Committee of Supply - Head T (Ministry of National Development)

The Chairman: Head T, the Ministry of National Development. Mr Henry Kwek.

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Accessible and Affordable Housing

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru): Chairman, I move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100."

Mr Chairman, in preparing for the Committee of Supply (COS), because the Ministry of National Development (MND) touches on the lives of many Singaporeans, our Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) has consulted widely with our people, with industry experts, with housing experts and we have come today to put forward some of our ideas. Let me start by providing an overview of what our GPC will say.

Deputy Chair Xie Yao Quan will share some ideas around the design of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) programme. Member Liang Eng Hwa will call for MND to scale up on the Age Well neighborhoods and Community Care Apartments, and for added support for town councils as town councils cope with rising cost. Member Ang Wei Neng will talk about improving Build-To-Order (BTO) housing accessibility for singles, private estate residents and raising the income ceiling beyond $14,000.

Member Foo Cexiang will advocate for relaxing Housing Development Board (HDB) flat purchase restrictions for Singaporeans with non-resident spouses and introducing a flexible short-lease scheme for seniors. Member Nadia Samdin will provide suggestions on how to improve the diversity of our housing topology and how we can improve our city in nature. Member Cai Yinzhou will speak about creating third spaces in communities, how we can reimagine homeownership for all, and how we can adapt HDBs to last longer beyond 99 years.

As for myself, I will speak on three areas. How we can make housing more accessible and affordable, ensuring we have enough homes and land to meet rising demand and how we can strengthen our built sector.

My first point is on increasing accessibility and affordability. Our aggressive housing build since COVID-19 has enabled first-time buyers, especially those with young families to get a new flat. Now that this critical group has their needs well met, it is time for us to consider how we can improve accessibility and affordability for others.

First, singles. I look forward to a timely policy move to lower the BTO flat eligibility to, hopefully, 33 for singles.

Second, sandwiched-class families facing loan ineligibility issues. I have mentioned several times that these families earn too much for public rental, but they cannot secure loans due to a divorce or through past financial difficulties. They end up renting rooms in others' flats, paying near-mortgage sums or even more, building no asset and no security for their children.

I understand that if you unpack the needs of this group, actually it is driven by different factors. But I hope that MND can consider creating a targeted programme, like they did for fresh starts, where they can use a combination of policy instruments, whether it is structured HDB loans, Government-backed mortgage guarantees or long-term affordable rentals without requiring a waiting BTO?

The next group is multi-generational families who are downsizing from private estates. Some of these families want to stay together but can no longer afford private property due to family fragmentation, business failures or financial difficulty. If their net worth is comparable to typical HDB-dwelling families, can MND consider giving them access to five-room BTOs immediately?

And fourth, large families. The recent BTO ramp-up has focused rightfully on smaller type flats. But with supply recovering, can MND ensure that the five-room pipeline keeps pace with this demand?

Fifth, income ceiling. The income ceiling has not kept pace with rising wages and property, especially condominium prices. Many capable Singaporeans who do well might want to have a reasonable cost of living, especially against a backdrop of uncertainty in employment in the future, and they want a HDB rather than a condominium. Can MND conduct a timely review?

Sixth, more executive condominiums (ECs) and more affordable ECs. ECs currently receive a housing grant of up to $30,000. I hope we can do more, but simply upping the grant may not help if the developers simply adjust the prices upward. Therefore, if the Government is prepared to do more, I hope we can also include other measures like extending our minimum occupation period (MOP) or introducing profit-sharing mechanisms upon resale before MOP.

Moving beyond HDB, we should also pay attention to the many ageing private condominiums. Many of these older development condominiums face insufficient sinking funds and outdated infrastructure. I hope MND can consider providing targeted support where there is funding assistance for lift replacements, upgrading or maintenance, or providing funds for senior-friendly upgrades. MND should also ensure management corporation strata titles (MCSTs), moving forward, set adequate reserves early and review how MCSTs are governed.

My second point is to ensure that we build enough homes, but more importantly, we must find enough land. I am delighted that MND intends to sustain aggressive build schedules that has continued since COVID-19. Because if we relaxed BTO criteria, as what I have argued, demand will rise. And beyond this policy-driven demand, our underlying demand is also rising. Just look around, you are seeing more family fragmentations, more Singaporeans living longer, more singles.

And critically, supply confidence matters as much as supply itself. During COVID-19, fear of waiting triggered more panic-buying. Ample, visible supply is therefore self-stabilising. I support MND's commitment to maintain a ready stock of flats.

But the harder question is land. Where are we going to find the land? Today, we already devoted 15% of our land to housing, and this is against other competing demands for our small island state. And this 15% does not even include the infrastructure, the parks, the roads and the shops within the housing estates. So, finding new land is not trivial. And there is only, I think, three answers.

One is to build higher, beyond 40 and 50 storeys. But this is also a significant shift. It means more lift lobbies, higher-specification lifts, more stringent fire safety requirements, higher lift maintenance that town council must bear, and I certainly hope that MND can help with that cost. So, building higher has its consequences. It cannot be rolled out too fast, too aggressively.

The second way is beyond building higher is that we must find more land to be freed up, and we must be very candid with this trade-off. If we are determined to keep housing accessible and affordable, then that same determination must also be matched by our willingness to identify and release suitable greenfield and brownfield sites in a timely manner.

As a Member of Kebun Baru, bordering the Central Nature Reserve, I have seen, in person, how carefully MND engages conservation groups and residents when land, greenfield sites is being freed. For example, when I first became a Member of Parliament, there was this area within my estate, Teachers Estate, it is a whole greenfield site, that was being transformed to the Lentor Hills development area today.

The MND officers and me went on 23 engagements. We consulted experts, we talked to different groups of people and got everybody's comfort before we proceeded with development. And my personal experience showed that MND has struck the right balance. So, I hope we have the determination to find more land to build more.

But at the same time, as we free up more land, we must also actively replace the lost greenery through new parks, ecological corridors and sustained tree-planting. I recall that the Million Trees campaign, I believe during COVID-19, former-MND Minister Desmond planted the first tree in Botanic Gardens, and then the first row of trees started in Kebun Baru in Avenue 4, just in front of our Community Center. So, I hope that this Million Trees campaign showed what is possible, and as we build more homes, I hope MND and NParks can consider a follow-up effort, maybe the next Million Tree campaign, so that housing growth and greenery growth can continue together.

Finally, future land supply must also come from VERS. For VERS to succeed, fair compensation and accessible financing are essential. Speaking to residents recently, one suggestion came up consistently. HDB should offer residents, especially those above 50, the option of a same room-type replacement flat with perhaps a shorter lease, so they do not need to find cash to top-up for a new flat. This would increase support for VERS so that we can free up more land.

My final part is about the built sector and MND being pro-enterprise. Over the next few years, construction spending is projected to exceed $50 billion. We are powering ahead with Terminal 5, I think we are expanding on the Marina Bay Sands, there is a lot of underground and Mass Rapid Transport construction and more HDBs. And this $50 billion will be for two years before tapering to around $40 billion.

This coincides with continued tightening of foreign manpower policies. A challenging combination, especially if we want to keep manpower and construction costs manageable. Therefore, I welcome an update from MND on how our digitisation and productivity efforts, particularly building information modelling (BIM) adoption and pre-fabrication are progressing.

Lastly, let me talk about MND being pro-enterprise. At the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Conference in January this year which I attended, Minister Chee signalled that MND would work with the industry to streamline its processes and be more pro-enterprise. Among the participants, I noted that his remark was very well received. So, can MND give a preview of this plan about how MND can be more pro-enterprise?

In conclusion, MND oversees a wide and diverse portfolio, from housing to greenery, animal welfare to construction to urban planning. What unites these responsibilities is that they shape the daily lives of Singaporeans – the homes we return to, the parks we walk in and the neighbourhoods we build our future in. I thank the officers of MND and its agencies for their dedication and for making Singapore the best home today and tomorrow.

Question proposed.

The Chairman: Mr Pritam Singh, you may take your three cuts together.

Income Eligibility Ceiling for BTO Flats

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Members of the House would have come across many young Singaporean couples looking forward to starting a family and buying their first HDB BTO flat, but for one reason or another are unable to do so or unable to secure a flat of their choice.

For some, they are unable to do so arising from the income ceiling imposed by HDB, currently set at $14,000 for a couple looking for a BTO flat, with $16,000 set as the ceiling for executive condominiums.

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While the HDB resale market does not impose any income ceiling, Singaporeans, in general, and young families in particular, remain concerned about lease decay, retirement adequacy and, in many cases, missing out on the taxpayer subsidies that come with BTO flat purchases. At the same time for the new generation of Singaporeans, the property escalator of their parents' generation has become a Singapore story of the past. Many wage earners cannot aspire like their parents did in the context of moving from a HDB flat to a condominium and to a landed property.

HDB flats will continue to house the majority of Singaporeans, with the financial commitment of new private homes, in particular, including ECs, representing a more significant financial outlay than ever before. Significantly though, a new reality is setting in for newer generations of Singaporeans. The jobs environment for young people and middle-aged workers is increasingly unpredictable and uncertain.

Today, younger and middle-aged, Singaporeans are concerned about being made redundant by the rapid advance of technology and job redesign. For those who seek to purchase HDB BTO flats, these realities factor into their thinking when they consider property purchases, which have to be financed for the long term. A couple's combined income may be on the higher end or even surpassed the income ceiling threshold to varying degrees today, but that may not be so tomorrow. This is especially so if a spouse loses their job or decides to dedicate his or her life to raising children or looking after aged parents.

In the last few years, HDB has introduced a number of policy levers to make BTO flats more affordable, partly arising from galloping resale prices. One example is the subsidy clawback regime which started at around 6% and is now at 14% for some BTO developments. The other is the extension of the MOP. There is at least one HDB scheme that imposes an MOP of 20 years although this scheme is one that transits rental home dwellers to a HDB flat on a longer lease.

In view of these levers, would HDB consider allowing a first-timer couple who exceed the income eligibility threshold to, nonetheless, be given the option of purchasing a BTO flat? Even as the income eligibility criteria would be adjusted regularly for the majority of buyers, this would effectively remove the income eligibility ceiling for a small category of buyers. To ensure fairness, should this first-timer couple seek to purchase such a BTO flat, these flats can be encumbered with one or more additional requirements, such as: the purchase ought to be restricted to the first matrimonial home, requiring an age cap of either spouse to be 35 years and below; including a longer minimum occupation period than that set out for that particular category of BTO flats be they Plus, Prime or Standard; and/or include an additional subsidy clawback mechanism.

To this end, Sir, can the Minister also share how many appeals it has received from first-time applicants who sought to purchase a BTO flat but could not do so because of the income eligibility ceiling for each year from 2020 to 2025? With eight out of 10 Singaporean households covered by the existing income ceiling, the provision of an additional option to buy a new BTO flat with encumbrances to first-time young Singaporeans is unlikely to require the construction of a significantly larger number of BTO flats than it is already planned. However, it can give significant peace of mind to some Singaporeans for whom the jobs environment of the future is less certain that it was for previous generations of Singaporeans.

Facade Repairs Co-payment Scheme

In 2004, the HDB introduced the Facade Repairs Co-payment Scheme where HDB would fund facade-related repairs and reimburse Town Councils for repair works done to damaged facade of HDB blocks. This was increased to 75% for blocks with brick cladding and some metal fixtures under a special enhancement programme that runs from 2023 to 2028 for blocks with a higher risk of facade failure.

However, water seepage that emanates from the block facade into a resident's unit is not covered by any co-funding scheme. As the HDB stock continues to age, the prospect of water seepage, especially from the facade of older blocks, anecdotally appears to be on the rise. Would HDB reach out to assist Town Councils through the Facade Repairs Co-payment Scheme to allow for the inclusion of claims to be made for water seepage cases that originate from the block facade?

Publishing HDB Commercial Rents

On 10 January 2026, on the back of public concerns about rising commercial rents, HDB announced, amongst other things, that successful bidders for any HDB shops would have to commit to their tendered rates for over two tenancy terms totalling six years instead of one three-year term to encourage prudent bidding.

Taken together, these moves may contribute to more prudent bidding although it remains open to question what impact it would have on shops located in areas of high footfall.

The majority of HDB shops are in private hands, 8,500 compared to 7,000 rented out by the HDB. For a subset of the shops, namely coffee shops, HDB acknowledges that some lessees may impose high mark-up rentals on individual stallholders even as the rent paid by these operators to HDB have remained largely unchanged or stable.

I called on HDB to make public sublet rental information in October 2025. The HDB's announcement of 10 January 2026 indicates that the HDB has committed to collect data on stall rents charged by operators before it determines how the data can be made available publicly.

I would suggest that all HDB commercial rentals, including, if sublet, ought to be made reportable and published on an easily accessible central portal or platform. While the majority of HDB commercial properties are in private hands with the basic details of current rental rates available elsewhere, it would not be difficult for HDB to provide this information on the same centralised portal. This would give market players and new entrants, particularly small businesses an easy reference point and a clear-eye perspective on their rental-related business decisions in the HDB commercial space, regardless of whether the landlord is HDB or a private owner.

Having a Council to Monitor Rents

Mr Azhar Othman (Nominated Member): In light of recent incidents regarding dissatisfaction with rising rental prices, I propose that a council, like the Public Transport Council (PTC), an independent regulatory Statutory Board and, in this case, under the Ministry of National Development, be established to monitor rental rates in the market. This initiative will provide the public with assurance that effective measures are being taken to address rental issues faced by fellow Singaporeans.

Additionally, council members will be positioned to identify potential money laundering activities, particularly in cases of unusually high rental payments. Currently, it is generally acceptable for rental prices to increase between 3% to 15%. Any growth beyond this range should be reviewed closely and carefully before a decision being made to approve or disallow to proceed.

The Chairman: Mr Louis Chua, you may take your two cuts together.

Accessibility of Food and Beverages in Existing Towns

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Chairman, at the Committee of Supply debates back in 2023 and the debate on the HDB Amendment Bill in the same year, I raised my concerns about the uneven distribution of hawker centres and coffee shops across Singapore. Fast forward to 2026, Sengkang finally had its own hawker centres, with Buangkok opening in 2023 and Anchorvale Village in 2024. With the completion of Rivervale Shores, the entire Rivervale division with 18,000 or so households finally had more than one coffee shop.

The MND shared in an earlier Committee of Supply response that most residents can access commercial facilities with a food court or an eating house within 400 metres from their homes or an approximately five to 10 minutes' walk. The question then is, what is the percentage of residents that have to travel more than 400 metres to access a food court or an eating house?

While I appreciate that new BTO projects do contain retail and F&B options, there remains spanning neighbourhoods within and outside that do not. A case in point is the value meals at Southwest Project that was launched in March 2025 which aimed to place 80 vending machines in heartland locations for residents to purchase. Subsequently, such vending machines were also installed in Punggol and to quote Deputy Prime Minister Gan, he hoped to deploy more such vending machines across Punggol for the convenience of our residents.

In Sengkang, after the projected period of working with the HDB and external vendors, we finally have hot-food vending machines, cafes, across three locations: at 108 Rivervale Walk, 188C Rivervale Drive and 288B Compassvale Crescent. I am grateful for the vendor, which is a replacement vendor after the initial vendor pulled out, for the commitment to the project despite the various challenges faced, chief of which is uncertainty around demand and the high fixed and overhead cost incurred.

Rather than the ad hoc projects being introduced in Punngol, Sengkang or any other town, I hope the HDB can consider a large-scale tender of multiple sites across HDB towns to ensure that affordable and accessible meals are available to all residents across Singapore, especially those which currently do not have a food court or an eating house within 400 metres from their homes. This would then provide for sufficient economies of scale for would-be operators, allowing them to have greater business sustainability and visibility. Moreover, any incremental rental revenue derived by the HDB should not be a primary consideration, given that the physical footprint of a vending machine is small and the vacant void deck space would not have been revenue-generating in the first place. Hence, there is no issue of opportunity cost for the HDB.

I urge the MMD to consider extending similar initiatives islandwide, similar to how it has piloted the Pick Locker Network island wide across HDB void decks for the convenience of all residents. Affordable food access should not depend on which district one lives in.

Relooking the Executive Condominium Model

Chairman, the price of ECs in Singapore has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. ECs are touted as a more affordable option for young couples who desire to purchase a private condo but not have the means to do so. Understandably, the price per square foot for an EC will be higher than a resale HDB flat. Well, I will argue that the prices today have become too expensive to service the original intention.

As ECs were slated as a more premium yet affordable public-private hybrid for prospective buyers, its premiums can be compared to the resale market for HDB flats. In 2016, the average per square foot price for a resale HDB flat stood at approximately $424, and approximately $782 for an EC in 2016. This is roughly an 84% difference. In 2021, the resale HDB flat per square foot price stands at $488 versus $1,176 for an EC, a 141% difference. Coming to 2024, a resale HDB flat is approximately $603 per square foot and $1,531 for an EC, a 154 % difference. These numbers would differ, of course, based on the type of neighbourhood that the HDB flats and ECs are located. Well, for the sake of comparison, they do serve as a useful broad basis for comparison.

The difference is even more stark in absolute terms. If we look at the average price of a new EC in 2016, this stood at around $860,000 versus $439,000 for a resale HDB flat, a difference of around $421,000. Fast forward to 2025, the average price of a new EC is $1.7 million compared to $652,000 for a resale HDB flat, a difference of more than $1 million.

When the EC housing scheme was introduced in 1996, then-MDN Minister Mr Lim Hng Kiang stated that the sharp increases in private property prices in the last few years had again created a sandwiched class of young people who are beyond HDB's income ceiling, but who cannot afford private property.

Firstly, I do not know of many young people who can afford an EC, especially when the average price stands at a whopping $1.7 million and the statistics show for it. From 2021 to 2025, only four in 10 EC purchases were first-timers. Even so, I reckon one has to have access to the deep pockets of one's parents if one is lucky, without which a first-timer will find it very challenging to fork out the downpayment required to afford the EC in the first place.

Moreover, the irony is that based on current financing rules, young people who are currently unable to afford an EC are deemed to be able to afford and purchase and even higher price private condominium. This is because the ECs are subject to a 30% mortgage servicing ratio while private condominiums are only subject to the 55% total debt servicing ratio.

At a prevailing household income ceiling of $16,000 per month, prospective EC buyers will be able to secure a loan of close to $1 million based on an MSR of 30%. This would mean a shortfall of just over $700,000 based on the price of an average EC today. However, the same household will be able to secure a loan of close to $1.28 million, leaving a smaller shortfall of just over $400,000 should they choose to purchase a private condominium instead.

Other than simply giving more grants, two other simple solutions are to raise the MSR, which would enable households to take on higher mortgage to finance a property and to increase the monthly household income ceiling to allow more buyers into the market. However, it does not address the fundamental issue of affordability since the price of the EC itself will not be impacted. Perversely, these may even result in an even higher increase in EC prices, given the wider pool of buyers now available.

Chairman, given the increasing unaffordability of ECs in the markets today, I urge the MND to seriously re-think the current EC model and to consider upstream policies to bring the price of ECs into a range that will suit their original intentions. With affordability and equitable access being key tenets to underpin the new EC model.

Minimum Occupation Period for Flat Occupiers

Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Sir, HDB's mission is stated as providing affordable quality housing and a great living environment where communities thrive. That mission has become increasingly complicated as Singaporean households take on different structures and HDB needs to assess how to apportion taxpayer subsidies and grants in a myriad of different situations. Some form families later in life, others prioritise multi-generational caregiving, all while following life and career paths that are not always linear.

