Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698848041437.pdf (Singapore)
FOURTEENTH PARLIAMENT OF SINGAPORE (SECOND SESSION) ORDER PAPER MONDAY, 3 JULY 2023 No.

105 11.00 am 1 *1.

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QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWER* Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Prime Minister whether the two Ministers' tenancies at Ridout Road from SLA have been handled without any corrupt behaviours.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Prime Minister (a) how will the Government assure the public that the Minister for Law and the Minister for Foreign Affairs were not in receipt of any privileged information pertaining to the lease of 26 and 31 Ridout Road respectively; and (b) whether there are any rules, conventions or policies to ensure that Cabinet Ministers do not take advantage of privileged information received in the course of their official or non-official duties in regard to the lease of Government properties.
Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Prime Minister what are the Government’s reasons for not calling a press conference in May 2023 to address the public allegations in regard to the lease of 26 and 31 Ridout Road to the Minister for Law and the Minister for Foreign Affairs respectively.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Prime Minister (a) who is the senior Cabinet member that Minister K Shanmugam had notified regarding his bid for the state property at 26 Ridout Road; and (b) what actions has the senior Cabinet member taken after the notification.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Prime Minister why is the Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security tasked to review Minister K Shanmugam’s tenancy of 26 Ridout Road and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s tenancy of 31 Ridout Road, rather than an individual from another branch of government, such as a Supreme Court Judge.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether there is any actual or perceived conflict of interest on the part of the Minister for Law and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in their respective leasing of 26 and 31 Ridout Road; and (b) if there is any perceived or actual conflict, what actions will be taken to ensure compliance with section 3.7 of the Code of Conduct for Ministers, which requires relinquishing or disposing of the financial interest where there is a conflict between private interest and public duty, or with any other provision of the said Code.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister (a) what steps were taken to address any conflict of interest which may conceivably arise under section 3.2 of the Code of Conduct for Ministers (Code) when applications were made to rent 26 and 31 Ridout Road bungalows respectively by the Ministers from the SLA; (b) what are the reporting requirements under the Code and whether these were complied with; and (c) whether the rental applications are made in names other than the Ministers.

No.
No.

105 3 JULY 2023 2 *8.

*9.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what were the steps taken to market, tenant and renew the tenancies of 26 and 31 Ridout Road; and (b) whether the Minister for Law was involved in his official capacity in any decisions relating to the rentals of 26 and 31 Ridout Road.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Law in respect of tender of rental properties managed by SLA, what measures have been put in place to ensure that (i) any bidder participating in the tender is not provided with any advantage over other bidders and (ii) the bid process is fair, transparent and competitive.

*10.
*10.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Law with regard to the two state properties at Ridout Road that are currently tenanted to two Ministers (a) what were the circumstances under which the properties came to be rented out to them; and (b) how had SLA marketed the two properties to be leased.

*11.
*11.

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Law in respect of the two state proprieties at Ridout Road that are currently rented out to two Ministers (a) what are SLA’s standard tenancy operating procedures; (b) whether SLA has followed these procedures; and (c) what are the rental rates for the properties.

*12.
*12.

Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Law besides the two state properties at Ridout Road that are currently tenanted to two Ministers (a) how many of such similar properties are there in Singapore currently; (b) whether the rental rate is benchmarked against the private residential market; and (c) whether SLA has a transparent process to list all these properties available for rental.

*13.
*13.

Mr Pritam Singh: To ask the Minister for Law what was the Guide Rent set by SLA for the lease of 26 and 31 Ridout Road when they were leased out to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Law respectively.

*14.
*14.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Law (a) why are rental rates for state properties not publicly available beyond six months of the tender; (b) what are the rental rates in respect of the two state properties at Ridout Road that are currently rented out to two Ministers; and (c) how do these rental rates compare with the rent paid by other tenants of comparable black-and-white bungalows.

*15.
*15.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Law with regard to the 26 and 31 Ridout Road properties that are currently rented out to two Ministers (a) how do the terms of the lease agreement of these properties compare to the terms of lease agreements of other black and white bungalows managed by SLA; (b) whether there are any non-standard clauses in the lease agreements of these two properties; and (c) whether the lease agreements of these two properties will be made public.

*16.
*16.

Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what are the reasons why the rental bid of 26 Ridout Road is made by an agent; (b) whether SLA knew that the Minister for Law was the principal behind the bid; and (c) if so, how and when did the SLA come to know of this.

*17.
*17.

Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether the Government has incurred any costs, such as renovation, construction or maintenance costs, relating to the tenancy of the state properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road, before or after the properties are rented out to the Ministers; and (b) if so, how long have the renovation and construction works taken and how much has been incurred.

*18.
*18.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Law whether the Government has plans to redevelop more of the land that are currently occupied by black and white colonial bungalows for more productive uses like public housing, industry or commerce.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 3 *19.


Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether the bidding process of black and white bungalows managed by SLA is audited by the Auditor-General’s Office annually; (b) if not, in which year was the latest audit conducted; (c) what sampling methodology was used for the latest audit conducted; and (d) whether bids by Government officials, Members of Parliament and related parties are always included as part of this sample.

