WET MARKET AND HAWKER CENTRE IN BEDOK NORTH
Faisal Manap queried the development plans for the wet market and hawker centre at Block 511, Bedok North Street after the expiry of its lease in October 2017.
Masagos Zulkifli said stall-owners who wish to continue their businesses will have the option to do so. The wet market and hawker centre will continue to operate after the stall leases expire on 31 October 2017.
Read the full exchange here.
LAND EARMARKED FOR HDB DEVELOPMENT
Faisal Manap asked about the percentage of undeveloped residential land within that earmarked for HDB development, and about the percentage of residential land occupied by flats built in 1986 and before.
Lawrence Wong said that about 20% of the land earmarked for HDB residential development by 2030 have not been developed. Of the total land used for HDB residential development today, slightly less than 50% are occupied by HDB flats built in 1986 and before.
Read the full exchange here.
TEACHING ACCEPTANCE OF DIVERSITY
Faisal Manap queried how schools currently teach acceptance of diversity and about issues of discrimination.
Janil Puthucheary said that educators role-model the values, and students are exposed to Character and Citizenship Education lessons, Social Studies and History lessons, Values in Action programmes and CCAs.
Read the full exchange here.
DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR AND SPEECH
Faisal Manap asked about efforts to reduce discriminatory behaviour and speech along ethnic, gender, age or other lines and their evaluation processes.
Grace Fu referred to different agencies for this; including IRCCs, National Integration Council, Youth Corps and PA. She cites legislative safeguards such as the Presidential Council for Minority Rights and Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. However, measuring discrimination is not easily quantifiable.
Read the full exchange here.
BUS DEPLOYMENT DURING MRT BREAKDOWNS
Dennis Tan enquired about the adequacy and efficiency of the deployment of buses at affected MRT stations during breakdowns.
Khaw Boon Wan said that if bus bridging services are required during a service disruption, the rail operators must comply with the standards set out in LTA’s Code of Practice. If operators fail to deploy the bus bridging services adequately, they may be penalised.
Read the full exchange here.
ASEAN POSITION ON SOUTH CHINA SEA (SCS) ISSUE
Dennis Tan enquired about MFA’s plans to reinforce a common ASEAN position on the SCS issue in light of the recent joint statement by China, Brunei, Cambodia and Laos.
Vivian Balakrishnan said that all 10 ASEAN Foreign Ministers remained seriously concerned over the ongoing developments. As the current country coordinator for ASEAN-China relations, Singapore will fully support and facilitate the existing ASEAN-led processes to manage tensions there.
Read the full exchange here.
COOLING OFF DAY REGULATIONS
Daniel Goh sought clarification on “Cooling Off Day” regulations; what constitutes “regular propagation, promotion and discussion of political issues” and when individual propagation crosses exemptions.
Chan Chun Singh said the Elections Department takes into account the intent, reach and impact. ELD will consider how many people are likely to have read particular posts. The law does allow for individual-to-individual transmission of personal political views, on a non-commercial basis, on Cooling-Off Day and Polling Day. So if a person sends an email or SMS to a friend to share his personal political views about the election, that will not be considered a breach. However, if he blogs or posts a message on his Facebook page that everyone can read, asking readers to vote for a particular party or candidate, that is clearly publication of election advertising.
Read the full exchange here.
GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ON DIGITAL ADS
Dennis Tan asked how much the Government has spent on advertisements and sponsored posts on online media platforms.
Yaacob Ibrahim said the Government does not keep track of the total amount ministries spend on online advertisements. However, MCI itself spent approximately $4.3 million last year on digital ads, including YouTube, Facebook and Google.
Read the full exchange here.
LOCAL EMPLOYEES COVERED UNDER PORTABLE MEDICAL BENEFITS
Daniel Goh asked about the number of local employees under portable, higher tax-deductible eligible medical benefit and if there can be a higher tax deduction limit for employers who provide employees with the Tansferable Medical Insurance Scheme.
Lim Swee Say said the take-up rate of the voluntary portable medical benefits at the company level has not been high. The tripartite partners are actively pursuing MediShield Life as the main platform for voluntary portable medical benefits provided by employers.
Read the full exchange here.