One area that I wish to raise for review is the imposition of the MOP on non-owners that is on the listed occupiers of a flat. Such a policy can cause hardship to families in certain situations. For instance, a widowed or divorced middle-aged parent may want to downsize and decides to purchase a subsidised 3-room flat, listing an unmarried adult child as an essential occupier. Under HDB's policies, the MOP period will apply to both owners and occupiers alike. In the case of standard flats, the MOP is five years, while for the Plus and Prime flats, it is 10 years.

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Such a restriction on the unmarried adult children who are only occupiers will restrict their life choice. If they later meet a life partner but defer marriage for another five to 10 years, this could take them out of their critical child-bearing years. Singapore is facing a critically low total fertility rate of 0.87, way below the replacement level of 2.1. Our housing policy should not inadvertently discourage younger Singaporeans who wish to start families.

Sir, the policy objective of the MOP to reduce speculation in the public housing market is an entirely understandable and laudable one.But as family structures and life courses of Singaporeans become more diverse, our public housing policies need to be responsive to such lived realities. I urge the Ministry to continue to consider how existing rules and frameworks can be better refined to align with these diverse aspirations of Singaporeans.

Reimagining Home Ownership for All

Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh): We stand at an inflection point. As HDB supply ramps up to meet demand, we must move beyond merely providing "roofs over heads" to refining the inclusivity of our social compact. I ask the Ministry for clarity on how it will prioritise five key areas.

First, the middle-income squeeze. With median households crossing $12,000, many young couples are trapped – ineligible for BTO or Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) support, yet priced out of the resale market. Is it time to recalibrate income ceilings to reflect today's wage realities?

Second, on mobility for right-sizers. The 15-month wait-out period was a necessary cooling measure, but for families and citizens in life transitions, it remains a blunt instrument. Can we move toward a more nuanced, case-based approach to facilitate downsizing?

Third, on the aspirations of singles. Many young Singaporeans are pursuing non-traditional life paths. Will the Government weigh the call to lower the BTO eligibility age from 35, allowing them to anchor their futures earlier?

Fourth, Singaporeans with foreign spouses often face more restrictive pathways to home ownership. Housing stability for these families in a globalised environment is a matter of long-term domestic stability for our own citizens.

Finally, our single unwed parents face the steepest climbs, longest waits and fewer grants. I ask the Ministry to consider a more sympathetic prioritisation based on the child's age and to equalise subsidies so that every child, regardless of family structure, starts life in a secure environment. Let us dare to imagine a Singapore where affordable housing is not just available to some, but truly accessible, at the right price and the right size, for all.

The Chairman: Mr Fadli Fawzi, please take your two cuts together.

Easing Home Ownership for Rental Flats

Mr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): Mr Chairman, I want to propose improving pathways for home ownership for households currently living in rental flats. The Prime Minister, in his Budget debate round-up speech, mentioned the importance of enabling Singaporeans to accumulate assets. As he said, asset ownership gives families a concrete stake in our nation's success and allows them to share directly in Singapore's progress.

Imagine a family of five in a rental flat. The parents work multiple jobs. The children study diligently. Month after month, they pay subsidised rent but build nothing – no home equity, no assets to pass down. This is a reality for thousands of families in Singapore. In 2020, Parliament heard that only 2% of public rental households transition to home ownership at each year. For a nation where 90% own their homes and home equity makes up over half of household wealth, families living in rental flats need a leg-up on the ladder of opportunity.

Apart from rental flat to home ownership, from shelter to security and from surviving to thriving. First, I am proposing that the Ministry focus on helping more rental households achieve home ownership.

In May 2021, then-Minister Desmond Lee shared in a Parliamentary response that only 2% of rental households transition to home ownership each year. For those who do make this transition, this journey takes considerable time. Over a third takes more than 10 years. Another third, take between five and 10 years. A further third managed it in under five years, while fewer than one in 10 succeed within three years.

I am hopeful that these numbers have improved since then, thanks to enhancements made to programmes like the Enhanced Housing Grant, the Step Up CPF Housing Grant and the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. I also recognise the dedicated efforts of the HDB Home Ownership Support Team and the coordinated support provided through ComLink+ across multiple agencies.

In this regard, I would like to ask the Minister: what targets has the Minister set to increase the number of rental households transitioning to home ownership for each year, up to 2030? And what strategies is the Ministry pursuing to shorten the time it takes for families to move from public rental housing into their own homes?

My second proposal is a shared equity pilot programme to help families achieve home ownership sooner. Right now, families may want to buy a home and may meet key social agency assessments, but they are stuck because they cannot afford the cash or Central Provision Fund down payment. Even with HDB grants, it takes years of steady work and savings to build up that initial sum for down payment. During this time, families miss out getting on the home ownership ladder and building equity.

The pilot will target young families, 35 and under, currently in rental housing, as well as young adults in public rental flats who apply for another rental unit when they start their own families. The Government would step in as co-owner, holding perhaps 20% equity in the flat, and instead of the standard down payment, the buyer would only need to put down 2% in cash or CPF, a much lower barrier to entry. This will reduce both the upfront cost and the loan needed.

The family still pays monthly mortgage instalments, just like any homeowner. Over time, as their finances improve, they can buy back the Government's share in stages. If they eventually sell the flat, the Government receives its percentage of the sale price.

Unlike rent-to-purchase models, this approach lets families own a new home and build assets early. Alternatively, can the HDB consider redirecting the rental payments of these households towards offsetting the cost of the new flat if they want to buy it?

Sir, my goal is simple. We must help yet more young families from challenging backgrounds break the cycle of rental housing and participate actively in building stable home ownership, valuable equity and long-term wealth alongside Singapore's growth.

Comfortably Ageing-in-place

A study conducted, between October 2023 and April 2024, found that senior households where the decision maker is aged 65 and above now form one-third of all HDB households, up from one quarter in 2018.

This is a significant demographic shift. At the same time, 85.9% of senior households wish to continue living in their existing flats rather than move. They want to age in place. The number of single person households is increasing. In 2023, 15.6% of the 1.1 million households living in HDB flats were single person households, up from 12.6% in 2018.

In absolute terms, this is more than 30,000 additional solo households in just five years. Many of these are seniors living alone. We must understand what this means in practical terms.

Most of today's seniors are baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. They would have married in their mid-20s and moved into new flats in the 1970s. These flats are now close to 50 years old.

Entire towns, such as Bedok, Ang Mo Kio and Marine Parade, reflect this reality – mature estates with ageing flats and ageing residents with more and more living alone. As these seniors age alongside their homes, they must cope with ageing electrical systems, plumbing issues, worn fittings and outdated appliances. This is something that I have seen first-hand during house visits in my constituency.

While the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme and the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) exist to help seniors stay safe and mobile at home, the programme only provide subsidies rather than cash support to help seniors continue living safely and comfortably in their older flats.

Moreover, even if the repairs might not be a major cost from our perspectives, it can be a moderate burden that weighs heavy on the minds of our seniors living alone.

Some may argue that if seniors wish to continue ageing-in-place, but do not have the cash to afford the renovations needed, they can monetise their flats through renting out rooms or through the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS), but these schemes are primarily meant to supplement retirement income and medical expenses.

In particular, the LBS is irreversible. Seniors should not be put in a position where they need to consider monetising their homes just to afford basic repairs.

I would like to ask the Government to consider providing targeted cash support for any seniors living in older, smaller flats who may face difficulties paying for repairs under EASE or HIP. This will help seniors ageing-in-place, especially those who are living alone, without any next of kin to support them financially or mentally – to do so with dignity, safety and basic comfort.

The Chairman: Mr Liang Eng Hwa, you may take your two cuts together.

Age Well Neighbourhoods

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Sir, Singapore will be a "super-aged" country this year. The key challenge before us is not simply longevity, but quality of life, ensuring that our seniors can age well, age with active social life and healthy living within their own communities.

The Prime Minister announced the "Aged Well Neighbourhoods" at last year's National Day Rally (NDR), to support seniors who prefers to age at home, where there are high senior populations. The aim is to enable seniors to age with dignity within their communities, offering services like home fixes, health checks, social activities while staying integrated, not isolated.

Features, such as barrier-free access, therapeutic gardens, senior-friendly wayfinding, fitness corners with low-impact equipment and co-location of health and social services are meaningful improvements. I welcome MND's plans to redesign our older estates so that seniors can age comfortably in place and to remain active and socially connected.

Toa Payoh will be among the first town to have Age Well Neighbourhood and I look forward to Minister sharing the broader implementation plan across the island. Can I also ask the Minister to share how is MND working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) to integrate community care, active ageing centres and primary care services within these neighbourhoods?

Beyond physical infrastructure, ageing-in-place also depends on social infrastructure. Seniors who remain socially connected tend to enjoy better health outcomes. I hope MND can elaborate on how town design will facilitate inter-generational interactions, for example, through shared community spaces, programming nodes and proximity to childcare centres or schools.

Second, on Community Care Apartments (CCAs). CCAs are an important innovation in public housing. They integrate senior-friendly design with care services, communal spaces and emergency response systems. Demand has been encouraging and many seniors appreciate the combination of independence and support.

In Bukit Panjang, we are seeing growing interest among seniors who wish to right-size from larger flats while remaining near their children and social networks. Many value the familiar environment and established amenities. So, may I ask the Minister: what is the projected supply of CCAs over the next five years? How does MND assess demand across different towns and how quickly can supply be ramped up, if take-up remains strong? Will future CCAs explore more flexible care packages to cater to seniors with differing levels of needs?

As our population ages, housing policy must evolve alongside healthcare and community care systems. The goal should be to create neighbourhoods where seniors can transition seamlessly across stages of ageing – from independent living, to supported living, to higher levels of care – without needing to uproot themselves from their familiar surroundings.

In this regard, the integration of Age Well Neighbourhoods and Community Care Apartments presents a holistic model. One strengthens the broader environment; the other provides targeted housing solutions. Together, they can anchor a comprehensive ecosystem for ageing-in-place. I look forward to the Minister's responses.

Upkeeping of Ageing Estate and home Improvement Programme II

12.15 pm

Sir, I wish to declare my interest as the Coordinating Chairman for the PAP Town Councils.

Even as we continue building new BTO flats, a growing proportion of our HDB stock is ageing. In the coming years, more flats will cross the 30-year mark. With ageing estates come higher maintenance demands, not just more frequent repairs, but more complex and costly rectification works.

Town Councils are facing sustained cost pressures on multiple fronts.

First, municipal contract costs have risen sharply. Tender prices for conservancy services have increased significantly. In one recent renewal, bids were up to 86% higher than the previous contract. Contractors have cited higher labour costs from the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), higher foreign worker accommodation costs and tighter operating conditions.

Other essential services have also seen steep increases. For example, pest control costs for crows, pigeons and rodents have trended upwards. Horticulture contracts have risen by as much as 60% and seepage repair costs by up to 32%.

Sir, these are not discretionary works. They are core services necessary to keep estates safe, clean and liveable.

Second, beyond the rising cost trend, ageing infrastructure also requires heavier intervention. While programmes by MND, such as the HIP and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, have been extremely helpful, the bulk of day-to-day estate maintenance remains the responsibility of Town Councils. Works, such as external wall seepage repairs, lift maintenance and upgrading, re-roofing, external rewiring, replacement of lighting systems and structural and façade rectification, are becoming more frequent and more intensive. Town Councils are also concerned about the long-term maintenance implications of the Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System.

While there was initial subsidy support, this is not intended to be permanent. So, over time, operating and maintenance costs will have to be absorbed within Town Council's budgets. These cumulative pressures inevitably impact Town Councils' finances and, in turn, will have a bearing on the service and conservancy charges (S&CC) paid by residents.

The Government has been providing substantial support, about $240 million annually, through grants, such as the S&CC Operating Grant, the Lift Maintenance Grant and the Lift Replacement Fund Matching Grant. In 2023, MND also introduced a time-limited special funding to help cushion cost increases and moderate S&CC adjustments. That support was very helpful, but it has since expired.

So, on behalf of the PAP Town Councils, I thank MND and HDB for this significant support. Without which, S&CC would have been higher. But notwithstanding that, I would still like to appeal for further review of the funding framework.

First, because given that the cost increases arising from PWM and regulatory changes are structural rather than cyclical, will MND consider reviewing the baseline quantum of S&CC Operating Grant to reflect new cost realities? Second, can MND study whether additional support can be provided for estates with a higher proportion of ageing blocks, where maintenance intensity is clearly higher? Third, regarding PWCS, can MND provide clarity on the long-term cost-sharing model and whether transitional funding will be available?

Chairman, Town Councils are committed to maintaining clean, safe and well-managed estates. Residents rightly expect high standards, but S&CC must also remain affordable, especially for lower- and middle-income households.

Sir, before I end, can I also ask the Minister something that he spoke about last August, about HIP II? He mentioned that HIP II would be more extensive. So, could I ask the Minister to share more details on the scope, the scale and the implementation timeline of HIP II?

Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme

Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong Central): The Minister said recently, in response to Parliamentary Questions, that VERS should not create a "lottery effect" nor end up becoming a wealth-generating programme for affected homeowners.

Today, I would like to advocate for an opposite point. While VERS should not create a windfall for affected homeowners, it should also not short-change them. All affected homeowners should get a fair deal, fair compensation, from VERS.

Flats acquired under VERS will be 70 years or older generally. In other words, with leases of 29 years or less remaining. The market value of these leases will be modest and may well turn out to be insufficient to match the price or market value of a replacement flat that is completely new, of similar type and with lease covering the affected homeowner until at least 95 years old.

In such a scenario, affected homeowners would ordinarily have to make a cash top-up. But this is hardly ideal for affected homeowners who are most probably senior, no longer working and decumulating wealth to fund retirement life.

So, I urge the Ministry to consider making the baseline VERS deal, the baseline VERS compensation package, one in which an affected homeowner will not need to top up cash for a new replacement flat. This, in turn, effectively means that the Government may have to come in and subsidise the cash top-up for affected homeowners instead. And obviously, such a subsidy, such a scheme, will require the Government to utilise more fiscal resources than what is needed to simply acquire property leases at market value. The Government will effectively have to pay a premium beyond market value to achieve fairness for current, affected homeowners.

What would be a fair size to this subsidy? What would be a fair valuation of fairness to current, affected homeowners? The Government will need to use sound and consistent principles for such an exercise, to justify the higher public spending that this implies.

One plausible principle, to my mind, is that there is simply a fair cost to orderly urban renewal, beyond the cost of property. There is a cost to relocating lives, resettling lives, especially because it may well be involuntary for some even if it is voluntary for most. The Government is already paying market value for leases under the Lease Buyback Scheme to homeowners who remain in situ, in their current properties. It stands to reason that there should be additional costs crystalised and compensated for relocation, for resettlement. In this way, the Government will be fair to all homeowners.

The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou. You can take your two cuts together.

Adapting HDB Flats for 99 Years

Mr Cai Yinzhou: Diminishing lease is a genuine concern for many Singaporeans. I urge the Ministry to shift the narrative from flats of stored value depreciating. They must be Homes for Life. This means ensuring every Singaporean, regardless of age or ability, to live in the same home through every life stage of changing needs, with dignity and security.

I have four proposals to make in this reality.

First, reimagining HIP I and II. Has the Ministry studied increasing the list of modification options during upgrading? For multi-generational families, this could include space partitioning and soundproofing. And extending EASE to supporting families with persons with special needs.

Second, tech-enabled eldercare. Can we expand HIP to include built-in for fall-detection sensors, fire sprinklers and emergency alert buttons?

Third, for the most vulnerable in our society. In response to a Parliamentary Question I filed in October, I note only 7,000 of more than 50,000 public rental flats have air-conditioning. Will Ministry consider resources for public rental flats to be more climate resilient, noting that they are space constrained and structurally disadvantaged for natural ventilation.

Fourth, creating spaces for success. If education is the great social leveler, then study space is essential equitable infrastructure. In a cramped two-room rental flat with six children, there is no quiet corner or dedicated desk for one, let alone six children. We already have the EASE programme for seniors. I propose a new ACCESS scheme under ComLink+. ACCESS would provide a milestone incentive for modular, space-saving furniture for families with young children in rental flats. As suggested during the Budget debate, it could stand for Adaptable, Compact, Child-centric, Enhancements for Small Spaces.

If we truly believe in social mobility, we must prioritise the design of the space where that mobility begins. Homes for Life is more than a slogan, but about ensuring our residents feel secure in the longevity of their community, where they do not just have a roof over their heads, but a place where their roots can grow with confidence.

Third Spaces in Urban Growth

My late grandmother lived at Old Airport Road, where her life and friendships were deeply rooted. In 2014, when nearby Dakota Crescent residents were told to move, I founded Dakota Adventures, co-guiding tours with senior residents for over 1,500 Singaporeans, including hon Minister Grace Fu.

In 2017, then-Minister Lawrence Wong announced the conservation of six blocks, out of 15, to allow future generations to build their memories.

We need a more robust and local framework for urban renewal. Will the Ministry implement a formal Social and Heritage Impact Assessment? This would allow us to proactively reimagine existing spaces rather than retrospectively conserving them. And also, to account for the heritage and social impact that potential relocation might have towards, especially, the seniors living in those estates.

Furthermore, our ABC Waterways network spans 8,000 kilometres through our homes and communities. I hope the Ministry can move beyond aesthetic "water views" as a mode of promotion and instead, incorporate active "blue spaces" for recreational activities, like water sports and fishing, and even consider exploring water-based transportation.

Chairman, I look forward to a vision for a more social- and heritage-conscious urban landscape that truly reflects the social value of landmarks, like Dakota Crescent, which remains hoarded up today.

The Chairman: Mr Dennis Tan. You may take your two cuts together.

Rethinking Redevelopment

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): During my Adjournment Motion in January, I spoke about the urgent need to rethink our approach to green preservation. In response, the Minister of State characterised the Serangoon River Forest site as a former landfill, regenerated vegetation and comprising of, "young, exotic-dominated secondary forest, scrubland, grassland and ponds."

I have since received feedback from a resident, Ms Han Sai Por, who articulated a point at the heart of this policy gap. She said that the disagreement is not about the intent to be sustainable. It is about the valuation of our land, the problem with static planning. Our current planning system is heavily anchored in the past. If a site was a landfill in 1998 or zoned as a reserve site decades ago, that historical classification seems to override the biological reality of 2026.

Yet over the last 25 years, nature has reclaimed these spaces. The secondary forest, while not primary, now provide frontline climate resilience, riverbank stabilisation, runoff filtration and significant urban cooling for dense neighbourhoods.

The case for dynamic planning. We must move away from a purely species-centric lands that dismisses young forests to a resident worried about the urban heat island effect. The cooling services are not lesser because the trees are non-native. Some countries are starting to put the revitalisation of brownfield sites as a nature-based solution strategy high on their policy agenda. Is it time we start doing the same? Does our current planning framework sufficiently value these re-generated ecosystems? How is the ecosystem service value, such as flood regulation and heat mitigation, quantified when deciding whether to clear a site?

Firm commitments on transparency and assessment. The determination of ecological sensitivity remains opaque. Currently, the public often only sees the results of an environmental impact assessments (EIA) once a project is decided. We rarely see the screening process that concludes that an EIA is unnecessary. However, even back in 1990, Prof Tommy Koh had, in the forward for the Nature Society of Singapore's Master Plan for the Conservation of Nature in Singapore, expressed hope that, "All development projects in Singapore will require an environmental impact assessment."

I call on MND to consolidate its assessment framework into two mandatory commitments. One, integrated baseline and functional assessments, where the Ministry commit to conducting a baseline study for all forested plots, regardless of zoning, that evaluate both biodiversity and functional climate roles, including heat mitigation and flood absorption, before any development decision is finalised.

