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7 bus interchanges, including Bedok and Toa Payoh, to be more accessible, family-friendly by 2027​

An artist’s impression of Ang Mo Kio bus interchange after upgrading works, including new lit signage. PHOTO: LTA
Vanessa Paige Chelvan and Therese Soh

Aug 16, 2024

SINGAPORE – Seven bus interchanges across Singapore will be upgraded to provide more family-friendly facilities, such as baby care rooms, at a cost of about $105 million.
The interchanges in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Boon Lay, Clementi, Sengkang, Serangoon and Toa Payoh will undergo upgrading from August, with works expected to be completed by 2027, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Aug 16.
The authority told The Straits Times that work has begun at Ang Mo Kio bus interchange and will start progressively at the other interchanges. The works will enhance accessibility, provide passenger-friendly features, and improve staff facilities, LTA said.
When completed, the seven interchanges will feature priority queue zones for seniors, more seats, passenger care rooms, as well as baby care and family rooms.
Wheelchair-accessible toilets, tactile guided paths and Braille signs on handrails will be added, LTA said.
The lighting and air-conditioning systems at the interchanges will be replaced and upgraded.
Staff facilities such as staff lounges and passenger service offices will be refurbished.

An artist’s impression of Toa Payoh interchange after upgrading works, including a new priority queue zone. PHOTO: LTA
Bus operations will not be affected during the upgrading of the interchanges, LTA said. To minimise the impact of the works on passengers, those affecting boarding and alighting berths will be carried out one berth at a time, with measures taken to minimise noise and dust.
LTA said it will also work with public transport operators to install wayfinding signs to guide commuters.
The improvements at the seven interchanges are similar to the features at newer bus interchanges, such as those in Jurong Town Hall and Tengah, LTA said.

Financial consultant Faith Lim, 37, said the toilets at Toa Payoh bus interchange are “not very friendly”.
The mother of two said the toilets there are generally dirty and lacking facilities such as child-size sinks and toilets. She added that parents would welcome a separate diaper-changing room, instead of having to use the pull-down changing tables currently available in most toilets.
Having noticed that some wheelchair users struggle to manoeuvre their wheelchairs into toilets, retired driver Sng Ah Lai, 81, said that wheelchair-accessible toilets with wider entrances are what such users need.
At least two public transport users said it would be great to have more seats at interchanges.
Part-time kitchen helper Jean Teng spoke to ST while she was waiting to board a bus at the Bedok interchange with her five-month-old granddaughter. The 65-year-old said there are currently not enough seats at the interchange.
Ms Lena Hamid, 72, said having more seats would be especially helpful for elderly folk.
The part-time library worker said her legs ache after standing for long periods, but there are times she cannot sit down to rest while waiting for her bus because the seats at the Bedok interchange are fully occupied.
“Sometimes I have to stand, you know? My legs are a problem, but I cannot tell people to get up, as it is very rude (to do so),” she added.
LTA called a tender for the upgrading works on government procurement portal GeBiz in 2022.
The seven interchanges opened between 2004 and 2014.

An artist’s impression of Boon Lay interchange after upgrading works, including a new tactile system. PHOTO: LTA

 

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Fitness trails, gardens and access ramps: Senior-heavy precincts to be upgraded for active ageing​

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An artist's impression of a therapeutic garden at Chong Boon Heights with sensory planting and spaces for contemplative activities. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: A D LAB PTE LTD

Syarafana Shafeeq

Aug 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – Around 24,000 seniors across 26 precincts in Singapore will be able to enjoy neighbourhood upgrades like gardens and fitness trails by 2029, to help them age more comfortably in the community.
The effort is part of the Housing Board’s new Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP), which focuses on upgrading works in precincts that have higher densities of seniors but which may not qualify for the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), said Minister for National Development Desmond Lee on Aug 25.
The NRP, introduced in 2007, upgrades flats and spruces up neighbourhoods with amenities such as covered linkways and fitness corners.
Future projects under the NRP will include more senior-friendly amenities that allow the elderly to stay active and safe in their neighbourhoods, it was announced in Parliament in March.
Mr Lee said that some older HDB precincts already underwent estate upgrading programmes in the past, and do not qualify for NRP.
“But some of these precincts, as we have checked, are home to many seniors who will benefit from senior-friendly enhancements,” he said.
The silver upgrading works under the new programme will be carried out for these precincts, Mr Lee said.

HDB said the cost of the SUP will vary from precinct to precinct, as the improvements will be tailored to each precinct.
Overall, the Ministry of National Development will spend $600 million on Age Well SG initiatives, including SUP, to help seniors age actively and independently in their communities.
The upgrades, which are fully funded by the Government, will start with four precincts in Chong Boon in the second quarter of 2025.

