HEAD T - MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

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

Resumption of Debate on Question [3rd March, 2006],

"That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan].

Question again proposed.

Singapore as a Global City

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Sir, the Prime Minister's National Day Rally Speech last year was entitled "A Vibrant Global City Called Home". The aim is to

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create an outstanding living, working and recreational environment for all Singaporeans. Yet, Sir, there appears to be many detractors of whether Singapore can ever achieve its aim - which I recently learned to have originated from the wonderful late Mr S Rajaratnam - of becoming a "Global City", comparable to the likes of New York and Tokyo.

Many global cities evolved organically from the industrial and transport hubs of the past, largely through the entrepreneurial drive and energy of their populations. Singapore has done well through excellent urban planning and execution. But - and this is the intriguing question - can Singapore continue to use a largely top-down approach to move to the next plane on its quest to successfully transform itself into a global city?

Sir, there is widespread perception that Singapore is too well-planned, even over-planned, and that this accounts for the relatively sterile environment relative to other major cities. I fully appreciate that our planners have become more accommodating, more private enterprise driven and more flexible. But I submit that more needs to be done.

I hope that the "Duck Tours" example, cited by PM Lee, is consigned to history. But a number of businessmen and developers have told me that if their idea is not one that can fit into any of URA's current planning drive, it would be difficult to get planning approval.

Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what other plans, going forward, has the Ministry to help turn Singapore into a truly Tier One global city. What does it consider are the necessary ingredients of a global city? What challenges does it foresee? How can the Ministry allow for more organic, bottom-up ideas to germinate and take root?

The Minister for National Development (Mr Mah Bow Tan): Sir, Dr Amy Khor has

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asked what are the plans we have to develop Singapore into a global city and how we can meet the new challenges and competition. I agree with her that developing a global city is not something that we can do overnight or easily. In fact, there are many cities in the world that are vying for the same position, in the same way, to attract investors, talents and visitors. So, many cities around the world are embarking on major development projects, building new attractions, and actively marketing themselves as global cities. No idea is too far-fetched, too bold, or too crazy for them. Recently, I read that in Shanghai, there is a developer that intends to jack-up or lift the 20-odd conservation buildings along the Bund. If you know about the conservations along the Bund, it is equivalent to us saying that we are going to jack-up City Hall. He was going to put a row of high-end shops underneath those buildings after he had jacked them up by something like seven metres.

We do not intend to do the same with our City Hall - to jack it up and put a shopping mall underneath. But, I think, that is an illustration of what cities around the world are thinking of doing. Whether they proceed with it or not, I do not know. But the very fact that somebody is thinking along these lines illustrates that people are all vying to attract the same pool of talents and visitors to their shores. That is the kind of competition we are up against - to be an international city and a global city. So, to be in the game, we need to have bold strategies, innovative plans, and we also need to think, to use the cliché, out of the box. How do we intend to do so? Let me outline three areas we intend to focus on in the years ahead, in order to achieve this vision.

The first is to touch on what Dr Amy Khor mentioned, and that is land use planning. How do we provide for greater flexibility in our land use planning to meet

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very diverse and rapidly changing needs? Sir, we know that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has got a comprehensive Concept Plan which is updated every 10 years, and then, in the interim, there is a Master Plan which is updated every five years. These regular reviews of the plans ensure that the plans will always remain relevant to our needs and the changing aspirations of our people. In recent years, we have introduced the White Zones, the Business-White Zones, other schemes such as the Warehouse Retail Scheme, the Home Office Scheme, and so on.

As a result of all these schemes, I think businesses and entrepreneurs now find that they are able to make better use of the facilities and infrastructure that they have. But, having said that, I think we also have a responsibility to maintain a certain orderliness and a certain quality of the living environment that people have come to expect. We need to provide a little bit of certainty to businesses and home-owners, so that when somebody buys a home in the neighbourhood, he does not find suddenly that next to him there is a factory or a childcare centre, a place of worship or a shopping mall. There is a need to balance between flexibility on the one hand and that sense of certainty, that when you buy a piece of property in Singapore, you know what it is that you are buying; you know, to a certain extent, at least within a certain reasonable timeframe, what is it that is going on around you.

So, that is the kind of balance that we need to strike. Of course, on top of that, we also need to worry about our long-term land use needs. I think this is one of the strengths of Singapore. While Dr Amy Khor may cite complaints of our top-down planning being a burden, it is, I submit, a strength that has allowed us to make better use of the limited space that

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we have. So, when you talk about Changi Airport - although Changi Airport was completed in the 80s - the land for Changi Airport was actually set aside many years before that. When we finally decided that the time was ripe for us to move the airport from Paya Lebar to Changi, the land was already available. You compare that with other situations in other major cities. Every time they try to shift an airport to a new place, they have got to fight with the farmers, like they did in Tokyo. They have got to fight with the residents, like they are doing in Sydney or many other big cities. And they simply cannot move, and airports which are urgently needed infrastructure take years and years to develop.

