is available. Some of the data might not be very clean, in particular, because some of the disclosure of the data is disclosed to IRAS, and then the Urban Redevelopment Authority pulls the data from IRAS, and then, we post it on Real Estate Information System (REALIS), which is URA-maintained. So, we do have data that we can look at.
After we look at that data, where we know that there are imperfections in the market, where possible, we will look at how to potentially intervene.
But I would just caution that we might not want to overstep the boundaries, because fundamentally there is a commercial transaction between the master tenant and the sublet tenant. They both have their business considerations. So, while we maintain an open stance that the HDB, while promoting greater transparency of data and we can potentially act, I would just like to caveat that we may not also want to overstep, because there are market forces at play. We have to let business owners, whether or not it is the landlord or the sublet tenant, make their decisions based on what they deem is relevant and suitable for their business considerations.
\t
\tMr Speaker: In spite of my best endeavours, we only cleared 14 PQs today. Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the day.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"President's Speech","subTitle":"Debate on Address of Thanks – third allotted day","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Order read for the Resumption of Debate on Question [22 September 2025]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"That the following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to: (proc text)]
[(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the First Session of this Parliament.'.\" – [Mr Sharael Taha] (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Ms Cassandra Lee.
Ms Cassandra Lee (West Coast-Jurong West): Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks for the President’s Address. I seek your guidance as I embark on my journey as a Parliamentarian.
Mr Speaker, in the President’s address, the President spoke about Singapore’s remarkable journey from an improbable beginning to a thriving nation, built by the selfless sacrifice, resolve and perseverance of those before us. As the youngest elected Member, I carry two duties today: to honour the foundations we inherited and to help build the next bound for my generation so that the Singapore story continues.
In my view, the biggest task Singapore faces today is what I call the \"Singapore Puzzle\": how do we compete in this changing world, without losing ourselves? To hold together what seems to pull apart – racing fast while moving as one, reaching for the stars while catching those who fall. The global tide is shifting, currents are turning fast. As we chart our course through stormy seas, we need an anchor.
The President and the Prime Minister have called for a \"we first\" society. I agree. This is critical. It will decide whether we succeed in solving this Puzzle. And how we go about it.
And first, we must first know who “we” are. At its heart lies the family – the puzzle piece that anchors us with its web of relationships and gives us a sense of identity. If this piece weakens, so too will every other piece. Our local workforce will decline, our national security will weaken, our communities will thin without intergenerational bonds, and our sense of “home” and national identity will erode. A \"we first\" Society cannot endure unless we first know who “we” are. Families give meaning to that “we”.
Young parents today are stretched – striving to build their careers, but strained by caregiving responsibilities, costs and the unpredictability of early childhood. The pressure is real. But so too is our ability to ease it. The Government saw the challenge and acted. That is something to be proud of. And this is just the beginning.
This is perhaps the best time in Singapore to start and raise a family – because this Government is listening, learning and determined to act. I will play my part to speak on policies that strengthen families, so that the Family Puzzle piece can maintain its place in the heart of the Singapore Puzzle.
Over the years, the Family Puzzle piece has changed its shape. It no longer fits as before. Working parents face a widening care gap. Technology has rewritten the playbook on raising children. Our seniors seek connections in this fast-changing world. If the pieces do not align, the picture will reveal its fault lines.
Mr Speaker, in my speech today, I will focus on the care gap facing working parents. But the other corners of this puzzle piece are no less important.
First, on the care gap. Many in my generation are young parents or parents-to-be. We grew up in a Singapore that was prosperous and stable. We have been given opportunities our parents could only dream of. We take pride that Singapore consistently punches above its weight internationally. We see no need to compromise.
The world is racing ahead, and so must we. We must move quickly to find our niche in a contested and fragmented global market and adapt our people for new technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI). We must stay competitive and hungry.
But at home, we are stretched – caring for young children, ageing parents and coping with rising costs of living. We are ambitious, but often exhausted. Many still aspire to marriage and parenthood. But the reality of raising a child in today’s Singapore weighs heavily on young parents. Four in 10 cite stress as a main reason for not wanting children.
Young parents today want to be present for their child. Many prefer not to rely on a domestic helper or on the help of grandparents. Others do not have the benefit of these options. This means that young parents are often saddled with heavy caregiving responsibilities.
The problem is exacerbated by the increase in dual income families. Young working parents find themselves constantly juggling. Juggling careers with the unpredictability of childcare and childhood illnesses, the unspoken shame of pumping at work or leaving office in the evening for school pick-ups, the unseen second shift of housework and childcare after work.
There are expectations at work, if parents want to be seen as equal next to their non-parent colleagues. Especially in a competitive job market like ours. Especially in a time of economic change where, as the President noted in his address, workers need to adapt and evolve to stay relevant. Especially in a generation like ours today, where the number of non-parent employees is increasing and parents start to feel more like outsiders, pushed into the periphery.
Indeed, the Family Trends Report 2025 reported a decrease in the take-up of Government-Paid Maternity Leave by mothers, from 79% in 2019 to 74% in 2023. More than one in four mothers do not take more than two months of maternity leave. Do our working mothers feel the need to expedite their return to the workplace, or suffer the consequences?
Another example which is a common experience for most parents: hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks happen frequently in preschools. Children can catch it more than once. And when infected, they must be brought home and looked after. But each parent has only six days of childcare leave a year. A single bout of HFMD for a single child can wipe out almost all of it. Add to this preschool closures and other childhood illnesses, coupled with the pressures and insecurities of work and rising costs, and it is easy to see how the early years can become overwhelming.
There is also the omnipresent pressure to live up to society’s ideal of a “good” parent – pouring immense time, energy and resources into securing a child’s future. With technology, AI and rising expectations, that pressure has only grown.
The early years are difficult. And unlike past generations, ours has more choices. Parenthood is no longer the default – there are other options, some of which feel more urgent and important, others feel more comfortable. Do we perceive family as an ideal that looks good on paper, but not a realistic goal or an attractive experience?
Mr Speaker, I am concerned. I am concerned that these sentiments are spreading. The desire to marry is slowly falling across the years. Seven in 10 of our youths feel that it is not necessary to get married or have children in a marriage. These sentiments have crystallised into reality. Our TFR is at its lowest. This is reshaping our society. It affects policy planning in areas like education, housing, health, even national security. But perhaps most critically, it will affect our identity as a nation.
What can we do to arrest this trend? We can further strengthen the bridge between work and caregiving. Singaporeans have consistently told us that career and raising a family are equally important to them. Let us not make them choose between work and family. Let us empower them to thrive in both.
We have made tremendous progress in this area, especially in the last few years. These policy changes will need time to make an impact, and in the meantime, we must continue the progress.
Mr Speaker, I make some suggestions on how we can further strengthen the bridge between work and caregiving for working parents. But before I do so, I want to acknowledge that these suggestions cost money and can exacerbate manpower challenges. Our employers are still adjusting to the new parental leave regime and face an uncertain global market. We do not want to introduce these suggestions at the expense of our businesses. We need mindset shifts from both employers and employees to make the following suggestions work in a mutually beneficial way, and in a way that will last in the long term, and in a way that will not be abused.
And there is something in it for employers too. In today’s competition for talent, family-friendly human resources (HR) policies build trust, retain top talent, and save employers the hidden cost of good people walking away. Dual income families are contributing to our economy, and I believe our young working parents want to be able to do right by their children and by their employers.
I suggest that as we help companies leverage on technology and AI to improve productivity and stay relevant in the new market, we keep the following suggestions in mind.
We can restructure childcare leave to increase incrementally with each child. We can make flexible work arrangements genuinely accessible for both mothers and fathers. We can provide contingencies for common childhood illnesses, with sick bays and medical support where the children are. We can strengthen workplace culture and HR practices so that young parents are supported to thrive both at work and at home. And we can reshape how society and workplaces see parenthood and families – by bringing to light not just its challenges, but the deep joys and meaning it brings. Bridging the care gap will take a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach, all of us rowing in the same direction.
Second, let us do more to equip parents with raising a child in this brave new digital world. Technology is pervasive in all areas of our lives and, by extension, our children's lives. As far as child-raising goes, with grandparents stepping back, Google, TikTok, ChatGPT, YouTube and Instagram have stepped in. But the Internet is no wise elder and viral content often outruns accurate advice.
We must help young parents with what they need to make the best decisions for their children – from food choices to schooling, healthy sleeping practices and well-being. In this way, we not only ease their burdens, but give every child the strongest start in life. With the right support, parents can spend less time firefighting and more time strengthening the bonds that matter, with their children and with their own parents.
That brings me to my third point, connecting with seniors.
More seniors are living alone. The number has doubled in the last 10 years. Where do seniors belong in our Singapore Puzzle amidst all these fast-paced economic and social changes? We must not only provide for our seniors physically. We must not forget to connect with them emotionally. Empowering seniors to find their second lease of life will also ease the load on their children as they balance work and caregiving.
We can bring together Active Ageing Centres and schools – seniors reading to children, youths teaching digital skills to seniors, youths inventing interactive games to train seniors' agility and memory, and seniors passing on life lessons that cannot be found in textbooks, lessons especially important in this age of AI.
We can also create opportunities for inter-generational sports. Pickleball, I understand, is popular across ages.
In closing, we are at a crossroads. What the Singapore Puzzle will look like at SG100 depends most of all on today's young parents and those deciding whether or not to be parents. The suggestions raised will come at a cost. We must decide whether it is worth the cost. We, as a society, must ask ourselves: do we want to have children? What does it take for us to build families and have children?
Families are not just a private choice. They are a public good. They shape the strength of our workforce, the resilience of our national defence, the cohesion of our communities and the depth of our national identity. If we want Singapore at SG100 to remain cohesive and stay ours, we must start now to secure the foundation.
Let Singapore be a place where our children grow up with roots to ground them and wings to let them soar. We must solve the Singapore Puzzle together and shape the next bound of Singapore not as bystanders, but as builders of our common future. In Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, in my view, the greatest challenge Singapore faces today is what I call the \"Singapore Puzzle\". How do we compete in this changing world whilst walking hand in hand with our people; how to reach for the stars and chase dreams without forgetting to help the vulnerable?
To solve this puzzle, we must first secure the puzzle piece that is the \"family\". Once the family puzzle piece loosens, all other pieces will inevitably shift out of place.
The \"we first\" that the President and Prime Minister speak of, has family at its core.
New parents today face tremendous pressure, having to care for both young and old at home whilst striving to keep up with the increasingly competitive workplace. They harbour big dreams yet often find themselves exhausted. But our generation has more choices. Marriage and parenthood are no longer seen as necessary or default. All the more so when we look at friends who have become parents – exhausted, constantly on the run, barely catching a breath. Just watching them can make one dizzy. Some begin to think it is better to enjoy some peace and quiet. Life is already busy enough without children.
Seeing such pressures, many family and friends advise: one child is enough, or even no children is okay! Gradually, more people choose to have fewer children, or none at all.
I hope we can work together to lighten the burden for young parents. The Government has already taken swift action in recent years, launching a series of policies to support young parents in starting families. This is just the beginning. Perhaps we are now at a stage in Singapore where there is more support than ever before for families to take root, grow, and raise the next generation because our Government is listening, learning and firmly committed to taking real action.
I will champion policies to strengthen families so that families find their right place in the \"Singapore Puzzle\". I propose that Parliament explore several initiatives.
First, supporting young parents in finding better balance between career and childcare, such as allowing parental leave to increase progressively with the number of children, supporting flexible work arrangements for young parents, exploring how childcare centres can provide responses to common childhood ailments, and fostering truly pro-family corporate and workplace cultures. Second, supporting parents in guiding their children to grow up healthily in the digital and technological age. Third, supporting seniors in truly enjoying fulfilling lives with good physical and mental health, whilst also reducing caregiving responsibilities for their children.
But most importantly, we must engage young Singaporeans to work with the Government, to put our heads and hearts together, work hard side by side and piece together a Singapore Puzzle that belongs to us.
We must confront this reality and seriously ask ourselves: what kind of Singapore society do we hope to see at SG100?
Will it be one with smaller families, fewer people, and shrinking workforce; where elders and younger generations grow distant and the sense of “home\" and national identity slowly fades away? Or will it be one where home endures, people remain, where young parents can work with peace of mind and raise their children with joy, where the bonds and responsibilities of family are firmly held and passed on, allowing our familiar Singapore culture and stories to be carried forward, generation after generation, continuing the legacy left to us by our forefathers?
The ones who understand this situation best are our younger generation – those who face these pressures every day. I hope that our young Singaporeans will take part in completing this Singapore Puzzle together. If the younger generation remain un-involved, allowing society to drift away from their ideals and aspirations, then, amid the many alluring choices before us, I cannot be sure that our people will still choose to call Singapore their home. I sincerely invite our youths to join me in shaping our nation's future, to share your hopes and constructive ideas for Singapore, and to make this choice together: to choose Singapore.
Mr Speaker: Dr Hamid Razak.
Dr Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West): Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker and hon Members of Parliament (MPs). I am honoured for this opportunity to deliver my maiden speech in Parliament in our national language.
Today, I will touch on the issue of mental health and the steps we can take as a society to play our part in caring for and helping one another. In our efforts to care for the mental health of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore, we need to acknowledge traditional beliefs, integrate modern practices and create inclusive discussions so that every individual receives support without going against their religious and cultural values.
However, the issue of stigma and misconceptions about mental illness still exists despite various efforts that have been undertaken to change public mindset. One important step to reduce this stigma is encouraging open conversations and providing integrated mental health services that are easily accessible.
When we discuss with open minds, support one another and respect religious and cultural backgrounds, we will certainly be able to strengthen the mental health of our entire community. I will elaborate further on how we can work together as a society to improve mental health in my English speech later.
(In English): Mr Speaker, in Tamil, please.
(In Tamil): Those shall long live who have mastered the five senses and who stand true to righteousness. This is the sixth couplet of the Thirukkural. The meaning of this verse is, it is important to lead a righteous life through the abstinence of harmful desires that the body, the mouth, the eyes, the nose and the ears seeks. Those who do so will lead a long life, proclaimed Thiruvalluvar.
In order for humans to control these five bodily senses, it is not only important to have physical strength; it is essential for one to have good mental health too. Hence, to live a long and fulfilling life, mental health is of utmost importance.
Today, mental health is of equal importance to physical health. However, in our Indian community, some are shy in talking about mental health and mental illnesses. At times, it is considered a stigma too. In time to come, this may lead to a difficult situation.
Depression, anxiety, loneliness – these are silent ailments. As mental illness is hidden from the outside and the intensity of it increases day after day, it could even take away one's life.
Therefore, as a united community, what we have to do is very clear.
First, we have to come to a realisation that this is a real problem that we have in our society and take it face to face. Next, is to look after one another; our families and friends, and support them. Third, if need be, one should not hesitate to approach doctors, counsellors or seek social resources.
To ask about mental health; and to seek help for it; this is not a weakness – but this is the strength. No one needs to carry the burden of their mental illnesses alone. This is a burden that we could all come together and carry as a society.
(In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion and do so with gratitude to the residents of the West Coast-Jurong West group representation constituency (GRC), especially those in Jurong Spring and Gek Poh, who have given me the honour of serving them and to my colleagues and mentors who have guided me on this journey.
The President in his address has urged us to make Singapore a place where every citizen can have a joyful and fulfilling life as they age.
Joy, however, is not simply the ticking off of years on a calendar. Joy to someone could be seeing their grandchild take their first steps to a parent whose joy is seeing their children smiling and reading. The joy could be within the community when volunteers see someone get up from a fallen position.
Joy is a quiet expression at times. To be joyful, health is important. Physical health is important. But mental health? It is indispensable. Without mental well-being, colours fade and the world's beauty becomes harder to see, even for the most positive of people. How long we live really depends on how well our mind can function.
In this country, we are in the midst of re-working how health is understood and delivered. Health is often described as complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. I must say much progress has been made in the frameworks where we promote physical health, as seen in the launch and the take-up of Healthier SG.
Mental health also has rightly received attention in recent years. For example, we launched the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy in 2023. With that, we aim to create an effective mental health ecosystem with accessible, high-quality clinical care and a supportive community. Yet, while our frameworks for physical illness are clear, mental health often presents hidden challenges. Let me explain further.
Through Healthier SG, we screen widely for hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes. A simple blood pressure machine, you slap on a cuff, you see a reading above 150, you know that is a trigger for action, right? You would see a doctor to assess it further. Even if it is white-coat hypertension, it is just a sort of guide, you get anxious when you seek medical attention. Similarly, you prick your finger and you see a glucose reading that is more than 15, you panic, and you see a doctor.
But mental health, Members of the House, this is different. A person with early anxiety, with early depression or, perhaps, with a hoarding disorder, may not even realise that they have a problem.
Let me share a story from Jurong Spring that has stayed with me. Not long ago, a resident noticed a food parcel hanging outside her neighbour's door for three days untouched, so she reached out to me, deeply worried for her neighbour. So, with community partners and our agencies, we entered the unit and found not just an empty flat, but one filled wall-to-wall with decades of hoarded items, leaving only a narrow strip of path for me and my volunteers to walk.
The only items, the only items that seemed sensible were a line of bottles: pepper, a bottle of salt, condiments and cooking oil, lined up side-to-side in the kitchen cabinet as if the resident had to hold on to some sort of order in her life. This elderly resident, I came to realise, had a long history of anxiety and a hoarding disorder and the only reason we were able to enter the home to see this state of affairs was because she was hospitalised and had not picked up the Meals-On-Wheels distribution that was hanging on her door for three days.
This story illustrates why mental health is different. It is not just the individual that suffers. Symptoms often are subtle, often noticed by family, friends or neighbours, and sometimes too late. Families are left helpless, not knowing where to turn. Neighbours live in fear or discomfort. Entire communities feel the strain. Volunteers, grassroots leaders and social workers often become the first responders, and they too carry an emotional weight when doing so.
So, Members of this House, unlike hypertension or diabetes or high cholesterol, where objective markers drive treatment, mental health conditions lack such clear triggers for action. If left unaddressed, they harm not just the individual but also create what I call \"second victims\" and we cannot allow that to happen.
We must bring mental health treatment and screening upstream, just as we have done with chronic diseases.
First, we can consider integrating mental health screening into a wider community health framework just like what we have done with Healthier SG. Just as we screen for hypertension after we are 40, we can use simple, validated point-of-fact questionnaires to pick up early depression or anxiety.
In fact, today, Members and I, we could go Healthhub.sg and just answer nine simple questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire to see whether we have early depression or anxiety. We could go to mindline.sg, interact with the chatbot to see how our mental well-being is like. But some in our community need that additional nudge. They need some for barriers to be removed before they can take action.
Second, just like how we do so in matters in the municipal, we should consider adopting a \"no wrong door policy\" when it comes to mental health disorders. Often, mental health issues are multi-faceted and require multi-agency coordination and intervention. We already today have Community Outreach Teams (CREST), social service agencies and volunteer networks doing great work. A coordinated platform in our community would ensure that anyone knocking on the door will receive timely help and guidance.
Third, we should nurture safe community spaces where residents and neighbours can share concerns and know that timely help will be available for those showing signs of distress. This can eventually evolve into an ecosystem of trust that can sustain itself.
And finally, I am aware that such interventions do take a toll on manpower and cause volunteer fatigue so we should test these out in a phased and sandboxed approach, refining them with partners before we can scale nationwide.
Just as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes can debilitate, we must understand that so too can mental health conditions and often more insidiously. All of us want to remain healthy in our homes, not end up in hospitals. A life lost because of a missed diagnosis or untreated mental health disorder is one life too many.
Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to recall an adage from the medical profession which prescribes: to cure sometimes, to treat often, but to comfort – always. Our aim should be not just to prevent illness, but to preserve dignity and to restore hope.
Mental health, we know, is pervasive. Like the wind, we may not see it – but we feel its effect in the homes, in the blocks and the communities that we serve in. Now, before we know it, a gentle breeze may become a storm. We need to own this problem before the problem owns us. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): In 2024, Singapore's per capita income reached $100,000. This is among the highest in the world and greater than most advanced industrialised economies. That we were able to attain the standard of living in the relatively brief span of 60 years since our Independence is a testament to just how far we have come in terms of income and wealth.
Yet in spite of these undeniably impressive achievements, many Singaporeans still express a sense of frustration at their lot, hold perceptions that their world-beating incomes remain inadequate and argue that they are struggling to make ends meet. What gives? We can choose to believe that Singaporeans are simply too sheltered, too pampered, too ungrateful to recognise the good thing that they have going on. But as policy-makers, we must surely take such feedback in good faith and seek to understand why so many households feel this way but somehow have been unable to adequately express why.
In the speech, I will expound on why I think many Singaporeans indeed feel this way. My explanation has to do with different notions of what it means to live, survive and thrive in a society where policy-making is still largely made on the basis of efficiency. This stands in contrast to other notions of justice that many hold dear, such as whether something is equitable or if it is fair.
Imagine, if you will, that if you had to cut the cake, if it helps, you can think of my daughter's favourite, like forest cake. For those of us that are unfamiliar with this make, it has parts that are composed of chocolate, cream and cherries. It is also rather delicious. Say, I am interested in splitting the cake between my daughter, who loves chocolate, but would not typically touch cherries or cream; and my wife, who prefers cherries and cream more, you could say that an efficient splitting of this cake involves carving out the chocolate bits for my kid and leaving the parts with cherries and cream for my better half. It is efficient because we gave each one what they value more, and as wisdom tells us, \"happy wife, happy life\". But it is clearly unequal.
This may not be a big deal. After all, both my wife and daughter are happier than they would otherwise be were you to propose a swap. There is not any envy.
If we were deciding public policy along these lines, one could make a compelling argument that this is a very fair division. However, if I was splitting the cake between my daughter and myself, things would be rather different. See, I happen to like chocolate, too. So, even if you gave me more cherries and cream, I would still find the split unfair. For me, then, it would be better to cut the cake exactly in half, say, so that we will have equal shares of chocolate that we both like. This equitable distribution would, perhaps, be another sound principle for public policy, but it would not strike my daughter as very fair.
Setting aside how in reality I will probably end up giving my share of the cake to my daughter anyway. This simple thought experiment illustrates how we cannot simply think about public policy in terms of just one idealised principle. The Government may value efficiency, for instance, but society may actually prefer one that is more equitable or perhaps one that they may perceive as fairer.
Let me offer some examples of how efficient public policy may inadvertently turn out to be unequal or unfair. I am an educator, so let me begin with schools.
Presently, the Ministry of Education (MOE) channels about $4.6 billion towards salaries for teachers and other education professionals, and another $3.8 billion in capital injections for educational institutions. Taken together, the spending on labour and capital for schools amounts to about three-fifths of the total education budget. Excluding appropriations for certain specialised programmes, such as the Independent Schools Programme, the Special Assistance Plan or Special Education Schools Programme, these are typically distributed according to the general principle of equality.
Each school receives resources proportional to their needs. To be clear, this does not mean that schools receive exactly equal budgets. If a school enrols more students or requires or offers additional programmes, such as language elective programmes, it will naturally receive funding that exceeds the baseline. Still, the approach is to slice the educational pie in a manner that treats every student essentially as equal.
Is this fair, however?
Allocating a proportional amount to each school fails to account for how, in reality, students in different schools have access to different amounts of resources. Our so-called neighbourhood schools are predominantly comprised of students from their nearby housing estates and are mostly middle-class. In contrast, many who attend a so-called brand name school hail from the wealthiest tier of households. Furthermore, schools in the latter category, by dint of their longer history and more successful alumni base, can easily raise additional funds through donation drives. The de facto resources that each student in Raffles or Anglo-Chinse School or Saint Nicholas is clearly more than that available to students in Compassvale or Outram or North Vista.
Here, what is equal does not seem fair. If we genuinely wish to have true equality, we would disproportionately support the weaker schools. This could be simply by sending relatively more funding their way or reducing what top schools receive. Or we could ensure that the best graduates in each teaching cohort spend significant time in such schools and tie their career advancement to how well they have raised the standards there.
A similar choice exists in transport policy. Singapore allocates its vehicle quarters using a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system, which is expected to bring in $6.6 billion this year alone. I have spoken more about this in the Adjournment Motion, but for now I will return to my arguments on whether the principles behind the system are fair.
COE, like most options, purports to be neutral. So, rather than inferring whether one household or another might deserve a car, quarter auctions ask those interested in owning a car to bid for the right to own one. The COE system takes this a step further by seeking efficiency in this outcome for both buyers and sellers, while ensuring that it raises a comparable amount of revenue for the Government.
What is absent from this scenario, however, is whether this efficient allocation is fair in the sense that those who own cars are also those who need it the most.
It is tempting to say that there is no way to know for sure who are the ones that are most in need of private transportation. Hence, bidding allows market prices to determine who these might be. After all, those who need a car more are likely to reveal themselves by bidding more. This implicitly assumes that those who bid less do so because their needs are lesser. Simple introspection will reveal that this is a flawed understanding of human behaviour. After all, we will only bid as much as we can afford. Bidding less does not mean that we value something less or need something less. It just means that we do not have enough money. We may well bid more if budget were not a constraint.
By abrogating the allocation decision to the market, we therefore are not truly neutral. Rather, we are implicitly accepting how allocations based on market prices, efficient though they may be, are also fair. Again, a little introspection will reveal how incomplete this claim is.
Accepting the COE system effectively acquiesces to an unequal outcome, that those who have more resources are able to buy more cars. Yet we already recognise that some groups, the elderly, those with many children, the disabled, do have greater needs that are deserving of more support from society. Not only does this resonate more with our Asian values, they are also groups that already explicitly receive support in various Government policy programmes. Most of us can easily, therefore, buy the argument that the needs of these groups for a car are, all else equal, larger than that of a wealthy household purchasing a third car to use on weekends.
A fairer system would make private transportation more affordable to them. When it comes to the economy, the most common pair of trade-offs, something I teach my students in their \"first principles of economics\" class is that, often, one needs to balance efficiency with equity. I will illustrate with three cases.
First, consider our existing corporate tax regime. The common refrain we hear in response to calls for us to raise our taxation on companies is that this will discourage investment. Increasing the corporate tax rate would not only be inefficient, since higher investments would typically lead to higher growth. But it may even be counter-productive, since the diminished profit may mean that companies choose to relocate elsewhere, where taxes are lower.
Let us set aside the claim that investment need materially be affected by the prevailing tax rate, a matter on which I had spoken about before and concluded that the evidence suggests not much. There is still a separate issue of whether the tax burden on companies versus households is even equitable. It is not possible to perfectly compare the two. Few companies pay the headline corporate tax rate of 17% due to exemptions, loss carry and rebates. But on average, firms are effectively taxed, something to the order of 2% to 4%.
In contrast, personal income taxes are imposed at the margin and progressively increased according to one's tax bracket. Calculations suggest that, on average, however, households pay around a fifth of their income in taxes. Even allowing for errors in these estimates, the tax rate faced by businesses and households are evidently not equal. Admittedly, increases in the corporate tax rate could result in a loss of economic efficiency and performance, but it will be much more equitable since we are evening out the burden that capital bears relative to labour.
Second, let us look at our Goods and Services Tax (GST). Like all sales taxes, the system is regressive, since the burden of the currently 9% tax is, on its face, greater for a lower-income household than a higher-income one. The Government has sought to make it more progressive by rebating part of the tax in the form of GST vouchers (GSTV). Despite this concession, the GST is likely to remain somewhat regressive, albeit less so than in the absence of vouchers altogether; and especially, if poorer households have a greater propensity to spend out of their incomes.
But let us say we believe that even greater progressivity is preferred, relative to the GST cum GSTV arrangement. Then, we may choose to rely, instead, on changes to the marginal tax rate on higher income brackets, because this would be yet more progressive and fairer. Or perhaps, we believe that every individual, rich or poor, should have an equal right to essentials, such as rice, oil and water. In this case, exemptions from a list of such staples becomes justifiable.
Thus, when seen from solely the lens of efficiency, a GST may seem like the only credible form of taxes on consumers. But once we can see the values like equality and fairness are just as important, other more inefficient forms of household taxes suddenly become palatable too.
Third, think about our carbon tax regime. Like any tax, it introduces inefficiencies. But as anyone who has taken even an introductory class in economics would be aware, this is only the case if we disregard additional costs external to these private actors, but whose consequences are born by everyone else due to climate change. For true equity, such externalities must be accounted for by those who generate carbon, which is why we have a carbon tax. But that is not all. Climate change also brings to bear whether we are doing enough to ensure inter-generational equity. That is because our children and their descendants cannot yet choose the sort of policies that will result in the world that they will eventually inherit, again with a situation where what is efficient is not automatically equitable.
Some may argue that there are more efficient ways to have countries bear the cost of their carbon footprint, through a quota system accompanied by a tradeable emissions permit. In theory, this is likely to be more efficient than even a carbon tax, since it will allow those who are best able to mitigate emissions to absorb the cost of doing so. But in practice, this means that richer countries will likely be able to purchase permits from poorer countries to allow them to emit more. Again, this is efficient.
But think about what this implies. It suggests that it is right for rich countries to effectively dump their pollution into poor ones, in the name of efficiency. This cannot be remotely fair. As this example show, what is efficient, what is equal, what is fair, differ not just in principle, but also in reality.
I could offer further instances of what is perceived as fair and just continues to elude many in Singapore, ranging from residual discrimination in the workplace due to age or sexual orientation to how our system of fines and penalties is felt more acutely by the lower-income than higher-income households; or to how the rich are able to access healthcare services more quickly than the poor. But why should we concern ourselves with such distinctions? Is it just theory?
The hard truth is that if we want public policy that society can embrace as fair, efficiency alone simply will not do. We also need to assure our citizens that everyone has an equal chance to succeed in life and that no one is left behind. Most will regard fair equality of opportunity as more appealing and attainable than the single-minded focus on equality of outcomes.
Of course, redistribution must still play a role. Despite recent progress, our income inequality remains higher than all but a handful of countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). And the gap in terms of wealth is even more yawning. Redistribution is also needed as a counterweight to blood luck, since success owes as much to good fortune as it does to pure merit.
Indeed, the two concepts are closely tied. Parents, outcomes, after all, are their children's opportunities. Equality of opportunity should be a means to advance our goals of social justice rather than an end per se. Moreover, if it is not already amply clear, ensuring equal opportunities is not solely about pushing for equal outcomes. This is not only because of the impossibility of sustaining blunt equality of this nature or the corrosive effect that such crude redistribution has on individual incentives to work. It is also because redistribution alone does not address the concentration of power in the economy or offer individuals agency, dignity, meaning and recognition that comes through work.
Hence, even with equal opportunities, we also need to remember that we are only as good as the least among us.
This means that terms like shared prosperity must be anchored in a very concrete way: that we cannot be satisfied with our economic success, our vaunted world-beating incomes, until the least advantage among us have a fair shot at living a life of dignity. This means that we should be horrified that there are uncles and aunties in our midst, approaching the ninth decade in their lives, who still feel compelled to work just to make ends meet. That there are those who that are disabled or terminally ill yet feel that they are being left behind by a Government that still prioritises self-reliance. That we accept as completely normal for a couple to share a Central Provident Fund (CPF) Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) payout of $930 a month, even though this falls below what we officially use as a threshold to evaluate poverty, at least according to ComCare.
In his address to Parliament, President Tharman stressed the importance of chasing, \"Not just growth, but inclusive growth, where every Singaporean has the confidence that tomorrow will bring brighter opportunities and a better life.\"
And what would such inclusive growth look like? He later elaborated that we need to \"ensure fairer outcomes\" and that we must ensure that success is, \"by how we support the vulnerable, and how we enable every Singaporean to live with dignity.\"
I agree with the President. In my speech, I have explained why, despite our material success, many still feel that the Government policies remain unfair, still view their opportunities as inequitable and still search for justice for the most vulnerable.
In this term of Parliament, I hope that we will continue to make progress in helping every Singaporean live dignified lives. It is what so many of the voters in Sengkang, whose confidence, indeed, returned us to this House, yearn for; and one that we, as their elected voices, will continue to fight for. I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Acting Minister Jeffery Siow.
The Acting Minister for Transport (Mr Jeffrey Siow): Mr Speaker, Sir, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim characterises the COE system as neutral. I think when we had the Adjournment Motion debate, I do not remember us characterising the system as neutral. In fact, I said that the COE system should be seen as part of our overall transport system. In fact, COE revenues go to fund various Government needs, society's needs, in particular, public transport, which everyone can use, and it is to make public transport affordable and extensive.
So, it is strange to me that Assoc Prof Lim's notion of equity is to advocate so strongly for people who want to buy a car, to advocate for tilting the system in their favour with subsidies, and he does not support enough the interest of those who cannot own a car, who cannot drive or can only use public transport, which is the Government's priority.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: I thank the Minister for the clarification. I should emphasise that when I mentioned the term \"neutral\", I did not mean fiscally neutral. Clearly, the system is not fiscally neutral, but rather, it is about whether the choice to allocate from one group to another, purely on the basis of the price mechanism, was treated as ethically neutral. I should also stress – and this was something I raised in my Adjournment Motion as well – that I did not downplay the importance of public transportation.
In fact, I explicitly said that I support the idea that in a land-constrained nation, like Singapore, public transportation should become a priority. Yet, I also pointed out that there is a small segment of individuals – I mentioned the disabled, those with additional children as well as those with elderly parents who may be ill – that perhaps would benefit from an ethical position by us, as a society, to recognise that their needs perhaps outweigh those of those purchasing the additional third or fourth car, just because they can afford it.
Mr Speaker: Mr Lee Hong Chuang.
Mr Lee Hong Chuang (Jurong East-Bukit Batok): Mr Speaker, I will deliver my speech in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, I support and thank the President for his address.
Today is my first time speaking in Parliament and it reminds me of how I felt in 1985 when, as a national gymnast, I represented Singapore for the first time at the Southeast Asian Games. Although 40 years have passed, my feelings then and now remain the same. I have always linked my personal beliefs, sense of mission and the interests of the nation together. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, especially those in Hong Kah North, for their trust and support.
Singapore has been a nation for 60 years and has experienced many difficulties and challenges. Our economic direction has been adjusted multiple times, yet our gross domestic product (GDP) has steadily grown year by year. This is mainly due to our stable and efficient government, sound systems, and the unity and hard work of our people.
Singapore is a country that relies heavily on foreign trade. In a complex international environment, it naturally faces many uncertain risks. But we know that Singapore's development is not only for economic growth, but also for social stability, the well-being of our people and the future of our next generation. Only by working hard together, supporting and encouraging one another amid uncertainty, can Singapore remain resilient.
Although our country is small, with a land area of about 735.7 square kilometers, we have made rapid progress in finance, technology, industry and manufacturing. Limited land has not hindered our goals but, instead, driven us to build a high-efficiency, high-value and balanced industrial structure.
It is precisely because of this solid foundation that Singapore can remain a strong haven amid storms, giving us protection and confidence.
But the question we must ask is this: while the nation shelters us, can our communities and families also be shelters for each other? Can they offer warmth to everyone, regardless of age or background, so that all may feel, \"Someone cares about me. Someone is willing to listen to me?\"
Singapore is known as a \"bright little red dot\" not just because of its strong economy or good infrastructure, but also because of the unity and compassion of its people. Many Singaporeans volunteer, donate and help those in need through various groups and organisations.
This also reminds me of a psychological theory – the hierarchy of needs. It suggests that after meeting physiological and safety needs, people seek higher levels of social connection, esteem and self-actualization. In Singapore, there are over 2,000 registered charities, reflecting the warmth and care within our society.
In today's rapidly developing era of AI, technology is not only changing business models but also affecting relationships between people. We must ask ourselves: how can we build a loving society in a fast-paced, efficiency-driven environment?
We all know that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an irreplaceable force in Singapore's economy and society. They make up 99% of all local businesses and provide around 70% of local jobs. Many of them are family-run businesses passed down through generations. They do not just create jobs they preserve our culture and spirit.
In recent years, more young people have chosen to give up stable jobs in order to preserve their families' food culture. Take Lin Huiyi, 27 years old, who was once a bodyguard to both our former and current Presidents. Not wanting the flavours of her hometown to be lost, she now runs a Cantonese porridge stall with her parents. She not only preserves traditional tastes but also uses social media to attract younger people, introduces new management styles, and builds a team culture. Despite challenges, her passion and perseverance are admirable. She reminds us that when dreams are rooted in culture and community, they deserve our support, recognition and attention. Enterprises like hers are not just part of our economy they are continuations of our heritage. In terms of policy, how can we offer greater assurance so that these entrepreneurs can work and live with peace of mind, rooted in tradition and community?
However, many SMEs face challenges, such as manpower shortages, rising costs, digital transformation, international competition and succession issues. Behind the seemingly cold data is a group of hardworking entrepreneurs who support countless families. We must value and protect their efforts so they can continue contributing to the nation and preserving this culture and spirit.
Therefore, when we formulate policies, we must not only listen to their voices but also provide concrete assistance. This support is not only for economic growth, but also a social investment. For example: help seniors learn new technologies, especially applications of artificial intelligence; provide industry mentorship programs to guide enterprise modernization; strengthen and simplify financing and market access support; through the Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore, connect international companies with local SMEs to create more collaborations and opportunities; continue using policy tools to encourage companies to explore overseas markets; encourage cross-community and cross-sector collaboration to build enterprise networks within local communities; and give young people opportunities to engage with successful entrepreneurs, learn from their experiences and values, and carry on their spirit.
Recently, I have used my spare time to engage with entrepreneurs to discuss the trends of AI, as well as the challenges and opportunities it brings. I encourage them to participate in AI-related events, learn new skills and prepare for the future.
These entrepreneurs come from different generations and run all kinds of SMEs. In our conversations, they not only learn from one another, but all agree that AI will become increasingly important. They also hope for more community platforms like this to continue learning, practicing and progressing together.
Family is the core of society and the first place where children learn empathy, responsibility, and values. To build a resilient society, we must first support every family.
In our communities, we often hear from parents, they work hard while taking care of their children, all in hopes of providing a better life for their families. Encouragingly, more employers in Singapore are recognising this, and many companies have begun offering more flexible work arrangements to help employees balance work and family.
I believe we can take further action: encourage more companies to provide flexible work arrangements so parents can spend more time with their children; strengthen family counseling and parenting support services, so those in need can get professional help; and encourage businesses and community organisations to jointly promote \"family-friendly programs\", treating support for families as a shared responsibility.
What we are promoting is not just community activities or family policies, but more importantly, a culture of mutual care and concern. A truly strong country is not one without problems, but one where people are willing to help each other and solve problems together in times of difficulty.
Therefore, we must place emphasis on building \"heartware\", not just hardware. What we need to strengthen is trust, empathy and a spirit of community care. This includes mental health and also whether our seniors feel secure, whether our young people are confident about the future, whether our families are supported, and whether our workers, including platform workers, are respected and able to work with dignity.
I want to especially mention platform workers. Every day, they work hard delivering food and transporting our loved ones. Their jobs may seem ordinary, but they support the daily lives of many. Platform work also reflects the nature of today's economy: fast-paced, diverse and flexible.
With the Government actively pushing for reform, the Platform Workers Act has officially come into effect, marking an important step in protecting their rights. To go further, the Government, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and several major platform companies have joined hands to form a Tripartite Workgroup, showing a strong collective commitment to improving the platform work environment. This is very encouraging.
