Written Answers to WP's Oral Questions and Written Questions on 22 Sep 2025
ANTI-BULLYING REPORTING AND INVESTIGATING PROTOCOLS
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Education (a) whether an annual School Safety Scorecard per school will be published with anonymised bullying report totals, substantiation percentages, numbers of suspensions, transfers and serious sanctions; (b) whether a national anonymous anti-bullying reporting line will be established with trained responders; and (c) whether the Ministry will mandate minimum anti-bullying policy standards across all schools.
Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education with regard to ongoing measures to address concerns associated with bullying or violence in schools (a) whether the Ministry works with external agencies and their experts to strengthen trauma-informed and victim-centric practices in schools, including with professionals with expertise outside of traditional educational settings; and (b) if so, how is the Ministry working with such agencies and their experts.
Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education when incidents of bullying or violence are reported in schools (a) whether there are investigation protocols for educators; (b) whether these are developed with child safety and violence-prevention experts; and (c) whether they can be published to enhance public awareness and understanding.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education will provide an oral reply to this Parliamentary Question (PQ), together with other PQs which have been filed on this topic, at the next available opportunity.
DATA ON FRESH GRADUATES EMPLOYED ON FIXED-TERM CONTRACTS WITH DURATIONS OF ONE YEAR OR LESS
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry tracks the number and proportion of fresh graduates employed via fixed-term contracts with a duration of one year or less; (b) if so, over each of the past five years, what is the proportion of such fresh graduates from (i) ITE (ii) polytechnics (iii) autonomous universities and (iv) private universities; and (c) if not, why not.
Mr Desmond Lee: Mr Speaker, my response will also cover matters raised in the questions by Ms Hany Soh, which are scheduled for subsequent sittings. The Graduate Employment Survey (GES) tracks both permanent employment as well as temporary employment. Temporary employment includes casual and fixed term contracts of less than one year. Contracts of one year or more are included under permanent employment.
Over the last 5 years, an average of nine in 10 employed graduates were in full time employment. Amongst them around nine in 10 were in permanent roles. The proportion of full-time employed graduates in temporary roles remained low and stable at one in 10. The proportion of such graduates by institution-type varied, and was about 5% for Autonomous University graduates, about 20% for Polytechnic graduates, about 10% for Institute of Technical Education graduates and about 20% for Private Education Institution graduates. Close to half of Polytechnic graduates cited further studies as the reason for choosing temporary work.
SIGNIFICANCE OF CLOSURE OF ASEAN ENGAGEMENT OFFICE BY US GOVERNMENT
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs in light of the closure of the Asean Engagement Office by the US government, what is the Ministry’s assessment of (a) the significance of this measure on the US-Asean relationship; (b) what can Asean do to improve the US-Asean relationship; and (c) what can Singapore do to improve the US-Singapore relationship.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: ASEAN and the US enjoy a broad, substantive and mutually beneficial relationship, built up over decades and across both Democrat and Republican Administrations. ASEAN and the US have worked hard to promote dialogue, cooperate substantively and build trust. In 2027, we will commemorate 50
years of ASEAN-US dialogue relations and will use this opportunity to further expand our cooperation.
According to the US State Department, its internal reorganisation does not change the longstanding partnership between ASEAN and the US. Economic activities between ASEAN and the US already support more than 625,000 American jobs. The US continues to be ASEAN’s top source of foreign investment, with a total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock of SGD 798.8 billion in 2023. This is more than what the US has invested in China, India, Japan and South Korea combined. At a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and the US in July 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed that ASEAN continued to be the “pre-eminent mechanism” by which the US engaged the region.
Every change of administration presents opportunities for collaboration in new and practical areas. Earlier this year, ASEAN and the US endorsed the ASEAN-US Responsible AI Roadmap, which provides a guide for ASEAN governments to operationalise responsible AI. This helps to ensure that ASEAN as a region remains a secure and competitive destination for US firms to do business in.
On cyber scams, US firms like Meta are working with regulators in the region to tackle this scourge by improving verification processes and strengthening cyber defences. We can look at ways to expand such cooperation to include other private sector players and share expertise at the government-to-government level.
Singapore’s relations with the US are also substantive, long-standing, and enjoy bipartisan support. We have been a consistent and reliable partner of the US for decades. Our cooperation spans many domains, including defence, security, economic, and people-to-people ties. This deep reservoir of trust has allowed us to expand collaboration to newer areas such as AI, biotechnology, cybersecurity, outer space, civilian nuclear technology, and quantum technology.
We continue to engage the Trump Administration. My Cabinet colleagues and I have had good interactions with our US counterparts. These have been reported on in
the media so I will not detail them. Specifically on tariff negotiations, we are in preliminary discussions with the US to explore practical ways to facilitate our pharmaceutical and semiconductor exports to the US. DPM Gan has had several virtual engagements with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to this end.
