ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 2004 TO 31ST MARCH, 2005 (Paper Cmd. 3 of 2004)

(Paper Cmd. 3 of 2004): Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [5th Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

**** Head T - Ministry of National Development (cont.) -

Resumption of Debate on Question [13th March, 2004].

"That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr Teo Ho Pin].

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Question again proposed.

The Chairman: Head T - Ministry of National Development. Mr Mah, would you like to continue?

The Minister for National Development (Mr Mah Bow Tan): Sir, last Saturday, before Parliament adjourned, I announced, in response to Dr Teo Ho Pin, the plans for the downtown at Marina Bay including the development of the waterfront promenade, a new bridge and also other amenities, so that we could open up the area and make it much more vibrant, accessible and attractive. I also announced that the Government would appoint URA as the development agent to proactively develop the area.

I would now like to assure Dr Teo that the release of any land at the downtown at Marina Bay, such as the VSC land, will factor in the supply of space in the existing city. The existing CBD which encompasses Shenton Way, Raffles Place and even the Marina Centre area, will not be neglected. The existing CBD will combine with the new extension at Marina Bay to form a core business district for Singapore.

Owners of older commercial buildings in the existing central business district are refurbishing and modernising their premises in order to stay competitive and to attract tenants. There were quite a few examples recently - the Singapore Land Tower at Raffles Place, IBM Tower at Anson Road and the former Chartered Bank building at Battery Road. There are also opportunities to redevelop some buildings for complementary uses, like housing, and this will further enliven the city.

Sir, all the above will help to rejuvenate the existing CBD and enable it to remain competitive and relevant.

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In the longer-term, the successful development of the downtown at Marina Bay will bring in jobs, enhance real estate values and create a vibrant and exciting waterfront area for Singaporeans and for visitors. Together with other exciting developments that were announced recently, like the proposed leisure resort complex in the Southern Islands, it will reinforce Singapore’s position and competitiveness as a regional and international business and financial hub as well as a tourist destination.

Sir, I would like to assure Members that other key areas in the city will not be neglected. Orchard Road is one such area. Orchard Road is an icon. It is a shopping street, well known overseas. It is synonymous with great shopping, good food, good hotels. But we need to safeguard Orchard Road’s position as one of Asia’s premier destinations because of increasing competition from other shopping destinations in the region. So, we have to find new ways to remake Orchard Road.

I am glad that the private sector has responded to the challenge. For example, there are some new developments, such as Wisma Atria and Paragon, which have recently repositioned themselves and revamped their developments in response to the market.

The Government is also working to improve the experience for shoppers along Orchard Road, and one of the areas for improvement, which many have been fed back, is pedestrian connectivity. What URA is planning to do is to build up a comprehensive underground pedestrian network in Orchard Road and in the CBD. To encourage developers to build these underground links, I am pleased to announce that the Government will adopt a co-funding approach and provide a cash grant to developers who wish to implement selected key linkages between developments along Orchard Road as well as in the central business district. A sum

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of $59 million has already been approved for this purpose, and URA will be announcing the details of this scheme very shortly. I would also like to add that URA is now working closely with the Singapore Tourism Board to develop other plans and ideas to enhance Orchard Road and to make it even more exciting.

Let me now address Dr Teo Ho Pin’s question about underpasses, particularly, he asked whether we can provide more flexibility to developers to build underpasses. Sir, underpass construction is very much a part of land sales requirements for the city centre sites, again, to provide for better pedestrian connectivity, particularly in those high-density sites around MRT stations or in high traffic areas. These underpasses, we all recognise, serve a very useful purpose, especially when the weather is not so convenient for walking. In many areas in the city area, we cannot build overpasses or overhead connectors because of physical site constraints or sometimes because of aesthetics. Hence, the specification for underpasses.

Since 1995, there have been some 12 sites which have included underpass requirements under the sale of sites conditions. So, these underpasses, for example, Raffles Link which links the Esplanade theatres, the Marina Centre shopping areas with the City Hall MRT station are very well utilised. In other locations, developers can choose whether they want to build underpasses or overhead bridges. One such example is the Tekka corner site where they can choose whether to build one or the other.

I must say that developers generally see the benefits of these direct underground pedestrian connections, especially to the nearby MRT stations. The requirement for underpasses is stated upfront so that developers can factor in the construction cost at an early stage. I do not think that the requirements are that onerous

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because of the benefits that are offered by better connectivity. So I would like to assure Dr Teo that we will continue to discuss with the developers and to make sure that these requirements are reasonable and, more importantly, are made known to them upfront.

Sir, may I now ask my Senior Parliamentary Secretary to respond to the other queries?

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee): Sir, on Saturday, speaking on his cut on capital grants to the HDB, Mr Steve Chia noted that HDB had lost $773 million in the year 2003, $997 million in the year 2002 and $952 million in the year 2001, and had received an accumulated Government grant of $11.5 billion since 1960. Yet, HDB had equity of $4.9 billion and a capital gains reserve of $8.2 billion in the asset revaluation reserve. Mr Steve Chia wanted to know how HDB, despite its deficits, could accumulate such a large reserve.

Sir, in response, I explained in the House that these reserves refer to assets acquired under past terms of office of the Government, and that under the Constitution, these reserves cannot be drawn upon without the approval of the President. With your approval, Sir, please let me elaborate on this matter.

HDB is a key statutory board listed in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 1991. Hence, HDB is required to safeguard its assets as at the change over date of Government. These assets mainly refer to its commercial and industrial properties and car parks which are owned and managed by HDB. Sir, if HDB disposes of any of these assets, eg, when HDB sells a shop under the Sale-of-Shops Scheme, any capital gains or losses so arising must be transferred to the reserves

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account, namely, the capital gains reserve, for safeguarding. This is what the $4.9 billion in the capital gains reserve refers to.

As for the assets revaluation reserve of $8.2 billion, this is an account which dates back all the way to 1985 when HDB adopted its present conventional accounting system to better account for its activities. All properties owned by HDB were valued in 1985 and 1986. The difference between this value and historical cost of the properties was recorded as the asset revaluation reserve.

Sir, the deficit in HDB’s financial statements reflects the results of HDB’s operations. As I have told the House on Saturday, HDB’s projected deficit of $422 million for FY 2004 is mainly due to the sale of subsidised flats and the provision of CPF housing grants to eligible flat buyers.

The past capital reserves which appear in HDB’s accounts are a different matter altogether, and as they are safeguarded under the Constitution, cannot be used to finance HDB’s deficits.

Sir, I would now like to answer Mr Steve Chia’s question on the safety of shopping centres and Mr Ang Mong Seng’s questions on car parks. Mr Steve Chia asked about the rules for converting car parks and public spaces and expressed concern over their impact on fire safety. Conversion of car parks and public space into shop floors requires planning permission. Approval is granted only if the developer can comply with all the technical requirements of all the Government agencies.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force, in particular, would allow the conversion only if fire safety requirements are fulfilled. For example, they must be

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assured that the existing staircases and exits are able to accommodate the increased number of occupants and the necessary fire protection systems are provided. They will also ensure that the fire hose access points are not blocked.

Sir, for temporary structures which do not require planning permission, such as tents for short duration events like trade fairs, festive bazaars and carnivals, the owners are still required to obtain licences or permits from relevant authorities including the SCDF. Proposal layout with the access would ensure that they do not pose fire hazards. Fire safety is a primary concern of all the agencies. Measures and means of escape must also be adequately provided at the site. The above controls should allay the fears over the fire safety of converted space and ad hoc structures.

Sir, Mr Ang Mong Seng has suggested to merge HDB and URA car parks sections for operational efficiency and greater convenience to the public. URA and HDB car parks are located in different areas and serve different purposes. HDB car parks are mainly in HDB residential estates serving mainly residents. URA car parks, on the other hand, serve mainly commercial and recreational areas outside the HDB estates, mainly in the business area. URA car parks are primarily for short-term parking, whereas HDB car parks, on the other hand, are mostly for season parking. Given the different locations, purposes and management of car park functions of HDB and URA, it is useful to keep the two functions separate. Where it is practical to do so, both HDB and URA have adopted similar practices by using the same coupons. So his analogy that HDB and URA operate under MND is like “one country, two systems” is not quite correct. Because in one country, two systems, they carry two passports. In this system, we carry one same coupon.

Mr Ang Mong Seng also suggested that HDB and URA car parks should

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switch over from the manual coupon system to the electronic parking system. This system has been implemented in some car parks. We will look into the possibility of putting the system in place in more car parks.

Dr Teo Ho Pin (Holland-Bukit Panjang): Sir, can I just seek one clarification from the Minister?

The Chairman: All right.

Dr Teo Ho Pin: I think the Minister has not answered the question on the underpass security threat. Maybe the Minister can explain whether underpasses are likely to be soft targets for terrorist attacks.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Sir, obviously whenever we design buildings, and particularly under the current scenario, these designs will have to take into account security considerations and the security agencies will be involved in the design of such underpasses. But, at the same time, I think other precautions will also have to be taken in so far as making sure that these facilities are not what Dr Teo calls "soft" targets.

The Chairman: Dr Teo, your next cut, please.

