Speech by Minister Chee Hong Tat at the Committee of Supply Debate

Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their questions and suggestions.

Over the past 60 years, we have worked hard to build Singapore together.

a. We provided Singaporeans with affordable and accessible public housing, and achieved one of the highest homeownership rates in the world.

a. We developed a strong Built Environment sector, which can plan, construct and maintain large-scale projects efficiently in our dense urban setting.

a. We have carefully balanced the needs of current and future generations through long-term planning, integrating different uses and maximising the overall value of our limited land.

We need to build on these strong foundations and go further. At this year's COS, I would like to present three key priorities that MND will focus on for the next few years:

a. First, we will continue to uphold our housing commitments and sustain a robust supply.

• We will build more and build faster, to meet the evolving housing needs of Singaporeans.
• SMS Sun and SPS Harun will elaborate on our efforts to enhance the liveability of HDB estates.
• Minister Indranee and MOS Tan will talk about our plans to enhance the liveability of private residential estates and our City in Nature.

b. Second, we will continue transforming our Built Environment sector, to achieve greater productivity, sustainability, and resilience, and create more good jobs for our people. Minister Indranee will speak about this.

c. Third, MOS Tan will round up by sharing more about our longer-term plans for Singapore's development, balancing the different land use requirements and navigating trade-offs within the limited space we have.

Our housing commitments

Sir, over the past few years, we have focused on improving affordability and accessibility for Singaporeans looking to buy their first home. This remains a key priority for MND.

a. We provided a strong supply of HDB flats, and set aside more units for First-Timer families.

• The median application rates for First-Timer families applying for 3-room and larger BTO flats fell from a high of almost 7 times in 2020 to between 1.1 to 1.9 times in 2025.
• In the most recent BTO sales exercise last month, the median application rate for First-Timer families was 0.9 times.
• This is good news, but the overall application rate for 3-room and bigger BTO flats was 2.6 times if we include Second-Timer families.
• The application rates for singles and seniors for 2-room Flexi flats were also higher.
• These numbers reflect the continued strong demand for public housing and why we need to sustain a robust supply in the years ahead.

We now have some capacity to meet additional housing needs of different groups of Singaporeans. Many Members, including Mr Henry Kwek, Mr Foo Cexiang and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin, have asked about this.

a. We will support our seniors, by offering different right-sizing and monetisation options, and making our neighbourhoods more elderly-friendly.

b. For lower-income households, we will continue to improve our public rental options.

c. We are also reviewing our schemes to better meet the needs of families, who need to move or switch to a bigger flat when they have more children.

d. SMS Sun and SPS Harun will share more.

Members have also asked for updates on our plans to support another group of Singaporeans - our singles.

a. We have made some moves to improve the housing options for singles in recent years.

• With the introduction of the New Flat Classification framework in 2024, First-Timer singles can now buy BTO flats islandwide, and not only in non-mature estates.
• Since then, singles have booked flats in towns like Clementi, Bedok, Ang Mo Kio and Kallang-Whampoa for the first time.
• Last year, we also extended priority access under the Family Care Scheme to singles, when they apply for a new flat to live with or near their parents.

b. The Government is looking at increasing the income ceiling for all buyers and lowering the eligibility age for singles to buy HDB flats.

c. We are also reviewing our schemes to better meet the needs of other groups of singles, such as those who may wish to buy a bigger flat together with their family members.

d. But to do more for our singles and also other groups of flat buyers, HDB will need to build more flats to ensure supply is adequate to meet higher demand.

Hence, a priority for the Ministry which I have been emphasising since taking on the MND portfolio, is to build more homesand to build them faster.

a. This year, HDB will launch around 19,600 BTO flats. Of these, more than 4,000 will be Shorter Waiting Time flats, with a waiting time of less than three years.

b. We will also increase the 2-room Flexi supply by almost 50% from 2026 to 2028, to meet growing demand from seniors and singles.

This includes pressing on with the efforts to inject new housing in older towns. Let me share two examples.