So we have to bear these considerations in mind. It is not just a top-down approach that we need but it is, I think, a consultative approach that we would need, with industry players and the population, and this is the kind of approach that we have taken in reviewing the Concept Plan and the Master Plan. But one of the things that I would like to emphasise is that whatever it is, whichever approach we take, and we will take whatever approach is necessary, in land use planning, we must bear in mind that this is our home - that this is a home that is dear to us, this is a home that is beautiful, that has character, life and memories which we want to keep. The Prime Minister, at last year's National Day Rally speech, painted this vision of Singapore as a very distinctive global city, with beautiful residential towns, thriving communities in the heartlands, and exciting events that will enliven the city. That is the first area that we will focus on - a more flexible land use planning approach.

The second area that we will focus on is to make Singaporeans proud of our city. Last year, we had a seminar and some prominent Singaporeans were invited to speak at the seminar. One of them said

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that we must make Singaporeans love our city, and for that the city must love us back. I think "love" may not be the right word to use in this context. But I think we must make Singaporeans proud of our city. How? Deepen their rootedness; foster a spirit of creativity; foster a sense of celebration among our people through better use of urban spaces, preserving some of the memories that we hold dear. And this is where URA can play a part. They can actively promote architecture and urban design excellence to encourage distinctive buildings and public places. URA is making a concerted effort in this direction and it has started to hold exhibitions to showcase good local as well as overseas architecture, working with DesignSingapore Council on the President's Award for Architecture and Urban Design Excellence, and promoting Singapore's urban design and architecture by participating in overseas exhibitions such as

the Biennale and through the mass media. I do not know whether Members here managed to catch CNA broadcast last night. It was called "City Lights", and it featured a selection of significant buildings in Singapore's central area. This is part of a series which will showcase some of the most significant developments and buildings in Singapore, showcase the people behind them, the history, the meaning of all these urban spaces and designs.

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The third area of focus would be to focus development on strategic areas in Singapore, that will create new competitive advantage for us. I am talking about Orchard Road, which is one of the world's premier shopping streets and which brings in tourists as well as locals alike. I am talking about the Bugis and Bras Basah area, our arts and civic area, which is also going to become our educational hub. And finally, the greater Marina Bay area, which will be home to

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financial centres, the Integrated Resorts, and so on.

Let me talk a little bit about the vision for Marina Bay. Marina Bay is fast taking shape. The future of Marina Bay is an exciting one. Last New Year's Eve, 200,000 Singaporeans gathered around the Bay to witness and to celebrate New Year's Eve Countdown. They saw the spectacular fireworks and they saw the lighting displays, and I think they were very excited, not just by the event itself, but by what that event can become, and I hope that one day, that celebration will be seen, not just by thousands of Singaporeans, but also by many millions all around the world "live" on New Year's Eve.

There are many new developments that are coming up around the Bay. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I have prepared a pamphlet that will give Members a better idea of some of these developments. If I may ask the Clerk to please assist to distribute the folders. [ Copies of pamphlet distributed to hon. Members. ] One development that is going to make a major impact on Singapore's financial landscape and the city's skyline is the Business and Financial Centre (BFC). If I may refer Members to picture 1, the BFC is one of the buildings that would be surrounding the Bay, together with the Integrated Resort and the new bridge, which I will talk about later. The BFC is positioned as the new financial hub of Singapore because it will contain state-of-the-art office, residential and retail space. It will meet new needs and it will also enliven the Bay. The tender for the BFC site was awarded last year. I understand that planning for the buildings is now at the design stage, and completion is expected before 2010.

On the Integrated Resort, the tender is also expected to be awarded by the middle of this year. I look forward to receiving strong proposals that will

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differentiate the Singapore Marina Bay IR from any other IRs in the world.

To support the new developments at the Marina Bay, the URA, as the Development Agent for the area, is now coordinating the infrastructure, implementation of the infrastructure for the area, like the Common Services Tunnel, the road, rail network and also the electrical substations.

In addition to this, a new vehicular and pedestrian bridge will be built this year to link the Bayfront area in Marina South to Marina Centre, in other words, to link that part of the land where the IR is going to be situated with the Marina Centre area where the hotels are - Marina Mandarin, Ritz-Carlton, and so on. The pedestrian component of the bridge will complete the walking loop around Marina Bay and link up the necklace of public spaces and attractions around the Bay.

URA staged an International Design Consultancy Competition to secure the best possible design for this bridge, and it attracted many proposals, both local and international. We have selected the design, it is very spectacular, very unique and very distinctive. If you refer to picture 2, I think you will be able to see what I mean. The pedestrian component of the bridge, there will be a vehicle component as well to the left of that, but the pedestrian component alone will be of a unique design. In fact, it is a world-first because it will resemble the structure of a DNA, the bridge featuring a double helix steel structure, symbolising "life and continuity", "renewal" and "growth". At night, the bridge can be lit to bring out the beauty of the double helix structure and it can also be programmed with different colours to create different moods for different occasions.

The new pedestrian connection at Bayfront will be more than a bridge.

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There will be art works that will be integrated into the design to provide a unique crossing experience, and we are inviting some of our young artists, together with our other prominent local artists, to create the artwork.

The completion of this iconic bridge in 2009 will add to the exciting developments in Marina Bay. It will be functional and yet aesthetic. It will complete the loop around the Bay area, and it promises to be another unique attraction in Singapore.

The new bridge will not be the only structure that will be lit up at night. URA has developed a lighting master plan to guide new developments and existing buildings within the CBD and the Marina Bay. If I may refer Members to picture 3, this lighting plan serves to enhance Singapore's city skyline by highlighting various unique architectural features of prominent buildings, as well as the greenery and the waterscape.