Construction Industry

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* _ *Dr Teo Ho Pin: Sir, in a dynamic market environment, there is a constant need to change the use of buildings or premises to meet changing needs of its users. This phenomenon was experienced by the United Kingdom in the 1980s where there were lots of refurbishment work in London, due to changing market conditions. One key lesson which we can learn from the UK experience is the use of fast track construction technique to meet the changing needs of building users. Many refurbishment contracts in London were complex and had a short con

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struction period. As such, contractors adopted a wide variety of construction techniques such as prefabrication, fitting out or dry construction methods, to meet the tight construction schedules.

May I ask the Minister whether the Ministry has any plans to introduce fast track construction in Singapore.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan (Hong Kah): Sir, the construction industry has been contracting since the Asian financial crisis. In fact, conventional wisdom is that more contractors will go belly up in the coming months.

Our construction industry has contributed much to Singapore’s physical development and would continue to play a role in the economy, albeit a smaller one. We must not forget our experience with the shipping industry which, up to just a few years ago, was considered a sunset industry destined to oblivion. Now on the back of enhanced international trade flows, it is a thriving industry again and one of the few industries able to offer jobs to our unemployed.

Whilst the Government should not interfere in the market to help poorly managed, unproductive firms, we must take care not to implement rules and practices which add to the woes of our long suffering contractors. Last year, I had mentioned in my cut on the construction industry that many contractors feel that though Government regulations are well intentioned, it is as if they are being pushed to " pai tui tiou lou " – Hokkein for "Queue up to commit suicide".

Indeed, I think the many high profile incidents of stalled work as a result of contractors going bust that took place subsequently proved this point – that many contractors had indeed submitted low suicidal bids due not only to the poor economy, but, according to many

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contractors, the competition for jobs at all costs in order to meet the requirements to remain on the BCA registration system.

Besides modifying the requirements of the registration system to mitigate this problem, I would like to highlight another area that the BCA could look into. BCA should encourage Government departments to allow contractors with expertise and registration in different types of works – civil or engineering – to form joint ventures to tender for projects requiring different expertise. There should be no necessity for Government departments to require at least one of the contractors in a joint venture to have expertise in all types of work required as this would effectively bar many smaller and medium sized contractors. A case in point is the ferry terminal project at Marine Coastal Drive. I understand that for this project, even if there is a joint venture, at least one of the partners in the joint venture must have registration for both civil and building works in order to be eligible for the tender of this project.

I would like to urge the Minister to look into these issues and concerns.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Sir, under MND's guidance, the Building and Construction Authority aims to develop a technologically advanced construction industry which serves Singapore's economic needs and ensures that buildings and infrastructure are of high safety standards. One of the key thrusts is to develop a technologically advanced and competitive construction industry, able to deliver high quality building infrastructure. I have a few questions for the Minister.

Singapore's construction industry has been shrinking. What is the Government doing to expand the construction industry? The recent announcement in the Budget of the increase in the skilled labour

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levy of $30 to $50 has really added to the costs to the contractors who are facing this shrinking construction industry.

The Ministry was also forced to review the tender system as well as the payment guidelines to the contractors when a few major construction companies went under water. Can the Ministry give an update on the measures introduced so far or planned to introduce? Has the Ministry also looked into the payment of the sub-contractors in the process of this review? And, if so, can the Ministry give an update of the progress of the review? This is important as in the event of default by a main contractor, there will be a domino effect on all the sub-contractors. Will the Government also look into a system where the contractors can have some protection against cost escalation? There have been drastic increases in the prices of raw materials due to the oil crisis as well as the demand for the raw materials of the growing Asian countries. For example, the cost of reinforcement bars has increased from $570 per ton in October 2003 to about $1,000 per ton in February 2004, that is, within a period of five months - a 100% increase in prices.

Will the Government intervene, just as it did for the banks, and get the construction industry to merge and consolidate so that they can face the challenges posed by the big companies from China, Korea and Japan? The recent award of large developments, for example, T3, Republic Polytechnic and mega ITE, to foreign construction companies, does not encourage the growth of the local construction industry.

Dr Wang Kai Yuen (Bukit Timah): Sir, the shakeout of the local construction industry since 2001 has devastated many construction companies and their sub-contractors. During my meet-the-people sessions over this period, several sub-contractors came to me, laying bare their problems under the existing contractors'

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sub-contractor framework, which is viewed to be heavily loaded against them. One, in particular, complained about the novated sub-contractor system. In his case, he won a contract, an open tender, but was forced by the developer to work under a main contractor with whom he had no previous working relationship. In the course of the construction, there was a dispute and the main contractor refused to pay. Not only that, the main contractor forfeited his deposit; the bank pulled out his loan, and he was bankrupted. Soon his home will be repossessed. Sir, it was indeed heart-wrenching to see a grown man cry.

In Singapore, Sir, we have other unhealthy practices between main contractors and sub-contractors. These have been highlighted in the newspapers. I just like to point out one, and that is, the sale of headcounts of foreign construction workers. MOM controls the number of foreign workers in the industry by tying the issuance of work permits to the award of major contracts. Thus, when a main contractor gets the job, he could parcel out the foreign workers' work permits to the sub-contractors, often times, at a price. At a good time, the rate could go as high as $1,500 per worker. The sub-contractors have to submit to this because it is their livelihood. The main contractor would also squeeze the workers themselves for a significant sum through their recruitment agents. Thus, the main contractor would make money personally while their construction company could go bust.

So, we have this unusual phenomenon of contractors bidding below cost, leading the company to go bust later, but the owner of this company continues to have lots of cash in his pocket. This is unhealthy and should be eradicated. In our attempt to regulate the industry, we have instead created a maze where if you could navigate it, there is still much profit to be made. The situation reminds me of a

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Chinese saying, " shang you zheng zhe, xia you dui zhe ", which means for every policy, there is a counter-measure. Sir, I thought this only happens in China, but it is Singapore here.

I also echo Mdm Cynthia Phua's call regarding the rapid run-up of raw material prices, especially steel. They have delivered another unexpected blow to the sub-contractors. It is indeed the proverbial last straw on the camel's back.

I urge the Minister to take the current downturn in the construction industry to carry out a thorough multi-ministerial review of the myriad rules and regulations governing the construction industry. Hopefully, we could lay the foundation of a robust and healthy construction industry, which is indeed crucial to the continued success of Singapore.

Construction Workforce

Dr Teo Ho Pin: Sir, the construction industry is often regarded as a dirty, dangerous and demanding industry. But it is also an industry which produces tough and resilient workers. Construction workers are known to be able to work under tough conditions and possess multiple skills. Due to the ease in employing foreign workers in Singapore, the Singapore's construction industry has failed to develop a local construction workforce over these years. The lack of recognition and poor image have also impeded the recruitment of Singaporeans into the industry.

Today, the bulk of workers at the construction sites are foreigners, and construction is still highly labour intensive. Sir, there are two compelling reasons why we need to reconsider developing a local construction workforce. First, it is not sustainable to rely solely on foreign workers for construction work, and, second, we must develop our own local construction workforce which can also be

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our own emergency workforce in times of disasters.

There is an urgent need to review the operations of the Construction Industry Training Institute. We must provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to learn multiple construction skills and earn a good salary as a skilled tradesman. Without strong recognition from the Government, it will be an uphill task to attract younger Singaporeans to join the construction industry.

Sir, I wish to ask the Minister the following questions:

(1) Are there plans by BCA to develop a local construction workforce?

(2) How many locals and foreigners were trained by CITI yearly?

(3) Can we train our construction workforce to be an emergency workforce for disaster management?

The Chairman: Go on to your next cut, please, Dr Teo.

Contractors Registry System

Dr Teo Ho Pin: Sir, the revised Contractors Registry System has resulted in an unhealthy state of construction firms in Singapore. Its requirements for turnover and the need to have a mixture of public and private projects track record for renewal and upgrading have pushed many construction firms to commit "suicidal" bids. This has resulted in a large number of construction firms (some formerly G8 contractors) going bankrupt.

The recent liquidation of some MUP main contractors has caused much disruption to many residents. As for those contractors who are more conservative, they were downgraded to a much lower

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grading, such as C1 and C2, for failing to achieve the required turnover. This situation is unhealthy as we are penalising our established contractors. The downgrading also retards their company's growth as they cannot participate in certain Government tenders.

Sir, I understand the intention of the revised registry system is to consolidate the industry. But the desired outcome may be a setback for the industry as more "cowboys" are graded to be A1 and A2 contractors due to their total sub-contract practices. This is what the industry calls the " Ali Baba" package. While credible and established construction firms are downgraded and cannot sustain their businesses, we need to review the contractors' registry system to ensure that the criteria will help to develop world-class construction firms in Singapore.

Sir, may I ask the Minister how many G8 contractors were downgraded as a result of the new registry system? Will the Ministry consider reviewing the registration and upgrading criteria? And in what ways has the registration improved the quality and professionalism of contractors?