However, as the platform economy continues to grow, our policies must also evolve to ensure these workers are not left behind by society. True progress depends on whether we can build bridges of trust and understanding between generations, between communities, and between people's dreams and opportunities.
Mr Speaker, Singapore's development has never been easy. National harmony and progress are not to be taken for granted.
In these 60 years, I will not say we started entirely from zero, but we have gone through many processes from nothing to something. Our pioneers laid every brick and built step by step to establish a stable, prosperous and respected country. This would not have been possible without the hard work of our people.
Our nation, our businesses, our families and our people are closely connected. As the saying goes, \"When the lips are gone, the teeth feel the cold.\"
This means that if one falls, the others will be affected too. When the nation is stable, businesses thrive; when businesses thrive, families are stable; when families are stable, people can live and work in peace and contribute to the nation. These four elements are the most important pillars of our society.
We are building not just a functioning country, but a home where everyone can live in peace, with mutual trust. The nation is our shelter; we must also make our communities shelters for everyone, and make every family its own shelter. Only then can we be more confident, knowing that no matter what happens, we will always have a safe, orderly, warm, and caring community and family to rely on.
Today's Singapore is safe, clean and green. Tomorrow's Singapore should also be warm, joyful and fulfilling. Challenges will continue to exist, but as long as we trust and support each other, Singapore will remain a ship that sails steadily even through stormy seas. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Ms Eileen Chong.
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan (Non-Constituency Member): Thank you, Mr Speaker. In Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The President noted how each generation has built on the legacy of those before, embracing change and persevering through crises. He spoke of the need for unity as we navigate turbulent waters. I could not agree more.
I would add that true unity does not mean uniformity. It means recognising and embracing that diverse viewpoints strengthen rather than weaken governance.
The complex challenges that Singapore faces in an uncertain world do not come with easy solutions. When we welcome different perspectives in policy discussions, when we create space for constructive debate, when we listen to voices that may challenge conventional wisdom, we make better decisions for all Singaporeans.
The President spoke about how families are stretched in caring for both young and old, and the Government will strengthen support for caregivers. I agree that we can and should do more to support our caregivers.
Yet our policies do not always fully reflect this understanding. Take preschool subsidies for instance, which remain tied to maternal employment status. If a mother works at least 56 hours a month, her child is entitled to higher subsidies. This conveys an indirect message: that mothers who choose to become full-time caregivers will get less support. We should equalise preschool subsidies for all children – regardless of their mother's employment status.
Additionally, introducing paid caregiving leave would be another meaningful step to reduce the burden of employees, so they have time to care for elderly parents, older children or children with additional needs.
We should value unpaid care work as much as paid employment. Families should get equal support regardless of their choice of care arrangements. This is how we truly cultivate a \"we first\" society.
(In English): Mr Speaker, please allow me to continue in English. The President noted how each generation has built on the legacy of those before, embracing change and persevering through crisis. He spoke of the need for unity as we navigate turbulent waters. I could not agree more. I would add that true unity does not mean uniformity. It means recognising and embracing that diverse viewpoints strengthen rather than weaken governance. The complex challenges that Singapore faces in an uncertain world do not come with easy solutions. When we welcome different perspectives in policy discussions, when we create space for constructive debate, when we listen to voices that may challenge conventional wisdom, we make better decisions for all Singaporeans.
Mr Speaker, the President spoke of the importance of a strong economy in generating the resources needed to secure Singapore's future and improve lives, of inclusive growth and a society where every citizen shares in our country's prosperity. Yet, even as economic indicators tell us about our productivity and competitiveness, they say little about our well-being, relationships, sense of purpose and belonging. We can and should go further – towards a society where prosperity encompasses not just economic well-being, but also emotional, social and spiritual flourishing.
The President spoke about preparing our youth for a future that will be different, helping them secure good jobs and giving them a stronger voice in shaping Singapore. Indeed, our children are growing up in a world that is changing at unprecedented speed. How can they be ready to take on jobs that do not exist, overcome challenges that we cannot imagine and seize opportunities that we have not conceived?
I believe many Members in this House who had spoken about how quickly AI is transforming the workplace, especially for entry level positions, will agree that these questions have become all the more urgent.
Preparing our youth for the above requires more than just enhancing curricula or revising the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) scoring system. It demands an educational environment that celebrates different forms of intelligence, have many definitions of success, and which values collaboration alongside competition. And perhaps most importantly, in today's world, it demands an emphasis on the cultivation of uniquely human traits and values that enable meaningful work where machines are limited. Yes, we now speak often about the importance of soft skills. Yet assessment drives behaviour. The reality is that success in all of our milestone exams – the PSLE, the \"N\" and \"O\" level exams in their current and future form, the \"A\" levels – remain overwhelmingly defined by individual academic performance measured largely through written papers.
We value adaptability in uncertain times, yet our assessment ecosystem mostly rewards those who can perform consistently within familiar formats and timeframes. We value resilience, yet we rarely assess our students for their perseverance through failure. This holistic approach to education becomes even more critical when we consider the well-being challenges that our children already face today.
Earlier this year, a CNA Talking Point survey of more than 1,000 secondary school students revealed that 14% of the respondents reported being bullied in 2024, a figure significantly higher than MOE official reports of six bullying incidents per thousand students in the same year. This discrepancy suggests that we may not be seeing the full picture of what our children are experiencing in schools today.
I commend MOE for embarking on a Comprehensive Action Review on Bullying, but addressing this challenge requires us to go beyond strengthening protocols and safeguards. We must get to the roots of why children hurt other children, both online and offline. Studies show that bullying has a lasting negative impact on mental health and behavioural development, effects that can persist well into adulthood for both those who are bullied and those who bully. They also reveal that children who bully are often children with poor well-being, those who feel unseen or unheard. All of these tell us something about the profound transformation that our education system needs. How do we nurture resilience in our young so they can better deal with stress, adversity and setbacks in an uncertain world? How do we help more parents recognise signs of distress before they manifest as harmful behaviour? How do we create cultures of empathy and support in and outside of schools, so our children are prepared for meaningful lives as contributing members of society?
Mr Speaker, I am encouraged by the President's acknowledgement that families are stretched in caring for both young and old. The emphasis on recognising the value in every job resonates strongly with a challenge that I hope we can address more directly. The undervaluation of unpaid care work that forms the backbone of society. This recognition is all the more vital as Singapore becomes a super aged society next year. Many more Singaporeans will find themselves in a sandwich generation of caring for ageing parents while raising children and/or setting aside their careers. We can and should do more to support caregivers. When a parent stays home to care for a child, when an adult child takes leave to care for an ageing parent, when grandparents provide childcare, these are work. Work that creates immense value for families and society, even though it is not typically captured by economic indicators.
Yet our policies do not always fully reflect this understanding. Take preschool subsidies, for instance. Even as we endeavour to give every Singaporean child the best start in life by enabling access to quality preschool education, subsidies for infant and childcare remain tied to maternal employment status. Higher subsidies are available to families when mothers work at least 56 hours a month. This creates a troubling message that paid work is inherently more valuable than unpaid care work. We should equalise preschool subsidies for all children, regardless of their mother's employment status. Every child deserves the best start in life, and every family deserves support in accessing it, whether the mother works in an office or runs a household, while providing care for other family members.
Paid caregiving leave would be another meaningful step forward. Working parents of young children are eligible for two to six days of paid childcare leave a year. But many Singaporeans who work and care for elderly parents or have older children with additional needs must tap on their annual leave when urgent caregiving needs arise, leave meant for their own rest and recuperation. I am encouraged that Members on both sides of this House share this concern.
Caregivers should not have to choose between caring for their loved ones and taking care of themselves. When we force such choices, we undermine both the caregivers' well-being and the quality of care they can provide. To truly become a \"we before me\" society, we must do more to recognise and support those who dedicate their lives to caring for others, whether temporarily or permanently. We should value unpaid care work as much as paid employment. Families should get equal support regardless of their choice of care arrangements.
Mr Speaker, I wholeheartedly share in the President's aspirations for Singapore to be a place where every citizen leads joyful, fulfilling lives as they age. But more importantly, we should aspire to be a country where every citizen ages successfully with dignity. 2024 MOM figures show that more seniors are staying in the workforce compared to a decade ago. More than a third of our seniors, aged 70 to 74, 35% to be accurate, are still working. For those over 75, the figure stands at nearly 14%. Many of our elderly work in our coffee shops, hawker centres and shopping malls as cleaners, servers, security guards, and in other physical roles.
Work can indeed be a source of dignity, purpose and social connection, and we should absolutely support those who choose to. However, we must also honestly examine the full spectrum of motivations behind why many of our seniors continue to work well into their seventies. For some, work represents fulfilment and community. For others, it may be primarily driven by economic necessity. These are not mutually exclusive, but we must ask, do all our working seniors have genuine choice?
As we celebrate increased lifespans, we must acknowledge that living longer costs more. Healthcare expenses naturally increase with age. Many seniors, including those that I meet in Tampines, face not just the rising cost of living, but also the recurring costs of managing chronic conditions, paying for mobility aids and specialised care. For some, these costs may not be fully covered by their retirement savings or the various subsidies available. As families and households get smaller, more of our seniors also have the additional challenge of navigating ageing without the social support networks that past generations have had.
Ageing with dignity means having genuine choices about if and how much to work, and meaningful options for social connection and purpose. It means ensuring that those who do work do so because work contributes to their well-being, and not because it is essential for their survival. As Singapore ages, I hope we will have deeper conversations about what adequate retirement really means, because beyond the economics of ageing lies a fundamental human need for connection, purpose and community.
Some may view the above suggestions as costly in an era where we must be physically prudent. I respectfully suggest that these are not costs, but investments. When we support families, we invest in our demographic future. When we prioritise our children's well-being and nurture their resilience over test scores, we invest in a generation that is capable of thriving in uncertainty. When we care for our caregivers, we invest in the social fabric that holds our society together. When we ensure that our elderly can age in place with dignity, we invest in the values that define us as a people. The returns on these investments may not show up directly or immediately in economic figures or productivity metrics, but they will show up in the form of stronger families, more cohesive communities and a society that truly puts we before me.
Mr Speaker, the President painted a compelling picture of our next chapter. One that is guided by trust, firm in resolve yet open to change, confident yet humble, diverse yet united. This is the Singapore I want to help build. Yet this chapter can only materialise if there is trust. Trust cannot be taken for granted, nor can it be held and maintained by the Government alone. It must be cultivated at every level of society, within families, between neighbours and across generations. Building trust means having difficult conversations about the gaps between our aspirations and realities. It means having the courage to admit that what got us to SG60 may not get us to SG100. Building trust means having difficult conversations about the gaps between our dreams and aspirations.
Trust grows when we engage each other constructively and in good faith. It deepens when we acknowledge that no single entity has a monopoly on wisdom and talent. It endures when we demonstrate that listening leads to action. Success follows when we trust each other and work together towards a shared goal, a shared goal of building a Singapore that embraces different definitions of success. A Singapore that understands that true national strength comes from both economic competitiveness and social resilience. A Singapore that is not just a successful nation but a society worth living in.
Mr Speaker, I hope my generation's chapter will be about building a Singapore that not only secures our place in the world and successfully transforms our economy, but which also nurtures the heart of our nation, our people, our relationships, our capacity for care and compassion. This is how we will successfully navigate an uncertain future and build a better Singapore, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.
I look forward to working with all Members of this House to make our shared aspirations a reality. I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Dr Charlene Chen.
Dr Charlene Chen (Tampines): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion to thank the President for his address. It is an honour for me, as a new Member to participate in this debate.
When my son was a toddler, he walked up to the television and he scrolled across the screen as though it were a giant iPad. That simple moment captures the paradox of progress. As technology propels us forward, it also reshapes our psychology, our families and our society. The question before us is not whether we progress, but how we progress without losing our values and humanity.
Our children today are born into a world of touchscreens and instant connectivity. They are more tech-savvy than us. They are growing up with Google Gemini, ChatGPT, generative AI and technologies not yet imagined. But, the ease of technology, however useful, always comes with trade-offs – especially for families.
In Tampines East, many young parents tell me they struggle with these trade-offs. With long days spent juggling work, children and ageing parents, they are exhausted. And so, devices often become quick fixes. On the surface, we see children pacified with screens. But in truth, parents are simply trying to survive the day.
Mr Speaker, Sir, technology not only changes how we live, more fundamentally, it shapes our psychology. And it is here that we must confront the deeper paradoxes of technology.
We saw the rise of the \"Me Generation\" with the arrival of Facebook in 2004. It amplified our natural tendencies for social comparison. Here lies the first paradox: on the one hand, social media has given us unprecedented ways to stay connected with many; on the other hand, it has left many feeling more isolated than ever. As face-to-face interactions decline, social skills weaken. And online, negativity thrives. Trolling, cyberbullying and toxic exchanges fuel stress, anxiety and depression among our youths. Worse still, harmful behaviours are not only displayed, but rewarded. When such conduct gains likes, shares and attention, it creates a dangerous kind of social proof, signaling to our young that bad behaviour is normal behaviour.
We also see instant gratification becoming the norm. Short-form videos and reels serve up endless distraction, curated by algorithms that create echo chambers. Many of these clips present extreme or simplistic views, yet our young spend hours \"doomscrolling\", caught in loops of distraction that they themselves call brain rot. And this is the second paradox: while diversity of thought is at our fingertips, what we consume often narrows rather than broadens our perspectives.
The consequences are significant. We are seeing shorter attention spans, weaker critical thinking and reduced emotion regulation. This in turn erodes social cohesion, resilience and grit – all qualities that have defined Singapore's success. And then there is the third paradox of convenience. Technology promises to save us time – groceries at a tap, emails answered on the go. Yet, these same devices have also become relentless sources of stress. Because we can work from anywhere, we end up working everywhere. The flood of emails, WhatsApp messages and notifications deplete our mental reserves.
We see a similar trade-off in healthcare. A recent study showed that doctors who leaned too heavily on AI to detect pre-cancerous growths, soon became less adept without it. This is deskilling – the quiet loss of ability when machines do too much of the work. And it mirrors daily life: the more we let technology think for us, the weaker our focus, the weaker our resilience and the weaker our grit. The lesson is clear, even as we adopt new tools, we must remember that these technologies are fundamentally just tools and we must closely guard our human strengths: judgement, intuition and compassion.
Mr Speaker, Sir, our response to technology cannot be just about setting rules or guidelines. It must also be about shaping mindsets. Prime Minister has spoken about the \"we\" generation. President Tharman has called for a \"we first\" mindset – one that places the collective good above self interest. I believe this is the mindset Singapore needs as we enter our next phase of progress. A mindset is a lens through which we see the world. It shapes how we interpret events and how we respond to them. And mindsets are not born, they are shaped, by what families emphasise, what schools teach and what society chooses to reward.
So, how do we nurture such a \"we first\" mindset? I believe we must start with kindness.
Kindness may sound simple. But it is the foundation of empathy, resilience and perspective-taking; the very soft skills our young will need to survive in the AI era. And kindness must be lived in every sphere of life – at home, in school, in the community and in the workplace.
In schools, this means teaching empathy alongside knowledge and equipping our young with stress and emotion management skills that must be practised continuously throughout their school years to be truly honed. Experiential learning – whether through community service projects or outdoor challenges, give children first-hand experience of responsibility and interdependence, and works best when reinforced with encouragement.
These approaches should be built systematically into our school curriculum at every level, so that empathy and emotional resilience are not left to chance. And to make them work, we must strengthen support with more counsellors and psychologists to guide programmes and walk alongside our young as they navigate mental and emotional challenges.
In families, it means modelling kindness at home, not only to strangers, but to one another. Too often, we forget to be kind to those closest to us. Children may not always listen to what we say, but they notice what we do, including our unkind behaviours and the way we use devices. Even though I worry about my kids' screen time, one day my daughter asked me, \"Why are you always on your phone?\" And that hit me – I realised that she was also modeling my behaviour.
But kindness does not stop at home; it must extend into our communities. And in communities, it means designing systems that make care second nature. In Tampines East, I have seen residents care for one another in many ways. Youths teaching seniors digital skills, volunteers delivering meals to neighbours and families looking out for elderly folks living alone. These small acts of care may seem ordinary, but together they sustain the kampung spirit that defines Singapore.
At the national level, we must also renew the Singapore Kindness Movement. Campaigns are useful, but lived experiences matter more. Kindness must reach into digital spaces – from gaming platforms that reward cooperation, to workplace tools that encourage us to appreciate a colleague.
We should nudge, not lecture. When systems are designed so that kindness is the default – like calm rooms in shopping malls that give children with special needs and their caregivers a safe space to reset, or barrier-free ramps in our estates that make access automatic for seniors and parents; kindness becomes second nature. And by celebrating small, everyday acts of care, we show that it is not distant or heroic, but something each of us can practise daily.
Finally, in business, kindness must also find its place. Businesses, too, can be a force for good. Corporate social responsibility has grown and companies today are rightly held accountable by consumers. Yet business pressures can sometimes relegate kindness to the background. We should instead support organisations that embed kindness into their DNA, whether through inclusive hiring, supporting employees who show empathy, or giving staff time and resources to serve the community. The role of Government is not to purchase kindness, but to enable it: to make it easier to care, not to pay people to care.
In many parts of the world, divisions of race, religion and class are hardening. Singapore has been fortunate to avoid this, but we cannot be complacent. Numbers like the Gini coefficient show that inequality here is moderated after taxes and transfers. Yet numbers alone do not capture the lived experience of inequality.
Mr Speaker, Sir, nurturing a \"we first\" mindset also means ensuring fairness, because kindness at the individual level must be matched by fairness at the structural level. A child from a lower-income family may be just as capable, but if tuition and enrichment is out of reach, he starts the race several steps behind. A worker may be diligent and talented, but if hiring unconsciously favours those who \"look the part\", it is not merit that decides, but stereotype.
And when such institutional barriers combine with self-doubt or prejudice, they can quietly block opportunity. A student who keeps hearing \"people like you cannot make it\" may begin to believe it. An older worker who feels he will never be given a fair chance because of his age may stop trying. This is why we must continue to identify and dismantle barriers, both visible and invisible, so that Singapore remains a true meritocracy. A society where opportunities are not predetermined by background, but created through ability, effort and fair chance. Because only then can progress feel meaningful, not just for the successful few, but for every Singaporean who works hard and contributes.
Mr Speaker, Sir, progress is not just about technology or economics. It is also about psychology. It is about ensuring that even as we advance, we do not lose sight of who we are.
As we mark SG60 and look ahead to SG100 and beyond, let us remember the lessons of history. Civilisations that endured were not only those that adapted to change, but those that did so while holding fast to their values. And what are our values? The value of being human. The value of being Singaporean. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In this fast-changing world, we must not forget the most fundamental values of being human. To be human is to have compassion. To be Singaporean is to share the spirit of being in the same boat, moving forward shoulder to shoulder. True progress is progress we make together.
We all know how hard it is to bridge race, religion and class, and to strive together as one. But our forefathers did it and our generation will surely do it too. As long as we support one another and hold firm to our resolve, the marathon ahead is ours to win.
(In English): It is our unity, our resilience and our spirit of looking out for one another that will carry us forward. As we race to the top, let us make sure we do not leave anyone behind. Because the true test of progress is not how high we climb, but how many we bring along with us. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Mr Foo Cexiang.
Mr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion.
Sir, I went to Red Swastika School for my primary education. It is a Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school. Almost all my schoolmates were Chinese. However, I did have one Malay classmate in Primary 1, his name was Hamzah. I remember him to be rather cheeky, but other than that, I saw him as one of us classmates and did not think much more then.
Many years later, I went to Cardiff University in the United Kingdom (UK) and I was the only non-British student in my programme. It was not easy for me in the beginning. It was clear I was different. I felt awkward being myself. However, several classmates started conversations with me, they took an interest in who I was, where I came from and invited me for gatherings, and over time, we became good friends. In fact, three of them flew to Singapore for my wedding. Two of them were part of my \"brothers\" gang and they braved the gatecrashing with me, undergoing \"酸甜苦辣\", or joys and sorrows.
And I would have actually flown to Cardiff for one of their weddings earlier this month, but it coincided with the official Opening of Parliament. But I think Dewi and Sophie will appreciate this quick mention in my speech.
Having gone through my experience in Cardiff, there are times when I think back to Hamzah. How had he felt being a minority in school? It could not have been easy. We may have treated him as one of us, but had we embraced him for who he was? Did he feel he could be himself?
Sir, we pride ourselves as a multicultural society, but it is much more than a concept or a statistic that there are people of different cultures here in Singapore. It requires a lot of effort and heart to understand and then to embrace our differences, so that everyone feels appreciated being who we are – \"same same but different\". This is why it will always be a work-in-progress.
It may not be apparent to many, I believe that we are facing a grave threat to our multicultural endeavour. Global forces are pushing us away from understanding and embracing our differences. I worry when I see what is happening in Gaza. We do not want our people to let external developments affect our social cohesion. But it is hard not to have strong emotions when we see grave atrocities. There are other areas, the political contestation between the United States (US) and China, the cultural wars between the conservatives and the liberals.
These all evoke emotions amongst segments within our population and they often come with an inclination to choose sides. And then, I worry whenever I scroll Instagram. The algorithm will keep on feeding us videos which confirm, double confirm, triple confirm our own worldview, and then it whips us into a frenzy with this strong sense of injustice against every other worldview that appears to lay siege against ours. It is, frankly, the most influential echo chamber ever invented.
And I worry when I meet residents who do not know their neighbours are or have not spoken to them in several years. And I ask, how effective is the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) if neighbours are not speaking to one another, much less building relationships? I worry when our youths tell me that they seldom hang out in public spaces like the community centres and basketball courts now, unlike maybe for my generation. How effective are these spaces as well, if they do not foster engagement?
Yet, amidst the storm, these are also the best of times where our multiculturalism can shine as Singapore's superpower, because bridge-builders can bring light to a fragmented and dark world. All of us who grow up in a multicultural environment and can build connections across cultures are strongly positioned to seize and grow opportunities in this global future. Companies worldwide will want talent who can build trust and thrive in multicultural teams. AI cannot replace this.
So, Singapore's multiculturalism is no longer just a social imperative. It is an economic one as well. But we will need to re-evaluate our levers and be bold to make changes so that they can be more effective.
And let me share a few quick suggestions. First, instead of focusing only on our common values, which certainly continues to be important, we need to make much more effort to understand our differences. The more we are inundated with views similar to our own, the more we must seek out alternative, even opposing viewpoints, resolve ourselves to hearing them out and understand where they come from. Because with deeper understanding of each other, we can eventually still agree to disagree, but we will do so holding hands and not coming to blows.
Second, let us take a hard look at our policies that seek to foster multiculturalism and consider if they are achieving their objectives. For example, instead of setting limits on the proportions of each race in each block, could EIP be more effective, if we were to give priority to applicants of different ethnic backgrounds who pair up and apply to be neighbours together? Now I know that this will require further studies, but my larger point, really, is that it cannot just be the numbers that we seek. It must be the quality of the relationships forged, that we aspire towards.
Third, we need to reimagine our public spaces. These spaces must be the heart of our communities – where we come together to partake in common interests, but also where we come to embrace our differences. We do not have to be limited to conventional spaces, such as the community centres or the basketball courts, if that is not what interests our youths. We can invite ground-up proposals for other state buildings or land that aim to strengthen our multicultural community, facilitate these with funding support. We can also open up a much wider drawing canvas for our residents to design their neighbourhoods. I hope these initiatives will excite our youths to come forward and have a larger stake in community building. And I aim to do so in Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru. Sir, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, in the five months since I entered politics, my happiest times have been participating in community activities with my Tiong Bahru residents from Tanjong Pagar. Through singing, exercising and dancing, I have been able to better understand my residents, especially the elderly. They are active in a community, which is beneficial for both physical and mental health, so I strongly advocate for this.
I notice that quite a number of community activities are conducted in Chinese. This is because many elderly Chinese residents only understand Mandarin or dialects. I can understand this. However, I am most pleased to see that many of our non-Chinese residents also participate in these activities. They even sing \"The Moon Represents My Heart\" (月亮代表我的心) and \"Ai Piah Cia Eh Yia\" (爱拼才会赢), or \"Fight to Win\". This is very commendable.
I constantly remind our Chinese residents one thing, when non-Chinese residents participate so enthusiastically in community activities despite not knowing Chinese, it demonstrates their commitment and contribution to our multicultural and multiracial society. It is a good example for all of us. We must never take this for granted.
Therefore, at these occasions, I make it a point to speak in English as well. When singing, I would also encourage them to sing English and Malay songs. I hope that our activities will be welcomed by all our citizens. After all, Singapore is founded on a multicultural society.
Today, many Singaporeans are inevitably influenced by geopolitics and the outside world, leading to divisions between groups holding different ideologies. Furthermore, people spend long times on social media, reducing face-to-face communication, easily forming echo chambers, reduce interaction between those holding different viewpoints, which naturally leads social divisions.
Therefore, our goal is to bring everyone together through implementing policies and making good use of our public facilities and community activities, so that we can deepen the understanding between and feelings for each other.
(In English): Sir, let me return to where I started. The Singapore I want to build is one where every little child grows up, knowing and feeling that they can be who they are, in every setting and season of life. The Singapore I want to build is an orchestra of different musical instruments: we look different, we sound different, we have different ranges, but when we work together in harmony, we create the most magical and timeless symphonies. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Mr Gabriel Lam.
Mr Gabriel Lam (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address. This is the first speech in this Chamber, and it means everything to me, not just because it marks the start of my Parliamentary journey, but also because it reflects the trust that Singaporeans, in particular, my Canberra constituents, to speak honestly, with heart and with purpose.
The President, in his address, reminded us that Singapore can only stand tall if we act as one people, by putting \"we\" before \"me\". This unity, built not despite our diversity but through it, has always been our strength. Our future depends on nurturing a society where we look out for one another, where success is measured not just by what we achieve, but by what we do together for the common good.
Personally, it is not enough to look at where someone starts. What matters just as much is the courage they show when life knocks them down and how we support them in getting back up.
Today, I want to speak about something deeply personal: second chances. I want to talk about what it means to fall behind and how we, as a society, can help people stand tall again. I also want to touch on two things we often avoid discussing: financial literacy and planning for death – wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs). Because all three are deeply connected. They are about control, dignity and hope.
Let us start with second chances. I am not just talking about ex-offenders. I am talking about any Singaporean who has made a wrong turn: bad financial decisions, toxic relationships, addictions, even just giving up on themselves too early.
I have been championing for second chances since 2011 and have seen first-hand the repercussions to the families of those incarcerated, with addictions, and who made wrong financial decisions. It often takes years for the families to recover if they recover at all. One wrong choice can lead to a lifetime of despair. It should not be that way.
We have made good progress in some areas, for example, our prison’s recidivism rate has been steadily dropping. Our two-year recidivism rate is low by international standards and fell to 21.3% for the 2022 release cohort. Over the longer term, five-year recidivism has continued to decline – to 36.6% for the 2019 cohort, from 41.7% for 2015. We should keep going.
But second chances are not only about statistics or systems. They are also about whether people feel life itself is worth holding onto.
I met a young resident not long ago at my meet-the-people session (MPS). She came with her mother, and I noticed the scars of self-harm still healing on her arms. Her bank account had been misused by someone else, and the bank froze it. She was caught in a spiral – unable to access her own money, losing hope. We worked with the local police post and even wrote to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to try to resolve it. Last month, her father wrote to me and shared that his daughter was admitted into Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
This is what it looks like when someone feels there is no way back. It is not just about mental health in the clinical sense. It is about society giving people reasons to believe tomorrow can still be better. When they do not see that, they give up. And the cost of silence, is lives.
This is serious when we look at the numbers: In 2024, there were 314 suicide deaths in Singapore, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 29 for the sixth consecutive year. The national suicide rate stood at 5.91 per 100,000 residents.
In recent years, it has been heartening to see communities coming together, various organisations that champion different causes coming together to help those in need. But we must first acknowledge that more can be done and more must be done. That we must teach a person to fish and not just provide them fish.
Second chances only work if someone is willing to give a first “yes”– the landlord who does not judge your past, the human resources (HR) officer who looks at your potential, the auntie at the void deck who asks, “You okay or not?” instead of crossing the road in avoidance.
We need more of those moments. That means relooking into our hiring culture, our housing rules and our public communications. Can we move from a society that punishes mistakes endlessly to one that corrects, supports and uplifts?
Mr Speaker, I want to talk next about financial literacy because in Singapore, it is often the first step to a bad decision…and rarely the first thing we teach.
I have met too many Singaporeans, especially in their 40s and 50s, who have fallen into debt because they did not understand the system. Not because they were reckless. But because no one ever taught them how credit works, what “compounding” means, or what it means or what to ask before signing a loan.
Here is the reality: unpaid credit-card balances that incur interest – what MAS calls “rollover balances” – hit a record $8.3 billion in Q4 2024. That is not financial play; that is pressure.
Earlier this year, I met a resident during a house visit and he explained that his sister had taken multiple loans with both licensed and unlicensed moneylenders. This led to his family being harassed, afraid and needing help. It eroded their relationship leading to a breakup of the family.
Cases like these are not rare. In the first half of 2024 alone, Credit Counselling Singapore (CCS) received about 1,150 requests for help from debt-distressed individuals, a surge of 18% compared to the second half of 2023. That is nearly 2,300 people in a single year needing help, each a signal that money struggles are growing, not shrinking. Back in 2019, CCS handled about 3,250 new cases. That number dropped during COVID but is now climbing back again. The trend is clear: financial health is not just a private matter; it is a public concern.
We need to stop thinking of financial literacy as a “good-to-have.” It is a life skill as essential as reading or writing. We should be teaching this in primary schools, in National Service (NS), in SkillsFuture classes. Not just budgeting but how to read contracts, avoid scams, manage risks.
And for those already in debt, we must offer a real way out. Simplifying the restructuring process. Provide case managers who walk with people. And most of all, remove the shame. You cannot rebuild a life when you are buried under guilt.
But financial resilience is not only about individuals. It is also about whether our businesses and workers can adapt in a changing economy.
Across Singapore, I have met business owners and workers who share similar worries: rising costs, digitalisation and the challenge of keeping up with rapid change. Transformation cannot just be about large firms or multinationals. It must also include our kopitiam stalls, our SMEs, our local family-run businesses that anchor the communities.
Our Government’s support for digitalisation, training and productivity is crucial, but I believe more can be done to simplify access. For many small businesses, it is not about a lack of will but a lack of time and bandwidth to navigate grants and schemes. We need to bring transformation support down to the ground through community centres, town councils and grassroots networks so that businesses know help is not far away.
At the same time, transformation must go hand-in-hand with protecting and uplifting our local workers. When industries change, it is workers who feel the disruption most keenly. Older workers especially fear being replaced or left behind. We must strengthen retraining pathways, wage support and on-the-job learning opportunities, so that transformation is not something done to workers, but with them.
If we can help our local businesses thrive and ensure our workers grow alongside them, then transformation will not divide us – it will uplift us together.
The next taboo I want to talk about is death. More specifically, wills and LPAs. I know, Mr Speaker, these are not exciting topics. But when we avoid them, families suffer.
As of September 2024, only 233,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above have made an LPA, a fraction of who stand to benefit from it. That is despite a campaign pushing for 240,000 by end-2025. Yet, more than one in 10 Singaporeans do not know what an LPA is and nearly 20% are not aware of advance care planning. This is not ignorance: it is risk.
I was at an MPS where I saw this resident whose husband had just passed away a year ago and as there was no will and no LPA before he lost mental capacity, it led to complex legal challenges and emotional distress.
These things are preventable. But many still do not know what an LPA is. Some think it is only for the old, others worry it is about “giving up power.” But it is the opposite. LPAs when made are simple and cheap: Form 1 is fee-waived for citizens until March 2026. Yet many still do not know. An LPA protects your voice when you can no longer speak for yourself.
And wills, especially for lower-income families, are equally crucial. For some lower-income families, a partially paid or older HDB flat may be their life’s only tangible asset. If that transfer is contested or mishandled, it could break a family apart. Canberra Community Club (CC) has had a series of will and LPA workshops, and I know more can be done to raise awareness.
Mr Speaker, at the heart of all this – second chances, money missteps, end-of-life planning – is one word: dignity. And dignity means giving people agency over their story. Even when they have made mistakes. Even when they have failed.
In Singapore, we are trained from young to fear failure. And so, when it comes, we hide. We disappear. We stay quiet. We are embarrassed to reach out for help. But I believe we must make space for the comeback. That means companies hiring not just based on clean records but also on character growth. It means schools giving students time to catch up. It means neighbourhoods, where asking for help is not seen as weakness.
I have been blessed to know of company owners who do not look at overcomers as cheap labour, or just another recruitment channel, or to exploit them, but to invest in them, to give them opportunities to grow, to groom them, to help them develop and equip them to overcome challenges that lie ahead. That is the culture I want to see more of. Because sometimes, it just takes one \"yes\" to save someone from a lifetime of \"no.\"
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the President spoke about the importance of putting \"we\" before \"me\" – of building a \"we first\" society where our success is measured not only by what we achieve alone, but by what we do together for the common good. But I think this is not just about bouncing back when times are hard. It is about building a country where people help each other rise again. I want Singapore to be known not just for its discipline, but its compassion. Not just for its efficiency, but for its empathy.
Let us be a society where someone who messed up once is not forever defined by it. Where dignity is not earned only by success but granted simply because you are human. Let us be the kind of country where every Singaporean knows this: even if you fall, you are not forgotten. Even if you are lost, there is a way home.
Mr Speaker, I support the Motion of Thanks. And I thank the House and Singaporeans for giving me the chance to speak and to serve. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Minister of State Jasmin Lau.
The Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, and Education (Ms Jasmin Lau): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise today in support of the Motion. I am grateful, but also a little anxious. Anxious – not in a way that paralyses, but in a way that reminds me of the gravity of this moment and the privilege that I have to serve Singapore and Singaporeans.
So, I will try my best, in this speech, to turn my anxious energy into something useful – words that carry hope and assurance, and words that do not put you to sleep.
The Prime Minister and Senior Minister Lee asked me earlier this year if I read books. I said I do. I read Paw Patrol bedtime stories. And they said I should read more widely. So, I tried. I read parts of the book \"A Different Kind of Power\" by Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. She is known for her conviction about fairness, opportunity and empathy. She spoke openly about how her anxiety reminded her of the weight of leadership. She inspires me.
She also said that she knew her maiden speech might one day \"haunt\" her, because words in politics and parliament linger; they are remembered, they are scrutinised and they are tested against our actions.
Standing here today, I know, that what I say in the next 20 minutes – yes, do not worry, not more than that – will not simply vanish when I sit down. They will follow me. They will be replayed online. They will be mentioned in debates years from now. And they may come back to haunt me.
Perhaps, that is not a bad thing. And perhaps, that is what gives weight to this moment – to know, that we are accountable not only for the commitments we make, but also for the spirit and the values in which we make them.
I also read parts of the book, “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt. It describes how digital technologies – smartphones, social media, endless connectivity – are reshaping childhoods, with consequences for mental well-being. As someone entrusted with responsibilities for both education and digital development, I had no excuse not to read it.
But is it only one generation that is anxious? Every generation of Singaporeans has been anxious, though in different ways and through different seasons.
Our Pioneer Generation felt existential anxiety: would Singapore survive? Would there be enough food, water, security? The Merdeka Generation – my parents’ generation – carried another form of anxiety: how to build stable families, how to create industries from scratch. And they worried through recessions and restructuring: could they keep their jobs, would their children have better lives than them?
And then there is my generation, parents of young children today. We face a new layer of anxiety. We live in one of the safest, most successful nations in the world and yet, we worry endlessly. Are our children resilient enough? Are they spending too much time online? Are they learning the right values? Can they thrive in a world that changes faster than the one we grew up in? Are we, as parents, too gentle? Are we too harsh? Are we parenting correctly? And what if we get it all wrong?
Our young people, too, carry their own burdens of anxiety. Many of them tell us that they feel anxious all the time – about examinations, about social acceptance, about the future of jobs and about whether they measure up in a world of constant comparisons. The irony is that they live in a world and a time of endless opportunities and yet, they carry the weight of immense expectations, from society, from their families and often from themselves. This anxiety is real and it is not a weakness. It is a signal that they care deeply that they are searching for meaning and that they need assurance and safe spaces to turn their restlessness into purpose.
Anxiety, then, is not the condition of one generation, but an inescapable part of being a human. The real question is not whether we feel it, but what we do with it.
Now, a little something for the Science students. Brownian motion describes particles that move around randomly with no clear path; plenty of movement, but no direction. When my netball teammates and I were younger, when we had energy and stamina, we often ran around the court like headless chickens. Our coach, Prof Yap from the National University Hospital (NUH), who actually just returned from Egypt, she would say to us, “Brownian motion is useless. Every move, every dodge, every change of direction we make must be intentional.”
If left unchecked, anxiety can be like Brownian motion – restless vibration, much movement but no progress. But conversely, anxiety, if transformed into action, can become energy for creativity and for growth.
This, is the task before us as leaders. We must lead with quiet confidence, tap into the collective experience and wisdom of our people, be clear-eyed about the policies we want to change, the mindsets that we want to change and the causes to rally our people towards. This way, we can channel the anxieties of Singaporeans into purposeful action. Mr Speaker, I would like to say a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We Chinese have an idiom, \"be prepared for danger in times of peace\", which means that even in good times, we must think about future challenges.
Anxiety is actually a reminder. It reminds us that we care about the future, our families and our nation's prospects. Our forefathers were once anxious too. They worried whether Singapore could survive, whether it could provide enough food and water for the next generation. Our parents' generation was also anxious. They worried about economic recession, their children's employment and future prospects.
Today, our generation feels equally anxious. Although Singapore is already a safe and prosperous country, we still worry: are our children resilient? Have they learnt the right values? Can they grow up in this complex world?
Anxiety is not a weakness, but a driving force. The key is not whether we have anxiety, but how we face it.
We can let anxiety behave like Brownian motion – vibrating randomly and aimlessly; or we can transform it into a driving force for action, making us to be more resilient, creative and confident. Only in this way can we transform worry into strength, transform unease into hope and lay a more solid foundation for Singapore's tomorrow.
(In English): I will now share my thoughts on my two portfolios: Education first, followed by Digital Development and Information.
As a mother of two preschoolers, my days are filled with joy and worry. Each morning, Papa and I hold our little boys' hands, and we walk them into their schools. We kiss them goodbye and we watch them take their small steps into the world, a world that feels faster, harsher and more complex than the one I grew up in.
And at night, after they are asleep, I often find myself asking, \"Am I doing enough for them? Am I doing too much for them? Am I present enough as a working parent, and am I patient enough as an exhausted parent? Will they be kind? Will they be brave? Will they be bullied, or will they bully others?\"
These questions are not unique to me. They are questions every parent would ask themselves in quiet moments. And I want to say here, as a parent and as a policy-maker, I see you. I hear you and I carry the same questions.
Education, at its heart, is not simply about grades. It is about confidence, character and resilience. Part of nurturing character is tackling the difficult issue of bullying. Bullying, whether in the classrooms or online, corrodes the very values we hold dear as Singaporeans – respect, responsibility and care for one another. It also feeds the anxiety among our children, leaving scars that can follow them well into adulthood. So, I take very seriously, my role, in the review of anti-bullying efforts because it will help build a kinder Singapore.