Two, institutionalising EIA transparency. Will the Ministry mandate an EIA and include clearer thresholds for duration of fallow status and site size? For a start, studies have shown that a brownfield site can become ecologically important within five to 10 years and become significant mature ecosystems after another 10 years. Even small sites between point-one and point-five hectares can become ecologically meaningful in the same time period, depending on their function and location. Crucially, if the Government decides an EIA is not needed, can the Ministry publish the assessment and scientific rationale?

In conclusion, the avoid-minimise-mitigate hierarchy is a cornerstone of environmental policy. Yet too often, we jump straight to mitigate, for example, using noise barriers or phased clearing while avoid is treated as a foregone conclusion.

A case in point is the current bus depot construction at the Serangoon River Forest. We must exhaustively evaluate alternatives, such as multi-storey industrial depots and existing transport nodes before touching our remaining green buffers.

12.30 pm

Same Floor Lift Access for All HDB Flats

The lift upgrading programme was launched by HDB in 2001 to provide residents with lift access to every floor. In this year's COS, I am asking once again for same floor lift access for all residents. This is not merely about convenience. It is a fundamental issue of equity, safety and dignity.

As our population ages, a few steps become a daily insurmountable wall, separating seniors and those with mobility challenges from their community and essential services.

HDB's common reply to my many appeal letters to HDB, on behalf of residents, without same floor lift access in the past few years, was that such blocks are not eligible for Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) due to high cost and/or technical constraints.

In Hougang, recent breakthroughs are both welcome and puzzling. In 2023, HDB started work on offering LUP for Block 833 Hougang Central. In September 2025, HDB offered LUP to the remaining units at Block 363 Hougang Avenue 5. On 6 September 2024, HDB replied in writing to my appeal for a Block 363 resident, stating explicitly that the cost per flat had, I quote, "exceeded the LUP cost cap substantially, hence, we are unable to implement LUP", unquote. Yet, barely 12 months later, HDB changed their minds.

Affected residents at the remaining Blocks 830, 831, 832 and 835 have wondered why did HDB offered LUP to remaining units of Blocks 833 and 363, but not their blocks. No reasons have been offered by HDB for their change of minds.

The Minister for National Development's reply to my parliamentary question of 3 February 2026 revealed that of the 140 blocks in Singapore with no full same floor lift access, 100 blocks remain unfeasible, because cost of LUP exceeds $200,000 per unit. The Minister also said that LUP will be extended to the other 40 more blocks progressively. May we know which are these blocks and how soon will LUP be awarded? With a clear roadmap, residents in the remaining blocks will not be in a state of anxious limbo.

Notwithstanding increase of the value of the lift access housing grant to $80,000, many affected residents have told me that they do not want to be uprooted and they want to stay in their homes with dignity. These architectural barriers result from an outdated design before the mid-90s. Residents did not choose them. In fact, during a recent house visit, one affected Block 832 resident told me that at the time of choosing the unit, they were not told that it did not come with same floor lift access, unlike other units in the same block.

Whether it is a historical architectural debt or an HDB debt, providing same floor lift access is only fair to all HDB homeowners.

I would therefore like to ask the Minister: one, please define a clear timeline for LUP for the 40 blocks. Let the residents know as soon as possible HDB's LUP plans for them. Two, please consider removing the proposed hard cap for the remaining 100 blocks and set aside a dedicated final amount to fund for LUP.

Former Hougang Member of Parilament (MP) Mr Png Eng Huat, had said in this House previously, to the effect that why were the affected blocks not combined with other neighbouring blocks in previous bulk LUP projects in the earlier days, instead of tendering difficult blocks for LUP by themselves later on? The former could have been more cost effective, not to mention that LUP costs would have been lower, say, 10 to 15 years ago or definitely before COVID?

Mr Chairman, we must not let the remaining residents without same floor lift access, be defined by the technical limits of a bygone era. I urge the Government to bridge this final mile and ensure that every HDB homeowner can edge in place with the dignity of same floor lift access.

The Chairman: Mr Ang Wei Neng, please take your two cuts together.

Segmented Units

Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast-Jurong West): Chairman, we note that about 100 HDB blocks are unable to benefit from the LUP, mainly because the estimated cost exceeds $200,000 per flat. While we understand the cost constraints, we hope HDB will continue to study new engineering solutions and emerging technologies to extend lift access to these remaining blocks.

A significant number of affected blocks are in Nanyang and many residents continue to face daily accessibility challenges. Many households in these segmented units bought their flats more than 30 years ago, when direct lift access on every floor was not the norm. In their younger days, they were mobile and valued the added privacy due to the design of the flat. But today, as they age, climbing stairs several times a day before they can take the lift has become increasingly difficult and, for some, unsafe. This is ultimately about ageing in place, dignity and inclusive public housing.

If LUP remains unfeasible for these blocks, I respectfully suggest that HDB consider several policy adjustments.

First, on eligibility for lift access support. Today, households typically need medical certification that an occupier is wheelchair-bound or has serious mobility limitations. However, many seniors aged 70 and above may not yet be severely immobile, but face progressive decline and rising fall risk.

We hope HDB can consider extending the Lift Access Housing Grant to households where at least one occupier is aged 70 and above, similar to the criteria to qualify for a Personal Mobility Aid. Earlier intervention can prevent hardship, rather than respond only after mobility has significantly deteriorated.

Second, on long-term housing outcomes. Where owners of segmented flats wish to sell, HDB could study the feasibility of buy-back at market value and engage JTC or other agencies to lease out to tenants who are better able to manage walk-up access. This may help avoid a recurring cycle where future elderly residents face the same accessibility constraints.

Third, on market transparency. If buy-back is not viable, HDB may wish to require clear disclosure to prospective buyers that these flats are unlikely to benefit from LUP in the foreseeable future. This ensures buyers make informed decisions and avoid unrealistic expectations.

Chairman, residents in these 100 blocks are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for a fair chance to age safely and independently in their own homes, just like what majority of HDB households would now enjoy the direct lift access. I hope HDB and MND will continue to review policy options and work towards a more inclusive and age-friendly public housing system.

Pest Birds

Chairman, every year, MND receives about 22,000 cases of public feedback on pest birds. This is not a small number. Behind each case is a resident whose daily life has been affected. Sleepless nights from constant noise. Homes and common areas fouled by droppings and in some worrying cases, residents being attacked. In Nanyang, we have witnessed such incidents firsthand.

Singaporeans support our vision of a City in Nature. But coexistence must not come at the expense of public safety, hygiene and livability. When disamenities persist, we must act more decisively.

May I ask the Minister: what is the current manpower strength of the NParks team managing pest bird feedback and whether existing resources are adequate given the sustained volume of cases year after year.

Under NParks' pigeon management plan, efforts remain largely focused on pigeons. I urge NParks, within MND's broader human-wildlife management framework, to evolve towards a comprehensive Pest Bird Management approach, one that also addresses other urban-adapted species, such as mynas and crows, where they cause persistent disamenities to residents.

This requires a system-wide approach: stronger enforcement against illegal bird feeding, tighter food waste control around eateries and markets, estate-level habitat management and where necessary, science-based population control. In this respect, I welcome NParks' decision to resume shooting of crows.

Chairman, I propose that MND strengthen dedicated funding and manpower for pest bird management and develop a clear national strategy with measurable outcomes to reduce cases, attacks and environmental nuisance over the next few years.

Managing the Crow Population

Mr Pritam Singh: Sir, I filed my cut on 19 February and before the Minister's public comments on 23 February, on how MND intends to manage the crow population. As his comments set out the direction forward, I will make a narrow point about culling. NParks has been helpful to town councils, assisting in the removal of nests and the installation of temporary traps to manage the crow population. Can the Ministry share its protocols with regard to culling, or specifically shooting, as a means of reducing the crow population in Singapore?

When and how does it determine that the population in a given area has exceeded acceptable levels or is overpopulated with crows?

I understand MND has in recent months been working with the Singapore Police Force with a view to restart the shooting of crows. What has been the result of this collaboration? Can the Minister update when such measures will be implemented across all Town Councils? And with what frequency and what measures will also be imposed to ensure public safety?

Keeping Air-conditioner Ledges Free of Droppings

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (Sengkang): Sir, while I acknowledge the encouraging 50% reduction in pigeon population across the town councils undergoing the NParks pilot, I must emphasise the urgency of this issue. Pigeons are not merely a nuisance, they pose genuine health risk. Their droppings carry dangerous diseases, such as cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis and psittacosis. When dried droppings turn to dust, residents inhale contaminated particles that can cause severe respiratory infections, particularly affecting our elderly and immuno-compromised individuals. Beyond health concerns, residents bear the financial cost. A constituent shared that he had to engage an air conditioning specialist to clean his compressor unit because pigeons had defecated on it repeatedly. He paid out of pocket for a problem not of his making.

How many more residents are silently suffering similar inconveniences and expenses? I am concerned about the pace of the roll-out. The NParks pilot began in July, 2024, with three Town Councils and only expanded to three more in June 2025 nearly a year later. With many estates still experiencing persistent pigeon problems, can the Minister provide a clear timeline for extending this programme to all remaining Town Councils? Residents in affected areas cannot wait indefinitely for relief.

Regarding the 35-unit netting trial, I propose that the Ministry consider reducing the trial duration to gather sufficient data more quickly. This would allow effective solutions to be rolled out to affected estates sooner, providing residents with much needed relief. Effective pigeon management requires Government leadership, community cooperation and adequate resources. Our residents deserve clean, safe and hygienic living environments free from preventable health hazards and unnecessary financial burdens.

The Chairman: Ms Lee Hui, you can take your two cuts together.

Animals in Our Urban Spaces

Ms Lee Hui Ying (Nee Soon): Mr Chair, animals are integral to our shared environment. The steady stream of feedback we receive on animal welfare proves that residents envision a society that is not just efficient, but harmonious and gracious.

We have come a long way, but more must be done. The recent viral incident of a man cutting a community cat's whiskers reminds us that cruelty still lurks in the estates. What are the Ministry's specific plans for 2026 regarding animal welfare legislation?

As our spaces become greener, urban bird populations have risen and we have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with mother nature to manage with ecologically sensitive solutions. While pigeon population control has seen some success, we continue to face a spike in house crow populations and it affects all our residents.

With crow shooting as the latest control measure, I would like to ask: on the protocols, particularly on the use of shooting in residential areas; what safeguards are in place to minimise public exposure, especially to young children, during such operations in estates. Can the operations be scheduled outside school commuting hours and avoiding areas near schools and playgrounds, where young children are present?

Effective enforcement is key. Beyond reactive measures, how will enforcement against illegal feeding be strengthened? Are there plans for stepped-up surveillance in hotspots, higher penalties for repeat offenders, regular tree pruning or enhanced public education? Does NParks have sufficient enforcement resources?

12.45 pm

Can upstream measures – better waste management and environmental design – can these be strengthened to reduce reliance on shooting over time? Will the Ministry consider conducting a Ecological Impact Assessment to study how culling efforts could affect our broader local biodiversity?

Let us act upstream, so that problems do not spiral into a full-blown "crow-sis".

Builders' Challenges in Built Environment

With major infrastructure projects such as Terminal 5 underway, our construction sector continues to face significant cost and manpower pressures. Policies must be carefully calibrated to support both workforce transformation and business sustainability.

The builders I have met, including some of my residents, have welcomed the New Action Team chaired by the Minister and they are encouraged by the strong leadership and attention placed on the sector. What are the Ministry's long-term plans to grow infrastructure, manpower and talent pipeline to ensure supply can meet demand?

I have the following suggestions.

First, on foreign manpower costs. The periodic raising of S Pass qualifying salaries creates a "domino effect", jacking up business costs unnecessarily. Instead of raising the salary, which permanently inflates the wage bill, not just on the foreign worker per se, the salary of other workers in the company will have to be increased accordingly. Contractors are suggesting the increase of the workers levy instead. This will still generate revenue for the Government without overpaying what workers ask for.

Second, contractors are facing growing volatility. Has MND planned adequately to avoid supply chain disruptions? For example, is there sufficient staging and dumping grounds, adequate capacity at Jurong Port to handle cement imports, and enough workers' dormitories to support projected demand?

Third, local talent is a matter of national resilience. Young Singaporeans shy away from the sector due to perceptions of harsh working hours and site conditions, and our local core is ageing. We cannot rely solely on a transient workforce. How will MND redesign construction careers to attract and anchor a sizable local talent pool?

Fourth, liability framework for contractors. This also deters locals from entering the industry. The fear of excessive liability falling on individuals can be paralysing, but safety is non-negotiable. Are penalties under the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Act calibrated so they uphold standards without creating a climate of fear that deters capable leaders?

Third, as we push digitalisation, are regulations keeping pace? If expect transformation, policy regulation and support must move in tandem —

The Chairman: Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, you can take your two cuts together.

Functional City in Nature

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Chairman. Sir, Singapore has been recognised globally for being one of the greenest cities in the world. Despite extensive urbanisation, our green cover spans a remarkable 40% of land area. This is only possible through the commitment and intentionality of each generation.

In 2020, MND launched their vision to transform Singapore into a city in nature. Nature is not about aesthetics. We have learnt since young that nature is functional. Different species play respective roles and in the ecosystem they work together. As climate infrastructure, tree canopies and green buffer zones mitigate the urban heat island effect, lowering cooling demand and making active mobility possible. Socially, nature serves as recreational and exercise spaces, supporting mental well-being and as restorative spaces. Economically, tourists are drawn to our city in nature identity right from the time they leave the airport.

Nature is the only infrastructure that cools, protects, filters and regenerates simultaneously. Many see urbanisation as the opposite of nature, but Singapore's lived experience of how we have balanced the two offers a different perspective. It is part of what makes us exceptional. If we plan it well, nature will not compete with our urban future development plans, it will secure it.

In this regard, could MND share how it has weighed trade-offs and integrated nature, including preservation of existing flora and fauna into design principles for newer and upcoming housing estates towards improving heat resilience and tackling rising sea level challenges?

Under MND's push for city nature, several 2030 targets have been laid out, including animal and plant species recovery plans, as well as forest, marine and coastal habitat restoration. I commend these efforts. Could NParks update on the initiatives it has undertaken to strengthen ecological connectivity and biodiversity-sensitive designs across green and blue spaces in the last five years, as well as any future plans?

At the same time, we recognise that our people are joint inhabitants in our city in nature. Part of our national vision is the goal that every household is 10 minutes away from a park. This also means that wildlife is 10 minutes away from us, increasing the number of wildlife human interactions and sometimes clashes – from monkeys to otters, wild boars to snakes, hornbills to tapirs, sambar deer to migrating storks.

I would like to ask, has MND observed any trend lines in incidents in the past five years, including of migratory animals? And has MND assessed if the current plans, response teams and protocols remain adequate? How does MND see the long-term approach balance between containment, deterrence and co-existence? Finally, are we investing enough in public education such that city in nature is understood as a shared goal and responsibility beyond tree planting?

Diversity in Housing Typologies

Singapore's public housing system has also been globally recognised for delivering accessible quality housing at scale. Our homes not only provide shelter but also build communities and encourage social cohesion in estates. While home ownership rates remain fairly high compared to other cities, the focus has typically been on supporting young couples and first timers with the rising cost, which is of course, net crucial for nation building.

But population and family planning dynamics today are changing. Given our ageing society, total fertility rate, marriage and divorce rates. We have more singles, second timers and seniors who strongly desire to age in place. Have our public housing offerings fully adapted to these changes?

Perhaps a re-diversifying of housing typologies might need to follow to support the needs and aspirations of a changing Singapore over Singaporeans' life course. A wider spectrum of options would allow citizens to find housing that matches not just income, but also life stage and aspirations.

In my earlier speeches, I have spoken on the need to better support couples and families who want to stay near or with family members. In the earlier days, a young couple who first purchases a 3-room BTO can aspire to other versions of home over the years, such as a jumbo flat, maisonette, executive apartment, or even low rise and terrace public housing. These options provide more configurations and variety of life one can look forward to beyond hacking and expanding rooms or moving from public housing to private dwellings, which can increasingly feel unattainable.

Today, flat typologies have largely remained the same, and in fact become even more similar as we optimise for speed and scale. How has MND reviewed the housing aspirations of Singaporeans, and can MND consider exploring some unique typologies in upcoming projects, for example, dual key or modular layout suitable for caregiving?

I would like to speak briefly for three other segments.

First, for a divorcee trying to re-establish a roof over his or her head. Many experience long waiting times, high temporary rental costs and uncertainty. Beyond schemes like Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (ASSIST), can MND consider other forms of support for this segment to find new beginnings?

Second, singles up till now can typically only purchase 2-room, Flexi or resale flats, given that two-room flexi flats are highly sought after by both singles and seniors, can the Ministry consider expanding the options? After all, many also support elderly parents who stay with them if there are emergencies or help with nieces and nephews on the weekend.

Finally, for those who want a space of their own, but cannot afford it yet, the Ministry trialed two housing typologies in recent years, the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) and the Joint Singles Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR). As both models were well subscribed, what are the plans to expand the scope of these programmes? How many rental families has the home ownership support team served over the years? What are the success rates so far and are there plans to integrate —

The Chairman: Mr Foo Cexiang.

Enabling More Singaporeans to Own a Home

Mr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, housing in Singapore has never been just about putting a roof over one's head. It has also been about giving every Singaporean a stake in the nation.

Sir, I want to acknowledge the work of MND and HDB officers over the years in working towards this mission while having to deal with changing demographics and preferences.

Between 1980 and 2025, the resident population has grown from 2.4 million to 4.2 million. At the same time, the average household size has decreased from about five in 1980 to three in 2025. So, in this period, HDB has had to more than triple the number of flats from 330,000 to more than 1.2 million, all these while also meeting expectations to improve quality and design.

In this context, the directive by the Minister for National Development to build more and build faster is apt and timely.

In its addendum to the President's address last year, MND announced that HDB would review the income ceiling for BTO flats and study more housing options for singles, seniors, as well as larger families. It also said that it would provide assistance for more rental households to transit into home ownership. I would like to seek an update from the Ministry.

In addition, I would like to further champion the case for two categories of Singaporeans.

First, Singaporeans with non-resident spouses with no Singaporean or permanent resident (PR) child. Currently, this group of Singaporeans can only purchase a 2-room Flexi flat from HDB if the Singaporean is a first timer aged 35 and above. I seek MND's consideration to relax this requirement and allow Singaporeans with non-resident spouses and no children to purchase flats of all sizes from HDB with no minimum age for the Singaporean.

Sir, as highlighted by the Deputy Prime Minister Gan in this House, Singapore is facing an existential challenge as the fertility rate plunged to a historic low of 0.87. We need to support all couples on their parenthood journey.

In this regard, there has been an increasing trend of transnational citizen marriages. In the past three years, one in four citizen marriages were with a non-resident. This is a significant proportion, and as other Members of the House have raised, having a large enough home to raise a family is one of the key considerations that young couples have today when deciding whether to have a child.

By restricting our Singaporean with non-resident spouses to a 2-room Flexi flat, we are constraining 25% of would-be parents from having a child. Given our existential challenge, this is too high a proportion to risk. We need to support all couples in their parenthood journey, including those made up of a Singaporean and a non-resident.

Second, seniors above 55 years old seeking to purchase a short lease, 2-room Flexi flat. Last month in Parliament, I asked if MND would consider lowering the home for life condition to require the remaining lease to cover the youngest owner till 83.5 years, which is the life expectancy age, instead of 95 years. This would enable these seniors to purchase more affordable short lease, 2-room Flexi homes, given the shorter remaining lease. And it could be the difference between them renting their homes forever or making the transition to home ownership.

MND shared that many seniors would live longer than the average lifespan of 83.5 years, and this would compromise the home for life policy. I understand the policy rationale behind setting the age at 95 to cover most Singaporeans. However, there will be many Singaporeans who do not live to 95 years, perhaps even more so than those who do.