The programme will subsequently be extended to 22 other older precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Toa Payoh over the next five years, with all works estimated to be completed by 2029.
Speaking at a community walk in Ang Mo Kio, Mr Lee said seniors can look forward to new active ageing amenities such as therapeutic gardens and fitness trails, as well as more barrier-free access ramps, and rest points along linkways.
HDB will work with other agency partners like the Land Transport Authority, Agency for Integrated Care, National Parks Board and Sport Singapore to coordinate improvement works, coordinate senior-related initiatives and share design practices relevant to the enhancement works.
The new initiative is in line with the nationwide programme Age Well SG, which was launched in 2023 to better support seniors to age actively and independently at home and in the community.
About one in five Singaporeans is aged 65 and older. By 2030, this proportion will go up to around one in four citizens.
As Singapore residents grow older, their needs will change, Mr Lee said.
The Government is making a bigger, more concerted push to improve the physical living environment for seniors in Singapore, he added.
For example, a wider range of senior-friendly fittings in HDB homes was made available with the launch of an improved version of the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme in April. This includes foldable shower seats and handrails at flat entrances with steps.
For the SUP, residents will be engaged to better understand their needs and seek views on the enhancements they hope to see in their neighbourhoods.
Some 30 seniors participated in a Community Improvement Walk on Aug 25 and gave ideas on what they hope to see in the enhancements within the Chong Boon precincts.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee (bottom left) taking part on Aug 25 in a Community Improvement Walk around Chong Boon Rise with residents who gave suggestions on the senior-friendly amenities they hope to see. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Part-time cashier Shanti Thavamani, 65, rides a mobility device around the neighbourhood on most days as she has pain in her legs.
In the past five years, more ramps have been built in the area, making it easier to move around, she pointed out.
In the upcoming upgrading programme, she hopes for more anti-slip features for slippery floors in the precinct as she finds it hard to walk on these floors on days when she does not use her mobility device.
Mr Roslan Pane Anwar, 55, hopes to see more amenities in the area that can allow bonding between generations.
The warehouse supervisor has lived in the Chong Boon area for 25 years, and has five children and one grandchild.
He said that three-generation playgrounds, which combine play areas for children and fitness equipment for adults and seniors, would be a great addition to the neighbourhood.
“I want to have an area where grandparents and grandchildren can spend time together in the neighbourhood and make memories,” he added.

MAP: HDB

 

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7,000 needy children to get support as My First Skool’s charity fund commits to give $5m a year​

The fund now supports about 6,400 pre-schoolers in My First Skool centres, which is nearly 30 per cent of enrolled pupils. PHOTO: NTUC FIRST CAMPUS

Elisha Tushara
Correspondent

Aug 26, 2024

SINGAPORE - NTUC First Campus’ charity arm Bright Horizons Fund will be increasing the amount of its support by $2 million a year to benefit 7,000 pre-schoolers from lower-income families.
From 2025, it will commit $5 million a year – up from $3 million currently – to support pre-schoolers in NTUC First Campus’ (NFC) My First Skool centres in four areas: financial, learning and development, health and well-being, and social.
Mr Heng Chee How, chairman of Bright Horizons Fund, said the fund’s four pillars of support for lower-income families are important to help them holistically, instead of just lowering fees for pre-school.
“First, we lower the barrier to come to school. Don’t let the fee be the hurdle... Then (come) the professional and technical support interventions,” he said.
Mr Heng, who is also Senior Minister of State for Defence, said that it is equally important to work on a family’s confidence and social skills, provide family support and form partnerships with the families for the good of the children.
“When they can see that what we’re doing is actually value-adding, and they can see the improvement in their children, they can then see the hope,” he said.
NFC’s chief child support officer Louisa Chng said the fund, which was started in 2008, has evolved from mostly providing financial aid through school fee subsidies and support for schooling essentials such as uniforms, field trip expenses and Kindergarten 2 graduation expenses.

More than half of the money will be used to enhance learning and development support programmes for children.
Ms Chng said that since January 2024, an additional 800 children and their families have benefited from the fund, after support was extended to families whose monthly gross household income is below $6,000, compared with $4,500 and below previously.
The fund now supports about 6,400 pre-schoolers in My First Skool centres, which is nearly 30 per cent of enrolled pupils.

NFC is targeting to help 7,000 pre-schoolers from 2025, as enrolment is expected to increase with the opening of new My First Skool centres. Currently, it has 159 centres with 26,500 pupils.
NFC’s learning and development support programmes include the development support specialist programme, which will be available in 16 My First Skool pre-school centres in 2025, up from eight.
Launched in 2023, this programme sees four development support specialists supporting 60 children, from Playgroup to Kindergarten 2, who require medium level of early intervention support for developmental delays.
In 2025, it aims to more than double this support, catering to 135 children, with nine development support specialists.
These include children currently attending the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (Eipic), those on the Eipic wait list, as well as those who have yet to be formally diagnosed as needing early intervention support.
In the development support specialist programme, teachers will discuss these children’s profiles with the development support specialists.
The specialists will then join the class and guide the teacher on how to engage the child, as well as create a tailored approach together with the teacher for each child’s different learning needs.
Bright Horizons Fund also supports families’ health and well-being through various initiatives such as an infant nutrition programme, which provides cash vouchers from $200 to $800 yearly for families to purchase essential items, such as diapers and milk powder for their children up to the age of three.

Madam Noratikah Suratman with her children (from left) Nur Evalyn Eliya, four; Nur Aralyn Alisha, five; and Nur Bima Fahlevi, two. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NORATIKAH SURATMAN
Madam Noratikah Suratman, 26, has three children, aged five, four and two, who are enrolled at My First Skool in Jalan Sultan, near Beach Road.
The administrator in a real estate company told The Straits Times that as the sole breadwinner in her family, she can be overwhelmed by her job responsibilities, parenting and tight finances.
Through Bright Horizons Fund, Madam Noratikah and her children have received support such as the infant nutrition programme, which has helped to offset some of the costs for diapers and milk powder for her youngest child, Nur Bima Fahlevi.
Her eldest child, Nur Aralyn Alisha, was identified by teachers as needing extra support in literacy and numeracy, and is enrolled in the classroom support programme.
“I believe that it helps to increase the students’ engagement, and the teachers tailor their teaching methods according to the students’ capability. Aralyn’s vocabulary has expanded. She knows how to create proper sentences now,” Madam Noratikah said.
Ms Karen Lee, 43, who has four children, aged 20, 10, eight and six, is another beneficiary of the fund.