The best way to defeat bullying is to make kindness our norm. The real revolution is not against bullying but for kindness. Let us not just tell our children to be kind to each other. Let us, as adults, be kind and respectful to each other, so that our children in Singapore, watch, learn and mimic the kindest generations of adults.
I will work with parents, youths, educators and community groups to reframe the way we approach our challenges. Our work will not be just about preventing bullying but making kindness our norm and finding meaning in caring for others. Our work will not be just about helping children pass our mother tongue subjects but reconnecting them with our cultures and strengthening their ability to communicate with the world. And our work will not be just about avoiding screen time but helping children, and parents, rediscover the life lessons from play and nature, and strengthening parent-child relationships.
My other portfolio, Digital Development, brings me face to face with a different kind of anxiety. We worry about children glued to screens, exposed to online harms, workers displaced by AI and seniors left behind in a fast-changing society. Yet, just as with anxiety, technology can either paralyse us or propel us.
Our youths wonder if AI will take away the jobs that they aspire towards or if they will be able to keep up with machines that learn faster than humans. Yet, when I meet students at hackathons, I also see their excitement. They want to experiment, they want to create and they want to shape how AI can be used for good. So, I believe, that if we guide them well, our youths will not just adapt to AI, but they will help define the future with it.
As we embrace technology and prepare our young for an AI-driven future, we must remember never to lose our humanity. Machines can process faster than us, but they cannot feel for one another. They cannot comfort a friend in pain, forgive a mistake or show compassion to a stranger. These are deeply human capacities – empathy, kindness, moral judgement – that no algorithm can replace. So, as we advance, let us hold firmly to the values that make us human because it is these values that will guide how we use technology and ensure it serves people, not the other way around.
These values of empathy and kindness also guide me, as I fulfil my duties as the Minister-in-charge of GovTech. I will be a watchman, not just to keep Singapore at the forefront of technology but to guard the values and integrity of our society, so that technology and AI do not become our digital opium.
We will continue to strengthen our public digital infrastructure. Through the work of GovTech and our agencies, we will ensure that Government digital services are not only efficient but also inclusive and trusted. Our public service must continue to be best-in-class, setting the tone for how technology can serve and strengthen people, not the other way round.
Mr Speaker, every generation of Singaporeans had anxieties, and what has defined Singapore is not the absence of anxiety, but the imagination to dream big in spite of it and the courage to act in spite of it. Our pioneers built homes while anxious about survival. Our parents built industries while anxious about recessions. As leaders, our role is not to erase anxiety because that is impossible. Our role is to steady the anxious hearts and to channel the restless energy into constructive action.
Years from now, people may ask, “Jasmin, did you live up to these words? Did you hold true to your commitments? Did you carry through on what you promised?” I hope that when that day comes, I can say, “I gave it all I have got. Yes, I was anxious but I took action. Yes, I spoke of assurance, and I worked every day to provide a little bit more of it.”
Every evening, I see the real reason for my work – my children, sleeping soundly, full of unspoken trust that tomorrow will be okay, that the world will be kind. In their faces, I am reminded of why I stand here – to help build a Singapore where every child can grow up confident, kind and courageous.
Mr Speaker, I commit myself to this work. To serve with both head and heart, to walk alongside Singaporeans in their anxieties, and to help transform those anxieties into action for a kinder, more resilient, more compassionate and confident Singapore. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.50 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 3.31 pm until 4.40 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.40 pm.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
(Debate on Address of Thanks – third allotted day)
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Order. First, I would like to apologise to all Members. As you know, there was a bit of a technical glitch in the audio system, resulting in all of us having an extended tea break. Leader.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Time Limit for Prime Minister's Speech","subTitle":"Suspension of Standing Order","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of the Prime Minister's speech.
Mr Speaker: I give my consent. Does the Leader of the House have the general assent of the hon Members present to so move?
[(proc text) Hon Members indicated assent. (proc text)]
[(proc text) With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order 48(8), to remove the time limit in respect to the Prime Minister's speech.\" – [Indranee Rajah] (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Prime Minister.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"President's Speech","subTitle":"Debate on Address of Thanks – third allotted day","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
The Prime Minister (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mr Speaker, Sir, hopefully, everyone is more attentive and energised after that extended break.
This new term of Government marks the beginning of a new chapter in the story of our island-nation. Singaporeans have placed their trust in me and my People's Action Party (PAP) team. They have returned my Government with a strengthened mandate. They have chosen all of us to be their voices in Parliament.
It is now our duty and our responsibility, on both sides of the aisle, office holders as well as backbenchers, to live up to that trust.
President Tharman has set out the challenges ahead and the key priorities for this term of Government. Members have raised many issues in this Debate and also shared useful ideas and suggestions. The Government will study all of your feedback.
Today, I want to take a step back and speak about the larger mission before us. As we move beyond SG60 and as the world around us undergoes profound changes, we must ask ourselves: what kind of Singapore are we building? What kind of future do we want? How do we ensure better lives for our children and grandchildren?
The past 60 years have been a miracle. When our founding leaders embarked on the journey of an independent Singapore, it felt like the most unpromising of startups. They would have been astonished at what Singapore has become today.
From third world to first, we have lifted the lives of Singaporeans beyond the wildest dreams of our pioneer generation. We created opportunities for all and improved living standards across the board. We enjoyed decades of peace and progress, of stability, harmony and unity.
Some now ask, can this miracle continue?
We know the headwinds are stronger. The external environment is more contested, more unpredictable and more challenging for small states like Singapore. Our economy is maturing and our population is ageing, so growth will inevitably slow. Many young people worry that they may not do better than their parents.
In the past, when education levels were lower, securing paper qualifications was seen as a sure ticket to success. Now almost all have tertiary education, and half the cohort have university degrees. So, competition has intensified.
Young people sometimes feel like they are trapped in a relentless rat race – from classroom to the workplace. They also worry that society is becoming more stratified. That the rich and wealthy are pulling ahead, while others struggle to keep up. Social media amplifies these anxieties, triggering constant comparisons and envy.
All this is not unique to Singapore. Across the world, younger people are reporting higher levels of anxiety, and responding in different ways. In China, there is the phenomenon of tang ping or lying flat. In Japan, they talk about hikikomori, not leaving the house. In Europe and America, there is “quiet quitting”, “downshifting”, or the “great resignation”, and so on.
Here in Singapore, we must do everything we can to defy this global trend. We cannot let our young people down.\tThey are our future. My team and I make this pledge to our youths, and to the generations that follow. We will build Singapore with you in mind. We will strive to create more fulfilling lives for you. And not just for a few among you, but for all of you.
We have new ideas and plans to achieve this. Through Forward Singapore, we have set out our shared goals. To keep social mobility alive, so the escalator keeps moving, and everyone has the opportunity to rise over time. To strengthen our safety nets, so that no one falls through the cracks. To deepen our sense of solidarity, so we bridge differences and remain one united people. Let me elaborate on each of these in turn.
First, we will do more to keep the escalator moving and help every Singaporean realise their full potential. We have seen how other societies have become more stratified, increasingly, with privilege becoming more entrenched. In extreme cases, your caste and your social class determine who you are, what you can do and what you can become. Even in meritocratic societies, we see admissions to universities or top jobs in public and private sectors dominated by those from privileged backgrounds.
Governments everywhere try to rectify this. For example, I read recently in the UK, the government announced that civil service internships will be reserved for students from “lower socio-economic backgrounds” – defined as what jobs their parents did when they were 14. So, if you come from a working class family, you get the civil service internship. Otherwise, you do not get the chance.
These are well-intentioned efforts. But they often fail to work as intended. Sometimes, they even create new distortions. Fortunately, Singapore starts from a stronger position. But we cannot stand still. We have to tilt the balance continually and keep opportunities open at every stage of life.
We will invest more in the early years. Because as several Members have highlighted in this debate, opportunity gaps are opening up earlier – due to the advantage that better off parents confer on their children. And if we do not close these gaps quickly, they will only widen. We will expand KidStart and enhance ComLink+ – so that more families get help earlier, and more children gain a stronger footing in life.
We will deepen support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Today, enrolment in preschool is near universal. But attendance is less regular among the children from lower-income families. We will redouble our efforts and work closely with parents, preschool operators and social service agencies to ensure these children get the consistent support they need to thrive. We will not only do more, but we will also take actions across agencies with a more integrated family-centric approach – which several Members also spoke about.
In schools, we will continue to press ahead with reforms. We have changed how the PSLE is graded. It is no longer graded on a curve, as Members know. It is about your own achievement, not about how well you did relative to your peers. In secondary schools, we have replaced streaming with Full-Subject Based Banding. Students are in mixed-form classes. They take subjects at different levels, according to their abilities.
But I know for many parents, education still feels like an arms race. It is the PSLE season now. We all know of friends who are taking leave from work to help their children prepare for their PSLE. When you speak to each parent, they often tell you the same thing: they wish they could cut back on the endless tuition and give their children more space to grow up and play. Yet everyone hesitates to take that step. Why? Because deep down, they worry: what if my child loses out?
So, many families feel they are stuck on a treadmill, running harder and harder, in a bid to avoid falling behind. We must break this cycle. So, why we will do more in this term to reduce the stakes of single exams, to further broaden our definitions of success and to give every child the chance to discover and develop their strengths – be it in languages, sciences, sports, arts or technical skills.
I feel strongly about this as a result of my own personal experience. My friends and I in school did not grow up with family advantages or a head-start in life. But education was our great leveller. It gave us opportunities that we would not otherwise have had, the courage to dream and the chance to pursue our aspirations. I want every parent and every child to feel the same – that education is not a burden, but a springboard. A place where our children can learn, grow, discover their strengths and reach for better opportunities.
But education reforms alone are not enough to accomplish the transformation we seek. Because if employers still cling to narrow academic criteria to judge ability, then the arms race will simply shift from schools to workplaces. Parents will continue to feel that grades are the only ticket to success.
I remember when we had the “Our Singapore Conversation” some years back, someone told us: “I am glad you are trying to make every school a good school, but you cannot succeed unless every job is a good job”. And that person is right. We must change how we hire and promote.
This is not at all an easy task, but we have already started. It means recognising that people have different gifts and strengths. Some may excel in mathematics but not in languages, or vice versa. Others may struggle in written exams, but thrive in practical problem-solving. If we only use general academic results to sort out talent, we will undervalue many capable Singaporeans. We will miss out the many other competencies and intelligences that exist amongst us and that are just as important. So, we are changing.
Take the Public Service, for example. Academic results are no longer the be-all and end-all. They are just one part of the overall assessment. For recruitment, we are using more skills-based assessments. In some roles, we have stopped looking at grades altogether. For example, GovTech engineers are recruited through coding and problem-solving tests and interviews – because what matters is not your paper qualifications, but whether you can do the work. Once you enter the Public Service, how well you do does not depend on your grades or school. It depends on your qualities, your contributions and your performance on the job.
The private sector is changing too. One CEO shared with me: he used to insist on top academic credentials, focusing on school, universities, ticking all the right boxes. But he soon realised that academic credentials did not predict subsequent success in the company. What was more important was the individual’s attitude and mindset – their ability to learn, adapt, and work with others.
So these changes are happening, but clearly there is still a long way for us to go. Nevertheless, step by step we will move more towards skills-based hiring and progression, because what matters most is not where you started from, but what you can do and how far you are willing to go.
Valuing every job also means narrowing the gaps in how different professions are recognised and rewarded. This too is not easy, but we have been working on this for some time, and we too, have been making progress. For example, we have substantially raised the salaries of pre-school teachers and allied health professionals – vital roles that were once undervalued. We will continue to professionalise other skilled trades, including those that are considered “blue-collar” work.
Together with the Labour Movement, industry, and Institutes of Higher Learning, we will create more structured career and learning pathways so that tradespeople and essential workers can advance, grow their skills and be recognised for their contributions.
Pay matters, but ultimately this is not just about pay. It is also about mindset, a whole-of-society mindset. Much depends on how society as a whole views the different pathways that people choose. Let me give you an example.
In the past, parents resisted when their children wanted to pursue careers in fields like sports and culinary arts. Many young people would take a more conventional path first to please their parents, then only chased their passion later. I know of many friends who did that. Today, more parents embrace such choices, because society now celebrates our athletes, our chefs, and our artists. We take pride when their achievements put Singapore on the world map.
So, yes, progress has been made. Yet we all know that there remain vocations where pay is not the main issue. Rather, it is societal recognition and respect that continue to lag behind.
So, while the Government will do our part, the deeper change must come from society. We must move from a narrow meritocracy based solely on grades, to a broader and more inclusive one. Step which we have been making already over the years, but we must continue to move more in this direction. A broader and more inclusive meritocracy that encourages excellence in every field, that values a diversity of abilities and talents, that accords dignity and respect to all forms of work, and to the people who carry them out. That is how we keep social mobility alive, so every Singaporean can rise on the strength of their contributions and will be respected.
The shift towards more pathways to success must be underpinned by a strong and dynamic economy. To be clear, economic growth is not about chasing GDP. It is about uplifting lives and creating a wide range of good jobs and opportunities for all Singaporeans.
We will redouble our efforts to keep our economy competitive and vibrant. This is even more urgent in an increasingly fragmented global economy, with more barriers to trade. That is why the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce and the Economic Strategy Review committees are studying how Singapore can navigate the challenges that have come thick and fast in the past few months.
For the last 60 years, multi-national enterprises have been a key driver of our economy. They remain critical anchors in sectors like electronics, pharmaceutical and finance. We have to keep attracting new investments from leading global companies, so that Singapore can stay plugged into the frontiers of innovation.
At the same time, we must work harder to energise our enterprise eco-system. We want to make Singapore a more attractive place for startups and emerging companies, be it here or overseas. These can be home-grown firms looking to venture abroad, or overseas growth companies seeking a base in Asia. These are the companies that will shape our future success.
And to do this well, we will need a different approach. Because not all enterprises will succeed. Some will fail. And fail spectacularly. When they do, there will inevitably be calls for the Government to step in – I am sure from both sides of the House – from the Workers' Party (WP) and the PAP asking the Government to do more. And perhaps from time to time, we will.
But if we try too hard to shield every company, we risk ending up with more \"zombie firms\" – propped up artificially, stifling renewal and enterprise dynamism. And that is not the path we want to take. So, we must be prepared for more churn. And we should not only celebrate success stories but also learn to embrace failures and setbacks. Because it is only through constant experimentation that more innovative companies can emerge. The process will be uncomfortable, even unsettling. But it is necessary to create new value, and ultimately to create new and better jobs for Singaporeans.
So, let me be clear: our focus must always be on the worker, not the job. Companies may fail. Jobs may disappear. But every worker matters, every citizen matters; and no one will be left behind. [Applause.]
In this fast-changing world with greater churn, we also need to offer Singaporeans sufficient assurances so they can deal with the disruptions with a greater sense of confidence and security. And that means making sure that their essential needs are taken care of – quality education, healthcare and housing, for example, must remain accessible and affordable.
Housing was one of the biggest concerns in the last term. Because COVID-19 disrupted construction and the supply of new homes. But since then, we have ramped up supply. Today, there is a healthy pipeline of new BTO flats as well as land for new private properties. There are still concerns around housing, but I am confident the situation will steadily improve with the additional supply. So, we will not only catch up with demand but build ahead of it so there will be more BTOs with shorter waiting times and we will be able to give Singaporeans greater assurance when planning for their homes.
At the same time, we must update our system to reflect demographic changes, especially increased lifespans. I spoke about healthcare at the National Day Rally. And we will have lots to do in this area through Healthier SG, Age Well SG, and Age Well Neighbourhoods. In this term, we will also take steps to strengthen retirement adequacy. We are studying what further moves we can make. In particular, we want to help Singaporeans save more during their working lives, so that they have enough to meet their basic retirement needs for life, for a longer life. And for those who despite their best efforts cannot build up a sufficient nest egg, we will provide additional support so that every Singaporean can retire with dignity.
We will also continue to strengthen our safety nets for those who need more help. For children with special needs, we will provide more support in their education and help make their transition to adulthood and work smoother. For people with disabilities, we will give them more opportunities to pursue their aspirations and lead fulfilling lives. For those who encounter setbacks, we will help them get back on their feet because setbacks are part of life and in Singapore, everyone is due second and third chances. That is why we introduced programmes like the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme. It has just started, but we will make this a far better scheme than the unemployment insurance found elsewhere. [Applause.]
All of these measures are helping to bring down income inequality in Singapore. Our Gini coefficient is now at its lowest in more than two decades. Previously, the Gini was measured only on income from work. The Department of Statistics has since updated the measure to include income from all other sources, like rental and investments. The full data will be published soon. But I will share the headline finding with this House first.
The revised Gini coefficient comes out higher. We are talking 0.38 as compared to 0.36 after taxes and transfers.
We had expected this but what matters more is the trend. Even with the revised measure, the Gini continues to move downwards. So, inequality in Singapore is narrowing. And we are determined to keep it that way.
We have ways to mitigate wealth inequality in Singapore. A large share of household wealth here is tied up in property. So, we have taxes on property, progressive taxes on property and stamp duties on property transactions to ensure those with more contribute more.
But it is not just on the tax side. We also have transfers, wealth transfers for those with less through public housing to help lower-income families own their homes, through regular top-ups to CPF accounts and through new initiatives like the ITE Progression Award, which gives a head-start to ITE graduates who complete their diplomas.
So, taken together, our measures are helping to narrow both income and wealth inequality and we will press on, and continue to innovate in our social policies. So, that at every stage of life, Singaporeans feel assured, supported and confident about the future. So that opportunities and progress will always be fairly shared across our society.
As we work towards a fairer society, we must also accept a basic truth: not every journey will reach the same destination. Even if we succeed in levelling the starting point for everyone, some skills and talents will always be more in demand than others. Some jobs will command higher pay. That is reality.
And that is why those who do better must never forget this: no one succeeds alone. Opportunities do not come from individual effort alone. They come from the broader system – from the teachers who nurtured you, the workers who keep our city running, and the safe and stable environment that society as a whole provides. So, every successful and fortunate person in Singapore owes a debt to the community.
Those who are more successful should therefore contribute more, not just in taxes, but also in compassion and care. Because no taxation system, however progressive, can legislate the spirit of solidarity. That must come from within each of us, it must come from the heart and it must be nurtured by a culture that puts \"we\" before \"me\".
That is why I spoke about a \"we first\" society. It is one that strives for the collective good, not just self-interest; it is one that values solidarity even as we recognise our individual differences. To be clear \"we first\" doesn’t mean surpressing the \"me\". It means the \"me\" can only thrive when the \"we\" is strong. So, we need to embrace our individuality and help everyone be the best possible versions of themselves. At the same time, we have to look out for one another and lift each other up. Only then can we be greater than the sum of our parts.
This \"“we first\" spirit of solidarity is not new. This is how our forefathers of different origins, languages and religions came together to forge One Singapore.
And over the decades, through painstaking and patient effort, we have built up this social capital. And today the bonds among Singaporeans are stronger than ever. But we cannot be complacent. And I will share with you findings from recent surveys. They show, for example, that only one in three young Singaporeans had ever volunteered. That more than half said that most of their friends were from the same socio-economic group or race as them. We worry about these trends: because if we know less of one another, if we have less in common, then we risk seeing each other not as fellow citizens, but as competitors, as people from different tribes. And competition can easily turn into envy, resentment and division.
So, we must work harder to create more spaces and opportunities to mix and interact – be it at school, in the workplace, or in our neighbourhoods. It will take the concerted effort of everyone, generation after generation, to make sure that our diversity adds and does not subtract.
Sometimes we overdo it, and the efforts become contrived. The older Members of this House will remember when People's Assocation (PA) started the Community Games back in 2012, it required teams to include members of different races. That was the rule to take part in a community game. But some groups signed up \"phantom players\" just to meet the quota. The intent was good, but the outcome fell short. And it is easy to look back and laugh at what happened then. But we all know that fostering more of such interactions is very hard to do and at the same time, it cannot be left to chance.
Since then, we have learnt better how to do this. Today, PA organises more sports and activities that more naturally bring residents together, regardless of age, race, or background. We have merged Residents’ and Neighbourhood Committees into Residents’ Networks, so that people from public housing and private property can interact more freely.
And as a Government, we will continue to work hard to build up our social capital, to bind communities together, to connect us each to each, regardless of race, language or religion – and I might add also, regardless of socio-economic background.
At the same time the whole society must make an effort. Singaporeans need to step out of our comfort zone, learn from more other cultures and interact with people from different backgrounds. These may seem like small steps. But over time, they help to strengthen our social fabric. Because trust grows from these everyday encounters – eating together, celebrating one another’s festivals, or simply knowing your neighbour.
There is no doubt that our shared Singaporean identity has grown stronger these last 60 years. In his speech, the Leader of the Opposition Mr Pritam Singh said that being a member of a racial and religious group and our identity as Singaporeans are both \"equally important\".
Indeed, we all have multiple identities and we celebrate these. But we should be clear-eyed about our present realities. In fact, a recent Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey showed that among some groups of Singaporeans, their religion ranks higher than their Singaporean nationality in determining their self-identity. That is why race and religion, if exploited, can easily arouse passions and tear apart the very fabric of our society. We see this happening in so many other countries and Singapore is not immune to these powerful forces.
In fact, we had a close call in the recent General Election (GE). External elements sought to exploit our differences to divide and weaken us. In one instance, they attacked the credibility of certain candidates because these candidates allegedly failed to advocate the rights of a particular religious community. In another instance, they praised a candidate for arguing against the separation of religion and politics.
But it was not just foreign interference. At home, we also had Singaporeans who exhorted certain groups to vote along racial and religious lines. They said, \"Vote for this candidate because he or she is a better representative of your race or religion\". Or they compared candidates and said, \"Vote for this person because he or she has been a more vocal champion for your race or religion\".
These narratives were not just seen online, but they were heard on the ground. And that is why I spoke out then, in the middle of the campaign, not as a party leader, but as Prime Minister, to make clear that race and religion must never be weaponised in our politics. [Applause.]
Thankfully, many Singaporeans rejected the calls to vote along racial and religious lines. They voted for the candidate that they felt was best for Singapore, regardless of race or religion. But make no mistake. Had the election outcomes rewarded those who had pushed people to vote for racial and religious reasons, it would have caused a serious fissure in Singapore society. Other racial and religious groups would have mobilised to protect their own interests in the future elections. This would have jeopardised the harmonious, multi-racial and multi-religious society that took us 60 years to build.
Looking ahead, as elections become more tightly contested, the temptation to play this card will only grow. So, we must find ways to guard against this and have to see how all of us, as Members of this House, can reaffirm our commitment to serve all Singaporeans, regardless of race or religion, and foreswear the use of racial and religious appeals in elections.
Mr Speaker, \"one united people, regardless of race, language or religion\" is not just a line in our pledge. It is the foundation of our independence. It is the reason why Singapore became Independent. It is the bedrock of our nationhood. Let us all never forget this. [Applause.]
Our unity and the trust we have in one another also depends on how we conduct our politics. The way we debate, disagree and decide as a country. That is what constructive politics in Singapore is about. Our society is maturing and our politics will evolve, too. And so, I welcome the opposition presence in Parliament. In this GE, Singaporeans have chosen to send both PAP and WP Members of Parliament (MPs) here, and both sides have a duty to serve Singaporeans faithfully.
For the PAP, we do not assume we are automatically entitled to govern, just because we have done so since self-government. Our right to lead must be earned, by working hard and delivering results that improve the lives of Singaporeans. Doing well in one election does not guarantee success in the next. Every election is a new test and we must take nothing for granted.
In this term of government, I fully expect WP to keep us on our toes – raising questions, scrutinising our policies and holding us accountable. This is their role as the opposition, and I am sure they will play it vigorously. The WP will try to build up its ranks and grow its presence in Parliament over time, as any political party would. One day, it will want to take over from the PAP as the ruling party, even if it may not say so openly now. That is the nature of political competition.
But in the end, be it the PAP, WP or any other political party, we are all servants of the people. The final word rests with them. And I believe Singaporeans are discerning voters. They will decide which parties deserve their trust, both in Government and in opposition. If any party falls short of the public's high expectation and standards, there will surely be consequences. Privilege given today can easily be taken tomorrow. So, let us all conduct our politics with seriousness, with integrity and with a deep sense of responsibility for the longer-term interests of our nation. And that is how I hope our politics will evolve and our democracy can strengthen over time.
Besides welcoming diverse views in Parliament, the Government will do more to engage and involve Singaporeans outside of this House. As I said in the National Day Rally last month, we do not just want to do things for Singaporeans. We also want to do things with Singaporeans.
So, I invite all Singaporeans to join us, to connect, collaborate and shape our future together. We already have many channels for public consultations. We will continue with all these. But, we will also go further. We will open up new opportunities for Singaporeans to have deeper conversations and engagements. To shape the character of our neighbourhoods and estates, for example. To be directly involved in policy-making, through Citizens' Panels, as one possible channel. And to help set new norms on major issues, like education, multi-culturalism or how we raise our children in this digital age.
In particular, we want to involve our young people. They have energy, ideas and a strong sense of purpose. So, we will give them more platforms to step forward, contribute and make their voices count. This has already started. In 2023, we set up Youth Panels to study issues that young Singaporeans care about. They shared their ideas with me at the inaugural Youth Policy Forum last year; many of their recommendations were constructive and thoughtful and we have taken them on board. Next year, we will launch the second round of Youth Panels and I look forward to more new ideas from our young people.
So, to all young Singaporeans, I say, \"We will not let you down. We are building Singapore for you and with you.\" [Applause.]
And you, too, have a part to play. Work with us to secure a brighter future for yourself and your fellow citizens. Do not settle for anything less. The future is not cast in stone. It is something you create, and we need you, our young Singaporeans, to be the authors of this next chapter; to write what must become your Singapore Story.
So, be bold in chasing your dreams, seize the opportunities before you. There will be setbacks along the way, but you will never face them alone. Embrace the failures as well as the successes. For it is often at the edge of our comfort zones that we learn, grow and become the best versions of ourselves.
Most important of all, remember this: success is not just about what we achieve alone, but what we build together. True fulfilment comes from creating a society where every Singaporean can stand tall and we all move forward as one people. This is what has defined us for the last 60 years, a Singapore Spirit rooted in trust, solidarity and resilience. And it is this same spirit that will carry us into the future.
Mr Speaker, I have set out the broad strokes of a new direction for our next chapter; of a new vision for Singapore. I hope every Singaporean can get behind this shared endeavour. Together, let us build a Singapore that remains a land of endless possibilities. A home where every generation does better than the one before and a nation that continues to shine brightly for the next 60 years and for the generations beyond. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Mr Ng Shi Xuan.
Mr Ng Shi Xuan (Sembawang): Mr Speaker, Sir, how can we give our children a better life?
I stand here for the first time because of the people of Sembawang and the generations who came before me, including my own parents, who worked hard so I could have the chance to carry the hopes and dreams of many Singaporeans, especially parents and grandparents, who are quietly wondering, \"How will my children cope with the challenges and complexities of tomorrow? Can they have a better life than ours?\"
These questions matter because Singapore has never had natural resources to fall back on. What we have always had is people. Our workers, our families, our children.
Our people are our only natural resource. And what we have achieved in the last 60 years is nothing short of remarkable. Today, 100% of our youths are literate and our students consistently top global rankings in education. Our Human Capital Index is among the highest in the world. And more importantly, our people are known not just for being smart, but for being honest, hardworking and resilient. This progress did not come from luck. It came from sacrifice, from seniors and parents who gave up their dreams so their children could have one.
This is the Story of Singapore, where we know that we need to invest in our people, where we know that human capital is our only competitive advantage and where we know this is the only way towards a brighter future. But every generation faces its own mountain.
Today, our children are growing up in a very different world. One filled with screens, stress and shifts. In my conversations with parents on the ground, I have heard real concerns, \"My child is doing okay in school, but is that enough? How do I raise them to be strong, kind and happy?\"
As a young father myself, I feel these worries too. That is why as a youth volunteer, I had focused my community work on supporting the young – from launching Healthy Plate programmes with a local social service agency, to guiding a group of youth leaders to launching an anti-vape campaign. Because every child matters and we all have a part to play.
Even as we worry, we must remember: our young people are also full of hope. They dream not just of stable jobs, but also of meaningful lives. They talk about AI, sustainability, creativity, not just because these terms sound cool, but because they truly want to make a difference and do something meaningful with their lives.
I saw this passion come alive when I met a group of young entrepreneurs. Yilina and Jay, both business students, are two of the co-founders of Fossa Chocolate. Matthew, a lawyer by training, and Trevor, an accountant, are the owner and manager of All Would Envy. These youths were not confined by their degrees but set out to pursue their passion and built something of their own. When their businesses do well, they will go on to inspire their children and future generations. Proving that in Singapore, if we believe, we can achieve.
That is the Singapore Dream. Not just to make a living, but to create a life of purpose. So, I echo the President's emphasis in his Opening address that we must \"foster an outgoing and experimental spirit among our enterprises and people.\" He further implored us to work together and make Singapore \"a society where every citizen shares in the nation's prosperity and every Singaporean has the confidence that tomorrow will bring brighter opportunities and a better life.\"
I am heartened that the Government has continued to honour its commitment to nurture our future generations with initiatives, such as free childhood vaccines, affordable preschools with childcare subsidies, Grow Well SG to help parents raise healthy children, clear screen time guidelines to protect our young minds, National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy to improve our mental health ecosystem and the GRIT Traineeship Programme to ensure our tertiary students and fresh graduates gain real-world industry experience. These are not just policies. They are building blocks of trust between the state and our people.
But policy alone is not enough. Raising a child and helping our youths to maximise their potential is still a community effort. As a grassroots adviser, I continue to have a soft spot for youth-related topics. In my engagements with our youths, I hear anxieties and insecurities from our students in higher learning and fresh graduates about their job prospects and career options.
So, my Parliamentary colleague, Ms Poh Li San and I are leading a new community initiative to address this issue. Together with the advisers in Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West single member constituency (SMC), we have pulled together our own networks of companies to organise company visits and fireside chats with executives. This initiative is complementary with the nationwide Traineeship programme as it will help youths to get insights on the changes in the job market and also be clued in on the career options they can have beyond their degrees.
This programme is aptly named Slay, or Sembawang Learning and Achievement for Youths, as we want our youths to not just do well, but do well with confidence and style. The programme will launch in the next two weeks and our first company visit is slated for end-October.
I am excited to work with you to secure our future for our nation, for our people and for our future generations. In my term as a Member of this House, I will work together with you to support the young and to build not just a place, but a home where our people and local businesses can sustainably grow and thrive.
In this House, I will focus on three areas: (a) strengthening family support systems: I want to see more community-driven care for parenting and early childhood so that every child can grow up healthily and with the best chance to fulfill their potential; (b) championing youth-led ideas: young people should not just be asked for feedback, they should lead projects and shape the solutions they care about so that they join us in the stewardship of our nation; and (c) supporting our local businesses: small local business owners need room to grow. I will push for simpler regulations, better digital tools and fairer access to opportunities so that our companies will go on to inspire future generations of business owners and entrepreneurs.
These are real areas where we can do better and I intend to raise them here.
As we celebrate SG60, let us remember, it was not just deliberate planning or a stroke of good luck that brought us here. It was the strength of our people. And like in a garden, if we want strong trees in the future, we must care for the young shoots today. That means giving our young the right mix of guidance, trust and room to grow.
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Xie Yao Quan) in the Chair]
This generation has both the responsibility and the opportunity to build for the next. Let us build a Singapore where every child can find their way, every parent feels less alone and every senior sees that their sacrifices were worth it, so that one day, when our children stand here, they can say, \"We did not just inherit Singapore. We built it together.\" In Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, I feel deeply honoured and grateful to stand here today to deliver my maiden speech.
I come from an ordinary family, and it is through my parents' hard work and perseverance that I have the opportunity to stand here today. My parents did not receive much education, but like many Singaporeans, they believed that as long as their children received an education, they would have a better future.
So, I have always remembered: whilst Singapore has no natural resources, what we can always rely on is our people. Since Independence, our greatest investment has not been in factories, but in our children. In return, our young people have achieved 100% literacy rates, we rank amongst the top in international education rankings and the World Bank has rated us as one of the best countries in its Human Capital Index.
None of this happened by chance, but through the sacrifices and quiet contributions of countless fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, who lived frugally and gave their all.
The challenges facing today's children are different from those of the past. Parents no longer worry about having three meals a day, but about mental health, internet addiction, and whether their children will find a fulfilling direction in life.
During my visits with residents, I often hear such sentiments, \"I cannot imagine what the future will look like, and I don't know if my child will be able to adapt.\"
As a father of three children, I share the same concerns. This is why in my grassroots work, I have always focused on youth and family issues, such as promoting healthy eating, anti-vaping and encouraging children to develop healthy lifestyles.
Because I believe every child matters. Even as we worry, we must remember – our young people are full of hope. They not only dream of stable jobs but also yearn for meaningful lives. They speak of AI, sustainability and creativity not because these jobs are trendy, but because they genuinely hope to make a difference and do something meaningful with their lives.
I know such a group of young people, like the founders of Fossa Chocolate and All Would Envy. They were originally lawyers and accountants, but later chose to follow their own path, pursue their passions, establish their own brands and create something of their own. We need to help these SMEs succeed in order to inspire future generations to face challenges courageously and pursue their dreams. This is the spirit that the new generation of Singaporeans is demonstrating.
I am also heartened that the President, in delivering the address, encouraged us to work together to make Singapore \"a society where every citizen shares in the nation's prosperity, and every Singaporean has the confidence that tomorrow will bring brighter opportunities and a better life.\"
I am heartened to see the Government's support for future generations, including free infant vaccinations, affordable preschool fees, the Grow SG programme to help parents cultivate healthy habits, new guidelines on screen time to protect children's physical and mental health, more policies promoting mental health and family support and the GRIT programme.
These policies are not just about children's academic performance, but about their lives. But policies alone are not enough. The community can also participate and use concrete action to nurture children and help young people realise their potential.
As a grassroots adviser, I continue to focus on early childhood and youth issues. In my interactions with young people, I have heard fresh graduates' anxieties about employment prospects and career choices.
Therefore, Ms Poh Li San and I are leading a new community initiative to address this issue. Together with advisers from Sembawang GRC and Sembawang West SMC, we have pooled our networks to organise company visits and fireside chats with senior executives. This initiative complements national training programmes, as it will help young people understand changes in the job market and help them learn about career options beyond degrees.
Mr Speaker, this year we celebrate SG60. For 60 years, we have relied on our people to reach this day, step by step. We want every child to grow into a hopeful, capable and confident Singaporean. We want every parent to feel at ease, and every grandparent to be proud. Like a garden, if we want strong trees to grow in the future, we must start nurturing the seedlings today. This means giving young people the right guidance, trust, and space to grow. This generation has both the responsibility and the opportunity to build the future for the next. When our next generation stands here, they can proudly say, \"We didn't just inherit Singapore. We built it together.\"
Happy 60th birthday, Singapore. May we work together towards the future. Majulah Singapura. [Applause.]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Nadia Samdin.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I join the other hon Members in this House in adding to the chorus of support for the Motion of Thanks.
In his address, Mr President highlighted fundamental shifts in the tides, leading to a far less predictable world. Just in the last month, we have seen protests in Indonesia, UK, USA and leadership upheavals in countries from Japan, Thailand to Nepal and France. Leaders raced to uphold promises, undo the work of their predecessors and bring forth change within a political term, often, an impossible task.
The global and economic order is in transition and people are clamouring to be heard. Compounding this are ongoing conflicts felt not just as remote death tolls beyond our shores but real atrocities which citizen reporters, humanitarian workers and everyday residents stream online. As we travel to work and feed our children at night, these dominate our feeds and we feel the suffering from half a world ago, a stereo split screen like watching two worlds exist at once.
While real-time information promotes compassion, it also magnifies anxiety in our hyperconnected world and there is dissonance within so difficult to reconcile.
All these, amidst the slow yet inevitable backdrop of climate change, no longer a distant march but here in the form of hottest years on record, flash floods, droughts, rising sea levels. Extreme weather destabilises food sources and supply chains, causing scarcity and rising costs.
Our youth faces anxieties about the future they will inherit. Working adults feel sandwiched as they shoulder pressures at work and at home. Seniors confront major life transitions and isolation.
Sir, to navigate through the unknown together as one inclusive society, we must go beyond protecting our borders and resources, to tend to something equally precious – the mental health and well-being of our people.
The well-being of our children is essential. Every child is precious in an ageing society and they are the future of our nation. But they carry a heavy load in the face of turbulent around us and this can manifest in mental health conditions, bullying and self-harm.
With increased digital exposure, our children are subjected to the mercy of algorithms designed to sustain their attention, often with sensational or emotional posts. Trends shift quickly. What our children see today may not be the same tomorrow. Social media also forces our children to grow up too fast. Primary school children dance to mildly risque dance moves ala K-Pop Demon Hunters, chasing likes before they have the maturity to process their own actions.
Coupled with deepfakes and false content, this results in a disorientation of body image and a disjoint in their perception between what is portrayed online and the real world. Over a prolonged period, our children may lack the confidence to navigate the world and feel stressed as they worry how they can keep up with changes, questioning what the truth is.
I am glad that Grow Well SG, a coordinated effort to help our children, was launched earlier this year. I hope that children's mental health screening will also be part of the health plans and I also hope that services by CREST-Youth teams can be expanded to include children under 12. We must start earlier.
Sir, for many youths who are conscious about the world that we live in, the future seems uncertain as calamities increase, leading to a sense of hopelessness that this is the world and the systems that they have inherited. Despite their willingness to take action, some feel wary to create change as an individual, questioning the impact which they can make as one person in the face of bigger nations and corporations.
This Government is taking serious steps to fortify our food supply chains, tackle rising sea levels and develop innovative cooling systems towards heat resilience. Climate change is a wicked problem of the generation. It is important to deepen their knowledge as part of school curriculum and involve them as co-creators to climate solutions and a voice at the table. So, I was very grateful to hear the Prime Minister's speech earlier.
Building accurate understanding and active participation will help move helplessness to agency and foster a shared mission, like Captain Planet.
With a volatile economy and reports of company layoffs, many working adults feel greater stress that is coupled with cost-of-living worries. For some, the need to earn and provide, pretend that everything is okay, results in them pushing past the point of burnout, requiring more intensive and longer treatments. Some are concerned about gaps in their curriculum vitae and stigma by employers, leading to potential unemployment should they take that much-needed step to seek treatment.
For this group of individuals who require time off from work, I hope we can consider some form of interim credits or allowance to help with basic living costs, as schemes such as ComCare often do not apply. To be self-aware and recognise one's need to rest is courage. To commit oneself to recovery is strength.
Secondly, I hope there can be stronger support for their re-integration into the workforce once they are ready. While there are support services such as the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Job Club, it is unclear how many individuals these services have supported as a proportion of those who have sought help, and the range of jobs available for persons with different qualifications, as well as the progress of the job fit assessment and referral framework by the National Council of Social Servce to ensure a longer term fit between employer and employees with different kinds of conditions.