And the lights from the pedestrian bridge, as well as developments around the Bay, can bring out the beauty of the city at night, and create a whole new image for Singapore. In fact, we can create different images for different times of the year in the same way that other cities are able to celebrate different moods through different seasons. We too can celebrate different times of the year by celebrating different festivals, and through the lighting effect create such a difference in mood. So URA will have to look into measures to persuade owners to provide such lighting. More details will be announced later.

Another major attraction that will be developed at Marina Bay is the Gardens-by-the-Bay. Please refer to picture 4 where there are certain artists' impressions of the various gardens around the Bay. NParks has already launched an international design competition to try and

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bring in the best designers from all over the world to give us the concepts and designs for the three waterfront gardens. Each of the gardens will feature a design and a character of its own. And when these three gardens are completed and surround the Bay, they will help us to achieve our vision of a City-in-a-Garden.

To further our greening efforts at Marina Bay, a Lanscape Masterplan has been drawn up to guide the planting of trees and shrubs along the key streets and boulevards and within the public open spaces in the Bay area.

URA will also encourage all new developments in the area to provide sky terraces, viewing decks and roof gardens. Landscaped open spaces will be the hallmark and the distinguishing feature of developments at the Marina Bay area.

Finally, let me talk about the Bay itself. The Bay itself is the centrepiece for our celebrations at the Bay. Some architects I talked to have likened it to, what they call, a piazza, in many traditional European cities. But in our context, I believe it is more like a Padang, except that instead of grass, it will have water. Just as we enjoy sports like football, rugby, cricket, and so on, on the Padang, we can have water sports on the water Padang. URA has worked with partner agencies like the PUB, STB, SSC, to develop activities for the Greater Marina Bay area by way of an activities masterplan. We have already organised some notable activities in Marina Bay area. Last year, we held the F1 Powerboat Championships and the Marina Bay New Year Eve Countdown, and some of these activities are shown in picture 5 of the handout. With the city skyline as the backdrop, the Bay and its waterfront can be a one-of-a-kind venue for major events in Singapore, truly a Bay of Celebration.

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Sir, distinctive architecture, well-integrated landscaping in buildings and public spaces; internationally renowned Gardens; varied public attractions; tasteful lighting; exciting water-based activities and events - all these can contribute to making Marina Bay and Singapore unique and special. If we couple this with sound land-use planning, we can take Singapore even closer towards our vision of a vibrant global city.

The Chairman: Dr Geh Min, you have two cuts. Please take them together.

Marine Areas

Dr Geh Min (Nominated Member): Sir, I heard from the Minister that Singapore is land scarce, so we have optimised what little we have through a comprehensive Master Plan, and the result has been very impressive. I agree.

But Singapore is far more than a garden city or even "a city in a garden". We are actually 64 tropical islands set in Singapore waters. And our seas are as much an integral part of Singapore as our land; but while we have done very well on land, I believe that our marine and coastal areas have suffered from the lack of more integrated planning and protection.

I therefore propose that we develop a Master Plan for all coastal and marine areas, not just Marina Bay. In this Master Plan, we incorporate a detailed and comprehensive Blue Plan for marine conservation that is based on regular surveys of our seas. This should be under an agency with overall authority and responsibility which will work with other agencies and stakeholders to coordinate and integrate the planning, implementation and regular review of the Master Plan, like the URA does, but of course not dominated by urban planners. This agency should also coordinate project and

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research future challenges and threats, such as climate change.

Yes, we must have our port, petrochemical industry, land reclamation, but I believe a Master Plan will improve on our present rather patchy approach, which has resulted in the negative impact or neglect of certain aspects of our marine resources and environment. In addition, we are going to face new challenges to our marine and coastal areas and their management and protection as a result of climate change.

One of the areas that I feel, despite what the Minister said about Marina Bay, that has suffered neglect is leisure and recreational facilities. I think it is fair to say that a generation ago, a larger proportion of Singaporeans used to live and play in our seas and offshore islands than they do now today. This is not due to a lack of interest on the part of Singaporeans. For example, East Coast Parkway is always packed, especially on weekends; trips to Chek Jawa are snapped up and even oversubscribed the moment they are announced; we have 100,000 certified divers, 3,000 amateur boaters and sailors and about 250,000 fishermen, and Singaporeans are estimated to spend about $32 million per annum on overseas dive trips. But increasingly, Singaporeans have had to look overseas or within our restricted inland waters to pursue water sports and hobbies, because our marine areas are out of bounds, difficult to access or degraded. For example, divers in Pulau Hantu and the southern islands tell me it is perpetual haze down there. And this compromises their safety as well as their enjoyment. Yet, Pulau Hantu was and still can be ideal for beginners who want to learn to dive; if we work for a creative co-existence.

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Yes, we have ambitious tourist and leisure developments. We have just heard some of them. But these need to be supported by a rich menu of choices, both for tourists and locals. I believe that most successful tourist destinations and activities exist in symbiosis with local patronage.

Another area of neglect is the scientific and educational area. When I wrote to the Forum page, asking for Chek Jawa to be saved, URA replied initially that they did not think the area merited it as there were no coral reefs. We have 73 patch reefs and 35 fringing reefs in the southern islands but still no marine conservation area.