*20.
*20.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how is the bidding process publicised by SLA for its black and white bungalows; and (b) in view of the long periods when some SLA bungalows have been vacant, what has SLA done to address those vacancies.

*21.
*21.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how long was the bidding open for 26 Ridout Road after Minister Shanmugam’s bid was received as compared with the normal procedure for such bids; and (b) whether there is any prescribed process for declaring any related party transactions or conflicts of interests when bidding and how was that process observed for 26 Ridout Road.

*22.
*22.

Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how are maintenance and upgrading costs for black and white bungalows owned by SLA divided between tenant and SLA; and (b) what are the annual costs of maintenance and upgrading borne by SLA at No 26 and No 31 Ridout Road respectively from 2013 to 2022, inclusive of both years.

*23.
*23.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what are the parameters and guidelines used to decide whether to grant conservation status or when deciding not to develop the large pieces of undeveloped land on plots containing residential black and white houses owned and managed by SLA; (b) how much consideration is given to factors such as the severe land space constraints in Singapore; and (c) what is the total area of undeveloped land tagged to such properties.

*24.

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*24.

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Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether public hospitals are allowed to reject patients referred by polyclinics because their residential addresses fall outside the healthcare cluster and, if so, what percentage of referrals are rejected for this reason; and (b) how will the Ministry assist such patients, including hospital staff, who may be denied access to their workplace’s outpatient benefits due to their residential addresses.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how does the Ministry plan to improve the triage process for patients referred to public hospitals by polyclinics, ensuring transparent justifications for rejecting referrals; and (b) what plans does the Ministry have to ensure effective communication in cases of rejected referrals, while establishing appropriate channels for follow-up and resolution.

*26.
*26.

Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for National Development with respect to the announcement of the Singapore Turf Club (STC) closure in the press release dated 5 June 2023 (a) whether the Ministry is able to provide an estimated number of houses and the types of leisure and recreation facilities that will be developed on the STC site; and (b) what are the projected timelines for such developments and completions.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 4 *27.


Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in light of the announcement of the Singapore Turf Club (STC) closure in the press release dated 5 June 2023, whether the Tote Board has considered alternatives to preserve the sport and leisure traditions of horse racing instead of an outright closure.

*28.
*28.

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance with regard to the staff and trainers who currently work for horse owners but are not employed by the Singapore Turf Club (STC), whether they will be supported by the STC and other Government agencies in re-training for other jobs prior to the closure of STC.

*29.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the reasons driving the number of wild boar attacks on residents in Bukit Panjang; (b) what is the current estimate of the wild boar population in Bukit Panjang based on the most recent assessments conducted by the relevant authorities; and (c) what measures are implemented thus far by NParks to manage the growing wild boar population in Bukit Panjang and ensure the safety of residents in densely populated residential areas.
*30.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the causes for the recent wild boar attacks in Bukit Panjang; and (b) what further measures are needed to prevent wild boar attacks and ensure the safety of residents living near nature reserves.

*31.
*31.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the actions taken by NParks when the public reports wild boar sightings at the residential neighbourhoods; (b) whether the current number of wild boars at the nature reserves are at an ecologically sustainable level; and (c) what further measures and plans are there to manage the population of wild boars.

*32.
*32.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether there is a standard school continuity or contingency plan that is applied across all schools to ensure the well-being of students and staff during hot weather situations; and (b) whether parents and students are made aware of the details of these plans.

*33.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether an update can be provided regarding the CPIB investigation into Seatrium; (b) whether the investigation pertains to the predecessor entities of (i) Sembcorp Marine and (ii) Keppel Offshore & Marine; (c) what measures are being taken to ensure that individuals will be brought to justice in the event of offences being made out; and (d) what is the assessed impact to Singapore's reputation (i) in general and (ii) in the jurisdiction or region where the alleged offences took place.
*34.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Prime Minister regarding CPIB's investigation into Seatrium and individuals from the company (a) what is the number of current and former employees of the company being investigated and whether they are based in Singapore; (b) whether the decision by Temasek Holdings to inject capital into then-Sembcorp Marine took into account the alleged corruption offences that occurred in Brazil; and (c) whether CPIB is working with the Comptroller General of Brazil on the preliminary administrative liability proceeding against the company’s subsidiary.
*35.

Dr Wan Rizal: To ask the Minister for Health in light of the Government’s intention to include mental health under the Healthier SG initiative, whether the Ministry will consider providing subventions for citizens in need of community counselling, particularly in addressing issues such as caregiver stress.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 5 *36.


Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health in view that more than 24,000 individuals have pre- enrolled for Healthier SG programme during the pre-enrolment exercise for Singaporeans aged 40 and above with chronic conditions, whether the Ministry will consider extending the Healthier SG enrolment to include Singaporeans aged 40 and above when Healthier SG is officially launched on 5 July 2023.

*37.
*37.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) what are the plans under Healthier SG for younger persons with disabilities; and (b) whether the Ministry is willing to pilot some programmes with major disability social service agencies and healthcare professionals.

*38.
*38.

Mr Seah Kian Peng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the last five years, what have been the commonly reported forms of workplace discrimination; (b) whether there has been an increasing trend of discriminatory practices; and (c) how will the proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation address these issues.