We also continue to cultivate good relationships in the US Congress. I was pleased to learn that the US Congressional Singapore Caucus Co-Chairs recently took the initiative to introduce a resolution in the House of Representatives in conjunction with SG60, to express continued support for the bilateral relationship. Through our sustained engagements with the US, MFA will continue to foster greater appreciation of Singapore and our relationship with the US.
UPDATE ON EVALUATION OF INCLUSIVE SUPPORT PROGRAMME PILOT IN PRESCHOOLS
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the evaluation of the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) pilot in preschools; (b) what factors are taken into consideration when evaluating the effectiveness of the InSP; and (c) what is the timeline to scale up the InSP to more preschools if the pilot is successful.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The evaluation of the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) pilot in preschools is nearing completion. The evaluation assessed the impact of InSP on the learning and social development of both children with developmental needs and typically developing children, as well as the impact on caregivers of all children. More details about the evaluation and plans for InSP will be announced soon.
REVIEWING REGULATION OF INTEGRATED SHIELD PLANS TO ALIGN WITH NATIONAL HEALTHCARE PRIORITIES AND PATIENT PROTECTION
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Government has any plans to disallow Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers from offering "as-charged" or no-limit coverage for non cancer treatments; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether existing laws preventing profiteering and anti competitive behaviours such as collusion and price-fixing among healthcare service providers and private insurers are sufficient; and (b) how does our regulatory framework compare to other developed countries.
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Government has any plans to further regulate the use of panel specialists by Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers, such as by mandating a minimum number of specialists per medical specialty or the contract durations of panel specialists; and (b) if not, why not.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: These questions are regarding the current state of private healthcare and insurance. Insurers, private hospitals, and providers have got themselves tied up in a knot, resulting in escalating private hospital bills, rising premiums, and more safeguards introduced to the claims process. The concerns raised by Members point back to this deeper issue, which I will address in detail at the subsequent sitting, together with other similar Parliamentary Questions (PQs) filed.
USE OF FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY TO IDENTIFY AND STOP PERPETRATORS OF PETTY CRIMES
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the police deploy facial recognition technology to identify perpetrators of petty crimes, such as bicycle theft; and (b) what impediments exist in holding such perpetrators accountable once identified.
Mr K Shanmugam: To the extent that there are CCTVs available where the crimes are committed, including petty theft, the Police may use facial recognition technology to try to identify the culprits, and follow up as appropriate.
TRACKING TENURE DURATION AND ETHNICITY OF TENANTS FOR OPEN-MARKET RENTAL OF HDB FLATS
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB systematically tracks tenure duration and ethnicity of tenants for open-market rentals; (b) if not, how does HDB ensure rentals remain short-term and do not significantly alter block or precinct ethnic composition; and (c) if so, whether violations of the Ethnic Integration Policy have been detected.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP), seeks to ensure that our Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates remain diverse and inclusive, and applies to the sale and purchase of all HDB flats, as well as the allocation of HDB public rental flats. For EIP-constrained flat owners with extenuating circumstances, HDB has been exercising flexibility and provides a range of assistance measures on a case-by-case basis.
Tenants who rent HDB flats on the open market are not subject to the EIP. The majority of these tenants are non-citizens from diverse ethnic backgrounds and countries. Their stays are typically temporary in nature, and do not affect the ethnic proportions in our public housing estates over the long term.
To prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves and maintain the Singaporean character of our HDB heartlands, HDB introduced the Non-Citizen Quota in 2014, which caps the number of flats that can be wholly rented out to non-Malaysian non citizens within each block and neighbourhood.
Eligible HDB flat owners must have fulfilled the Minimum Occupation Period before renting out their whole flats. They are also required to seek HDB’s approval and meet the non-citizen quota. The rental period is capped at two years when owners rent out their flats to non-Malaysian non-citizens. If irregularities are detected, HDB will take appropriate enforcement action against the flat owner.
AVOIDING "LONG WEEKENDS" WHEN SCHEDULING POLLING DAY FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS
Mr Pritam Singh asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in view of the lowest voter turnout for general elections since 1968 (a) whether the Government will commit not to hold polling day for a future election over a “long weekend”; and (b) how many absentee voters in the 2025 General Election have restored their names to the Registers of Electors (i) via Singpass and (ii) via appointment at the Elections Department.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): On the date for Polling Day, I do not think it is possible, nor in the interest of Singapore, to commit to not holding an election on a particular date or during a particular period. The date depends very much on the exigencies of the situation at the time.
On Mr Pritam Singh’s second question on the number of restored voters, as of 1 September 2025, 99,140 non-voters from the General Election 2025 have restored their names, which is more than half of the total number of non-voters. 97% of those who restored their names did so via Singpass, with the remainder doing so in person at Community Centres/Clubs, ServiceSG Centres and the Elections Department office. For those who have not restored their names, I encourage them to do so early so that they can vote at the next election.
