Volume 94 Monday No 9 14 March 2016

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS

Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by 3.00pm

Page

23 Helping Pioneers Sign Up for Pioneer Generation Package and Understand MediShield Life (Miss ) 1 25 Divorcees Applying to Rent or Buy HDB Flats (Mr ) 2 29 Regulating Private Businesses or Individuals who Collect Donations for Charitable Causes (Ms Lay Peng) 2 30 Bed Capacity Requirement for Tender of Sites for Nursing, Step-down and Long-term Care Facilities (Mr ) 3 31 Legislation for Two Days of Eldercare Leave Per Year (Miss Cheng Li Hui) 5 32 Progress of Installation of CCTVs at HDB Void Decks and Common Areas (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 6 33 Waiver of Replacement Fee for Damaged Identity Cards (Mr ) 6 34 Extension of Selective Lift Replacement Programme (Mr Pritam Singh) 7 35 Incentives for Building Owners and Developers to Provide Space for Community Facilities (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 7 36 Measures to Limit Price Hikes on Motorcycle COEs (Mr ) 8 37 Network of Linkways for Orchard Road Malls (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 9 38 Consumer Education for Students (Mr ) 9 39 Undergraduate Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Courses (Mr ) 10 42 Covered Walkways from MRT Stations to Public Hospitals (Mr Ang Wei Neng) 11 44 Impact of Electro-magnetic Waves on Residents Living near Power Sub-stations (Mr Yik Chye) 11 45 Long-term Viability of Shops in HDB Heartlands (Ms ) 12

HELPING PIONEERS SIGN UP FOR PIONEER GENERATION PACKAGE AND UNDERSTAND MEDISHIELD LIFE

23 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Finance (a) of the estimated 450,000 persons in the Pioneer Generation group, how many of them have been contacted by the Pioneer Generation Ambassadors (PGAs) so far, (b) how many senior citizens are not included in the Pioneer Generation Package; and (c) whether the PGAs can be tasked to reach out to them as well to help them understand MediShield Life.

Mr : The Pioneer Generation Ambassadors (PGA) Programme was created in August 2014. PGAs, who are volunteers, carry out personalised outreach to Pioneers and their caregivers to explain the benefits of the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP). Since July 2015, PGAs have also been engaging Pioneers and their families to share with them details on MediShield Life (MSHL) and related support measures, such as MSHL PG subsidies and Medisave top-ups. As at end February 2016, 3,000 PGAs have successfully visited 240,000 Pioneers (or about 6 in 10 Pioneers) and their caregivers in their homes. The PGA Programme has made significant progress since its launch given that this form of outreach is very resource-intensive and personalised. Our PGAs will continue to try and reach out to the remaining Pioneers to explain the benefits of both PGP and MSHL. The PGA Programme complements our other mass communications efforts, including print advertorials, TV interstitials and videos. These collective efforts have helped to raise awareness of the PGP and MSHL amongst Pioneers and their caregivers, and provided them assurance that their healthcare costs would be affordable to their families. Based on MCI’s survey conducted in August 2015, 96% of Pioneers were aware of the PGP and 87% felt assured that their healthcare costs would be significantly more affordable. Pioneers, who are aged 67 and above this year, make up about 65% of Singaporeans aged 60 and above1. While the PGA Programme is focused on Pioneers, MOH has been reaching out

1Based on data from the Department of Statistics (DOS), there are 670,200 Singaporeans aged 60 and above as at June 2015. Data from the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) showed that there are about 434,000 Pioneers as at December 2015.

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to all Singaporeans on MSHL through mass media publicity efforts and extensive engagement and outreach sessions with community partners, such as People’s Association and grassroots organisations. To date, MOH has reached out to over 32,000 Singaporeans through more than 100 broad-based dialogues, roadshows and community events, including individualised financial counselling sessions. MOH will continue its public education efforts on MSHL to all Singaporeans. Back to Contents DIVORCEES APPLYING TO RENT OR BUY HDB FLATS

25 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, what is the number of divorcees who have (i) applied to either purchase a BTO flat or a flat in the Sale of Balance Flats scheme, or to rent a HDB flat and (ii) purchased a resale flat; and (b) what has been the success rate.