Ms Karen Lee with her children (from left) Barry Giam Yong An, 10; Branson Giam Yong Kang, six; Berniss Chan Shu Yi, 20; and Braven Giam Yong Le, eight. PHOTO: COURTESY OF MADAM LEE POH CHIN
Ms Lee, who works in customer service, is separated from her husband and is the sole breadwinner for the family. All three of her sons were from My First Skool in Jalan Sultan.
She said her family is coping much better now since their financial worries have improved with Bright Horizons Fund’s support.
Her youngest son Branson Giam was initially not enrolled in pre-school as Ms Lee wanted to save on enrolment costs and had her mother look after him instead.
But after she noticed that Branson had difficulty with speech, she decided to enrol him so he would receive the help he needed.
“They have helped Branson a lot. He goes for therapy and works with the development support specialist,” she said.

 

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SAF officers to receive more cash bonuses, full CPF contributions from July 2025​

The enhanced benefits are part of changes to the savings and retirement scheme for SAF officers. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Rhea Yasmine

Sep 06, 2024

SINGAPORE – Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers can look forward to enhanced monetary benefits from July 1, 2025, following changes to the organisation’s savings and retirement scheme.
With these changes, new SAF officers will see a 40 per cent average increase in benefits compared with the current scheme, and they can accumulate about three years’ worth of their last-drawn annual salaries at retirement.
In a statement on Sept 6, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) listed three key changes that will be introduced to the Savings and Employee Retirement (Saver) Plan.
First, bonus cash payments will be given to officers aged between 25 and 34 for every three years of service. Known as the Saver Bonus payment, this is aimed at better supporting officers’ needs, such as in marriage and housing.
The Saver Bonus will replace the current arrangement, where contributions are deposited into officers’ Saver Plan Savings Accounts during their first 10 years of service, and can be withdrawn from their seventh year of service at increasing percentages.
Second, officers will be given their full Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions earlier in their careers, helping them accumulate more CPF to better support their housing and healthcare needs.
Currently, officers are on a reduced CPF contribution arrangement, where Mindef deposits the difference between the full and reduced employer CPF contributions into the officers’ Saver Plan CPF Top-Up Accounts. The monies in these accounts are transferred to the officers via their CPF accounts when they leave the SAF.

Third, increased contributions to officers’ Saver Plan Retirement Accounts will begin from their first year of service instead of the seventh. The existing Retirement Account will be renamed the Saver Account.
The enhanced benefits will apply to all new officers who join the SAF from July 1, 2025, as well as to in-service officers who opt to transition to the enhanced Saver Plan.
“Together, these changes will better meet the life-cycle needs of SAF officers and provide them with greater financial assurance for career transition upon their retirement from the SAF,” Mindef said.
The Saver Plan, introduced in 1998, aims to encourage officers to remain in service until their retirement from the SAF, and to help them accumulate sufficient finances for their transition to their next career.

 

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New ‘short trip’ peak-hour bus service 50A to serve Sengkang, Ang Mo Kio from Sept 30​

SBST said on Sept 16 the new route will better serve the needs of those travelling towards Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. PHOTO: ST FILE

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

Sep 16, 2024

SINGAPORE - From Sept 30, public transport users travelling from Punggol East to Ang Mo Kio via Sengkang will be able to tap a new “short trip” bus service on weekday mornings.
Service 50A, operated by SBS Transit, will serve 32 bus stops, starting at the bus stop after Punggol Field, located opposite Gospel Light Christian Church, and terminating in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, at the bus stop before Ang Mo Kio MRT station’s Exit B.
It will run only during morning peak hours on weekdays, and will not operate on weekends or public holidays. There will be four trips each weekday, scheduled to start at 6am, 6.36am, 8.18am and 8.39am.
The bus will stop outside Sengkang MRT station, Anchor Green Primary School, Layar LRT station and Fernvale Primary School, and opposite Seletar Hills estate and ITE College Central.
SBS Transit said on Sept 16 that the new route will better serve the needs of those travelling towards Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8.
According to its website, “short trip” services are variants of existing bus services that ply only a certain section of the existing route, instead of the whole route. Such services are meant to cater to stretches with high passenger demand, such as areas that are near MRT stations or schools.
Unlike normal bus services, “short trip” services do not end at the terminating interchange or terminal of their parent bus services, and they can be identified by the letter after the number of their parent bus service – for example, those ending with an “A” or “B”.

SBS Transit said these shorter services allow it to deploy buses in high-traffic areas more efficiently, instead of running empty buses after these heavy stretches.
In Singapore, all public bus routes are planned by the Land Transport Authority, with bus operators bidding for contracts to run a package of routes for a fee.
Apart from service 50A, 11 other “short trip” bus services have been introduced in 2024 that operate only during peak periods.
These services include 20A, 39A and 39B, which serve residents in Simei, Changi, Pasir Ris and Punggol, and 86A and 86B, which ply Jalan Kayu, Yio Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio.