So, my question is, will MND consider a scheme for these seniors, which allows them to purchase a short-term 2-room Flexi flat with minimum lease term that covers the youngest owner up to age 85? And a key condition for this being that if the owners want to move out or pass away before this lease expires, the flat will be returned back to HDB with no refund or compensation to the owner or their next of kin.

These early return flats with remaining leases can then be used to house other seniors on the same scheme who live beyond 85 years and outlive their leases. And therefore at the overall scheme level, this will be in keeping with our home for life principle.

Relaxing HDB Flat Eligibility

Mr Ang Wei Neng: Chairman, we are encouraged that HDB has cleared the BTO backlog from the COVID-19 pandemic. About 13,000 flats will reach their five-year MOP in 2026, nearly double that of last year.

At the same time, HDB resale price growth has moderated to 2.9% last year, the slowest since 2019. With supply improving and price pressure easing, this is the right moment to finetune the eligibility policy so more Singaporeans can access affordable housing while keeping the market stable and fiscally responsible.

First, I urge the HDB to review the BTO eligibility age for singles, with consideration to lower to 30 years old. So, 30 years old, we let the singles buy a BTO flat. Many singles today seek stability earlier, shoulder family responsibilities and want to build their own future. A home gives not just a shelter but dignity, security and a stake in the society.

Second, we could update the BTO income ceiling for first-timer families. The $14,000 cap has not changed since 2019 even though nominal wages have risen by more than 25%. More young couples are now squeezed above the BTO income ceiling, yet are unable to afford private housing or executive condominiums. Raising the ceiling to $16,000 keeps public housing accessible to the broad middle group of Singaporeans, in line with economic realities.

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Third, I hope MND can waive the 15-month wait-out period to buy a HDB 4-room or smaller resale flat after a private property owner sells the private property due to difficult life transitions such as divorce or financial strain. This provides stability without overheating demand.

Chairman, when supply improves, policy needs to keep pace. Housing is not just about markets, it is about people.

The Chairman: Minister Chee.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Chee Hong Tat): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions.

Over the past 60 years, we have worked hard to build Singapore together. We provided Singaporeans with affordable and accessible public housing and achieved one of the highest homeownership rates in the world. We developed a strong built environment sector, which can plan, construct and maintain large-scale projects efficiently in our dense urban setting. We have carefully balanced the needs of current and future generations through long-term planning, integrating different uses and maximising the overall value of our limited land.

We need to build on these strong foundations and go further. At this year's COS, I would like to present three key priorities that MND will focus on for the next few years.

First, we will continue to uphold our housing commitments and sustain a robust supply. We will build more and build faster to meet the evolving housing needs of Singaporeans. Senior Minister of State Sun and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Harun will elaborate on our efforts to enhance the liveability of HDB estates. Minister Indranee and Minister of State Tan will talk about our plans to enhance the liveability of private residential estates and our City in Nature.

Second, we will continue transforming our built environment sector to achieve greater productivity, sustainability and resilience and create more good jobs for our people. Minister Indranee will speak about this.

Third, Minister of State Tan will round up by sharing more about our longer-term plans for Singapore's development, balancing the different land use requirements and navigating trade-offs within the limited space we have.

Sir, over the past few years, we have focused on improving affordability and accessibility for Singaporeans looking to buy their first home. This remains a key priority for MND.

We provided a strong supply of HDB flats and set aside more units for first-timer families. The median application rates for first-timer families applying for 3-room and bigger BTO flats fell from a high of almost seven times in 2020 to between 1.1 and 1.9 times in 2025. In the most recent BTO sales exercise last month, the median application rate for first-timer families was 0.9 times.

This is good news, but the overall application rate for 3-room and bigger BTO flats was 2.6 times, if we include second-timer families. The application rates for singles and seniors for 2-room Flexi flats were also higher.

These numbers reflect the continued strong demand for public housing and why we need to sustain a robust supply in the years ahead.

We now have some capacity to meet additional housing needs of different groups of Singaporeans. Many Members, including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Foo Cexiang and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, have asked about this.

We will support our seniors by offering different right-sizing and monetisation options and making our neighbourhoods more elderly-friendly. For lower-income households, we will continue to improve our public rental options. We are also reviewing our schemes to better meet the needs of families who need to move or switch to a bigger flat when they have more children. Senior Minister of State Sun and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Harun will share more.

Members have also asked for updates on our plans to support another group of Singaporeans – our singles. We have made some moves to improve the housing options for singles in recent years. With the introduction of the new flat classification framework in 2024, first-timer singles can now buy BTO flats islandwide and not only in non-mature estates. Since then, singles have booked flats in towns like Clementi, Bedok, Ang Mo Kio and Kallang-Whampoa for the first time. Last year, we also extended priority access under the Family Care Scheme to singles when they apply for a new flat to live with or near their parents.

The Government is looking at increasing the income ceiling for all buyers and lowering the eligibility age for singles to buy HDB flats. We are also reviewing our schemes to better meet the needs of other groups of singles, such as those who may wish to buy a bigger flat together with their family members.

But to do more for our singles and also for other groups of flat buyers, HDB will need to build more flats to ensure supply is adequate to meet higher demand.

Hence, a priority for the Ministry, which I have been emphasising since taking on the MND portfolio, is to build more homes and to build them faster.

This year, HDB will launch around 19,600 BTO flats. Of these, more than 4,000 will be Shorter Waiting Time flats, with a waiting time of less than three years. We will also increase the 2-room Flexi supply by almost 50% from 2026 to 2028 to meet growing demand from seniors and singles. This includes pressing on with the efforts to inject new housing in older towns. Let me share two examples.

The first is the Pearl's Hill neighbourhood in Outram, close to the central business district. With the additional subsidies for Plus and Prime flats under the new flat classification framework, we are able to offer different groups of buyers affordable public housing in very attractive locations. We also provide housing grants of up to $120,000 for eligible first-timer families, which further reduces the amount they need to pay for their flats.

After more than 40 years, we will be building public housing at Pearl's Hill. The new public housing development will be located right next to Outram Park MRT station, at the foothills of Pearl's Hill City Park. It will comprise 2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room BTO flats as well as public rental flats.

Drawing from the nearby Chinatown heritage, the design concept is inspired by "山水画", like a Chinese painting depicting mountains and flowing rivers. Our vision is for residents to live amidst the tranquillity of Pearl's Hill, while remaining connected to the dynamic energy of the city.

At the base level of this new development, residents and the public can enjoy green communal spaces, akin to river plains. Moving up, a cascading water feature will serve to manage stormwater during heavy downpours. A green canopy of trees will provide shade, flowing seamlessly from the nearby park. These features will also benefit the wider Pearl's Hill neighbourhood by having seamless barrier-free access from the park to the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT).

The residential blocks will be built with varying heights like the mountain ridges in a painting. Within the blocks, sky gardens and terraces will offer views from different levels, allowing residents to experience the surrounding landscape from multiple vantage points.

In line with our urban design guidelines, we will preserve a view corridor, a 40-metre-wide unobstructed line of sight between the new buildings. Air and light will be able to flow through, ensuring that the tall buildings do not overwhelm the landscape and allowing the public to enjoy views to and from Pearl's Hill City Park.

The development will include Singapore's tallest ever public housing project, rising above 60 storeys.

Sir, 60 storeys is not the first of its kind as there are other taller residential buildings in Singapore and overseas cities. But 60 storeys will be more than 10 storeys taller than The Pinnacle@Duxton, which is our current tallest public housing project.

This is part of our efforts to find ways to build more public housing by intensifying land usage and building taller where possible. A 60-storey block can provide 50% more flats compared to a 40-storey block, the height of most of our tallest HDB blocks today.

Currently, most tall buildings are in the central region due to aviation height restriction requirements around our airports, such as those at Changi and Seletar. These requirements have been in place since the 1950s and were set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Over the last decade, Singapore worked with ICAO to change these requirements and taller buildings can now be built near airports. This change frees up more airspace for non-aviation purposes and presents opportunities for us to intensify development in different parts of Singapore.

With these regulatory changes and our experience in Pearl's Hill, HDB will find more opportunities to build taller flats across Singapore.

We will proceed carefully and sensitively, building taller only when conditions allow. We will also pay close attention to design and liveability. These efforts will contribute to increasing land productivity and support our plans to continue providing a robust supply of HDB flats to meet the housing needs of Singaporeans.

Another area where we will develop a large number of new flats is Toa Payoh. Toa Payoh was the first town to be comprehensively planned and built from scratch in the mid-1960s. The town has evolved over the years through efforts such as the Remaking Our Heartland programme, Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the Silver Upgrading Programme. We have improved connectivity and invested in major infrastructure in the area, such as the Caldecott MRT station, which is an interchange for the Thomson-East Coast and Circle Lines.

Over the past 10 years, we have added 4,500 new homes in Toa Payoh, which have brought in more younger families. To maintain Toa Payoh's unique character, we have kept iconic features like the dragon playground and the pedestrian mall at the town centre.

This year, HDB will be launching another BTO parcel right next to Caldecott MRT station. The parcel will feature around 1,600 units, including public rental flats, 2-room Flexi and 4-room flats, and also, the first Community Care Apartments (CCA) in Toa Payoh.

The development will include a new neighbourhood park with spaces for residents to exercise, play, rest and enjoy therapeutic activities as well as commercial facilities such as a food court and fast-food restaurant, a supermarket, retail shops and a childcare centre. An Active Ageing Centre will be established to cater to our CCA residents and other seniors from the community.

As residents move in a few years later, other major developments in the vicinity will be completed. This includes the North-South Corridor underground works, which will allow us to progressively transform the surface streets and strengthen the connections between Toa Payoh West and its surrounding areas.

To the west, wider footpaths across Thomson Road and Lornie Road will create safer and more pleasant crossings for pedestrians. Residents will be able to cycle or walk and enjoy nature at MacRitchie Reservoir just a short distance away.

To the east, residents will be able to easily access the rest of Toa Payoh, including the upcoming Toa Payoh Integrated Development (Sports and Lifestyle Hub) (or TPID), which is expected to be completed by 2030, hopefully earlier. Residents can enjoy TPID's sport facilities as well as a rejuvenated Toa Payoh town park, library and polyclinic.

A new mixed-use development with private residential units, retail and community uses will also be built at the Caldecott site. This will include a shopping centre, which will provide residents with more retail and dining options. It will be similar in scale as Woodleigh Mall in Bidadari.

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Over the next decade, we will launch more than 10,000 additional homes across Toa Payoh West and Mount Pleasant. These will be mostly for public housing as well as some private condominiums, including the mixed-use development that I just mentioned. In Toa Payoh West, these homes will be integrated into the lush, hilly terrain, some with views of MacRitchie Reservoir. We will build more neighbourhood parks, so residents can enjoy urban living integrated with nature. We will also ensure sufficient amenities, such as schools, community spaces and transport options.

Sir, MND will continue to develop and rejuvenate Toa Payoh and other older estates, as part of our efforts to provide a robust housing supply for Singaporeans.

Mr Chairman, Mr Pritam Singh has suggested to remove the income ceiling for HDB BTO flats entirely and impose additional restrictions on the buyers who exceed the income threshold.

Our current income ceiling covers around eight in 10 Singaporean households. With the New Flat Classification framework, the income ceiling is still necessary to ensure that highly subsidised BTO flats are prioritised for those who are earning below the income ceiling. This is because higher income earners can have access to other housing options.

And as Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Cai Yinzhou noted, we are reviewing the income ceiling for BTO flats. As a higher income ceiling will result in more people applying, we will need to ensure that the supply is adequate before we make these changes.

Sir, I do not have the data on the number of appeals for people who have exceeded the income thresholds on hand. So, I would like to invite Mr Singh to perhaps file a Parliamentary Question and we will provide him with the information. But, Sir, allow me to clarify that the number of appeals may not fully represent the potential increase in the demand for BTO flats if we were to remove the income ceiling entirely. So, this is something that I think we will need to study carefully. We need to understand what are the trade-offs, including that after you remove the income ceiling, there will be additional competition coming from those who have higher income, who have exceeded the income thresholds, for the buyers whose income fall below the income eligibility threshold.

So, this is something that I think we need to study carefully. I understand where Mr Singh is coming from and there are some trade-offs and I think it is a move that we will have to look at the trade-offs carefully.

Over the next few decades, we will progressively redevelop older HDB towns and estates through the VERS. Our plan is to start with a few sites in the first half of the next decade, before scaling up the programme from late-2030s.

I thank Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Xie Yao Quan for their suggestions, which we will consider carefully.

I have said previously that the VERS package should be fair to existing flat owners and also sustainable for future generations. I have also shared that we aim to flesh out as much of the VERS policy framework as possible in this term of Government. When we are ready with our initial proposals, MND and HDB will engage Singaporeans to take in further views and feedback before we firm up the policy. In the meantime, residents in our older public estates can continue to benefit from existing upgrading programmes, like the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the Silver Upgrading Programme.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about HIP and if we can share more details about how HIP II will meet residents’ changing needs as their estates age. Flat owners can look forward to a second round of upgrading works via HIP II when their flats reach the 60- to 70-year mark. HIP II will be more extensive than the current HIP, and will make use of new technologies, like microwave scanning, to ensure that our ageing estates are well maintained and liveable. We will share more about the scheme in due course.

Mr Liang also asked for more funding support for Town Councils to cope with rising costs and the challenges posed by ageing infrastructure, such as water seepage. Mr Singh asked about expanding the facade repairs co-payment scheme, so that the Government and Town Councils co-fund repairs for water seepage from block facades.

The Government provides funding support to assist Town Councils with their various areas of responsibility. Mr Liang spoke about some of these earlier. These include estate maintenance and improvement projects, lift maintenance and building façade repairs to ensure public safety. Such funding support is extended to all Town Councils.

For water seepage-related cases which require façade repairs to address public safety concerns, HDB currently co-funds repairs under the Façade Repairs Co-Payment Scheme. HDB also works closely with Town Councils to deal with more complex cases of water seepage by providing technical guidance. We will review Mr Singh’s suggestion, but as different cases may have their unique considerations, we will need to assess each case on its own merits.

Sir, maintaining our estates is a shared responsibility. Residents contribute through their S&CC, and Town Councils play an important role to ensure that maintenance and other services are delivered in a cost-efficient manner, with Government providing grants and technical support to complement these efforts.

I think this is the approach that we will continue to take. It is a shared responsibility and therefore, all the different parties will need to contribute to achieving the positive outcomes for our residents.

Beyond public housing, we have also been ramping up private housing supply. We expect about 12,000 units of private housing, including ECs, to be launched for sale by developers this year. And this is more than 50% higher than the number of units launched for sale in 2024 and broadly similar to 2025.

We are also studying how to enhance the liveability of private residential estates. Many private estate residents, including our seniors, have shared their concerns about rising maintenance costs and ageing facilities, especially in older estates. We are looking into how the Government can provide some co-funding support for our private estate in key upgrading works, particularly where it concerns safety and liveability. It will require a combination of carrots and sticks. Minister Indranee will share more about our plans.

We have seen moderation in the HDB resale and private housing markets in recent months. Growth in resale flat prices has slowed from 12.7% in 2021, to 2.9% in 2025. In the fourth quarter 2025, resale prices remained flat compared to the previous quarter, and this is the first time it has happened since first quarter 2020.

As at mid-February, HDB resale prices for 2026 have shown a slight decline of 0.1%. This follows from our strong pipeline of BTO flats as well as the four rounds of cooling measures we rolled out over the last few years. The measures have taken time to work their way through the market, and we are starting to see some initial results.

We are watching the market closely and stand ready to adjust our measures, bearing in mind that more flats will reach their MOP in the next few years, thereby increasing the supply of resale flats.

Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners to purchase resale flats. This applies to the private property owners who are below the age of 55 or for those who are above the age of 55 if they were to buy 5-room and larger flats.

Sir, while the recent data looks promising, as I shared earlier, it is prudent to monitor for a while more before making any adjustments. I want to assure the Members that we will remove this restriction when conditions allow. In the meantime, HDB will continue to consider appeals from households facing their own set of circumstances, and this will be done on a case-by-case basis.

In the private residential property market, for 2025, we similarly saw the smallest increase in prices since 2020.

Mr Louis Chua asked about how we can continue to ensure affordability for ECs. Similar points have been raised by others in this House previously, including Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Murali Pillai.

ECs were introduced to provide an option for higher-income Singaporeans who aspire to own private housing. EC developments are strata-titled and have design features and facilities similar to private condominium developments. ECs are therefore more comparable to private condominiums than resale flats, because resale flats are still part of public housing. While ECs are priced by private developers, the prices are lower than private housing as we impose initial eligibility and ownership restrictions, such as an income ceiling and a minimum occupation period. EC new sale prices are about 20% to 30% lower than comparable private condominiums. Eligible EC buyers can also benefit from a Central Provident Fund (CPF) Housing Grant of up to $30,000.

Sir, I understand the concerns which various Members have raised about ECs. We are reviewing the policy and will consider your suggestions as part of the review.

The second priority for MND is to transform our Built Environment (BE) sector to improve productivity and to reduce costs, time and manpower. This is not a new priority, but we need to give it a renewed focus and stronger push.

We have set out ambitious plans for Singapore’s development as an endearing home and global city; from providing a robust supply of public and private housing to laying the foundations for Singapore’s next bound of economic development – constructing Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Port, building new economic districts, expanding our rail network, and many more. These are long-term projects that will benefit many generations of Singaporeans and have lasting impact for decades to come.

To turn these plans into reality, our BE sector needs to be ready for the challenge. Mr Henry Kwek and Ms Lee Hui Ying spoke about this.

For example, how do we benefit from advances in technology to save time, costs and manpower? AI and robotics can transform construction into a fast, smart and highly automated process, where software systems help designers to optimise sub-components that can be constructed by 3D printers in days rather than months. Autonomous robots could be used to construct buildings, monitored in real-time for delays and safety by drones. And we can have safer worksites, lower costs, reduced wastage and better-quality buildings delivered faster than before, at better value to the owners and occupants.

This will also open up more exciting and meaningful job opportunities for Singaporeans, jobs which are no longer perceived to be “dusty, dirty and dangerous” but “dynamic, decarbonised and digitalised”. So, it is still three “Ds”, but a different set of three “Ds”, with strong growth prospects and career development pathways.

To achieve this, I announced last month that we have set up an Action Team to improve BE productivity. The team comprises representatives from Government agencies and the industry and will develop measures to help the industry achieve savings in time, costs and manpower. It will focus on three areas: scaling up the adoption of productive technologies and progressive practices; reviewing our regulatory approach to reduce regulatory compliance burden, support innovation and improve procurement and contracting practices; and supporting an enabling ecosystem for the industry to reap system-level synergies and address industry-wide challenges. We will also continue to focus on upskilling and investing in our architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers and many more, because people are at the heart of the BE sector.

On our part, the Government will continue to review our policies, rules and processes to keep regulatory burden and compliance costs as low as possible. Minister Indranee will share more in her speech.

The third priority for MND is to ensure that we continue developing Singapore sustainably for generations to come, by balancing different land use requirements and navigating trade-offs within the limited space we have.

We plan to build more homes, new economic districts, more transport connections and nodes. But as a small island city-state, our land supply is constrained. So, we have to be creative and think hard about how to optimise the use of every parcel of land.

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One way is to rejuvenate our older estates to ensure that they remain liveable and vibrant, and at the same time we can intensify how the land is used. Outram and Toa Payoh, which I spoke about earlier, are some examples.

We will continue to study how we can harness new technologies, such as by building taller flats in other parts of Singapore and through the use of systems like the Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System, which frees up land for other uses. We will also look at other ways of optimising land use, such as making better use of under-utilised spaces like the area under flyovers and MRT viaducts.