Worries about the cost of treatments remain a key barrier. Sir, besides MediShield and public subsidies available for the management of mental illnesses under the chronic disease management programme (CDMP), I hope the Government can consider expanding the mental health conditions covered under the CDMP and increase the subsidies coverage for mental health treatments. Recovery is often non-linear, requiring consistent treatment, and the costs incurred for one to receive quality and timely support can be prohibitive. I echo my appeal for the Government to coordinate a framework and improve access to insurance coverage for persons with mental health conditions.
Sir, a study by the National University of Singapore found a gap in parents' understanding of mental health conditions. Under the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy, the \"Parenting for Wellness\" toolbox for parents was released. How can we work with parents to understand and put this into practice in a bite-sized and practical way, like how I consult Instagram Reels at night to find out whether I have gentle-parented my son hard enough, or could I actually have fed what I fed him at 10 months old.
Can workshops be made more accessible in our neighbourhoods to improve mental health literacy and equip parents to have hard conversations with their children? After all, there is no school of parenting when a child comes into our lives, and as a first-time mom, I will be the first to admit that parents are learning as we become parents too. I understand that the Ministry of Social and Family Development will introduce a new model of support for the health needs of families under the ComLink+ scheme. I urge the Ministry to consider including mental well-being in the updated model, as vulnerable families often face instability and decision fatigue as well as a significant bandwidth tax.
Sir, while Singapore is set to become super-aged next year, Ang Mo Kio is well on its way as a super-aged town with a diverse population of seniors, each with their own life experiences and challenges. We often speak about youths transitioning to the workforce, facing uncertainty, but less is spoken about older adults, who stop work and are confronted with a loss of identity, companions or health, becoming empty nesters or taking on a caregiving role to a spouse. Sometimes, these stressors compound, resulting in harmful or suicidal thoughts among older adults.
One of the most difficult parts of being our people's representatives is sitting in wakes or on the living room floor the morning after or waiting for the ambulance next to a cold canvas in the immediate aftermath. Our seniors have given so much of themselves to see Singapore become what she is today. I only hope that we can help them feel supported as they age. 希望我亲爱的乐龄可以安享晚年.
I call on the Government to consider a targeted strategy in caring for our seniors' mental health. Seniors do not have the same vocabulary to search symptoms online like our youth. We need to think about local neighbourhoods as a community of first responders and equip primary care as a critical touchpoint for prevention, as these conditions first materialise as somatic concerns, such as pains or insomnia sometime.
Beyond the good work of the Silver Generation Office, Active Ageing Centres and the community centres, can we leverage technology and have automated messages regularly reminding seniors of health and well-being support, similar to messages which new parents, such as myself, receive when our babies hurt certain months in age. A text or push notification could remind them that they are not alone. An elderly who would often come to my meet-the-people sessions week after week with a different challenge, once stopped short and said, \"I just want someone to know that I am still alive.\"
More often than not, out of good intentions, we tend to share with our seniors, \"It is dangerous, you should not do that, be careful.\" This deficit approach diminishes their confidence. As we reshape the ageing narrative, I hope we take a strengths-based approach to emphasise to our seniors what they can do.
Finally, carers and caregivers have a crucial role in one's mental health journey, as their companionship and support are integral to persons in recovery. Where the person in recovery was a breadwinner, a carer may step in to take on additional financial responsibility as well as a new role, ensuring medical adherence. A person in recovery and carer's story is one of strength. Especially for ageing parents who care for their adult children with mental health conditions, it is testimony to unconditional love with little respect.
I was heartened with the announcement in Budget 2025, that as part of the upcoming enhancements to the Home Caregiving Grant, the Government will raise the quantum and maximum qualifying per capita household income thresholds for the Home Caregiving Grant. At present, the qualifying criteria is based on someone permanently requiring some assistance with at least three of the six activities of daily living. In this term, I hope the Government will recognise caregivers to persons who have mental health conditions which render them unfit to work too. Such support, particularly for caregivers facing health or ageing challenges of their own would be much appreciated.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, more than 40% of residents in Ang Mo Kio GRC are aged 60 and above. Our seniors possess invaluable experience and the nation's collective memory, having lived through pandemics and global crises. I deeply appreciate our seniors for often sharing their advice while their encouragement lifts my spirits.
Many seniors have shared with me that they feel the pressures of change, such as declining health and retirement, which disrupt their daily routines. Additionally, they experience the loss of old friends and family members who, as they grow older, begin to live farther apart. The resilience they have built over the years has taught them to endure challenges, so feelings of distress are often kept hidden in silence.
As a result, seniors may feel lonely. Some uncles have shared with me their desire to remain active. However, their spirits wane when they are beset by chronic illnesses that require ongoing attention. Sometimes, fading memory or hearing problems can also lead them to withdraw from others.
Sir, we need to celebrate the resilience of our seniors. I am truly inspired, especially with grandmothers who can still work part-time, diligently cook and care for their grandchildren. For our seniors, I hope it will be easier for them to access mental health care so that it does not feel strange to them and we can mitigate their apprehension towards health screenings. Seniors must feel that seeing a doctor is akin to working with a personal coach who can improve their quality of life.
As a community, we must go beyond traditional approaches and collaborate with various agencies to reach out to seniors.
Places of worship like the Al-Mutaqqin Mosque have started efforts to engage elderly congregants through sharing on health topics and estate planning. These sessions are delivered in practical and sensitive ways by weaving together these topics with religious guidance.
For seniors and those who care for them, even as the seasons of life change, this season can be just as beautiful. Many conditions can be treated if addressed early. Support is always available and many are willing to walk with you, accompanying you in every step of your journey.
(In English): Sir, as we weather international crises and uncertainties, we must protect the hearts and minds of our people. As our only national resource, a healthy population is key to the long-term stability and prosperity of Singapore.
As we celebrate SG60 this year, I am reminded that our story has always been one of people who have stood together and overcome the odds. Indeed, it is a story of \"we\". Let us bring that same spirit to improve mental health. Every school, a place of nurture and safety; every workplace, a circle of purpose and care; every home, a source of strength and love; every neighbourhood, a compassionate community together. I support the Motion.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Miss Rachel Ong.
Miss Rachel Ong (Tanjong Pagar): Mr Deputy Speaker, every youth matters. I have had the joy of serving in youth work for 25 years. For much of that time, I thought I understood our young friends. But I no longer think so. The gap of understanding has widened and I do not like it. Their world is far more complex, shaped by pressures and influences my generation never had to face.
I do not have children of my own, though I have many godchildren who I love very much, including some entrusted to me in their parents’ wills, which means, if anything happens to their parents, the children come to me. Their young lives remind me constantly of the responsibility we share for the next generation.
The fight for the health of our youths is not for the fainthearted. Singapore’s Total Defence prepares us for attacks by air, land, sea, cyber and even threats to our social cohesion. Yet, one dangerous enemy is often overlooked – the battle for our youths’ minds and hearts. If we fail to recognise this war, we cannot win it. Today, I will speak on five fronts that demand our urgent attention.
First, vaping deterrence, an alarming trend among our youths. Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Home Affairs and partner agencies for their tireless efforts to clamp down on Kpods and vapes. I also thank Minister Ong Ye Kung and Senior Minister of State Assoc Prof Faishal Ibrahim for addressing our recent Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and for the enhanced penalties announced on 1 September. I also appreciate the balanced approach that allows those who step forward to seek help to do so without fear of punishment.
At the same time, some youth workers have shared that uncertainty remains on whether they will be penalised if they step forward post-1 September, especially for probationers who cannot risk being marked for another offence. If those guiding our youths have questions, it will naturally be more difficult for our youths themselves to come forward with confidence. While swift enforcement is both necessary and commendable, we must also engage stakeholders working with youths, so that implementation is smooth and effective.
If our intent is restorative, which I believe it is, then our public communications must clearly reflect this. I have also heard of secondary school students who were involved in selling vapes to classmates before 1 September. Can the Government clarify whether those who voluntarily surrender stock, not just the users, would also be supported if they step forward?
Deterrence alone is not sufficient. In July this year, I was notified that a primary school boy in Dover was approached by an older youth to buy vapes, a shock to parents. National figures reinforce these fears. Students caught vaping jumped from 800 in 2022 to more than 3,100 each year between 2022 and 2024. Despite concerns raised in Parliament since 2021, the problem has worsened. Education and enforcement were attempted, yet numbers rose, and drug-laced Kpods slipped through.
Before the ban, TikTok videos of youths vaping to music and dance went viral. Vaping became a flex, a social badge. It was normalised online, which partly explains its explosion in popularity. Our Internet-savvy youths also find overseas articles and even AI chat responses, portraying vaping as a “safer” alternative to cigarettes. On social media, it is marketed as stylish and modern, while Singapore’s ban can seem, to them, as odd as our chewing gum prohibition. In the words of a 16-year-old, \"Social media’s voice is way louder than the school’s.” Meanwhile, predators continue to adapt. In the UK, youths are already moving from vapes to nicotine pouches and snus. Alarmingly, some websites even advertise direct delivery to Singapore, in open defiance of our laws.
As at 3.00 pm today, I am happy to read that the Health Science Authority and the Infocomm Development Agency have since blocked the said website. I had raised a PQ this past Monday. As guardians of our young, we must stay one step ready and ahead of this battle.
Mr Deputy Speaker, many youths vape not only out of curiosity, but to cope with stress, boredom, relational and family conflict, or academic pressures. If we punish behaviours but ignore distress, we fail our children. That is why the battle against vaping cannot be separated from the broader fight for mental health, which I will return to later in my speech.
Mr Deputy Speaker, if vaping reflects one form of pressure, another that cuts even deeper into the lives of our young is bullying, whether in the classroom or online. Bullying in schools, both physical and online, compounds the stresses our youths already face. Some victims may not even recognise they are being bullied, blaming themselves as \"not enough\".
I thank Education Minister Desmond Lee and his team for spearheading efforts to review MOE's approach to tackling bullying in schools. It is worth noting from the National Institute of Education's survey that many students confide first in parents or friends, rather than teachers.
This is not a reflection of our teachers' commitment. They work tirelessly and often go beyond the classroom to support our students. Rather, it shows that prevention cannot rest on teachers alone. Parents and peers must also be equipped, so they know how to respond and whether the student is the bully or the victim.
Several youths have shared that they hold back from reporting bullying, not because they do not care, but because they fear being labelled a \"snitch\" or a \"busybody\". This silence allows harm to continue. A larger mindset shift is needed amongst students themselves, to see speaking up not as a betrayal, but as courage for standing for what is right.
I would like to ask: first, will there be standardised training for students, parents and teachers on prevention and intervention? Second, can students report incidents safely and anonymously? If so, how? Third, are definitions of bullying versus mischief clear and when must cases be escalated to parents or MOE?
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) review shows that the most successful countries do not stop at passing clear laws prohibiting all forms of harm. They pair those laws with comprehensive interventions: age-appropriate equipping of students; training for every adult in the school environment – teachers, cleaners and canteen staff; strong support systems for victims and active engagement with parents.
Finland's KiVa programme is a strong example. It mobilises pro-social classmates to stand with victims and empowers bystanders to intervene. Closer to home, upper primary students have shared that hearing peers talk about resolved bullying cases is especially powerful. It shows that they are not alone, that help is possible and that change can happen.
Given the dynamics of school bullying, peer involvement is not optional. It is essential to the restorative journey. Singapore should review our anti-bullying programmes to glean lessons from such models and adopt a more holistic approach. One that not only addresses bullies but supports victims and reshapes school culture to protect and defend every child.
Mr Deputy Speaker, if bullying exposes the vulnerabilities of school life, social media magnifies them. Social media today is not just a distraction, it has become a powerful force – shaping identity, relationships and the mental and physical well-being of our young. It influences how they see themselves and how they connect with others, and how they measure their own worth.
An IMH survey in September 2024 revealed that one in three youths aged 15 to 35 experience severe, or extremely severe, depression, anxiety or stress. Among the key drivers are excessive social media use, body image concerns and cyberbullying.
Where a child once found refuge at home, bullying now follows them into their bedrooms through their phones. The home, once a sanctuary, has become another battlefield. This is why I continue to urge delaying social media exposure until at least age 16. Around the world, governments are moving. France now recommends a ban on social media under 15, and other EU countries are exploring similar steps. Could the Government update us on its study of Australia's approach?
A teen once told CNA that social media feels like \"drugs under the disguise of harmless entertainment\". If vapes harm physically, unregulated social media harms mentally and emotionally. Anonymous comments and unrealistic portrayals of life shape how our youths see themselves and others. Social psychology shows that even witnessing online bullying can cause guilt, anxiety, fear and difficulty in forming a healthy sense of self. Our children live with this daily, even when they are not the direct targets.
In this digital world, families remain the first line of defence. Conversations, clear limits and healthier alternatives matter, even amid work pressures. A child told his parents, \"I wish I was your phone,\" reflecting the longing for their time and attention. It speaks volumes about the need for adults to model well and lead at home.
There are encouraging examples. In Portland, a mother who refused to give her 10-year-old a smartphone revived a household landline. Within months, 15-20 families followed. What seemed old-fashioned turned liberating. Children greeted parents before calling friends, memorised numbers and listened attentively instead of scrolling while talking.
It reminded me of my growing-up years, when picking up the phone meant looking forward to an engaging conversation where you can see the smiles and the frowns of the person across the line, and the pause as a friend thought to respond before they spoke.
A 14-year-old girl shared her gratitude for her mom who restricted her use of social media, having witnessed the constant comparison that left many of her peers anxious. We must not miss this point. Youths turn to social media for connection, entertainment or relief from school and life pressures. That is why our approach to responsible use cannot be separated from supporting their mental health.
Ironically, many youths turn to, as medicine, social media, often deepens the very struggle they try to escape. Just as Healthier SG takes a preventive approach to physical health, we need a national programme that prepares youths for the mental and emotional impact of digital life, in ways that resonate with them.
When asked about school programmes on responsible social media, a 16-year-old replied, \"What your friends say is more effective than what the school says.\" We must change how we engage.
Australia's Mental Health First Aid often described as \"CPR for Emotional Emergencies\". It equips ordinary people, including youths, to recognise distress and offer immediate support until professional help is available. Singapore could adapt such an approach and enhance peer support.
To protect our youths, I urge one decisive response: legislation to delay social media access until at least age 16. This requires robust age verification, strict time limits and phone-free zones among other measures we must explore. Policy may not change the human heart, but it can draw firm boundaries, reinforce social norms and give parents the authority to say, \"not yet\".
Mr Deputy Speaker, as we strengthen support for all youths, we must be especially mindful of those who carry sharper and double burdens, our youths with disabilities. I first met this autistic boy when he was 16 and I was in my 20s, which is about 100 years ago. Over the past 25 years, I have been very blessed by this friendship. He has taught me what kindness is, what compassion looks like and what it means to have a childlike faith that never grows jaded. Through him, I learnt to see persons with disabilities with new eyes. My hope is that you, too, will have the privilege to get to know persons with disabilities, not the \"hi-and-bye\" kind of knowing, but the kind where you share meals, walk alongside them and do life together.
Youths with disabilities face sharper struggles and are two to three times more likely than their peers to experience mental health difficulties. Many retreat online in search of connection, only to encounter comparison, stress, addiction and deeper insecurity. This leaves them carrying a double stigma: disability and mental health.
Gaps also remain in professional understanding. Often, depression in youths with disabilities is dismissed as part of the disability. Autistic youths, for example, may have genuine mental health conditions wrongly attributed solely to autism. When this happens, mental health needs go untreated and may worsen over time. The reality is stark. These youths fight two battles: disability, and the disbelief that their sadness deserves help.
The caregivers, too, shoulder immense caregiving responsibilities and stress. This constant strain directly affects their ward's well-being, deepening the mental health challenges they face.
Having ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013, Singapore must now ensure that our National Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy is fully disability-inclusive through the Enabling Masterplan. I was especially encouraged at this year's 60th National Day Parade, witnessing how intentional the entire parade was, including persons with disabilities and with the sign language thoughtfully woven throughout the programme. This marks the true progress of a nation, one that leaves no one behind.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I have spoken on four battlelines where protection must be strengthened. Let me close with the fifth front: my vision for our youths in Singapore.
Mr Deputy Speaker, when I look at our youths, I see courage and compassion. I see them caring for their families, honouring parents, loving siblings and convinced that family is worth fighting for. I see young people brave enough to stand up for their friends and rooted in healthy relationships. I see youths who embrace education as a privilege, ending each day with purpose. I see young people celebrating the success of others and enjoying wholesome fun in music, sports and nature, without coarse joking or degrading remarks. I see them whole in school, home and community, skilled and committed to lifelong learning. I see them recognising that they are part of Singapore's future, thriving in their talents, bold and creative in attempting new things. I see our young friends resilient and brave in uncertainty, building ideas, products and services that help our communities flourish. Above all, I see youths who know that blessing the less fortunate is a privilege, and who treat resources and knowledge as a trust, to be used generously in the service of others.
Mr Deputy Speaker, to preserve, defend and protect our youths is to secure Singapore's future. Our strength lies not in Reserves or capabilities alone, but in young Singaporeans who are tough-minded, yet tender-hearted. Let us act wisely and decisively, for our youths to lead our Singapore into a stronger future. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Victor Lye.
Mr Victor Lye (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, my road to this esteemed House has been a long one, but better late than never. Over the last 25 years, ground-up, every house visit, kopitiam conversation and community walkabout has reinforced my belief that Singapore is special because of the resilience and trust of our people.
When I first declined the invitation to enter politics in 1996, I had just become the managing director of an investment firm. I did not know where my heart truly was.
In 1998 during the Asian Financial Crisis, I was asked to retrench staff but refused, proposing instead that senior management take a pay cut to save jobs. Because I stood up for others, I was retrenched myself. I counselled those retrenched at a fast food outlet for weeks and to boost morale, I helped the most important person in my firm – our tea lady – secure a new job, which she kept until her retirement. This painful experience brought me back to the ground.
In 1999, I began volunteering in Aljunied GRC to help those in need, even when I disagreed with some policies. When a strong PAP team was forsaken in 2011, I stepped forward. By then, after walking the ground for years, I knew where my heart truly was. 路遥知马力，日久见人心, or \"As distance tests a horse's strength, time reveals a person's heart\".
To work the ground, I quit my CEO-level job in 2012. Later, when I tried to re-enter the workforce, I experienced what some Singaporean PMETs face – rejection, uncertainty and the pain of starting over. While I believe in an open economy, we must ensure employment practices that are fair and build up our Singaporean Core.
Once, I remember interviewing candidates for a position. Strangely, they all seemed to come from the same company. I asked my staff to ensure they were kept separate and seemingly, they were pushed out, quietly displaced. Together with my early years as a policy-maker in Government, these first-hand, ground experiences help me empathise and understand the real-world challenges faced by our people.
In Aljunied GRC, we worked hard, day-to-day between general elections, outside of Parliament. When offered the chance to contest elsewhere, I chose to stay and sent my team mate instead. Having contested not once, but twice, facing the opposition’s leadership team, I feel like this is my third term. The Leader of the Opposition and his team know how hard we work the ground. So much so, they coined the term “2-for-the-price-of-1”. Vote the WP and get the PAP for free.
I have had more than my fair share of Aljunied voters who appreciated our groundwork and want the PAP to form the Government, but sheepishly confessed they voted to check on the PAP. It may be one vote. But together, as the Chinese saying goes, 杀鸡取卵. In other words, killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
With greater political contestation, we must guard against populist ideas presented by those who do not have to be in the driver's seat. As we can see in many mature democracies, eventually the interests of the country and of its people will be overridden by self-preservation, division and instability. With the interplay of digital media and geopolitics, I ask our hon Members across the aisle to assure us they will reject any external influence on our domestic politics.
Taken together, Singapore voters are rational and want an opposition voice. But I ask Singaporeans to demand from the opposition the same high standards that they expect from the PAP.
Sir, I am here, thanks to the voters of Ang Mo Kio GRC. I also am grateful for the support of Aljunied GRC residents, our activists and volunteers over the years. To our teams now serving in Aljunied and Sengkang GRCs and in Hougang SMC, I say, jiayou!
Sir, over the years, I have had the privilege of seeing children grow up in our community. Some were still in school when I first met them at community centres or during house visits. Today, many of them are young adults, newly married, setting up homes and even raising their toddlers.
During my walkabouts, quite a few – showing photographs taken with me stored in their phones – tell me they now live in Buangkok-Fernvale South, the newly constituted ward within Ang Mo Kio GRC where I now serve. It reminds me of our responsibility to ensure that Singapore continues to be a place where families can thrive and where every child can do better than the generation before.
Ultimately, the Singaporean brand of politics must be about making Singaporeans’ lives better. As a small, resource-scarce, accidental nation, we arose out of adversity. Singapore is not the result of populist ideas, but of hard, long-term decisions built on trust between our people and our leaders.
Today, that trust remains the core of our social compact. We must lead with resolve and heart: honouring our seniors, upskilling our people, uplifting the vulnerable, supporting families and inspiring our youths.
Let me talk about the following issues: access to affordable food, unlocking our silver dividend, education to shift from answers to questions and from gross domestic product (GDP) to gross national product (GNP).
Sir, I empathise with Singaporeans who worry about the cost of living. With my late parents’ love-language of food and memories of my siblings squabbling over one fried egg, I want food in Singapore to unite and not divide.
“Affordable food” means different things to different people. Left undefined, it can distort the perceptions of the cost of living. Like many Singaporeans, I am concerned about the rentals, hawker retirements and stall closures. But we must avoid conflating these arguments and be clearer about the cooked food segments that we are talking about. For instance, we can see four distinct parts: one, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Socially-Conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres (SEHCs); two, HDB rented coffeeshops after 1998; three, HDB private coffeeshops sold before 1998; and four, private F&B sector, where you have food courts, restaurants and so on.
Sir, private F&B and HDB private coffeeshops should be left rightly to market forces. However, we should ensure fair tenancy practices and discourage speculative investment behaviour.
NEA/SEHC hawker centres as well as HDB rented coffeeshops should be our social kitchens and community spaces. These two segments are where we must ensure access to affordable food, protect our hawkers’ livelihoods and strengthen our social compact.
More than cost, we should look at revenue. Our food is our asset. Why not re-imagine our hawker culture as a tourism product, with cooking classes, food trails and heritage tours in our heartlands? If we can increase the average length of stay of a tourist just by one day, the multiplier effects on our economy would be significant. We must support also traditional foods which will otherwise disappear in this new economic environment.
In my constituency, I had begun discussing a pilot heritage project to support our merchants and bring more vibrancy to our community with ad hoc work that will inspire our youths and engage our seniors, under my umbrella concept called Community Workfare.
That brings me to the next topic of unlocking our silver dividend. Sir, our seniors are an untapped strength. Many still want to contribute – not just in formal jobs, but in mentoring, caregiving and community life.
At a recent community event, I met Abdullah bin Ali, a retiree who teaches gardening at our Home Nursing Foundation Active Ageing Centre in Buangkok Crescent, not because he has to, but because, in his own words, “If I can stay active and share my knowledge, why not?” Or take Mdm Sandy Goh, who despite her own challenges, has rallied seniors to support food rescue programmes, first with me at Bedok Reservoir and Hougang, and now, in my new ward of Buangkok-Fernvale South.
This spirit of staying active, giving back and finding new meaning is the silver dividend we must unlock, where ageing is not a sunset, but a second spring.
To our youths, our education should move from answers to questions. Sir, a young student recently asked me, “If I can use AI, why do I still need to study?” Exams do not define potential. In this AI-era, it is not the answers we give but the questions we must ask. Are our primary classrooms supporting how children's brains actually learn best?
I recall in my primary school how we were repeatedly drilled for the PSLE. One classmate was always slower to answer and often punished by being made to stand on his desk. It was traumatic for him, and painful for us to witness. He did not do so well in the PSLE. Yet, in later life, he rose to become a respected editor of a major publication. That experience reminds us that one exam does not define a child and one-size-fits-all teaching can sometimes wound more than it uplifts.
Every child learns differently. Brain-based pedagogy is rooted in respect for the learner, that each child’s brain learns through meaning, emotion and connection, not just by rote memory. Many parents will know the helpless feeling, like me, of being unable to solve a math problem alongside their primary school child. Instead of pushing both parent and child to frustration, imagine a system where adaptive AI helps the child practice at his own pace, while the teacher steps in as a coach in confidence.
Our challenge is not to teach more, but to teach differently, supported by adaptive AI tools and teacher-as-coach models. We must invest boldly in every child, because with fewer children, each one matters more. Unlike the repeated refrain of calling for a smaller class size, we should be advocating how we cater to different learning styles and behaviours. Class size, the teaching environment and pedagogy are the derivatives.
If we fail to make this shift, the risk is clear. Affluent parents will move ahead with AI-driven personalised learning outside our school system, while the rest of our children remain in rote-based pathways. That will widen social divides. With AI, do we want an education system that hardens inequality, or one that allows each child to learn with confidence?
For the economic strategy, we should look at GNP instead of GDP. For the past 60 years, Singapore measured growth by GDP, building ourselves into a global hub. I say, for the next 60 years, we should also track GNP. How Singaporeans can benefit directly from growth, not just from home, but also abroad. This shifts from what Singapore produces to what Singaporeans earn.
We should move beyond attracting just foreign direct investment flows to maximising Singaporeans' participation in global value chains. Our economic strategy must not only attract activity to Singapore, but also build pathways for Singaporeans, especially our youths, to participate meaningfully in global value chains. We should encourage Singapore firms to internationalise and count their overseas income as part of our national strength.
Look at the region, look at the world with technology. Singaporeans, we are not confined to our own borders. Our companies, our professionals, our entrepreneurs, all should be increasingly international. By placing more weight on GNP, we shift our focus from the size of the pie on our shores to the larger share that our people can enjoy beyond Singapore.
Mr Deputy Speaker, sir, GDP will always remain a useful measure of our hub vibrancy. But as we look to the next 60 years, it is time we look for growth beyond our shores. From what is produced in Singapore to what Singaporeans earn globally. That is the shift from GDP to GNP.
In closing, sir, to keep Singapore special, we must maintain strong trust between our people and our leaders. And I say across the aisle, Singaporeans must demand the same high standards and accountability as they expect of us. Our President has spoken. It is not what we say, but what we do. More than what we achieve is what we inspire. In this House across both aisles, let us work together to build better lives and livelihoods for all Singaporeans. Let us keep Singapore special. Sir, I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan. Mr Dennis Tan, you might want to switch on your microphone.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): I am sorry about that. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would like to respond to the hon Member, Mr Lye's comments in his speech.
So, on behalf of the WP, I refer him to our 26 April 2025 statement, that in particular, we the WP are firmly committed to Singapore's secular, multiracial and multi-religious society, and to protecting the integrity of our electoral process, and in particular, we reject foreign influence in our electoral process.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Victor Lye.
Mr Victor Lye: Sir, I thank the Member for his affirmation. Thank you.
Mr Deputy Speaker: Leader.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Exempted Business","subTitle":"Business Motion","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move a Motion to take the proceedings on the business set down on the Order Paper for today beyond the moment of interruption.
Mr Deputy Speaker: I give my consent. Does the Leader have the general assent of hon Members present to so move?
[(proc text) Hon Members indicated assent. (proc text)]
[(proc text) With the consent of Mr Deputy Speaker and the general assent of Members present, question put, and agreed to. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resolved, \"that the proceedings on the business set down on the Order Paper for today be proceeded with beyond the moment of interruption.\" – [Ms Indranee Rajah] (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"President's Speech","subTitle":"Debate on Address of Thanks – third allotted day","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Minister for Manpower (Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong): Mr Deputy Speaker, those of my generation would remember the legendary moment when Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800, Terminator says in a stoic manner, \"I’ll be back\", before crashing through barriers, or the words of \"Hasta La Vista\" before shattering the nanobot that was cryogenically frozen. That unmistakable six-note rhythm, \"a mechanical man and his heartbeat\", evokes an unstoppable force. Today, Singapore stands before such a force, the rise of the intelligent robotics.
In early 2021, I spoke about machine learning, artificial intelligence and the importance of investing for our future growth. This was four years ago, two years before the introduction of ChatGPT. Today, gen AI, Agentic and Predictive AI are prevalent and with some enthusiasm. The important question today is where is the return on invesment for AI? What are AI’s core revenue drivers and contributions to the economy and society? Soon, the world will be moving on downstream to intelligent robotics.
The evolution of the First and the Fifth Industrial Revolution shows the shift from steam-powered mechanisation to intelligent, people-focused industries. The First used steam for manufacturing, the Second introduced electricity and mass production, the Third brought computers and automation, the Fourth leveraged AI and smart technologies. The emerging Fifth Industrial Revolution integrates advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and Internet of Things in a collaborative human-machine environment. Going forward, intelligent robotics will define our future and our quality of life.
The global robotics and automation market today exceeds US$75 billion, set to double by 2030 and reach a staggering US$375 billion by 2035. This double-digit growth, led by manufacturing, healthcare and mobility, is transforming industries.
According to PwC, by 2030, the impact of intelligent robotics could inject up to US$15.7 trillion into the global economy, nearly double the future market size of oil and gas and pharmaceuticals combined. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts that up to a billion human-like robots could help power industries by 2035, collaborating with humans, not just replacing them.
The drivers are clear, ageing populations, shrinking workforces, escalating costs, intense global competition. Worldwide, leaders are channeling resources like R&D, start-up ecosystems, and forward-thinking policies. For governments and businesses, the imperative is simple, invest in intelligent robotics or risk being left behind.
This is not science fiction. The revolution is here. Amazon fields more than 750,000 robots in its warehouses. Walmart has turned its fulfilment centres fully autonomous. Tesla’s humanoid Optimus now works inside factories,
Starship Technologies and Ocado deploy fleets of service robots, autonomous tractors are tending fields, and this very year, Beijing will open the world’s first humanoid robot dealership.
How will these technologies impact our day-to-day life and shape the way that we live and work?
The “brain” and “body”, which is the compute and mechanisation, are converging, robots lift, deliver, cook and even provide rides. There is an exceptional untapped market, where up to US$50 trillion of manual labour worldwide, that is waiting to be transformed. Today, Waymo provides 250,000 self-driving rides each week in the US. Tesla’s pilot robotaxi is now live in Austin. And UBTech will soon be selling home-service humanoids for US$20,000.
But why now? Because technology costs have fallen off a cliff. Light Detection and Ranging, better known as LIDAR, once costing US$75,000, now sells for less than US$200, GPS receivers and proximity sensors now cost less than a cup of coffee. It is a tipping point, suddenly, advanced robotics are not just possible, they are practical and affordable for every sector.
For Singapore, intelligent robotics is a necessity and a strategic imperative, against external shocks, labour shortages and global headwinds. By adopting intelligent robotics, resource-constrained economies like ours are poised to capture the front wave of development. To seize this future, we must secure manufacturing and development capabilities that enable intelligent robotics, such as high-performance processors, sensors, data centers, advanced telecoms, batteries, powering the next generation of solutions.
While we are among the world’s most robotics-dense economies, we cannot afford to be complacent. China, Japan, South Korea, the EU and the US are investing tens of billions to build their robotics and high-tech leadership. We cannot just be a procurer and an implementor of intelligent robotics, we must be at the centre of it. Our answer must be bold, collective, or risk being left behind.
What is the real threat here? With intelligent robotics, how will global and regional economies transform and position themselves? What will most likely happen to these economies?
The most plausible socio-economic model, will have two distinct parts. The first part, domestically, one would see a country building a well-paced, progressive adoption of intelligent robotics, where collaboration between humans and robots, enable augmentation and amplification of capabilities. This enhances quality of life and secures the individuals’ economic value. A balanced socio-economic development.
However, when there is an opportunity to reap the maximum economic benefit in pursuit of national interest, especially for trans-national trade and global economic value chain, outwardly, these economies will organise differently. This is the second part. It is only advantageous to develop an ultra high-performance intelligent machine economy that deploys autonomous, highly effective, efficient intelligent systems that can deliver high quality goods and services. With intelligent robotics, economies can solve, not a dilemma, not a tri-lemma but a quad-lemma of delivering value in terms of quality, cost, speed and creativity. This will become their sharp edge of global competitiveness.
With the combination of these two parts of the model, it will enable a country to excel in inclusive growth and remain globally competitive.
However, the reality sets in when economies compete on this sharp edge, which is amplified and multiplied by intelligent robotics, limited only by the access to clean and renewable energy, and access to raw materials, the most efficient and effective machine economy will eventually be able to out produce in terms of quality, cost, speed and creativity.
Smaller or less developed economies may experience challenges as their industries struggle to compete with larger-scale, more efficient, or lower cost autonomous production. This does not only affect smaller or less developed economies.
History is replete with the disruption of new manufacturing technology. We see the transition of the textile industry in the US in the early 2000s. The Swiss watch industry which exported 30 million units in Year 2000, but today only exports half the units. Many more examples such as Solar, Steel, Wind turbines. Today, we observe how Germany a global car manufacturing and export Juggernaut, ironically, has an increasing trade deficit in the automotive industry, which it used to dominate.
The world will witness growing protectionism, trade disputes and even political backlash as countries struggle to defend strategic industries and societal interests against relentless machine-driven competition. But these efforts will be futile attempts.
How do we ensure that Singapore and Singaporeans are not left behind?
We must stay ahead of the development curve and pursue it with conviction. To secure the future in the machine economy with intelligent robotics, Singapore must act.
First, we must accelerate innovation and strengthen our infrastructure, by doubling national investments in robotics, AI, and secure digital networks, enabling regulatory sandboxes so promising solutions can be developed, tested and scaled right here.
Second, we must invest boldly in our people, expanding lifelong learning, SkillsFuture programmes and establishing new apprenticeship pathways, so every worker, whatever their age or background, can skill up for the machine age.
Third, we must broaden participation, making sure SMEs have the tools to automate, supporting businesses that use technology to uplift older workers and those with disabilities, driving inclusion as the new norm.
Fourth, we must have a strategy to overcome the limiting factor, the access to clean, affordable energy and raw materials.
Finally, we must lead with trust and foresight, setting clear ethical and data governance standards and encourage open innovation, and develop the ability to anticipate and meet new risks.
Thus far, we are progressing well. From the days of coolies at Boat Quay to fully automated container operations at Tuas Port, handling over 40 million containers in 2024. Autonomous vehicles, AI-driven cranes and digital intelligence let us punch above our weight, setting new global standards and future-proofing logistics jobs. At Changi, intelligent robotics will redefine traveller experiences, security, baggage and aircraft turnaround, making Terminal 5 the benchmark for global aviation efficiency.
Our SMEs are transforming as well. Those of my generation will remember Prima Deli, a popular cake shop founded in 1992. It is still very popular today and is better known for its aroma of its freshly made waffles. It grew from a home-grown bakery to a franchise and now a factory that is constantly improving business automation and introducing intelligent robotics. With only 56 workers, this home-grown Singapore business produces more than 90,000 cakes a month, a paragon of punching above its weight and enabling many more to enjoy cakes that are of quality, reasonably priced and much creativity. The ability to tweak the recipes, maybe more dark chocolate but less sugar. This company is ready to scale and expand its operations domestically and regionally, bringing more jobs and opportunities for all. Prima Deli has the growth mindset, and it is all about growing the cake and sharing it.
This is what \"we\" means. Growing stronger together. And We will build closely with our SMEs and our workers. We will not leave any Singaporean behind.
The road ahead will be fraught with challenges and disruptions. There will be major shifts and displacement of routine and repetitive jobs, the creation of new roles and the reconfiguration of labor market toward higher-skilled and intelligent robotics. Workers will need to build entirely new skill sets, combining practical expertise with digital proficiency and adaptability. Never fear. We will be together on this journey like we have for the last 60 years.
Just like how Tony Stark in Iron Man was hammering away, together, the first Iron Man suit in a cave with nothing but scraps, Ironman's journey has always symbolised resilience, adaptability and imagination. As new threats emerged, so did the need to reinvent. He created the Mark V \"suitcase\" armor, a portable suit designed for rapid deployment, and later, the Mark L nanotech suit, which could materialise weapons and tools on demand, adapting to dynamic threats in real-time.
At every step, Iron Man did not retreat from complexity, but upgraded in response to it. The turning point came when he embedded J.A.R.V.I.S., an intelligent AI co-pilot, into his suits. No longer just metal and wires, the suits became an extension of both man and machine, working in seamless collaboration to solve problems faster, smarter and with greater precision.
This spirit mirrors Singapore's own path from survival in scarcity to building a nation that reinvents itself at every junction, always with the future in mind.
Just like that iconic scene from Terminator 2, where the machine descends into molten steel with a final resolute thumbs-up, it was not just an ending, but a symbol that the partnership between man and machine, forged in trust and sacrifice, can be one of hope. That is how we must face our future – not fearing the technological disruptions, but advancing with it, together. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Deputy Speaker: Minister of State Desmond Choo.
The Minister of State for Defence (Mr Desmond Choo): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise today in support of the Motion of Thanks to our President. Every one of us knows a family sitting around their dining table, talking about the future. They see the headlines about global instability, about AI changing the world, and they worry.
They ask the quiet questions we all ask. In a world of such turmoil, is my family's future secure? In an age of disruption, is there still a place for me?
These are not abstract questions, Mr Deputy Speaker. They are real. They are heartfelt. The President's address gave us an answer. It was a confident, resounding \"yes\". And the reason for that answer is the very anchor of my speech today.
It is our nation's secret weapon – our unique ability to pull together when the world is pulling apart. Tripartism, our model of unity, is more than just tradition, it is our answer to the future. Singapore's unique brand of tripartism – the collaboration among the Government, employers and unions – has long been the bedrock of our industrial relations and a key competitive advantage. At its core, tripartism is founded on a shared conviction to strive for industrial peace with justice.
In the early days, our founding leaders stood at a crossroads. The world told them that for a union to be effective, it must be adversarial, locked in a perpetual struggle with employers and the government. It must at least be seen to be independent.
They saw other nations crippled by this very conflict, caught in a zero-sum game of strikes and standoffs, where for one side to win, the other had to lose. In such a game, they knew a small nation like ours could never win.
Our Pioneers chose a different path. A harder path, but a better path.
Mr Lee Kuan Yew said in 1969 that \"the unions of Singapore are not here to fight against management. They are here to work with management, to ensure that we survive, grow, and prosper together.\"
Tripartism is not a zero-sum game. We believe in being partners of progress, not partisans in conflict. This philosophy of fair play and gain-sharing remains our compass – pro-worker, pro-business and pro-future. This partnership is built on more than just economic pragmatism. It is built on a shared moral conviction.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the President challenged us to question deep-seated assumptions about what constitutes valuable work. This speaks to the very soul of our Labour Movement. It is a promise we keep towards our lower-wage workers, from our cleaners to our security officers, like what labour MP Melvin Yong had said too.
For years, these workers had worked hard but saw their wages stagnate. They worried about their families' future. Today, because of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), they are not just earning a better wage. They have been trained to be more productive and could take on better jobs – a team supervisor, for example.
The PWM did not just give them a bigger paycheck, it gave them a new sense of pride, a new set of skills and a new answer to their worries about the future. That is the soul of our movement. We do not just talk about dignity. We build pathways to it, one worker at a time.
The success of this model hinges on mutual trust and respect fostered through consistent engagement and a shared commitment to national interests.
Our reservoir of trust was not built in times of ease. It was forged in the crucible of crisis. From the 1985 recession, when unions accepted wage cuts that were later restored, to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, with its \"cut costs to save jobs\" philosophy. During COVID-19, our tripartite partners showed they were willing to make difficult decisions for the greater good.