 

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Up to 1.1m Singapore residents will receive higher healthcare subsidies from Oct 1: Ong Ye Kung​

Healthcare subsidies will be extended to people from households with higher incomes. PHOTO: ST FILE

Judith Tan
Correspondent

Oct 01, 2024

SINGAPORE – From October, more people will benefit from government healthcare subsidies, including at public hospitals, specialist clinics and dialysis centres.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced on Sept 30 that subsidies will be extended to people from households with higher incomes.
The monthly per capita household income (PCHI) threshold for each subsidy tier will be raised by $100 to $800. PCHI is the total household income divided by the number of family members living under the same roof.
For instance, the 80 per cent subsidy for C and B2 wards at public hospitals would be given to those with PCHI of up to $2,100, from $1,800. For a family of four, this works out to a household income totalling $8,400, up from $7,200.
Aside from acute hospitals, the higher subsidies also apply across the range of healthcare services, from MediShield Life premiums to devices for seniors such as hearing aids and wheelchairs.
More people will qualify for the Chas (Community Health Assist Scheme) Blue card, with the PCHI being raised from $1,200 to $1,500.
The PCHI to qualify for the highest MediShield Life health insurance premium subsidy will also go up from $1,200 to $1,500.

In addition, the subsidy rates for community hospitals and palliative care in both hospitals and the community will be raised to match those at acute hospitals.
Patients themselves or their loved ones sometimes prefer that the patients stay in acute hospitals, where there is greater assurance of government financial support, Mr Ong said. So patients are reluctant to move to community care settings.
“This paradigm has now shifted. We should subsidise community care at least at the same level as hospital care, if not more. That way, we encourage the right-siting of patients,” he added.

“In fact, it is often in the interest of patients to quickly move to community settings where they can get the right rehabilitation and social support, which is what they need most at that stage of their recovery.”
To this end, subsidies for community hospitals will be the same as those for public hospitals from Oct 1, in tandem with the revised monthly PCHI thresholds.
Under the enhanced community hospital subsidy framework, Singapore citizens will get subsidies of at least 50 per cent, up from 30 per cent under the current framework, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

While there are currently subsidies of up to 75 per cent for inpatient palliative care and up to 80 per cent for home palliative and day hospice care, some people do not receive subsidies at all.
MOH will align the subsidy rates for palliative care to those of acute hospitals, with a minimum of 50 per cent, and up to 80 cent from Oct 1.
The list of subsidised diagnostic services at community hospitals will also be expanded progressively, with a view to eventually align this with the list of subsidised diagnostic services at acute hospitals, the ministry said.
This will be rolled out gradually across community hospitals from Dec 1.
With more funding, palliative care capacity in the community will expand, and this would help fulfil the wishes of many terminal patients to leave with dignity and comfort, Mr Ong said.
He was speaking at the launch of the ITE Work-Study Diploma in Nursing, held at MOH on Sept 30.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung taking a wefie with attendees at the launch of the ITE Work-Study Diploma in Nursing. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
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MOH provides subsidies and grants for Singapore residents to help manage the costs of healthcare, with higher subsidies targeted at lower-income groups.
It was announced in Budget 2024 that MOH would be revising the income criteria for healthcare schemes and grants that are means-tested using the monthly PCHI criteria, to reflect changes in household incomes and cost of healthcare.
The revisions take effect from Oct 1, and up to 1.1 million Singapore residents are expected to benefit from the higher subsidies, said MOH.
Commenting on the changes, Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said it is important that the PCHI criteria are reviewed regularly to ensure that the thresholds adopted keep pace with inflation and salary increments.
“Otherwise, we end up in a situation where wage changes actually mean people are worse off when they are no longer eligible for subsidies, simply because of a static PCHI,” he said.
“This review is timely in the light of the extraordinary inflation over the past three years and associated wage increments to keep pace with the inflation.”
No action is required by patients, and the higher subsidy rate will automatically apply when a patient incurs subsidised healthcare expenses, said Mr Ong.

 

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Over 950,000 Singaporean households to get U-Save, S&CC rebates in October​

No action is needed to claim the rebates, with the U-Save rebates credited directly into households’ utilities accounts. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Ian Cheng
Correspondent

Sep 30, 2024

SINGAPORE - More than 950,000 Singaporean households in Housing Board flats will receive U-Save and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates in October.
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) said in a statement on Sept 30 that the rebates, which are part of the permanent GST Voucher scheme and the Assurance Package, are the third quarterly disbursement for the 2024 financial year.
The rebates will help those from lower- and middle-income households cope with goods and services tax (GST) and cost-of-living expenses, said MOF.
“On average, this will cover about eight months of utility bills for those living in one- and two-room flats, and about four months of utility bills for those living in three- and four- room flats,” it added.
In this round, those living in one-room and two-room HDB flats will get a total of $190 in U-save rebates.
People living in three-room flats will get $170 in total, while those in four-room flats will get $150. Five-room HDB households will get $130. Those living in executive or multi-generation flats will receive the least – $110.
No action is needed to claim the rebates, said MOF, with the U-Save rebates credited directly into households’ utilities accounts with SP Services.

The S&CC rebates, meanwhile, will be credited directly by town councils.
A portion of the rebates was to “cushion the impact of higher utility bills from increases in carbon tax and water prices”, added MOF.
On Sept 30, grid operator SP Group said that electricity tariffs will go down for the next three months due to lower energy costs, with a 2.6 per cent decrease in electricity tariffs compared with the previous quarter
City Energy, the producer and retailer of piped gas, said in a separate statement on Sept 30 that gas tariffs will decrease by 0.45 cent per kWh over the same period, also due to lower costs.