Mr : From 2011 to May 2015, about 13,300 divorcees applied for a flat from the HDB under the Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats exercises. This translates to between 1,900 and 3,700 applicants each year. Overall, about two in three were invited to select a flat. From 2011 to 2015, about 13,600 divorcees bought a resale flat in the open market. This translates to between 2,300 and 3,000 transactions each year. In the same period, about 12,100 divorcees applied for rental flats. This similarly translates to between 1,500 and 3,700 each year. Overall, about one in two were successful in their application. Back to Contents REGULATING PRIVATE BUSINESSES OR INDIVIDUALS WHO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR CHARITABLE CAUSES

29 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what permissions and safeguards are there to govern businesses or individuals who claim to collect public donations on behalf of charitable causes.

Ms Hai Yien: Anyone (including businesses and individuals) conducting fund- 3

raising appeals in Singapore for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes are regulated under the Charities (Fund-Raising Appeals for Local and Foreign Charitable Purposes) Regulations 2012. The Regulations spell out the duties and obligations of fund-raisers, which include disclosure of clear and accurate information; proper management and usage of donations; as well as keeping accounting records of donations received and disbursed. Additionally, anyone intending to raise funds for foreign charitable causes is required to apply for a Fund-Raising for Foreign Charitable Purposes (FRFCP) permit from the Commissioner of Charities (COC) prior to the commencement of the appeal. While a permit from the COC is waived for fund-raising appeals for local charitable purposes, a licence from the Police will be required when the fund-raising is conducted in publicly accessible places or from house to house. If in doubt, members of the public can check if a fund-raising appeal is for a registered charity and has a valid permit or licence through the Charity Portal or by using the SMS verification service. If there is reason to believe that a fund-raiser has violated any of the Fund-Raising Regulations, the Office of the Commissioner of Charities will look into the matter. The Commissioner may also invoke his powers to restrict or prohibit the conduct of any fund-raising appeal if there is reason to believe that the appeals have been improperly administered. Fund-raisers should be mindful of their obligations under the Fund-Raising Regulations. They should also ensure that the causes for which they are fund-raising are legitimate, as part of their duty to donors. On the other hand, members of the public should remain vigilant and be discerning in responding to such public appeals so as to avoid falling victim to improper fund- raising activities. Back to Contents BED CAPACITY REQUIREMENT FOR TENDER OF SITES FOR NURSING, STEP-DOWN AND LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

30 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health (a) whether there is a requirement for land sites released for nursing, step-down and long-term care facilities to have a minimum number of beds to be provided by the tenderer and, if so, why; and (b) whether these facilities need to maintain a minimum proportion of rooms with four beds or more for their patients to 4

receive Government means-tested subsidies for intermediate and long- term care services and, if so, what is this proportion.

Mr : The intermediate and long term care landscape in Singapore has to evolve to meet the needs of an ageing population. MOH is expanding the capacity of nursing home services, and as land is scarce in Singapore, we must ensure efficient use of space so that we have sufficient capacity to meet the increase in needs. The design and layout of nursing homes also has to take into consideration the different care needs of the residents, the required manpower to provide adequate monitoring of the residents and that residents in nursing homes can live in a safe environment. There are currently three main modalities in developing new nursing home capacity. First, MOH develops purpose built nursing homes, and appoints operators through competitive tenders to operate these nursing homes under the Build-Own-Lease (BOL) scheme. Under this approach, MOH fully funds the development cost based on the scope of works and service provisions determined by the Ministry. MOH also directly determines the design of the facility, taking into consideration space norms and site characteristics. Most BOL nursing homes have some four to eight beds per cubicle, but we provide for some single-bedded rooms to cater to instances where patients require clinical isolation. Appointed BOL nursing home operators, whether private or voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), receive operating subventions to serve subsidised patients, as long as they meet the service requirements under the tender, which include setting aside the bulk of their licenced bed capacity for subsidised residents. Second, MOH also provides co-funding, both capital funding and operating subvention, to VWO operators who want to redevelop or expand their existing nursing home facilities to care for more patients. The funding provided is determined with reference to how MOH will fund our BOL nursing homes. Third, the Government releases suitable land sites and state properties for interested providers to bid, in order to design and develop their nursing homes. As land is scarce and there is still a growing demand for nursing home services, MOH does state a minimum capacity that each site is expected to achieve, with reference to the size of the site and allowable intensity. Within this broad parameter, service providers are free to adopt their own designs for the nursing home facilities as they fund the development costs on their own. MOH does not specify the 5