For example, instead of implementing layoffs, DBS Bank worked closely with DBS Staff Union to assure workers, to sustain business continuity and career resilience, hiring more than 2,000 people, including 1,000 new roles for fresh graduates and mid-career PMEs pivoting into technology roles.
This spirit of \"we first\" is the bedrock that allows us to face today's challenges with unity and confidence. Mr Goh Chok Tong once said, \"We can never take tripartism for granted. It is a precious asset that has taken years of trust-building.\"
This reservoir of trust is what enables us to face new challenges today – global instability, trade wars and the transformative impact of AI. In a turbulent world, Singapore's stability and predictability are rare advantages.
Our unionists are at the core of this effort. The 1969 Modernisation Seminar set aside confrontation for collaboration, a turning point that enabled decades of progress. Likewise, today, union leaders prepare the way for transformation by serving on the boards of economic agencies, on national task forces, and in Company Training Committees, aligning workers' training with business transformation.
When they walk into those tough negotiations, they do not just bring charts and figures. They bring the stories of our people with them. They are the ones who can look a CEO in the eye and say, \"Let me tell you about the family that is struggling to keep up with their bills.\"
They bring the reality of the coffeeshop into the conference room. They mobilise the ground in support of national strategies, thereby increasing our chances of success.
In difficult conversations like the annual National Wages Council negotiations, our union leaders keep us honest by reflecting workers' anxieties about the cost of living, and by advocating for fair gains-sharing and just transitions.
This insider role allows unionists to shape policy for the better, not just criticise from the sidelines. Every time a unionist helps a retrenched worker find a new job, they are not just finding a salary, they are restoring a person's dignity. Every time they ensure fair gains-sharing, they are strengthening our social fabric.
They are the guardians of fairness, the champions of opportunity. They are the ones on the ground, every single day, building the \"we first\" society the President spoke about, one worker at a time.
This reflects what Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong once said, \"Our unions are not afraid to speak up for workers, but they do so in a constructive spirit, with the long-term interest of workers and the nation at heart.\"
We have seen this in practice. Earlier this year, the Union of Security Employees (USE), which I advise, weighed in on Certis' policy requiring its frontline workforce on medical leave to share their live location. Following our engagement, Certis agreed to stop the practice and brought in USE to strengthen communications and workplace practices. At the same time, the union supported Certis' technological transformation through the CTC Grant, enhancing both company productivity and workers' wages above the PWM increases.
As each new generation of leaders emerges, so must new understandings of how we work together to bring Singapore forward.
We were heartened when then-Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong joined NTUC to launch our Workers' Compact in 2023, declaring that NTUC is the most important partner of the Government. That statement touched the hearts of our unionists and signaled clearly the 4G leadership's commitment to this partnership.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
NTUC will continue to support the PAP Government in securing growth, futureproofing our workforce and addressing new needs that arise. Our support must be anchored in a shared commitment to the welfare of our workers. We treasure our duty as our workers' keeper. This means there will be times we disagree on the path forward. It means having the courage to tell the Government when a policy, however well-intentioned, will hurt our workers on the ground.
We will continue to be unabashed in our feedback, because true partnership is not defined by the absence of disagreement, but by the strength to work through it to find the best outcome for Singapore and Singaporeans.
And the challenges will be tough. The President outlined the immense change brought about by AI. In some countries, this has predictably caused deep anxiety as workers see jobs being shed almost daily.
Mr Speaker, our hallmark tripartism is what enables us to face the great challenge of our time – the transformative impact of AI.
Let me take some time to share about a man I met recently at a job fair. This job fair happened after a retrenchment. We will call him Alex. He was at a job fair and I was there to see how I can help them find a job. At the scene, you could see good people wrestling with uncertainty and disappointment.
Alex was retrenched after the wave of digitisation and AI changed the business landscape. Alex is in his early 50s, but he has got the energy of someone half his age. I spoke to him. He told me his story, which I cannot shake.
He said, \"I knew this day was coming.\" For 10 years, he saw the world changing. So, he did what he was supposed to do. He took courses. He earned diplomas on his own time. Certificates. After long days at work. He tried to get ahead of the curve. He played by all the rules. But it was not enough. He still could not find a safer job, a growth job in the company. He did everything we ask of our workers, yet he felt like he was running in place, on a treadmill. And as he spoke, I could hear the one thing that chips away at a person's soul – the feeling that your hard work does not count anymore.
Alex's story is not just one man's story. It can be the tripartite story. It can be the Singapore story. It is the story we have to write the next chapter for, right now.
Because this wave of AI is not just another technology. It is a force that is asking us a fundamental question: what kind of economy or country do we want to be?
Do we want to be a place where technology creates a world of winners and losers, where hardworking people like Alex get left behind? Or do we want to build a future where technology serves all of us, where innovation lifts everyone up?
I think the answer is clear. But it will not happen on its own. It requires a choice. It requires a new commitment.
That commitment must start with a skills-first approach. It is a promise that what you do matters more than the piece of paper you hold, that your potential to learn is more valuable than the credential you have. It is a promise that if you put in the work, like Alex did, it will lead to somewhere real – a better job, a better wage, a better life.
For employers, it means shifting focus from paper qualifications to practical capabilities. It is about hiring, rewarding and promoting based on what an individual can do and learn, not just what their qualification says. It is about being intentional in our training. Workers such as Alex should not have to train fruitlessly. It is about involving the worker in building the transformation plan together.
For workers, it means taking ownership of your career health, continuously building new competencies and staying agile enough to pivot to new roles.
The Labour Movement is fully committed to working on this approach with our tripartite partners. Our mission has always been to protect our workers through every economic wave, and the age of AI is no different. We do have a successful Singaporean model to follow.
Imagine being a prime mover driver at our port for over 20 years. You take pride in your job. Then one day, you hear that this thing called the automated guided vehicle (AGV), a robot, is coming to do what you do. Mohamed Rahaizad Bin Hassan, a prime mover driver was one of those faced with this reality.
In many places around the world, that is where the story ends – in conflict, strikes and lost livelihoods, like the paralysing port strikes we saw in the US in 2024. There, the International Longshoremen's Association saw automation as a threat to be fought. They launched a strike across US East and Gulf Coast ports.
But in Singapore, because of the deep trust between our Singapore Port Workers Union (SPWU) and PSA, we chose to write a different ending. Years before the first AGV was put in operation in Tuas, they sat down together. They mapped out every affected job. They planned a journey of reskilling. The driver was not replaced. He was upskilled.
Today, Mohamed Rahaizad is an Operations Supervisor with better working life and wages. And AVs are making our ports more productive than ever. We turned a story of fear into a story of opportunity. This is the power of our partnership. The power of tripartism and trust.
Thus, we have clear principles to follow in the incorporation of AI and automation. It is to be transparent, be fair, be worker-centric.
First, tripartite partners must work closely together to chart a common path. That means being transparent in the transformation and involving the unions and workers to forge a transition pathway. Second, workers must be given fair gains from improvements in productivity. Quite frankly, a world in which only shareholders and a select few benefit from economic transformation is neither desirable nor sustainable. Third, we must be worker-centric to adopt a just transition for Singapore and the Singaporean worker. This embraces a \"we first\" mentality and culture and put it to work.
At the heart of this AI transformation are our people. Let us commit together to building a future where technology serves humanity, where our companies thrive and where every worker can look ahead with confidence and dignity. Mr Speaker, in Chinese, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In today's turbulent world, AI brings many impacts and concerns. Singapore's ability to survive and thrive depends on our unique tripartism between labour, management and Government: the Government, employers and unions working hand in hand to overcome difficulties together.
As Mr Lee Kuan Yew said, unions are not here to fight management, but to work together with management to ensure that we survive, grow and prosper together. In past economic crises, we chose to put \"country before self\", which brought us today's stability and prosperity.
Facing the transformation brought by AI, unions will not leave workers to fight alone. NTUC will continue to accompany every worker, upgrading skills together, protecting employment and sharing benefits fairly. As long as we uphold the spirit of \"greater good\" and stand shoulder to shoulder, Singapore workers will surely weather the storm and welcome a brighter tomorrow.
(In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, my fellow labour MPs have also shared the various concerns about the key issues that must be dealt with to support workers in this term of Government. Let me highlight two other areas of focus.
First, supporting our youth and future workforce. Our unionists have gone down to many campuses to meet with our young Singaporeans. Just between April and July alone, the NTUC engaged 12,000 youths across our Institutes of Higher Learning. We heard their anxieties about skills gaps, weaker hiring sentiment and AI’s impact on entry-level roles. Their anxieties are real and we must double down to support them.
To complement the Government's GRIT programme, NTUC Youth is equipping young jobseekers with job search skills, networking and mentorship, while e2i expands targeted career fairs. We must also consider expanding our SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowances to younger workers. In addition, we must broaden and expand upon Career Conversion Programmes to equip them for AI and sustainability-related roles.
Second, managing economic restructuring. Restructuring must always prioritise workers' well-being. Past lessons, such as the Public Transport Tripartite Committee's approach during the bus contracting model, show how deep engagement safeguards jobs while enabling transformation. For example, in the transition to the bus contracting model, the Public Transport Tripartite Committee developed a \"two-envelope\" bidding system that ensured operators bidding for routes commit to consulting unions and safeguarding workers' well-being as part of their proposals. In addition, the Land Transport Authority and National Transport Workers Union engaged extensively with 5,000 workers then. We look forward to renewing this to better our workers' livelihoods and welfare, 10 years into the bus contracting model.
Thus, in managing the impact of economic restructuring, we must make it a priority to take care of workers who will be impacted and ensure sufficient lead time for planning and outreach to assure workers on their concerns. Today, as co-chair of the Economic Strategies Review Committee No 5, I am working with Minister of State Goh Pei Ming and our tripartite partners to ensure workers receive sufficient lead time, planning and support in every restructuring process.
Mr Speaker, Sir, the world will not get any calmer. The forces of disruption will not slow down, but we have something special here. Something tested in crisis and renewed with purpose. A belief that we are all in this together. So, this is our common path. In a world that is dividing, we will choose to unite. In a world of gridlock, we will choose to build. In a world of anxiety, we will choose to create hope. Our model of tripartism is not just an asset, it is our identity. It is the belief, passed down through generations, that we can adapt, we can transform and we can emerge stronger, so long as we do it together as one united people. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Ms Jessica Tan.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Mr Speaker, President Tharman's address at the Opening of this Parliament underscored an urgent need for unity and shared responsibility, rooted in trust, transformation and resilience for Singapore and Singaporeans to thrive in a complex and fragmented world.
In my speech today, I will speak on two points that President Tharman highlighted in his speech: a more pronounced need for unity; and a strong economy – the need to transform and innovate to enhance our value as a trusted hub to ensure opportunities for all Singaporeans.
For Singapore, our people and the ethos of unity and progress for all, regardless of race, language or religion is the cornerstone of the success of our improbable nation these last 60 years. Our leaders have been intentional in forging our unity while celebrating our diversity through integrated housing policy, education, meritocratic governance, shared values and long-term stewardship. But Singapore's unity and identity is not static. It is changing, shaped in what is happening in our everyday life in Singapore and globally.
So while vital, forging our unity today is no longer just around integrating and celebrating our diversity of race, language or religion. Our population is ageing. Our society is more diverse and younger Singaporeans are voicing new hopes for fairness, autonomy and purpose. Digitalisation is reshaping our daily lives. Differences in access can result in who gets access to services, whose voice travels, and what \"truths\" feel credible. Hence, people may end up living in different realities even when they are under the same space. Personalised feeds cluster people into like-minded bubbles, reinforcing beliefs and isolating them from shared facts, where information we consume fragments our shared realities.
These changes are deeply personal. They shape how we see ourselves, how we relate to one another across age, income, race, religion, cultures and education. People are experiencing Singapore differently. Some feel secured and heard, others feel left out, or unsure where they fit in. If we do not respond to these lived realities, unity becomes fragile not because we disagree, but because we stop feeling part of.
So, how do we move forward together? We need to refresh our social compact. This means rethinking the roles we each play. Government, employers, individuals and building a culture of shared responsibility. It means designing policies that reflect real lives, not just averages. Designing for lived experience and not just aggregated outcomes. And it means ensuring that opportunity is not just promised but felt.
We must design systems that are truly inclusive. Housing, education, work, digital platforms, they must work for everyone across life stages and backgrounds. We need to support transitions, whether it is a mid-life career shift, a young person finding their voice, a first-time home owner getting a flat or an older adult staying connected.
It is not sufficient just to take feedback. We must create space for real dialogue. Not just consultation, but co-creation. We need platforms where people can speak honestly, listen deeply and shape the future together. Trust grows when people see that their stories matter and that their feedback leads to change.
Let me give you a small example from our community in Changi Simei, what we call VIASTA!. What began as a simple idea to activate the under-utilised space under the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) viaduct to promote residents' well-being has blossomed into a vibrant festival. Residents did not just give their feedback but worked together with grassroots leaders, community partners and agencies, research and design teams from Singapore University of Technology and Design, SingHealth and Changi General Hospital to co-create, design and transform the space under the MRT viaduct near Simei station.
From booths and programmes run by residents, seniors and youths, students and teachers from our schools and tertiary institutions, hospital and healthcare professionals, kopi chat with the Police and movie under the stars, VIASTA! has become a celebration of shared ownership and provides a space that comes alive to benefit the well-being of our residents in Changi Simei.
Although the process required several months to collect residents' feedback and collaboratively utilising AI to visualise the desired VIASTA!, it enabled meaningful participation from both residents and stakeholders. They could see their ideas come to life. This approach ensured that all perspectives and expertise were incorporated, fostering an inclusive environment for co-creation and effective decision-making. We now have had three iterations of VIASTA! in the last one year, where residents, community partners and agencies came together to bring VIASTA! alive. The fourth VIASTA! is scheduled for November this year.
On a national level, Forward Singapore provided a platform that brought together citizens, employers, communities and Government to co-create policies that reflect evolving aspirations around work, family, education and purpose. Given the volatility as well as the fragmented and fast-moving world we face, we need to continue to have such platforms and I am very heartened to hear Prime Minister Lawrence Wong talk about this deeper engagement, deeper engagement with Singaporeans to be able to co-create policies together.
Some may pooh-pooh. Some may actually say, \"That is too hard, it takes too long.\"
But I think that it is worth the effort and we have seen the policies from Forward Singapore, ideas and feedback from Singaporeans coming to life in our policies already today and I encourage every Singaporean, especially our young, but every Singaporean to really make the effort to come forward and be involved. Unity in Singapore has never been about sameness. It is about shared purpose. And that purpose must evolve as we do, grounded in empathy, trust and courage to change together.
Let me touch on the point of the need for a strong economy. If we want growth, we do need to have a strong economy to attract talent and investments. With the current uncertainties and structural shifts that are affecting Singapore, we must support the efforts that Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has shared about refreshing Singapore's economic blueprint and keeping Singapore's economy strong and resilient by enhancing Singapore's value as a base for leading firms, a key global business hub and a vital connector to the global economy. The strength of our economy lies not in discrete moments of growth, but in sustainable progress. This will then lead to opportunities for businesses and the creation of jobs that are relevant to the new world order. But more importantly, strong sustainable growth will create quality and meaningful jobs for Singaporeans.
Economic growth is not just about numbers. It is about people. It is about giving every Singaporean that chance to thrive, to contribute and to shape the future we share. Technological disruption is accelerating workforce transitions, creating both opportunities and anxieties, affecting opportunities for our young and matured workers.
This brings me to the point on what do we do to ensure that businesses contribute to developing an empowered workforce that is ready to seize the opportunities and create jobs. The Ministry of Manpower's strategic plan to build a future-ready workforce by encouraging a skills-first approach to hiring will help unlock new talent pools, giving individuals a fair shot based on their skills. Supporting companies to create rich career pathways within their organisations, and I repeat this, within the organisation. As they transform, it is important to help retain and stretch our talent, to help them grow and allow them to thrive with these changes.
To drive the transformation of the workforce from within the organisation, I am glad that the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development will support the uplifting of human resources professions and the Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package will seek to ensure that the technology becomes a tool for inclusion and not displacement.
But as we look ahead, we need to take one step back and ask ourselves if we can take a larger view of the whole system and not just specific segments, such as our young graduates, mid-career or matured workers. Is there a better way to achieve our desire of an empowered and future-ready workforce?
How can we bring our learning systems to support our people to be work ready?
I have spoken many times in this House that Singapore must grow and have opportunities to give Singaporeans fulfilling jobs and I believe having meaningful work gives Singaporeans confidence not just to make a living which is very important but also to feel included and to have a sense of purpose, belonging and commitment to the community and to the nation.
We must ensure that every Singaporean, regardless of age or background, or where we start, can aspire to seize these opportunities. That means investing in skills, supporting career transitions, designing workplaces that are inclusive and progressive. It means refreshing our economic blueprint to stay nimble in a complex world – so that growth uplifts and not divides.
So, how can we wholistically rethink our learning systems in an age of rapid change, and disruptions? Our learning system today is front-loaded and segmented. Internships help to mitigate with opportunities for industry exposure. But how can we build an ecosystem that supports and empowers our workforce to be work ready?
I think apprenticeship can prepare our young for work and cultivate lifelong learning. By combining work exposure and integrating it with the learning in schools, it may serve as a means to develop a workforce that is adaptable and inclusive. It offers not just skills, but purpose – through real-world experience, mentorship and meaningful contribution. To unlock its full potential, employers must step up earlier, much earlier in designing pathways with schools, offering industry exposure before graduation and guiding young talent from the start. This early engagement strengthens the bridge between learning and work, aspiration and opportunity.
By embedding structured, hands-on learning within real-world settings, apprenticeships also offer a scalable pathway for mid-career transitions, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and inclusive talent development. Strategically, apprenticeships embed adaptability, deepen knowledge transfer, and foster lifelong learning. They do not just fill jobs. They have the potential to renew industries, empower individuals, and help Singapore stay agile in a fast-changing world.
Mr Speaker, unity and opportunity are two sides of the coin. When we build stronger bonds and access to opportunities, we deepen the sense that this country is worth investing in – not only for ourselves, but for one another; a Singapore that we are proud to call home. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law, and Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua): Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in this debate. Fellow Members, thank you for hearing me out. I would try to make this worth your while. I furiously cut out some two paragraphs worth of content but the substantive points remain.
Today, I would like to speak on a hidden social issue in Singapore. It is an issue that many find uncomfortable to speak about but increasingly lurks in the shadows for some: addiction.
Addiction knows no boundaries. It can affect a person of any age, class, background. Addictions destroy relationships, break up families, consume lives and we are battling addictions of different forms. Kpods need no introduction. There are those who are addicted to gadgets and smartphones – gaming, excessive use of social media, doom-scrolling – and others like binge-eating, gambling and alcoholism complete the gamut of addictions afflicting modern life today.
What I would like to focus on today, however, is the serious and emergent threat or trend of sexually compulsive behaviours, one that is often facilitated by technology. I look at this through the lenses of two broad archetypes. First, the invisible, and perhaps more insidious non-offending compulsive behaviour like addiction to pornography. Such addictions silently chip away at an individual’s productivity and positive relations in his or her life. And second, offending behaviours such as voyeurism, upskirt videos, acts which cause significant harm to victims and carry serious legal consequences.
I visited the We Care Community Services recently. We Care is the first non-denominational, outpatient addiction recovery centre in Singapore. They shared with me that the referral of sexually compulsive behavioural cases to them rose sharply in recent years: 198 cases in 2024, compared to 115 in 2020. And in the first eight months this year alone, there have been 142 referrals, and We Care anticipates that the total number of referrals for 2025 will exceed 200 for the very first time.
At the same time, statistics from the Police show that the number of voyeurism cases, which include upskirt offences, increased from 476 cases in 2023 to 519 cases in 2024 last year. The number of “outrage of modesty” cases increased by 21% from 666 in the first half of 2024, to 807 in the same period this year.
The statistics are worrying, to say the least and two questions come to mind. First, are we providing sufficient avenues and options for treatment and early intervention? Second, what preventive measures can we take before such addictions take root in our society?
To be sure, Singapore has in place an ecosystem of support for those battling different addictions. The National Addictions Management Service at IMH, the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association and the National Council on Problem Gambling are familiar go-tos.
There are also ground-up efforts: We Care Community Services which I have earlier referenced and One Hope Centre, which helps addicts recover from gambling, sex and pornography addiction; and there are also private clinics that provide support for addiction treatment.
Yet, challenges remain.
First, it does not help that addiction is traditionally viewed as a moral failing or a lack of willpower on the part of the addict. Due to stigma, addicts would hide their struggles and avoid seeking help, for fear of being judged or for bringing shame to their families. Often, by the time help is sought, the addict is in crisis as the addiction would have by then already spun out of control.
The staggering level of stigma associated with such deeply personal challenges would also mean that it is extremely difficult to size up just how pervasive this issue is in our community. For every addict that comes forward to seek help, just how many remain in the shadows? No one knows. But given prevalent societal norms and attitudes, the hyperconnected lives that we lead and the ease of access to explicit materials online, it would only be fair to assume that what we are seeing in reported statistics is but only the tip of a large and deep iceberg.
There is good scientific evidence that addiction is not as much a personal failing as it is a chronic, progressive and relapse-prone illness that affects an individual both physically and psychologically. In the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, the World Health Organization defines compulsive sexual behaviour disorder as an impulse control disorder. It is an illness for which there should exist a structured medical treatment plan.
We Care runs a Non-Contact Sexual Offending therapy programme, combining individual counselling with group work to support individuals struggling with compulsive sexual behaviours. The programme helps participants understand the causes and consequence of their behaviours, address underlying psychological factors, and develop healthier coping skills to break the cycle and prevent re-offending. Client testimonials and outcomes from this programme show that a structured program is key to helping an addict recover and re-build.
So, can we as a society accept that addictions of this nature is an illness needing proper treatment? And across our healthcare landscape, can an addict receive adequate and affordable treatment from diagnosis to full recovery in a structured manner?
Like other chronic medical conditions, prevention is always better than cure. But any course of action begins with the admission, “Yes, we do have a problem.”
Steps can be taken to arrest the problems before they even start. We Care shared that many clients learnt about sex from online sources including pornography at a young age. Such early experiences shaped undesirable sexual scripts that emphasise availability, instant gratification, objectification. Early exposure to online pornography is also a common risk factor for sexual offending.
The response to this cannot be outright bans, but we can introduce age-appropriate addiction and media literacy programmes in schools and in the community, to inoculate our young ones against such risks.
As an Asian society where conversations on topics such as the birds and the bees are generally still avoided at home, we are at risk of delegating parenting responsibilities to peer groups, or worse, shady Internet sources. Addiction expert Gabor Mate theorised, and I quote, “how a lack of healthy adult guidance and unresolved childhood trauma and frustration can lead youths to seek out peer groups for their moral compass, a poor substitute for natural parental guidance.”
But I will be one of the first to admit. It is not easy. As a dad to a five-year-old boy, I often ask myself, how or where do I even begin? My parents did not quite have those conversations with me when I was younger. But hard as it may be, we must equip parents with the language and the tools to talk about these and other sensitive topics with their children at home.
Our homes must be safe harbours where our young ones feel comfortable enough to talk about anything under the sun. Families must be the default go-to as our young ones take on adulting and life’s many other challenges. Parents must meaningfully engage in our children’s lives, debunk myths purported by wayward sources such as pornography, and be their role models, as our young ones seek out the true north when calibrating their impressionable moral compasses.
Mr Speaker, I seek your indulgence once again as I digress into some personal sharing. Like many Members in this Chamber, I run a tight schedule day-to-day. What little leisure that remains come in the form of post-midnight Netflix binge watching. I recently clicked on a title that appeared on my \"recommended\" list, Adolescence. The series initiated me to the world of incel, manosphere, red pills. I watched all four riveting episodes in a single sitting. Quickly realised I made a subpar choice for leisure and relaxation. But what an educational and eye-opening tour-de-force Adolescence was in framing and illuminating some gripping challenges that youth of this generation faces.
So, for several sleepless nights after Adolescence, I thought long and hard about how I might broach these issues with my son in a few years to come. I took heart in practical parenting tips I had received some time ago, which I thought offered good lessons. Where and when might I talk about sensitive topics with my little one? That was my question some time ago. The reply was “Consider a long drive!” That way, the setting is relaxed, father and son need not meet eye to eye. And when things get too awkward, turn up the stereo; and a few tracks of K-Pop Demon Hunters should help smooth things over. Sir, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Addiction knows no borders. It can affect people of any age, social class and background. Today, I want to focus on “sexually compulsive behaviours” brought about by technology. Whether it is non-criminal behaviour, such as browsing pornographic websites and becoming addicted as a result; or criminal behaviour, such as voyeurism or upskirt filming, the statistics paint a worrying picture.
Addiction is generally viewed as a moral failing or lack of willpower on the part of the addict. Feeling shamed, many addicts try to hide their struggles and avoid seeking help. They fear being judged or bringing disgrace to their families. Usually, by the time they actually seek help, addicts are already deeply trapped and their addiction is beyond control.
Addiction is a chronic, progressive and easily relapsing disease that causes many negative effects on an individual's physical and mental health. Regarding this issue, how should Singapore adopt better preventive measures in our communities?
And how should we help our families mould themselves into a safe haven? We have only one ultimate goal: to let the younger generation feel the warmth and love of home, to let them deeply understand that when they encounter problems like addiction or other sensitive issues in life's marathon, their families will never discriminate against them or judge them.
(In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, let us do better. Let us confront the issue of addiction openly. Let us not shy away from uncomfortable conversations but normalise safe, constructive dialogue, especially with our children. Let us work together to strengthen our support ecosystem so individuals suffering in silence feel safe to emerge from the shadows to seek help. With better understanding and support all round, we can change attitudes and help those who are suffering in the clutches of addiction recover and rebuild. Sir, I support the Motion. [Applause.]
Mr Speaker: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua, like you, I also saw Adolescence, very impactful and meaningful movie. I think, like you, I saw it all at one go. It was so riveting. Mr Sharael Taha.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment of Debate","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Changi): Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent to move that the debate be now adjourned?
Mr Speaker: I give my consent.
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That the debate be now adjourned.\" – [Mr Sharael Taha]. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Mr Sharael Taha, debate to be resumed on what day?
Mr Sharael Taha: Tomorrow, Sir.
Mr Speaker: So be it. Deputy Leader.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn.\" – [Mr Zaqy Mohamad]. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Pursuant to Standing Order 2(3)(a), I wish to inform hon Members that the Sitting tomorrow will commence, like today, at 11.30 am. Order. Order.
Adjourned accordingly at 7.33 pm.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Factors to Determine Success of AV Trials in Punggol","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"22 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what criteria are used to determine the success of the autonomous vehicle (AV) trials in Punggol; (b) what measures are in place to ensure public and passenger safety; and (c) how insurance liability for AV operations will be addressed.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: This question will be addressed at the next Sitting on 25 September 2025, together with similar Parliamentary Questions, for a more holistic reply. [Please refer to \"Indicators of Success in AV Trials and Helping Public Transport Workers Transition to AV-related Roles\", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Brain-based Pedagogies and Cognitive Psychology for Preschools and Primary Schools","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"29 Mr Victor Lye asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry has considered the feasibility of (i) adopting brain-based pedagogies to facilitate different learning behaviours (ii) assessing preschoolers using neuroscience and cognitive psychology to match them to suitable primary school pedagogies instead of a \"one class fits all\" approach and (iii) using adaptive AI tools in primary schools to personalise maths and language learning.
Mr Desmond Lee: Research on brain functions has enhanced our understanding of how children learn. These insights have guided curriculum design and pedagogy.
Our teachers employ pedagogies informed by neuroscience, psychology and educational research. They create experiences where students learn by doing, discussing and reflecting.
Assessing preschool children using neuroscience methods to match to specific pedagogies is not appropriate. While neuroscience helps us understand how the brain works, effective learning also depends on socio-emotional, cultural and other motivational factors. Young children learn best through their five senses and hands-on activities in authentic everyday settings.
On artificial intelligence (AI), the Ministry of Education is already leveraging AI-enabled features in the Singapore Student Learning Space to customise the learning of mathematics and languages at the upper primary level.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Effectiveness of Measures to Prevent and Deter Scams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"31 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the measures that have been put in place to prevent and deter scams have been effective; and (b) whether any further measures will be taken in view of the $456.4 million lost to scams in the first half of 2025; and (c) if so, what are they.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Member may refer to the Mid-Year Scam and Cybercrime Brief 2025 for the recently implemented and upcoming anti-scam initiatives.
The number of scam cases and losses would be much higher if not for the many measures we have taken over the years. In fact, in the first half of this year, scam numbers decreased by about 26% and scam losses decreased by 13% compared to the same period in 2024.
That said, we know that the scammers will pivot to evade our measures and the numbers may go up again. It is a never-ending tussle. That is why the ultimate defence we can put up is an alert and discerning public. Then no matter what the scammers try, the public is less likely to fall for it. Unfortunately, in the first half of this year, about 79% of scams involved self-effected transfers, where the victim was manipulated into transferring their monies to the scammer. These are preventable. We strongly urge Singaporeans to check if the approach to them for money is a scam by calling 1799, before taking any steps to respond.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Sufficiency of Public Sports Facilities for Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar Residents Following Closure of Nearby Sports Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"32 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth how will Sport Singapore ensure sufficient capacity of affordable public sports facilities accessible to Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar residents, following the closure of Kallang Basin Swimming Complex and St Wilfred Sport Centre.
Mr David Neo: Sport Singapore is committed to providing affordable access to sports facilities for Singaporeans.
The closures of Kallang Basin ActiveSG Swimming Complex and St Wilfred ActiveSG Sport Centre will enable public housing plans to be considered at these sites. This is part of the Government's ongoing efforts to address the strong and broad-based demand for housing in recent years.
At the same time, the community in Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar can look forward to new sports facilities in the vicinity, including a new Sport-in-Precinct (SIP) facility in Kolam Ayer and a new SIP facility in Whampoa, set for completion by the end of this year.
Residents will also be able to maintain their active lifestyles at nearby existing facilities, namely: ActiveSG Swimming Complexes at Serangoon, Geylang East, and Jalan Besar; squash and tennis courts at Kallang ActiveSG Squash Centre, Burghley ActiveSG Squash and Tennis Centre and Kallang Tennis Centre; an indoor sports hall and free-to-play field at Bendemeer Primary School under the Dual-Use Scheme; and a football field at Bendemeer Secondary School under the Dual-Use Scheme.
We encourage residents in Kolam Ayer and Jalan Besar to continue to stay active and live healthy by using these new and existing sports facilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Additional Support to Strengthen Well-being of National Athletes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"34 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what additional support measures will be introduced to strengthen the psychological well-being of national athletes, especially in areas of (i) financial stress (ii) performance pressure and (iii) in their transition to life after professional sports.
Mr David Neo: The Government is committed to supporting our athletes throughout their sporting careers and their transition beyond competitive sport.
In April this year, we integrated the Singapore Sport Institute (SSI) and the National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) to create the High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI). This structural change enhances our ability to support our athletes holistically across youth to senior levels.
HPSI supports our athletes’ holistic development through Sport Psychology and Athlete Life Management, integrating sports performance with overall well-being, mental health support and preparation for life outside sports.
Our national athletes receive comprehensive mental health support throughout their sporting careers.
First, through psychoeducation, which are one-on-one consults and imparting skills and knowledge to help them cope with mental and emotional issues. Second, regular proactive monitoring by HPSI to screen for possible psychological and mental distress, where cases requiring attention are flagged and assessed by the HPSI's sports science team and further clinical expertise sought, where necessary. Third, resilience training that simulates high-pressure situations athletes are likely to encounter. This equips them with the knowledge to recognise symptoms of poor mental health and employ appropriate coping mechanisms and self-care practices.
We have robust support systems in place and are actively enhancing our support. HPSI is looking at ways to reduce the stigma of help-seeking, establish more partnerships with private practices and further upskill stakeholders and support staff to enhance support for our athletes.
Next, in our push to make sports a viable career, we also recently announced enhancements to our Sport Excellence (spex) programmes.
To bolster the financial stability of our top athletes, we introduced monthly Central Provident Fund top-ups for our spexScholars from April this year. This helps them accumulate savings while they compete full-time.
The spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship, launched in 2024, supports our athletes' academic aspirations alongside their sporting ambitions, whether during their sporting career or after they retire from active competition.
Furthermore, in April this year, the Singapore Sports School and the six local autonomous universities signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance athlete-friendly practices on campus, helping our national athletes better balance academics with their sporting commitments.
Corporate partners on our spexBusiness scheme provide not only employment opportunities to current and ex-sportsmen, but also career development support for active athletes through internships and apprenticeships. They have also put in place flexible work arrangements that enable our sporting talents to balance work and sporting commitments.
The Government cannot do this alone. To create a truly supportive environment for our athletes requires the collective commitment of our society.
I call upon fellow Singaporeans to support our athletes' development through contributions to the One Team Singapore Fund. I also encourage corporates to join the spexBusiness network and strengthen our support for athletes' employability. Together, we can foster a culture where we celebrate our athletes' dedication and effort not merely when they win medals, but throughout their sporting journey.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Timeline for Relaxation of 15-month Wait-out Period Rule for Private Property Downgraders","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"40 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the timeline for the relaxation of the 15-month wait-out period for private property downgraders; and (b) whether the Ministry will also consider shortening the wait-out period as an interim measure.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: This question has been addressed by the reply to Parliamentary Question No 112 on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Guidelines Encouraging Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Schools","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"41 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider releasing, or encouraging all schools and Institutes of Higher Learning to release, clear and transparent official guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence for both students and teachers and educators to prevent confusion and uphold academic integrity.
42 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Education how does the Ministry intend to strike a balance between encouraging the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students in school work and ensuring that students' critical thinking skills are not affected by over-reliance on AI.
Mr Desmond Lee: My response will also address the three Parliamentary Questions on the same topic scheduled for the Sitting on and after 25 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Foundational Gen AI Literacy and Skills for All Students, Teachers and Educators\", Official Report, 25 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 5, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has communicated broad guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and assessment to all MOE schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), which we expect schools and IHLs to adapt for their specific needs, and which we expect will evolve over time.
Broadly, the guidance given is that: first, educators will use AI in education, blended with other approaches, when it benefits student learning; second, guardrails must be in place to mitigate the potential misuse of AI and its negative impact on learning and development; and third, the use of AI should be grounded on pedagogical considerations and age-appropriateness, such as how the brain develops. For example, children need to maintain multiple senses to engage with real-world objects and may lack the ability to discern AI output or know that AI is not human. As such, at lower primary levels, concrete learning, such as through hands-on inquiry and outdoor experience, are prioritised. The guided use of AI by students is gradually introduced under teacher supervision around middle to upper primary levels.
We will continue to support students and educators at our schools and IHLs to make thoughtful use of AI. The MOE AI in Education Ethics Framework has been introduced in 2022 to guide the development and use of AI-enabled educational tools in schools. Resources have been provided to guide teachers in the use of AI. MOE and IHLs also closely monitor developments and best practices on the use of AI in education and update our guidance to educators.
The use of AI in assessment must align to learning outcomes and instil confidence that assessment outcomes reflect the intended mastery by students. This means that the use of AI is prohibited in situations that require students to demonstrate independent mastery of skills, concepts and understanding, such as in-class assignments, that requires students to independently apply what they had learnt, school-based assessment, like end-of-year examination, and national examinations that are proctored. Educators at our schools and IHLs may design homework and assessments that allow the use of AI with proper acknowledgment.
In such cases, educators should clearly specify when and how students may use AI tools in their coursework and assessments and explain these decisions to students. Students are taught the importance of academic integrity and taking responsibility for their own learning.
Each IHL has institutional policies governing the use of AI and its own internal disciplinary framework to address academic misconduct, including AI misuse. These policies and disciplinary frameworks are communicated clearly to staff and students.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Providing Guidance to Schools Permitted to Self-develop Enrolment Criteria","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"43 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Education with regard to offering computing as an elective subject to students from 2026, whether the Ministry will consider providing guidance to schools which are permitted to develop their own criteria for enrolment, to ensure consistency and fairness in subject enrolment across schools.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) does provide schools with broad guidelines to support them in the placement of students in Computing. For example, schools can consider demonstrated interest in computing and a basic proficiency in mathematics as possible factors. Schools also take into account factors, such as student profile, timetabling constraints and the number of computing teachers in the school.
To expand access, MOE launched a pilot programme in 2025 where students keen to take up \"O\" level Computing can travel to schools designated as computing centres.
44 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the Ministry's latest projections on the impact that artificial intelligence has on professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) and knowledge economy job displacement and creation; and (b) what targeted interventions beyond existing SkillsFuture schemes and the GRaduate Industry Traineeships Programme are planned to support young graduates who are at risk of chronic underemployment in their early careers.
Dr Tan See Leng: Please refer to the reply to Question No 91 in the Order Paper for 23 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Impact of Rise of AI on Gender Employment Gap\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Reviewing Need for Mandatory Training and Certification for Home-based Food Business Owners","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"45 Mr Ng Shi Xuan asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry has completed its review of the need to make it mandatory for home-based food business owners to undergo training and certification under the Workforce Skills Qualification Food Safety Course; (b) if so, what is the outcome of its review and the next steps; and (c) if not, when is the review expected to be completed.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) takes a risk-based approach in regulating food businesses. As the food safety risks associated with home-based food businesses are currently low in view of their relatively small scale of operations, SFA does not require home-based food business owners to complete the Workforce Skills Qualification Food Safety Course Level 1. Nonetheless, they are encouraged to do so. SFA regularly reviews its food safety regime to ensure that the regulations are adequate and effective to manage food safety risks in the landscape.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Details on Proposed Collaboration Between SPH Media and Chinese State-owned News Organisations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"46 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) whether the Ministry, as a major financial backer of SPH Media Trust, is aware of the details of the proposed collaboration between SPH Media and several Chinese state-owned news organisations; and (b) if so, whether any assessment of potential foreign interference has been conducted.
Mrs Josephine Teo: It is not clear which proposed collaboration the Member is referring to. SPH Media, as a news agency that covers international developments, should be plugged into the international media network and have many collaborations with foreign partners and industry players, including Chinese news organisations, to share content as well as insights on latest developments in the media landscape.
Nonetheless, the Member can be assured that there are regulations in place to guard against foreign interference of our local media. Under the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act and the Broadcasting Act, the Government has provisions to guard against foreign interference of editorial content and decision-making in local newspapers and broadcast media. Funds from foreign sources for non-commercial purposes are prohibited for such newspaper and broadcasting companies. These safeguards apply regardless of whether the newspaper is receiving Government funding and we will take swift action should we detect any signs of foreign interference in our local media.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Processing Issues in Household Means Eligibility System","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"48 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) how were the processing issues in the Household Means Eligibility System discovered; (b) whether means-tested individuals can independently verify if the subsidies and grants given to them have been accurately disbursed; and (c) if so, how.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Ministry of Health was first alerted to the processing issues in the Household Means Eligibility System (HOMES) following a query from a member of public about her application for subsidies on 13 January 2025. The member of public reported that she was earning business income but had been assessed as not earning any income by HOMES.