Construction Projects

Mr Ang Mong Seng (Hong Kah): (In Mandarin) : Sir, at the moment, most building projects are awarded to the contractors on a tender system. Normally, the contractor who submitted the lowest bid will be the successful bidder. Once they have been awarded the contract, they will sub-contract parts of the project to the sub-contractors. Many of these main contractors, upon receipt of the initial payment from the developers, would transfer the fund to other projects or other investments. As a result, they are unable to pay the sub-contractors for the work they have done. But the sub-contractors will still have to carry on the job and complete their project, failing

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which they will be sued by the main contractor.

This sort of system is advantageous to the main contractor, but biased against the sub-contractors. In other countries, the funds received by the main contractor could only be used for the same project and not to be transferred to other projects.

I would like to suggest that some regulations be made requiring the main contractor to set up a special "Project Account" for every project. Any payment received for the project shall be deposited in this project account and be used only for the specific project. The main contractor would not be allowed to transfer the fund elsewhere. In this way, there is no excuse for the main contractor not to pay his sub-contactors for their dues in the project concerned. The sub-contractors will not be inconvenienced due to lack of funds to carry on with the project. As such, all projects should complete in time and the image of our building industry will not be tarnished. I hope that the Minister would look into the regulation for a special project account to be set up for each construction project.

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Construction Cost

Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang): Sir, I am going to talk about the construction cost being high in Singapore. Sir, in Kuala Lumpur, a 2 ½ storey terrace house with a built-in area of about 1,700 square feet including a 99-year lease land, is about 350,000 ringgit, which works out to about S$160,000. I asked a friend of mine who is a building contractor and he told me that a similar house, with just the building cost alone, will cost us at least S$250,000, excluding land cost. The Singapore construction cost alone, excluding land cost, is almost double the price of a similar house in

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Kuala Lumpur, inclusive of land.

Sir, we are using the same workers from Malaysia or even the cheaper workers from Thailand and China. Materials like sand, cement and steel come also from the same source from Malaysia. If we want cheaper sand and stones we can buy from Indonesia. Why is the construction cost so different between the two places? In my view, it could be that the standards or specifications set by the Building Control Authority are too high and it could also be likely that there are many indirect costs that drive up the cost of construction, for example, hiring of the site safety officer, hiring of environmental officer just to make sure that there are no mosquitoes, resident engineer, clerks-of-work, security guard to prevent illegal workers from entering the worksite. All these have a factor to play in the high construction cost in Singapore. Will the Minister explain why the building cost in Singapore is so high, though we may be sharing the same source of workers and supply of material from our neighbouring countries? Is any review being conducted by the Ministry to see whether the building standard, specification and rule imposed by the Government on the construction sites are set too high which have led to the high cost of construction in Singapore?

Building and Construction Authority

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam (Nominated Member): Sir, I must commend the Ministry for continually revising the Building and Control Authority guidelines since 1995. The mandatory Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility (Third Edition, 2002) is clear, and it applies to offices, residential buildings, places of worship, resorts, shopping malls, hotels, F&B outlets, etc. However, the Code is deficient in not making it mandatory to create barrier-free access for the following groups: the older persons, the visually

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impaired, disabled children, facilities for families with young children. The BCA guidelines do make recommendations as in the Appendixes. However, clause 1.1.6 states clearly that these are not mandatory. So, in effect, they become guidelines. I would like to ask the Minister why they are not mandatory and, if they are not mandatory, how then is the industry governed in providing barrier-free access for one and all in our country?

The Chairman: Dr Teo Ho Pin, can you take both your cuts together?

Building Research Institute

Dr Teo Ho Pin: Sir, the concept of total building performance is new in Singapore. Many industry practitioners in the construction industry are still not familiar with this approach. As the Ministry has recently amended the Building Control Act to promote a performance based system, we should incorporate total building performance when designing and retrofitting buildings. Clear guidelines or standards on total building performance, such as energy efficiency, water conservation, thermal comfort, indoor air quality and maintainability must be set to achieve optimum performance of buildings.

The failure to address total building performance will result in sick building syndromes, loss of productivity, high operating and maintenance costs and shorter lifespan of buildings. Sir, I wish to ask the Minister the following questions: (1) Will the Ministry consider integrating the current building regulations to achieve total building performance in our buildings? (2) What are the plans by BCA to achieve sustainable development in new and refurbished buildings? (3) Are there plans to adopt total building performance benchmarks or standards in Singapore?

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Building Performance

Sir, on my next cut, the performance of a building is dependent on five key factors, namely: design, construction, maintenance, usage and environmental factors. Many designs and materials used in temperate climate are not suitable for our tropical climate conditions. That is why we often see building defects in many of our buildings, such as cracks, delamination, algae growth, water seepage, water splashing and corrosion. These failures are due to a lack of research and knowledge on the performance of buildings in tropical climate conditions.

In Singapore, not much emphasis has been placed on research and development in the construction industry. Many building researchers are academics from the universities who work part-time on research projects. Both the BCA and local construction firms are also not proactive in spearheading research. They also do not receive much support from the Government or developers. In contrast, Japanese contractors invest a considerable amount on research and development to develop new technologies and systems.

In Singapore, only token efforts were put in to study certain problems in the industry. There is a drastic lack of innovation to develop new products and systems for application in the tropics. Singapore is well-positioned to be a research hub for building materials and systems. This will provide the potential for Singapore construction firms to export their services to the regional market.

Sir, I wish to ask the Minister the following questions: (1) How can BCA make Singapore a Building Research Centre for tropical climate construction? (2) How can we attract full-time researchers to develop patents and innovative products and services for export?

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(3) How can we develop Singapore into a regional testing laboratory for building materials and products used in the tropics?

Handicapped-friendly Footpaths

Mr Andy Gan Lai Chiang (Marine Parade): Sir, in this environment conscious era, there is a huge opportunity for people with disabilities to make more productive contributions to society. If we can facilitate their mobility, the social divide for people with disabilities will shrink. MRT stations, HDB flats, commercial buildings have improved tremendously over the years to provide more handicapped-friendly facilities. What is lacking are appropriate connecting facilities between buildings for better access for persons with disabilities. Just to illustrate, most of the sheltered walkways today offer little protection to wheelchair bound pedestrians on rainy days.

We should also improve access to public transport for people with disabilities. It is almost impossible for wheelchair bound persons to take a bus, the footpath from a block of flats to the bus stop and steps leading to a bus stop are really challenging deterrents, let alone getting up the bus. The current design of overhead bridges is definitely not a solution for the handicapped to use to cross the roads. In fact, the overhead pedestrian bridge over Old Airport Road and Mountbatten Road is not popular with the residents at all. And it breaks the link of footpaths within the HDB blocks. They rely mainly on taxis and rely very much on the charity of the taxi drivers to bring them round. We should progressively improve the environment and encourage physically challenged persons to be more mobile.

Designing footpaths and linkways that are handicapped-friendly will also mean that senior citizens are likely to enjoy the ease of use and being friendly and safe,

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children will also benefit from such designs. I propose that MND initiate a plan to incorporate handicapped-friendly footpaths for travel to important locations within the HDB precincts where the handicapped can have easy access to critical services and public transport. This can serve as an example for private developers to follow suit as well.

HDB can work with the handicapped interest groups and the community to identify the needs and solutions and require developers to provide safe and convenient access, shelters from elements and safety features. We have to stay away from the misconception that handicapped-friendly facilities are no more than just having ramps and parking lots for the handicapped.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Sir, first of all, I would like to address the questions related to the contractors' procurement system, and then I will ask my SPS to address the other questions. Sir, we all know that the contractors have been having a hard time recently. Last few years have been particularly difficult ones mainly because the construction demand has shrunk by more than 50%. In 2003, last year, construction demand was $10 billion, the lowest in more than a decade. And if you compare that with, say, during the boom years, at its peak, construction demand was more than $20 billion. Yet, at the same time, the total number of contractors, the size of the construction industry, the manpower involved, the firms involved, have more or less remained the same. In other words, there are simply not enough jobs to go around and I think that is really the fundamental cause of many of the problems facing contractors, subcontractors and many of the ills which are confronting the industry today.

Because competition for jobs has become more intense, many firms have faced severe financial difficulties. And I

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think the experience which Dr Wang recounted just now, I am sure has been faced by many other Members of Parliament as well. We do sympathise with their plight and to the extent that we can help, I think the Government will. Mr Ang Mong Seng, Dr Wang Kai Yuen and Mdm Cynthia Phua have asked what we can do about the situation. I think one of the common complaints is about subcontractors not being paid, or not being paid on time.

If Members will recall, last year, I introduced a package of help measures for the construction industry in Parliament. This was some time in October last year. At the same time, I also mentioned that BCA was looking into the possibility of introducing a security of payment legislation, or SOP legislation. Under this legislation, we would provide statutory rights to contractors to seek payment for works done.

Sir, I wish to inform Members that BCA has completed the study of the SOP legislation that are existing in other countries - Australia, UK, New Zealand - and we will be introducing a SOP legislation that will be suitable for local conditions. The key elements in this legislation will be (1) the right to progress payment for works done; (2) the right to suspend work if not paid; and (3) a fast and low cost adjudication system to resolve progress payment disputes.

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It is a major piece of legislation. It is a complicated one and therefore BCA has to consult extensively with the industry, the key stakeholders in the industry. There is a general consensus on most of the features of the proposed legislation, including

its scope, the adjudication process, as well as setting up a suitable body to be appointed to conduct such adjudication.