REASONS FOR NON-DETECTION OF OVERSTAYER WHO SURRENDERED PASSPORT IN 1996 AND MEASURES TO PREVENT SIMILAR INCIDENTS
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) why a woman who surrendered her passport to ICA in 1996 was not monitored more closely, allowing her to overstay for more than 28 years; (b) what specific vulnerabilities enabled her to live in Singapore and for her daughter to apply for permanent residency without detection; and (c) what new measures have been implemented to prevent a similar incident.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) takes a very serious view of overstayers and those who harbour them. ICA conducts regular ground operations to try to detect and enforce against overstaying. But sometimes, deliberate overstayers manage to evade the enforcement actions.
Specific to this case involving Yu Zefang, which I understand the member is referring to, she deliberately maintained a very low profile in Singapore, which made it difficult for the agencies to detect her. She did not maintain a fixed place of stay, did not engage in any formal employment, did not have any local bank account, and did not utilise any Government services such as public healthcare, which would have required her identity to be authenticated.
ICA is looking into the circumstances around her daughter’s Permanent Residence (PR) application. We will take action if there was any fraud committed in the application, or if other immigration offences such as harbouring of overstayers are disclosed.
ICA will continue to try to improve its measures to detect and arrest overstayers.
PROPOSAL FOR SET-UP OF SMALLER SATELLITE HDB SERVICE OFFICE IN HOUGANG
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for National Development whether HDB can consider setting up a smaller satellite service office in the Hougang area for the convenience of residents living in the vicinity who require physical face to-face services with staff and beyond e-kiosk services, after the closure of its office at Block 814 Hougang Central.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The HDB Hougang Branch was closed on 1 September 2025 to facilitate the development of the mixed commercial and residential site at Hougang Ave 10 / Hougang Central
To ensure continued service for residents, Housing and Development Board (HDB) has implemented several measures.
First, HDB has opened a 24-hour e-Lobby at the ground floor of Block 806 Hougang Central. HDB has also set up e-Lobbies in Bukit Panjang in 2018 and
Queenstown in 2022. The e-Lobby is equipped with self-help machines such as HDB e-Service kiosks for residents to access HDB services and complete transactions such as mortgage and rental payments. These services are also available on the HDB InfoWEB and Mobile@HDB app.
Second, to guide residents in using these e-services, as a transitional measure, HDB has stationed a service ambassador at the e-Lobby until October 2025. We will continue to monitor the situation, and may consider extending the availability of the service ambassador, if there is a need to do so.
Third, for complex transactions or transactions requiring wet-ink signatures to be made in person, residents can book an appointment at the Sengkang Branch located at Rivervale Plaza, which is accessible by train and multiple bus services.
We recognise that some residents may have accessibility needs or face exceptional circumstances. For these residents, they may reach out to HDB directly to be served in-person at the Hougang e-Lobby.
REVIEW OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS ACT, AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN WHITE PAPER ON STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Ministry will consider the 15 recommendations in the 2025 White Paper on Strengthening Protections for Animal Welfare jointly submitted by ACRES and SPCA; and (b) if so, what is the expected timeline for reviewing and implementing the recommendations across the four key areas of animal welfare education, legislation and policies, companion animal protection, and wildlife protection.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Animals and Birds Act 1965 (“ABA”) safeguards against animal cruelty and abuse. Under the current ABA, the maximum penalty for a cruelty offence is higher than that for a welfare offence. Repeat offenders are also liable for enhanced punishment. Where acts of cruelty are particularly aggravated, the prosecution will highlight this to the Courts to take into account for sentencing.
National Parks Board (NParks) has started a comprehensive review to ensure the ABA remains effective in deterring acts of animal cruelty and abuse. This includes reviewing the penalty framework, such as imprisonment terms, fines and disqualification orders for animal welfare offences, and enforcement powers for better animal welfare and management.
The review currently does not include proposals to prevent the posting of animal abuse content online, or increase collaboration on enforcement with animal welfare groups. To reduce disamenities caused by irresponsible pet ownership, NParks has launched initiatives such as cat licensing under the Cat Management Framework and the Pet Ownership Course.
We will continue to take a collaborative approach in this review. For instance, Minister of State Alvin Tan had engaged Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in July on their White Paper on Strengthening Protections for Animal Welfare. We agreed that while some recommendations will be challenging to implement due to the trade offs, we could adopt some recommendations as part of the ABA review and further evaluate others with partners. NParks will continue to engage stakeholders, such as animal welfare groups, pet business owners and vets to ensure that all views are considered. NParks aims to start public consultation on the draft Bill by around end-2026.
NParks will continue to investigate feedback on animal welfare and cruelty thoroughly. For instance, in the recent cases involving community cats in Yishun and Punggol, NParks interviewed key witnesses, reviewed CCTV footage, and carried out post-mortem examination for the Yishun community cat, and found that the cases were likely the result of vehicular accidents.
NParks will take firm enforcement action, considering factors such as severity of the offence and whether it is a repeat offender. In line with its enforcement efforts, NParks also works with animal welfare group partners to increase education and outreach efforts to raise awareness of responsible pet ownership and the consequences of animal cruelty.