The first is the Pearl's Hill neighbourhood in Outram, close to the Central Business District.

a. With the additional subsidies for Plus and Prime flats under the New Flat Classification Framework, we are able to offer different groups of buyers affordable public housing in very attractive locations.

b. We also provide housing grants of up to $120,000 for eligible First-Timer families, which further reduces the amount they need to pay for their flats.

After more than 40 years, we will be building public housing at Pearl's Hill.

a. The new public housing development will be located right next to Outram Park MRT station, at the foothills of Pearl's Hill City Park.

b. It will comprise 2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room BTO flats, as well as public rental flats.

c. Drawing from the nearby Chinatown heritage, the design concept is inspired by Shan Shui Hua (山水画), like a Chinese painting depicting mountains and flowing rivers.

Our vision is for residents to live amidst the tranquillity of Pearl's Hill, while remaining connected to the dynamic energy of the city.

a. At the base level of this new development, residents and the public can enjoy green communal spaces, akin to "river plains".

• Moving up, a cascading water feature will serve to manage stormwater during heavy downpours.
• A green canopy of trees will provide shade, flowing seamlessly from the nearby park.
• These features will also benefit the wider Pearl's Hill neighbourhood, by having seamless, barrier free access from the park to the MRT.

b. The residential blocks will be built with varying heights, like the mountain ridges in a painting.

c. Within the blocks, sky gardens and terraces will offer views from different levels, allowing residents to experience the surrounding landscape from multiple vantage points.

• In line with our urban design guidelines, we will preserve a "view corridor", a 40-metre-wide unobstructed line of sight between the new buildings.
• Air and light will be able to flow through, ensuring that the tall buildings do not overwhelm the landscape, and allowing the public to enjoy views to and from Pearl's Hill City Park.

The development will include Singapore's tallest ever public housing project, rising above 60 storeys.

a. Sir, 60 storeys is not the first of its kind, as there are other taller residential buildings in Singapore and overseas cities.

b. But 60 storeys will be more than 10 storeys taller than The Pinnacle@Duxton, which is our current tallest public housing project.

This is part of our efforts to find ways to build more public housing, by intensifying land usage and building taller where possible.

a. A 60-storey block can provide 50% more flats compared to a 40-storey block, the height of most of our tallest HDB blocks today.

b. Currently, most tall buildings are in the central region due to aviation height restriction requirements around our airports, such as those at Changi and Seletar.

• These requirements have been in place since the 1950s and were set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, or ICAO.
• Over the last decade, Singapore worked with ICAO to change these requirements, and taller buildings can now be built near airports.
• This change frees up more airspace for non-aviation purposes, and presents opportunities for us to intensify development in different parts of Singapore.

c. With these regulatory changes and our experience in Pearl's Hill, HDB will find more opportunities to build taller flats across Singapore.

• We will proceed carefully and sensitively, building taller only when conditions allow.
• We will also pay close attention to design and liveability.
• These efforts will contribute to increasing land productivity, and support our plans to continue providing a robust supply of HDB flats to meet the housing needs of Singaporeans.

Another area where we will develop a large number of new flats is Toa Payoh.

a. Toa Payoh was the first town to be comprehensively planned and built from scratch in the mid-1960s.

b. The town has evolved over the years through efforts such as the Remaking Our Heartland programme, Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, and the Silver Upgrading Programme.

• We have improved connectivity and invested in major infrastructure in the area, such as the Caldecott MRT station, which is an interchange for the Thomson-East Coast and Circle Lines.
• Over the past 10 years, we have added 4,500 new homes in Toa Payoh, which have brought in more younger families.
• To maintain Toa Payoh's unique character, we have kept iconic features like the dragon playground and the pedestrian mall at the town centre.

This year, HDB will be launching another BTO parcel right next to Caldecott MRT station. The parcel will feature around 1,600 units, including public rental flats, 2-room Flexi, 4-room flats and also the first Community Care Apartments, or CCA, in Toa Payoh.

a. The development will include a new neighbourhood park, with spaces for residents to exercise, play, rest and enjoy therapeutic activities, as well as commercial facilities, such as a food court and fast-food restaurant, supermarket, retail shops, and a childcare centre.

b. An Active Ageing Centre will be established to cater to our CCA residents and other seniors from the community.

c. As residents move in a few years later, other major developments in the vicinity will be completed.