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However, there are also genuine concerns that need to be addressed, such concerns like the potential negative impact of the right to suspend work. The industry has suggested that work suspension should be allowed only after adjudication, and only if the adjudicated amount has not been paid. The industry has also asked that developers be allowed to make direct payment to the subcontractors in cases of non-payment by the main contractor, in other words, bypassing the main contractor in order to make sure that cash flows to the people who are doing work and to make sure that the project does not get delayed or aborted. BCA will consider these suggestions in developing the proposed legislation. I must hasten to add that such legislation is not a panacea for the payment woes that are faced by contractors and subcontractors, but it will at least facilitate the cash flow and alleviate the problem of non-payment along the value chain, as highlighted by Dr Wang Kai Yuen and other Members. I expect to table this legislation in Parliament in the latter half of this year, and further details will be announced then.

Mr Ang Mong Seng also touched on the issue of escrow accounts, ie, project accounts. This was actually studied by the group looking into the industry. Although it has some merits, unfortunately, there are many other problems associated with it. It is a complicated issue to manage and would require legislative backup. But I think, more importantly, even with such an account, there will still be payment disputes between contractors and subcontractors, and also between contractors and developers. So, we have decided that, for the moment, we will not be pursuing such an account.

I turn now to Dr Teo Ho Pin's questions on the Contractors Registry System (CRS). He expressed concerns about the registration renewal criteria, and asked what are the effects of this scheme on the quality and professionalism of local

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contractors. The CRS, if I may go a little bit into the background, was set up as a centralised registry to prequalify contractors for public sector jobs. It grades and then prequalifies these firms, depending on their scale and skills, and the criteria include factors like financial strength, track record, manpower capabilities. This is necessary because projects are getting much more complicated. They are much more complex, and they require a multitude of skills, robust financial strength and manpower expertise. Dr Amy Khor asked why do we require multi-skills for certain jobs. The complexity of such jobs require such multi-skills within the contractors involved. So, if you have a firm that is registered at a lower grade, you will face difficulties in trying to undertake larger scale projects, especially those that span a long time.

Dr Teo wanted to know specifically how many G8 contractors were downgraded with the implementation of the new registry system. The BCA revamped the registration criteria in July 2002, ie, almost two years ago, and that was to better match the higher standards required in construction projects. For building works, the number of firms in the previous G8 grade was 87. In the new equivalent grade, which is A1 grade, this has come down to 38. So, basically, it has been reduced from 87 to 38, or more than half. For civil engineering works, the number was reduced from 52 to 23, again more than half.

Dr Teo also suggested that the CRS grade renewal criteria be reviewed. Again, I would like to inform him that this was done. BCA relaxed the requirements, particularly for track record for CRS grade renewal in October last year. This was at the same time as I announced the package of help measures. The qualifying period for grading has been extended from three years to five years. And BCA also allowed on-going projects to be taken into account. So, as a result of this, firms will

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not be under great pressure to tender for projects at unrealistically low bids, or so-called suicide or tiou lou bids, as Dr Amy Khor calls them, in order to satisfy this required track record. At the same time, he will recall that we tightened the timeframe to submit financial accounts for A1, A2 and then, later on, for B1 firms, in order to provide more time checks on the financial status of the firms undertaking public sector projects. So, all these changes were made with a view to improving the health of the construction industry as well as to help some of the contractors satisfy the CRS requirements. But I would agree that we need to continuously review the CRS requirements regularly, and I assure him that we will do so in consultation with the industry, other Government agencies and also the GPC for National Development. We should also be mindful that we do not make changes too frequently, otherwise it is going to confuse the firms seeking registration, renewal or upgrading.

Dr Teo also asked whether the CRS has improved the quality of the local contractors. If you look at the statistics last year, more than 95% of the public sector construction projects - I only refer to public sector construction projects because the private sector does not provide such data to us - were graded satisfactory and above, and in meeting the CRS requirements, you will see that many of our larger local contractors now have more professionals in key positions, and that the management practices are now fully compliant with many of the ISO standards.

Mdm Cynthia Phua asked whether we can protect the contractors against cost escalations, particularly the rapid increase in cost of, say, steel as a result of high demand from China. I think some of these cost increases, eg, the increase in the cost of steel, are really factors which are beyond the Government's control. And construction material prices are dynamic.

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They are affected by worldwide supply and demand, and the reason international steel price hikes, for example, has caused some contractors to bear unexpected additional pain. However, on the flip side, if prices had dropped, the contractors would, of course, pocket the savings. So, for public sector projects, both parties, whether it is the contractor or the agency concerned, will have to accept material price fluctuations as a commercial risk. Public sector agencies are aware of the potential impact of material cost increase on the project, and that is why some of them include a price fluctuation clause in their contracts, especially when such projects span a long period of time, or when the usage of certain materials is high. So, if there is such a clause, then the contractors would be protected. Of course, this clause is made known at the point of tender, so that contractors can price accordingly. But where there is no such provision, the agency is not contractually bound to compensate contractors for any price increases, and contractors will have to bear this cost increase. However, I do know that some agencies are looking into ways to help to ease the cashflow of contractors. In the final analysis, it is up to the agencies as to how they wish to structure their contracts and how they intend to deal with the contractors, bearing in mind of course that they have to safeguard funds.

Mdm Cynthia Phua expressed some concern about local contractors not being competitive with the big boys, ie, the big foreign firms. I just want to assure her that our local contractors are able to hold their own. I have some figures here which I would like to share with her. In the last two years, local contractors have been awarded something like 15 out of 35 public sector projects valued about $100 million and, of the 20 projects, 11 were awarded to joint ventures between local and foreign contractors. So, I would say

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that, on the whole, local contractors can compete even for large projects. But having said that, I think there is still merit for local contractors to consolidate to build niche capabilities and to form consortiums or groups in order to look for overseas projects, and the Government will encourage and facilitate such consolidation. But at the end of the day, I think we all realise that it is left to the contractors to decide whether they want to consolidate or not. The Government really cannot intervene or even enforce this.

One final point, to respond to Mdm Cynthia Phua's question about expanding of construction opportunities, first of all, she will recall that the Government has brought forward some public sector projects in order to help the industry, especially the local contractors. But at the end of the day, as I indicated, the size of the local market is small; in fact, it has shrunk considerably, especially under the present economic climate. So, the only way for the contractors to grow is to venture abroad, and there are opportunities overseas. The market in India and China is growing at an average rate of about 10% annually, and there is a tremendous window of opportunity for local contractors. BCA, together with IE Singapore, has intensified efforts to promote export of construction services in the last few years. They have organised trade missions to help Singapore firms to gain a foothold in these markets, and they have also facilitated the formation of consortia, ie, joint ventures, among local contractors in order to further expand their markets overseas.

My Minister of State, my Senior Parliamentary Secretary and myself have all been involved in these promotion efforts and will continue to do so in order to help the local industry. Overseas orders for 2003, just to put this on record, reached about $1 billion, and I expect that we can grow this number even further, if

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local contractors can work together and, with Government's facilitation, further expand their business overseas. In this way, we can develop an external wing, capitalise on the Singapore brand name, and we can offer value-added services to establish a significant presence overseas for our construction industry.

Sir, may I now ask my Senior Parliamentary Secretary to address the other questions.

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, on behalf of my Minister, I shall address the remaining questions and suggestions on the

construction industry.

12.00 noon

Sir, let me begin with the questions and comments on total building performance, building maintenance and the construction technology and workforce raised by Dr Teo Ho Pin. Dr Teo suggested amending current building legislation or introducing new legislation to achieve total building performance. Total building performance is still an evolving science without international benchmarks or standards. Initiatives for Total Building Performance should be industry-driven, with the aim to provide better buildings and better quality buildings. BCA's approach therefore is to specify and legislate only minimum performance requirements to ensure safe buildings that are fit for occupancy.

With regard to the question on sustainable development, BCA is actively promoting it in construction projects. From July this year, contractors in the A1 and A2 categories of the Contractors Registry Scheme will be required to obtain ISO 14000 Certification on Environmental Management. This aims to minimise environmental impact of their construction activities. BCA and NEA are also exploring the feasibility of introducing environmental impact assessment for existing

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and new buildings.

On the building research institute, Dr Teo asked if Singapore could become a research centre for tropical climate building construction. Sir, the answer must be yes. In November 2000, BCA and NUS jointly established a Centre for Total Building Performance to promote and facilitate R&D collaborations amongst public agencies, tertiary institutions and the private sector so as to make Singapore a hub for tropical building research. The Centre's current R&D activities focuses on environment-related strategies such as sky-rise greening, air quality of indoor environment and energy efficiency. Generous funding for programmes, such as the A*STAR's Construction R&D programme and the Innovation Development Scheme has enabled research bodies and private sector companies to attract and recruit a strong group of full-time researchers.

Sir, on the suggestion of developing Singapore into a regional testing centre for building materials and products, I wish to point out that the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) of SPRING Singapore was established for this purpose. Since 1986, the SAC has accredited many local laboratories that may test and certify building materials and products under the Singapore Laboratory Accreditation Scheme.