REASON FOR ENGINE CAPACITY, MAXIMUM POWER AND OPEN MARKET VALUE THRESHOLDS IN QUALIFYING FOR COE PREMIUM AND ARF WAIVER UNDER DISABLED PERSONS SCHEME
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the justification for engine capacity, maximum power and open market value thresholds in qualifying for COE premium and Additional Registration Fee (ARF) waiver under the Disabled Persons Scheme; and (b) whether these criteria are subject to appeal, especially where the disability justifies a larger capacity or higher-value vehicle.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Disabled Persons Scheme (DPS) exempts eligible persons with disabilities (PwDs) who cannot take public transport from paying premiums for the Certificates of Entitlement (COE) and Additional Registration Fees (ARF) when they purchase a car for the primary purpose of travelling to and from work.
Cars supported under the DPS must have an engine capacity not exceeding 1,600cc, maximum power output not exceeding 97kW (130 brake horsepower), and open market value not exceeding $20,000. These specifications are set to support eligible PwDs to purchase an affordable car which can meet their work-related commuting needs, while ensuring fiscal prudence.
We can consider appeals on a case-by-case basis.
ELIGIBILITY AND APPEAL AVENUES FOR MERCHANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN CDC VOUCHER SCHEME
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what specific criteria determine the eligibility to participate in the CDC Voucher Scheme for merchants not located in HDB premises; (b) how are these criteria and the grounds for appeal communicated to rejected applicants; and (c) what steps are being taken to ensure consistent and transparent application of the criteria nationwide.
Mr Edwin Tong: The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme was first introduced in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic with two key objectives – (i) to help Singaporean households cope with the cost of living; and (ii) to support hawkers and heartland merchants.
In line with the policy intent, our aim is to onboard hawkers and merchants in Housing and Development Board (HDB) heartlands, such as those in the NEA managed centres and HDB heartlands, including shops which offer daily goods or services.
However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents.
In 2023, we responded to residents’ requests to further alleviate their expenses by widening the usage of CDC Vouchers to supermarkets. However, only half of the vouchers received could be used at supermarkets, and the remaining half were for use at heartland merchants.
This balanced approach meets both the needs of residents, as well as supports our heartland businesses. The spend rate for the 2024 tranche of CDC Vouchers was 97%. In a January 2025 survey, 98% of residents responded that there were "enough participating merchants" near their homes to patronise and spend their vouchers.
To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants on the CDC Voucher scheme. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore (FMAS), Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS), and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that the CDC Vouchers Scheme best serves Singaporean households and boosts our local businesses. We will continue to monitor and review its implementation from time to time, to ensure its reach and effectiveness.
DATA ON SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC RENTAL FLATS MADE BY INDIVIDUALS UNDERGOING DIVORCE AND SEPARATION PROCEEDINGS
Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development from 2020 to 2024, how many successful applications for public rental flats are made annually by individuals undergoing divorce and separation proceedings, with a breakdown by (i) those with an interim judgment for divorce (ii) those with a deed of separation and (iii) those on a case-by-case basis, respectively.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: From 2020 to 2024, Housing and Development Board (HDB) approved about 6,100 requests from individuals who had either completed their divorce or separation, or were undergoing the proceedings with ancillary matters settled. An additional 186 requests were approved without their ancillary matters settled, on a case-by-case basis. The total number of approved requests each year is about 1,200 to 1,300.
HDB does not differentiate applicants who have completed their proceedings and those who are undergoing the proceedings with ancillary matters settled. HDB also does not track applications by the type of documentation submitted, and is therefore unable to provide the breakdown requested by the member.
ADDRESSING ISSUE OF PIGEON ROOSTING AND DEFECATION AT AIR CONDITIONER LEDGES OF HDB FLATS
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether any studies have been conducted to address the issue of pigeon roosting and defecation at the air-conditioner ledges of HDB flats which poses hygiene and maintenance concerns for residents; and (b) whether the Home Improvement Programme can be enhanced to mitigate this issue, including upgrades to the design of the clothes drying rack in affected flat types.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: My response will also address other questions related to pigeon management filed by Mr Abdul Muhaimin and Mr Patrick Tay for subsequent sittings. Should the Members feel that my response sufficiently addresses their questions, the Members may wish to withdraw their questions.
National Parks Board (NParks) takes a proactive, holistic, and science-based approach to manage the pigeon population across Singapore. These include direct population control, with trapping and removal, habitat modification, enforcement against illegal bird-feeding, and education and outreach efforts to reduce human generated food sources.
Since July 2024, NParks has partnered Town Councils, NEA and SFA to step up these efforts in hotspots under the pigeon management pilot. The pilot showed encouraging results. There has been a decrease in the estimated pigeon population by around 50% across the three Town Councils, namely Ang Mo Kio, Bishan Toa-Payoh and Tanjong Pagar. The pigeon-related feedback is around 34% lower than the average. These results were derived by comparing against control areas that were not part of the pilot.
In June 2025, NParks expanded the pigeon management plan to three more hotspot TCs, namely Jalan Besar, Marsiling-Yew Tee and Nee Soon. NParks will scale this up across Singapore in phases to help manage the pigeon population.