*39.
*39.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether he can provide an update on the progress of the proposed Workplace Fairness legislation; and (b) when considering the proposed legislation, whether the Ministry will take into account (i) plans to mitigate any negative impact (ii) how employees can seek help and (iii) the impact on the employer-employee relationship.

*40.
*40.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry will provide SMEs with additional support measures to ensure that they are compliant with fair employment best practices and processes; and (b) if so, what are they.

*41.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling: To ask the Minister for Manpower given that firms with fewer than 25 employees are exempted from the Workplace Fairness legislation, what recourse will employees of such firms have when faced with workplace discrimination.

*42.
*42.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the expected impact of the proposed Workplace Fairness legislation on employer-employee relationships; (b) how does the Government intend to mitigate any negative impact such as more litigious workplaces; and (c) how does the Government intend to mitigate the challenges that small firms may face such as lack of human resource capabilities.

*43.
*43.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa: To ask the Minister for Manpower besides Government legislation and guidelines on workplace fairness, what are the efforts needed to address the mindsets, attitudes, and perceptions of individuals, to root out discrimination and build fairer workplaces.

*44.

Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Manpower how will the Government mitigate any negative impact of the proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation, such as a more litigious workplace culture.

*45.
*45.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether he can provide an update on the progress of the proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation; (b) when will the proposed legislation be implemented; (c) what are the possible negative impact of the proposed legislation; and (d) how will the Ministry manage any negative impact of the legislation.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 6 *46.


Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) whether there has been competing definitions of workplace discrimination between employers and employees raised during investigations conducted by the Ministry; and (b) how does the Ministry communicate what constitutes workplace discrimination to both employees and employers to help employees assess if they have a case and that employers are clear about their obligations.

*47.
*47.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Manpower regarding the acts of discrimination that will be made clear in the proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation (a) how will the Ministry educate and make it clear to the public on unacceptable acts of discrimination; and (b) how will the Ministry assist employers, especially the smaller firms with limited human resource practitioners, understand more about discriminatory practices.

*48.
*48.

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether there has been upstream engagement with food delivery platforms to address the problem of able-bodied delivery riders misusing personal mobility aids, which are designed for the elderly and handicapped, to make deliveries; and (b) what measures have been introduced to discourage such misuse amongst delivery riders.

*49.
*49.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many public health institutions (PHIs) hire third party bill collectors; and (b) whether there are established processes for these collectors to refer payment defaulting patients to the medical social workers of the PHIs when the patients are found to be in genuine hardship.

*50.
*50.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) in each of the past three years, what is the volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Indonesia and what proportion of our electricity consumption depends on Indonesian LNG; (b) when are our existing contracts to import LNG from Indonesia slated to expire; and (c) what is the impact of the Indonesian Government's announced intention to prohibit LNG export on our short-term energy security.

*51.
*51.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with reference to a recent study by the National University Polyclinics which aims to help guide the use of antibiotics in Singapore, what measures are in place to better protect consumers and reduce their exposure to foods that may cause a higher antibiotic resistance.

*52.
*52.

Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether there will be a review of the Employment Act since the last round of amendments were passed in 2018 especially with the rise in median wages as well as changes in the nature of work, workforce profile and workplaces.

*53.
*53.

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for National Development in view of the high carbon emissions associated with the demolition of buildings (a) whether the Building and Construction Authority guidelines or regulations take into consideration the lighter carbon footprint associated with retrofitting old buildings compared with demolition; and (b) whether there are any schemes that give financial incentives to projects which retrofit old buildings rather than demolish them.

*54.
*54.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Prime Minister in view of the second disruption to DBS's digital banking services in the last two months (a) whether MAS will be taking action to investigate the root causes; (b) whether the further additional capital requirement imposed by MAS on DBS Bank following the second disruption will be adequate; and (c) whether MAS will be sharing any preliminary findings by the DBS Special Board Committee.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 7 *55.


Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Health whether there is an update on the implementation of elective egg-freezing in Singapore which is slated to begin in 2023 including (i) costs (ii) procedures and (iii) its availability in public healthcare institutions.

*56.
*56.

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many Town Councils have adopted outcome-based contracts for facility management services; and (b) whether the Ministry has any plans to encourage more Town Councils to adopt such contracts.

*57.
Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) since the publication of the national guide for early childhood educators on Outdoor Learning by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) in September 2019, whether the Ministry has taken stock of how many preschools are implementing the recommendations in the guide; (b) if so, what is the progress; (c) what are the challenges encountered by preschool operators incorporating more outdoor time in their curriculum; and (d) how is the Ministry helping to address these challenges.
*58.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry has projected any figures for the anticipated increase in informal caregivers needed over the next 10 to 20 years as the population ages; (b) if so, what are the projected figures; and (c) how will the Government build up the capacity and capability of care workers to relieve the load on family caregivers.

*59.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the rationale for having only nationals or permanent residents of selected countries under the Singapore- European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement be exempted from Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) imposed on these foreign buyers of residential properties; and (b) what is the number of transactions and value of ABSD that is exempted in each year over the last five years for foreigners eligible for ABSD remission under all Free Trade Agreements.
*60.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for National Development in order to provide budget cooked food options (a) whether the Ministry has considered (i) being an anchor operator for some budget food types in HDB coffeeshops and (ii) to centrally source essential ingredients for small operators to purchase with economies of scale; and (b) how will the Ministry ensure that there are sufficient operators selling halal budget food in each neighbourhood.