• This includes the North-South Corridor underground works, which will allow us to progressively transform the surface streets and strengthen connections between Toa Payoh West and its surrounding areas.
  • To the west, wider footpaths across Thomson Road and Lornie Road will create safer and more pleasant crossings for pedestrians.
  • Residents will be able to cycle or walk and enjoy nature at MacRitchie Reservoir just a short distance away.
  • To the east, residents will be able to easily access the rest of Toa Payoh, including the upcoming Toa Payoh Integrated Development (Sports and Lifestyle Hub), or TPID for short, which is expected to be completed by 2030, hopefully earlier.
  • Residents can enjoy TPID's sport facilities, as well as a rejuvenated Toa Payoh town park, library, and polyclinic.

d. A new mixed-use development with private residential units, retail and community uses will also be built at the Caldecott site.

• This will include a shopping centre, which will provide residents with more retail and dining options.
• It will be similar in scale as Woodleigh Mall in Bidadari.

e. Over the next decade, we will launch more than 10,000 additional homes across Toa Payoh West and Mount Pleasant. These will mostly be for public housing, as well as some private condominiums, including the mixed-use development that I just mentioned.

• In Toa Payoh West, these homes will be integrated into the lush, hilly terrain, some with views of MacRitchie Reservoir.
• We will build more neighbourhood parks, so residents can enjoy urban living integrated with nature.
• We will also ensure sufficient amenities, such as schools, community spaces and transport options.

Sir, MND will continue to develop and rejuvenate Toa Payoh and other older estates, as part of our efforts to provide a robust housing supply for Singaporeans.

Mr Chairman, Mr Pritam Singh has suggested to remove the income ceiling for HDB BTO flats entirely and impose additional restrictions on buyers who exceed the income threshold.

a. Our current income ceiling covers around 8 in 10 Singaporean households. With the New Flat Classification framework, the income ceiling is still necessary to ensure that highly subsidised BTO flats are prioritised for those who are earning below the income ceiling. This is because higher income earners can have access to other housing options.

b. As Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Cai Yinzhou noted, we are reviewing the income ceiling for BTO flats. As a higher income ceiling will result in more people applying, we will need to ensure supply is adequate before we make these changes. Sir, I do not have the data on the number of appeals for people who have exceeded income threshold on hand, so I would like to invite Mr Singh to perhaps file a PQ and we will provide you with the information. But Sir, allow me to clarify that the number of appeals may not fully represent the potential increase in the demand for BTO flats if we were to remove the income ceiling entirely. So this is something that we will need to study, we need to understand what are the trade-offs, including that after we remove the income ceiling there will be additional competition coming from those with higher incomes who have exceeded the income threshold, for the buyers whose income fall below the income eligibility threshold. So, this is something that I think we need to study carefully. I understand where Mr Singh is coming from and there are some trade-offs and I think this is a move that we will have to look at the trade-offs carefully.

Over the next few decades, we will progressively redevelop older HDB towns and estates through the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme, or VERS. Our plan is to start with a few sites in the first half of the next decade, before scaling up the programme from late 2030s.

a. I thank Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Xie Yao Quan for their suggestions, which we will consider carefully. I had said previously that the VERS package should be fair to existing flat owners and also sustainable for future generations.

b. I have also shared that we aim to flesh out as much of the VERS policy framework as possible in this term of Government.

c. When we are ready with our initial proposals, MND and HDB will engage Singaporeans to take in further views and feedback, before we firm up the policy.

In the meantime, residents in our older public estates can continue to benefit from existing upgrading programmes like the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and the Silver Upgrading Programme.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about the Home Improvement Programme, or HIP, and if we can share more details about how HIP II will meet residents' changing needs as their estates age.

a. Flat owners can look forward to a second round of upgrading works via HIP II when their flats reach the 60- to 70-year mark.

b. HIP II will be more extensive than the current HIP, and will make use of new technologies like microwave scanning to ensure that our ageing estates are well maintained and liveable.

c. We will share more about the scheme in due course.