Specific to HDB estates, NParks and HDB have been studying pigeon-related issues, and will continue to monitor feedback from residents and trial deterrent measures, such as bird nettings, in consultation with Town Councils. There are currently no plans to modify the Home Improvement Programme to address this issue.
Keeping the pigeon population under control requires a collective community effort. As bird feeding and human-generated food sources are key drivers of pigeon population growth, we urge residents not to feed birds and to keep our environment clean. NParks will also continue to take enforcement action against individuals who feed pigeons.
PERCENTAGE OF IN-SERVICE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED CERTIFICATE IN INCLUSIVE PRACTICE COURSE
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what percentage of in-service early childhood educators have completed the Certificate in Inclusive Practice (CIP) course; and (b) what are the Ministry's plans to encourage and enable more early childhood educators to take the CIP course to deepen their knowledge and skills in supporting children with developmental needs.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) began offering the Certificate in Inclusive Practice (CIP) in 2022, and there has been an intake of about 80 in-service educators each year.
Beyond equipping educators through the CIP, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) also works with training providers to incorporate inclusive practice into the curriculum of early childhood pre-service training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. These courses develop preschool educators’ competencies in inclusive practice, including behaviour guidance and differentiated instruction to support children with additional needs.
ECDA has also piloted the Inclusive Support Programme (InSP) in six preschools, to integrate early intervention and early childhood services at preschools for children requiring medium levels of early intervention support. Educators in InSP preschools undergo training and coaching to equip them with the necessary skills and competencies to support children with additional needs in the preschool setting. ECDA remains committed to working with partners to make preschools more inclusive, and to provide a good start for every child.
QUANTIFYING POTENTIAL COST IMPACT OF NEW FIXED INSTALLATION PLAN SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT ON LIFT MODERNISATION PROJECTS
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether any study or assessment has been commissioned to quantify the potential cost impact of the new fixed installation (FI) plan submission requirement, starting 1 October 2025, on lift modernisation projects; (b) if so, what are the key findings; and (c) how will these inform support measures for Town Councils and other lift owners to manage possible cost increases.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The new requirement for lift plan submission aims to have lift installations properly reviewed by qualified professionals before works start. The additional cost of engaging Qualified Persons to submit lift plans could range from 0.5% to 2% of the total installation cost for lifts, estimated to be about $500 to $2,000.
To streamline the application process, Building and Construction Authority (BCA) will allow all lift owners, including Town Councils, to submit a single application for works relating to the same lift design or same modification work to lifts across different locations.
VENTILATION AND COOLING STANDARDS IN SCHOOLS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE, COGNITIVELY OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Education given evidence that each additional one-degree Celsius increase in temperature reduces learning by 1-2% with greater impact on lower-income students (a) what is the Ministry’s assessment of “thermal inequality” between air-conditioned and non-air conditioned classrooms; and (b) what specific hardware standards such as cooling, ventilation and insulation will ensure equitable, cognitively optimal learning environment for all students.
Mr Desmond Lee: My response will also cover the matters raised in the question by Mr Patrick Tay, which is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting on 25 September 2025.
MOE aims to provide a conducive learning environment, through heat-resilient school design. For example, north-south building direction for natural ventilation and shading to minimise direct sunlight, large window openings for passive cooling, supported by ceiling fans
We are adopting additional heat mitigation measures to tackle rising temperatures. To reduce ambient temperature, school building exteriors are being coated with cool paint, and more shade and greenery are provided. To enhance cooling, we are adding more and faster fans to all classrooms, while designing new schools with more windows and open spaces. We are also installing mixed mode air conditioning in all school halls for large scale events. In doing so, we seek to achieve a good level of thermal comfort in an energy-efficient manner by setting the air conditioner at an appropriate temperature, and using this together with High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) fans. We have also reviewed uniform guidelines to allow PE attire on most days of the week.
We will continue to explore further heat adaptation and active cooling measures for classrooms, such as mixed mode air-conditioning based on scientific understanding of how rising temperature affects student learning, including the US research Mr Tiong appears to have cited. However, we should consider local context, including our local climate, school design, student routines and learning approaches.
We will continue to look into how we can improve the thermal comfort so that all students can continue to have conducive learning environments regardless of the school they attend.
ALLEGATION THAT CYBER ATTACKS AGAINST INFORMATION SYSTEMS OF NINTH ASIAN WINTER GAMES IN HARBIN ORIGINATED FROM SINGAPORE
Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information what is the Government’s position on the allegation made by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore in The Straits Times on 5 August 2025, that at the Ninth Asian Winter Games held in Harbin in February 2025, China saw 14.97% or 40,000 cyber attacks against its “information systems of competition” originating from Singapore.
Mrs Josephine Teo: As Members are aware, the digital world is borderless. Malicious cyber actors can launch their attacks from anywhere, and often design their attack pathways to mask their true origins. That is why it is important to investigate to establish the origin of attack. To-date, the government does not have any evidence of attacks originating from Singapore against the Ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin.