*61.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with the eighth consecutive month of decline in Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) in May 2023 (a) what are the plans to mitigate or reduce the risk of Singapore going into a technical recession amidst the challenging global economy; (b) how has the strengthening of the Singapore dollar affected the competitiveness of Singapore’s exports; and (c) what are the measures to ensure that Singapore continues to be competitive in global trade.
*62.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in the past three years, how many cases of feedback have been received from residents about loud noise generated by motor vehicles and motorcycles respectively; (b) how many of such motor vehicles and motorcycles have been caught for illegal modification of vehicle exhaust systems or failure to comply with the noise emission standards; and (c) whether further measure can be implemented by the Ministry to address excessive noise generated by these vehicles.
*63.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Education how is the Ministry incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the curriculum to enhance learning and to equip students with knowledge of AI for the new economy.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 8 *64.


Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether admissions at the emergency departments of public hospitals are audited and, if so, what are the findings; and (b) what percentage of patients admitted by emergency departments are discharged within two or fewer days.

*65.
*65.

Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how does the Ministry maintain oversight of the administrative fees charged by pawnbrokers and moneylenders; (b) whether the Ministry is aware of cases where pawnbrokers and moneylenders are charging additional administrative charges on the pretext of encouraging digital modes of payment; and (c) what action will the Ministry take against such pawnbrokers and moneylenders and what recourse do members of the public subjected to such fees have.

*66.
*66.

Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how will the Ministry assist schools with difficulty getting school bus contractors to ferry students; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider providing support to drivers who may be keen to drive school buses obtain the relevant licences.

*67.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) what is the contractual completion date of the North-South Corridor and whether such completion date has been adjusted due to the year-long disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; (b) whether the contractors are working through the night and on Sundays to make up for the time lost due to the disruptions; and (c) what further enforcement or other measures does the Government intend to take to alleviate the nuisance caused to the residents as a result of the construction.
*68.

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Health with reference to plans of increasing the number of Active Ageing Centres (AAC) from 119 to 220 by 2025 (a) whether the Ministry references the current or projected number of seniors in a precinct to plan where these new AACs will be located; (b) how much ground-up inputs have been considered before a site is selected; and (c) what is the average time taken from the identification of a site until an AAC is set up and ready to operate.

*69.
*69.

Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) in the past five years, what is the total amount of support, including financial assistance, healthcare programmes and social support initiatives, that the Government has provided to our seniors; (b) whether there are any plans in place to further assist seniors in coping with the rising cost of living; and (c) if so, what are the details of these initiatives.

*70.

*71.
*70.

*71.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there has been any consideration by the Ministry to legislate on the maximum rental fee adjustments by landlords following a lease renewal, to a maximum percentage of the prior rent as practised by other jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, and many states in the United States.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether there has been any consideration by HDB to cap rental fee adjustments following a lease renewal to a maximum percentage amount of the prior rent; and (b) whether there are any practical constraints to imposing such a cap on rental increases.

*72.
*72.

Ms Tin Pei Ling: To ask the Minister for Communications and Information (a) whether the Government will be studying the feasibility of establishing a new body to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in Singapore; and (b) what are the efforts made in working with other governments to coordinate responsible development and deployment of AI.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 9 *73.


Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) whether any review on the performances of Singapore’s football teams at the recent Southeast Asia Games 2023 has been conducted; and (b) if so, what are its findings and recommendations.

*74.
*74.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth following the Singapore national football team’s poor results at the 32nd SEA Games (a) how does the Ministry intend to rebuild our local football ecosystem; and (b) whether the pipeline of our young football talents should be under greater scrutiny.

*75.
*75.

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the revised land allocation and pricing framework for place of worship will have any impact on past reserves; (b) if so, what is the projected long-term impact; (c) whether the Government will consider implementing a similar pricing allocation framework for the land component of HDB flats; and (d) if not, what accounts for the difference in treatment of the two types of property.

*76.
*76.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development for each year in the past five years (a) what percentage of social service agencies are able to meet the Salary Guidelines for the Social Service Sector each time it is reviewed annually; and (b) whether the Ministry will start collecting such data if it is currently not available.

*77.
*77.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether an update can be provided on the number of overseas school trips planned for and undertaken by MOE schools in 2023; (b) how does this number compare to the pre-COVID-19 data from 2019; and (c) what new measures may be taken for such overseas trips in this post-COVID-19 world.

*78.
*78.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether Singaporean singles who are buying a second private property to stay in can also qualify for a remission of the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty that is available for Singaporean married couples, if they sell their first property within six months of acquiring their second property.

*79.
*79.

Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether the Government has investigated the allegations in the report by the UN Special Rapporteur claiming that Singapore-based entities had shipped US$254 million worth of supplies to the Myanmar military; (b) if so, what is the update; and (c) whether any actions are being taken.