There are various types of subsidies in healthcare and social services that are means-tested, that is, the levels of subsidies and grants are based on proxies of household means, such as per capita household income of family members staying in the same household. While the subsidy levels and eligibility criteria for various schemes are generally published on the respective agencies' websites, individuals may find it cumbersome to self-verify their subsidies and grants. Individuals can approach their service providers if they have queries. In the meantime, re-assessment of all affected cases have been completed and agencies are actively notifying affected individuals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Managing Commercial Rentals given Rising Costs and High Churn in F&B Sector","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"49 Mr Vikram Nair asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry whether any measures need to be taken to manage commercial rentals given the rising costs and high churn in the food and beverage sector.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Rent increases for private retail spaces at the aggregate level have generally trended below the inflation rate in the past three years. There are variations in rent at the local level due to locational and property-specific attributes. For example, rents may vary across areas with different population density, whether the retail space is in a shophouse or shopping mall and the age of the property. Businesses can choose the type of retail space that best meets their needs.
To help our businesses manage costs and remain competitive, the Government has introduced the 50% Corporate Income Tax rebate for Years of Assessment 2024 and 2025, capped at $40,000, with a minimum benefit of $2,000 for companies with at least one local employee. Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) has also rolled out schemes to help food and beverage (F&B) businesses innovate their offerings and improve their productivity. For example, FoodX, a programme supported by EnterpriseSG and run by the Singapore Productivity Centre, enables F&B businesses to outsource their food preparation to central kitchens and other manufacturers. This allows them to streamline operations and reduce manpower-intensive processes. In addition, EnterpriseSG also provides support to retailers who embark on experiential concepts that offer stronger value propositions to consumers, as well as formats that improve productivity, such as self-checkout and unmanned stores.
In addition, eligible hawkers and heartland F&B businesses which participate in the Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme can benefit from increased patronage from residents using their CDC vouchers and the one-off commemorative SG60 vouchers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Bullying Incidents and Awareness of New Mandatory Bully-reporting Channels","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"50 Ms Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Education for each year from 2020 to date (a) what are the annual rates per 1,000 primary students for (i) reported bullying incidents with a breakdown by types (ii) counselling referrals (iii) prolonged absenteeism related to anxiety or school refusal and (iv) suicide‑risk referrals; and (b) how do these data inform resourcing to support student well-being.
51 Mr David Hoe asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the new mandatory bully-reporting channels that schools will provide under the enhanced framework for discipline; (b) whether the Ministry will standardise these across schools and ensure their age-appropriateness; (c) what is the Ministry's communication strategy to ensure students are cognisant of reporting channels; and (d) what are the safeguards in place to protect students who report bullying.
Mr Desmond Lee: These questions have been addressed as part of the oral reply to Question Nos 1 to 12 on 23 September 2025. Members may refer to the transcript for the reply. [Please refer to \"Management of Bullying in Schools\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Ensure Fair Internship Compensation for Polytechnic, ITE and University Students","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"52 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Education (a) what measures are in place to ensure students at polytechnics, Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and universities are fairly compensated and understand their employment rights for internships that are both credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing; and (b) what measures are in place to encourage employers to offer fair allowances and meaningful internships, given the rise in the number of interns.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) are committed to safeguarding our students' well-being and ensuring meaningful internship experiences for students.
IHLs seek to ensure that internships, regardless of whether they are sourced by IHLs or the student, provide students with learning that is related to the students' course of study. For example, the polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) work closely with companies on the job scope and tasks that student interns will undertake. IHLs also provide companies with a recommended allowance range and encourage companies to offer student interns a fair internship allowance, based on industry norms. The key terms of the internship, including monthly allowance and interns' roles and responsibilities, are mutually agreed upon between the intern and company prior to the start of the internship. Students are informed of the internship terms before the start of their internships and are made aware of channels in their IHLs that they can use to raise any concerns they may have during their internships. In addition, for credit-bearing internships, that form the majority of internships that polytechnic and ITE students undertake, IHLs will assign an officer to monitor the student's learning and well-being during the internship.
IHLs closely monitor student feedback to check on the quality of internships and have barred companies who provide poor internship experiences.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics and Plans for National School Games Events Held at Singapore Sports Hub","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"53 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (a) for each year in the past five years, how many National School Games (NSG) events have been held at the Singapore Sports Hub; and (b) whether the Ministry can share upcoming plans regarding NSG events that can be held at the Singapore Sports Hub over the next five years.
Mr Desmond Lee: When the National School Games (NSG) gradually resumed in 2022 after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, competitions for four NSG sports were held at the Singapore Sports Hub. This year, competitions for 14 NSG sports took place at the Sports Hub.
The Ministry of Education will work closely with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and SportSG to continue hosting a diverse range of NSG events at the Sports Hub over the next few years. This will allow future cohorts of students to experience competing at Singapore's premier sporting facility, thus inspiring them to pursue excellence in their chosen sports.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ensuring Aviation and Aerospace Sectors Continue to be Attractive to Singaporean Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"54 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Acting Minister for Transport whether the Ministry can provide an update on what progress has been made in ensuring the aviation and aerospace sector continues to be an attractive sector for Singaporeans to work in, in light of the sector's future growth, including Changi Airport Terminal 5.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: International travel, especially in the Asia Pacific region, is expected to continue growing in the coming decades. To ride on this growth, Singapore is investing in Terminal 5, the Changi East industrial zone and Changi East urban district. We are also anchoring new investments for the aerospace sector.
With these developments, opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sectors, which collectively employ over 80,000 workers today, are expected to grow. Tripartite partners have also been advancing efforts on several fronts to ensure that these sectors remain attractive to Singaporeans.
First, tripartite partners have promoted and supported job redesign and technology adoption. In August 2024, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) announced the first pilot project between SATS and NTUC to improve jobs and make them more attractive to Singaporeans. With the support of the Air Transport Executive Staff Union and the SATS Workers' Union, SATS leveraged the NTUC Company Training Committee Grant to transform jobs in passenger services, cargo and apron operations. The Civil Aviation Authority Singapore (CAAS) has also signed a memorandum of understanding with AI Singapore and aviation companies to accelerate overall artificial intelligence capability building.
Second, tripartite partners have expanded training and upskilling opportunities. Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programme (CCP) has broadened the aviation and aerospace sectors' talent pool by reskilling mid-career new hires or existing employees into growth job roles with good, longer-term prospects. As of 2024, over 5,000 individuals from the two sectors have benefitted from CCPs.
Third, we have strengthened outreach and recruitment efforts. CAAS and the Singapore Economic Development Board partner various organisations, including Institutes of Higher Learning, on outreach initiatives to youths. Besides recruitment drives by companies, we organise sector-wide recruitment efforts, such as the OneAviation Careers and Education fair in July 2025, which allowed visitors to learn about developments and opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sectors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Increased Volatility in GIC's Returns on Interest Rates of Special Singapore Government Securities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"55 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the drop in GIC's 20-year annualised real returns and the expected increase in volatility in GIC's returns over the next decade is expected to impact the interest rate of the Special Singapore Government Securities issued by the Government to the CPF Board; and (b) if not, why not.
Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister): Interest rates of the Special Singapore Government Securities (SSGS) are based on the Central Provident Fund (CPF) interest rates and are independent of GIC's returns. The CPF Board invests CPF savings entirely in risk-free SSGS issued by the Government. The Government then invests SSGS proceeds together with its other assets through GIC. The Government guarantees CPF savings and pays the SSGS interest rates to CPF Board regardless of GIC's returns over any period. The Government is able to do so because it pursues a prudent fiscal policy that enables a healthy buffer of net assets which allows it to absorb risks across market cycles.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessing G20 Nations' Gold Reserves Increase and Implications for Singapore's Reserve Management Strategy","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"56 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what assessments have been made of G20 nations' recent increases in gold reserves as a percentage of total reserves; (b) whether any review has evaluated implications for our reserve management strategy; and (c) what factors will trigger a reconsideration of our current gold allocation.
Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister): The global demand for gold reflects its role as a safe-haven asset during periods of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. In Singapore's context, the size of our gold holdings is based on our long-term objective of ensuring that our Reserves portfolio remains resilient and well-diversified across economic and market conditions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Popularity of Enhanced Travel Smart Journeys Initiative","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"57 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Acting Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider streamlining the Travel Smart Journeys initiative by allowing fare incentives to be automatically applied at the point of payment, rather than requiring prior enrolment through the SimplyGo app.
58 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what is the current adoption rate of the enhanced Travel Smart Journeys initiative which requires commuters to enrol via the SimplyGo app to receive fare incentives, and (b) whether the Ministry intends to increase participation among eligible commuters; and (c) if so, how so.
59 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry has seen a noticeable impact on peak-hour crowding at the North East MRT Line stations as a result of the enhancement of the Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) initiative on 2 January 2025; and (b) if so, whether details can be shared about TSJ's effect on crowding.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Travel Smart Journeys (TSJ) initiative was introduced in February 2020 to encourage commuters to adjust their commute away from busier segments of our mass rapid transit (MRT) network during the morning peak period. In January this year, we enhanced the initiative by introducing incentives for commuters who shift the timing of their travel, increasing the maximum rebates to 80% of fares and adding more bus services which qualify for the rebates.
Consequently, approximately 7,000 more commuters have benefitted. Instead of taking the North-East Line (NEL) during the morning peak period, about eight in 10 adjusted their travel time on NEL to before or after peak hours, while the rest switched to taking buses. Adoption rate of Travel Smart Journeys is still low and we are looking to enhance the programme to encourage more commuters to consider shifting their timing or changing their mode of transport.
To enjoy the benefits of TSJ, commuters can easily enrol through the SimplyGo app. Points can then be calculated and awarded to their account for each eligible journey. Use of the SimplyGo app allows commuters to accumulate points before redeeming in blocks and encourages sustained use of the TSJ programme. The Land Transport Authority will continue to improve TSJ to benefit more commuters.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Mindfulness and Other Techniques Taught in Schools for Students' Mental and Emotional Wellness","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"60 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Education (a) whether mindfulness and other techniques to improve mental and emotional wellness are taught to students in schools; and (b) if so, how are such techniques taught.
Mr Desmond Lee: Across primary to pre-university levels, our character and citizenship education (CCE) curriculum equips students with social-emotional competencies including self-awareness, emotional regulation, relationship management to build resilience. Mental health lessons in CCE cover coping strategies, managing negative thoughts, differentiating stress and distress, and help-seeking. While mindfulness is not in the curriculum, relevant practices, such as breathing exercises and calming techniques, are taught in the CCE lessons.
Outside classroom lessons, these knowledge and skills are reinforced through school experiences, such as outdoor adventure camps, co-curricular activities and daily interactions, where students apply what they have learnt in real-life situations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage Breakdown of A Patient's Total Bill by Component","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"61 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health regarding private hospitals, excluding attending physician's fees (a) what is the typical percentage breakdown of a patient's total bill by component (eg ward, operating room and recovery room fees, and oxygen); and (b) whether the Ministry will (i) extend fee benchmarks to more procedures and itemisation and (ii) intervene to moderate charges and keep healthcare costs within reasonable limits.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Bills can vary significantly depending on the specific circumstances of patients and their treatments. Comparisons and benchmarking are more meaningful by specifying surgical procedures or medical conditions, and ward settings across hospitals.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has done so, by establishing close to 2,800 professional fee benchmarks for about 2,200 surgical procedures and medical conditions; and publishing annual bill information, broken down by bill components, such as surgeon fees and operating facility charges, so that patients can make informed choices about their healthcare providers.
We will study what more can be done to guide fee setting by private hospitals, by expanding fee benchmarks. MOH will also continue to explore measures to manage private healthcare costs through the Multilateral Healthcare Insurance Committee comprising representatives from MOH, private hospitals, insurers and medical professional associations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Anxiety-causing Factors Amongst Singaporeans on Job Security and Plans to Strengthen Support for Mid-career Workers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"62 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what factors explain persistent anxiety among Singaporeans about job security despite a robust labour market; and (b) how does the Government plan to strengthen support for mid-career workers and those vulnerable to restructuring.
Dr Tan See Leng: Please refer to the reply to Question No 41 in the Order Paper for 23 September 2025 on measures to safeguard job stability and strengthen support for workers. [Please refer to \"Strategies to Safeguard Job Stability for Singaporeans in Light of Trade Tensions and Structural Shifts in Labour Market\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Weighing Intangible Civic and Heritage Value of Public Library Against Economy Value of Land","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"64 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what framework weighs the intangible civic and heritage value of a public library against the economic value of the land; (b) how is this value calculated and factored in the relocation of Ang Mo Kio and Geylang East public libraries; and (c) when does land optimisation yield to preserving non-commercial public spaces for knowledge and community purposes.
Mrs Josephine Teo: My response will also cover the matters raised in the Oral Question by Mr Andre Low, which is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting1. If the questions have been addressed, it may not be necessary to proceed with the Questions for future Sittings.
I thank the Members for raising questions regarding our libraries. I have shared in my reply to Ms Tin Pei Ling's Adjournment Motion yesterday that libraries play a fundamental role as custodians of knowledge and serve as critical community institutions. Our libraries are key anchors for the community that must remain accessible.
The revamp and relocation of libraries are in line with the National Library Board's (NLB's) Libraries of the Future (LOTF) Masterplan, a 15-year plan that charts the next phase of development for public libraries from 2017 to 2030.
As part of this plan, NLB's strategy has been to move standalone libraries to locations which have easy access to transportation hubs and networks. These locations, which may include shopping malls and integrated hubs, provide convenience to library users and ensure that public libraries are accessible to as many residents as possible. By siting public libraries at convenient locations, at least 80% of the resident population stay within 15 minutes by public transport.
The decision to relocate any library is not taken lightly. NLB does so in consultation with the relevant Government agencies and community partners. NLB takes into consideration various factors, such as land use plans, accessibility to major transport nodes, the number of residents it can best serve, the library's age, the number of years since the last major renovation and the suitability of the available space. Ultimately, NLB makes the decision based on how it can best serve and reach more patrons with its services and collections.
NLB's experience has shown that these decisions have led to more people visiting libraries. Mall libraries receive about 30% more visitors per month on average than standalone libraries over a three-year period. The average monthly visitorship of a mall library is about 60,000. In contrast, the monthly average visitorship to Ang Mo Kio Library and Geylang East Library are only about 50-60% of that. Relocating Ang Mo Kio Library and Geylang East Library to nearby malls will enable NLB to serve more residents.
The Government understands that public libraries hold social relevance and fond memories for many people. Apart from conserving Queenstown Library, NLB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority will work together with stakeholders on ways to celebrate the legacies of libraries that are relocated. This includes heritage interpretation in various forms, such as through digital documentation; physical markers, like storyboards, and sensitive urban design to retain a sense of place and character.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Question subsequently withdrawn: To ask the Minister for Digital Development and Information regarding the relocation of standalone public libraries (a) what is the formal assessment framework used to weigh the trade-offs between qualitative factors, such as community value, and quantitative metrics, such as operating costs; and (b) what is the comparative data on median monthly visitorship and operating cost per square metre for standalone versus mall-based libraries over the last five years."],"footNoteQuestions":["64"],"questionNo":"64"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Implementation of Time-based Limits for Learning Purposes at Early Childhood Development Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"65 Ms Lee Hui Ying asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) will implement strict time-based limits on the allowed use of screen time for learning purposes at early childhood development centres; and (b) if so, what is the proposed timeline for implementing these limits.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has outlined requirements on screen use in Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDC) in the Code of Practice. There must not be any screen use for infants up to 18 months. For children aged 18 months to six years, screen time, if used, should be limited to teaching and learning purposes.
Instead of setting strict time-based limits, these requirements emphasise the purposeful use of screentime in ECDCs to complement children's learning experiences. This allows educators the flexibility to adopt digital tools that provide opportunities for interactions, engagement and thinking, rather than merely to occupy or distract children.
Ultimately, it takes a whole-of-society effort to create supportive environments where our children can thrive and sustain healthy living habits. Through ECDA's requirements, we hope to better support families in building a balanced relationship with technology and screens in children's daily lives.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Development of CARA Mobile App for Caregivers of Persons with Disabilities or Children with Autism to Report Missing Persons","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"66 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is involved with Dementia Singapore in the development of the CARA mobile application (CARA); (b) if so, whether CARA allows for caregivers of children with autism or persons with special needs to report missing persons; and (c) if no, whether the Ministry will consider including this feature in the future.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The CARA app is co-developed by Dementia Singapore, the Agency for Integrated Care and the National Council of Social Services. It is linked to DementiaHub.SG website and provides digital resources tailored for caregivers of persons living with dementia, including a feature for caregivers to report their missing loved ones.
On the other hand, caregivers of children with autism or persons with special needs can apply for a Developmental Disability Registry (DDR) Identity Card. If a person with autism or special needs goes missing, their caregiver should make a Police report. The DDR card bears contact information of the caregivers and their supporting social service agencies to help facilitate the return of the missing person.
The CARA app and DDR Identity Card were designed to meet the distinct needs of their respective target groups.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans to Expand Dementia Go-To Point Network and Related Public Awareness Initiatives","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"67 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether there are plans to expand the Dementia Go-To Point network and its related public awareness initiatives to support the expedient safe return of persons with disabilities, such as children with autism, who may be similarly disoriented or lost in the community.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Dementia Go-To Points (GTPs) serve as designated safe-return points for persons living with dementia who may be found wandering in the community. Trained staff at GTPs will assist in safely reuniting lost individuals with their families. Additionally, the public can obtain educational resources on dementia at GTPs.
For persons with disabilities, their caregivers can apply for a Developmental Disability Registry (DDR) Identity Card. If a person with autism or special needs goes missing, their caregiver should make a Police report. The DDR card contains information of cardholders' caregivers and the social service agencies they are receiving services at, enabling the public to help them return safely if they are disoriented or lost in the community.
The initiatives described are designed to meet the distinct needs of their respective target groups.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Value of CDC Vouchers Remain Unspent","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"68 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what is the value of CDC vouchers from the 2024 tranche that have been claimed but remain unspent, broken down by (i) supermarkets and (ii) hawkers and heartland shops, respectively; and (b) whether more flexibility can be given in choosing the mix of categories for any future tranches of CDC vouchers, given the significant increase in amounts disbursed.\n
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association. The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme aims to help Singaporeans households cope with the cost of living and support hawkers and heartland merchants.
In 2023, we responded to residents' requests to further alleviate their expenses by widening the usage of CDC vouchers to supermarkets. However, only half of the vouchers received could be used at supermarkets and the remaining half were for use at heartland merchants.
Around $2.3 billion has been spent since the launch of the digital CDC vouchers scheme in December 2021 and July 2025 – $1.26 billion at participating hawkers and heartland merchants; and $1.04 billion at participating supermarkets.
The separate hawker and heartland merchant category and supermarket category serve to strike a balance between supporting Singaporean households with their daily expenses and supporting hawkers and heartland merchants.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone as Part of Singapore's Overall Effort to Attract Foreign Direct Investments","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"69 Mr Victor Lye asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is marketed as part of Singapore's overall effort to attract foreign direct investment; (b) if so, how is it marketed; and (c) whether there are plans for shared infrastructure development or for developing selected zones or industries within the JS-SEZ to anchor Singapore's strategic industry transformation interests.\n\n
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) will allow Singapore and Johor to leverage each other's complementary strengths. Companies can tap on Singapore's global networks and connectivity as a business and financial hub and Johor's land and resource advantages. This combined offering presents an attractive value proposition to potential investors keen to invest in the region.
In April 2025, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore Economic Development Board and EnterpriseSG jointly established the JS-SEZ Project Office to provide dedicated support for Singapore-based companies interested to expand or do more in JS-SEZ. The Project Office also undertakes investment promotion efforts together with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and Invest Malaysia Facilitation Centre – Johor (IMFC-J). These include a Joint Investment Forum in Johor in April 2025 and a second forum that will be held in Singapore later this year.
We understand that there are private sector developers keen to build new industrial parks in JS-SEZ. We will explore if some of these may be able to better support Singapore's industry transformation efforts.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reasons for 45% of Total Postal Votes Being Rejected for Counting at 2025 General Election","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"70 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the reasons that led to 2,734 postal votes or 45% of the total postal votes of 6,097 received in Singapore being rejected for counting at the 2025 General Election; (b) whether the Elections Department is reviewing how such a high attrition rate can be reduced.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): At the General Election 2025, 45% of the postal voting return envelopes containing postal ballot papers which reached the Returning Officer in time, that is, by the 10th day after Polling Day, were rejected for counting due to (a) faint, illegible, or missing postmarks; (b) mismatched specimen and wet-ink signature; and (c) torn or opened return envelopes. Before each postal voting return envelope is rejected, it would be shown to the candidates and counting agents present and the reason for rejection would also be pointed out to them.
To reduce the attrition rate, the Elections Department will continue to strengthen its outreach efforts ahead of the next election, to educate postal voters on what to do to better ensure that their postal ballot papers reach Singapore in time and be accepted for counting. These include ensuring that postal voters use the same signature as that presented as their specimen signature and posting their postal ballot papers early. To minimise the problem of missing postmarks, even though the postal voting return envelope is pre-paid, postal voters may wish to affix a postage stamp. This is because postal service operators are more likely to postmark postage stamps on the envelopes to prevent their reuse. Postal voters can also consider using express airmail services to have greater assurance of the proper delivery of their postal voting return envelopes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enforcing against Illegal Ride-hailing","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"73 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) whether there has been an increase in illegal ride hailing in Singapore detected by LTA over the past six months and, if so, by how much; and (b) what further actions will LTA take to enforce against illegal ride hailing to protect local licensed private hire drivers and passenger safety.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: This question was addressed in the written reply issued for Question No 35 for Oral Answer for the 23 September 2025 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to \"Considerations for Singapore’s Position on Cross-Border Ride-Hailing\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review in Singapore's Stance in Recognition of Palestinian State","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"74 Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether there are plans for Singapore to recognise the Palestinian state following reports on the announced plans by France, the UK, Canada and Australia to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state at the upcoming UN General Assembly in September 2025; and (b) what implications will such plans have for Singapore.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: This question for oral answer was addressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in their Ministerial Statements on the Situation in the Middle East at the Parliamentary Sitting on 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Situation in the Middle East\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Ministerial Statements section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Recognition of Palestinian State As Diplomatic Tool for Singapore to Move Israel to Resume Talks Towards Two-state Solution","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"75 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether Israel's continued expansion into Palestine makes it increasingly difficult to define its territory and attain conditions for statehood; (b) whether formal recognition of the State of Palestine is a diplomatic tool that Singapore can use to move Israel to resume talks with the Palestinians towards a two-state solution; and (c) whether such recognition is in Singapore's national interest.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: This question for oral answer was addressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in their Ministerial Statements on the Situation in the Middle East at the Parliamentary Sitting on 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Situation in the Middle East\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Ministerial Statements section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Formal Recognition of Palestinian State, Upholding Two-state Solution and Assessing Future Singapore-Israel Relations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"76 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs in light of ongoing humanitarian law breaches in Gaza including allegations of genocide, the violation of Qatar's sovereignty, and the Israeli Prime Minister's 11 September 2025 remarks rejecting a Palestinian state (a) whether the Government will formally recognise a Palestinian state and uphold the two-state solution; and (b) what is the Government's assessment of Singapore-Israel relations going forward.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: This question for oral answer was addressed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in their Ministerial Statements on the Situation in the Middle East at the Parliamentary Sitting on 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Situation in the Middle East\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Ministerial Statements section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Protocol for Investigation and Release of Foreign Visitors Detained for Criminal Offences","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"77 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the protocol for the investigation and release of foreign visitors detained for a criminal offence; (b) whether diplomatic intervention from a foreign embassy can influence the legal outcome of such a case; and (c) why are two Italian swimmers recently issued only a warning and an entry ban for a shoplifting offence.
Mr K Shanmugam: The two swimmers were treated in accordance with a framework for treating offenders, based on types of offences committed, and the same framework applies to all persons, whether foreign or local. Singaporeans are treated similarly.
In the case of foreign offenders, the Singapore authorities will inform them of their right to consular access upon their arrest or detention. Should they request consular access, we will inform the embassy, so that the embassy can provide consular assistance as appropriate. This is a requirement under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to which Singapore is a party. Singaporeans have similar rights if they are arrested or detained in other countries. The provision of consular assistance has no bearing on the investigation process and legal outcome.
In the case of the two Italian swimmers, they stole items worth about $150. The items were recovered.
After they were arrested, the two requested consular access. The Police alerted the Italian embassy of their arrest and continued their investigations. There were no diplomatic interventions to influence the legal outcome.
In deciding on the appropriate course of action for a case, the Police and Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will generally consider the following factors: (i) the facts and circumstances of the case, (ii) the severity of the offence, (iii) any aggravating or mitigating factors; and (iv) how similar cases have been treated. In this case, the Police and AGC assessed that a 12-month conditional warning was appropriate. Given that they are foreigners, an entry ban was also imposed. Such a ban will, obviously, not be applicable to Singaporeans.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Fires in HDB Estates Caused by Charging of AMDs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"78 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many fires in HDB estates in the past five years are caused by the charging of Active Mobility Devices (AMDs); (b) what further preventive measures are being planned by the Ministry; and (c) whether there will be a review of fire safety guidelines for the storage and charging of AMDs in HDB flats.
Mr K Shanmugam: Between 2020 and 2024, 98 fires in the Housing and Development Board estates occurred during the charging of active mobility devices (AMDs).
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has stepped up regulatory measures and enforcement against the sale or use of non-compliant AMDs. Since June 2021, businesses and individuals must obtain LTA's approval to import power-assisted bicycles and personal mobility devices into Singapore. The devices must meet the prescribed technical and safety requirements, before they can be used on our public paths and roads. LTA also conducts regular enforcement operations against non-compliant AMDs on public paths, as well as retailers selling non-compliant AMDs.
LTA, together with the relevant agencies, will continue to review existing guidelines on the safe storage and charging of AMDs. Currently, AMDs do not require special charging infrastructure and can be charged using standard wall sockets found in homes.
LTA is considering tougher enforcement action to send a stronger deterrent signal that the use or sale of non-compliant AMDs poses significant safety risks.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Evacuation Procedures for High-rise Fires in Older HDB Blocks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"79 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has reviewed its evacuation procedures for high-rise fires in older HDB blocks; and (b) whether the SCDF has plans to require new technologies, such as smoke curtains or evacuation chairs, to be adopted by HDB.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) residential units are designed as fire compartments to delay the spread of a fire. This facilitates firefighting, while enhancing the safety of residents.
It also enables the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to be targeted in its evacuation of residential buildings. For high-rise fires, SCDF prioritises the evacuation of occupants on the floors affected by the fire, as well as those residing in the two floors above. Residents in unaffected floors should remain in their respective units and will only be evacuated if SCDF assesses that it is necessary. Our overall approach seeks to minimise injuries and mishaps resulting from the evacuation. It is aligned with international best practices.
SCDF constantly reviews its evacuation procedures for residential buildings to ensure that they remain effective. For now, SCDF does not have plans to implement smoke curtains or evacuation chairs in HDB blocks. We have assessed that these measures present limited additional benefits over the existing measures. SCDF will continue to review other technologies that may enhance our operations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Installation of One Fire Extinguisher at Lift Lobby of Every Two HDB Blocks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"80 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs in respect of the trial to install one fire extinguisher at the lift lobby of every two HDB blocks (a) whether an update can be provided on the implementation status; (b) what is the number of fire incidents where fire extinguishers have been used; and (c) whether the Ministry intends to extend this initiative to all HDB blocks.\n
Mr K Shanmugam: Under a joint initiative with Temasek Foundation, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Town Councils, the Singapore Civil Defence Force has progressively installed fire extinguishers at Lifesavers' Emergency Points since October 2023. These fire extinguishers are co-located with existing automated external defibrillators at the lift lobbies of one in every two residential HDB blocks. To date, more than 90% of all targeted HDB blocks have been equipped and we aim to complete the roll-out by 2028.
Since its inception, more than 220 such fire extinguishers have been used at minor fire incidents.
At this juncture, we are focused on completing the roll-out to the remaining blocks. We will assess whether there is a need to do more thereafter.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Lessons from Fire at Children's Enrichment Centre at River Valley Road Shophouse in April 2025","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"81 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the cause of the fire which took place at the River Valley Road shophouse on 8 April 2025; and (b) what are the lessons learned in terms of fire prevention and fire escape, whether for purposes of (i) an educational or children's enrichment establishment or (ii) such shophouse premises generally.
Mr K Shanmugam: Investigations are still ongoing. Based on the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF's) preliminary findings, the fire had likely originated from an area used for storage on the second storey of the shophouse. SCDF also found several fire safety non-compliances, including unauthorised works involving the erection of partitions within the premises.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Possibility of TADM Settlements Becoming Court Judgements","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"82 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will provide that settlements mediated by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management automatically become Court judgments, with penalties for employer defaults; (b) if not, why not; and (c) how is the requirement for workers to commence separate Court enforcement proceedings when an employer defaults assessed to balance employee interests against defaulting employers.
Dr Tan See Leng: The power to grant a Court order is exercised by the Judiciary. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not have the legal authority to exercise a judicial power to convert settlement agreements into Court orders. Either party may instead register a settlement agreement recorded at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) with the District Court.
A registered settlement agreement is enforceable as an order of the District Court and entitles one party to take enforcement action against the defaulting party for breaching the settlement agreement. The Courts will determine if the terms of the Court order have been breached. Whilst a settlement that is not registered with the District Court is still legally binding, a party must first successfully sue the defaulting party for breaching the terms of the settlement agreement and obtain a Court order, before any enforcement action can be taken.
Notwithstanding the Court's involvement, MOM and tripartite partners have put in place a process to ensure that workers receive the agreed payment as far as possible. Once a settlement agreement has been registered and is enforceable as a Court order, if the worker did not receive payment by the due date, he can inform TADM who will help to engage the employer, advise the worker on the process to apply to the Courts to enforce the Court order, and escalate, as necessary, to MOM for possible enforcement actions. Penalties, such as warnings, fines, debarment from applying for work passes, and prosecution in Court, may be imposed on errant employers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Clarifying Regulations Restricting Employed Delivery Riders from Undertaking Food and Parcel Deliveries","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"83 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for Manpower in light of recent enforcement actions against illegal platform work (a) whether the Ministry can clarify what are the regulations restricting employed delivery riders from undertaking food and parcel delivery; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that legitimate workers and businesses are not inadvertently penalised by regulatory or enforcement actions.
Dr Tan See Leng: There are no regulations restricting Singaporeans and Permanent Residents from taking on food and parcel delivery work, whether by becoming platform workers or working as employees for firms that deliver items, or both. In contrast, foreigners may only take on delivery work under an employer-employee relationship if they have a valid work pass. They are not allowed to be platform workers as the Ministry does not issue work passes for such work.
As announced earlier this month, the Platform Workers Trilateral Group has issued recommendations to address illegal activities in the platform sector, such as foreigners using local platform workers’ accounts to perform platform work. Under the recommendations, the Government and platform operators will strengthen enforcement and set stringent penalties to stamp out such illegal activities. These efforts are targeted at individuals performing illegal platform work as well as those who have abetted the illegal work. Legitimate workers and businesses that do not run afoul of the law will not be penalised.
Nevertheless, as part of the increased enforcement checks, we acknowledge that legitimate workers and businesses may also need to be checked and inconvenienced. The Ministry appreciates our local delivery riders who took time to assist in our enforcement checks over the past few months. We seek our delivery riders' understanding to work with us to deter illegal activities in the platform sector.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Time Taken between Debt Recovery by Licensed Debt Collection Companies and Disbursement to Clients","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"84 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether statistics are collected on the time taken between debt recovery by licensed debt collection companies and the disbursement to clients both by (i) company and (ii) in aggregate; (b) if so, whether this information can be made public; and (c) if not, whether tracking mechanisms exist to evaluate performance.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Police do not track such statistics. The Police's regulation of the debt collection industry is aimed at preventing problematic debt collection conduct, in particular, to address the disamenities which may arise from such conduct. It does not regulate the commercial arrangements between debt collection companies and their clients.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Phasing Out Hybrid Vehicles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"85 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Acting Minister for Transport whether the Ministry can provide an update on plans to set a deadline for the phase-out of hybrid vehicles so as to promote business and consumer certainty.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: All new car registrations will have to be of cleaner-energy models from 2030. By 2040, all cars should be cleaner-energy. Cleaner-energy models include electric and hybrid cars.
We currently have no plans to phase out hybrid cars and are monitoring the adoption of cleaner-energy cars.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"People's Association Policy to Grant Elected Opposition MPs Fair and Equitable Access to Community Centre Facilities within Their Own Constituencies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"86 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether the Government will adjust the People's Association (PA) policy to grant elected opposition Members of Parliament fair and equitable access to community centre facilities for community engagement and welfare activities within their own constituencies; and (b) if so, when.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association (PA). PA is set up to serve the Government of the day as a Statutory Board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Its mission includes fostering social cohesion and racial harmony, connecting the Government to the people, people to people and the people to the Government. PA also canvasses views and feedback on Government policy, taking care to explain Government policy to people, as well as assist in the implementation of such policy.
The PA's role is manifold. It includes, amongst other things, the last mile connection on the ground, explaining Government policies and the reasons for such policies, which, as an illustration, can range from the need for tax increases to explaining how the progressive tax system works and the application of Housing and Development Board policies. In doing so, PA also gets people to support initiatives of the Government, which, as an illustration, can range from healthier lifestyle choices, helping to protect oneself from scams, supporting local businesses and also explaining initiatives announced during the Budget and at other speeches; helping to build a more united Singapore and a more harmonious society, improving race relations and build strong links across religious lines; and helping to build stronger local communities through a variety of events.
All the functions that PA undertakes, whether through events, programmes or activities at any of the spaces and facilities run by PA, is consistent with the above stated role, to serve the Government of the day and implement Government policies. The Government will appoint persons as grassroots advisers (GRAs) whom it has the confidence in, to help lead the grassroots organisations and volunteers to perform the above roles. GRA must be able to do all of the above, including explaining the Government policies honestly, help the Government govern, which is a key part of the role of the Civil Service, by assisting to implement Government policies on the ground.
However, PA does not conduct any political activity with any political party. PA does not allow its events or venues to be used for partisan purposes by any political party, nor does it allow them to be used for religious and/or unlawful purposes.
The PA's mission is as stated above. And in discharging this role, PA provides common spaces at which PA runs its programmes and activities, including community facilities for members of the public to utilise for social and recreational activities. PA's spaces and activities are open to every resident, regardless of which constituency they reside in, their background and political affiliation. This principle ensures that PA facilities serve the broader community while fulfilling our statutory mandate.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Support Students' Voluntary Give Up of Vaping and Accessing Rehabilitation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"87 Ms Lee Hui Ying asked the Minister for Education (a) beyond disciplinary action, what strategies does the Ministry implement to support (i) students who wish to voluntarily give up vaping and encourage them to access rehabilitation programmes or (ii) students who have been arrested for vape offences; and (b) what training is given to teachers to equip them to work effectively with such students.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Members can refer to the response to Question Nos 108 and 109 in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to \"Enhancing Vape Detection in Schools and Counselling for Students Caught Vaping\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Workload and Workforce Increases at CNB and HSA for Tackling Scourage of Kpods","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"88 Mr Ng Shi Xuan asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the new workload that CNB has taken on arising from the classification of etomidate and its analogues as Class C controlled drugs; and (b) what are the measures that the Ministry has taken to ensure that CNB has adequate manpower and resources to handle this additional workload, without compromising its operations.
89 Mr Ng Shi Xuan asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many officers from CNB have been seconded to HSA to tackle the scourge of \"Kpods\"; (b) what are the mean and median secondment periods for these officers; and (c) how many additional officers have been recruited or are planned by CNB to supplement its workforce during this period.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and Singapore Police Force have been supporting the Ministry of Health (MOH) in the enforcement, investigation and prosecution of trafficking syndicates as well as the enforcement against abusers in relation to vaping. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority has stepped up enforcement at the checkpoints. The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has dedicated resources to carry out rehabilitation for etomidate abusers who are sent to its Drug Rehabilitation Centre. Several hundred Home Team officers are supporting these operations.
To manage the increased workload, Home Team departments are recruiting additional officers on a temporary basis, until the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is able to stabilise its resourcing and operations to deal with vapes and etomidate. This is expected to take between six months and a year.
In addition, as of 15 September 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has seconded 13 officers to HSA to assist with vaping investigations and rehabilitation of vape abusers. The officers are seconded for a period of six months for now. We have also referred over 300 retired Police, CNB and Prisons officers to HSA to consider for recruitment.
These efforts by the Home Team departments do impose challenges on existing operations. As has been stated on several occasions, the Home Team was already facing manpower challenges. However, given the national needs, MHA officers have been asked to shoulder the additional workload, for a limited period.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rationale for Maintaining Distinction between Citizens and PRs' CPF Withdrawal Period","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"90 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the policy rationale for maintaining the distinction of allowing citizens to withdraw CPF savings only after the age of 55, while permanent residents (PRs) may withdraw CPF monies in full upon relinquishing PR status and leaving Singapore; (b) how does the Ministry balance the need to protect citizens’ retirement adequacy with ensuring fairness across different CPF members.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Central Provident Fund (CPF) system is a key pillar of Singapore's social security which helps Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs) set aside savings for their retirement, housing and healthcare needs.
For those who renounce their Citizenship or Permanent Residency status, their participation in the CPF system and all other CPF schemes will cease and can, thus, withdraw their CPF monies in full. Any unwithdrawn savings will cease to earn the prevailing CPF interest rates.
Similarly, the CPF withdrawal rules are also applied consistently across SCs and PRs. For example, to safeguard retirement adequacy, SCs and PRs are required to set aside the full retirement sum (FRS) at age 55 or up to half of FRS with a property pledge, to provide a basic payout for life from age 65. Members can also make withdrawals from their CPF savings from age 55 onwards, subject to prevailing withdrawal rules.
91 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Manpower (a) why tax-deductible CPF top-ups for members on CPF LIFE must go toward CPF LIFE instead of Retirement Sum Scheme payouts if the member so chooses; and (b) why does this apply even where the member has met the Full Retirement Sum.
Dr Tan See Leng: Today, Central Provident Fund (CPF) members who have started their retirement payouts will either be on CPF LIFE or the Retirement Sum Scheme (RSS), but not both. As such, tax-deductible top-ups will go towards the respective scheme that the member is on, but not both. Members who have at least $60,000 in their Retirement Account when they start their retirement payouts will be automatically included in CPF LIFE. This covers members who have set aside their Full Retirement Sum (FRS). RSS payouts are not relevant to members who have set aside their FRS.
For those on CPF LIFE, their top-ups will be streamed out via CPF LIFE, which ensures that no matter how long a member lives for, he or she would be provided with a monthly payout for life. This ensures that members will not outlive their savings, even as life expectancy increases. Hence, streaming out top-ups via CPF LIFE allows members to boost their monthly retirement payouts for life.