specific bed configurations or mix in these tenders. Such nursing home operators who develop their own nursing homes can offer to serve subsidised patients under the Nursing Home Portable Subsidy Scheme (PSS) through the government's Requests for Proposals (RFP). The PSS provides additional capacity to supplement subsidised nursing home capacity provided by VWOs and our own BOL facilities. In considering bids from such operators, MOH will consider both quality and the capacity to be offered. Bed configuration is not a factor for consideration. Back to Contents LEGISLATION FOR TWO DAYS OF ELDERCARE LEAVE PER YEAR

31 Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider legislating two days of eldercare leave per year for employees.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: I would like to thank Miss Cheng Li Hui for her suggestion. We recognise that caregiving is no easy feat and caregiving responsibility will become heavier with Singapore’s ageing population. We will certainly study this suggestion, taking into consideration the overall leave provision already put in place by employers and the caregiving needs of workers. Some employers offer a range of family-related leave benefits which can be tapped on to care for family members if necessary. For example, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd – a semiconductor company, offers two days of family-care leave as well as two days of eldercare leave. The DSO National Laboratories offers two days of family care leave on top of statutory leave and other schemes, such as compassionate leave. Public Service agencies also provide parent-care, paternity and maternity leave, separate from vacation leave. The Tripartite Committee on Work-Life Strategy launched the Tripartite Advisory on Flexible Work Arrangements to help guide employers and employees in implementing flexible work arrangements. The proportion of employers providing at least one form of flexible work arrangement has also gone up from 28% in 2008 to 47% in 2014. About seven in 10 employers also provide unplanned time-off for their employees to attend to personal matters. We encourage more companies to support their employees’ caregiving responsibilities, by providing flexible work arrangements or time-off to look after their elderly parents. In addition, the Ministry of Health has been strengthening caregiver support for 6

Singaporeans, particularly those who have to juggle between work and caregiving roles. We have expanded the number of home and community care options to help support the care and social needs of their elderly loved ones during the week when they have to go to work. We have also made respite services more accessible. We have introduced weekend respite services at several eldercare centres across Singapore to support caregivers who may need a few hours off during the weekend. Some nursing homes also offer a respite care programme which provides overnight stay for seniors for a short period. For those looking after a family member with dementia, the Eldersit programme provides an eldersitter to look after the seniors at home and engage them in activities for a few hours when caregiving arrangements are not available. We will continue to work with other Ministries and the union to encourage employers to adopt family-friendly practices, and to strengthen support for working caregivers. Back to Contents PROGRESS OF INSTALLATION OF CCTVS AT HDB VOID DECKS AND COMMON AREAS

32 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Home Affairs what is the status and progress of the installation of CCTVs at all HDB void decks and common areas.

Mr K Shanmugam: As at 15 February 2016, Police have installed Police cameras at about 92% of all HDB blocks and Multi-Storey Car Parks (MSCPs) across Singapore. Police is on track to complete the installation at all HDB blocks and MSCPs by this year. Police will work with HDB to continue to install Police cameras at new BTO flats coming onstream thereafter. Back to Contents WAIVER OF REPLACEMENT FEE FOR DAMAGED IDENTITY CARDS

33 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the replacement fee for Identity Cards (ICs) can be waived for those citizens whose ICs have been damaged through fair wear and tear over time; and (b) whether such waivers can be based on a specified period such as one fee-waiver for every 10-year period.

Mr K Shanmugam: The Identity Card (IC) is made of a highly durable polycarbonate 7

material that has been subjected to stringent tests to ensure its durability. It is not easily damaged with normal handling. Nonetheless, there are a small number of cards that may be damaged due to excessive wear and tear over time. The $60 fee for replacing a damaged IC is to cover the production cost, which includes manpower, material as well as other costs incurred in producing a new card. This fee has remained at the same level for many years. ICA will consider a waiver of the fee for cases which warrant special consideration. This includes situations where the card was damaged due to circumstances beyond the cardholder’s control, such as accidents or fire. Back to Contents EXTENSION OF SELECTIVE LIFT REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME

34 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether there are any more lifts that are eligible for the Selective Lift Replacement Programme (SLRP); and (b) whether HDB has any plans to expand the scope of this programme to include lifts that prematurely become obsolete before HDB's recommended 28-year replacement and/or upgrading guidelines in the interests of passenger safety.