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Their potential for research and advancement of our life science industry is enormous, as well as the ecological, education and recreation services

they provide. This is a new growth area and Singapore does need new growth areas. I believe the fact that our corals and marine life have managed to survive, despite our port, land reclamation, petrochemical and other activities, is testimony to their hardiness, and we should seek to protect them as best as we can with a comprehensive Blue Plan and Development Guide Plans, as we do for land.

We are likely to have to face the impact of global warming and possible sea rises, and this will have serious implications not just on the environment but social and economic impacts as well. Surely, this requires a proactive multi-agency approach in an integrated manner. Many countries already have done comprehensive studies on this issue. Has Singapore done research on this and, if so, can we know the results or the findings? How will our land reclamation be affected? How will projects like Marina Bay be affected? Will erosion be a problem? I believe it is better to know

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what we have and what we can expect and plan accordingly, rather than not know or ignore it just to make planning easier.

I, therefore, call for a Master Plan and a Blue Plan for Singapore's waters and off-shore islands.

Biodiversity Protection

Sir, Singapore has some of the richest biodiversity in the world, both terrestrial and marine, and new species are constantly being discovered. Yet, we still describe ourselves as a country with no natural resources. I believe the statement is only accurate in a very narrow sense and timeframe which is now outdated, ie, a natural resource is something that is immediately translatable into hard cash in a manufacturing-based economy. In this era of a knowledge-based economy with large investments in the life sciences, I believe it is high time we made the long overdue connection with nature, and value our biodiversity as a precious natural resource.

For example, 62% of all cancer drugs are said to be created from bioprospecting discoveries, and the patenting of bioprospecting discoveries has exploded from less than a dozen in 2000 to over 100 in 2005. But experts tell me that it is actually in the realm of biomimetics, where the gains are enormous and the potential is endless. Bioprospecting, not just for molecules but for ideas and solutions from nature which can be replicated or redesigned in the laboratory by reverse engineering, is where the real value is. But this requires close collaboration between the biologist, engineer and, of course, nature, and we have all three.

The richer our endowment of biodiversity, the larger our capital for investments and spin-offs. Many countries which are rich in biodiversity,

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eg, India, the Philippines, Malaysia, now have strict laws protecting them from commercial exploitation by other countries, and they also have multilateral agreements. But Singapore still lacks laws that are designed to protect our biodiversity. Yes, we have laws that protect our nature reserves, but these cover only a very small fraction of the island, ie, less than 3%, and our primary forest, less than 1%. Biodiversity in other parts of our island is not protected. In particular, marine biodiversity is at risk. We have no marine reserves, we have high biodiversity, and they are exposed to high risks.

This lack of adequate laws is particularly surprising when we consider that Singapore is exceptional and, I believe, even unique. We have a rich biodiversity. We have the capability to develop it, both the infrastructure and expertise in life science research, unlike most biodiverse countries. And we have them concentrated in a very small area. It takes less than an hour to go from the field to the laboratory. Which other country has this? We have a "3-in-1" in a highly concentrated form. Moreover, our geographical location in Southeast Asia near the epicentre of global biodiversity provides us with regional opportunities to develop our shared biodiversity.

I, therefore, urge the Government to:

(1) recognise our biodiversity as a valuable economic and scientific resource;

(2) give it the legal protection it deserves and desperately needs; and

(3) leverage on our unique position, both locally and regionally, to develop the use of it in a sustainable manner.

If we fail to recognise and respond to this window of opportunity, we will end up as a nation with no natural resources. It will then be a small consolation to

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realise that this description is not a result of a lack of natural endowments or a lack of ability and opportunity to use them, but a lack of foresight.

Greening of Singapore

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Encik Yatiman Yusof): Sir, Singaporeans who have grown up with greening programmes started by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in 1963 are happy to learn that the Government has announced a plan for the Garden City by the Bay at Marina South, East and Centre. Looking at the pictures circulated by the Minister earlier, we are quite excited to know what is coming. Indeed, this is a major undertaking that will complement the existing Botanic Gardens.

Being an avid gardener myself, I am fascinated by the unstinting efforts of the National Parks Board (NPB) people who scoured the tropical and sub-tropical forests in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America to identify and bring back unique species previously unknown here. They had enriched our flora collection and made Singapore an attractive place. So, every time I drive along a canopy-covered road and slopes lined up with shrubs with unique species of trees adorning our roadside and road dividers, I am reminded of their hard work and creativity in enriching our natural heritage.

It is a refreshing experience being able to enjoy the shade, greenery and beauty of the rain trees and pueh poui that we brought from tropical America and the yellow pinda from Australia. One day, as I was driving near Grange Road, I was pleasantly surprised to find even some "Tongkat Ali" trees among the shrubs by the roadside. I hope the plants will be allowed to grow and achieve their

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optimum potential. Sir, I had planted a number of similar species in our gardens in Tampines without labelling them - to hide them from the eyes of the public - but they were found missing less than a year later!

Sir, what strikes me in reading about the new botanical garden and the upgrading work of our parks is that the concept tends to be restricted to work done on land only. In areas where there are both land and water bodies, such as East Coast Park, Sembawang Park, Seletar, MacRitchie and Bedok Reservoir Parks, the gardens or park developments often end at points where the land meets the water. This does not seem natural, as the geographical landscape forms a continuum between land and water, regardless of whether it is the coastal or inland features.

