Allowing E-polling via SingPass for Home Improvement Programme and Extending Programme to HDB Blocks Built After 1997
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the implementation of electronic polling for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and extending the scheme to HDB blocks built after 1997. MP Ng Shi Xuan suggested using SingPass to improve voting convenience, while MP Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked about including newer flats reaching the 30-year mark. Minister Chee Hong Tat stated that HIP will be extended to post-1997 flats once earlier selections are completed, depending on budget and industry capacity. Regarding e-polling, Minister Chee Hong Tat noted that HDB must further study the integrity and cybersecurity of such systems before adoption. He also clarified that project commencement typically begins eighteen months after selection to allow for tenders, resident engagement, and material procurement.
Transcript
89 Mr Ng Shi Xuan asked the Minister for National Development in addition to grouping HDB blocks with fewer units for the voting of the Home Improvement Programme, whether the Ministry will consider the additional use of electronic polling including via SingPass to reduce the number of absentee votes and improve voting convenience.
90 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry has conducted or plans to conduct a review to extend the Home Improvement Programme to HDB blocks built after 1997, given that some of these blocks are now approaching 30 years of age and may require similar essential improvement works.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Home Improvement Programme (HIP) addresses safety and common maintenance issues in older flats, when they are at around the 30-year mark. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will extend the programme to flats built after 1997, when the selection of older flats built before that has been substantially completed. The exact timeline for doing so will be contingent on budget availability and industry capacity.
Over the years, HDB has progressively enhanced HIP and its processes, including polling and implementation. To improve voting convenience and HIP participation, residents who cannot be around during the HIP polling exercise may appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf. HDB recognises the potential benefits of online voting. This will have to be studied further to ensure voting integrity, system reliability and cybersecurity.
On implementation timelines, HDB announces the blocks selected for HIP as soon as a decision has been made, so that residents can plan their own renovations taking into consideration upcoming HIP works. The average duration between announcement and commencement is about one and a half years. The actual duration varies across projects, depending on the tender process, resident engagement and any site-specific complexities for the HIP works. HDB also needs to cater sufficient time for residents to select their preferred HIP optional items and designs, as well as for contractors to survey the existing flats and procure construction materials.