Mr Lawrence Wong: HDB introduced the Selective Lift Replacement Programme (SLRP) in September 2014 to help Town Councils replace about 750 old lifts that did not come with key safety and security features, such as vision panels and doors with infra-red motion sensors. Following the announcement of SLRP, all Town Councils were informed of the eligible lifts within their estate. This included 56 lifts under the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. Beyond this list, there are no more lifts eligible for SLRP. Town Councils have the statutory responsibility as well as the duty to residents to carry out the maintenance and cyclical replacement of lifts in HDB estates. This includes the replacement of lifts when they are due as well as regular monitoring and proper maintenance to ensure passenger safety and prevent frequent lift breakdowns. Back to Contents INCENTIVES FOR BUILDING OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES

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35 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development whether the Ministry will consider (i) giving further incentives to building owners or developers to provide spaces for community facilities such as childcare centers, eldercare centers, libraries, and community clubs near transport nodes; and (ii) asking HDB to do the same at Town Centres that are near to transport nodes.

Mr Lawrence Wong: Since 2003, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has been offering gross floor area incentives to building owners and developers to provide spaces for community uses in their commercial developments. Besides incentivising developers to provide public plazas and roof top gardens which can be enjoyed by the community, developers are allowed additional floor space of up to 2,000 square metres or 10% of the maximum allowable floor space for the site, whichever is lower, for community use. To date, there are 33 commercial developments in highly accessible locations that have tapped on this scheme to provide a wide range of community facilities such as childcare centres, eldercare centres, libraries, community clubs and family services centres. URA reviews the scheme regularly to ensure its relevance to the community, and will consider the need for further incentives to building owners or developers. For HDB towns, HDB will continue to work with the relevant government agencies to ensure that the community spaces within each town are adequate and well-distributed, including at the Town Centres near to transport nodes. The respective agencies will assess the demand for the social communal facilities under their purview at the site of each new development, taking into account the population catchment, demographics, and existing facilities in the vicinity. For example, in Sengkang, there is a standalone integrated hub located near to the Sengkang MRT Station that houses community facilities. The upcoming Bedok Integrated Complex located at Bedok Town Centre will also house various community facilities, such as a community club, library, polyclinic, eldercare centre and sports centre. Back to Contents MEASURES TO LIMIT PRICE HIKES ON MOTORCYCLE COES

36 Mr Zainal Sapari asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the percentage of motorcycles registered under the Open Category COE in 2015; and (b) whether the Ministry can consider (i) increasing the supply of Category D or motorcycle COEs so as to reduce their COE 9

prices; and (ii) allowing five-year renewals for motorcycle COEs.

Mr : No motorcycles were registered using Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) from the Open Category in 2015. The objective of the COE system is to control the growth of the vehicle population in Singapore so that road traffic remains manageable, and to allocate the supply through market- based pricing. Increasing supply so as to lower COE prices would not be in line with this objective. COE prices should be determined by the market, and the Government does not set any target. Motorcycle owners can renew their COEs for a term of five years, on condition that they deregister their vehicles thereafter. Back to Contents NETWORK OF LINKWAYS FOR ORCHARD ROAD MALLS

37 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for National Development whether he can provide an update on the plan to link up Orchard Road malls by a network of linkways.

Mr Lawrence Wong: The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has planned for a series of underground pedestrian links along Orchard Road. These linkways provide a convenient passageway for shoppers, visitors and commuters to connect between major commercial buildings and the underground MRT stations. The URA has been imposing the requirement to build these linkways on new developments along Orchard Road, and also on existing developments when they undergo major works or redevelopment. So far, about 2.5 km of underground linkways have already been implemented. Back to Contents CONSUMER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS

38 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Acting Minister for Education (Schools) whether the Ministry will consider introducing a module in schools to learn about consumer education.