While we are successful in creating and beautifying the landscapes, we tend to disregard the waterscape, as Dr Geh Min just mentioned earlier. In some places, such as at Bedok Reservoir, it is painful to our eyes to see the cold, solid grey granite lining up the watermarks.

Sir, I have seen the works of park planners and designers in the UK, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Holland where there were major reclamation works done. The planners take both land and water as an undivided continuum and the results are fascinating.

May I ask the Minister whether his Ministry will consider extending the greening programme to cover the water areas as well, especially our southern islands?

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Heng Chee How): Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to thank Dr Geh Min and Mr Yatiman Yusof for their views on the greening of Singapore and

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the conservation and protection of biodiversity.

First, let me speak on Singapore as a Garden City. Indeed, we are well-known as a Garden City, and this is the result of 40 years of deliberate national planning and effort, not by chance. The result has provided a pleasant and high quality living environment for our people. But we cannot become complacent about these achievements. We must continue to innovate and remake our city. Our vision is to evolve Singapore into "A City in a Garden" that is characterised by a matrix of parks, gardens and green spaces interconnected to form a green mantle throughout the island. To achieve this goal, we would do so through a four-pronged strategy.

First, we will build on and expand our greenery capital through developing our parks, building a park connector network, extending it, intensifying streetscape greenery and, as Mr Yatiman Yusof suggested, better integrating greenery with our water bodies.

Second, we will strengthen the public, people and private sector partnerships in greening efforts, so that it would not just be a Government effort but it would be a national, community and total effort.

Third, we will showcase our horticultural excellence through developing signature parks, including waterfront gardens and staging a world-class garden festival.

Fourth, we will work with industry to upgrade the skills and competencies to sustain our City in a Garden.

Sir, allow me to elaborate on some of the key areas. On signature gardens, we are developing a distinctive collection of "Gardens by the Bay" in the heart of Marina Bay. Minister Mr Mah Bow Tan has elaborated on the three inter

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connected waterfront gardens totalling 94 hectares around Marina Bay, and has actually provided us with the artist's impression of those three gardens.

The Garden at Marina South, which will be adjacent to the Integrated Resort, we believe, would be a wonderful location to showcase tropical blooms and foliage colours at their best. We are also studying the feasibility of a conservatory that can house flowering plants from cooler climates. The Garden at Marina East will comprise water-theme gardens and have a staging area for water sports in the Bay, while the one at Marina Centre will be a waterfront promenade linking the cultural core at the Esplanade Theatres to Kallang Basin. These waterfront Gardens will complement the developments around Marina Bay and offer a new, exciting experience for Singaporeans and visitors.

In designing our regional and neighbourhood parks, NParks also gives due consideration to the development of the interface between land and water. In deciding the appropriate treatment, NParks will consider the site conditions, intended uses, and surrounding features. For example, the Ecolake at the Botanic Gardens incorporates a natural grass embankment, while mangrove areas line Sungei Tampines. The Boardwalk at Pulau Ubin allows us to get close to nature without spoiling the ambience or damaging the surrounding ecosystems.

Other efforts to beautify our waterbodies are underway. PUB has initiated an Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Programme to develop our waterbodies into clean and vibrant attractions. NParks will work with PUB and other relevant agencies to realise the full potential of our waterbodies as quality recreational destinations, and to strengthen our greenery infrastructure. I think this would be encouragement to both Mr Yatiman Yusof as well as to Dr Geh Min.

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Sir, for example, NParks and PUB are working on a preliminary masterplan to revitalise the Kallang riverscape. There are exciting ideas to transform the entire length of the Kallang River and its canals into beautiful recreational and lifestyle venues that will enhance the quality of life for Singaporeans. The vision is to create a river system with clean and fresh waters, integrated with landscaped banks, where there can be swimming, fishing, boating and other sporting activities in the waters, and recreational activities along the banks and connected gardens.

Sir, I will now move on to speak on the conservation of biodiversity. We are, as the Government, indeed mindful of the need to conserve our natural heritage and biodiversity. As the Minister has pointed out earlier, we are not just talking about building a city, but about an entire experience of what it means to create a national outcome that takes into account the richness not only of the buildings and infrastructures but of the natural gifts as well. We recognise the importance of doing so, including the potential value that a rich biodiversity can contribute to bioscience research, education, tourism and leisure. Mr Yatiman Yusof's illustration just now of the "Tongkat Ali" tree is one example where the right kinds of vegetation with medicinal and other properties could be exploited. The need to conserve our natural heritage is, therefore, taken into consideration as we plan for the use of our land, coast and sea in an integrated manner.

As part of this process, key coastal and inter-tidal ecosystems at Labrador and Sungei Buloh have been gazetted as Nature Reserves. Sisters' Islands were identified as a marine nature area. These are actual steps taken and they reflect this Government's commitment to conserving biodiversity. And we will continue to keep as many areas in their

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natural state for as long as possible. But as a small country with limited land and waters, we also have to take a pragmatic approach. So nature conservation will have to be balanced with other competing needs - not to be sacrificed, but to be balanced.