As we develop and grow, we will keep an eye on conservation – preserving key green and blue spaces, and valuable pieces of our heritage. We will have to navigate these trade-offs carefully, to develop Singapore sustainably for future generations. Minister of State Tan will share more about how we are doing so.

Mr Chairman, over the past six decades, Singaporeans have transformed our small island into a thriving global city and endearing home. But we are not done building Singapore. We must continue to build on our fundamentals, while looking ahead to the future with confidence and optimism.

For our homebuyers and residents, we will keep up a robust supply of private and public housing, and we will create common spaces where we can build strong communities. To our industry partners, we will work with you to grow a stronger, more productive and more resilient BE sector. One which can also provide many good jobs for our people. And for younger Singaporeans and our future generations, we will continue to plan boldly and build sustainably for the longer term, so that we leave behind a better future for you than what we have inherited from our forefathers.

The Chairman: Minister Indranee Rajah.

The Second Minister for National Development (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their cuts. My speech will cover three broad areas. Transforming the BE sector and strengthening the pipeline of BE professionals, governance, liveability and maintenance of strata developments, and improving accessibility of buildings.

We have many exciting plans for our city. Last December, we gazetted our Master Plan, which lays out the blueprint for the development of Singapore over the next 10 to 15 years. We will construct Changi Airport Terminal 5, redevelop Paya Lebar Air Base into a new-generation town, unlock the potential of the Greater Southern Waterfront and create Long Island to build homes and enhance coastal protection along the East Coast.

We will build at least 80,000 new homes across more than 10 new housing areas islandwide over the next 10 to 15 years. We will expand our rail network by over 100 kilometres and lay out over 50 kilometres of new park connectors by the 2030s, to create a more connected, sustainable and liveable Singapore.

To accomplish our ambitious development plans, we will need many more architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers, builders and other skilled professionals. We estimate that over the next decade, we will need at least 1,000 new architects and engineers per year to join the sector and contribute towards Singapore's development. Hence, young people who are looking for future careers with strong growth prospects and rewarding career development pathways with meaning and purpose should consider the BE sector.

Our distinctive city skyline, our iconic buildings like Jewel and the Marina Bay Sands, every HDB flat housing a family, every MRT station connecting communities, every school nurturing the next generation – are all legacies of the BE professionals whose work has left a lasting impact on our people's lives. And in a time of climate change, it is the BE professionals who will be the vanguard in the battle for sustainability.

In 2024, we set up the Taskforce for Architectural and Engineering Consultants, co-chaired by Mr Chaly Mah, Chairman of the Surbana Jurong (SJ) Group and myself. Last year, the Taskforce completed its work and launched a suite of 11 recommendations to strengthen the BE pipeline and its transformation. Today, I am pleased to share the strong industry response and tangible progress achieved to date.

To deepen the on-the-job learning, improve mentorship, and enable higher starting salaries, we have launched an enhanced internship programme called "INSPIRE". Its key features include Interactive Mentorship, Structured Learning, Purposeful Tasks, Innovative Solutions and Rewarding Experience – hence, "INSPIRE".

Under INSPIRE, the internships will be extended to minimally 30 weeks and are structured to help interns develop key technical and soft skills. The internship can be done over multiple stints with the same firm without delaying graduation timelines.

Dedicated mentors will guide interns and provide advice in areas such as career development and excelling in the workplace. Firms will also offer a higher internship allowance of at least $1,500, and a higher starting salary above market rate if the intern joins them after graduation. The industry has responded positively. Firms like PH Consulting, DCA Architects, and Aedas, have committed to the programme.

SJ Group has onboarded six interns who have started their internships since January 2026. Among them is Charlotte Chan, a third-year civil engineering student from the Nanyang Technological University. She opted for the 30-week INSPIRE internship rather than the standard 20-week internship. Charlotte was motivated by the opportunity to contribute more to projects and deepen her learning experience. She has expressed appreciation for her supervisor's dedicated mentorship and the higher allowance that INSPIRE interns receive.

The number of participating firms is expected to grow as more industry players recognise the value of nurturing interns with strong workforce readiness. As the INSPIRE internship will deepen skills acquisition, the Professional Engineers Board (PEB) and the Board of Architects (BOA) will recognise this pre-graduation experience as qualifying practical experience towards professional registration.

Beyond fresh graduates, the PEB and BOA will recognise relevant business and leadership related courses as part of the Continuing Professional Development framework to encourage our practising professionals to strengthen business capabilities and acumen.

Industry branding efforts are also showing early results. Through the BuildSG Marketing Campaign, we worked closely with industry leaders, trade association and chambers, working professionals, students, and the public to position the sector as a career of choice. Over the past academic year, there has been an increase in students applying for and enrolling in architecture and civil engineering courses. We will press on with efforts to attract our fair share of the best and brightest to join the BE sector.

For our next phase, we will work on uplifting the quantity surveying profession. Quantity surveyors (QSes), sit at the intersection of engineering, finance and law, and they play critical roles in the smooth delivery of projects. Their expertise lies in managing contracts and project costs within the consultant team.

As QSes' work will be increasingly automated with technology, the QS profession will need to redefine its role and provide more value-added services to stay relevant. This requires the QS profession to build new competencies, master new technologies and strengthen the talent pipeline.

We have established a workgroup to look into this, comprising QS representatives, service buyers, the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL), and relevant agencies. The QS workgroup will consult stakeholders widely and make recommendations to uplift and future-proof the QS profession. I encourage everyone to share your feedback and suggestions with us.

Mr Henry Kwek asked how we intend to increase productivity and be more pro-enterprise for the BE sector, and Ms Lee Hui Ying asked about our long-term plans to support the growth of the construction industry through infrastructure, manpower and talent. These are pertinent questions that highlight the need for the continued transformation of the BE sector.

The Members also raised valid concerns regarding growing cost pressures and supply chain volatility. We hear your concerns and are taking several steps to address them.

First, we recognise that contractors need greater visibility of key cost drivers to plan effectively. The Government is working closely across agencies to improve forward projections and coordination for critical resources, including soil disposal capacity and dormitory supply. Additionally, we will explore how to provide the industry with more regular updates on the timeline of major infrastructure projects to support more informed project planning decisions.

Minister Chee earlier shared about our plans to help the wider BE sector save time, cost and manpower through the Action Team to improve BE productivity. Let me build on this with a few examples by various stakeholders that complement these initiatives.

First, we have enhanced our procurement and regulatory frameworks.

Following the successful pilot of the "Reduced Fee Score" (RFS), BCA has expanded the RFS to cover public sector projects up to $100 million since December 2025, to discourage fee-diving and put greater emphasis on quality-based procurement. The early results are promising – out of 11 tenders using the RFS since 2024, 10 were awarded to bids with the highest quality scores.

The Limitation of Liability clause is now a default provision in the Standard Consultancy Agreement between Government Procuring Entities and consultants. This enables fairer risk allocations and allows consultants to be better insured against professional liabilities.

We hear Ms Lee Hui Ying's suggestion to review the liability framework for contractors, to ensure robust safety standards while allowing the industry to operate productively. BCA will continue to work closely with contractors and refresh our policies taking into consideration industry feedback.

Second, we have launched the Built Environment Culture of Appreciation, Respect and Empathy (BE CARE) Charter. The Charter outlines best practices to develop more collaborative relationships amongst project teams and strengthen workplace well-being. Over 50 firms and service buyers have committed to it since September 2025.

Arup Singapore is a good example of how the BE CARE spirit can be translated in practical actions. Arup promotes a culture where employees feel safe to speak up and raise concerns. It has put in place frameworks for staff to escalate issues or seek support from the leadership and people team, including anonymous hotline and whistleblower channels.

For project meetings, Arup practises smart communication by planning clear meeting agendas and involving only relevant participants. Staff also respect one another's rest periods by scheduling after-hours emails and having structured handovers before leave days. These are simple practices but make a difference in creating a culture that supports staff well-being.

I encourage more firms to come onboard to collectively improve the BE workplace culture.

Third, we are making progress in leveraging technology. Architectural firms are embracing AI to transform work processes. DP Architects has founded a technology startup, Spatial Intelligence for Design (SID), which is developing AI solutions for the industry.

We encourage more firms to seize the new opportunities that arise as more technologies mature. Interested firms may tap on the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) or the Built Environment Technology and Capability Grant for support.

The new PSG tranche will expand support to more solutions, including AI and advanced equipment, such as robotics and automation, including remote-controlled machineries and inspection and imaging equipment, which have shown encouraging productivity gains.

Fourth, trade associations and chambers have ramped up efforts to support their member firms and drive industry transformation in various areas. For example, the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) will be developing an employment resource guide, which includes structured courseware and practical workshops for SIA member firms. This initiative equips human resource officers with the skills to better define job roles and chart career progression pathways across the firm. This will enable firms to attract suitable talent and better craft employment contracts as well as support employees in their career development.

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These are some of the efforts to implement the taskforce's recommendations to transform the BE sector. Our work does not end here. Moving ahead, we look forward to higher participation by even more stakeholders and greater momentum. The Government will also continue to review our policies in partnership with the industry to further improve BE efficiency and productivity.

Next, let me turn to our plans to improve governance, liveability and maintenance in condominiums and other strata developments.

As strata developments age, Management Corporations Strata Titles (MCSTs) and unit owners have expressed concerns about rising maintenance costs, ageing facilities and the challenges of collective decision-making to make improvements. We must address these to ensure that these developments continue to be liveable and meet residents' needs, especially for our seniors.

We are undertaking a comprehensive review to strengthen the Building (Strata Management) Act. We will focus on four key areas: first, helping MCSTs work towards accumulating adequate sinking funds for essential maintenance, repairs or upgrades; second, reducing consent thresholds for essential works; third, strengthening self-governance frameworks to promote fair and efficient management of estates; and fourth, clarifying the responsibilities of strata-titled stakeholders.

Let me elaborate on our proposed enhancements to steer MCSTs to maintain adequate sinking funds.

Today, many MCSTs only start collecting funds for lift replacement when the ageing lifts start to experience wear and tear and parts become obsolete. If the MCSTs do not have sufficient sinking funds, they will need to collect special levies from unit owners, which may not be an insignificant sum and for which the owners may not be prepared. This can be avoided if the MCSTs start building up the funds earlier.

To have some oversight over MCSTs' financial planning, we are exploring requiring MCSTs to submit and publish key information about their budgets and finances in a standard format. This would make it easier for unit owners and prospective buyers to understand and track the financial health and sinking fund adequacy of the MCSTs.

On strengthening governance, we are studying measures to prevent gaming of voting systems. We have received feedback on situations where a small group collects many proxy votes and controls decisions in the development. This may not necessarily reflect the best interests of the majority of owners. We are therefore considering limiting the percentage of total proxies which can be held by each household and ensuring that council members undergo proper training.

These changes aim to make estate management fairer and more efficient.

BCA has been engaging strata stakeholders on some of these proposed amendments since June 2025 through platforms such as focus group discussions. To build on this, we will conduct public consultations from 9 March to 8 April 2026. We strongly encourage residents of strata developments to provide your feedback. This review will strengthen our strata management framework to ensure that private residential developments remain well-maintained, accessible and liveable.

We are studying measures to improve the safety and accessibility of our buildings and infrastructure.

One area that we are looking into is enhancing the safety of older lifts and escalators. We are reviewing measures to ensure that ageing lifts and escalators keep pace with modern safety standards such as through the inclusion of features that regulate their speed and movement. We are also exploring providing co-funding support for select essential safety features to eligible private building owners and operators. We will share more details when ready.

As our population ages, our accessibility needs will increase. Many buildings were built in the earlier years when accessibility standards were less well developed.

Introduced in 2007, the Accessibility Fund (AF) provides co-funding to encourage private building owners to upgrade their properties with accessibility and universal design features. MND is reviewing potential enhancements to the AF to better support our seniors, persons with disabilities and families to navigate their living environment more safely, including in private developments.

Currently, active ageing and dementia-friendly features are not eligible for funding under the AF. Under the review, we will consider expanding AF funding to cover senior-related features such as senior-friendly fitness stations and dementia-friendly signages. These enhancements aim to create living spaces that enable seniors to stay mobile and physically active and continue living comfortably in familiar surroundings as they age.

To encourage more buildings to pursue upgrades in line with the latest accessibility codes, we are also exploring expanding the AF eligibility to include more private buildings beyond those built before the implementation of the 1990 and 2013 Code on Accessibility.

To boost participation and reduce the cost for private developments, we are also reviewing the amount of co-funding support. Details will be announced in due course.

The initiatives I have outlined today reflect our unwavering commitment to build a better Singapore for all generations, present and future. As we build tomorrow's Singapore together, we do so with confidence that our investments today will create a built environment that is world-class in standards and deeply rooted in our values of inclusivity, safety and excellence. This is how we ensure that Singapore remains a place every citizen will be proud to call home.

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling.

The Senior Minister of State for National Development (Ms Sun Xueling): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions.

Housing is a deeply personal issue because housing needs vary across households and life stages. For example, couples thinking about settling down and starting a family will have different needs from seniors planning ahead for retirement and independent living. We want to ensure that our housing policies and options cater to the diverse needs of various groups across different life stages.

Many young couples apply for a BTO flat as their first home. As Mr Foo Cexiang pointed out, affordability and accessibility are top concerns for these young couples. This is understandable since housing is likely one of their most significant financial commitments at this stage of their life journey.

Securing a home may feel daunting for those who have just started working or if you have heard stories of people who applied many times but were unable to secure a flat. We understand these concerns, which is why we will continue to support our young couples in your homeownership journey.

First, as Minister Chee mentioned in his speech, we will maintain a strong supply of BTO flats.

The majority of these flats – at least 90% of 4-room and bigger flats – are set aside for first-timer families. About two-thirds of first-timer families who applied in 2023 and 2024 were able to book a flat. Since then, application rates have fallen further. In the most recent BTO sales exercise just last month, the median application rate for first-timer families applying for 3-room and bigger flats was 0.9 times.

For young couples who want to secure a flat earlier, we encourage you to consider applying for a less competitive project. Your chances of success will be higher.

Second, we continue to keep flats affordable.

Our BTO flats are priced with significant market discounts. Even for young couples just starting out in your careers, it is likely that you will be able to make your monthly HDB housing repayments with little or no cash outlay. This was the case for nine out of 10 first-timer families who collected keys to their BTO flats in 2025.

For first-timer young couples, the Staggered Downpayment Scheme reduces the initial downpayment to as low as 5% of the flat price. Couples where one party is in or freshly out of school or National Service can apply to defer their income assessment for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant and an HDB housing loan until just before key collection and potentially have their initial downpayment further reduced to 2.5% of the flat price.

Third, for eligible families who have booked a flat and require temporary housing while awaiting flat completion, we support them through subsidised rental via the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). Since 2021, we have significantly ramped up PPHS supply from about 800 units to more than 4,000 today.

Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about raising the PPHS income ceiling. Today, the PPHS income ceiling is set at $7,000 to better target support at families who are less able to afford renting a flat from the open market.

Collectively, these measures demonstrate our commitment to support young couples in purchasing their first home.

As families settle in and grow, their housing needs may change. Mr Foo Cexiang and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked how we are supporting the needs of larger families.

Today, families with three or more children can benefit from the Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS). The scheme is open to both first- and second-timer households. Eligible families receive priority allocation for up to 5% of flats sold in the BTO and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises.

TCPS has been quite popular with application rates of around five times for 5-room and bigger flats. I am pleased to share that we will enhance the TCPS.

First, we will double the current TCPS quota from 5% of the BTO and SBF flat supply to 10% of the BTO and SBF flat supply. This will allow more eligible families to secure a flat.

Second, we will expand the eligibility criteria so that families can qualify for TCPS from the time when the mother is expecting her third child.

These changes will take effect from the June 2026 sales exercise.

Furthermore, to support larger families, we will work towards increasing the supply of bigger flats in the longer term. This is part of our strategy to sustain a robust supply of HDB flats.

We recognise that there will be applicants who face specific and unique challenges, such as single unwed parents, as mentioned by Mr Cai Yinzhou and Mr Foo Cexiang or those with widowed or divorced parents, as mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim. Mr David Hoe also earlier suggested greater flexibility on the Minimum Occupation Period for families who have grown and need bigger flats with more space.

For such cases, we will consider their extenuating circumstances and are prepared to exercise flexibility on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond flat affordability and accessibility, we are also doing more to support residents' move-in and living experience.

For residents moving into new large-scale BTO estates, new amenities may take some time to become fully operational. To improve the move-in experience, MND and HDB set up the BTO Coordination Committee comprising partner agencies like the Land Transport Authority (LTA), National Environment Agency (NEA), Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and People's Association (PA). In the past eight months, we have had intensive discussions with grassroots advisers and identified five key areas where agencies will better support residents moving into new large-scale BTO estates.

First, bus operations in new housing estates are usually introduced when there is a critical mass of residents, about three months after the first residents have collected their keys. We have heard feedback that the first batch of residents need earlier transport connectivity to help in their moving-in.

To support transport connectivity, HDB and LTA will plan for at least one bus service to be operational in tandem with the first batch of key collection in new large-scale BTO estates. These bus services will be accessible from a bus stop within walking distance of the BTOs and connect residents to amenities and transport nodes such as bus interchanges or MRT stations.

In cases where a regular service cannot commence immediately, agencies will look at interim shuttle bus services.

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Second, residents want some access to cooked food and groceries when they move in. Currently, shop operators who rent from HDB commence operations about nine months after the first batch of residents collect their keys, as this is when they assess that there are enough residents to support their business viability. HDB will introduce three initiatives to support shop operators so that residents can enjoy earlier access to cooked food and groceries.

First, HDB has relooked construction timelines and will bring forward the completion of shops as close as possible to the first batch of key collection. HDB will also pre-build outdoor refreshment areas, instead of coffee shop operators having to do so themselves. This will reap time savings of up to eight months and provide cost savings for operators.

Next, HDB will increase the rent-free period for HDB shops in new BTO projects from two months to a maximum of six months. Similarly, for coffee shops, their rent-free period will increase from the current three months to a maximum of six months. This will apply to shop tenders from March 2026, and shops will need to start operations early to enjoy the maximum six-month rent-free period.

For the first two years of operations, HDB also staggers rents, with rent set at 80% and 90% for the first and second year respectively. To enhance support for shop operators, HDB will further lower the rent paid in the first year to 70%. Shop operators can start with a smaller offering of groceries and cooked food, before ramping up to the full offering when a critical mass of residents move in.

Finally, subject to market interest, HDB will consider deploying ready-to-eat, value meals in some HDB blocks that are further away from the coffee shops.

Third, the timelines for childcare centres starting operations can vary. We found that some childcare centres are ready seven months after the first batch of residents collect their keys, while others can take more than a year to be ready. This can be problematic for families who have young children at the point of moving in. Moving forward, we will work closely with ECDA to better support residents with young children moving into new large-scale BTO estates.

First, HDB will aim to site childcare centres in the first blocks to be completed. This better aligns the timeline for childcare centre readiness and the first batch of residents moving in. Second, HDB and ECDA will also streamline construction and handover processes. Potential childcare centre operators will be invited to view the premises as early as possible, to facilitate planning for renovation works. Taken together, childcare centres in new large-scale BTO estates will be up and running earlier. We will plan for them to commence operations within six months after the first batch of residents collect their keys.

The fourth area is with regard to sheltered linkways. Today, HDB plans new BTO estates with a network of sheltered linkways to support residents' daily movements from within the precinct to key transport nodes nearby, such as bus stops. Where practical, linkways are also built to connect residents to amenities adjacent to the BTO estate, such as schools or neighbourhood centres. Moving forward, HDB will enhance the standard for the provision of sheltered linkways in new BTOs where there are clear benefits to residents' safety and convenience, and these linkways will be built before residents move in.