Mr Liang also asked for more funding support for Town Councils, or TCs, to cope with rising costs and the challenges posed by ageing infrastructure such as water seepage. Mr Pritam Singh asked about expanding the facade repairs co-payment scheme so that Government and TCs co-fund repairs for water seepage from block facades.

a. The Government provides funding support to assist TCs with their various areas of responsibility. Mr Liang spoke about some of these earlier. These include estate maintenance and improvement projects, lift maintenance, and building façade repairs to ensure public safety. Such funding support is extended to all TCs.

b. For water seepage-related cases which require façade repairs to address public safety concerns, HDB currently co-funds repairs under the Façade Repairs Co-Payment Scheme. HDB also works closely with TCs to deal with more complex cases of water seepage by providing technical guidance. We will review Mr Singh's suggestion, but as different cases may have their unique considerations, we will need to assess each case on its own merits.

c. Sir, maintaining our estates is a shared responsibility - residents contribute through their Service and Conservancy Charges, and TCs play an important role to ensure that maintenance and other services are delivered in a cost-efficient manner, with Government providing grants and technical support to complement these efforts. I think this is the approach we will continue to take - it is a shared responsibility and therefore all the different parties will need to contribute to achieving the positive outcomes for our residents.

Beyond public housing, we have also been ramping up private housing supply.

a. We expect about 12,000 units of private housing, including Executive Condominiums, to be launched for sale by developers this year - this is more than 50% higher than the number of units launched for sale in 2024 and broadly similar to 2025.

b. We are also studying how to enhance the liveability of private residential estates.

• Many private estate residents, including our seniors, have shared their concerns about rising maintenance costs and ageing facilities, especially in older estates.
• We are looking into how the Government can provide some co-funding support for our private estate in key upgrading works, particularly where it concerns safety and liveability. It will require a combination of carrots and sticks. Minister Indranee will share more about our plans.

We have seen moderation in the HDB resale and private housing markets in recent months.

Growth in resale flat prices has slowed from 12.7% in 2021, to 2.9% in 2025.

a. In 4Q 2025, resale prices remained flat compared to the previous quarter, and this is the first time this has happened since 1Q 2020.

b. As at mid-February, HDB resale prices for 2026 have shown a slight decline of 0.1%.

c. This follows from our strong pipeline of BTO flats, as well as the four rounds of cooling measures we rolled out over the last few years. The measures have taken time to work their way through the market, and we are starting to see some initial results.

d. We are watching the market closely, and stand ready to adjust our measures, bearing in mind that more flats will reach their MOP in the next few years, thereby increasing the supply of resale flats.

Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Cai Yinzhou asked about the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners to purchase resale flats. This applies to the private property owners who are below the age of 55, or for those who are above the age of 55 if you were to buy 5-room and larger flats.

a. While the recent data looks promising as I shared earlier, it is prudent to monitor for a while more before making any adjustments.

b. I want to assure Members that we will remove this restriction when conditions allow.

c. In the meantime, HDB will continue to consider appeals from households facing extenuating circumstances. This will be done on a case-by-case basis.

In the private residential property market, for 2025, we similarly saw the smallest increase in prices since 2020.

Mr Louis Chua asked about how we can continue to ensure affordability for ECs. Similar points have been raised by others in this House previously, including Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Murali Pillai.

a. ECs were introduced to provide an option for higher-income Singaporeans who aspire to own private housing. EC developments are strata-titled and have design features and facilities similar to private condominium developments. ECs are therefore more comparable to private condominiums than resale flats, because resale flats are still part of public housing.

b. While ECs are priced by private developers, prices are lower than private housing as we impose initial eligibility and ownership restrictions, such as an income ceiling and a minimum occupation period.

• EC new sale prices are about 20% to 30% lower than comparable private condominiums.
• Eligible EC buyers can also benefit from a CPF Housing Grant of up to $30,000.

c. Sir, I understand the concerns which various Members have raised about ECs. We are reviewing the policy and we will consider your suggestions as part of the review.