For those on RSS, their tops-up will be streamed out via RSS payouts. Streaming out top-ups via RSS will also boost monthly retirement payouts. However, RSS payouts are designed to last up to 20 years from the payout eligibility age or until CPF savings run out.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Recruitment Fees Paid by Work Permit Holders in Singapore and in Home Countries","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"92 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has conducted surveys on recruitment fees paid by work permit holders in Singapore and in their home countries; (b) if so, whether the Ministry will release its findings with breakdowns by (i) country of origin (ii) sector and (iii) gender; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will consider conducting such surveys in the near future.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducts ad hoc surveys on the total recruitment fees paid by work permit holders. Among first-time non-domestic work permit holders who indicated paying recruitment fees, the typical total recruitment fees in 2024 by sector are as follows: (a) construction sector: between $1,000 and $7,800; (b) marine shipyard sector: between $1,200 and $4,800; (c) process sector: between $600 and $7,200; (d) manufacturing sector: between $1,500 and $7,400; and (e) services sector: between $900 and $7,100.
The typical fees by gender are as follows: (a) males: between $1,000 and $7,200; and (b) females: between $300 and $5,600.
MOM does not publicly disclose data broken down by nationality, in view of sensitivities bilaterally and among different communities in Singapore.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Rationale for GRIT Programme's Focus on Specific Sectors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"93 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the policy rationale for focusing the GRaduate Industry Traineeship (GRIT) Programme on the financial services, information and communication technology, manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors; and (b) what specific metrics will be used to measure the quality of the placements, beyond the completion of the traineeship, to ensure a high conversion rate to full-time employment.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Member may refer to the combined Parliamentary Question reply on 23 September 2025 on graduate employment and the GRaduate Industry Traineeship (GRIT) Programme where this question was addressed. [Please refer to \"Reasons for Lower Proportion of Fresh Graduates in Full-time Employment and Extent of Help from GRaduate Industry Traineeship Programme\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Considerations when Planning for Community Clubs with Mass Facilities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"94 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what factors are considered when it comes to establishing Community Clubs (CCs) with mass facilities; and (b) whether there are any plans to establish new CCs with multi-facilities.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association (PA). The PA's mission is to foster social cohesion and connect the Government to people. It does this through a wide range of programmes, some of which take place at shared community spaces, such as our community clubs (CCs), for residents to bond and connect.
PA plans for each CC to serve approximately 15,000 households, or 50,000 residents, as an approximate guide. Factors, such as population profile and growth, geographical and other site considerations, availability of alternative facilities as well as long-term community needs, will be taken into account when considering the size and scale of a CC and where it should be located.
Barring new towns and divisions under development, PA endeavours to ensure that every resident has access to a community club within a reasonable radius, whether it is standalone CCs, co-located CCs, Integrated Community Hubs, or void-deck community centres. On occasion, when there are divisions without a CC, such as when the division is comprised of a new town or estate, PA will set up other community facilities, such as the Residents' Network Centres, located at the local precinct level to provide immediate community touchpoints for residents.
Upcoming developments have been previously publicly announced to the media include Bukit Timah Integrated Development, Heart of Yew Tee and Tampines Boulevard Community Club.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reviewing Quantum of Morning Pre-peak Fares Discount","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"95 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) whether the Public Transport Council will be increasing the quantum of the Morning Pre-Peak Fares discount, currently set at 50 cents since its introduction in 2017; and (b) if so, what considerations will guide the increment of this fare incentive.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Public Transport Council (PTC) reviews public transport fares annually, including all concession and discount schemes, such as the Morning Pre-Peak Fares discount scheme. In making any adjustments, PTC will consider factors such as affordability, financial sustainability of the public transport system and peak period crowding. PTC will announce its decision for its 2025 review later this year.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Land Clearing Beyond Slated 10.4ha from 2026 and Ensuring Retention of Biodiversity at Northern Areas","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"96 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry has plans to clear more land beyond the 10.4ha slated to be cleared from 2026; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that the site developer will retain as much biodiversity at the northern area during developments.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: A reply was provided at the 23 September 2025 Sitting in response to Ms Hany Soh's question on the mitigation measures for the proposed Woodlands Gateway development. [Please refer to \"Mitigating Adverse Impact to Flora and Fauna in Woodlands Forest in Light of Clearance Commencement in 2026\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress of Installing Green Roofs at Bus Stops","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"97 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what is the progress on LTA's project of installing green roofs by growing grass on our bus stops to reduce ambient heat and create a more comfortable environment for commuters; (b) how effective have such roofs been in lowering ambient temperatures; and (c) whether there are plans to expand the project including in Hougang.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Land Transport Authority (LTA) has worked with National Parks Board to install green roofs at 200 bus stops. Based on our studies, the green roofs can help lower ambient temperatures by up to around two degrees Celsius, providing a more comfortable environment for commuters.
LTA plans to roll out more green roofs at bus stops located near residential estates, health institutions, parks and major transport nodes, including bus stops in Hougang. As infrastructure provisions must be made to support the green roof, the roll out would be timed with the planned replacement and upgrading of bus stop shelters.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Grants for Lower-income PMD Owners to Offset Battery Replacement Costs to Reduce Fire Risks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"98 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether grants will be considered to help lower-income PMD owners offset replacement battery costs where such support is restricted to purchases only from LTA-compliant suppliers to reduce fire risks and enhance safety in residential areas.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Unlike personal mobility aids (PMAs), which carry individuals with mobility challenges, personal mobility devices (PMDs) are for general transport use. Eligible persons with disabilities and seniors aged 60 and above who wish to apply for subsidised PMAs or PMA components may approach SG Enable and Agency for Integrated Care to apply for support from the Assistive Technology Fund and Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund respectively.
For lower-income PMD owners receiving ComCare, the ComCare assistance is given in cash and can help defray some of the battery replacement cost.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Potential Dangers of Installing Bright, Flickering and Strobe Lights on AMDs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"99 Ms Lee Hui Ying asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) whether any studies have been conducted on the potential dangers of light brightness, flickering lights and strobe lights placed on active mobility devices (AMD); (b) if yes, what measures has the Ministry considered to address these dangers; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will consider such a study and look into regulating lights on AMDs.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: While lights generally improve safety, certain types of lights on active mobility devices (AMDs) can pose dangers to other path and road users. Under the code of conduct for public path users, AMD users, including cyclists and personal mobility device (PMD) riders, should use lights in a manner that is considerate to others and avoid shining their lights onto the faces of other people.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will monitor the use of lights on AMDs as well as public feedback and review the relevant guidelines and rules where necessary.
LTA will also emphasise safe and gracious riding practices in its public education campaigns. On the ground, enforcement officers also educate path users on proper path etiquette.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Retention Rates of SG Enable Place-and-Train Trainees After End of Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"100 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the retention rates of SG Enable Place-and-Train trainees after one year and three years of the end of the programme; (b) how many individuals have participated in multiple placements with (i) one (ii) two and (iii) three or more employers; and (c) how does the Ministry assess the programme’s effectiveness in supporting sustained employment and career progression.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Introduced in 2021, the Place-and-Train (PnT) programme provides employers with up to 90% salary support and course fee subsidy.
To date, 172 employers have hired 467 persons with disabilities under the programme. From 2021 to 2023, around 80% of persons with disabilities who completed the PnT programme remained employed six months after PnT support ended. Of these, 77% remained with their host employers from PnT.
PnT has been extended for two more years to place and train another 200 persons with disabilities by 2026. The programme continues to encourage employers to start hiring inclusively and provide support for employers to train new employees with disabilities on the job. The Ministry of Social and Family Development will continue to monitor and review the outcomes of the programme to assess its effectiveness.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Carbon Tax Increase on Emissions Produced in Singapore and Household Utilities Costs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"101 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how will the increase in carbon tax planned for the next few years impact the emissions produced in Singapore; (b) what will be the impact on household utilities costs; and (c) in view of rising business costs, whether the Carbon Tax increase planned for 2028 will be pushed back or reduced.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Member may refer to the written reply given on 22 September 2025 in response to related Parliamentary Questions on the Carbon Tax. [Please refer to \"Structuring Carbon Relief Allowances to Support Emissions-intensive Trade-exposed Companies and Retain Jobs for Singaporeans\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Deploying Polder Approach to Protect East Coast and North-West Coastal Areas Against Rising Sea Levels","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"102 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) given that the Tekong Polder was the first local empoldering project to reclaim land below the average sea level, will the same approach be deployed to protect our coastal areas in East Coast and North-West against rising sea levels; and (b) what is the resting period required before it is considered safe to construct buildings on the reclaimed land.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Government will closely monitor the implementation of the Pulau Tekong polder to draw insights from this pilot project, including experience gained from operating and maintaining the polder. This will guide our review on the viability of using the empoldering method for future land reclamation projects.
Similar to other reclamation projects, the Housing and Development Board has completed soil improvement works upfront to ensure the polder land is ready for building development.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Considerations for Expansion of No-smoking Buffer Zones from Five to Ten Metres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"103 Mr Victor Lye asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry will consider expanding the current no-smoking buffer zones from five metres to at least ten metres; and (b) whether the Ministry will study the feasibility of restricting smoking in public only at clearly marked Designated Smoking Areas similar to the approach in Tokyo.\n\n\n
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The five-metre buffer distance was determined with reference to local and international standards for the intake of ambient air into buildings and is comparable to buffer distances implemented overseas. There are currently no plans to expand the five-metre buffer distance.
Currently, smoking is restricted to Designated Smoking Areas within smoking-prohibited places, such as the Orchard Road No Smoking Zone. In other parts of Singapore, smoking is prohibited in places, such as covered and underground pedestrian walkways, playgrounds and void decks. My Ministry will continue to review our policies on smoking prohibition from time to time.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Expertise and Technological Expertise of Building Industry and Contractors to Solve Water Seepage in HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"104 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the building industry and contractors have the requisite expertise and technologies to solve the increasing number of water seepage cases in HDB flats; and (b) as more HDB flats ages and more extreme weather expected, whether the Ministry will gear up the industry to have the capacity and capabilities to deal with this increasing challenge.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: We have been working with the industry to equip contractors with the necessary expertise to address water seepage issues. For instance, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the industry have co-developed a Waterproofing Accreditation Scheme, administered by the Singapore Concrete Institute. The scheme seeks to establish competency standards and recognise waterproofing specialists who are committed to delivering quality works.
Dealing with complex water seepage cases requires technical competencies and using more advanced technologies. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has been supporting Town Councils and their contractors on complex cases, such as conducting joint inspections, providing technical advice and recommending necessary tests or repairs. We recognise that more can be done as some cases can be very complex. To this end, BCA and HDB will deepen their partnerships with the industry and research community to identify and scale up other effective solutions. For example, HDB is studying the use of technologies, such as microwave scanning which can scan through concrete to detect and trace the sources of seepage.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Eligibility Criteria for Emissions-Intensive Trade-Exposed Companies to Claim Transitional Allowances","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"105 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the criteria for companies to be eligible for the transitional allowances that provides support for Emissions-Intensive Trade-Exposed (EITE) companies can be shared; (b) what is the timeline of the transition framework for EITE companies; and (c) whether there is a targeted end date for the provision of such transitional allowances.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: We provide transitory allowances for companies in emissions-intensive and trade-exposed sectors. These companies compete globally and face competition from counterparts in jurisdictions with lower or no carbon prices.
We will review the provision of transitory allowances and adjust them based on how companies have delivered on their decarbonisation plans, taking into consideration international developments and advancements in decarbonisation technologies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Value-add and Number of Singaporean Jobs Provided by Companies Given Carbon Tax Relief","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"106 Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry so far, what is the (i) value-add and (ii) number of Singaporean jobs provided by companies that are given carbon tax relief.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The recipients of allowances are from the chemicals, electronics and biomedical manufacturing sectors. Using latest available data, these sectors accounted for over $75 billion in value-add and almost 160,000 jobs. These correspond to almost 70% of manufacturing value-added and more than 30% of manufacturing jobs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Assessing A*STAR’s Industrial Value-add to Local Enterprises","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"107 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) beyond patents, publications and licensing revenue, what KPIs does the Ministry use to assess A*STAR's industrial value-add to local enterprises, especially SMEs; and (b) how many SMEs have commercialised A*STAR-originated technology in the past five years.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*STAR's) value-add to local enterprises is assessed through indicators, such as the number of projects that A*STAR undertakes with local enterprises; the number of research scientists and engineers (RSEs) seconded to local enterprises under the Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) programme; and the number of A*STAR spin-offs.
These indicators reflect three key ways that A*STAR supports local enterprises.
First, providing access to research capabilities, intellectual property and technologies. This includes access to shared prototyping and pilot-scale production facilities, such as the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre and Innovation Factory@Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, that would otherwise require substantial upfront investments by the companies. A*STAR aims to set up more of such facilities moving forward. Over the past five years, A*STAR has undertaken more than 2,400 projects with 925 local enterprises.
Second, transferring knowledge and talent to drive transformation. Through the T-Up programme, A*STAR has seconded more than 300 RSEs to 177 local enterprises over the past five years, equipping them with technical expertise that they may not be able to build in-house. Our evaluation studies show that enterprises participating in T-Up saw 44% higher revenue and 22% higher total employment than non-participating firms on average within three years of starting the T-Up project.
Third, nurturing deep-tech startups from lab to market. A*STAR technologies have spun off more than 70 new companies over the past five years. Notable examples of companies that are launched on the back of an intellectual property or technology from A*STAR include Mirxes and MetaOptics, which have successfully scaled internationally.
230 local small and medium enterprises and startups have licensed 302 A*STAR-originated technologies over the past five years.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Unregistered or Non-compliant PMDs Seized since June 2021","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"108 Miss Rachel Ong asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) how many unregistered or non-compliant personal mobility devices (PMDs), including power-assisted bicycles, have been seized since June 2021; and (b) whether further measures will be introduced to address fire risks and ensure compliance for PMDs being charged and stored within HDB flats and common areas.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Since June 2021, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) seized more than 3,500 non-compliant personal mobility devices (PMDs) and power-assisted bicycles (PABs) on public paths and roads, and during raids involving errant retailers.
We take a firm stance towards the import, sale and use of non-compliant PMDs and PABs, including the use of non-original batteries. LTA's enforcement officers conduct operations regularly to enforce against non-compliant devices on public paths, as well as retailers selling such devices. Non-compliant devices are immediately seized and enforcement actions are taken.
In addition to existing enforcement measures, LTA, together with the relevant agencies, will continue to review existing guidelines on the safe storage and charging of active mobility devices (AMDs).
Agencies will also step up their public education efforts by sharing educational infographics with fire safety tips on the use of AMDs through their social media platforms and websites.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Factors Leading to Reduction of MRT Reliability between June 2024 and June 2025","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"110 Mr Sharael Taha asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what systemic issues have been identified in the reduction of MRT reliability between June 2024 and June 2025; (b) how will LTA and rail operators collaborate to improve reliability and share best practices; and (c) how reliability upgrades will be funded to ensure that costs are not directly passed on to commuters.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: These questions have been addressed in Parliamentary Question Nos 19 to 24 at the 22 September 2025 Parliament Sitting. [Please refer to \"Causes for Recent MRT and LRT Breakdowns, and Measures to Improve Rail Reliability and Review Financial Penalties\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Boost and Improve Paper and Domestic Recycling Rate","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"
111 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what new measures does the Ministry plan to introduce to boost the paper recycling rate and improve the domestic recycling rate.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank the Member for her question. This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment's written answer to Question No 20 on 23 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Improving Recycling Rates within Businesses and Residential Areas and Creating One-stop Recyclables Collection Centres\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Risk Assessment and Governance Frameworks for Sustainable Regional Infrastructure and Domestic Investment Incentive Strategy","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in respect of the first close of US$510million of the Green Investments Partnership (GIP) under Singapore's Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (FAST-P) initiative (a) what governance and risk-assessment frameworks are in place to evaluate eligible projects to support sustainable infrastructure in Southeast Asia; and (b) how will Singapore incentivise domestic private sector participation in GIP's future tranches.
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): The Green Investments Partnership (GIP) supports investments in renewable energy and storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, sustainable transport, water and waste management and other sectors critical to Southeast and South Asia's energy transition. The Government's contribution of US$51 million to the first close is in the form of grant money in order to catalyse other donors and concessional and commercial capital and make a difference to our region's transition. GIP's key partners which have contributed concessional capital include Export Finance Australia, International Finance Corporation, Temasek and Allied Climate Partners.
Pentagreen Capital is a fund manager licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Pentagreen Capital was appointed to manage GIP, in consultation with key partners involved in the design of GIP, taking into account its expertise and experience of its investment team, and the alignment of its investment focus with the objectives of the Financing Asia's Transition Partnership (FAST-P) to mobilise capital for Asia's transition.
In selecting projects for investment, Pentagreen Capital’s investment team bases its evaluation on a comprehensive set of criteria, including investment merits of the project, including project structure, and assessment of the project’s long term economic and investment performance; additionality considerations to ensure that the investment in the project results in sustainability benefits and impact, such as emission reductions; and alignment of the project with environmental and social assessments, which are based on internationally-recognised best practices and developed in collaboration with GIP's investors. This set of criteria allows Pentagreen Capital to attract and mobilise additional capital from other investors, which is the intent of the FAST-P initiative.
GIP is subject to investment governance and oversight similar to all commercially managed funds. It has an investment committee, with representatives from the fund manager and independent experts to make advisory recommendations and approve the projects prior to investment. It also has a Limited Partner Advisory Committee (LPAC) comprising representatives from major investors in GIP. The LPAC performs an oversight function with regard to GIP's investment strategy, policies and guidelines. Pentagreen Capital, as the manager of GIP, provides quarterly reports on the project and fund performance to GIP's investors.
With catalytic capital from the Singapore Government, GIP has attracted investors that are like-minded in supporting Asia's transition, including Multilateral Development Banks and Development Finance Institutions, philanthropic organisations and commercial investors. A sum of US$510 million has been committed by GIP's investors in the first round of fundraising. In the next phase of fundraising, Pentagreen Capital aims to engage and raise capital from both Singapore-based and international institutional investors to reach a target US$1 billion total fund size for GIP.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Tracking Economic and Social Contributions of Single Family Offices from 2020 to 2024 and Plans to Attract SFOs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) from 2020 to 2024, what are the metrics used to track the economic and social contributions of the Single Family Offices (SFOs) established in Singapore; and (b) how does the Government plan to continue attracting SFOs to establish themselves in Singapore while ensuring such capital inflows benefit all Singaporeans.
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): Developing Single Family Offices (SFOs) is part of broader efforts to grow Singapore's wealth management sector. When SFOs and other high net worth individuals (HWNIs) use wealth management products and services, private banks, other financial institutions and ancillary service providers benefit, and business revenue and jobs are generated. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) tracks metrics such as assets under management, employment and the wages earned to measure growth and contributions of the wealth management sector.
While MAS does not track social contributions from SFOs in Singapore, industry players such as Soristic Impact Collective1 track philanthropic giving, including those from HNWIs. Some HNWIs behind SFOs have engaged in philanthropic activities and established philanthropic entities, such as Tsao Foundation2 and Ishk Tolaram Foundation3. The recent establishment of new intermediaries such as ImpactSG4 and Philanthropy Asia Alliance5 also reflects growing interest in philanthropy among HNWIs in Singapore.
The Government will continue to work closely with industry to strengthen Singapore’s position as an international wealth management centre, including revamping the family office tax scheme application process. Most applications are now processed within three months, down from the previous 12 months; supporting HNWIs across their business, wealth and family interests; improving customer onboarding experiences including ensuring private banks' account opening processes are efficient and customer-friendly, while maintaining sound controls.
We must continue to strike the right balance, to ensure we remain competitive versus other wealth management centres. We will continue to enable our wealth management sector to thrive, so it can generate opportunities, create good jobs for Singaporeans, and contribute to our social and philanthropic sectors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Soristic Impact Collective is a social impact consultancy that aims to empower businesses, non-profits, and philanthropists to create meaningful change through research, evaluation, philanthropy support, and capacity building.","2 : Tsao Foundation is a non-profit family foundation focused on promoting successful ageing and active ageing and among its various initiatives, had established the Hua Mei Centre for Successful Ageing, which provides medical, social and psycho-emotional care for adults aged 40 and above living in the community.","3 : Ishk Tolaram Foundation aims to empower underserved individuals by providing access to quality education, healthcare, and skills training in geographies where Tolaram has a significant business presence. In Singapore, Ishk' focuses on inclusive education. Its partners include Boys' Town, Dyxlexia Association of Singapore, Samaritans of Singapore and Shine Youth Services.","4 : ImpactSG is a ground-up non-profit organisation that was born out of Forward Singapore. It works with individuals from family offices, foundations, and corporations to deploy financial and non-financial contributions in Singapore and Asia. Since its launch in November 2024, ImpactSG has engaged more than 100 individuals and wealth owners on their contributions facilitated by specially designed programmes, such as one for Singapore's neighbourhood schools.","5 : Philanthropy Asia Alliance was launched by Temasek Trust, dedicated to catalysing collaborative philanthropy in Asia through dynamic multi-sector partnerships. Since its launch in 2023, it had amassed over S$1 billion in pledges from more than 80 global members and partners including Gates Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation and Li Ka Shing Foundation."],"footNoteQuestions":["2"],"questionNo":"2"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of US GENIUS Act on Regulated Digital Assets and Recognition of Stablecoin Regulatory Framework","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Mr Victor Lye asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the Ministry's assessment of the impact of the US Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act (GENIUS Act) on Singapore's competitiveness as a global hub for regulated digital assets; and (b) whether MAS intends to seek US recognition of Singapore's Stablecoin Regulatory Framework as a comparable regime under the GENIUS Act.
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): The United States (US) Senate passed the GENIUS Act in July. It seeks to bring regulatory clarity to payment of stablecoins in the US, which is a subset of digital assets that is designed to maintain a stable value relative to a fixed monetary value, such as to one US dollar. Rule-making is underway, before finalised details of the Act are implemented by January 2027. Market participants generally expect it to spur interest and adoption of stablecoins and digital assets in the US and globally. However, it is too early to tell the scale and scope of adoption at this point.
Stablecoins adoption could potentially bring efficiency gains and lower costs for users as transactions are done on a shared ledger. However, if not well regulated, stablecoins could also introduce risks to the financial system. For example, if value stability is not maintained, it could result in a loss of confidence and result in rapid redemptions and fire-sales of the underlying assets backing the value of the stablecoin. In countries with weaker currencies, there are also concerns about currency substitution. It is therefore important that stablecoins and digital assets in general develop under regulatory guidance globally.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) published a stablecoins regulatory framework in 2023 to ensure a high degree of value stability for stablecoins regulated in Singapore. The framework will distinguish well-regulated stablecoins from other crypto assets, which MAS has consistently warned about, because of risks to consumers from cryptocurrency speculation due to high volatility and the lack of inherent value. MAS is working on legislative amendments to formalise the framework and will issue a public consultation later this year.
Stablecoin regulatory developments in the US and Europe are still relatively new. MAS is following these developments closely and will consider appropriate regulatory cooperation on the safe and secure cross-border use of regulated stablecoins.
At the same time, MAS has been actively supporting industry-driven innovation in distributed ledger technologies. The objective is to develop strong digital asset capabilities in our financial centre, and reap efficiency benefits for our financial system. Key financial institutions have established digital asset centres of excellence and conducted market testing of the issuance of tokenised financial instruments from Singapore. This includes the use of stablecoins for programmable rewards, conditional payments and settlement of cross-border payments.
MAS is also playing a key role in collaborations among global financial institutions and international policymakers. The aim is to develop standards around tokenised assets and the supporting infrastructure to facilitate cross border interoperability across digital asset networks and instruments, including stablecoins, tokenised bank liabilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Civil Service and Statutory Boards Recruitment by Employment Type in Past Five Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for each of the last five years, what is the annual number of new hires in the Civil Service and statutory boards who are (i) permanent hires from external recruitment, (ii) contract hires and (iii) contract staff converted to permanent emplacement, respectively.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): Contract appointments are offered by Public Service agencies for roles on specific projects over a specific period, or as a means to assess officers' suitability for a long-term career in the Public Service before offering them permanent appointments. This approach has benefits to the agencies and the officers. Both sides can assess the officers' fit for the job. The majority of our new hires are offered a contract appointment. Some agencies may offer permanent appointments for certain roles, such as those that require recruits to attend training over an extended period, for example, those in the education or Home Team uniformed services. Nevertheless, these officers are also generally required to serve a probation period of at least one year before they are confirmed in their jobs.
Between 2020 and 2024, the Public Service recruited about 14,000 officers a year. About 76% of these appointments were on contracts-of-service. Of the new recruits appointed into the Civil Service on contracts-of-service in 2020 and 2021, about 45% have been emplaced, 28% exited within two years of their appointment, and the remainder could be (i) considered for emplacement later; (ii) exited or (iii) appointed to projects that had a finite tenure. The Public Service Division does not have data on the proportion of emplaced officers in Statutory Boards.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Improving Financial Governance and Policy Decision-making Using AI and Data Analytics","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance how is the Ministry leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to improve financial governance, detect fraud or enhance policy decision-making.
Ms Indranee Rajah (for the Prime Minister): This question has been answered in the Written Reply to a similar Parliamentary Question by Mr Xie Yao Quan standing as Parliamentary Question No 61 for oral answer in the Order Paper for the sitting on 23 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Deploying AI for Audit Checks and Monitoring of Government Agencies' Contract Management and Procurement\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Differentiated Property Tax Rates for Vacant and Non-vacant Commercial and Industrial Properties","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Ng Shi Xuan asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Government has studied differentiated property tax rates for vacant and non-vacant commercial and industrial properties; (b) if yes, what are the findings of the study; and (c) if no, whether the Government will consider such a study to reduce vacancy rates of commercial and industrial properties.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Currently, non-residential properties, such as commercial and industrial properties, are taxed at a flat rate of 10% of the Annual Value of the property.
Vacancy rates for commercial and industrial properties have remained stable over the past three years and are comparable to pre-COVID levels. Therefore, there is no strong basis for the Government to consider differentiated Property Tax rates to reduce vacancy rates in commercial and industrial properties.
Most jurisdictions or cities do not impose differentiated property tax rates for vacant and non-vacant commercial and industrial properties. The effectiveness of such a structure to reduce vacancy rates is unclear, as there are many other factors affecting leasing decisions, including rentals, location, economic conditions and market demand.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Provision of Dynamic Assistance Packages Pegged to Inflation Indices or Automatic Top-ups of Family Savings Accounts","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Government will consider, through the use of artificial intelligence monitoring, introducing dynamic assistance packages pegged to inflation indices, or to provide automatic top-ups of family savings accounts when GST revenue outperforms forecasts so that support is more responsive to real cost-of-living pressures.\n
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Government regularly reviews our social support schemes to ensure that they remain relevant and adequate. We consider not just inflation, but also economic and labour market conditions, fiscal sustainability as well as the affordability challenges faced by lower- and middle-income households. This ensures that our support is sized and targeted appropriately, as opposed to automated mechanisms which may be too blunt.
This year, we strengthened several structural social support schemes to ensure sustained and adequate support for households. For example, we announced higher long-term care subsidies and grants, with subsidies extended to more households. We also increased ComCare assistance rates and enhanced the Silver Support Scheme to provide higher payouts and benefit more seniors. We raised the income eligibility threshold for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Voucher – Cash scheme in August so that lower-income Singaporeans can continue to receive support.
Where necessary, the Government will also provide one-off support to help Singaporeans manage immediate cost-of-living pressures. At Budget 2025, we announced a $1.2 billion enhancement to the Assurance Package, including Community Development Council Vouchers and additional U-Save rebates.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Expanding and Upgrading Solar Energy Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure by 2030","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Energy Market Authority is working with SP Group to expand and upgrade Singapore's solar energy transmission and distribution infrastructure given that the Singapore Green Plan aims to achieve at least two gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar energy deployment by 2030; and (b) if so, how.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Energy Market Authority works with SP Group to review grid network plans annually, including augmentations that may be needed to support new sources of power generation. For solar deployments, these include upgrades to transmission and distribution infrastructure, as well as energy storage systems to mitigate the impact of solar intermittency. With solar deployment being on track to meeting the target of two gigawatt-peak (GWp) by 2030, SP Group has been following through with these plans, so that Singapore's electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure keeps pace with the growth of domestic solar energy deployment.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Grid Connection Capacity as Basis for Allocating Access to Electricity Import Landing Sites and Other Strategic Considerations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether available grid connection capacity is still the primary basis for allocating access to electricity import landing sites; and (b) whether there is room for other strategic considerations such as emissions intensity, system resilience and long-term sustainability to be incorporated into the decision-making process.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The allocation of electricity import landing sites is dependent on (i) the import projects' locations; (ii) their respective development timelines; and (iii) Singapore's infrastructure planning considerations, such as the availability of land, sea corridor space, and grid infrastructure.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Strategies to Enhance Outreach and Engagement with SME Owners in Heartland and Traditional Business Sectors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what are the Ministry's strategies to enhance outreach and engagement with SME owners, particularly in heartland and traditional business sectors, to ensure they are not left behind in Singapore’s economic transformation efforts.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government works closely with our Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) and SME Centres, to engage businesses at scale. SME Centres are run by the TACs in partnership with Enterprise Singapore, and offer one-to-one business advisory services, workshops and group-based upgrading projects. We are enhancing these Centres to provide more comprehensive and personalised business advisory services to assist businesses on more complex issues.
For heartland merchants, Enterprise Singapore works closely with the Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS) to provide business advisory services, and training. In 2024, HECS assisted more than 2,000 heartland enterprises. Enterprise Singapore also supports heartland shops through initiatives, such as the Enhanced Visual Merchandising Programme and the Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant. The former helps heartland shops to refresh their storefronts and develop their marketing positions, while the latter provides support for heartland merchants to organise placemaking and promotional events to attract more customers. For example, Unidbox Hardware tapped on the Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant to organise a Home Solutions Carnival in Hougang in 2025, with activities, such as home safety talks and DIY tool assembly competitions. The three-day event attracted over 500 visitors daily, leading to an 8% increase in revenue.
In addition, the newly launched Sprout@AMK at the Ang Mo Kio Town Centre seeks to help heartland enterprises testbed innovative concepts, refine their business models as well as marketing strategies. The site is currently housing the first batch of merchants from the Heartland Innovation and Transformation (HIT) programme for a 12-month period. Upon completing their leases at Sprout@AMK, participating merchants may apply for direct allocation of vacant Housing and Development Board (HDB) shop spaces under the HDB Enhanced Entrepreneur Scheme, where they will also be able to receive a 10% rental discount for the first term of a three-year tenancy. Through combining training, mentorship and access to retail spaces, the HIT programme complements our existing efforts to rejuvenate our heartlands while helping heartland businesses stay relevant.
Additionally, the National Heritage Board (NHB) recently introduced the SG Heritage Business Scheme to recognise, drive awareness and inspire a greater appreciation of our local heritage businesses. Designated heritage businesses will enjoy various incentives, such as brand visibility and business consultancy support. NHB's Organisation Transformation Grant also supports heritage businesses to adopt innovative projects that can contribute to their long-term viability. In February 2025, the Government set up the Inter-Agency Task Force for Heritage Businesses, Traditional Activities and Cultural Life. Co-chaired by the Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Low Yen Ling, and the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim, the Task Force brings together key agencies to develop policies and schemes to better support heritage businesses in historic districts, including issues related to business sustainability and transformation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Expanding Scope of MyResponder App to Include Alerts for HDB Fires and Missing Persons with Disabilities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether there are plans to expand the scope of the myResponder app to also include alerts for HDB fires and missing persons with disabilities, such as elderly persons with dementia or children with autism, to facilitate community-assisted response.
Mr K Shanmugam: The myResponder app alerts Community First Responders (CFRs) to nearby minor fires and medical cases.
Missing person cases are very different in nature and require different capabilities. The Police already have an established process to locate missing persons, including appealing for information from the public where appropriate. Such appeals are published through various channels, including social media. There are therefore currently no plans to expand the myResponder app to include appeals for information from the public on missing persons.
12 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) from 2020 to 2024, how many applications for Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) and LTVP+ were rejected despite the marriages lasting at least three years; and (b) what percentage of these applicants have at least one Singaporean child.\n
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2020 to 2024, an annual average of about 600 Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) or LTVP+ applications from foreign spouses of Singapore citizens with at least three years of marriage were rejected. Of these applications, around 3% declared that they have at least one Singaporean child.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of Misuse of Drugs Act to Include Stricter Penalties for Cases with Aggravating Factors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs following the recent unsuccessful constitutional challenge to the Misuse of Drugs Act presumptions, will CNB and MHA's annual review with HSA of the presumptions, including weight and purity, also consider imposing stricter penalties for cases with aggravating factors, such as using new trafficking apparatus like vapes or targeting youths.
Mr K Shanmugam: To clarify, the Central Narcotics Bureau's annual review with the Health Science Authority relates to the purity of seized drugs, and not to net weights for the legal presumptions to apply, which are encoded in law.
The Ministry of Home Affairs closely monitors the drug situation. We have not detected a trend of children or young persons deliberately being targeted by drug syndicates to sell drugs to, or to recruit them into the trade. Nonetheless, we take this risk very seriously.
The Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) was amended in 2012 to enhance punishments for those found to be trafficking drugs to young persons, with the minimum punishment double that of a normal trafficking offence. In addition, an offence was provided for any adult who causes or procures any young person to traffic or import drugs, with similar enhanced punishments. In 2019, the MDA was amended to make it an offence for an adult to knowingly or recklessly leave drugs or drug utensils within easy access of a child below 16 years of age, and also an offence for an adult to permit a young person below 21 years of age to consume drugs in his possession.
We take a zero-tolerance approach towards controlled drugs, regardless of how the drugs are consumed or the medium in which they are trafficked or possessed. It is an offence to possess any apparatus or article, including vapes, with the intention of using it for the consumption of controlled drugs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Redress Mechanisms Available for Clients of Licensed Debt Collection Companies in Dispute Cases","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"14 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs what are the redress mechanisms available under regulatory oversight for clients of licensed debt collection companies in cases of disputes, such as delayed disbursements.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Police's regulation of the debt collection industry is aimed at preventing problematic debt collection conduct. It does not regulate the commercial arrangements between debt collection companies and their clients.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Post-scam Care and Recovery Support Measures for Victims of Scams","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"15 Ms Elysa Chen asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs with regard to scams, what measures are currently in place to provide dedicated post-scam care and recovery support to victims of scams, such as support groups and counselling.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Member may refer to the response to Parliamentary Question No 56 for oral answer which was delivered on 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Post-incident Support for Scam Victims beyond Public Education Workshops and Fund Recovery Efforts\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Investigations into Pulau Tekong BMTC Fires and Measures to Improve Fire Safety","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"16 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) whether investigations into the causes of two fires at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on Pulau Tekong within three weeks on 20 June 2025 and 11 July 2025 have been completed; and (b) if so, what are the findings and steps that the Ministry and SAF will be taking to improve fire safety at BMTC.\n \n
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) buildings, like all others in the Singapore Armed Force, comply with national fire safety standards and codes, and are routinely audited and inspected by certified fire safety inspectors. BMTC staff also hold regular fire drills to keep themselves prepared, and all recruits undergo a fire drill within 48 hours of enlistment. BMTC works closely with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to regularly review fire safety and emergency response protocols so that its emergency readiness remains high.
The two fires at BMTC on 20 June 2025 and 11 July 2025 occurred in unoccupied accommodation blocks. No personnel was injured. The SCDF has completed its investigations into the two fires. It concluded that the ignition source in both instances was consistent with a naked flame applied to combustible materials, and was unlikely to be due to an electrical source.
Following the two fires, BMTC has increased patrols around unoccupied buildings. It also plans to install closed-circuit television cameras at such buildings for added security.
17 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence whether the Ministry will consider allowing NSmen to utilize their SkillsFuture credit to attend approved upgrading courses during low activity periods of their In-Camp Training (ICT) so as to support their professional development or acquiring new skills for the service while continuing to fulfill their national duties.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: NSmen are a key pillar of our national defence. NSmen are called up for In-Camp Training (ICT) for periods necessary to meet operational and training needs. To remain operationally ready, NSmen focus on refreshing their military skills and fulfilling their training requirements each ICT. During their ICT, NSmen's military training and operational duties should take precedence over other personal or professional commitments. Allowing NSmen to attend non-military training, such as courses funded by SkillsFuture credits, during ICT, would dilute military training outcomes and compromise the SAF's operational readiness.
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Defence supports national efforts towards skills upgrading and lifelong learning and encourages NSmen to pursue their non-military learning needs outside of their ICT. NSmen are typically notified of their call-ups up to six months in advance, so that they have adequate time to plan suitable work coverage arrangements and other professional and personal pursuits.
18 Mr David Hoe asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health for each of the last five years (a) how many and what percentage of live births in restructured hospitals are premature, with breakdowns by gestational age bands; and (b) what is the range, median and 90th-percentile of premature newborns' stay duration in (i) restructured hospitals and (ii) the neonatal intensive care units of such hospitals, respectively.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The numbers and percentages of premature live births, defined as births with less than 37 weeks of gestation, in restructured hospitals (KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and National University Hospital (NUH)), are shown in Table 1.
Over the last five years, the average length of stay of newborns in Neonatal Intensive Care Units of the restructured hospitals is between 154 days and 299 days.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Collection of Official Fees for Honorary Consuls-General and Honorary Consuls","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"19 Mr Victor Lye asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether there are signed agreements for Honorary Consuls-General and Honorary Consuls to retain the official fees they collect; and (b) as such fee collections are not tracked, what is the assurance that the actual fees collected do not exceed the official rates set out in the Schedule to the Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Fees) Order 2012.\n\n\n
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Honorary Consuls-General (HCGs) and Honorary Consuls (HCs) are distinguished individuals appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to advance Singapore's diplomatic and economic interests internationally. They provide consular assistance to Singaporeans overseas who need help. HCGs and HCs are not compensated for their services and bear all the costs of operating their consulates, including rental expenses and staff salaries.
MFA's agreement for HCGs and HCs to retain the fees they collect to offset their expenditure is stipulated in the terms and conditions of their letters of appointment. Every year, MFA informs HCGs and HCs of the fee rates to be charged for services provided according to the Schedule to the Diplomatic and Consular Officers (Fees) Order 2012. HCGs and HCs are required to post public notices of the schedule of fees, and members of the public can check the amount paid against the schedule.
MFA will regularise the accounting of fees collected by HCGs and HCs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Declaration of ASEAN Day When Assuming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027 and Other Related Initiatives","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"20 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether the Ministry will consider declaring an ASEAN Day in 2027 when Singapore assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship to commemorate ASEAN unity and peace; and (b) whether the Ministry will explore initiatives to encourage citizens across the ASEAN member states to travel within the region in the spirit of strengthening regional identity and connectivity.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: ASEAN Day is observed annually on 8 August by all Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Member States to commemorate the founding of ASEAN with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration in 1967, in Bangkok, Thailand. This was formalised in the ASEAN Charter, which was signed by the 10 ASEAN Leaders at the 13th ASEAN Summit on 20 November 2007 in Singapore.
ASEAN Member States mark ASEAN Day through various activities, such as flag-hoisting ceremonies, cultural performances and diplomatic receptions. Given ASEAN's vital role in the region, Singapore commemorates ASEAN Day annually as well. This year, I hosted a dialogue with students from the School of Science and Technology, Methodist Girls' School and CHIJ Secondary School, as part of their ASEAN Tapestry Programme. We had a good discussion on ASEAN's importance to Singapore, consensus-building at ASEAN, and regional cooperation and integration.