However, not all linkways will be built prior to key collection as residents' walking patterns and accessibility needs may evolve after they move in. Town Councils and other agencies may also add or extend linkways progressively, factoring in residents' walking patterns and new amenities which may be introduced over time. This ensures that estates remain connected in service of residents' needs over time.

Finally, we have also heard feedback about indiscriminate dumping of bulky waste for a small number of new BTO projects, especially during the initial move-in period. HDB is working with the NEA and Town Councils to step up the provision of skip tanks, which are large bins for disposing of bulky items and receptacles, such as metal cages or recycling bins, to provide convenience to residents during the initial move-in period.

Since August 2025, HDB has been providing 50% co-funding to Town Councils that wish to deploy skip tanks at newly completed projects within the first year of the project's completion. We will continue to do so for projects in new large-scale BTO estates. In addition, HDB will strengthen enforcement against indiscriminate dumping by renovation contractors. This includes reviewing the penalty framework to implement stiffer penalties for errant contractors.

Every estate is different and there can be project-specific issues that cause some variation. However, with the basic principles established, we can strive towards achieving these standards for new large-scale BTO estates and can improve the move-in experience for our residents.

We are also improving the liveability of our estates through stakeholder and resident engagement. We recognise that our HDB homes are not only a roof above our heads but also a place to grow and to improve our well-being.

In December last year, we introduced the Play Values Framework. This recognises that our playgrounds are an important infrastructure and community space for our young families with children. With this in mind, we actively consulted early childhood and health professionals, playground specialists and parents.

The published framework emphasises three key aspects of play – physical, social and creative – to address the developmental needs of younger children aged two to five, and older children aged five to 12. We will apply the framework as we build new playgrounds in BTO projects from 2026, and we will work with Town Councils to refresh existing ones in other developed estates. More will be shared in the coming months.

Another aspect of a good living environment is convenient access to essential goods and services. Mr Louis Chua asked about how we ensure good supply and diversity of our neighbourhood shops. Our usual approach is to have a Town Centre at the heart of every HDB town, to serve as the key commercial hub and provide a broad range of goods and services, such as supermarkets, food and beverage outlets and retail shops. The town centre is complemented by neighbourhood centres that are distributed across the town.

In selected precincts that are located further away from the town centre and neighbourhood centres, HDB will also build precinct shops which generally include an eating house, supermarket or minimart and a few shops. Most residents will be able to access commercial facilities with a food court or eating house within 400 metres from their homes.

I thank Mr Louis Chua for his suggestion on having large-scale tenders for hot food vending machine cafes. Most residents would prefer commercial facilities, such as a food court or eating houses. When Members have identified specific HDB estates that need vending machines or hot food and which is supported by market demand and supply, HDB will discuss with Members to facilitate the process.

Mr Azhar Othman and Mr Pritam Singh raised suggestions on rental rates and transparency. Several Members including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Ang Wei Neng, Ms Mariam Jaafar and Mr Louis Chua have made similar points in this House on 24 September 2025. Mr Azhar suggested that rents be monitored and adjusted by a committee, like the Public Transport Council.

I would like to highlight that shop rentals are fundamentally different from public transport fares. Shops can have a variety of attributes, like location, layout, trade use and branding, which leads to different service offerings and therefore command different rental rates. Also, unlike public transport, each rental transaction is a distinct contractual agreement between willing landlords and tenants, where landlords and tenants take into account market dynamics before making their decision. Public transport, on the other hand, serves the mass public and allows for fare-setting to ensure affordability and financial sustainability.

Mr Azhar Othman and Mr Pritam Singh, like the Members before them, including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Ang Wei Neng and Ms Mariam Jaafar, want to see reasonable and sustainable HDB shop rental rates. At MND, we have the same objectives. Let me share what HDB is doing to keep HDB rental rates reasonable and competitive.

First, HDB ensures a good supply of shops in every HDB estate and town. When there is adequate supply, tenants have a choice of where to rent, and customers have a choice of where to buy. If rents and product prices are too expensive, both tenants and customers have a choice to go elsewhere.

Second, for shops rented out by HDB, we have introduced new measures to keep rents stable. To encourage prudent bids, successful bidders of all new shop tenders from January 2026 are required to maintain their tendered rent for two tenancy terms instead of one tenancy term of three years. Tenderers are thus encouraged to strike a balance between competitiveness and business sustainability when submitting their tender bids.

For HDB shop tenants facing financial difficulties, HDB will work closely to provide targeted support, where feasible, so that residents can continue to have access to affordable goods and services in their neighbourhood.

In terms of stall rents in HDB coffee shops, it is HDB's intent to enhance transparency and support a well-functioning market by making available relevant rental data to members of the public so that potential stall holders can make prudent business decisions. HDB has announced in January 2026 that we will start collecting data on stall rents charged by rental coffee shop operators and we will look at how this data can be presented in an accessible way to the public. We are exploring the feasibility of collecting and publishing other relevant rental data for HDB coffee shops, such as the rent charged by HDB for outdoor refreshment areas.

For HDB sold shops which are in private hands, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) maintains records on lease and tenancy transactions of privately-owned HDB shops that are submitted to IRAS for the payment of stamp duty. This rental data collected by IRAS is made available by geographical location and property type on URA's Real Estate Information System (REALIS). We are committed to publishing accurate data which will help potential shop or stall holders make their decisions. And we will consider a dedicated portal if that is necessary.

More broadly, we are also taking a whole-of-Government approach to prevent, detect and penalise money laundering activities, including through strengthening our monitoring and sensemaking mechanisms. This helps to safeguard our markets, including public and private rental markets, guarding against the impact of such illicit activities.

Taken together, these measures help to ensure that our residents continue to have convenient access to an affordable and diverse selection of heartland shops and services.

Mr Chairman, I will now say a few words in Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): To help the residents access quality and affordable goods and services, as well as to maintain reasonable and stable rentals, HDB will ensure that each housing estate and town has sufficient supply of shops.

For shops under HDB, we have other measures to maintain the stability of shop rentals. Since 2018, HDB has evaluated tender submissions for new coffee shops and new supermarkets based on the “price-quality” method.

HDB not only considers the tender price but also conducts a more comprehensive evaluation of the tender proposals. In addition, HDB has also launched the following measures in January this year.

First, to encourage rational bidding, successful bidders are required to maintain their tendered rent for two tenancy terms instead of one tenancy term of three years. Second, to protect stall holders’ interests, HDB has begun collecting data on stall rents charged by coffee shop operators under its management in order to provide stall holders with more comprehensive and transparent rental information.

The above policies ensure the reasonableness and stability of rental rates for shops under HDB, allowing residents to continue enjoying reasonably priced goods and services.

(In English): Mr Chairman, we will update our housing policies to support the diverse needs of different groups, including young couples, larger families and seniors. In recent years, we have stepped up our efforts to make our HDB towns more liveable, inclusive and responsive to residents' needs.

We will continue to work with Singaporeans to build flats and neighbourhoods that they are proud to call home.

The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and cuts.

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Building an inclusive and cohesive society has always been at the heart of Singapore's public housing story. As Minister Chee mentioned, I will share how we have been and will continue to strengthen housing support for the more vulnerable Singaporeans.

Let me start with the Public Rental Scheme (PRS), a vital social safety net for our lower-income and vulnerable households.

Over the years, we have been improving HDB flat designs, including for our public rental flats. Newer rental blocks have better ventilation and natural lighting. We have improved the layout of each unit to maximise usable space. Rental blocks are also better integrated within each estate to facilitate access to precinct facilities.

In fact, today we have rental flats in the same blocks as sold flats. We call these integrated blocks. They create more opportunities for families living in rental flats and sold flats to interact and contribute to our broader vision of building a more inclusive society. HDB has completed eight such integrated blocks and another 36 are under construction.

Integrated blocks will form part of the approximately 6,300 public rental flats that will be completed over the next five years. This will increase our total supply of rental flats while also helping to refresh some of our existing rental stock. It will also further bring down waiting times for rental flats, which has already improved from a high of 11 months during COVID-19 to an average of three months today.

For many of our vulnerable families, the public rental scheme has been an important source of support. Take Mr Nazri's family for instance. Mr Nazri Zakaria, Ms Nurfitrah Yahya and their four young children moved into a 2-room public rental flat in 2020. Back then, home ownership felt unattainable. But agencies stepped in to lend a hand. Their family benefitted from the ComLink+ programme, where MSF works with agencies, including HDB, to provide integrated support to families with children under 21. Alongside this, HDB's Home ownership Support Team (HST) reached out to Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah to help them along their journey towards home ownership.

Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah shared that the assistance from the HST has been invaluable. While Mr Nazri had secured stable full-time employment as a bus driver to help his family regain their financial footing, home ownership still felt like a distant possibility initially. This was because the decision to purchase a home is indeed a big one.

The HST worked through the purchase price of their possible flat options, explaining how much downpayment would be required as well as the anticipated monthly mortgage repayments. By breaking down the cost, the couple had better awareness of how this could fit within their budget. Home ownership started to seem more attainable. The HST then guided Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah in their flat selection process and remained an important resource for the family all the way until they collected the keys to their new 4-room flat in Yishun recently.

Today, Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah are happy homeowners and I was privileged enough to meet their family at their new home.

I am heartened by Mr Fadli Fawzi's support for the Government's efforts in helping lower-income families accelerate their transition to home ownership. Indeed, Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah's story is one of many. In 2025, more than 2,000 of our existing rental households have booked a flat and are awaiting its completion.

We have been doing even more to support rental households. Last year, we increased the Fresh Start Housing Grant for eligible second-timer ComLink+ rental families from $50,000 to $75,000. Sixty thousand dollars will be dispersed upfront to help the family reduce the mortgage loan required for the flat purchase and the remaining $15,000 will be dispersed over five years after key collection to support their mortgage payments.

We also extended the Fresh Start Housing Scheme to first-timer ComLink+ rental families. They are now allowed to buy a 2-room Flexi or 3-room Standard flat on a shorter lease, which will be more affordable compared to those on a 99-year lease. As first-timers, they are eligible for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant up to $120,000 in lieu of the Fresh Start Housing Grant.

These enhancements will help empower even more households to achieve home ownership. HDB will also continue to work with rental households individually as home ownership is a long-term financial undertaking that is best informed by understanding each family's unique circumstances. Mr Chairman, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): For many vulnerable families, HDB's rental flat scheme has been an important source of support that provides protection and relief when they face hardship.

Take Mr Nazri and his family for instance. I met them recently when they were making preparations to celebrate Hari Raya.

In 2020, Mr Nazri Zakaria, his wife Ms Nurfitrah Yahya and their four young children moved into a 2-room HDB rental flat. They benefitted from the ComLink+ programme, where MSF works with agencies, including HDB, to provide integrated support to families with children under 21 years old. It encompasses assistance, such as in employment, education and housing.

Things improved further when HDB's Home ownership Support Team (HST) reached out to them. HST guided them to examine their home purchase budget and flat options and prepared a clear plan towards home ownership. Through stable employment, joint efforts and consistent savings, Mr Nazri and Ms Nurfitrah, are now proud owners of a new 4-room flat in Yishun.

Their journey was not easy, but it was made easier with strong and continuous support.

Many other families experience similar life struggles. Throughout 2025, more than 2,000 HDB rental households have already booked HDB flats and are waiting for their completion. We are expanding our efforts to support HDB rental households.

Last year, the Fresh Start Housing Grant for eligible Second-Timer ComLink+ rental families was increased from $50,000 to $75,000. Additionally, the Fresh Start Housing Scheme was also extended to First-Timer ComLink+ rental families, enabling them to buy a 2-room Flexi or 3-room Standard flat on a shorter lease.

These measures will give opportunities to more HDB rental families to achieve their dream of owning a home and therefore improve their family's well-being.

(In English): While most of our rental households are families, a substantial 40% are singles. Under the Joint Singles Scheme, single applicants must find co-applicants before they apply. We recognise that this can be challenging.

That is why we introduced the Joint Singles Scheme Operator Run (JSS-OR) pilot in 2021. Under the JSS-OR, applicants can apply individually and the social service agency that is appointed as the operator will help them to identify a suitable flatmate.

Mr Lee Chwee San is one such applicant. He applied alone back in 2022 and New Hope Community Services, the operator for the Bukit Batok JSS-OR site, helped him to find a suitable flatmate.

The operator also helps to manage tenancy matters, mediates among tenants where necessary and organises activities to bring tenants together. This has made a difference for Mr Lee, whom I met recently. He had attended a lohei session organised by New Hope and shared that such activities, which also include games sessions and other festive celebrations, were welcome opportunities to interact and bond with other tenants in the block.

We further expanded options with the Single Room Shared Facilities (SRSF) pilot in 2024. Under SRSF, tenants have individual bedrooms but access to shared facilities.

Both pilots cater to different preferences and both have received positive feedback. That is why we launched the first purpose-built SRSF block in October last year and will scale up both typologies in the coming years. More details will be shared when ready.

Another group that we are paying increasingly close attention to is our seniors. As Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin highlighted, your housing needs will evolve as you age. Some seniors want to monetise their flat, either by renting their flat out or by selling part of the remaining lease of their flat back to HDB. Others may prefer right-sizing to a smaller flat, notwithstanding the good memories of their current home. With a smaller flat, maintenance is easier and the proceeds can supplement their retirement needs.

These are personal decisions and we will support Singaporeans regardless of the option they choose.

For those who prefer to age in place, you can sell part of your flat's remaining lease to HDB under the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS). The proceeds will be used to top up your CPF Retirement Account and provide you with monthly lifelong payouts under CPF LIFE. LBS also provides owners with up to $30,000 in cash bonus. From 2021 to 2025, for a 4-room flat, the average LBS proceeds, including the portion used to top up the CPF Retirement Account, plus the LBS bonus received was over $200,000.

Alternatively, you can right-size to a smaller flat and use the sales proceeds to support your retirement. Seniors who right-size to a 3-room or smaller flat can qualify for the Silver Housing Bonus of up to $40,000. For instance, seniors can consider applying for a new 2-room Flexi flat from HDB or right-sizing to a CCA. A CCA integrates housing with care services and comes with preinstalled fittings and senior-friendly designs. Activities are regularly organised for seniors to interact and seniors receive custodial support through a community manager, providing a peace of mind.

We have launched five CCAs since 2021. The next one is in Toa Payoh later this year. We will continue launching more CCAs across various towns, depending on the need.

But there is a limit to how many CCAs we can build. That is why we are also doing more to make our living environment more senior-friendly and ensure that our seniors can age in place comfortably. Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Liang Eng Hwa will be pleased to hear that agencies are working together to roll out Age Well Neighbourhoods, starting with the first one in Toa Payoh. In each Age Well Neighbourhood, we will improve access to healthcare services and upgrade senior-friendly amenities. This will add to the housing and care options available for seniors. We will continue to review and refine these options for seniors as we go along.

We are also heartened to hear Mr Cai Yinzhou's interest in senior-friendly fittings for residents to age in place.

Even if you are not in an Age Well Neighbourhood, you can still benefit from the many improvements through our upgrading programmes. These include the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP) for HDB precincts and our Estate Upgrading Programme for private estates. Four precincts in Chong Boon will be the first to benefit from the SUP when the works are complete later this year. By next year, works will complete for another 12 precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah and Toa Payoh.

Mr Fadli Fawzi asked about schemes for improvements within the flat to enable seniors to live more comfortably and securely. Seniors can tap on the EASE to receive subsidies to install items that improve mobility and safety. This is offered as part of HIP and EASE (Direct Application). From April this year, private estates can also benefit from EASE (Private).

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Mr Cai Yinzhou also mentioned technologies, such as fire and fall detection. We have installed Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFADs), in over 80% of our public rental flats, with the remainder being progressively equipped at no cost to tenants. HFAD installation is also offered under EASE and in flats that have fire-rated doors installed under HIP.

On fall detection, HDB partners commercial vendors to offer optional fall detection packages that residents living in sold flats may subscribe to. The Ministry of Health will also roll out the enhanced Home Personal Care service, which includes 24/7 technology-enabled monitoring to detect falls and incidents.

Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Dennis Tan asked about our LUP. Since 2001, the LUP has brought direct lift access to 99% of our HDB blocks. Over the years, HDB has piloted and adopted various solutions to bring direct lift access to more blocks. These include machine-room-less lifts and bubble lifts. In 2025, LUP was announced for six blocks and there are plans for LUP to be extended to about 40 more blocks progressively. Residents living in these blocks will be informed in due course.

For residents living in blocks without direct lift access, including those in segmented flats, we have enhanced the Lift Access Housing Grant last year. Eligible families and singles can receive up to $80,000 and $40,000 respectively, to move to a flat with direct lift services. HDB continues to explore new ways to bring direct life access to the remaining blocks, such as working with research institutes to develop and test out new solutions.

Earlier this year, HDB also called for proposals under the HDB Cool Ideas Enterprise. This is a platform that provides enterprises with funding support, mentorship and access to testbed facilities to co-develop solutions that improve the HDB living environment and residents' quality of life.

I would also like to address Mr Dennis Tan's point that his resident at Block 832 did not know that their flat did not have the same floor direct lift access at the point of purchase. If the resident bought the flat directly from HDB, the relevant information would have been provided in the HDB sales brochure at the time. If the resident bought the flat from the resale market, whether a flat has direct lift access is an observable physical feature of the property.

On offering LUP to all blocks, regardless of cost, I hope Mr Tan appreciates that the Government needs to ensure public funds are spent prudently. HDB will continue to explore new technologies to provide direct lift access to remaining blocks where feasible.

We will do our best to cover as many blocks as possible. However, where the cost of providing direct lift access is too high, it is more prudent for the flat owner to move to another unit in the neighbourhood with lift access, using the LHG, which we enhanced last year to $80,000.

Mr Chairman, Singapore's public housing landscape is constantly evolving and we will do our best to meet the diverse needs of every Singaporean. Whether you need a place to stay as you navigate life's difficult challenges, or whether you have retired and want to age gracefully in place, we are here to support you.

The Chairman: Minister of State Alvin Tan.

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Alvin Tan): Mr Chairman, I have spoken in this Chamber about how we must thoughtfully steward the little we have been endowed with. And this means being aware and upfront of the trade-offs with our people as we build homes, schools and hospitals, connectivity nodes for them, and also safeguard our green and blue spaces. It also means taking care of our animals, while managing human animal conflicts when they arise.

Let me start with our animals. Ms Lee Hui Ying called for stronger legislative levers to deter animal cruelty. We are indeed strengthening our animal health and welfare ecosystems. First, we will establish a Veterinary Council as a professional regulatory body to uplift standards for veterinary professionals. The council will register veterinarians, accredit veterinary training programmes and set continuing education requirements. It will also investigate cases of misconduct, where needed. I will introduce the Veterinary Practice Bill to establish the proposed Council this week and I thank our veterinary sector and other stakeholders who have worked with us since 2021 to shape this Bill together.

Second, we are reviewing legislation and codes to improve animal health and welfare, and strengthen safeguards against animal cruelty and abuse. Since 2022, we have consulted widely on the Animals and Birds Act review, to better understand how we can strengthen powers for animal disease prevention and control. We are also studying how to better deter acts of animal cruelty and abuse. That includes reviewing imprisonment terms, fines and disqualification orders for animal welfare offences. I have also met with Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to discuss their White Paper on this issue. We will review all suggestions carefully before engaging the wider public later this year.