*80.
*80.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how many Singapore-based companies have been identified by the United Nations Special Rapporteur in Myanmar in the sale of dual- use items, raw materials and spare parts for military related uses in Myanmar; (b) what actions have been taken against such companies; and (c) what is the number of such companies against which actions have been taken.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 10 *81.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs in view of the report published on 17 May 2023 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur in Myanmar relating to Singapore companies or Singapore-based entities implicated in the sales of dual-use items, raw materials and spare parts for military related uses (a) how many cases involved Singapore-based banks in the financing of the transactions, including trade financing; and (b) what actions have been taken or are being taken against such banks.
*82.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health (a) for each year in the past five years, how many foreign healthcare workers across the (i) medical (ii) nursing and (iii) allied health fields have been granted Singapore permanent residency respectively; and (b) whether foreign healthcare workers who have stood by Singapore and Singaporeans during the COVID-19 pandemic can be granted Singapore permanent residency more expeditiously.

*83.
*83.

Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Health with the extension of the benchmarks on surgeons' fees to cover all surgical procedures (a) what is the anticipated impact on the number of doctors who can be admitted to insurance panels, so that policyholders have a wider range of doctors to choose from; (b) whether more insurance companies will be willing to accept the benchmarks and abide by these to pay out claims; and (c) how will the Ministry ensure that health insurance costs are kept affordable.
*84.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what are the specific challenges faced in implementing the OneMillionTrees movement; (b) whether the selection of tree species for planting is based on specific metrics such as green foliage; and (c) if so, what are the specific metrics or criteria used and how are they determined.

*85.
*85.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for National Development with regard to the wet market at Blk 151A Bishan Street 11, where there are many vacant stalls, what assistance will HDB provide to the master tenant to bring in more stall operators in order to provide marketing options for residents and keep prices more affordable.

*86.
*86.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Prime Minister (a) whether a study has been done to quantify the contributions of the family offices set up in the past three years to the Singapore economy and how they compare to other groups including citizens and foreigners under employment passes; and (b) if not, whether the Government will consider tracking this in the future.

*87.
*87.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry allows the re- employment of teachers with C- grades under the performance management system of stacked ranking for teachers; and (b) if not, why not.

*88.
*88.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Health (a) when can the results from the measures announced to reduce waiting time for admissions to public hospitals be expected; (b) what is the longest projected waiting time for beds; (c) when will the Ministry start to mobilise private hospitals and healthcare facilities; and (d) what steps have been taken to ensure that patients who are not admitted within a day receive timely and quality care.

*89.
*89.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide a status update on the Single Room Shared Facilities initiative; and (b) what suggestions are received to enhance the said initiative.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 11 *90.


Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past five years, what is the annual rate of recalcitrant drink drivers caught for drink driving; and (b) how many of such incidents have resulted in (i) fatal accidents (ii) injuries and (iii) damage to property.

*91.
*91.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry with the impending prolonged and intense heat (a) whether demand for cooling needs will overwhelm the power grid; and (b) whether there is a likelihood of this competing demand slowing down the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructures across Singapore.

*92.
*92.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether there are plans to proceed with the trial of MRT priority cabins for the elderly that has been put on hold indefinitely due to the COVID-19 situation; and (b) in implementing such plans, whether priority can be accorded to groups other than the elderly, such as expectant mothers and persons with disabilities including those with invisible medical conditions or temporary injuries.

*93.
*93.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the rationale behind the proposal to allow the use of only single-deck beds in migrant worker dormitories; (b) when has this proposal been revised to allow the use of double-decker beds; and (c) what are the reasons behind the revision.

*94.
*94.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: To ask the Minister for Health regarding the focus areas in the national strategy on mental health and well-being (a) what indicators are developed to measure the effectiveness of its implementation progress; (b) what has been done to streamline processes and systems between social and healthcare providers; and (c) which area of resources have been made to better support workers in the mental health sector.

*95.
*95.

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) how many unmarried mothers under the age of 35 have requested for assistance to apply for public housing in 2022; (b) what percentage of such applicants have been successful in purchasing a BTO or resale flat with the Ministry's assistance; and (c) what are the factors considered by the Ministry when assessing such requests holistically.

*96.
*96.

Mr Darryl David: To ask the Minister for Education (a) how many MOE schools currently start at 8.00 am or later; and (b) whether there has been a rise in the number of schools starting at 8.00 am or later over the last five years.

*97.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty can be reviewed to be computed based on a per square foot basis.

*98.
*98.

Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) in the past 10 years before the COVID-19 pandemic, what is the average number of months taken for a Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) project to be completed; (b) how has that changed since the COVID-19 pandemic; and (c) what is the average length of delay faced by a NRP project since the COVID-19 pandemic.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 12 *99.


Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of inflationary pressures, whether NEA will consider building a hawker centre in Bishan to provide more affordable budget meal options for residents.

(Q.

*4683) *100.
(Q.

*4683) *100.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry for each year since 2020 what is the total amount of default in repayment under (i) the Temporary Bridging Loan Programme (ii) the SME Working Capital Loan Programme and (iii) the Trade Loan Scheme under the Enterprise Financing Scheme respectively, as a result of business failure due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Q.

*4590) *101.
(Q.