Singapore's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027 will coincide with ASEAN's 60th anniversary. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is spearheading efforts at the whole-of-Government level to plan meaningful commemorative events and other initiatives in 2027, including encouraging regional travel. Our efforts are aimed at promoting regional unity and fostering regional identity and connectivity. We will continue to raise greater awareness of the importance of ASEAN among Singaporeans, particularly our youth. We will ensure that these commemorative activities, which will include ASEAN Day, are befitting of ASEAN's diamond jubilee.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Secondhand Smoke Dispute Cases between Neighbours in Public and Private Estates","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"
21 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry tracks the number of cases involving disputes between neighbours over secondhand smoke both in public and private residential properties; (b) if so, whether such data can be made available; and (c) how are such disputes usually resolved.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency tracks the number of feedback on second-hand tobacco smoke from neighbours but not the number of cases involving disputes.
22 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in 2024, what was the monthly average electricity and water consumption rates for households living in (i) HDB flats broken down by flat type, (ii) private condominiums and (iii) landed properties; and (b) what is the projected trend of these rates in the next five years.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The average monthly consumption for electricity and water1 in 2024 are as follows:
(i) For households living in HDB flats,
1-Room and 2-Room HDB flats: Electricity: 175.7 kWh, Water: 8.9 m³
3-Room HDB flats: Electricity: 276.1 kWh, Water: 12.2 m³
4-Room HDB flats: Electricity: 380.7 kWh, Water: 15.4 m³
5-Room and executive HDB flats: Electricity: 464.0 kWh, Water: 17.1 m³
(ii) For private apartments and condominiums, Electricity: 522.0 kWh, Water: 13.4 m³
(iii) For landed properties, Electricity: 1208.2 kWh, Water: 30.6 m³
We expect the existing household consumption trends for electricity and water to continue in the next five years. Household electricity consumption would likely continue to see a gradual increase, due to factors such as switching from town gas and liquified petroleum gas to induction cooking, increased air-conditioner usage with higher temperatures and greater electric vehicle adoption. Household water consumption has been gradually decreasing with adoption of more efficient water fittings and appliances in homes.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : The monthly household water consumption for each housing type can be found on SP Group's website."],"footNoteQuestions":["22"],"questionNo":"22"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Public Disclosure of Tenancy Agreements for Hawker Centres under SEHC Operators","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"23 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will consider mandating the public disclosure of full tenancy agreements for hawker centres operated by Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre operators.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: This question has been addressed in the oral reply to Parliamentary Questions No 8 to 10 at the 24 September 2025 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to \"Provision of Affordable Meals and Other Contractual Obligations at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres\", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"NEA Guidelines on Hawkers' Mandatory Participation in SEHC Operators’ Charitable and Discount Programmes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"24 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether clauses mandating hawkers’ participation in charitable and discount programmes organised by Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) operators at the hawkers’ own expense are prohibited under NEA’s guidelines for tenancy agreements between stallholders and operators; (b) whether NEA’s guidelines are publicly available; and (c) if not, whether this can be publicly released for better public education.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: This question has been addressed in the oral reply to Parliamentary Questions No 8 to 10 at the 24 September 2025 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to \"Provision of Affordable Meals and Other Contractual Obligations at Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centres\", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Risk Assessment of Earthquake Occurrences in Areas Close to Singapore","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"25 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the recent Segamat earthquake in Johor is the closest in distance historically to Singapore; (b) whether the Ministry has done a review on the risk assessment of future similar occurrences in areas close to or within Singapore; and (c) if so, what is the result of the review.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Singapore is considered to have a low earthquake risk, as we are geologically stable and are not on any known major active fault lines. The earthquake on 3 September 2025 near Segamat was one of the three closest documented earthquakes to Singapore, with an epicentre about 120 kilometres northwest of Singapore. The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) will continue to closely track regional seismic developments.
The Building and Construction Authority maintains a building safety framework to ensure infrastructure resilience in Singapore and will continue to review and update it based on MSS's monitoring of regional seismic activity.
The Government will also continue to work with research institutes, such as Earth Observatory of Singapore, to deepen our understanding of regional seismic occurrences and update our risk assessments if necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Diversify Food Imports and Moderate Food Prices in View of Volatile Global Food Prices","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"26 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of volatile global food prices due to climate shocks and trade restrictions, what steps will Singapore take to go beyond import diversification, such as regional joint stockpiling of staples or expanding community food cooperatives with ASEAN partners, to moderate staple prices and shield households from supply shocks.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: As a small country that imports more than 90% of our food, Singapore is not able to fully insulate ourselves from global food supply disruptions or influence global food prices. To mitigate food supply risks, we adopt a multi-pronged approach where import diversification is a key strategy, complemented by stockpiling and growing locally.
International collaboration supports our efforts. The Ministry of Trade and Industry facilitates trade, including that of food, when negotiating trade agreements. At the regional level, Singapore is a part of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), a regional cooperation scheme between the ASEAN member states, China, Japan and South Korea, to earmark rice for emergency use. At the bilateral level, we work with partner countries to mitigate and manage supply disruptions. For example, during an export restriction on non-Basmati white rice, the Singapore Government worked closely with the Indian government to secure an exemption from the restriction.
Industry and consumers also have an important part to play to strengthen our food security. Businesses should have business continuity plans in place and diversify their food supplies. Consumers can also be flexible and consider other food options in times of disruption.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Unused Carbon Offset Limits from 2024 to 2025 on Singapore’s Carbon Emissions Pathway","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"27 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the projected impact of allowing companies to roll over their unused carbon offset limit from 2024 to 2025 on Singapore's carbon emissions pathway; and (b) whether the Ministry intends to continue this policy when the carbon tax rises to $45/tCO2 in 2026.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Government had permitted carbon taxable companies to roll over their unused carbon offset limits from 2024 to 2025 due to a constrained supply of International Carbon Credits as the market is still in nascency. We have not decided whether to extend the rollover provision for Emission Year 2025.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Savings, Withdrawals and Closing Balances of CDA Accounts by Household Income Decile Groups for Children Born between 2014 and 2017","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"28 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in respect of children born between 2014 and 2017 whose Child Development Accounts (CDAs) have been closed upon reaching the age of seven, what is the breakdown of withdrawals from their CDA accounts for different uses, broken down by household income decile groups.
29 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in respect of children born between 2014 and 2017 whose Child Development Accounts (CDAs) have been closed upon reaching the age of seven, what is the (i) average cumulative amount of private savings excluding Government contributions (ii) total withdrawals and (iii) closing balances in these CDA accounts broken down by household income decile groups.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Child Development Account (CDA) is a special savings account for eligible children, where the Government provides dollar-for-dollar matching to deposits made by the parents to the CDA, up to a cap. For birth cohorts from 2006 onwards, the CDA is closed at the end of the year that the child turns 12 years old.
Based on available data, from 2016 to 2024, over 85% of the CDA withdrawals made were used for educational expenses, such as childcare centre and kindergarten fees. About 10% were made at healthcare institutions for medical expenses, such as payment for medical fees and medication at clinics and hospitals. The remaining 5% were used for other CDA approved expenses.
For the past five birth cohorts of 2008 to 2012, who have turned 12 years old and had their CDA closed, the (i) average cumulative amount of private savings excluding Government contributions was $10,200, (ii) the average total withdrawals was $12,500 and (iii) the average closing balance in these CDA accounts was $3,000.
Data broken down by household income decile groups is not available as the Ministry of Social and Family Development does not mandate the collection of parents' income data for the Baby Bonus scheme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for SG Enable Training Grant beyond FY2024 and Continuation of Support for Existing Training Providers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"30 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the Ministry's plans for the SG Enable Training Grant beyond FY2024; (b) whether new public grant calls will be issued; and (c) how training providers will be supported in delivering employment and independent living skills training for persons with disabilities if funding beyond the current cycle is discontinued.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The SG Enable Training Grant offers up to 95% course fee subsidies and training allowances for persons with disabilities, and absentee payroll for employers.
SG Enable plans to conduct the next Call for Proposals by the first quarter of 2026 for inclusive and mainstream training providers, including social service agencies serving persons with disabilities, to propose training courses and programmes.
Beyond the Training Grant, the Enabling Academy collaborates with training providers to continually expand the range of courses to make them accessible or customised for persons with disabilities to support their professional and personal development. It also conducts regular complimentary workshops on disability inclusion and provides resources to uplift training providers' capabilities in inclusive course design and delivery.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Specialised Training in Student Welfare against Bullying for Educators and School Leaders from 2020 to Date","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"31 Ms Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Education (a) from 2020 to date, how many teachers and school leaders have received specialised training in recognising and intervening in bullying situations or when children show signs of distress; and (b) whether such training will be made mandatory.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed as part of the oral reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 1 to 12 in the Order Paper for 23 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Management of Bullying in Schools\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Funding Criteria for Graduate Degree Programmes Government Subsidies","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"32 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Education (a) why does there Ministry limit Government subsidies to selected Master's degree programmes; (b) how does the Ministry determine which Master's programmes qualify for subsidy; and (c) what criteria are used to assess (i) the viability of subsidising a programme and (ii) its relevance to national manpower needs.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides significant subsidies for Singaporeans in the Autonomous Universities (AUs) pursuing their first undergraduate degree. As for post-graduate by coursework programmes, programmes such as those that are required as entry requirements for certain professions such as architecture, and those that are aligned with industry needs, based on consultation with sector agencies, are subsidised by MOE. MOE will regularly review the subsidy framework for post-graduate programmes.
In addition, AUs also offer post-graduate programmes on a non-subsidised basis, if they assess them to be viable.
Other than MOE subsidies, most AUs offer fee rebates to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, as well as alumni, who take up post-graduate programmes. Additional university subsidies, scholarships or study awards are also available to eligible students.
33 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the current and expected future student intake for Mandarin-medium postgraduate programmes offered by the autonomous universities; (b) what is the rationale for such courses; and (c) what is the current and expected share of local students at such programmes.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Please refer to the response to Parliamentary Question No 96 for oral answer in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to \"Providing English-language Programmes Equivalent to Autonomous Universities' Mandarin Postgraduate Programmes\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown of Applicants for Tamil Language Teaching Positions by Citizenship Status in Past Five Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"34 Dr Hamid Razak asked the Minister for Education for each of the past five years (a) how many applicants for Tamil-language teaching positions are (i) Singapore citizens or permanent residents and (ii) foreigners, respectively; and (b) how many applicants in each group are successfully recruited.
Mr Desmond Lee: The MInistry of Education recruits teachers with the right disposition and competencies to teach. We prioritise hiring of local teachers. However, we do recruit foreign teachers for certain subjects to supplement our local teaching workforce, if we are unable to recruit enough locals. Tamil Language (TL) is one of these subjects. For foreign applicants, apart from looking at their track record and experience, we also consider their ability to assimilate into our local school context.
The number of TL teaching applications averaged about 750 annually over the past five years. About 80% of these are local applicants, with foreign applicants making up the remaining 20%. Over the same period, the success rates for local and foreign applicants were about 4% and 2% respectively. Over the same period, the success rate for local applicants was double that of foreign applicants.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Challenges of and Measures to Ensure Successful Recruitment of Tamil Language Teaching Positions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"35 Dr Hamid Razak asked the Minister for Education (a) what key challenges hinder the conversion of applications to successful recruitment for Tamil-language teaching positions; and (b) what measures are being taken to strengthen this pipeline such as through qualification recognition, training pathways and retention incentives.
Mr Desmond Lee: Having quality teachers is essential to building a strong education system. We look for teaching applicants with good subject mastery, keen interest to teach, and an understanding of what teaching entails. We also consider teacher qualities such as effective communication skills and care for students.
To strengthen the recruitment pipeline for Tamil Language (TL), we adopt a multi-pronged approach. First, we begin by sparking students’ interest in the language early. Those with aptitude are encouraged to pursue it at a higher level. Second, we identify older students with strong language skills and an interest in teaching through Education and Career Guidance and avail teaching internships to them. For example, ‘A’ level students in the Tamil Language Elective Programme can participate in the Teaching Internship Programme to affirm their interest and take up relevant undergraduate degrees or diplomas that will support their aspiration to be TL teachers. Third, we proactively engage potential undergraduates, fresh graduates and mid-career professionals to raise awareness of a meaningful career as a TL teacher. Those who are suitable will be sponsored for training at the National Institute of Education to become qualified TL teachers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on School Counsellors in Primary and Secondary Schools and Measures to Improve Early Mental Health Intervention for Students","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"36 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education (a) how many school counsellors are currently deployed in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools respectively; (b) what is the average student-to-counsellor ratio in primary and secondary schools currently; and (c) what measures are in place to improve access to early mental health intervention for students.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed by written answer on 23 September 2025. Please refer to the response to Parliamentary Question No 70 for oral answer in the 23 September 2025 Order Paper. [Please refer to \"Allocation of Counsellors to Schools\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Positive Use Guide on Technology and Social Media and Plans for Implementation","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"37 Ms Lee Hui Ying asked the Minister for Education (a) whether an update can be provided on the release of the Positive Use Guide on Technology and Social Media developed jointly with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information and the Ministry of Social and Family Development; and (b) what is the targeted reach in terms of students to be introduced to the guide.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Positive Use Guide on Technology and Social Media will be made available on the Digital for Life website in the fourth quarter of 2025 as a resource for parents and youth.
The Ministry of Education will introduce relevant portions of the Guide to our primary, secondary and pre-university students as part of their Cyber Wellness lessons. Pertinent guidance from the Guide will also be shared with parents and families through platforms such as Parents Gateway, Families for Life and community touchpoints.
38 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the number of applicants who are not successful after Phase 2C Supplementary in the recently concluded Primary One Registration Exercise; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider reaching out to parents of such unsuccessful applicants to take into account their circumstances and views before allocating them to an available primary school.
Mr Desmond Lee: In the 2025 Primary 1 (P1) Registration Exercise, around 400 P1 registrants, representing 1% of all registrants, were not yet registered with a school after Phase 2C Supplementary. Since parents generally prefer schools nearer to their homes, the Ministry of Education (MOE) assists by placing their children in a nearby school with available vacancies. For most of these cases, MOE was able to post them to a school within two km of their residential address. Parents may reach out to the school or MOE if they have queries.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Improving Student Suicide Prevention Efforts and Evaluation of “Be A Samaritan” Programme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"39 Mr Gabriel Lam asked the Minister for Education with youth suicide remaining as the leading cause of youth deaths (a) how is the Ministry working with partners to improve early identification and referral of at-risk students; and (b) whether the Ministry has evaluated the \"Be A Samaritan\" and \"Be A Samaritan Junior\" programmes in terms of behavioural outcomes such as peer referrals, help-seeking rates and suicide ideation disclosures.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) studies best practices on suicide prevention and intervention from other systems, consults mental health professionals and collaborates with partners to strengthen support for students in schools.
MOE has tapped on the expertise and resources of relevant agencies and organisations, such as the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Mental Health and the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), in our suicide prevention efforts. Helplines and services, such as the national Mindline 1771 and those from SOS, are made known to our teachers and counsellors. We have also involved these partners to raise the awareness of teachers and school counsellors in mental health and suicide prevention. For example, in June 2025, SOS hosted a group of MOE educators on a Learning Journey, introduced the \"Be A Samaritan\" programme to them. The participants found this useful in deepening their appreciation of how individuals can play a part in suicide prevention.
Suicide prevention efforts are multi-faceted and involve working with many partners in different ways and with various strategies and programmes. As such, it may not be feasible to evaluate each individual programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Use of Copyright Law to Strengthen Protection Against Deepfakes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"40 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Law whether Singapore is studying Denmark’s decision to use copyright law to strengthen protection against deepfakes, by providing individuals with a legal basis to demand illegal digital imitations be removed from tech platforms.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: Countries around the world have different approaches to dealing with the issue of deepfakes. Singapore similarly takes the issue seriously.
The Government recognises that deepfake technology can be misused to harass or cause other online harm to individuals. In this regard, the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Digital Development and Information will be introducing new legislation and measures to enhance online safety. These include empowering victims of online harms, including those arising from deepfakes, to obtain relief and seek accountability from those responsible for such harms.
In Singapore, the primary purpose of our copyright law is to support innovation and incentivise creativity, by granting creators a bundle of rights to control the use and dissemination of their works, rather than regulate the misuse of technology that gives rise to online harms. Beyond copyright, other aspects of our intellectual property laws may be used where deepfakes result in specific harms under those laws. These include the common law action of passing off, in cases involving misrepresentation arising from digital replicas of identifiable individual traits without consent.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Reasons against Mandatory Rest Periods for Service Workers and Ensuring Compliance with Voluntary Guidelines","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"41 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the reason for not mandating that service workers be allowed to sit during off-peak periods given the health risks of prolonged standing; (b) how does the Ministry ensure adherence to voluntary guidelines in workplaces, such as food courts and retail stores; and (c) whether it will mandate employers to allow sitting to prevent long-term health problems.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) encourages all employers to provide adequate rest and welfare for their employees. To help employers create a conducive and healthy work environment, MOM and the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council have issued the WSH Guidelines on Improving Ergonomics in the Workplace, which provide recommendations on how employers can support employees who need to stand while at work. These include allowing employees to sit and rest at regular intervals and providing anti-fatigue mats or sit-stand stools.
Mandatory regulations on when service workers should be allowed to sit may not effectively address the diverse operational requirements of different workplaces. Our current approach allows employers to implement appropriate solutions tailored to their specific circumstances and their workers' needs.
MOM and the WSH Council work with industry associations, unions and employers to promote awareness and adoption of the good practices in the Guidelines on Improving Ergonomics in the Workplace. We will continue to regularly review our occupational health policies, taking into account the latest scientific evidence and international best practices.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulation on Freelance Confinement Nannies Working in Singapore Without an Employment Agency Contract","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"42 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the policy rationale for allowing foreign freelance confinement nannies to work in Singapore without a contract with an employment agency; and (b) whether the Ministry has considered introducing a mandatory licensing framework for these nannies, including requirements for formal training, professional conduct standards and a public register of licensed practitioners.
Dr Tan See Leng: All migrant workers, including migrant domestic workers and confinement nannies, must have a valid Work Permit to work in Singapore. Employers may apply for the necessary work permits directly with the Ministry of Manpower or through an Employment Agency (EA). This provides flexibility for employers, who can self-help to hire directly without incurring the additional costs of engaging an EA.
Like other home-based care arrangements such as babysitters, confinement nanny services are private arrangements that employers source on their own. These arrangements are decentralised, varied and highly personalised in nature due to the diversity of home environments and employers' needs. Hence, they are not amenable to standardisation and regulation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulation on Involvement of Migrant Domestic Workers or Illegal Part-time Workers in Home-based F&B Businesses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"43 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how does the Ministry ensure compliance with regulations prohibiting the involvement of migrant domestic workers or engagement of illegal part-time workers in home-based F&B business operations; (b) over the past three years, how many of such businesses have been inspected and found to have violated manpower regulations; and (c) what penalties are imposed on such errant employers.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issues regular reminders to Migrant Domestic Worker (MDW) employers and MDWs that it is illegal for employers to deploy their MDWs to work for their own businesses, including home-based businesses. MOM also follows up on all complaints from the public and MDWs, and leverages random house visits to uncover illegal deployment of MDWs in home-based businesses.
From 2022 to 2024, MOM investigated 19 cases involving MDWs or foreigners working illegally in home-based businesses. Of these, seven employers were issued with warnings, while two other employers were fined. The remaining cases were unsubstantiated. Employers who illegally deploy their MDWs may be liable to a fine of up to $10,000. They may also be barred from employing MDWs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Efforts to Educate and Protect Migrant Workers against Kickbacks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"44 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how often does the Ministry or its agencies educate migrant workers on kickbacks; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider (i) increasing the frequency of such education and (ii) amending the law to strengthen protections for affected workers.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) leverages various touch points to regularly educate migrant workers on kickbacks and to encourage them to report such offences. These include the Settling-In-Programme which is mandatory for all first-time, non-Malaysian migrant workers in the construction, marine, process and manufacturing sectors, as well as through the FWMOMCare app, social media channels and partnerships with non-governmental organisations.
The collection of kickbacks is a serious offence. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, offenders may face up to two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $30,000, or both. To date, the Courts have imposed substantial fines of $10,000 to $15,000 per charge or imprisonment terms. On top of these penalties, the Courts may order offenders to surrender the monies received from the affected workers if no restitution has been made.
These measures have been effective in keeping the number of kickback cases low. Migrant workers can report kickbacks without fear of reprisal from their employers as MOM will facilitate a change of employment for those who wish to continue working in Singapore. We will continue to monitor the situation and review the penalties where necessary.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Senior Workers Benefitting from Senior Employment Credit Scheme across Sectors from 2021 to 2025","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"45 Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked the Minister for Manpower what is the annual breakdown by sector for senior workers who have benefitted from the Senior Employment Credit (SEC) scheme from 2021 to 2025.
Dr Tan See Leng: Since its introduction in 2021, the Senior Employment Credit (SEC) has benefitted over 500,000 unique senior workers, as of end-2024.
Table 1 below shows the annual breakdown by sector.
46 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will consider allowing the use of parents' CPF savings for their children to pursue recognised overseas degrees in a way similar to how CPF can be used for local tertiary education under the CPF Education Loan Scheme.
Dr Tan See Leng: The primary objective of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is to support members' retirement, healthcare, and housing needs. When the CPF was expanded to support education needs, it was designed as a loan scheme and confined to basic full-time tertiary education at local approved educational institutions. With increasing life expectancy and higher costs of living, we need to ensure that CPF members have sufficient savings for retirement, healthcare and housing.
Tuition fees charged by local educational institutions are heavily subsidised by the Ministry of Education. Students who use their parents' CPF savings under the CPF Education Loan Scheme for such local studies would generally be able to repay the loan comfortably through their working income after graduation. On the other hand, overseas education is relatively more costly. If students are unable to repay the loan, it would have serious impact on their parents' retirement savings. Therefore, we have no plans to open up the CPF Education Loan Scheme for other courses beyond basic tertiary education at local approved educational institutions.
Singaporeans could consider other available financing options, such as study or education loans offered by financial institutions for overseas education.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Change of Employer Letters and In-principle Approvals Issued between 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"47 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many Change of Employer (COE) letters have been issued to work permit holders with valid employment claims (i) in 2024 and (ii) from 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025, respectively; and (b) how many of these work permit holders subsequently got In-Principle Approvals issued within the validity period of their COE letters.
Dr Tan See Leng: Work Permit holders with valid salary claims lodged with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management are allowed to look for a new employer and would be issued with Change of Employer (COE) letters. About 1,600 and 1,100 Work Permit holders with valid salary claims were issued with such COE letters in 2024 and from January to June 2025 respectively.
Of these, about 65% subsequently obtained a Work Permit approval within the validity period of their COE letters. For the remaining workers, there were either no Work Permit applications submitted, or their Work Permit applications were rejected because the employer did not meet Work Permit requirements, such as having insufficient Work Permit quota.
48 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for National Development (a) what proportion of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) in the last five years required Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs); (b) how does the Ministry reconcile genuine consultation with NDAs that hinder informed discourse and scrutiny; and (c) whether the Ministry will publish clear guidelines defining exceptional conditions justifying EIA NDAs, making transparency the default.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: By default, most Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) reports are made available online. In cases where there are considerations requiring confidentiality, such as national security, agencies make available the hardcopy EIA reports to interested members of public to view upon request. Viewers are required to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, given the confidentiality considerations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Defining Criteria and Management Regulations for Home-based Businesses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"49 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development (a) what criteria define the scale size of home-based F&B businesses; (b) how are such businesses tracked to ensure compliance in areas like scale, neighbourhood impact and tax declaration; and (c) whether the Ministry will impose commercial-level regulations in areas like (i) hygiene standards and alcohol licensing and (ii) taxation for businesses that exceed specific operational or financial thresholds.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Home-Based Business (HBB) scheme allows residents to engage in small-scale business activities within their residential properties. Such activities must not alter the residential character of the property, adversely impact neighbours, employ persons outside the household, or display physical signages. To safeguard residential amenity, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Housing and Development Board monitor feedback from neighbours closely. Where a HBB operator is found to have breached the HBB conditions, agencies would require the operator to scale down business activity or take appropriate mitigating measures. In some cases, the operator may have to cease its operations at home and source for proper commercial premises.
HBB operators are also required to meet regulatory and licensing requirements that take into account the scale and nature of their operations. HBB operators require a liquor licence from the Singapore Police Force if they intend to supply liquor onsite or from their premises. Although there is no requirement for HBBs providing food and beverages to obtain a license from the Singapore Food Agency given their small scale of operation and lower food safety risk, these HBBs are subject to the Environmental Public Health Act and the Sale of Food Act, and they are required to ensure food sold is safe for consumption.
In addition, income derived from HBB activities is taxable. All businesses, including home-based ones, are required to comply with tax obligations. Our tax rules do not make a distinction between HBBs and businesses in other settings. To ensure tax compliance, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) runs regular audit programmes to identify non-compliant businesses that under-declare their income or fail to register for Goods and Services Tax. The public may also report any suspected non-compliance to IRAS.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review of HDB's Current Homeowner Insurance Coverage","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"50 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB will review its homeowner insurance coverage to ensure fire-related damages including (i) damage to home contents and (ii) impact of fire damages to neighbouring units are adequately covered.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Under the Housing and Development Board (HDB) Fire Insurance Scheme, flat owners who take a mortgage loan from HDB are required to take up a basic fire insurance policy and maintain it for the full duration of their loan.
The scheme provides basic coverage for the reinstatement cost of the building structures and fixtures provided by HDB in the event of a fire. This relieves flat owners of the financial burden of repair work to their flat should a fire occur.
To keep premiums low and affordable, the policy does not cover home contents or third-party liability. Flat owners who wish to take up additional insurance coverage have the flexibility to do so with an insurer of their choice.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Amendments to Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act for Better Maintenance and Planning towards Ageing Buildings","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"51 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Government will consider amending the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act to set minimum recommended sinking fund contributions or mandatory technical audits when buildings reach a certain vintage; and (b) whether the Ministry will be conducting public education to allow property owners to understand their long-term capital planning needs.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Ministry of National Development (MND) refers Ms Lee to our response to Parliamentary Question No 93 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025 on the status of the review of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act. [Please refer to \"Review of Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004, and Addressing Maintenance Issues in Ageing Condominium Developments\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] MND and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will consider the suggestions from stakeholders and will share more details of the review when ready.
BCA has various initiatives to inform owners of strata-titled properties of their responsibilities and help them manage their developments more effectively. These include the Strata Management Guides on best practices, free online self-learning courses for council members, and Strata Insights, a newly launched quarterly series of bite-sized publications that address current pressing issues such as lift modernisation and the importance of financial planning for long-term maintenance.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Voting Thresholds for VERS Exercise Approvals and Resource Management Provided for Community Disputes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"52 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for National Development (a) what specific voting threshold is being considered to approve a Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) exercise; and (b) what specific resources will HDB provide to manage community disputes that may arise during the VERS voting process.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: This Question has been addressed in the oral reply to Parliamentary Question No 5, 6 and 7 on the Order Paper for 24 September 2025 on the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS). [Please refer to \"Rationale for Selection Criteria and Less Generous Compensation under VERS\", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
53 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the number of appeals for waiver of the 15-month wait-out period for private property downgraders to purchase HDB apartments has increased year-on-year since 2022; and (b) whether the outcome of the review of the wait-out period will be released soon.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: This Question has been addressed by the reply to Parliamentary Question No 112 for oral answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Update on Review to Remove 15-month Wait-out Requirement for Private Property Owners Downgrading to HDB Flats\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Animals and Birds Act’s Review's Timeline Completion","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"54 Mr Shawn Loh asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the latest timeline to complete the review of the Animals and Birds Act; (b) whether the review will increase penalties for abuse cases to better reflect society's values; (c) whether the Animal & Veterinary Service’s enforcement approach can increase collaboration with animal welfare groups; and (d) whether the review aims to reduce community disamenities on irresponsible pet ownership.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The question for written answer has been addressed by written reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 64, 65, 66 and 67 for written answer on the Order Paper for 22 September 2025. [Please refer to \"Review of Penalty Framework for Animal Cruelty and Abuse Offences\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Review on Anti-Clustering Measures towards Massage Establishments in HDB Town Centres","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"55 Mr David Hoe asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB will consider (i) reviewing the prevalence and clustering of massage establishments in HDB town centres (ii) working with other agencies to develop anti-clustering measures, such as reduced quotas, minimum distances between establishments, stricter licensing or land-use conditions for heartland areas and (iii) publishing siting or renewal guidelines and action plans and timelines, for town centres with persistent concentrations.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: For Housing and Development Board (HDB) town centres and neighbourhood centres, HDB allows for some market flexibility in the trade mix. HDB imposes trade mix controls for the HDB rental shops and sets quotas on trades which may cause disamenities, including massage establishments. Such quotas are also imposed for privately-owned shops in the HDB towns when the shop owners seek HDB's approval for a change of use to massage establishments. Beyond this, Police also regulates massage establishments.
To preserve the residential character of our estates, HDB has since tightened the quota and worked with Police to step up enforcement actions against errant massage operators.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Percentage of Privately-held HDB Shops with More than 30-year Remaining on Their Lease and Possible Initiative for HDB to Buy Them Back","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"56 Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the percentage of privately held HDB shops that have more than 30 years of lease remaining; and (b) whether HDB will consider buying back such leases in appropriate cases to better curate the trade mix of shops and respond to residents' needs.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Member may wish to refer to the combined reply given by the Minister for National Development on 24 September 2025 to similar questions posed by Ms Mariam Jaafar, Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis, Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry, and Mr Ang Wei Neng on HDB shops’ rents. [Please refer to \"HDB Shop Rental Trends and Efforts to Keep Rents Affordable\", Official Report, 24 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 4, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Management Plans of Long-term Community Animals","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"57 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for National Development what is the Ministry's plan in the management of long-term community animals.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Trap-Neuter-Rehome/Release Manage (TNRM) programmes for free-roaming dogs and community cats were implemented since 2018 and 2024 respectively. In partnership with animal welfare groups, veterinarians and the community, these animals are humanely captured, sterilised, microchipped and ear tipped, before they are rehomed or released back into the community.
The National Parks Board will continue to support the TNRM programme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Regulatory Oversight over Rail Operators’ Safety Decisions following East-West Line Incident on 25 September 2024","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"58 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Acting Minister for Transport in respect of the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau’s report on the East-West Line train derailment on 25 September 2024 (a) why was the operator permitted to extend the overhaul interval of the 37-year-old KHI train by 38% without LTA's approval; (b) what engineering assessments justified this; and (c) how will such safety decisions face direct regulatory oversight henceforth.\n
Mr Jeffrey Siow: This reply also addresses Mr Gerald Giam’s question on a related topic for subsequent Parliament Sitting.
While manufacturers provide maintenance recommendations, it is the responsibility of operators to determine the maintenance requirements of their trains based on ground experience and operating context. It is common for metro operators around the world to adjust maintenance requirements based on the performance, condition, and usage of the trains. Operators are expected to adhere to their own defined maintenance requirements, and to properly document any waivers. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) audits these as part of the operators’ licence requirements.
Based on the investigation reports for the September 2024 East-West Line incident, SMRT had extended the overhaul interval for the incident train on two separate occasions, relying on the overall performance and reliability of their train fleet. As axle box failures are not common, SMRT had not undertaken a detailed engineering and risk assessment specific to extending the overhaul interval for the axle box.
LTA has tightened its oversight of the operators’ maintenance procedures, and now requires waivers or adjustments to maintenance schedules to be submitted for LTA’s review before they can be implemented.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Average Peak-hour Waiting Time at Sengkang, Buangkok and Hougang MRT Stations for City-Bound Commuters from 2021 to 2025","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"59 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Acting Minister for Transport in each of the last five years, what is the average peak-hour waiting time for city-bound commuters at (i) Sengkang (ii) Buangkok and (iii) Hougang MRT stations.\n\n
Mr Jeffrey Siow: This question was addressed in the written reply issued for Parliamentary Questions 30 and 31 for oral answer for the 23 September 2025 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to \"Correlation between Number of Trains Operating on NEL during Peak and Capacity Utilisation\", Official Report, 23 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 3, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enforcement Measures Against Cyclists' and Riders' Usage of Pedestrian-only Paths","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"60 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) how does the Ministry work with enforcement officers to ensure consistent and proportionate enforcement of the pedestrian-only paths rule for cyclists and riders, including when to issue warnings versus fines; and (b) what measures are being considered to reduce conflicts on narrow paths where users may inadvertently stray into each other’s lanes.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) takes a dual pronged approach. First, LTA conducts education campaigns and community engagement programmes regularly to promote gracious path sharing and safe behaviour. Since August 2024, LTA's active mobility enforcement officers have been on the ground to educate users, both cyclists and pedestrians, on the safe use of the segregated paths, ahead of the commencement of the Pedestrian-Only Paths (POP) rule on 1 July 2025. POPs are marked with clear logos and wordings, to help users use the correct paths.
Currently, warnings, and subsequently fines are given to those who continue to intentionally disobey the rule, especially those who endanger others with errant riding behaviour.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Public Education Plans to Improve Path-sharing Etiquette between Cyclists and Pedestrians","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"61 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what feedback has the Ministry received since the introduction of Pedestrian-Only Paths and the \"Stay on Track\" campaign, especially in high-traffic estates; and (b) what are the Ministry's plans to step up public education so that both cyclists and pedestrians better understand path-sharing etiquette and the rules governing different paths.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Feedback received from the public were largely on instances of errant riding behaviour. Based on the feedback, hotspots with frequent instances are identified and tracked. The Land Transport Authority enforcement team conducts more regular checks in these areas.
We will continue to raise awareness on safe path use through education campaigns, partnering the community and schools, as well as directly educating users.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Initiatives and Projects towards Attaining 2030 Target of 75% Mass Public Transport Modal Share","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"62 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what is the current mass public transport modal share during peak periods; and (b) what specific initiatives and projects is the Ministry introducing to support its 2030 target for a 75% mass public transport modal share during peak periods.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The peak-period mode share of all motorised journeys for mass public transport was 66% last year.
Once the Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line are completed by the early 2030s, eight in 10 households will be within a 10-minute walk from a train station. Under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme, the Land Transport Authority is improving bus services for residents farther away from transport nodes. These efforts are aimed at improving the attractiveness of public transport.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Plans for Pedestrain Overhead Bridges (POBs) Lift Installations within Bidadari Estate","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"63 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Acting Minister for Transport whether LTA has any plans to retrofit lifts to the Pedestrian Overhead Bridges (POBs) in the Bidadari Estate, in particular POB 53189 across Bartley Road, in light of a significant increase in the population of young families and seniors moving into the estate.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) reviews the need to build lifts for existing Pedestrian Overhead Bridges (POBs) on a continual basis. The key considerations are the population of seniors in the area, proximity to key transport nodes and amenities. Bidadari is a new Housing and Development Board estate, and has a mix of young families and seniors. As the population of seniors grows in Bidadari, LTA will consider the need to build lifts for POB 53189 in the next phase of lift upgrading.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Initiatives and Measures to Raise Public Awareness on Correct Usage of Respective Paths among Pedestrians and Cyclists","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"64 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what safety measures are in place ensuring that pedestrians do not use cycling lanes which are alongside pedestrian-only footpaths; (b) whether LTA will be stepping up public education efforts to encourage pedestrians and riders to stay within the respective designated portions of the shared path to promote a safer and more considerate use of shared paths for all users.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: The Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) Active Mobility Enforcement Officers conduct regular patrols to ensure adherence to the path segregation of cycling paths and pedestrian-only paths. Pedestrians are encouraged to use the pedestrian-only paths.
To enhance pedestrian safety, LTA also works with relevant agencies to implement additional safety measures, such as installation of convex mirrors at locations with line-of-sight issues and trimming of overgrown hedges that narrow the paths.
LTA will continue to raise awareness on safe path use through education campaigns, partnering the community and schools, as well as directly educating users.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Ongoing Efforts and Measures to Monitor Rail Workers' Well-being and Safety during Repair Works","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"65 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) whether the Ministry is monitoring the work hours of our rail workers on the repair and maintenance work required following the series of recent train disruptions; and (b) what measures have been put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our rail transport workers during this period.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: These questions have been addressed in the reply to Parliamentary Question Nos 19 to 24 for oral answer at the 22 September 2025 Parliament sitting. [Please refer to \"Causes for Recent MRT and LRT Breakdowns, and Measures to Improve Rail Reliability and Review Financial Penalties\", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Infrastructure Developments and Legacy Plans to Promote Para-community Sports Events and Inclusivity","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"66 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what infrastructure developments are in place to promote and support Singapore’s hosting of international para-community sports events; and (b) what legacy plans are in place to promote para-community inclusivity, local youth engagement, and broader accessibility improvements post-event.
Mr David Neo: Sport Singapore works closely with partners to ensure that competition venues are accessible and meet international standards for international competitions that cater to athletes of all abilities.
For instance, the World Para Swimming Championships 2025 is hosted at the OCBC Aquatic Centre. The OCBC Aquatic Centre has universal design features that cater to diverse needs of athletes and spectators. These include step-free access for para-athletes at the competition venue, and dedicated wheelchair bays with lift and ramp access for spectators. Where appropriate, Sport Singapore will also work with event organisers and stakeholders on additional requirements to ensure that the venue is accessible for all participants and spectators.
The Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP) was recently refreshed in 2024 and seeks to increase accessibility to disability sports activities and programmes, enhance awareness of disability sports and inclusive sports activities, and fulfil aspirations of persons with disabilities who desire and have the potential to do sports at high performance level.
The DSMP includes the launch of the Enabling Sports Fund which provides funding support for programmes and activities that enable more persons with disabilities to participate in sports.
All mainstream schools will aim to conduct programmes for students to experience disability sports by 2028 to build understanding and empathy of challenges faced by persons with disabilities when doing sports.
Sport Singapore has also steadily enhanced accessibility in its facilities over the years, to encourage more persons with disabilities to use them. For example, the number of public swimming pools retrofitted with wheelchair-accessible ramps will increase from six in 2023 to 10 by end-2025. We also remain on track to make all ActiveSG gyms inclusive by 2026.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":6691,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Cassandra Lee","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Ms Cassandra Lee Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Ms Cassandra Lee Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6692,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Dr Hamid Razak","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-24 Sept 2025 - Dr Hamid Razak - Address of Thanks.pdf","fileName":"24 Sept 2025 - Dr Hamid Razak - Address of Thanks.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6693,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Lee Hong Chuang","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Lee Hong Chuan Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Lee Hong Chuan Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6694,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Eileen Chong Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Eileen Chong Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6695,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Dr Charlene Chen","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Charlene Chen Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Charlene Chen Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6696,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Foo Cexiang","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Mr Foo Cexiang Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Mr Foo Cexiang Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6697,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Jasmin Lau","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Jasmin Lau Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Jasmin Lau Motion 24Sep2025 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6698,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Ng Shi Xuan","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Ng Shi Xuan Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Ng Shi Xuan Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6699,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-24 Sept 2025 - Ms Nadia A Samdin - Address of Thanks.pdf","fileName":"24 Sept 2025 - Ms Nadia A Samdin - Address of Thanks.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6700,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Desmond Choo","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Desmond Choo Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Desmond Choo Motion 24Sep2025-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6701,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Eric Chua","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20250924/vernacular-Eric Chua Motion 24Sep2025_Chinese (MSF) .pdf","fileName":"Eric Chua Motion 24Sep2025_Chinese (MSF) .pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}