Transforming our Built Environment Sector

The second priority for MND is to transform our Built Environment sector, or BE sector, to improve productivity, and to reduce costs, time and manpower. This is not a new priority, but we need to give it a renewed focus and stronger push.

We have set out ambitious plans for Singapore's development as an endearing home and global city -

a. From providing a robust supply of public and private housing;

b. To laying the foundations for Singapore's next bound of economic development - constructing Changi Airport Terminal 5 and Tuas Port, building new economic districts, expanding our rail network, and many more.

c. These are long-term projects that will benefit many generations of Singaporeans and have lasting impact for decades to come.

To turn these plans into reality, our BE sector needs to be ready for the challenge. Mr Henry Kwek and Ms Lee Hui Ying spoke about this.

a. For example, how do we benefit from advances in technology to save time, costs and manpower?

• AI and robotics can transform construction into a fast, smart and highly automated process, where software systems help designers to optimise sub-components that can be constructed by 3D printers in days rather than months;
• Autonomous robots could be used to construct buildings, monitored in real-time for delays and safety by drones.
• And we can have safer worksites, lower costs, reduced wastage and better-quality buildings delivered faster than before, at better value to the owners and occupants.

b. This will also open up more exciting and meaningful job opportunities for Singaporeans -

• Jobs which are no longer perceived to be "dusty, dirty, and dangerous", but "dynamic, decarbonised, and digitalised".
• So it's still 3Ds, but a different set of 3Ds;
• With strong growth prospects and career development pathways.

To achieve this, I announced last month that we have set up an Action Team to improve BE productivity.

The team comprises representatives from Government agencies and the industry, and will develop measures to help the industry achieve savings in time, costs and manpower. It will focus on three areas:

• Scaling up the adoption of productive technologies and progressive practices;
• Reviewing our regulatory approach to reduce regulatory compliance burden, support innovation and improve procurement and contracting practices; and
• Supporting an enabling ecosystem for the industry to reap system-level synergies and address industry-wide challenges.

We will also continue to focus on upskilling and investing in our architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, project managers, and many more - because people are at the heart of the BE sector.

On our part, the Government will continue to review our policies, rules and processes to keep regulatory burden and compliance costs as low as possible.

Minister Indranee will share more in her speech.

Developing Singapore sustainably for current and future generations

The third priority for MND is to ensure that we continue developing Singapore sustainably for generations to come, by balancing different land use requirements and navigating trade-offs within the limited space we have.

a. We plan to build more homes, new economic districts, more transport connections and nodes.

b. But as a small island city-state, our land supply is constrained.

So we have to be creative and think hard about how to optimise the use of every parcel of land.

a. One way is to rejuvenate our older estates to ensure that they remain liveable and vibrant, and at the same time we can intensify how the land is used.

• Outram and Toa Payoh, which I spoke about earlier, are some examples.
• We will continue to study how we can harness new technologies, such as by building taller flats in other parts of Singapore and through the use of systems like the Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System, which frees up land for other uses.

b. We will also look at other ways of optimising land use, such as making better use of under-utilised spaces like the area under flyovers and MRT viaducts.

As we develop and grow, we will keep an eye on conservation - preserving key green and blue spaces, and valuable pieces of our heritage.

a. We will have to navigate these trade-offs carefully, to develop Singapore sustainably for future generations.

b. MOS Tan will share more about how we are doing so.

Conclusion

Chairman, over the past six decades, Singaporeans have transformed our small island into a thriving global city and endearing home.

But we are not done building Singapore. We must continue to build on our fundamentals, while looking ahead to the future with confidence and optimism:

a. For homebuyers and residents, we will keep up a robust supply of private and public housing, and we will create common spaces where we can build strong a.communities;

b. To our industry partners, we will work with you to grow a stronger, more productive and more resilient Built Environment sector. One which can also provide many good jobs for our people.

c. And for younger Singaporeans and our future generations, we will continue to plan boldly and build sustainably for the longer term, so that we leave behind a better future for you than what we have inherited from our forefathers.

Thank you.