Sir, this year, we are also reviewing the Code of Animal Welfare, focusing on groomers and adding a new chapter for dog trainers. There is currently no licensing scheme for these sectors and standards vary. We will consult stakeholders and the public, as we continue to raise standards and professionalism across these sectors.

Meanwhile, we must also manage pest bird species to protect public health and public safety. Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked how we can better manage pigeon roosting and defecation at air-conditioner ledges. Ms Lee Hui Ying, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Pritam Singh asked also how we can manage pigeon, myna and crow populations more effectively.

To keep pest bird populations under control, we must tackle the root cause, which is food. We therefore work with partners to improve food waste management, enforce against illegal bird feeding and, very importantly, educate the public.

In June 2025, we expanded our Pigeon Management Plan to Jalan Besar, Marsiling-Yew Tee and Nee Soon. We will roll this out across Singapore in phases. HDB is also trialling half-height netting in Punggol and Toa Payoh to prevent pigeon nesting at the air-conditioner ledges of HDB blocks. We will share HDB's findings with all Town Councils after this trial.

Mr Pritam Singh and Ms Lee Hui Ying also asked about the safety protocols for crow shooting. NParks has worked with the Ministry of Home Affairs and its relevant agencies to develop strict shooting protocols. This includes ensuring the shooting trajectory is always directed upwards, cordoning safety zones with the appropriate signages and deploying personnel to manage public access and restrict unauthorised movement during crow shooting operations.

NParks will resume crow shooting progressively from the second half of this month. We will select locations based on a range of factors, including public feedback and technical feasibility of the crow shooting operations. But ultimately, in spite of everything that we are doing, we need everyone to work together, a shared responsibility. Please do not feed the birds. Keep our environment clean. These small things will help keep our living environment all the more liveable for all of us.

Sir, just as we carefully steward and manage the animals in our midst, we must also steward and manage our green and blue spaces. I agree with Ms Nadia Samdin that nature is important to our long-term resilience as a city. That is why we are expanding our green spaces as part of our City in Nature vision. And we are on track to building more than 25 new parks and 50 kilometres of park connectors in the next five years.

We are also enhancing ecological connectivity across our island. We are planting more native trees and shrubs along roads that mimic the multi-tiered structure of forests. These Nature Ways help animals, like birds and butterflies, move between our nature reserves, parks and gardens. Together with park connectors and parks, they will form broader Nature Corridors that connect habitats across our most biodiverse areas.

We are also making our parks even more welcoming and accessible, like our iconic Gardens by the Bay. Today, I am pleased to announce that Gardens by the Bay will welcome an all-new Wetlands by the Bay. We will expand our current Kingfisher Wetlands precinct, with over 600 mangrove and coastal plants that you can kayak through. It will be three times the current area, three times the number of plants.

We will also build a new canopy boardwalk over the wetlands, connecting Gardens by the Bay MRT station to key attractions within Bay South Garden. We will also build Glade Lawn, a new community green space that will host events and activities, and also serve as a place for visitors to relax and unwind.

We are also starting work on a new pedestrian bridge that directly connects Bay South and Bay East Garden and we expect to complete the bridge by 2028 – so visitors do not need to go all the way across Marina Barrage to the other side.

Beyond the Gardens, we are also rejuvenating and linking 13 parks in southwestern Singapore, including three destination parks. Today, I am happy to share some key ideas from about 2,500 responses that will shape these parks.

Many of you who joined this consultation asked for better accessibility and amenities along key stretches, such as more recreation options, restrooms and shaded areas. At the same time, you also told us that you wanted us to preserve the greenery and the tranquility of the parks, while adding experiences for different users

So, we will explore inclusive nature-based trails connecting the southwestern parks to bring the community closer together through discovery and play.

We will enhance West Coast Park's coastal charm by integrating maritime and cultural heritage elements across the park. We will also introduce new amenities, thoughtfully taking care to protect West Coast Park's tranquil nature.

For Hort Park, we will make Hort Park an even more inclusive, welcoming gardening hub, where the community can gather and participate in hands-on programmes. We will keep Labrador Nature Park serene and natural, while adding new features to showcase its heritage and biodiversity.

So, I thank park users, the community and residents for their valuable feedback, and look forward to enhancing these parks and more.

Let me next move from our parks and our green spaces to our blue spaces. In 2014, we established Sisters' Islands Marine Park, which has become a safe haven for turtle conservation and a living gene bank for our corals. In fact, I visited the Marine Park last year to release 76 baby hawksbill turtles that NParks had uncovered at East Coast Park. The Marine Park is a popular nesting site, with the turtle hatchery there, keeping baby turtles safe from human traffic, from predators and high tides.

This year, we will formally designate a second marine park at Lazarus South and Kusu Reef to provide more opportunities for recreation, conservation, research and education. Sir, protecting our waters also means understanding them better. We will therefore invest $60 million in a new marine science research centre of excellence. This Centre will be hosted by the National University of Singapore and supported by Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 funds.

The centre will bring together expertise across disciplines to develop local capabilities and talent, working with institutions like St John's Island National Marine Laboratory and partners across the marine community. NParks is partnering the National University of Singapore on the Centre and will share more details later this year.

Chairman, we face many competing needs as we develop Singapore and we balance these needs through careful master planning, taking a long-term view informed by Singaporean's aspirations. Minister Chee Hong Tat shared how one of MNDs key priorities is to ensure that we develop Singapore sustainably and balance our land use requirements. But some trade-offs will always be with us because of our limited land size and land constraints.

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Even as we steward our green and blue spaces, we must also carefully steward this balance between nature and development, as Ms Nadia Samdin has urged. I want to assure her that we take the ecological impact of planned developments seriously.

Mr Dennis Tan again raised concerns over Serangoon Forest and the Lorong Halus bus depot and asked for baseline studies for all forested plots. I have already addressed this in response to its Adjournment Motion in January, but I will briefly reiterate because these are important points.

We have to balance many competing needs, including for housing, education, green spaces, within our constraints, our limited land. Mr Tan spoke also how other countries are safeguarding and revitalising brown field sites with nature-based solutions. As I have said, we do not have the luxury of land and space that other countries have. Instead, we must make do with what little we have.

But I want to assure him at the same time that we already have a robust framework in place to balance developmental needs against conserving green spaces that all of us enjoy. This is not a binary approach.

Under our Planning Act, no development can take place without planning permission. And as part of the planning approval process, we assess a site's potential ecological and biodiversity value. This is based on the site's current state, not its zoning. Projects in, or near sensitive areas or that have potential transboundary impact, must undergo in-depth consultation with technical agencies, and we require an EIA if there is potential significant environmental impact from the development. Where an EIA is not required, agencies may still impose measures to mitigate impact.

So, it is not just mitigate, as Mr Tan has said. In many instances, it is also avoid and adapt. Through our EIAs, we consider needs for housing, jobs and others, alongside the ecological and biodiversity impact of the proposed development. Decisions are made only after carefully weighing these very difficult trade-offs. Mr Henry Kwek's example of how MND officers engaged him and his residents 22, 23 times is a case in point. This approach protects our most ecologically sensitive sites while balancing against our pressing developmental needs.

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Christopher de Souza) in the Chair]

Sir, we are also stewarding places which hold our collective shared memories. Mr Cai Yinzhou asked if we will consider a social and heritage assessment framework for urban development projects. This is already part of how we plan. We partner stakeholders to identify built heritage that is architecturally and socially significant, consulting groups like the Heritage and Identity Partnership and the National Heritage Board's Heritage Advisory Panel upstream in planning.

We have evolved our approach over time. In 2018, we piloted a heritage study of the Old Police Academy at Mount Pleasant. That is in Mr Cai's constituency, upcoming and opposite mine. We have conserved six of the most significant buildings and given them new uses, including as a Neighbourhood Police Post and an SPF Heritage Gallery. We will also retain part of the former parade square as a public space for community use. We will weave these elements into a new Mount Pleasant estate that will bring 6,000 homes together with heritage and nature.

Sir, in 2022, we launched the Heritage Impact Assessment Framework for projects that may significantly impact sites with heritage significance. The findings from the assessment guide how we plan our developments, conserve or adaptively reuse heritage elements and engage stakeholders.

Take Bukit Timah Turf City for example. A 2024 assessment recognised its 66 years as one of Southeast Asia's top racecourses. Even as we transform the site into a housing estate, we will conserve the two grandstands that once housed thousands of spectators, as well as the former Bukit Timah saddle club clubhouse. We will sensitively adapt and integrate these landmarks into future developments to keep the area's history alive

Today, we have conserved over 7,200 buildings and structures. Where we cannot conserve, or there are constraints to conserving, we honour a place's history through thoughtful design and storytelling. We will also strengthen the appeal and character of the six identity corridors which are familiar neighbourhoods with landmarks that resonate with Singaporeans. This keeps us rooted in our past, even as we build for the future.

Mr Cai Yinzhou also asked if we can better use our freshwater bodies for recreation. Today, many of our reservoirs are active water sports hubs and we have multiple water activity outlets across our island. As an advisor to the Singapore Canoe Federation, I use those water bodies very often. Many of our reservoirs, as I mentioned, are active water sports hubs and we have multiple water activity outlets where residents can rent equipment and take part in water sports activities like kayaking and canoeing.

Our upcoming Passion Wave Outpost at Bayfront, located at Marina Reservoir, will further give Singaporeans direct access to water recreation opportunities right at our city's doorstep. We hope that these play spaces will bring more Singaporeans together and make our city a little bit more vibrant, a little bit more endearing.

Sir, we also need to steward the place where we live. In 2014, we formed the Municipal Services Office (MSO), so residents need not navigate a maze of agencies just to resolve a municipal services problem. Today, they only need to submit issues through our OneService Channels. Our backend systems will do the rest, with AI and smart routing capabilities directing about 90% of cases to the right agency or Town Council.

At the same time, I have been working together with our OneService team to improve the functioning of the app and to make it even easier for residents to input their feedback. Even as we upgrade and improve on the OneService app, we also continue to challenge ourselves to improve how we deliver municipal services. Sir, allow me to share how we do so, in Mandarin.

(In Mandarin): In 2022, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) launched the integrated municipal services trial in Tampines and expanded it to Pasir Ris and Punggol.

Under this model, we consolidated simple municipal services provided by various Government services and assigned them to a single management operator. This allows us to focus our energy on solving problems rather than determining which Government agency the problem belongs to.

Today, frontline staff have learned more skills and can handle problems more quickly. For example, if a cleaning staff discover uneven pavement on the walkways, they can immediately cordon off the area and notify the maintenance team. Landscaping staff who notice soil subsistence can also proactively fill it up to prevent residents from tripping, and also to prevent mosquito breeding. In this way, problems can be resolved more quickly. Residents are happier and satisfied, and participating companies and employees have also learned new professional skills.

Last year we began discussions with operators on how to further expand this model. They have expressed strong support for this. Therefore, we will expand the Integrated Municipal Services model to surrounding towns. We will implement in phases to give operators sufficient time to adapt while carefully listening to their feedback and incorporating it into our planning.

(In English): Mr Chairman, our tiny island home is ours to steward. And even as we build our homes, our schools, our hospitals, our airports, our connectivity hubs for our people, we continue to carefully steward our nature and places which hold special memories for us.

Sir, as I have mentioned many times in this House and in this Chamber, we do not have much to work with. And as responsible stewards of our land, we will always be upfront with Singaporeans about what we can do and what we cannot do so that we can continue to shape our tiny island nation into one of the most liveable cities in the world.

The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. See some hands. Mr Henry Kwek.

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: Chairman, I have three short clarifications. Given that condominium prices and wages have risen over time, can MND share a timeframe or timeline when the income ceiling review will be concluded? Is it in a matter of months, or is it when some threshold conditions are met?

Second question is, MND shared that we will have more bigger flats supply coming up. Does it include five-room flats, which I have asked earlier on?

And third of all is, taller blocks mean higher specification lifts and stricter fire safety standards, driving up long-term maintenance cost. Is MND prepared to help Town Councils offset the added lifecycle cost?

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Chairman, Mr Kwek asked about the timing of our review of income eligibility threshold. This is something which we are actively looking at. I am unable at this point in time to give him a concrete timeline, but certainly we will be ready to share this when the review is completed.

Second question, are we going to build more five-room flats? The answer is yes, we are going to look for more places where we can do this, and that is why I shared earlier that we need to look for more land that we can prepare the site to build more, build faster. We also need to look at how we can intensify land usage by building taller through clever design, use of more integrated and mixed-use facilities to be able to squeeze out more land productivity. Then, we will have more space. Land is going to be limited in Singapore. That is something which I think all of us would agree. But if we can improve land productivity, we are able to squeeze out more space, then, I can use that space to provide more supply to meet the needs of different groups of buyers – whether it is the singles, seniors, larger families and other groups.

Last question, taller blocks, are we going to be able to provide more support to our Town Councils? Sir, I mentioned earlier in my main speech that the approach that we will continue to take is a partnership. We recognise that the costs have gone up, and we also recognise, as Mr Liang mentioned earlier in his cut, that in some areas the cost of providing those maintenance and services would be higher than the conventional method. He mentioned about the pneumatic waste collection system. And there are some system level gains because you save land, but the maintenance cost in some areas could be higher because the operations are more complex.

So, this is an area where I think if we can work closely with the Town Council, it is a win-win outcome. Certainly, for taller blocks as well, there are system level gains that we derive. But if there are going to be areas where Town Councils will have to spend more, then we have to look at it to see what we can do to ensure that it is a fair arrangement where the Government, Town Councils and also residents would all contribute to this.

The Chairman: Mr Liang Eng Hwa.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, Minister Chee, in his speech mentioned that this year we will be launching 19,600 new BTO flats. So, I would like to ask, how he sees the trajectory in the next two, three years. Whether in the next two, three years, are we able to meet the peak demands for the BTO flats, mindful that family formations are much lower than that number? So, whether that trajectory is going to still be there.

My second clarification is on LUP. In the remaining 100 blocks, I am sure there are some blocks where some stacks of the blocks are technically very challenging to do, but another stack could be doable, is feasible to do. Will HDB look at LUP for some blocks on a partial basis? At least some blocks get to be served with lift access, rather than just because one stack cannot be done, the whole block cannot get the lift upgrading.

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Mr Chee Hong Tat: Chairman, I will take both questions. The question to the first question is yes, we will continue with a robust supply of new BTO flats to meet the needs of buyers.

I shared earlier that there are different groups of buyers that we are trying to cater to. If we lower the eligibility age for singles to be able to buy BTO flats, more people will be able to apply. If we raise the income threshold, more people will be eligible to apply. If we want to cater to more buyers who previously may be staying with their family members but now want to stay near but have their own flat, that will also lead to a higher demand for housing.

Even though the number of people in the household, the average household size, may have come down, the number of households have actually increased because of this household fragmentation that we are seeing.

This year, we are building 19,600. I have said earlier that if demand remains strong, HDB will continue with this robust supply and we will go beyond what we earlier committed, which is to build 55,000 in three years. We are prepared to go beyond. We are getting ready to be able to do that.

The second question on LUP, I take Mr Liang's point that we do not want to view this in a binary manner, that we cannot do for the whole block because some parts cannot do, so I take his point. The assurance I want to give Members, as my colleague Senior Parliamentary Secretary Harun mentioned earlier, is that we will do our best, because it is our intent to try and provide lift access to as many households as possible. We will do our best.

But I also seek the understanding of the House that in some cases, this may not be possible because the technology may not allow us to do it for that configuration or it will just simply be too expensive. As Senior Parliamentary Secretary Harun mentioned earlier, we are using taxpayers' money, public funds. I think there is a need to balance and to be prudent.

We will try our very best. I am hopeful that with new technologies coming out and working closely with the industry, there will be more options available that will allow us to be able to cater to more units.

The Chairman: Mr Fadli Fawzi.

Mr Fadli Fawzi: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I have two clarifications. First, I would like to ask when the monthly household income ceiling for the Public Rental Scheme's eligibility was last revised and whether there are any plans to review this ceiling in light of wage increases under the Progressive Wage Model. Second, what are the targets that the Ministry has set to increase the number of rental households transitioning to home ownership for each year up to 2030?

The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Syed Harun, are you taking that as a response? Please proceed.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Thank you, Chairman. With regard to the question on when the income threshold was last reviewed, I do not have the information with me at this point of time. I invite the Member to file a Parliamentary Question if he so chooses.

But I would like to assure the Member that when it comes to rental households, we do look at wanting to be able to support our vulnerable households as much as possible. It is not merely just about the rental flats but also a wraparound approach with regards to supporting them. Certainly, it is not about just the rental flats, but also about their ability to sustain their income in terms of employment opportunities as well as supporting the entire family, including the educational needs of their children.

With regard to the Member's question on — sorry, can I just clarify the second question?

The Chairman: Mr Fadli Fawzi.

Mr Fadli Fawzi: The second question is about targets, the target to increase the transition from rental housing to home ownership.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: I thank the Member for clarifying the question. In terms of targets, we do not set any annual targets with regards to the transition from rental households to home ownership. Why we do this is because our objective is to support as many rental households as possible to achieve home ownership so long as they are ready.

As I have shared in my speech earlier, in the last year alone, we have helped 2,000 rental families transit in terms of their plans to home ownership and they are waiting for their flats. Indeed, home ownership is a long-term financial commitment. A family's readiness for the transition to home ownership depends on their very specific circumstances, such as employment stability and their savings. So, we work very closely with each rental family to assess their level of readiness for home ownership and to support them in their journey. In recent years, we continued to enhance this support for them to achieve so.

The Chairman: Mr Ang Wei Neng.

Mr Ang Wei Neng: I would like to seek a clarification regarding the Lift Access Housing Grant. Could the qualifying criteria be relaxed for occupants aged 70 and above without the need for medical certification? Additionally, could HDB require new buyers of resale segmented flat to sign a letter of undertaking to indicate that they know that the flat is unlikely to qualify for LUP in the near future?

The next clarification. We are excited about the 60-storey HDB flat that is near Pearl's Hill Terrace. Considering our future housing needs, I agree that we should explore more options to construct higher HDB flats. Could the Minister share which HDB towns could realistically support high-rise developments of above 50 storeys?

The last clarification is about pest, wild birds. Is MND satisfied with the current resources to deal with the annual 22,000 cases on pest birds, would MND be prepared to add more resources to combat pest birds, including intensified efforts to control food waste and food for feeding of the birds?

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Chairman, I will take the question on the Lift Access Housing Grant. I thank Mr Ang Wei Neng for the question. As far as the Lift Access Housing Grant is concerned, it is meant for citizen households with members who have medical conditions or mobility issues and who need to urgently buy another flat with direct lift access. The eligibility is assessed based on needs rather than the age of residents and one of the requirements is that there must be a medical condition for which this particular family member or this particular owner has difficulty in terms of mobility and navigating the stairs, which present as a limiting factor at this point of time.

We currently do not have any plans to expand the LHG criteria based on age. It is really about the medical needs. Where there is a doctor who can certify that this individual has an illness or conditions which affect his mobility, among other criteria of the Lift Access Housing Grant, then that is something that we will consider for that individual.

The Chairman: Minister Chee, are you going to respond to the two other clarifications from Mr Ang? Please proceed. Minister Chee.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr Chairman, the first question about 60 storeys, I think it is a bit too early for us to pinpoint which towns we are going to be able to do this, besides the one at Pearl's Hill that I just announced. But certainly, as I said in my speech, where we can, where possible, we would like to do so. Because this is a way to be able to increase the number of units, making better use of the limited land that we have and create more space.