Sir, on fast-track construction, Dr Teo also spoke of the need to develop our contractors' capabilities for fast-track construction. The BCA has introduced a buildable design legislation in Janaury 2001. The legislation requires buildings to be designed to allow contractors to adopt labour efficient and fast construction methods. Dry construction using pre-fab components is promoted while conventional wet trades, such as brick walling and plastering are discouraged. The outcome so far has been positive. The use of brick walls in the private residential

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sector has decreased substantitally. At the same time, the use of pre-cast concrete construction has increased significantly. Pre-fab technology is also promoted through the incentives offered to contractors and prefabricators to mechanise their operations and adopt pre-fab construction methods. Tax allowance is given for a purchase of construction equipment and financial grants for upgrading pre-cast production techniques.

BCA also encourages wider use of design-and-build contracts to promote fast-track construction. The amendments to the Building Control Act, the Architects Act and the Professional Engineers Act which took effect from 1st Janaury this year, provided greater flexibility to design-and-build arrangements for improved integration of services, faster construction and cost savings.

Sir, I agree with Dr Teo on the need to educate all stakeholders of buildings and facilities to have responsibility for building maintenance. The Minister for National Development has reiterated that the maintenance is a shared responsibility. BCA intends to carry out a comprehensive education programme for stakeholders and building maintenance and management.

Sir, regarding the need to review safety standards for maintenance, BCA recently reviewed the periodic building inspection process. From 1st November 2003, BCA has required professional engineers (PEs) to refer to the structural layout plans when carrying out visual inspections.

Sir, on the questions concerning the construction workforce, the Government has been trying to encourage locals to join the construction workforce, with some success, not total success. But BCA's records show that locals prefer to take up

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managerial and supervisory positions in the industry and not so much as trademan, ie, labour work. This is a physically demanding nature of contruction work. But we will redouble our efforts and try to recruit more.

Sir, in a civil emergency, such that when a building collapses, the Singapore Civil Defence Force will be activated as the lead agency for disaster management. Our resident construction workforce has the required skills to help reinstate public amenities and infrastructure.

Sir, on the cost of construction which was raised by Prof. Low Seow Chay, there is a perception that the cost of construction in Singapore is rather high. About 2-3 years ago, we commissioned a study to verify whether that perception is correct and the result is different from the perception. Our building regulations are not more onerous than those in the UK or the USA. In fact, our construction costs are lower than in Hong Kong and Sydney, though higher than in Kuala Lumpur, we concede. In short, although our construction cost is higher than in Malaysia, we are competitive and is unlikely to be unduly affected by our building codes. In any case, our building codes today are performance-based. In other words, you do not need to design to our codes, you just design to our safety standards.

On barrier-free accesibility, Mrs Yu-Foo, Ms Braema and Mr Andy Gan raised several concerns. The Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility already includes design guidelines on family-friendly facilities in buildings, like shopping complexes and supermarkets, frequented by families and young children. In addition, National Parks Board has a programme to make parks barrier-free and conducive for the elderly. Ms Braema asked why the Code is not applied to all buildings and developments. There is a good reason for that. First, it will be very costly to the owners of existing buildings to comply with the

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Code. Existing buildings not designed with such provisions will have to carry major retrofitting works if the Code was applied retrospectively. Moreoever, the Building Control Act does not allow us to apply the Code backwards.

Secondly, the landed residential buildings, ie, the private domain bungalows, semi-detached and terraces, are private properties and only used by the owners exclusively for their guests or friends. The owners should be allowed to decide whether to input the necessary barrier-free features or not. We should not impose such requirements in private domain houses.

Lastly, plant equipment rooms in buildings are not meant for public access at all. Why would anybody go into an engine room or plant room? So there is no need to provide such features in these rooms. The Code is reviewed regularly every five years and involves all parties which Ms Braema and Mr Andy Gan would like us to include. They include the Handicaps Welfare Association, Singapore Association of Visually Handicapped, Asian Women's Welfare Association and all the Government agencies like MCDS, URA, NEA, HDB, LTA, NCSS and also professional bodies like NUS, SIA, IES, REDAS. Of course, we will welcome any other bodies that need to be included in this committee.

Sir, I have answered most of the questions.

The Chairman: Could I remind Members that we are rather behind time on this amendment, so please keep your speech short. Prof. Low, can you take all the three cuts together?

Bird Flu

Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay: The Avian influenza affecting the Asian region is almost over. Looking back, it would be

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good for us to review what we had intended to do if the H5N1 Avian influenza should strike us.

First, when the positive type A flu has been detected, all birds will be culled. The announced approach is not to wait for confirmation of the H5N1 infection. Immediately, when type A positive is detected, culling action of all birds will begin. Sir, the positive type A flu does not imply the human type of H5N1 flu infection. It could be other types of flu, such as those well-reported, H7N1 and some other types of flu which are relatively minor. Some of the other types of flu are not infectious to human beings. In agricultural countries like Japan, Canada and America, they cull the birds when H7N1 is detected to prevent the spread of the flu as it will affect other farming activities. In Singapore, we are not an agricultural country. The culling of birds is mainly to prevent the infection to human beings.

Therefore, the decision to cull all the birds when we detect only the type 'A' positive flu is not well-justified. The action to cull all the birds based on type A positive flu will cost the farmers a great deal of losses. The action to cull all the birds may cost them $20 million. The farmers have sacrificed so much, but we have yet to confirm that the birds have been infected with the human-infected H5N1 flu. Therefore, in my view, we are a little bit over-reacting. The question is that when we make a decision, who pays for the cost?

On culling of the birds, all the chickens will be culled if one farm has detected the positive type 'A' flu. In other words, all the chickens in the farms in Singapore will be culled whether or not that particular farm has detected the positive type A flu. Again, is it necessary to take such a drastic action? The reasons are, firstly, it may not be H5N1 flu which we are concerned with. Secondly, the farms

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could be so far away, for example, between Sungei Tengah and Lim Chu Kang, may be more than five kilometres away. Sir, drawing the infectious circle is quite an arbitrary work and is subject to a lot of arguments. A smaller effective infectious zone to be drawn would avoid many unnecessary losses.

Sir, the third point is that when all the birds in the same farm are culled, why are some other farms being spared? The place that is exempted is the Bird Park. The Minister did explain to the House that the birds in the Bird Park are valuable and their cages are further away and not so congested. If H5N1 should infect the birds near the Bird Park, why should the birds in the Bird Park receive double standards in the treatment by the Government? The birds have to be culled. Therefore, the decision of not culling the birds in the Bird Park, in my view, is technically incorrect.

Compensation to Farmers

Sir, the chicken farms in Singapore have more than a million birds. If culling action should be taken, the farms will lose more than $20 million, which is the price of the birds. The farms will also suffer a subsequent loss because of the lead time for them to develop until they are in full productive mode again. The total losses could be more than double. I estimate it could be about $50 million. The Government did mention in this House that compensation would be made, but did not say how much compensation would be offered. Judging from the case of Pulau Ubin, there are only a few hundred birds in the termination list, and the cost of which will only be about $5,000. The Government did not pay the $5,000 to the small-time farmers but instead the Poultry Import and Export Association, where I serve as its Advisor - I have to declare my interest that this Association has nothing to do with me - was asked

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to pay for the birds which were taken out from the Pulau Ubin farmers.

12.15 pm

Sir, the Government announced that they will buy all the birds and incinerate them. However, it turned out that the Government removed all the birds in the island without paying a single cent and it saved completely on the cost of incineration and the cost of culling the birds. The Poultry Import and Export Association was asked to pay for the costs to achieve the Government's intended objective of stopping all the small-time farmers and it does not reflect very well on the sincerity of the Government. It led the people to suspect

that the Government will not be so generous in its compensation if really culling action should be carried out in all the large-scale farms. Since the flu is almost over, it will be time for the Government and relevant departments to sit down and work out some sensible compensation so that the farmers will be satisfied with the terms and will lend their full support to the Government for its action, if unfortunately, in future the bird flu were to attack Singapore once again.

Lately, due to the Avian Flu, farmers were asked to implement many cost-sensitive measures, like erection of nets for the whole farm enclosure. They were also asked to do things to improve the standard of their farms. As I know, at least there are more than three farms at the moment that have a balance of three years' lease. Judging from the bird flu scare, it looks unlikely that the farms' lease would be extended by the AVA. That is my personal opinion. The expenses on the improvements are just a waste of money and would not be justified if the lease is only to last for another three more years or shorter. If the Government is not extremely keen in keeping all these farms, why not compensate the farms with the early termination of their lease and let the

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farmers' useful and hard-earned resources be redeployed to other businesses which receive support from the Government?

Agriculture Policy

Sir, in the late 80s and early 90s, the Government announced a large-scale agro-technology park development. At least four agro-technology parks were developed in Chua Chu Kang. At that point of time, the farmers did have the thinking that farming activities were being revitalised in Singapore and it was time for them to invest in the farms. At that time, seven farms, all large-scale, got into the business. Looking at the first measure, a few years ago, the Government gave the reason of pollution by the duck farms. Originally, we were 100% self-sufficient in the supply of ducks in Singapore. However, overnight, the farms closed down when their lease expired and the farms were all gone. In 2001, the complaints of smell from the farms led to the closure of three of the four egg farms in Sungei Tengah, which we were also very proud of as they provided 30% of the total egg consumption in Singapore.