Singapore does not allow the use of our digital infrastructure for malicious cyber activities and will act on evidence of such activities. To this end, the Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team (SingCERT), under the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), has reached out to its counterpart in the PRC to render its assistance. Should the PRC authorities share any information with us on this issue, we will follow up to investigate.
PROVISION OF AND SUBSIDY FOR PERSONAL TRACKING DEVICES FOR CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM UNDER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FUND
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether personal tracking devices such as Apple AirTags qualify for subsidies under the Assistive Technology Fund; (b) if so, how many caregivers of children with autism obtained such devices in each of the last three years; and (c) whether the Ministry will proactively provide a starter device upon diagnosis via early-intervention centres.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) supports eligible persons with disabilities in purchasing assistive devices for the purposes of early intervention, education, employment, therapy, rehabilitation and independent living. To date, we have not received any applications for personal tracking devices from persons with disabilities. Such devices can be supported under the ATF as they enable persons with autism to live independently.
Persons with autism and their caregivers may utilise different types of personal tracking devices, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking watches or air tags, depending on their preferences.
As the decision to utilise such tracking devices rests with caregivers, we will not proactively provide such devices to children with autism via early intervention centres.
EXPANDING PILOT ON DISPLAYING OF UNIT PRICES IN SUPERMARKETS TO PERMANENT IMPLEMENTATION
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what are the key performance indicators in the pilot for displaying unit prices in supermarkets for the Ministry to consider more permanent implementation.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government is working with major supermarket operators and the Consumers Association of Singapore to progressively launch a pilot on unit pricing from 1 September 2025. Through the pilot, we will assess consumer feedback on the effectiveness of unit pricing to enable easier price comparison across grocery products of different brands and package sizes, and facilitate more informed purchasing decisions. We will also seek to understand from the operators, the operational feasibility of unit pricing and the impact to their businesses. The insights will inform our decision on whether or not, a broader rollout will deliver meaningful value to both consumers and businesses.
UTILISATION RATE OF HOME NURSING SERVICES AND PLANS TO EXPAND PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) what is the current utilisation rate for home nursing services; and (b) what plans are in place to expand the provision of these services.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: As of June 2025, the utilisation rate for the subsidised home nursing service is about 80%. Home nursing capacity is reviewed regularly to ensure adequate capacity to meet the demand.
UTILISATION RATE OF PARENTING FOR WELLNESS INITIATIVE PORTAL AND RESOURCES
Ms He Ting Ru asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health since the launch of the Parenting for Wellness Initiative (a) how many parents have been reached with this resource; (b) how many visitors or users have logged on to the portal as registered users; and (c) whether there are any early insights to be shared about which features of the initiative have registered particular interest from users.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Health Promotion Board, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social and Family Development launched the Parenting for Wellness initiative in September 2024. The website has reached 69,000 unique visitors, with over 2,700 users signing up for the personalised dashboard which recommends learning modules and tracks their progress. The Government and partners have distributed over 76,000 copies of the Parenting for Wellness Toolbox through digital downloads and physical copies at events such as the Digital for Life Festival, National Family Festival and Singapore Mental Health Conference.
This initiative has received positive feedback from parents who find the resources relevant and practical. Family life educators and student welfare officers also shared that the resources will support their work with families.
We will continue to work closely with partners to refine and improve the resources on the platform, to ensure it meets parents’ evolving needs.
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR PARTNER OPERATOR APPLICATIONS FOR PRESCHOOL SERVICES
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what are the specific and objective criteria used by ECDA to evaluate Partner Operator applications for preschool services beyond broad principles of quality and affordability; and (b) what is ECDA's policy on providing detailed written feedback to unsuccessful applicants, including to outline specific shortcomings against these criteria, to help them meet the required criteria for future applications.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: For the current term of the Partner Operator (POP) scheme, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) had run an open, competitive call for applicants. The selection process considered multiple factors such as the applicants’ track record in providing quality childcare services, financial
sustainability and accessibility of centres, and local preschool demand. In addition, applicants were required to demonstrate commitment and ability to meet the scheme’s requirements, which included the ability to provide affordable and quality preschool services, and enhance professional development and career prospects for Early Childhood professionals. Unsuccessful applicants were informed that ECDA had considered the relative suitability of operators and centres against the aforementioned factors.
ECDA is currently evaluating applications for the next term of the POP scheme, which will commence from 1 January 2026. The results will be announced soon. The principles for selecting POP operators and centres, and communications to unsuccessful applicants for the next term will be broadly in line with the practice for the current term of the POP scheme.
TOTAL ANNUAL IMPUTED RENTAL VALUE OF PROPERTIES ALLOCATED TO ANCHOR OPERATORS AND PARTNER OPERATORS OF PRESCHOOL SERVICES
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the total estimated annual imputed rental value of all properties ultimately allocated to ECDA's Anchor Operators and Partner Operators for preschool services for which market-rate rent is not charged; and (b) how does the Ministry factor this in-kind subsidy when evaluating the financial efficiency of these preferential allocation schemes.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Anchor Operator centres allocated Housing Development Board premises by the Early Childhood Development Agency are charged similar rental rates as other socio-communal facilities. ECDA does not currently allocate any sites to Partner Operator centres.
ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF PARENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMMES ON HEALTHY SCREENTIME HABITS FOR CHILDREN
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the Government’s assessment of the effectiveness of its parental education programmes on healthy screentime habits for children; (b) whether these programmes will be mandated for new parents given risks of early, excessive screen use; and (c) what measures address the tendency for some parents using mobile devices as “digital babysitters” which can inadvertently impact their children’s development.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: In January, the Government launched Grow Well SG to support parents in managing their children’s screen use and promoting other healthy behaviours from an early age. These include the Childhood Health Behaviours Checklist at healthcare touchpoints and personalised Health Plans with lifestyle prescriptions through schools.
We have developed practical parenting tips on guiding screen use, conversation starters and alternative non-screen activities for parents to engage their children. We have made these tips widely available through channels such as the Families for Life website, Parent Hub website (e.g. Screen Use Buddy), Parenting for Wellness, Digital for Life Portal, Parenting Resources in Parents Gateway and the Early Childhood Development Agency's Beanstalk.
In addition, the Families for Life Council works with community partners to offer parenting talks on screen use and device management during parents’ meet up sessions and at community touchpoints. Parent Support Groups in schools also share screen use tips and strategies with their parent communities. As these measures are fairly nascent, we are still monitoring and assessing their effectiveness.
There are no plans to make these programmes mandatory for new parents, as each family's needs differ. However, we recognise the importance of starting them young on the right footing for screen use. As part of the SG60 Baby Gift Pack distribution, all Singaporean parents of newborns in 2025 receive a parenting journal with a concise guide to resources on healthy habits including adopting no screen use for infants. A similar guide will be made available to parents of newborns in subsequent years through various healthcare and community touchpoints.
The Government will continue to engage parents to understand their challenges and strengthen programmes and tools to help their children develop healthier screen time habits in this digital age.
MEASURES TO ADDRESS BULLYING'S ROOT CAUSES AND ENSURE CHILDREN DEVELOP SELF-PROTECTION SKILLS
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Education (a) how effective are the Ministry’s upstream measures in addressing bullying’s root causes; (b) how will the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum be reviewed to distinguish aggression from legitimate retaliation; (c) what measures ensure that children develop assertiveness and self-protection skills; and (d) how do schools teach students to stand up to bullies and foster a civic, caring society.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education will provide a combined reply to this Parliamentary Question (PQ), together with other PQs which have been filed on this topic, at the next available opportunity.
EFFICACY OF CAREER COACHING AT AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITIES IN SUPPORTING GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Minister for Education (a) what is the percentage of students in autonomous universities (AUs) who have had at least one session with a career coach; (b) whether students who sought career coaching have had better employment outcomes; and (c) what performance metrics does the Ministry use to evaluate the efficacy of career coaching and other initiatives to support graduate employment.
Mr Desmond Lee: Our Autonomous Universities (AUs) provide a range of Education and Career Guidance (ECG) services to support both existing students and fresh graduates at different stages of their career planning and job search process. These include organising career and education talks, sharing the latest industry and hiring trends, equipping students with job search skills, like resume writing and interview preparation, as well as access to career coaching services to guide students in their career directions or education pathways.
The AUs use surveys and student feedback to track the performance of their ECG programmes and services. The Ministry of Education does not collect data from AUs on career coaching sessions conducted. In any case, it is difficult to directly attribute better employment outcomes to any specific ECG programme or intervention.
REVIEWING SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR OVERSEAS SCHOOL TRIPS
Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry is reviewing the safety protocols for all schools following the fatal accident during an overseas trip by a privately funded school; and (b) whether the Ministry is considering standardised safety protocol for all schools, regardless of type.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) regularly reviews our safety protocols to ensure the safe delivery of school activities, including overseas trips. These protocols are applicable to all MOE schools.
Non-MOE schools have autonomy over their policies, operations and governance, including their safety protocols, to take into consideration their specific circumstances and activities.
EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP IN GRADUATE INDUSTRY TRAINEESHIPS AND MID- CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAMMES
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower what is the Ministry’s rationale for not considering trainees under the GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) Programme and Mid-Career Pathways Programme to be in an employer-employee relationship with their host organisation.
Dr Tan See Leng: This question has been answered together with the combined response to Parliamentary Questions Nos 3, 9, 27, 40, 53, 78, 83, 100, 116, 122, 129, 135, 152, 200, 345, 354, 373, 385, 454 on the Sitting of 22 September 2025.
COMPARING 2024 AND 2025 GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT RATES AND MEDIAN SALARIES BY COURSE CLUSTER
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Minister for Manpower how do employment rate and median gross monthly salary of the 2025 cohort of graduates who found full-time employment, by each course cluster, compare with that of the 2024 cohort of graduates, by each course cluster.