On wild birds, I thank Mr Ang for his support. As Minister of State Tan mentioned earlier, this requires a whole-of-society effort. We cannot solve the problem with just adding more and more enforcement officers or pest control teams, whether NParks or contractors. That is something that we will certainly do to make sure that they are adequately resourced to do their work, but we cannot just do that alone because we also need the other measures to work together as a package. For example, as Senior Minister of State Tan said earlier, please do not feed the birds. That is something which will help a lot. Please manage the food waste properly. That will also help. It takes a whole-of-society effort for us to do this and keep our environment safe and pleasant for everyone.

The Chairman: Mr Pritam Singh.

Mr Pritam Singh: Thank you, Chair. Just a few very quick clarifications and questions. First, on the matter of lower eligibility age for singles who want to purchase BTO flats. I believe that is what the Minister shared MND was looking into, but please correct me if I am wrong. At the same time, I heard the Minister mention earlier that the median application rate for singles is still high, but he did not give a number. However, I believe he gave a number – 2.6 times for first- and second-timers.

So, I appreciate if the Minister could share what the median application rate currently for singles is.

At the same time, in view of the review with regard to the lower eligibility age for singles, because it is a limited window for those individuals vis-à-vis their age, when will MND confirm the new age eligibility criteria for singles?

The second point is on my cut on income eligibility thresholds, to remove the ceiling. Just to be clear, it is not a call to remove the ceiling carte blanche; there are encumbrances which I wish to stress. I think those encumbrances can offer another option. It will be as good as another scheme for a certain category of BTO buyers.

Finally, I thank Senior Minister of State Sun for looking at the prospects of a portal for publishing the rental of HDB shops. Just a small correction on my part. I said that I called on HDB to make this information in October last year. It should be September.

The Chairman: Minister Chee, would you like to go first?

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Thank you, Mr Chairman, I will take the first two questions and my colleague Senior Minister of State Sun will take that third one.

Sir, I do not have a number that I can share with Mr Singh at the moment, but it suffices to say that the application rate for the 2-room Flexi, which is what the singles and the seniors are able to apply for, that number is higher than for families. And that is why I mentioned earlier in my speech that we are going to increase the supply of 2-room Flexi flats by about 50% over the next three years to be able to meet this strong demand.

Looking ahead, I think we are also reviewing whether for some groups of singles who may not want to buy a 2-room Flexi on their own but they may want to buy with a family member, but they need a bigger flat, whether that is something that we can also allow, if we are able to have adequate supply. That is what we are looking at.

I cannot give a timing on when we can review this as well because it really depends on when we feel confident about the supply being adequate.

I hope Mr Singh understands this point and I am sure he does, which is that if I lower the age before supply is adequate, we may then end up with more people entering the market to apply. Then demand goes up. That will also affect the existing group of applicants, including the singles who are aged 35 and above. So, to avoid that, we should time this properly, do it when we are confident that we are able to meet the increase in demand from the various groups of buyers.

The second question on the removal of the income ceiling, we are of the same understanding, Mr Singh. I did mention in my speech earlier that you are not proposing to remove it – full stop; but with certain restrictions imposed on the people who exceed the income threshold.

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I did acknowledge in my speech that it is something that we have to study carefully, because there are trade-offs. For example, if you allow this group – currently they are not eligible – if you allow them to come in, they will then apply for the same stock, the same supply of BTO flats that the other buyers, the eight out 10 who are currently below the income ceiling, this group will come in and compete with them for this supply of BTO flats.

So, again, in order to ensure that we are able to meet this higher demand, supply is key, and that is why I hope to have the support of all Members of this House that we have to build more and build faster. There will be some trade-offs that we will need to make, including what Mr Dennis Tan mentioned. If I can avoid affecting some of the areas, I would, but we do have difficult trade-offs that we need to make. And if we prioritise providing adequate housing supply for our people as the number one priority, and if this House agrees with that, then what it means is that we have to be honest and candid about some of the trade-offs that we have to make.

The Chairman: Minister of State Sun Xueling, would you like to respond to the third point from Mr Pritam Singh?

Ms Sun Xueling: Mr Pritam Singh made a clarification on his cut and did not have a question for me, so I have nothing to add.

The Chairman: Ms Nadia Samdin.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Thank you, Chairman. I have three clarifications. The first is on blue spaces for Minister of State Alvin Tan. I was very excited to hear more about the new Marine Science Centre. Could he please clarify how will its work complement existing efforts, for example, of St John's Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML) and other institutions like the Singapore Oceanarium Research and Learning Centre, holistically, and how can Singaporeans, youths and citizen scientists be involved in its work?

Next, could he also share more on the plans for the second Marine Park's recreational spaces, and what lessons can be learnt from the first Sister Islands Marine Park? I also note that the second Marine Park, which includes Lazarus South and Kusu, generally have higher levels of human activity, for example, Kusu during the pilgrimage season, and Lazarus South, for example, recreational spaces and tiny homes. So, how will MND take this into consideration, for example, in terms of zoning and visitor management, when designating this second park, so that we can protect our habitats and minimise pressure on the environment?

My second clarification is for Singapore Parliamentary Secretary Syed Harun, regarding lessons learnt from the SRSF and JSS-OR pilots, including in Ang Mo Kio, where I serve. For example, some who work as delivery riders have asked if there can be motorcycle lots provided, and also, as there are residents who have certain health and well-being challenges, can MND look at centralising more services beyond the example given, which was New Hope, who already does a very good job, I should add.

My last question is just for further help on supporting divorcees, as I asked in my cut.

The Chairman: Minister of State Alvin Tan, would you like to respond?

Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, I will respond to Miss Nadia Samdin's first two clarifications and I will leave the Senior Parliamentary Secretary to respond to her latter two.

First of all, I wanted to thank Ms Nadia Samdin for her work with the Friends of Marine Park, and that is why she is very interested in this. For the second Marine Park, the intent is to safeguard the ecologically significant habitats around the area, and also to enhance the existing biodiversity with the existing ones on Sisters' Island.

The intent is also to provide spaces for recreation, for research, for outreach and for education. In this regard, the Friends of Marine Park stakeholders are very important, together with Youth Stewards for Nature, as well as other researchers, outreach, policy groups. They form our key stakeholder group for us to look into addressing and also enhancing many of these features for the second Marine Park. We will then also review any of these compatible features that we can put in after taking into consideration their feedback.

With regards to the Marine Science Centre, it is a nationally coordinated research programme. So, the new Marine Science Centre will in fact work with the Oceanarium and others to coordinate research about marine science capabilities and biodiversity. It will provide a unique strategic vision across all of these different stakeholders and critically involve youths, Government stakeholders, industry researchers, universities, building talent so that we can build a good talent source to research into all the critical marine biology topics that are critical for our area.

Finally, we will also be able to then partner with regional institutions to enhance understanding of marine biology and preservation.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: I thank the Member, Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, with regard to her two questions. For SRSF, as I mentioned in my speech, the response and feedback have been positive. I think the residents have found that their preferences of having a room to themselves and then, subsequent to that, having shared common facilities, continue to be something that has been well received. That is precisely why we are looking to scale. While some of the limitations that the Member has shared are specific to the current temporary site, some of the feedback will also be taken with us, as we transit into the permanent block as part of the new features. We will continue to develop the space and we will continue to see how best we can improve for our public rental flats.

I understand that the question was relating to other vulnerable groups, moving forward, the third question. We will continue to see where the needs are and we will continue to see how best we can align some of our policies to be able to reach out to these vulnerable groups. It remains our intent to make sure that we are able to support as many vulnerable groups, including the divorcees and the single-parent families. We will see how best we need to tweak some of the policies to support in that regard.

Mr Chairman, with your permission, I would like to also respond to Mr Fadli Fawzi's earlier clarification. I do have a response.

The Chairman: Please proceed.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Thank you, Mr Chairman. With regard to the income ceiling for public rental housing, just to reassure the Member, as well as Members here, that there is no income ceiling for public rental since 2023. Applications are renewed, reviewed holistically and taking into account the individual household income, household size, housing budget, as well as individual circumstances.

So, it really rings true with regard to our desire to look at the issue of each and every person and family holistically to then be able to see how best we can lean forward to support.

The Chairman: Mr Louis Chua.

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: Thank you, Chairman. Just two clarifications for Minister Chee. The first is on the review of the EC policy – any timeline around that?

Second is in terms of how the Minister talked about building a robust supply pipeline and given that we are now in March 2026. On the HDB front, is it still the plan to have the supply come down to about 15,700 or so, versus the 19,600 levels today. That is for 2027.

Similarly, for private residential property, what are the expectations on supply for the second half of 2026 as well as 2027; the reason being, if I look at the last three Government Land Sale (GLS) programmes, I think the supply has been coming down, especially for EC supply.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Thank you, Mr Chairman. The EC review is ongoing. So, I cannot give you a specific timeline. I think the important thing is this. I think Mr Chua highlighted this in his cut as well – it is not so straightforward. I think Mr Kwek mentioned this as well.

If it is something that we can do by just increasing the grant, that is quite direct. But in this case, if that is the move that we make, and because we do not control the EC prices – these are based on what developers bid and what they sell – there is a risk that much of the support given, which is going to come from taxpayers, public funds, will be creamed off by the EC developers, instead of going to the home buyers, which was the intent.

So, I think this is something which we need to look at carefully: how do you intervene appropriately, but without fundamentally changing the nature of what the ECs are. As I explained in my speech to Mr Chua's cut, ECs are more comparable to private condominiums. They are not public housing. Actually, after the 10-year period, they become exactly like a private condominium. And you can sell to anyone, including foreigners.

Because of that, I think we need to ask ourselves as well: if you do this review, do you want to retain the fundamental nature of ECs, or do you want to actually change this? I think that is quite an important point to bear in mind. And if you want to retain it, then what are some of the moves that we can make to improve affordability but yet maintain this feature that it is closer to or more comparable to private condominiums, rather than to resale flats and to public housing.

On supply pipeline, I have actually addressed this earlier in my response to some of the earlier clarifications that we are not going to keep ourselves limited to the 55,000, which is what I said earlier as well. If we need to go beyond this 55,000, we will do so. If there is strong demand and we need to go higher than what we had earlier planned for, we will do so.

Private residential, same thing, I have also said this previously that if the demand remains strong, we do have some capacity that we can release. There are two ways to do this: we can either activate a new site and release it through the GLS; or we could convert some of the sites from reserve to GLS or put some new sites into reserve that the developers could trigger if the demand is strong.

So, there are very various ways to do this, but whether it is public housing or private housing, it goes back to the fundamental point that I mentioned earlier – which is that in order to meet all these different demands, all these different needs, supply is key.

And supply means we have to build more. We have to activate more pieces of land. We have to build higher. We have to improve land intensification, improve the design so that we are able to have more integrated mixed use. These are all the different ways that we can increase the supply.

The Chairman: Mr Foo Cexiang.

Mr Foo Cexiang: Thank you, Chairman. I have three qualifications. First, on lifts. The Tiong Bahru estate, consisting of pre-war and post-war buildings, has not had a lift since its establishment. A lot of the residents are getting older. I would like to ask whether I can work with MND, with a special task force, to explore all options. As the Minister described, they would be prepared to do so.

Second, on pigeons. I think all of us face the concerns of pigeons defecating on the aircon ledges; me as well. I look forward to the recommendations from the Punggol pilot, but I would like to ask the Ministry whether it would consider the use of audible pigeon deterrent devices, such as bioacoustic units that use pre-recorded predator calls as part of the whole set of factors to combat this. This is just a suggestion.

The third one, the lifts in super high-rise flats. I think the example from The Pinnacle@Duxton would be quite instructive. Currently, the feedback that I receive from residents of Pinnacle is. One, they pay higher S&CC charges, but why does the lifts seem to break down sometimes? And two, a lot of them tell me that they set aside at least 15 minutes to catch the lift, for the fear of having to wait for a long time, especially when one of the lifts is broken down.

But the reality is that while they pay higher S&CC charges, the cost of maintaining this lift is actually more than for other typical HDB flats. So, I think this point which the Minister made that up front, HDB, Town Council and residents will need to have good understanding is a very critical point. It may be better to over specify the number of lifts at the start and pay a higher price at the start, rather than having to maintain a large number of lifts that are not functioning properly in the future, over the longer term. So, that is just a point for me to highlight.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Foo for his three points. Certainly, we will be happy to work with him on some of the specific local challenges that he is facing with the older blocks in his constituency.

3.30 pm

On pigeons, we are open to considering different possible ways and we can test this out to see whether they are effective. I do not know whether what Mr Foo describe is a workable solution or not, but I am prepared to try, and I think we should be open-minded trying different ideas. Black cat, white cat, as long as can catch mice, it is a good cat. So as long as the method works, I think we should be prepared to try.

The last point about lifts is an important one. Because as I described earlier, there are system level gains that we can derive when we build taller, but we do need to then make sure that we be fair to the Town Councils and be fair to the residents. The experience with Pinnacle that was built quite some time ago. I think, today, we learn from that and when we design, we will bring in the latest design specifications and technology.

And also, I think we will certainly bear in mind how we support the Town Councils and the residents where we have some of these features in our estates that derive system level gains that all of us will benefit from but can impose some local level additional cost. So, if we can find a way to bridge that, then we can open up more possibilities that will be good for the country as a whole, the society as a whole.

The Chairman: Mr Dennis Tan.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: I have two clarifications. My first clarification is for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun. Would the Senior Parliamentary Secretary be able to give a clearer timeline for the LUP for the 40 blocks? At least give an indication, for example, does HDB expect this to be carried out within the next two years or five years?

My second clarification is for Minister of State Alvin. Minister of State Alvin was replying regarding the part in my cut on avoid-minimise-mitigate and he was giving some examples of how the Ministry may have carried out their obligation under "avoid". I just want to make a clarification regarding this. And if I may, I would like to also go back to his remarks in the Adjournment Motion as an example for this clarification.

And in the Adjournment Motion, in his reply, he has cited, for example and this is what is stated in my cut, the current bus depot construction at Serangoon River Forest. He said that, "Technical agencies have assessed that this site is not a sensitive nature area and environmental impact of the bus depot is limited. Hence, an environmental study was not required." Regretfully, no details of this study was done, and the extent of the study was done and, hence, in my Adjournment Motion as well as in my cut. Let me go back to the cut; I had called on MND to consolidate —

The Chairman: Mr Dennis Tan, if you could just, perhaps hold on.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: Yes, I am going to put this as a point for Minister of State Alvin.

The Chairman: Hold on. Perhaps you can summarise the gist of what you said in your Adjournment Motion and then apply it to the cut that you had filed today and then ask your clarification.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: Sir, I am going to explain now, exactly what you have suggested.

The Chairman: Please do so succinctly.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: I am sorry about that Chairman. Chairman, so in my cut, I have asked, instead, for MND to require a mandatory baseline and functional assessment and institutionalise mandating an EIA. So, go directly to having a baseline study for all forested plots, regardless of whether it is primary forest or brownfield sites and have EIA for these sites, rather than to have what the procedure that was carried out in the case of the Lorong Halus bus depot.

The Chairman: Which political office holder would like to respond to this? Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun and then Minister of State Alvin Tan.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: With regard to the clarifications from Mr Dennis Tan, I thank him for the clarifications. Unfortunately, I do not have the exact number now, but I can assure you that within the next few years, we endeavour to actually achieve the lift access specific to these 40 blocks. But I will give you a sharper answer as soon as I have it. Yes, that is my commitment.

Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, I thank Mr Dennis Tan. We have really sparred on this many times and I had already mentioned that Lorong Halus did not require an EIA because the agencies assessed that it is not a sensitive nature area.

I understand his point. We have a broader approach which I have articulated both in the Adjournment Motion as well as earlier on in my expansive reply. At the core of this is effectively, what do we need to steward? And we need to steward both our green spaces as well as address our competing needs for land. And that land, including for those in his area, that means greater connectivity in many other parts of Singapore. It means more schools, more housing, more hospitals.

So, taking a step back, that is important. We do not have a lot of land, and we need to manage all of these, and we need to say this upfront. So, even though we have different approaches to this, I hope that he understands the approach that MND and our agencies need to take for the interest of Singapore and Singaporeans.

The Chairman: We are approaching guillotine time, 3.45 pm. I would like very much to give as many Members who have put their hands up a chance to clarify. I see, and the Clerks and I see, Ms Lee Hui Ying, Mr Abdul Muhaimin and Ms Elysa Chen. I will call them in order. Ms Lee Hui Ying.

Ms Lee Hui Ying: I thank both Ministers for their comprehensive replies on the efforts for the build environment. So, I have clarifications on other areas. First, is there updated timeline on the 15-month wait-out period for the sales of a private property for residents to purchase resale HDBs? Because every week, we meet residents who appeal to waive on this due to their unique and unfortunate circumstances; some with families with young children and sometimes have to sell because of failed businesses. So, I hope support will be provided to such families.

Second, I echo Minister of State Alvin's strong call to not feed the birds. But unfortunately, recalcitrant illegal bird feeders still continue to do so. So, will there be strengthened enforcement against illegal feeding? And will there be plans for step-up surveillance in hotspots and, more importantly, higher penalties for repeat offenders? And on crow shooting, I have asked this earlier in the cut as well, whether there are safeguards to minimise public exposure, especially to young children. Will there be advanced notification protocols in place to inform residents in advance of such shooting efforts?

The Chairman: Perhaps a crisp response from a political officeholder. Minister of State Alvin Tan.

Mr Alvin Tan: Please do not feed the birds. [Laughter.]

The Chairman: Minister Chee Hong Tat.

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Ms Lee had a question about the 15-month wait-out period. So, as I have explained earlier, we will monitor the situation in the resale market a little bit more. Last quarter, the resale prices remain flat. Up to the middle of February this quarter, there was a slight dip, very slight, minus 0.1%. I think it is still too early, given such trends, for us to remove this because, we will all agree, we do not want to remove this and then the prices spike back up. Then all the previous efforts are all wasted.

So, I think we should persist with this a little while more, monitor the data and, at an appropriate time when we are ready, let us make a move. And in the meantime, if there are cases that require help, please do continue to appeal for your residents and we will look at each case on its own merits.

The Chairman: Mr Abdul Muhaimin.

Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik: I have two clarifications for Minister of State Tan. Regarding the pigeon management plan, as mentioned in my cut, can the Minister of State provide a projected timeline, even an indicative one, for when all the remaining Town Councils can expect to be covered, maybe especially Sengkang?

And the other one is, would the Ministry be willing to share the specifications of the netting solution being trialled with Town Councils, so that Town Councils that wish to proceed may carry out their own installations in affected estates without having to wait out for the conclusion of the trial?

Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, it seems that the issue of birds has dominated this. I would just say that the trial for the 35 units is ongoing. We start in March. We will end next March. Give us that time for us to test whether the half height netting works.

And at the end of the trial period next year, we will share all of the findings to all Town Councils, and we welcome Town Councils to also share their feedback as well as their suggestions. I would also just say that there is no standardisation because different HDB blocks and different aircon ledges have different specifications. So, let us do the trial – 35 – and we will commit to sharing that outcome with all Town Councils.

The Chairman: Ms Elysa Chen.

Ms Elysa Chen: Chairman, hon Member Hui Ying has already asked my question. So, it is fine, thank you.

The Chairman: We have five minutes. Mr Dennis Tan, you had another clarification, or not? None. Ms Lee Hui Ying. Oh, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun, can you state your intention? [Laughter.]

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Thank you, Chairman, to give a sharper response to Mr Dennis Tan on his earlier question.

The Chairman: Yes. Proceed, please.

Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Much obliged. Just to give a sharper response to Mr Tan. We will be looking to implement the progress for the 40 blocks identified within the next three years.

The Chairman: Any further clarifications? None. Mr Henry Kwek, may I invite you to withdraw your amendment?

3.41 pm

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry: Chairman, I thank MND for responding to our cuts and I seek leave to withdraw my amendments.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $8,640,058,800 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $13,613,535,500 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.