Sir, I would just like to ask whether the Minister has any long-term policy on the farming activities in Singapore. What is the policy on the long-term food production in Singapore?

Food Safety

Dr Teo Ho Pin: **** Sir, I would like to request the Minister to once again reassure all Singaporeans that it is safe to eat chicken in Singapore. Sir, may I ask the Minister what are the measures undertaken by AVA to ensure food safety in Singapore?

Mr Tan Soo Khoon (East Coast): Sir, I used to enjoy eating this large chunk of otah at my club for breakfast until

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somebody told me that this otah is probably made in some unlicensed factory or unhygienic place across the Causeway and brought over. Then, at one time, I used to buy at the supermarket char siew pau. They were very cheap - 15 cents - and I used to enjoy eating them until again somebody pointed out that these are probably made under very unhygienic conditions. Maybe that is why they always tasted so good. I find this very disturbing because, on the one hand, we ban the import of pork from Malaysia because of the Nipah virus, but we allow the pork to come in in the form of meat dumplings.

Then there is this case of the oyster food poisoning which took place in November when more than 200 people who ate at a 5-star hotel came down with poisoning because they ate raw oysters. Because of that incident, we found that the oysters did not actually come from Australia or New Zealand, but actually came from China. Although we were told that investigations were underway as to what the problem was, whether it was a contamination at source or due to the handling at the hotel, we have not exactly known what has happened. I know that the AVA does a very good job in ensuring very high standards for our food imports, but it is near impossible to check every source of food production or food manufactured overseas.

But in view of what I have said, can I just ask the Minister what steps can he take to ensure a better control of manufactured food and food that is imported into Singapore and to ensure that the food we consume in Singapore is always safe?

Mr Othman Haron Eusofe (Marine Parade): Sir, the questions I wanted to ask have been asked by the two previous speakers. I also want to know about food safety in Singapore.

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Private Farms

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam: Sir, with an ageing population, there are more retirees with time on their hands and looking for new hobbies, and many of them want to go back to the land to become farmers or gardeners, but not everyone has the luxury of living in landed properties with sizeable gardens to potter or putt around. In England and in Germany, plots of land are set aside for retirees to begin farming as an enterprise or as a hobby. I am asking if the Ministry of National Development could take the lead in this with AVA, HDB, URA, SLA, to keep aside more land beyond the 1,200 hectares that I believe are currently made available to retirees on two levels. For the smaller plots the HDB dwellers could come down, potter about and go back to his flat for home consumption.

Secondly, on a larger scale, for our more mobile retirees to sink roots here rather than take off to retirement homes elsewhere and form a farming entrepreneur ownership, and so develop even by-products from the products that they grow. This is indeed I feel a growth industry and there are many opportunities here for us. One example I can cite is Bollywood veggies by Mrs Ivy-Lim Singh and her husband Mr Lim Ho Seng, where their products are already in the NTUC supermarkets. And, you can even drop in now at their farm for by-products like lemon-grass tea.

The Minister of State for National Development (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): We are running out of time. Let me try to gallop through these cuts. The most important question, in my opinion, was Dr Teo's: is eating chicken safe? I want to assure this House and, indeed, all Singaporeans, that eating chicken, certainly in Singapore, is safe. It is very, very safe, and nobody needs to have any second

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thoughts or any reservations on that point.

Prof. Low said that the Avian Flu outbreak is almost over. I just want to put things in context. Avian Flu has been around for 100 years. It is not a new disease in that sense. What is new is that in 1997 it crossed the species barrier and affected human beings. And, he has quite rightly said the most feared sub-type is H5N1. But other sub-types as well can occasionally cross, and cause problems. So, the correct attitude is that whilst we must not over-react, we must not be complacent either. And the key is to have a responsive and proper system, so that we can make the appropriate reactions when a threat emerges. The key thing here is to remember that it is very contagious. Secondly, to also remember that early detection and effective eradication of the infected flocks or the potentially infected flocks is the most effective way to stamp out the disease. He asked why we would cull all the flocks in all the chicken farms. Let me put it to him in context again.

In Singapore we have seven poultry farms. All these farms are at close range to each other. Furthermore, they share resources in the sense that certain service trucks, certain transport and logistics arrangement, even certain feed sources, would be shared in common. So, if an outbreak occurs in one farm, can he, or AVA, or indeed anybody, be sure that the same breach in virus security has not occurred in any other farm? In our context, once this has occurred, we believe in a deliberate and systematic eradication of all the infected and potentially infected flocks, rather than to wait on tenterhooks and worry when is the next outbreak going to occur. Our policy objective is to eradicate the disease, to safeguard public health, to maintain confidence in Singaporeans and visitors alike. I would also remind him that in 1997, Hong Kong embarked on a total eradication policy and

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the WHO has stated that this measure by Hong Kong in 1997 averted a potentially disastrous global outbreak.

I want to touch on the allegation of double standards. Let us put things again in context. Avian Influenza affects mainly poultry. Why poultry? Because they are the most sensitive, the most susceptible to this particular infection. So far, all major outbreaks in the world have occurred only in the context of poultry farms, not in the context of pet birds, not in the context of bird parks. In the case of Singapore, if an outbreak were to occur in a susceptible species, for some reason we suddenly found that it has mutated and a certain species in the Bird Park is susceptible, of course, we will eradicate and take all the measures needed to contain that outbreak. So let me assure the House that there is no commercial or policy reason to have double standards.

Next, I want to touch on the issue of compensation. If Avian Influenza breaks out in Singapore, it will be a disaster. It will be a disaster financially to the people involved in the trade. Let us not pretend otherwise. But, let us also be honest enough to accept that there is no way the Government can fully compensate for all the immediate and consequential business losses. Our approach is to say that we will share the pain and we will help bear the cost that they will incur in controlling that outbreak. The Government will make ex-gratia payments to the farmer for the live poultry which are culled, based on the estimated market value of the flocks. In the case of Tekong, I am glad to say that all, or almost all, the chickens were sold and they were sold at the market rate and, therefore, the issue of compensation does not arise. He mentioned the increased cost associated with providing bio-security, like bird-proofing the farms. This, we believe, is the cost of doing business and, properly, it should be paid for by the people who choose on a

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voluntary basis to embark on chicken farming.

Prof. Low also asked about our long-term policy on farming in Singapore. Sir, Singapore has a very limited land resource. It is not possible for us to be totally self-sufficient in food. Our approach towards a resilient food supply is to ensure that we diversify our sources of food supply. As far as local farms are concerned, we will allow farming to occur in Singapore so long as land is available and, so long as the private sector finds it commercially viable to use the land for this purpose. Ms Braema asked if cheap farm land could be set aside for retirees. I think it follows from my earlier point that the private sector, including Ivy-Singh Lim, must find it commercially viable to run these farms on available land. We will not subsidise the land for these purposes.

Incidentally, we have six agro-technology parks set aside, zones that are reserved sites in Singapore. This can be used for farming but I would also add that it can also be used for other compatible activities, like horse-back riding, spa resorts, camping sites, etc. Interested parties can bid for this land in an open tender. The land will be awarded to the highest bidder and who is able to make the best use of the land.

I would now move on to the issue on ensuring food supply safety. I am glad Mr Tan Soon Khoon enjoys his otah , his pau and his oysters. Our objective is to allow him and other Singaporeans to continue enjoying these delicacies. How do we ensure food safety? We have an integrated food safety system. It starts from the farm all the way to the fork. We have first to accredit the supply sources, and a lot of AVA officers have to spend time going to farms or factories overseas to make sure that these sources are producing things in a wholesome way and in a safe way. We also expect health certification by the exporting authorities in

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the countries which are exporting the food to us. We have a system for the inspection of import consignments on arrival, and this is backed by advanced food testing capabilities.

Our system enables trace-back to identify and recall if any products are found to be defective, and to also remove the suppliers from this pre-approved list of supply sources.

12.30 pm

If contamination of food poisoning is discovered, AVA will work closely with MOH to identify whether it is due to contamination at source or contamination due to handling. And unsafe food products will also be recalled in that context. Basically, by staying vigilant and keeping abreast of emerging food safety issues, the AVA will be able and has been able to respond effectively and rapidly to prevent unsafe food from reaching our consumers.

Sir, the final point I want to make also is that it is an issue of shared responsibility. It is not possible for AVA to check every pau that you have got - it may have come across the Causeway in somebody’s plastic bag - and there will be times when things breach our defences. But I would urge Singaporeans to use common sense. If you want to take the risk, then in the spirit of shared responsibility, you must be prepared to face the potential consequences. But if all of us play and do our part, I think we will be able to enjoy our food which, after all, is a key ingredient of our life down here, to enjoy our food and to do it in a safe way.

The Chairman: Dr Teo, are you withdrawing the amendment?

Dr Teo Ho Pin: Sir, I would like to thank the Minister, Minister of State and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for their comprehensive answers. I am sure

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that over 95% of the Members of this House are satisfied with their answers.

Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (2), Mr Chiam.

Upgrading of Sennett Estate

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TI 1500.

Sir, my cut is on the upgrading of Sennett Estate. It has been reported that I am always harping on the same issues again and again. But in this case, the issue has still not been resolved, and it is my duty to ask the Prime Minister again whether he intends to adhere to his announcement made last year to upgrade Sennett Estate.

During my house-to-house visits at Sennett Estate, the residents asked me to ask the Government when are they going to repair the drains in their estate. Most of the drains in the estate are stagnant with water and are breeding mosquitoes which causes great concern to the residents because of the rising dengue fever cases. I would urge the Prime Minister to give top priority to this concern because it is now about a year since he gave the assurance to upgrade Sennett Estate but nothing in relation to the upgrading proper has been done other than some minor ad hoc works. I wonder whether the Prime Minister is carrying the upgrading programme at Sennett Estate forward as a strategy for the next elections. Can the Minister please confirm that upgrading shall be carried out at Sennett Estate as

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promised and the commencement date of the upgrading?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, on behalf of the Minister for National Development.

Sir, the PAP Government is an honourable party and the Prime Minister is a very honourable man. What he promises he delivers. The Estate Upgrading Programme in Sennett was announced last year, 2003. It is in good progress. Mr Chiam See Tong said that in his recent house-to-house visits, residents have been badgering him as to whether the EUP would be carried out. I would like to ask when was his last visit, because the EUP programme has already been rolled out. The adviser, Mr Seetoh Yee Pin, has been on the ground and he has already appointed the implementing agency; the architect, Mr J Y Hwang, is also in place. The residents together with him and the CC Chairman have formed a working committee to gather feedback as to what they should do about the open drains, the parks, roads and curbs.

Perhaps, Sir, if you give me a few minutes to mention the milestones that will be carried through. The design will be in place once the feedback has been consolidated, because we want the design to reflect the needs of the people. The design must also be such that it is within budget. Some time this year or early next year, a tender will be called and the work should be completed by around the middle of 2006.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, the last time I visited Sennett Estate was three Sundays ago. At that time, I heard that only a few lamps have been installed in one of the backlanes. But the more important thing is that the drains have been untouched. Nothing has been done to any of the drains yet. As regards the playground, I do not think there is any need for upgrading because it has been upgraded.

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What they want are humps on the roads. As the roads are narrow in the estate, there are some problems there.

I think the top priority is the mosquito problem. I think this has to be tackled first. The others may be cosmetic and are not so important.

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, I would bring this feedback to Mr Seetoh Yee Pin. And we want to assure him that all these issues will be addressed by the residents. Incidentally, Mr Seetoh has been working the ground many times now. No work has been done yet because the final design has not come out yet. The design will also be presented to the residents and Mr Chiam will be welcome to give his feedback through the CCC.

The Chairman: We are short of time, Mr Chiam.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Why refer to Mr Seetoh? I think it should be the relevant authority. Mr Seetoh is just a layman. What has he got to do with the upgrading of Sennett Estate? I am really surprised that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to refer to Mr Seetoh. I have seen Mr Seetoh with one of his men scurrying and hurrying in Sennett Estate but I have not seen him doing anything in regard to the upgrading.

The Chairman: Mr Chiam, please let the Senior Parliamentary Secretary reply. Prof. Koo, make it a quick one.

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, Mr Seetoh is coordinating the feedback from all the residents. He is also the Adviser of the Potong Pasir CCC and it was Mr Seetoh who made repeated requests to the Ministry to offer EUP to the residents of Sennett Estate way before the Prime Minister made his promise.

The Chairman: Mr Chiam, are you withdrawing the amendment?

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Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (3), Mr Wee Siew Kim.

Mr Wee Siew Kim (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, the Minister has replied earlier on Saturday. I will pass.

The Chairman: Mr Seng Han Thong, please move the amendment.

Space Adding Item

Mr Seng Han Thong (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TI 2100.

Space adding item is a term we often use in our upgrading programmes. This term is a mouthful. When it is translated into Chinese, it is equally mouthful, kuojian mianji xiangmu . I always forget how to mention it.

Whenever we urge residents to vote for the upgrading programme, we tell them that space adding item means that you can have an extra little room. And our upgrading exhibitions always show this little room with a bed and a table. Residents are told that they can make use of it as a study room, children's room, computer room, maid's room or mahjong room. So, why not just call it an extra room?

I am told that, legally, a room which is less than six square metres cannot be called a room meant for human habitation. But why do we tell residents that it can be used as their children's room or maid's room? Sir, I think we need to change either the law or our marketing. I believe it is better to change the law as many

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residents already make use of it as a living room.

An extra room, in Chinese, means jiafang . I think it is good. Good government gives good citizens jiafang , just like a good employer gives a good employee jiaxin and a good stallholder gives jialiao to good customers. So, for simplicity sake, we should just ask the residents to vote for an extra room. If we cannot change the law, then I think we can just ask them to vote for extra space, instead of a space adding item.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Sir, I thank Mr Seng for his advice on marketing.

I just want to emphasise that the so-called space adding item does not necessarily have to be an extra room. It could be a balcony; it could be a space for utility; it could be an extension of the current living room or used as a bedroom, kitchen or as an additional toilet. So, the reason we chose space adding item, not really imaginative, but it is factually accurate. It is an additional space.

Mr Seng Han Thong: Why not just say “extra space”? Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (4), Mr Wee Siew Kim.

Fernvale Town Centre

Mr Wee Siew Kim: Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TJ 2100.

Sir, last Friday, the Minister for Transport called Fernvale in Sengkang the wild west in the context of the continued closure of the West Loop of the Sengkang LRT, and I think he is right. But wild west

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or not, we have built pockets of flats there. They are already populated. We need to provide for these residents who have moved there, certainly not expecting to play cowboys and Indians.

One may say that our people are little pampered. They all come from mature estates where they are practically immersed in everything they need in life. But then, is this not part of the lifestyle in Singapore that we all along to preserve? In spite of the fact that the pace of the building programme for Fernvale has slowed, can I ask the Minister two questions:

(a) to consider ways to ensure that the necessities of life be provided in close proximity to these residents as quickly as possible;

(b) we may need to exercise some creative flexibility to free from the constraint of economic viability. The HDB may need to invest ahead of full demand.

Alternatively, there is already existing an enclave of shops and amenities along Jalan Kayu leading to Seletar Airport. It is paying for its roti prata and it attracts Singaporeans from near and far. The infrastructure for LRT access is already there and, eventually, the LRT will be turned on. Seletar Airport grounds also harbour potential for other recreational activities. The wilderness of the farmway tracks provides a rustic distraction. Can I ask the Minister to study whether it is possible to find ways to rejuvenate this Jalan Kayu enclave, thereby using it as a ready-made centre of lifestyle amenities for the residents of Fernvale?

The Chairman: Mr Heng Chee How is not here. Dr Balakrishnan.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Sir, Fernvale is part of Sengkang Town. In a new HDB town like Sengkang, commercial facilities are provided at three levels. First, we

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have the precinct level where there will be a local cluster of shops to cater for the daily needs of residents. At the second level above there are commercial centres where you get a wider range of commercial facilities such as supermarkets, fast food outlets and food courts, and these will have to serve a larger catchment of residents. If they did not have a larger catchment, the merchants and traders who are there would not be viable.

At the third level is the town centre which serves as the commercial and transportation hub of the town. It provides a wider range of commercial facilities and transport connectivity within and outside the town. There will only be one town centre in each HDB town. In the Sengkang Town Centre, it is co-located with the Sengkang MRT station and the LRT system exchange station.

The shopping needs of Sengkang residents are served by Compass Point Shopping Centre, a major shopping complex that is integrated with the MRT, LRT and bus interchange. And to better serve residents, a community building to house the community centre, a polyclinic and a neighbourhood police centre is currently under construction.

To cater to the needs of residents at Fernvale, a few clusters of shops at Blocks 403A, 405C and 408B Fernvale Lane have recently been tendered. These facilities include minimarts, eating establishments and a clinic, and they are expected to be operational in the next one or two months. Additional shop clusters and a commercial centre are also planned in tandem with future housing developments.

Mr Wee mentioned the Jalan Kayu area. This is an existing private residential estate and the shops along Jalan Kayu are located within the western part of Sengkang Town.

This town is expected to grow as more residential developments

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are built and this will inject more life, more catchment and, ultimately, more shops for the residents in Jalan Kayu.

12.45 pm

Mr Wee Siew Kim: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (5), Dr Warren Lee.

Heavy Vehicle Temporary Car Park

Dr Warren Lee (Sembawang): Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Development Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TJ 5100.

Sir, in view of the slowdown in HDB's building programme, would the Minister consider the provision of temporary heavy vehicle parking on land previously designated for future residential and light industrial development?

Heavy Vehicle Parking

Mr Wee Siew Kim: Sir, there is much unhappiness among Sengkang residents over the lack of heavy vehicle parking. Last week, Miss Penny Low faced the ire of 10 families in just one block of flats alone in Compassvale. In a survey in Anchorvale, 180 families responded with their predicament. Safety, noise-heavy vehicles are anyway not supposed to be used for personal transportation - are often used to justify the lack of attention to this problem.