 

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PCF to open new eldercare centres in Jurong, boost services in Simei​

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that as a charitable foundation, PCF also strives to do its part to support the wider community. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Wong Pei Ting
Correspondent

Oct 07, 2024

SINGAPORE – The PAP Community Foundation (PCF), better known for being the largest pre-school operator in Singapore, will open two new eldercare facilities in Jurong and add to its capacity in Simei, to meet the rising demand for senior care services in an ageing population.
The expansion into Jurong by the third quarter of 2025 will see the PCF open an active ageing centre in Jurong West, within the boundaries of the West Coast GRC, and a senior care centre in Jurong East, within the Yuhua single-member constituency, said Mr Andy Seet, senior director of PCF’s senior care division, on the sidelines of the PCF Family Day 2024 on Oct 6.
Active ageing centres serve as drop-in recreational centres aimed at promoting active engagement, social interaction and community involvement, and the facility in Jurong West will cater to about 3,000 to 4,000 senior citizens.
Senior care centres focus on delivering physical or medical care support to frail seniors at more convenient locations, and the one in Jurong East will serve up to 100 seniors in need of daycare or rehabilitation services.
In Simei, the PCF will set up another senior care centre in 2025 next to its current one at Block 120 Simei Street 1, which is located in East Coast GRC, said Mr Seet.
Demand at the existing centre has been consistently high, and there are sometimes up to 15 people on the waiting list for one of the 55 slots for dementia and maintenance daycare services and 30 slots for active rehabilitation services, Mr Seet added.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, speaking at the event held at Downtown East, reiterated the Government’s commitment to creating a more family-friendly environment in Singapore.

One aspect of this is to provide better care for seniors, he added, noting that with a rapidly ageing population and longer life expectancy, more people will end up in the sandwiched group having to look after their elderly parents and young children at the same time.
The Government’s National Population and Talent Division has projected that around one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 or above by 2030, up from one in 10 in 2010.
PM Wong said it is critical not to just have a long life, but also to keep healthy and to age well.

To this end, the Government has rolled out nationwide programmes such as Healthier SG and Age Well SG to help people stay active and keep healthy as they grow old, he added.
But government policies alone are not enough, and that is where the work of charities and non-profit organisations, such as the PCF, can play a critical role, he said.

Ms Lee Jing Yi (right), assistant manager at Mandai Wildlife Group, sharing about the Oriental Pied Hornbill with five-year-old pupil Kaelyn Chong and her parents, Mr Terence Chong and Ms Jocelyn Liew. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
PM Wong, who is also deputy secretary-general of the People’s Action Party (PAP), said this was the motivation behind the PCF stepping up to meet Singaporeans’ needs in the eldercare space.
He added that PCF, the charitable arm of the PAP, plans to open more eldercare centres in the future. It now runs nine senior care centres and four active ageing centres under its eldercare arm, PCF Sparkle Care.
“When I started out in life, I had access to PCF services. I hope later in life, when I get older, I also will have access to PCF services near my home. Then PCF can take care of Singaporeans from start to finish,” said PM Wong, who attended a PAP kindergarten in Marine Parade in the 1970s.

Seniors and children performing at the PCF Family Day 2024 on Oct 6. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
On the foundation’s plans, Mr Seet told The Straits Times that PCF has worked with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Agency for Integrated Care to project where eldercare services will be in greater demand so as to step in where needs are unmet.
While these projections are still being worked out, he noted that there has been interest in having more eldercare services in areas such as Punggol, Marine Parade and Bedok.
He said the foundation’s goal is to open three or four eldercare centres each year in 2026 and 2027. He did not say where they would be located.
In the 2023 Action Plan for Successful Ageing, MOH said the goal was to have 220 eldercare centres by 2025, which will cover an estimated 80 per cent of the total senior population. There were 60 such centres in 2021, and the number has grown to 208 as at April 2024.
On Oct 6, PCF also announced its partnerships with social service agencies Fei Yue Community Services and Allkin Singapore in sub-regions where it is operating.
For example, in Yew Tee and Limbang, PCF Sparkle Care and Fei Yue are working together to conduct care assessments, develop care plans and coordinate care for seniors with other providers in the community.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said it is critical not to just have long life, but to keep healthy and to age well. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
At the Oct 6 event, PM Wong said that as a charitable foundation, PCF also strives to do its part to support the wider community, noting that a fund-raising event is held in conjunction with the foundation’s family day each year.
He noted that the 2024 fund raising led by South West District – under Mayor Low Yen Ling, who is also Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Trade and Industry – raised more than $600,000 for charities.
“Ultimately, this spirit of fellowship is what is important in Singapore. We need this spirit of partnership to take Singapore forward,” he said.

 

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Wave for the green man: Pedestrian push buttons to be replaced by touchless sensors by 2031​

About 11,500 push buttons across the island will be replaced with microwave sensors from 2025. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

Oct 20, 2024

SINGAPORE – Instead of pushing a button to activate the green-man signal at traffic junctions here, pedestrians would just need to wave their hands in front of a sensor to cross the road in the future.
Beginning from the fourth quarter of 2025, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will replace all existing mechanical pedestrian push buttons with touchless microwave sensors that detect hand movements using electromagnetic waves.
When the new sensors detect the wave of a hand, they will send a signal to the traffic light system that a pedestrian is waiting to cross the road.
There are about 11,500 push buttons at around 2,790 traffic junctions across Singapore. LTA expects to take six years to replace all of them.
The move, which LTA said is aimed at reducing touch points and improving hygiene, comes after trials were conducted in 2022 and 2023 to evaluate whether such contactless systems could be a viable alternative to the conventional mechanical buttons.
The reliability and maintenance requirements of these contactless systems were also assessed during the trials.
LTA tested two types of sensors – an infrared sensor and another that uses microwaves.