NUMBER AND COSTS OF HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
Png Eng Huat asked about the number of household surveys commissioned by the People’s Association from 2011-5, the purpose and total cost of these surveys, including gifts for participation.
Chan Chun Sing said that from 2011-5, PA conducted eight nation-wide surveys. The total cost of these surveys was about $4 million. The appointed vendors follow industry practice in how they conduct their surveys and may issue non-cash tokens of appreciation to their respondents for participation.
Read the full exchange here.
ONLINE ACCESS FOR OFFICIAL COMPUTERS
Daniel Goh enquired if the state will help businesses and organisations defend against threats leading to the delinking of online access for official computers and if the move will affect the Smart Nation platform.
Yaacob Ibrahim said that the Cyber Security Agency has organised conferences with the Singapore Business Federation on cyber security, and that a strong cyber security provides the foundation for building a Smart Nation.
Read the full exchange here.
TRAY RETURN INTIATIVE AT HAWKER CENTRES
Daniel Goh asked about the impact and cost of the tray return initiative at NEA-managed hawker centres, and whether it has reduced the number of cleaners needed.
Masagos Zulkifli said the initiative has been implemented in all hawker centres since July 2015 at an average cost of about $11,000 per hawker centre. The tray-return rates at our hawker centres vary from centre to centre.
Read the full exchange here.
APPOINTMENT OF NEA VOLUNTEERS AS AUXILLIARY OFFICERS
Daniel Goh asked about plans to appoint community volunteers (CVs) as auxiliary officers, their enforcement powers, deployment, and purpose.
Masagos Zulkifli said that the role of CVs is to engage and educate. They will not issue enforcement tickets but record the particulars of non-compliant offenders that they refer to the NEA for investigations.
Read the full exchange here.
ADVANCED MEDICAL DIRECTIVES
Low Thia Khiang asked for the number of Advanced Medical Directives (AMDs) signed from 2010-5, the total number of AMDs, and the number of cases where healthcare institutions acted on AMDs.
Gan Kim Yong said a total of 24,682 Singaporeans signed AMDs from 1997-2015, with 10 effected. There were 12,114 AMDs from 2010-2015. The annual breakdown is: 2010: 1256, 2011: 1165, 2012: 2015, 2013: 1880, 2014: 2807, 2015: 2981.
Read the full exchange here.
MAKING PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES ELDER & DISABLED FRIENDLY
Png Eng Huat queried the number of overhead bridges with lifts and alternatives to make overhead bridges elderly and handicap friendly if lifts and ramps cannot be installed.
Khaw Boon Wan indicated that 33 pedestrian bridges have lifts, 34 more will have lifts by 2018, and 50 more after that. If lift installation is impossible for bridges elderly and disabled frequently use, LTA will examine alternatives like street-level crossings.
Read the full exchange here.
TAKE-UP RATE FOR 2-ROOM HDB FLATS
Png Eng Huat queried the number of 2-room HDB flats and studio apartments (SAs) built but unsold by June 2016, the percentage of flats on 99-year lease and flexi-lease sold, the number of flexi-lease flats returned to the HDB, and the main reasons for these returns.
Lawrence Wong said that there are about 2,200 2-room Flexi flats, including SAs unsold, 70% of these flats were on 99-year leases, 30% on short leases; no 2-room Flexi flat was retuned but 540s SAs were returned. Returns were mainly due to the demise of the owners or owners moving in with family.
Read the full exchange here.
MALAYSIAN CARS ENTERING SINGAPORE
Low Thia Khaing asked for the number of Malaysian cars entering and leaving Singapore annually from 2010-5 and how many traffic offences relating to Malaysian cars occurred at this time.
Khaw Boon Wan replied that an average of 4,000,000 trips by foreign registered vehicles occur per year; 11,000 were involved in traffic offences.
Read the full exchange here.
GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT SURVEY
Png Eng Huat asked for a comprehensive and robust Graduate Employment Survey covering all local universities, overseas institutions, local trans-national programmes to provide more data on graduate employment.
Ong Ye Kung said each Autonomous University conducts its own survey, with MOE standardising methodology. The Council for Private Education surveys graduates of Private Education Institutions, and will make this information public. MOE does not track Singaporean graduates from overseas.