Mr : Food and Consumer Education, formerly known as "Home Economics", is a compulsory subject for all lower secondary students. In this subject, students 10

learn basic knowledge and skills related to responsible financial management, which lies at the heart of consumer education. In particular, they learn about consumer rights and responsibilities, reliability of advertisement claims and the need for comparative shopping before making a purchase. Beyond this subject, specific aspects of consumer education are integrated into the learning of other subjects that lend themselves well to such discussion. For example, in the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum for primary school students, they are introduced to the values of thrift and savings and basic ideas on budgeting. At the upper primary level, students are taught to distinguish between needs and wants so that they can learn to manage finances better in their daily lives. Beyond the formal curriculum, our schools also expose students to other aspects of consumer education through platforms, such as talks, learning journeys and assembly programmes. Collectively, these curricular and co-curricular programmes provide our students with a good foundation in understanding and exercising their rights and responsibilities as consumers. Back to Contents UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS COURSES

39 Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Prime Minister (a) for each of the years from 2007 to 2012, how many undergraduate scholarships were offered by PSC, DSTA and A*STAR for local students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses overseas; and (b) how many of these scholars ended up breaking their bonds.

Mr (for the Prime Minister): From 2007 to 2012, the Public Service Commission (PSC), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) awarded a total of 511 overseas undergraduate scholarships for STEM courses or an average of 85 per year. Of these 511 overseas undergraduate STEM scholarship recipients, the majority, or 487, are still studying or working in the various agencies. The remaining 24 left the service before completing their bonds. Other public sector agencies, such as the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Economic 11

Development Board (EDB) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) also offer undergraduate scholarships for STEM courses every year. From 2007 to 2012, approximately 200 scholarships a year were awarded to students to read STEM courses both locally and overseas. This number has been rising since 2013. Back to Contents COVERED WALKWAYS FROM MRT STATIONS TO PUBLIC HOSPITALS

42 Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Transport whether there is a plan to build covered walkways from MRT stations to public hospitals such as KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: As part of the Walk2Ride programme, LTA has been building covered walkways to link hospitals to MRT stations within a 400 metre radius. Most of such walkways have been completed. KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital will have a covered walkway to Little India Station in 2017. Back to Contents IMPACT OF ELECTRO-MAGNETIC WAVES ON RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR POWER SUB-STATIONS

44 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the number of power sub-stations that are built near to residential estates; (b) whether studies have been conducted to assess the impact of electro-magnetic fields emitted from the sub- stations on the health of human bodies; and (c) what measures are in place to minimise potential health hazards to residents living near these sub-stations.

Mr Lawrence Wong: Currently, there are 33 electrical transmission sub-stations located near housing estates. The main function of these sub-stations is to step down high voltage electricity to low voltage suitable for usage by households. The electromagnetic field radiation from these electrical sub-stations is extremely low, at about 100 times below the exposure guidelines recommended by the World Health Organisation for the general public. The Energy Market Authority and National Environment Agency have been monitoring, 12

and will continue to closely monitor developments in this area, and work with the Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities to evaluate any new findings from scientific studies on this matter. Back to Contents LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF SHOPS IN HDB HEARTLANDS

45 Ms Tin Pei Ling asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the Ministry's assessment of the long term viability of shops and businesses in HDB heartlands; and (b) if rents can be maintained for shops and businesses in mature and aged HDB estates during tenancy renewal.

Mr Lawrence Wong: HDB shops are an integral part of public housing estates. They play an important role in serving the needs of residents by providing convenient access to various goods and services. The last published Business Expectations Survey of HDB shopkeepers in 2013 found that more than eight in 10 shopkeepers intended to continue with their business in the next five years. This proportion has also been on the rise since 2007, suggesting a relatively positive business outlook. The Revitalisation of Shops or ROS scheme was also introduced since 2007 to help enhance the vibrancy and improve the competitiveness of HDB shops. HDB ensures that the rents of HDB shops are determined fairly. For new shops, the rent for the first tenancy is determined through open bidding by shopkeepers. At tenancy renewal, the rent is adjusted to the prevailing market rent. The market rents are assessed by licensed valuers, taking into account recent lettings of comparable premises in the vicinity. Adjustments are also made for the location, size and age of the premises, among other factors. HDB also allows flexibility in tenancy periods of between one and three years. Tenants who prefer more certainty can opt for a two- or three-year tenancy. HDB also has in place assistance measures to stagger rental increases. Back to Contents

Office of the Clerk of Parliament Singapore, 14 March 2016