NParks, URA, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and PUB will undertake other efforts to conserve our natural heritage and biodiversity:

(1) NParks collaborates with NGOs and academic institutions to monitor the biodiversity and health of our ecosystems;

(2) NParks maintains a repository of information on Singapore's natural habitats, both marine and terrestrial, and, as Dr Geh Min will know, has also recently commissioned a survey in order to update the knowledge and information in that repository;

(3) URA works with NParks to assess the environmental impact of development projects near our islands and, where necessary, will mandate that protective measures be put in place to minimise adverse impact.

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Sir, currently, we already have

various regulations protecting our biodiversity. The Parks and Trees Act empowers NParks to take action against biodiversity-related offences in parks and nature reserves. Offences against biodiversity of State lands, including poaching from the seabed within Singapore waters, are also regulated and, in this case, under the State Lands Encroachments Act. The Endangered Species Act enforces against poaching of endangered species from our nature areas for export. We have laws and regulations that we can apply in order to safeguard our biodiversity and our natural heritage.

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Sir, our challenge, going forward, is to transform Singapore into a City in a Garden, not only known for its parks and greenery, but also for its beautiful streets, inter-connected parks, waterfront gardens, beautiful rivers and canals, and integrated land-water developments. This will make Singapore a truly exciting place to live, work and play in.

Dr Geh Min: I would like to thank the Minister of State for his lengthy and comprehensive reply. But I also raised the question of new challenges, such as global warming. I saw in the Straits Times today an article on land erosion off East Coast and Pasir Ris Park. If I may have Mr Speaker's permission to briefly read, "When the beaches were first reclaimed, the elevated breakwaters were intended to protect the shore immediately behind them. However, it now appears that in some parts of beaches, including East Coast Park, erosion may have occurred even behind breakwaters. This could be because the height and force of the waves have been greater than anticipated."

There is a strong possibility that we will have even stronger waves even though we are immune from the tsunami, or if we think we are. With all these plans, including Marina Bay, what studies have we done as to the impact, maybe not now, maybe not 10 years, but 20, 30 or 40 years? I think any developments we have, surely we want them to last and not going to be re-remade every five years, even though we review them every five years. What plans have we got to protect Singapore - the coast, the marine areas and the land - from climate change. I would be grateful if the Minister of State would clarify that.

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Chairman, Sir, with regard to studies on global warming and the effects of global warming on tide levels, sea levels and so on, the correct

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Ministry to address such a topic to would be the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. However, given that Dr Geh Min has spoken on the East Coast Park, citing the newspaper report, she would like to note that the stretch that was highlighted, indeed, relates to a stretch of reclaimed land and it is something that resources have gone into creating, and NParks and other related agencies are monitoring. It is also cited in the newspaper report the actions that they are taking, by way of monitoring and also to discuss and evaluate how best to reinforce and further protect those investments.

The Chairman: Dr Geh Min, make it very brief, please.

Dr Geh Min: Yes. Thank you for that reply. But I think this illustrates what I was trying to say that we need a more integrated approach. If the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources is responsible for the erosion but the Ministry of National Development is responsible for the planning, then I think there is a lack of integration there which illustrates what I was trying to say that on the water and coastal areas, we could do with much better integration under one agency that would coordinate all the different stakeholders, both Government and non-Government.

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Chairman, Sir, I can assure the Member that there is coordination amongst Government ministries and amongst statutory bodies and all the agencies that work under the Government umbrella. Depending on the subject matter, different agencies will be involved and they will work together as a team to review and to take coordinated action. It is not possible to set up one agency that can conceivably attend to every possible combination of circumstances, but a coordinated approach is needed, a coordinated approach there is.

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Bird Flu

Mr Zainudin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Sir, Singapore's highly open economy leaves it especially vulnerable to external shocks, including effects of pandemic diseases. The SARS episode in 2003 and the effects on our economy are still fresh in our minds. Our response and swift action to confront them and isolate SARS was acknowledged by the WHO, World Bank and many international organisations. It is known throughout that Singapore has been one of the most successful countries in its response to SARS.

But, Sir, the recent news of the spread of Avian flu in many parts of the world - in Europe, Africa, Asia and now in Selangor, Malaysia - is very alarming and it is discomforting for many. New outbreaks of bird flu in Europe and Asia have heightened fears of the public, resulting in cautious and slightly depressed business sentiments.

For the continued safety of our people, what is Singapore's action plan, strategy and defence system to combat this deadly disease? I know that some steps have been taken to prepare the country for this outbreak should it occur, but what more can be done? Are we in need of funds or resources for this effort?

I am sure that AVA also regularly reviews the adequacy of these measures as the situation develops. In light of the outbreaks in nearby Indonesia and Malaysia, is AVA considering implementing additional safeguards to prevent the disease from reaching our shores?

I would also like to know, Sir, what other agencies are also working with AVA and MND in this effort to prevent the bird flu from arriving Singapore.

Mr Ong Ah Heng (Nee Soon Central): ( In Mandarin): Mr Chairman, as my colleague

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has said, the whole world is very concerned over the possible bird flu pandemic and recently, H5N1 was discovered in chickens in Selangor. Although the Primary Production Department has said that all chickens consumed in Singapore are safe and reliable, can the Government tell the ordinary citizens what steps should be taken to ensure that the chickens that eat will not affect us adversely? The ordinary people would like to know what the Government is doing, otherwise, they would not dare to eat chickens.