*4590) *101.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) under current legislation, whether motor insurance companies are allowed to revoke a car insurance policy when the instalments for the insurance premium are unpaid; and (b) whether this will result in a motorist driving a car without insurance cover.

(Q.

*4702) *102.
(Q.

*4702) *102.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health whether the use of MediSave for family members can be extended to grandparents and siblings who are on Long-Term Visit Pass.

(Q.

*4725) *103.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the CPF Board had reviewed the CPF nomination rules to allow the automatic revocation of a CPF nomination when a member has been divorced.

(Q.

*4688) *104.
(Q.

*4688) *104.

Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether special parking provisions can be made for marine offshore workers at the Singapore Cruise Centre.

(Q.

*4724) *105.

Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health whether he can provide an update on the Ministry’s efforts to enhance the portability of healthcare subsidy and financing so that Singaporeans needing care can be better supported in the community.

(Q.

*4635) *106.
(Q.

*4635) *106.

Mr Chong Kee Hiong: To ask the Minister for National Development with reference to the Ministry's decision to require all coffee shops leased from HDB to offer budget meal options upon their tenancy renewal starting May 2023, what measures will be implemented to help residents living in estates where HDB has sold most of the market and food stalls to private owners, to have budget meal options especially for those from low-income households.

(Q.
(Q.

*4681) * Members may postpone their Questions to a later sitting day if their Questions are not reached by the end of Question Time (QT).

For such Questions, Members may email to parl_cop@parl.gov.sg in advance a postponement notice that will be effected after QT.

Members must submit their notices to the Clerk within one hour after the end of QT (SO 22(3)).

Questions will be given a written answer if no such notices are received by the Clerk within the stipulated time.

No.
No.

105 3 JULY 2023 13 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 1.

Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security: Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.

2.

Second Minister for Law: Rentals of State Properties.

3.

Minister for Foreign Affairs: Rental of 31 Ridout Road.

4.

Minister for Law: Rental of 26 Ridout Road.

AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS INTRODUCTION OF GOVERNMENT BILLS 1.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment: Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill.

(President’s recommendation signified) 2.

Minister for Law: Oaths, Declarations and Notarisations (Remote Methods) Bill.

3.

Minister for Law: Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment No.

2) Bill.

______________________ Business Motion 1.


Leader of the House: REVISED ORDER OF SECOND READINGS: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 26(2), the Second Reading of the Maintenance of Parents (Amendment) Bill will precede the Second Reading of the Online Criminal Harms Bill.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 14 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

1.

2.

3.

ORDERS OF THE DAY Bretton Woods Agreements (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

16/2023] – (Prime Minister) – Second Reading.


Building and Related Works (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill [Bill No.

19/2023] – (Minister for National Development) – Second Reading.

Women's Charter (Family Violence and Other Matters) (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.

18/2023] – (Minister for Social and Family Development) – Second Reading.

Online Criminal Harms Bill [Bill No.

17/2023] – (Minister for Home Affairs) – Second Reading.

Maintenance of Parents (Amendment) Bill [Bill No.


20/2023] – (Mr Seah Kian Peng, Member for Marine Parade) – Second Reading.

NOTICES OF MOTIONS Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member): Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member): GROUP REPRESENTATION CONSTITUENCIES: That this House calls for the abolition of Group Representation Constituencies.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap (Aljunied): SPORTING SUCCESS: That this House celebrates the accomplishments of our athletes and para-athletes at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia, and calls on the Government to undertake a thorough evaluation of the areas of improvement in Singapore’s sporting ecosystem, and commit to realising clear, achievable goals for sporting success over the coming decade.
2 4 QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Prime Minister whether any other political office holders or Members of Parliament are currently renting or occupying state property for residential purposes.
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Prime Minister regarding the $30 billion that was recently loaned by DBS to MAS (a) what is the rationale for this loan; (b) whether other local banks made similar loans to MAS recently; (c) if so, in what amounts; (d) how frequently does MAS expect such loans to be required in future; and (e) will the Government consider how such loan capital can be channelled to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether there was any consultation process undertaken with relevant stakeholders in the decision to close down the Singapore Turf Club in 2024 and, if so, what was done in the process.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 15 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.


Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Defence (a) whether there are alternative flight paths for jets taking off from Paya Lebar Airbase that do not require flying over Sengkang and Punggol; and (b) if so, whether the Ministry will consider using these alternative flight paths to reduce the impact on residents in these estates.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) whether the Government has data on the number of Singaporeans who have been placed under exit bans by the foreign countries they are living in; (b) if so, what is the total number of such persons for each of the last five years; (c) what is the breakdown of the countries involved; and (d) what are the top five most common reasons given for the exit bans.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for each year in the past five years, of the number of cases of harassment or abuse of public healthcare workers while on duty that were reported to the police, in how many and what percentage of these cases were (i) a stern warning issued (ii) a conviction secured and (iii) a protection order issued, respectively.
Ms Carrie Tan: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in each of the past 10 years (a) how many persons have been convicted of assaulting children; and (b) how many of the convicted persons are personnel of service providers to children such as schools, learning centres, tuition centres and enrichment centres.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Law with regard to the 24 religious organisations which currently have short-term tenancies with the Government over their respective properties to enable the Government to complete its review of land pricing policies, whether they have the option of applying to acquire long-term leases without bidding based on the new valuation system that was announced on 28 May 2023 from the third quarter of 2023 onwards and, upon successful acquisition of the leases, terminate their short-term tenancies before they expire with the value of the unexpired tenancy periods reimbursed to them where applicable.
Ms Hazel Poa: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether written approvals from the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation were sought and granted for the felling of mature trees at 26 and 31 Ridout Road; (b) if so, who requested and applied for the approvals; (c) when were the approvals granted; and (d) how many mature trees were felled at each Ridout Road property respectively.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether SLA always rents out state properties to the highest bidders, or whether other factors, such as tenant profile, are considered; (b) whether the President’s assent is required when not awarding state properties to the highest bidders as such properties are part of the reserves; and (c) whether SLA has considered other measures to improve the rental yield of state properties.
Mr Leong Mun Wai: To ask the Minister for Law (a) what is the total land area occupied by black-and- white houses in Singapore; (b) what is the total built-in area of such houses; and (c) how many black- and-white houses are currently rented out and what is the Government’s total annual rental income from such houses.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for Law (a) whether the list of tender awards available on the SLA website comprises all prior residential and commercial tender awards; and (b) if not, why not.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 16 13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.


Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for Law (a) how many trees were cleared for redevelopment at 26 and 31 Ridout Road from 2018 onwards; (b) how many of these trees were rare or endangered trees; and (c) were the tree species that were removed documented.
Ms Hany Soh: To ask the Minister for Law since the Rules of Court 2021 came into effect on 1 April 2022 (a) whether the Ministry has engaged legal practitioners to gather feedback; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider consolidating the learnings from the application of the Rules thus far into a report and sharing it with legal practitioners.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry what forms of assistance are available to reach out and help the elderly living alone to check if they have residual current circuit breakers (RCBB) installed in their homes as they may not be able to understand the instructions sent by the Government.
Mr Don Wee: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry regarding the collection of prepayments for services and goods (a) for each year from 2020 to 2022, which are the top three sectors with the highest amounts of prepayments lost by consumers due to businesses' failure to meet contractual obligations; and (b) whether the Government will consider legislation to prevent the collection of prepayment for services over the duration of more than six months.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the most recent assessment by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) on the commercial cooperation partnership between Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysia Airlines; and (b) what aspects of commercial cooperation deals between airlines can be deemed anti-competitive by the CCCS.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore has received any application from Singapore Airlines (SIA) for an assessment of the joint venture between SIA and Garuda Indonesia.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether there has been a significant increase in electricity consumption since the onset of record high temperatures in Singapore; (b) what measures are in place to monitor and assess electricity demand and grid stress; and (c) what contingency plans are in place to address potential challenges in meeting the increased electricity demand during heat waves or prolonged periods of high temperatures and under what circumstances will they be activated.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry for each year between 2020 and 2022 (a) how many applications have been received by Enterprise Singapore (ESG) under the Temporary Bridging Loan programme; (b) how many applications have been successful; (c) what proportion of successful loans are taken out by borrowers from local financial institutions; (d) what is the median interest rate payable under the terms of the loan; and (e) what is the total quantum of exposure that ESG has under the risk share terms of the loans.
Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry for each year from 2020 to date (a) how many borrowers have defaulted in the loans granted to them under the Temporary Bridging Loan programme; (b) what is the total amount claimed by financial institutions against Enterprise Singapore (ESG); and (c) how much has been paid out by ESG to financial institutions for defaulted loans.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 17 22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.


Dr Tan Yia Swam: To ask the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider having a pilot study on allowing pets onto public transport with appropriate safeguards and taking into account public safety, to have pets in the last carriage of a MRT train and selected buses or to have them on leash or in carrier bags.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) over the past three years, how many enforcement actions have been taken annually against errant cyclists and riders of Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) in the Orchard Road area; (b) how many of these cases involved foreign nationals; and (c) what are the Ministry’s plans to enhance safety awareness among this group of users.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Transport (a) whether CAAS has conducted a study into the recent spate of technical issues affecting Scoot Airlines and, if so, what are the findings; and (b) whether CAAS has been working with the airline to improve their safety performances and, if so, how.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the number of noise complaints arising from renovations carried out in landed houses in the last five years; and (b) what is the average number of days taken for renovation in such houses.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment with regard to The Earthshot Prize ceremony supporting climate solutions to be held in Singapore in November 2023 (a) whether there will be a review of the sustainability solutions put forth by the finalists that are appropriate for application in the Singapore context; and (b) whether the Government is exploring the possibility of partnering any of the finalists on the sustainability solutions applicable to Singapore.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether he can provide an update on the launch of the Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS) in 2023; and (b) how will the Ministry monitor and evaluate AAHS' impact on the survival, growth rate, and overall health of aquatic animals in participating farms.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the factors contributing to the decline in Singapore's domestic recycling rate in 2022 which has reached its lowest point in more than a decade despite efforts to promote recycling; and (b) with the target of achieving a domestic recycling rate of 30 percent and an overall recycling rate of 70 percent by 2030, how will the Ministry ensure that its policies and actions are aligned with these targets and effectively reverse the current downward trend in recycling rates Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what is the recourse for seniors or people who are physically unable to return their trays, crockery and utensils at coffeeshops, hawker centres and food courts after having consumed food or drinks by themselves.
Mr Abdul Samad: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Development and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs how many asatizahs who are university graduates and currently working in Singapore earn (i) less than $2,000 monthly (ii) between $2,001 to $3,000 monthly (iii) between $3,001 to $4,000 monthly and (iv) from $4,001 and above respectively.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 18 31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.


Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for Health whether there is a possibility of expanding the Community Health Assist Scheme subsidies to include dental treatments beyond its current scope such as non-aesthetic orthodontic procedures which require the use of corrective devices for teeth and jaw alignment for medical reasons.
Ms Joan Pereira: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is obtaining more updated COVID-19 vaccines to cope with evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus variants.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry has monthly data since January 2023 regarding next-day polyclinic online appointment bookings which opens the night before a prospective consultation date, pertaining to how many minutes after commencement of availability are such available online booking slots fully reserved, broken down by (i) 5th percentile (ii) 25th percentile (iii) median (iv) 75th percentile and (iv) 95th percentile.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: To ask the Minister for Health for each month since January 2023, how many patients have logged into the polyclinic online appointment booking system the night before a prospective consultation date but did not proceed to book a consultation eventually.
Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Health (a) in the past three years, how many Singaporeans have used their Medisave for family members; and (b) of these, how many reached their Medisave withdrawal limits for family members within the year.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there are plans to enhance the HDB portal by incorporating a dedicated section that presents a comprehensive list of all grants and schemes that an individual has received so as to have a centralised platform.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for National Development in each of the past five years, what is the number of public rental flat applicants who are recent divorcees.
Miss Rachel Ong: To ask the Minister for National Development whether there is a limit to the maximum number of days for demolition works to be carried out in landed housing areas with residential homes and buildings located less than 150 metres from the demolition site.
Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the status of the Lift Enhancement Programme (LEP) announced in 2016 to help Town Councils modernize existing HDB lifts; (b) how many cases of delays in completion of LEP owing to issues attributable to lift contractors have been reported; and (c) whether HDB will collate feedback from Town Councils on the performance of lift contractors engaged in LEP works to assess their suitability in HDB’s tenders for the supply and installation of new lifts.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will consider having Package 3 of the Optional Component Scheme under the sale of 2-room flexi flats on short leases to be automatically included for elderly buyers to enable the flats to be in a move-in condition; and (b) whether such a package can also be made available for flats purchased at Sale of Balance Flats exercises.
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for National Development (a) whether he can provide an update on the Single Room Shared Facilities initiative; (b) how many rooms will be made available; and (c) what is the expected number of people who will apply for this new type of public rental housing.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 19 42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.


Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development besides routine inspections, spot checks and information provided from reports to HDB through its hotline or other means, whether HDB actively monitors the advertisements on printed or social media for suspected cases of unauthorised subletting by foreign nationals or subsidised public housing rental tenants.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development in light of the 28 approved applications as at December 2021 for the Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) out of the estimated 2,000 affected HDB units that have no lift access (a) whether HDB is able to provide any update on the low take-up rate of the LHG after having monitored the situation; and (b) whether there any further enhancements to the LHG being considered.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for National Development for segmented units in HDB blocks that have no lift access, whether HDB will consider to purchase the units from the owners and convert these units to rental flats under the public housing rental scheme.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis: To ask the Minister for National Development what is the expected (i) total number of residential units and (ii) completion date of the first batch of residential properties that will be constructed on the former Singapore Turf Club site at Bukit Timah and Kranji Turf Club respectively.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the Ministry will consider allowing Singaporeans who may not have digital access to the Active Wallet on the ActiveSG app to use alternative payment methods at the entrances of ActiveSG facilities.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: To ask the Minister for Manpower for each year in the past five years, how many employees have used the unpaid infant care leave provided under the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs.
Mr Yip Hon Weng: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) what percentage of the overall cost of employing foreign workers can be attributed to foreign worker accommodation expenses; (b) whether data can be provided on the magnitude of the increase in accommodation costs for foreign workers over the past five years; and (c) how will the Ministry address the escalating cost of accommodation for foreign workers to ensure affordability of construction projects, while maintaining decent living conditions for the workers.
Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) in the last three years, what is the number of employers who have failed to make the correct amount of CPF contributions promptly, resulting in late payment, non-payment or under-payment of CPF contributions; (b) how have these employers been identified; and (c) what are the reasons and root causes for the default in payments by such employers.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: To ask the Minister for Manpower in light of recent reports of victims being scammed of their CPF monies after their CPF accounts have been accessed remotely using their stolen Singpass credentials (a) what are the measures that CPF Board will take to protect elderly CPF members against such scams; and (b) whether CPF will consider two-factor authentication or notification to the member or his designated next-of-kin before such withdrawals are made.

No.

105 3 JULY 2023 20 51.


Ms Mariam Jaafar: To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the proposed Workplace Fairness Legislation will apply to employees whose incomes are sourced overseas, such as seafarers in Singapore- flagged vessels.