The infrared sensors rely on changes in light to detect hand movements, while the microwave sensors do so by emitting electromagnetic waves and relying on changes in the frequency of the waves reflected into the device.
LTA told The Straits Times that it decided to use microwave sensors in the end as they performed better in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, and in varying weather conditions.
Another benefit of using touchless sensors is a potential reduction in the costs and manpower needed for upkeep, LTA told ST previously.

The mechanical push buttons have an expected lifespan of 15 to 20 years, requiring more maintenance as they age, and they can become defective because of improper use.
A tendency for some pedestrians to push buttons repeatedly also leads to greater wear and tear.

The new touchless sensors will have a guide for the visually impaired. There will be Braille text embedded on the exterior of the devices that say “Touch to activate”.
The sensors will emit a sound to indicate the system has registered a pedestrian’s intention to cross the road.
These features are the result of consultations between LTA and the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped. ST previously reported concerns that touchless sensors could pose challenges for the visually impaired as there is a lack of tactile feedback.
The installation of the new sensors will be done as part of a larger contract for the maintenance and installation of traffic light systems here. A tender was called on Sept 26, and it will close on Nov 25.
According to tender documents, signs will be put up on traffic poles with pictures showing how the touchless sensors work.
The winning contractor will need to submit a proposed design for the new sensors for LTA’s approval. The design should prevent misuse by the public, and the sensors should be unaffected by light and rain, tender documents said.

Based on drawings in the documents, the touchless devices will look similar to the current push buttons and will feature the same arrow plate to indicate the direction of the crossing.
Other countries like Australia, the United States and Canada have also trialled and rolled out touchless sensors at pedestrian crossings, citing improvements to hygiene and better accessibility for people with disabilities.
Mr Shalom Lim, 28, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disease characterised by progressive muscle weakness, said his mobility is restricted, so he would not be able to wave his hand to trigger the new microwave sensors.
“For someone like me to independently activate the sensor, it would probably have to use some other technology like near-field communication on my phone or motion sensors,” said Mr Lim, a marketing communications assistant at a wheelchair transport and medical escort company.
But Mr Lim added that the touchless sensors will make life easier for people who are wheelchair users and lack upper body strength to push mechanical buttons.
It will also help caregivers as it saves them the step of pressing a button before crossing the road.
“I think it is a step in the right direction,” Mr Lim said.

 

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New Sembawang North, Woodlands North housing areas to yield 14,000 homes​

A neighbourhood centre will be built at the heart of the new Sembawang North estate. PHOTO: HDB
Wong Yang

Oct 22, 2024

SINGAPORE - Some 14,000 homes will be built in two new sites in Sembawang and Woodlands by 2035 as the Government ramps up housing supply in northern Singapore.
These two sites - Sembawang North and Woodlands North - will have their first Build-to-Order (BTO) HDB projects launched there next year, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee announced on Oct 22.
Mr Lee said these plans build on efforts to “provide a sizeable supply of affordable new homes in the North”, and comes after an announcement earlier this year to build the new Chencharu housing area in Yishun.
The first new estate, Sembawang North, will offer 8,000 BTO flats and 2,000 private homes. The second, Woodlands North Coast, will have about 4,000 new flats.
Both housing areas will come with new amenities, including eateries, shops, parks, a neighbourhood centre, and a community hub that could house facilities for sports, healthcare and other uses, said the Housing Board (HDB).
Speaking at the HDB Design, Construction and Engineering Awards ceremony, Mr Lee said providing a steady supply of new flats was crucial to keep the property market stable.
In the past, the Government was able to do so by building on greenfield land, as it is doing for Chencharu in Yishun, but increasingly it has had to turn to building on sites within developed estates, he said.

Plans announced in recent years to build flats in more central parts of Singapore - including the Greater Southern Waterfront, Pearl’s Hill and Turf City - are examples where the Government is redeveloping areas that were previously built-up.
At Sembawang North, which will span 53ha, the new neighbourhood centre will be located along a 1ha park with facilities such as playgrounds and fitness stations.
Mr Lee said this park will be a “green spine” that connects residents from existing neighbourhoods in the south of Sembawang to future waterfront developments in the north at the site of the Sembawang Shipyard, which is due to move to Tuas by 2024.

There will also be a network of cycling paths and pedestrian walkways to connect residents to facilities and transport nodes in the area, said HDB.
Before Sembawang New Town was developed in the mid-1990s, Sembawang housed the British Naval Base in the 1920s, which later became Sembawang Shipyard.
The new housing projects in Sembawang North will draw on the area’s maritime heritage, and will reflect naval themes and colonial architecture.
The new BTO projects will have courtyard layouts, pitched roofs, and geometric patterns resembling those of colonial bungalows while nautical elements will be integrated into their street furniture, play structures, landscaping, pavement designs and signs to help residents find their way.
A network of pedestrian walkways called a “community wharves link” will link upcoming BTO projects in the area via an “uninterrupted walking environment” and feature “docks” with facilities and spaces for residents to gather, said HDB.
The other new estate announced on Oct 22, Woodlands North Coast, will be a 21ha mixed-use waterfront development. The first project there will be offered at the next BTO launch in February 2025.
It is the latest effort under plans announced in 2017 to transform Woodlands into a northern regional hub.
Residents at Woodlands North Coast will also be within walking distance of the Singapore terminus of the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, due to be completed by the end of 2026.
It will also be linked underground to the Thomson-East Coast Line’s Woodlands North MRT station.
“Residents in Woodlands North will benefit from faster cross border travel as well as better access to more job opportunities that are closer to home,” said Mr Lee.
HDB said housing projects at the new estate will be designed so residents will be able to enjoy scenic views of the nearby Admiralty Park and Woodlands Waterfront Park by taking advantage of its hilly terrain.