Take a moment and look at it from the standpoint of the drivers. Can you seriously believe that these drivers have

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any bargaining power with their employers over whether they get transportation to and from work, or get paid an allowance to get to work and back home, when all of Singapore is asleep? Invariably, it hurts the drivers’ pockets. Yes, each heavy vehicle comes with a parking permit when it is registered. But there is a severe mismatch of where the parking lots are and where people live and work. This parking permit cannot be a solution.

Also, the options available to these drivers are disappearing. The compounds of schools, temples, churches, petrol stations where they used to have them are getting smaller and are fast disappearing as an option. The new town does not have surface car parks. Multi-storey car park is the norm. These multi-storey car parks are themselves the bane of drivers who are not even driving the big prime movers but just a van with a roof that exceeds the 2.1 metres allowed clearance for these multi-storey car parks. I feel for the effect that it has on the lifestyle of these drivers. They either park miles away from home or work and spend untold hours to commute. They hit the road before the break of dawn and get home with just the moon as company, or else play a cat-and-mouse game with traffic wardens. Invariably, paying parking fines becomes a fixed monthly outlay. And we say we pay attention to lifestyles and want more babies? As an MP, I too worry about the safety and noise concerns, but these can be solved.

Can I ask the Minister to consider locating heavy vehicle parking at the fringe of Sengkang Town, so that at least the drivers of such vehicles have the option of a long walk or go on bicycles? This would take care of the noise and traffic issues. Or we could locate the parks, as Dr Warren Lee has just said, in the area designated for light industries. Surely, one cannot say that heavy vehicle movements to and from these industrial estates pose a safety issue.

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Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, the URA works very closely with the various authorities (NParks, HDB and LTA) to ensure the sufficient provision of land for parks and sporting facilities as well as the provision of heavy vehicle parking facilities. These facilities are implemented together with the HDB’s building programme. Dr Lee suggested that we find creative ways to use the land not presently needed. Indeed, we do that. Today, the grassroots organisations can approach SLA or HDB to use vacant land for interim parks and other community and recreational uses. Residents who need to use this interim land for any special purposes can always contact the advisers who can access a special portal, and the approved uses are listed in the portal.

Sir, on the issue raised by Mr Wee on the provision of heavy vehicle parking lots in HDB estates, he has given us a reason, and I think it is a good reason, because heavy vehicles are not meant for personal transport. Heavy vehicles are actually factors of production and they should be parked in places designated for such purposes, in the factories or in heavy vehicle parking lots. Where possible, URA, together with LTA, tries to provide these heavy vehicle parking lots at the fringe of HDB estates. In the case of Sengkang, I understand that many residents are heavy vehicle drivers and, hence, the pressure on the MPs like Miss Penny Low and Mr Wee Siew Kim.

At the same time, we also have to be mindful of the residents’ concerns. The residents have complained to the press, Ministries, URA, HDB, LTA and also to MPs – perhaps not to the Member – that the presence of heavy vehicles in the vicinity of HDB car parks, initially multi-storey car parks, endangers the lives of their children and, indeed, themselves. At the same time, we are also mindful that heavy vehicles are noise polluters and emission polluters, however efficient they

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may be. So the suggestion that we should locate these heavy vehicle parking lots in the midst of the HDB estates should be reconsidered. We have to balance the needs of the heavy vehicle drivers with that of the residents. We are talking about residents in the hundreds of thousands, and we are talking about heavy vehicle drivers perhaps in the hundreds. We understand the difficulty of heavy vehicle drivers of rising before dawn and going back after dark. We will try as far as possible to locate heavy vehicle parking lots near the estates. SLA and LTA are mindful of this. They have provided a special portal called "Onemotoring.com", and the owners of the heavy vehicles or, indeed, the drivers can access this website and look at the nearest parking lot.

Mr Wee Siew Kim: Clarification, Sir. The SBS has just fed its comment back to me. We all know the reasons why heavy vehicle parking has not been allowed. But really what I ask for is, firstly, there is already a light industrial park planned for Sengkang and if people cite safety issues, then we have a problem with the light industrial park. Secondly, I mentioned that it is on the fringe. We have heard the comment that Sengkang is a wild west, and I do not know what noise and safety the people are talking about. I would like the Ministry to reconsider its position.

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, we will take his feedback and look at the issue again. But, again, I want to emphasise that Singapore is a small place. There is no wild west like California. And Sengkang is indeed one of our very favourite HDB estates, and it is reflected in the choices given to us by the residents. Sengkang itself is an estate which is heavily populated and we must balance the needs of heavy vehicle drivers and the residents.

Dr Warren Lee: Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his reply

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and his promise to reconsider the issue. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (6), Dr Lee. Keep it short, please. We have only got about six minutes left.

Open Areas

Dr Warren Lee: Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TL 3100.

Sir, the slowdown in the pace of building new flats has left many residents in non-mature estates with a problem of tracts of undeveloped land, stray dogs and mosquitoes. At the same time, amenities such as sports stadia or swimming pools will be in short supply as they tend to be built only when there are enough residents to justify the amenities. It is a chicken-and-egg situation. I am glad that the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has already mentioned that the Ministry would consider working with residents and grassroots leaders to create temporary parks, recreational facilities on these often large tracts of open ground. Done gotong royong style, these facilities need neither be expensive to build nor maintain.

As to the temporary nature of these facilities, I think we need to keep matters in perspective. Even though a biking trail or an unofficial soccer pitch, or even a hobby farm, may be available for only three to five years, it will benefit a whole cohort of children in the neighbourhood and lots of residents who may feel strapped for cash to travel to other sports facilities far away.

I hope that the Minister would consider this.

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East Coast Park

Mr Othman Haron Eusofe: **** Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has plans to upgrade the East Coast Park in the next financial year. I think the existing facilities in the park should be upgraded and new and more facilities be added, especially for family activities. For example, the beach should be improved to provide more facilities for sea sports activities with swimming lagoons which are safe for children to enjoy swimming. I would like also to see that a part of the park be designated for weekend or holiday pasar , or market, for sale of handicrafts, paintings or other works of our local artists, and so on.

I think we should allow busking and local music groups to perform in the park. In this way, we can encourage our local talents to come up and show their talents in the park, and this will make the park a more exciting and vibrant place for relaxation, recreation and leisure.

The Chairman: We have four minutes left.

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, I think I have partially answered Dr Warren Lee’s questions, and I take his feedback in good spirit and will feed this back to the Ministry officials.

On the East Coast Park, we are in the process of upgrading the East Coast Park facilities. The East Coast Park, as Members will know, is one of our jewels, it is the largest and the most popular park in Singapore, attracting some seven million visitors every year. I would perhaps just like to list out some of the upgrading projects that we are doing.

We are doing cycling tracks and footpaths. We are also building bigger shelters and new barbeque pits to replace old ones. We are also improving the lighting and the drainage. Recently, of

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course, NEA has upgraded a very well patronised hawker centre there. More works will be in progress. In the long term, NParks is working on a masterplan of the East Coast Park with URA and other agencies. This plan proposes to expand the park area and lengthen its beach line through land reclamation.

With regard to the suggestion of allowing more busking, bazaars and trade fairs, I will feed this back to other agencies because this agenda comes under their purview and not under the Ministry of National Development. But these are good suggestions.

Dr Warren Lee: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The Chairman: Amendment No. (7). You have two minutes left. Just ask your question so that you can get the answer.

Consumer Protection

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied): Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TM 3100.

Sir, I would like to know how does AVA ensure that all the retailers and suppliers comply with the food labelling regulation - to show the origin of the food and the date of expiry of all food they supply and sell in Singapore.

The next question is: what is the Government's position on genetically modified (GM) food?

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Sir, AVA requires food labels to carry the product names as well as the name and address of

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the manufacturers or importers. In case of any problem, the information facilitates product recall and trace back to the supply source for further investigations. An errant establishment will be suspended until satisfactory remedial action has been taken, in order to ensure that they comply with the requirements.

Food labels are also required to list the ingredients of the product for the benefit of people who may be allergic to some ingredients, for example, nuts. Infant food and products with a limited shelf life, for instance, perishables like dairy products and tofu , must be date-marked. The issue is not whether it is canned or not. The issue is the durability of the food. Retailers are held responsible and will be prosecuted and their products will be seized and destroyed if they are found to sell unwholesome products. AVA checks the labelling of food products at retail outlets, warehouses and food factories. Importers, manufacturers and retailers are subject to enforcement actions if their products do not meet these requirements. AVA has found that the pre-packed bread sold at supermarkets meets the labelling requirements because such requirements do not apply to loosely packed bread and pastry products sold at bakery shops. But AVA will be pleased to look at any other feedback received by CASE concerning food labelling.

Very briefly, on genetically modified food. GM foods are currently available on the international market and these are considered safe. They have passed pre-market risk assessments before approval, and so far there have been no adverse effects on human health documented from consuming these foods.

Codex Alimentarius Commission is the international reference for foods ---

The Chairman: Order. It is guillotine time. Mr Yeo, are you withdrawing your amendment?

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Mr Yeo Guat Kwang: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $379,857,050 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $4,508,522,000 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.