Mr Heng Chee How: Mr Chairman, Sir, I thank Members, Mr Zainudin Nordin and Mr Ong Ah Heng for their comments and questions on the bird flu. I would like to assure all Singaporeans that chicken and eggs in Singapore are safe to be eaten by cooking them well.

The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or bird flu is currently the most threatening disease to our food supply. Its worldwide spread and recent detection in Selangor have also raised concerns in Singapore. In accordance with the protocols established between the veterinary authorities of Singapore and Malaysia, ie, our AVA and their DVS, we suspended poultry and egg imports from Selangor.

Over the last two years, AVA has been working with its Malaysian counterpart, the DVS, to establish what we call Disease Free Zones. Poultry can be imported from these zones even if isolated cases of bird flu are detected in other areas. Because of this, we did not need to suspend all poultry imports from Malaysia when there is a case in Selangor, unlike the situation when there was an outbreak in Kelantan back in 2004, before we had that protocol established when we had to ban imports from all of Malaysia. Because we are now able to narrow down and have these Disease Free Zones, the impact on our

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egg and our poultry supply, both in terms of quantity and in price, has been negligible.

We must continue to remain vigilant against bird flu and to prevent incursion, we have adopted a comprehensive strategy. Allow me to elaborate.

AVA actively engages our ASEAN partners in efforts to combat the disease. The ASEAN HPAI Taskforce was set up to facilitate a coordinated regional approach for bird flu control. To garner international support and maintain urgency, we will continue to keep HPAI, or bird flu, on the agenda of international fora. AVA is also helping to train officers from Indonesia in laboratory diagnosis and surveillance skills.

At our borders, we maintain a high state of alert. AVA conducts 100% inspections on poultry imports, and works with ICA and Police to guard against the smuggling of birds. All ornamental bird imports are tested before release from the checkpoints.

AVA requires our local poultry farms to maintain high levels of bio-security and regularly inspects our poultry farms and slaughterhouses. We have banned poultry rearing on Pulau Ubin to remove the risk posed by backyard farming. Households on the mainland are also not allowed to keep more than 10 caged chickens. AVA also conducts surveillance on wild birds at Sungei Buloh and Pulau Ubin, as well as on urban pest birds like swallows and crows. As further protection, we have also vaccinated the birds at our Bird Park and the Zoo.

Sir, to further protect against bird flu outbreaks in Singapore, AVA will be implementing two additional safeguards. First, AVA will implement bio-segregation to minimise inter-farm contact to prevent any potential spread of the virus should there be an outbreak. Bio-segregation

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measures include requiring the farms not to share equipment, and separating their egg collection from the production areas.

Our local poultry farms can be grouped into five clusters and with effective bio-segregation, should there be an isolated outbreak within the cluster, poultry in other clusters need not be culled, thus enhancing the resilience of our local egg supply.

AVA will also implement emergency vaccination of poultry in local farms when there is an imminent risk of HPAI incursion into Singapore. Emergency vaccination will only be activated under severe circumstances if there are rampant outbreaks in nearby areas.

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Complementing existing measures, these additional measures will further reduce the risk of bird flu incursion and contain the spread of the virus should there be an outbreak.

Sir, experts have warned of the possibility of the virus mutating into a form that could cause a human flu pandemic. This could cause intermittent disruptions to our fresh food supply. AVA will continue to diversify our food supply sources and keep our food trade going for as long as possible. But this is an effort that requires more than Government action. We will also need the cooperation of the private and people sectors. Businesses in the food industry must have their continuity plans in place. AVA will regularly review the situation with industry, including exploring with importers the feasibility of stepping up inventories of frozen food. Members of the public also have a vital part to play. Households must adjust their food preferences and buying patterns and this will give AVA and the industry the time needed to bring in imports from alternative sources.

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Sir, let me reiterate that AVA will spare no efforts to safeguard Singapore against bird flu. It has put in the necessary resources and will continue to be vigilant.

Building Maintenance

Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang (Nominated Member): Sir, I will address two questions. First, building maintenance. We must all be quite familiar with the Golden Mile Complex, that landmark along Beach Road. But, Sir, view it from the other side and you see what I call a "vertical slum". It is a terrible eyesore and a national disgrace. The appearance of Golden Mile Complex appals me whenever I drive along Nicoll Highway. It must create a terrible impression on foreign visitors arriving from the airport. How can we be a world-class city in a garden? The Golden Mile Complex is just the most extreme of how a strata-title property can deteriorate. It illustrates what economists call a "negative externality". Each individual owner acts selfishly, adding extensions, zinc sheets, patched floors, glass, all without any regard for other owners and without any regard for the national welfare. The result is market failure. Unless we take resolute measures, other strata buildings will go that way. I ask the Minister to quickly act to arrest the deterioration of such property.

Two, Marina Bay, my second point. The Hon. Minister has set out a visionary plan for the development of the Marina Bay. I applaud the Ministry for that. But I want to echo hon. Member Geh Min, that we can do more to support leisure and even tourists' use of Marina Bay. Specifically, the Marina Bay would be a superb location for a maritime museum. I mean not only to showcase our heritage but also a functional museum, that is, we should have operational Chinese junks,

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Arab dhows, sailing crafts from India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Let our kids play, enjoy and learn and let tourists come in. I am glad to see the Minister for Trade and Industry is here. There is an economic angle here. This would be a superb complement to all the other attractions that we have around the Marina Bay - a functional maritime museum. Not one of those full of dead things, but one which is alive, with real people, real boat building. We can bring in the craftsmen from the region. Let us help to sustain some of these skills and let our children, tourists and businesses understand where we came from and where we will be going.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): Mr Chairman, Sir, I thank Prof. Png for raising two issues, although the second one is not directly related to building maintenance as stipulated in the Order Paper Supplement.