Read the full exchange here.
VICTIM COMPENSATION ORDERS
Sylvia Lim queried the number of victim compensation orders granted in 2014-5, if the courts made compensation orders against the prosecution or informants for frivolous or vexatious prosecutions, and the range of compensation amounts for different offences.
K Shanmugam said there were 48 compensation orders in 2014 and 34 in 2015, 84% of which related to hurt, mischief, theft, cheating, and criminal breach of trust, 75% of compensation amounts were less than $2,000, 25% were between $2,000-10,000. One amounted to $57,000.
Read the full exchange here.
YOUNG PERSONS PROCESSED FOR CRIMINAL OFFENCES
Sylvia Lim asked for the number persons aged 16-18 that the State Courts processed for criminal offences over the last 3 years, which are the most common offences charged, and what are the most common sentences or orders upon conviction.
K Shanmugam said 2,254 persons aged 16-18 were charged for criminal offences in State Courts from 2013-5 and 2,045 convicted. Most common offences are theft and cheating under the Penal Code, under the Moneylenders Act, Tobacco Act, and Road Traffic Act. Close to half of those convicted were placed on probation, about 30% were fined and disqualified from having a driver’s license, about 15% were sent for Reformative Training.
Read the full exchange here.
ESTATE & INTERIM ESTATE UPGRADING IN ALJUNIED GRC
Sylvia Lim sought an updated list of completed Estate and Interim Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP & I-EUP) projects in Aljunied GRC, with commencement and completion dates.
Lawrence Wong said three estates in Aljunied GRC were selected for EUP in 2000, 2001 and 2008, with upgrading completed in 2004, 2006 and 2014. Works consist of upgrading of park facilities, and infrastructure improvements such as footpaths. I-EUP works were completed in March 2016, including footpath lightings, notice boards, directional signs and rain shelters.
Read the full exchange here.
HDB LIFT BREAKDOWNS: ADDITIONAL COSTS TO TOWN COUNCILS (TC)
Pritam Singh asked about the additional costs to TCs resulting from BCA’s new lift maintenance standards, whether HDB will provide lift-maintenance grants, subsidies or co-payment to replace prematurely obsolete lift parts.
Lawrence Wong replied that HDB is currently implementing a one-off Selective Lift Replacement Programme (SLRP) on a cost-sharing basis. TCs are responsible for replacing old lifts through their cyclical maintenance programme.
Read the full exchange here.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION ON HDB LIFT BREAKDOWNS: SAFETY ENHANCEMENT REQUIREMENTS
Pritam Singh asked when HDB will come to a decision on lift safety enhancement requirements and the replacement of older lifts, since such decisions affect TC costs and project finances significantly.
Lawrence Wong said that HDB is currently studying the situation to determine replacement age and will provide the data to TCs as soon as possible.
Read the full exchange here.
FLEXIBILITY IN HDB ETHNIC QUOTAS
Pritam Singh queried the number and grounds of appeals to the HDB for flexibility on ethnic limits for HDB resale units over the past 3 years, the number rejected, and the grounds for rejection.
Lawrence Wong indicated that HDB received 1,200 appeals for a waiver of the Ethnic Integration Policy from 2013-5. Four in five were unsuccessful, largely because there were no reasons cited for appeals. Others cited financial difficulty or divorce, but these do not provide sufficient grounds for a waiver. Sellers are able to secure buyers from eligible ethnic groups given the volume of HDB resale transactions.
Read the full exchange here.
SENIOR CITIZENS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS
Low Thia Khiang asked for the number of senior citizens diagnosed with hearing loss that requires hearing aids, how many applied for subsidies for these aids under the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF), how many were granted these subsidies, and the total amount of subsidy disbursed for hearing aids.
Gan Kim Yong said public hospitals diagnosed 16,300 Singaporean seniors with hearing loss that required hearing aids, 5,500 took up hearing aids. MOH has no figures from private healthcare institutions. 3,954 seniors applied for SMF subsidies and 3,394 received them. About 100 seniors used the Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) and Special Assistance (SAF) Fund for hearing aids. SMF, ATF, and SAF disbursements for hearing aids totaled $10.5 million from 2013-5.
Read the full exchange here.