The new Woodlands North Coast estate will provide about 4,000 new flats by the time it is fully developed in 2035. PHOTO: HDB
At the awards ceremony on Oct 22, Mr Lee also presented 26 prizes to architectural and engineering consultants and building contractors for their work on public housing projects.
Among these prizes were awards to contractors that took on challenging projects affected by delays caused by the pandemic.
HDB chief executive Tan Meng Dui also said at the ceremony that about 13,000 flats across 20 projects have been completed in 2024, the vast majority of which were in projects that had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Two of the prizes were awarded to firms that worked on the Rivervale Shores project in Sengkang, the largest BTO project to date with 2,500 units in 16 blocks.
It included a design award that went to Surbana Jurong for integrating the project with Sungei Serangoon, a river that runs alongside the estate.
For instance, playgrounds at Rivervale Shores have designs inspired by the grey herons, little egrets, and white-throated kingfishers that are active in the area, while five thematic gardens which connect residents to the Sungei Serangoon Park Connector are each inspired by a specific aspect of the river’s ecosystem.
Common areas at the estate are also located on a fully pedestrianised elevated platform known as an environmental deck that connects all 16 residential blocks, with an underground carpark tucked below it.

Ms Farah Charles, who is preparing to move with her family of three to Rivervale Shores in November, said the environmental deck gives her greater peace of mind when her daughter, 5, plays at the playground.
“This design is a lot safer because there are no roads around the common areas. It will also be a lot more convenient when we do our big move next month, because the underground carpark means we can drive right up to the lift lobby for our flat,” said the housewife, 32.

Two of 26 prizes given out at the HDB Design, Construction and Engineering Awards ceremony on Oct 22 were for Rivervale Shores, which has elevated common areas on an environmental deck that connects all 16 residential blocks, with an underground carpark tucked below it. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

 

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Town centres in Tampines, Bishan could be redeveloped under new plans by URA​

An artist’s impression of what Bishan could look like when mixed-used developments are added to the town centre. PHOTO: URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Ng Keng Gene
Correspondent

Oct 25, 2024

SINGAPORE – Homes could be built above and around Tampines MRT station, and office towers could spring up near the Bishan transport hub, under newly unveiled plans to redevelop both these town centres.
These plans to rejuvenate developed town hubs were made public by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Oct 24, as part of an exhibition showcasing current and future economic hubs in Singapore.
Also in the pipeline could be a new industrial park in Seletar, near Seletar Aerospace Park.
URA said in the exhibition that it is planning to rejuvenate the area around Tampines MRT station, the Tampines Regional Centre, which was established in 1992.
It plans to build new mixed-use developments, which will have homes, commercial spaces and an integrated transport hub, centred on the area now occupied by Tampines Bus Interchange and the MRT station.
There, the authorities plan to add a new public space “to activate the heart of Tampines Regional Centre”, and make bus-rail transfers more convenient.
The redevelopment will also make it easier for people to walk to nearby areas such as Our Tampines Hub, Sun Plaza Park, and the Housing Board neighbourhood centre at Tampines Central 1.

URA said this could be done by building sheltered paths and underground passages.
For Bishan, URA plans to develop new offices and work spaces in the empty plots of land around the Junction 8 mall and Bishan Bus Interchange.
These new office spaces will be integrated with shops, social amenities and transport facilities, said URA, and added that there will be more public spaces and plazas for community use, including one at the current site of Bishan Bus Interchange.

The plan also is for the new developments around Bishan MRT station to be car-lite, with pedestrian-friendly streets and easy access to public transport facilities.
Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at Mogul.sg, said that with the work-from-home culture now ingrained in employees, demand for new office spaces in primarily residential areas like Bishan may not be robust. “It may take a while for the market to absorb any spaces that are rolled out, just as it was with Paya Lebar, when office spaces were built near the MRT station there,” he said.
He noted that many firms – especially larger ones – still prefer being sited in traditional central business districts (CBDs) due to proximity to other companies offering supporting services, and opportunities for their employees to network.
The authorities also intend to build a new industrial park in Seletar East, for “high value-add sector industries such as wafer fabrication”. These are part of efforts to increase the supply of industrial spaces to support high-tech sectors, URA said.
The park will be sited at an area of about 3.4 sq km bounded by Tampines Expressway, Seletar Aerospace Drive and Sungei Punggol, which is currently zoned as a “reserve site”, meaning its specific use has not been determined.
The site includes heritage bungalows associated with the former British Royal Air Force station in Seletar, as well as the Singapore Armed Forces’ Seletar Camp, and vegetated areas such as Seletar Wet Gap and Sungei Punggol Mangroves.