Dr Tan See Leng: Based on our data so far, we have seen some improvement in employment rates from 2024 to 2025. As of June this year, the proportion of graduates in permanent employment from the 2025 cohort was 44%, compared to 37% for the 2024 cohort. We do not have data for the 2025 cohort by course cluster or for salaries yet, as this will be collected in the Graduate Employment Survey in November 2025.
NUMBER OF MIGRANT DOMESTIC WORKERS WITH CAREGIVING RESPONSIBILITIES AT SECONDARY RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Manpower what is the current number and percentage of migrant domestic workers who have been authorised to undertake caregiving responsibilities at a secondary residential address.
Dr Tan See Leng: Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) should only work for their employer at the residential address declared to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Employers are required to notify MOM if they need their MDWs to take care of them or their household members at another residential address, and abide by certain conditions, including ensuring that the MDW does not perform the full load of housework in both households.
Based on the notifications submitted by MDW employers as of August 2025, about 4,300 MDWs are currently taking care of their employer or household members at another residential address. This is about 1.4% of the MDW population.
NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND APPROVAL RATES FOR LIFT ACCESS HOUSING GRANT
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether an update can be provided on the total number of HDB owners who have applied for the Lift Access Housing Grant to date since its introduction; (b) how many have been approved so far; and (c) how many HDB owners have been approved for the grant since its increase from $30,000 to $80,000 in April 2025.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Housing and Development Board (HDB) households facing medical or mobility challenges may tap on the Lift access Housing Grant (LHG) to help them move to a new or resale flat with direct lift access.
Since the implementation of the LHG in 2020, HDB has received 78 complete applications. 60 of these were approved, of which 12 benefitted from the grant increase in April 2025.
PROFILE OF APPLICANTS UNDER THE FAMILY SCHEME CATEGORY OF PUBLIC RENTAL SCHEME FROM 2019 TO 2024
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for National Development for each year from 2019 to 2024 (a) what proportion of applicants under the Family Scheme category of the Public Rental Scheme are (i) single unmarried parents (ii) non citizen single parents with Singaporean children and (iii) divorced parents; and (b) how many of these applicants have been successful.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The Housing and Development Board reviews all applications under the Public Rental Scheme holistically to understand the applicant’s individual circumstances, housing options, and level of family support, taking into account input from social workers if necessary.
From 2019 to 2024, an annual average of 7%, 4% and 17% of requests for public rental flats under the Family Scheme were from single unmarried parents, non-citizen single parents with Singaporean children and divorced parents respectively. There is some overlap between these groups. During this period, about 4,000 unique applicants across these groups were successful in applying for the Public Rental Scheme. Back to Contents
ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING RATES AT HDB AND PRIVATE CAR PARKS, AND IMPACT OF MANDATING DUAL-OPERATORS
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what is the median cost per kWh for EV charging in HDB carparks as compared to private commercial carparks; (b) what percentage of evaluation score is based on the operator’s proposed charging price in tenders for charging points in HDB carparks; and (c) whether the Ministry has studied the potential cost-reduction impact of mandating dual-operators in high-demand carparks.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Charging prices vary depending on operator, location and charger power rating. The median electric vehicle (EV) charging price is $0.66/kWh for Housing Development Board (HDB) carparks and $0.74/kWh for private commercial carparks. Charging prices are commercial decisions.
Tenders were evaluated on a price-quality framework where we weight quality more than price. Operators do not have exclusive rights to operate in HDB carparks; the Land Transport Authority may call a tender to install more EV chargers in future.
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE AND ORDER OF ROLL-OUT FOR TWO CARRIAGE TRAINS FOR SENGKANG-PUNGGOL LRT
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Acting Minister for Transport regarding the 25 new two-carriage trains ordered for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (a) what is the detailed timeline for implementation on both loops in Sengkang and in Punggol; and (b) what factors determine the order of rollout across these service areas.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: We are on track to fully deploy the new two-car Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) by end-2028. Two LRVs have already been deployed, and the remaining LRVs will be deployed across the SPLRT based on operational requirements and prevailing passenger loading conditions as they arrive.
EXCLUSION OF BUSINESSES FROM CDC VOUCHER SCHEME AND APPEAL OUTCOMES
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth for each year since 2021 (a) how many applications by merchants for inclusion in the CDC Voucher Scheme were rejected because they are located in non-HDB premises; (b) how many of these cases are successfully appealed; and (c) whether the Ministry tracks the number of businesses in non-HDB premises providing essential community services that are ineligible for the Scheme.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: The Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers Scheme aims to help Singaporeans households cope with the cost of living and support hawkers and heartland merchants.
However, there are instances where few or no heartland merchants are found within or near residential areas. In such locations, we have onboarded, on a case-by-case basis, small businesses that provide goods and services needed by residents.
To date, we have onboarded over 23,000 hawkers and heartland merchants to the CDC Voucher scheme, including those who successfully appealed. The CDCs will continue to work closely with key partners, including the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore, Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore, and various merchant and hawker associations, to onboard eligible merchants in the heartlands.