Let me just address the first part first. Prof. Png raised the issue of building maintenance, specifically in reference to the Golden Mile Complex. Generally, let me just say that the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA) provides for effective maintenance and management of strata development. It empowers the management corporations (MCs) and subsidiary proprietors (SPs) to make decisions concerning their own estates. This places greater responsibility on the owners to take pride in their own estates as well as their own buildings.

One of the responsibilities of MCs and SPs, under the BMSMA, is that the MC is charged with the responsibility to ensure that common property is well maintained, clean and tidy. MCs can also introduce by-laws to regulate works to be done by SPs on private units that could affect the facade of the building. If the common property of a development falls into serious neglect, then the Commissioner of

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Buildings (COB) has the authority to issue a notice to require the MC to take action to spruce up the property. Enforcement action could be taken if the MC does not comply.

Let me touch on the Golden Mile Complex. I think Members who drive along Nicoll Highway would be able to appreciate the point raised by Prof. Png, that Golden Mile Complex is an eyesore. It is true that external walls of the Golden Mile Complex were not adequately maintained. However, in February 2005, last year, the Commissioner of Buildings (COB) has issued an advisory letter requiring the MC of Golden Mile Complex to paint up and spruce up the building facade and to encourage the SPs to do likewise for their private balconies. The MC has been cooperative in addressing the situation. Works are currently in progress and I hope that when the works are completed, the complex will be more pleasing to the eyes. As I understand it, it is due for completion by the end of this month.

With regard to Prof. Png's second question on Marina Bay, I think those are very good suggestions. When we look at the development of Marina Bay and the whole concept of a Garden in a City, all suggestions are welcomed. As we are still in the planning process, whatever suggestions that come along, the ultimate goal is to make sure that Singapore achieves the objective of a Garden in a City, that the projects and programmes do attract tourists and more people to come to Singapore and enjoy the so-called concept of Garden in the City.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: I take it that that was Prof. Ivan Png's clarification on my speech earlier and so maybe I should respond. I will add on to what my Parliamentary Secretary has said.

First of all, we have to remember that Marina Bay is actually a reservoir. So

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when you talk about boat-building, maritime museum and so on, we have to bear in mind that as a reservoir, access to the open sea would be restricted. Although there will be provisions made with a boat-lift to allow small yachts to come in, the big boats will have difficulty traversing from Marina Bay into the open sea. That is the first point that needs to be considered.

The second point is that when you talk about boat-building, etc, again coming back to the point that Marina Bay is a reservoir, the impact on the quality of the water will have to be considered. In fact, if the Member will recall, there actually were boat-building activities in the Kallang area. In the Tanjong Rhu area there were boat-yards and shipyards all along that area before URA changed it into a residential area. So I think the idea of having boat-building in the Marina Bay area is probably something that is no longer relevant. But, having said that, as my Parliamentary Secretary said earlier, all sorts of suggestions have come in, including I must say the idea of a maritime museum and, obviously, the commercial as well as the technical feasibilities will have to be undertaken.

Mr Chairman: Prof. Png, clarification only. No speeches.

Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang: Yes, clarification. Sir, I pointed out that one of the problems with Golden Mile Complex is not just a matter of painting. Will the Parliamentary Secretary please acknowledge that it is also a matter of all those unsightly extensions, glass, wood and so on?

Responding to the Hon. Minister, I was not thinking of commercial boat-building, but just demonstrative boat-building. All those boats are non-engine boats. They are all sail boats and so there is very little pollution.

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Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, the issue of Golden Mile Complex is, as Prof. Png mentioned, an extreme example. It is an issue of a building that was built in the 70s and, at that time, the conditions were slightly different. The history of Golden Mile Complex is one. We have confirmed with URA that, at that time, planning approval was not required for enclosing of balconies because the balconies were included as part of the GSA at that time. Because of that, the BCA allows these structures to be regularised now under the Building Control Act as long as they do not impact on the structural safety of the building. The MC had actually approved such enclosures and facilitated their regularisation. It is within those constraints that right now what the Commissioner of Buildings has done is to try to make the best of what we have at this point in time. And sprucing up is really indeed one of the things that we could do. Hopefully, with sprucing up, with better facade, things would be better. It may not be the ideal that we want with regard to what we can see from Nicoll Highway, but certainly it is better than what it is today. Why do we not wait till they complete their work, take a look at it and see how else we can further enhance the view from Nicoll Highway as we drive up there?

The Chairman: Any more clarifications? If none, Dr Amy Khor, would you like to withdraw your amendment?

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: Sir, I want to thank the Minister for his detailed and considered response to our queries and concerns and for the amendments that have been made to some of our suggestions. I hope that he will consider further the concerns and suggestions that we have also made where no amendments have been made to it.

With this, I would like to withdraw the amendment.

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Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $672,459,270 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.

The sum of $3,115,198,400 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.