Environmental studies will be conducted to ensure that the industrial park’s development is carried out sensitively, said URA, while industrial developer JTC Corporation said the area will be developed in phases starting in the near to medium term.
The plans are part of a decentralisation strategy that the country has pursued since the early 1990s by creating economic areas beyond the CBD, and moving jobs closer to homes.
Also being studied are plans for an upcoming Changi East Urban District, a 30ha “airport city” to be established next to the airport.
Nearby, the existing Changi Business Park could be rejuvenated, with new spaces for mixed-use developments and aerospace-related firms to tap the area’s proximity to Changi Airport. These plans come as construction of Changi Airport’s Terminal 5 is set to begin in 2025.
URA cited airport cities in Amsterdam, Hong Kong and Istanbul as examples of cities in the world with commercial areas around their airports.
Speaking at the exhibition’s launch, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said Singapore’s downtown will still remain the country’s core financial hub, and the Government is evolving it into an “attractive multi-purpose destination”.
The URA is reviewing its CBD Incentive and Strategic Development Incentive schemes, which are aimed at rejuvenating central areas, Mr Tan said, and the authorities are also looking for new ways to meet changing business needs, and will look into refining policies such that more mixed-use districts can be created, combining residential and recreational spaces within industrial and commercial developments.
URA’s exhibition at The URA Centre in Maxwell Road runs until Jan 3, 2025. The public can find out more about the upcoming plans and offer feedback at go.gov.sg/GrowthNodes

 

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Largest sale of balance flats in February to offer over 5,500 HDB units​

About four in 10 of the SBF will be units that are already completed, with the remaining to be completed progressively from 2025 to 2028. PHOTO: ST FILE

Isabelle Liew

Oct 26, 2024

SINGAPORE - The Housing Board will offer more than 5,500 balance flats for sale in February 2025 – the largest exercise for these flats to date, even as prices continue to rise in the resale market for an 18th consecutive quarter.
About four in 10 units in the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) launch will be those that are already completed, with the remaining flats to be completed progressively from 2025 to 2028, HDB said on Oct 25.
Meanwhile, in the resale market, prices of HDB resale flats rose 2.7 per cent from July to September, which is a quicker pace than the 2.3 per cent growth in the previous quarter, according to data released by HDB.
A total of 8,142 HDB resale flats changed hands in the same period, up 10.7 per cent from 7,352 units in the previous quarter.
There were 331 million-dollar flat transactions in the third quarter of 2024, accounting for 4.1 per cent of total transactions.
This is higher than the previous quarter when there were 236 such transactions, which made up 3.2 per cent of resale purchases then.
HDB attributed the increase in resale prices and transactions to strong broad-based demand and supply tightness in the market, as fewer new flats would meet their minimum occupation period (MOP) in 2024, compared with the year before.

It added that the “vast majority” of resale flat transactions in the third quarter of 2024 were sold for “much lower” than $1 million. Resale flats that were sold for $1 million and above continued to make up a small proportion of total resale transactions.
Ms Wong Siew Ying, head of research and content at PropNex, noted that the number of resale transactions in the third quarter is the highest in a quarter in three years.
“We have not seen such vibrant HDB resale market activity since 2021, when demand surged amid Covid-19 recovery optimism and delays in completion times drove buyers to the secondary market,” she said.

Factors such as demand outpacing the stock of resale flats and buyers willing to pay a premium for well-located flats could have contributed to the price growth in the first nine months of 2024, she added.
According to HDB data, five-room flats in Bishan were the most expensive in the third quarter, with a median price of $989,900, up from $960,000 in the previous quarter.
This was followed by executive flats in Serangoon, which had a median price of $985,000.
Mr Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at real estate firm Huttons Asia, said the latest data reflected the highest number of million-dollar resale flats transacted in a quarter to date. Most of them were in estates such as Kallang/Whampoa, Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Bishan and Toa Payoh, he added.

From January to September, analysts estimate that 750 resale flats were sold for at least $1 million, about 60 per cent higher than the 469 million-dollar transactions recorded in the whole of 2023.
Mr Eugene Lim, key executive officer of real estate agency ERA Singapore, said that the firm demand for million-dollar flats could be attributed to HDB flat owners who have opted to upgrade to a newer, larger and centrally located flat, rather than a condominium.
“With the rising prices of private homes, they see the value proposition and are willing to pay for these cream-of-the-crop resale flats,” he said.
HDB said the latest quarterly figures largely reflect market conditions before the cooling measure implemented on Aug 20, which tightened the loan-to-value limit for HDB loans from 80 per cent to 75 per cent.
“The Government will continue to monitor the property market closely and adjust its policies as necessary to promote a stable and sustainable property market,” it said.
It advised people to be financially prudent in their flat purchases as the property market moves in cycles and “those who buy high will be hit harder when prices eventually come down”.
In February’s sales exercise, about 5,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will be launched in Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown, Woodlands and Yishun – so there will be more than 10,000 BTO and balance flats put up for sale.
HDB advised home seekers to apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility letter by Dec 15 so that they can take part in the upcoming sales exercise.

 

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LTA to add up to 20,000 COEs across vehicle categories over next few years from Feb 2025​

The injection of COEs will boost supply, though it is unclear at this point how the move will affect premiums. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

Oct 29, 2024

SINGAPORE – Up to 20,000 additional certificates of entitlement (COE) will be injected across the five vehicle categories over the next few years from February 2025.
Announcing this on Oct 29, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it is able to increase the vehicle population here by about 2 per cent of current levels as travel patterns have evolved, with the total mileage clocked by vehicles coming down by around 6 per cent from 2019 to 2023.
The new satellite electronic road pricing (ERP) system, or ERP 2.0, will also allow the authorities to better manage traffic congestion and vehicle usage, LTA added.
The injection of COEs – which give one the right to own a vehicle – will boost COE supply, though it is unclear at this point how the move will affect COE premiums.
The Straits Times has asked LTA how it intends to allocate the additional COEs across the vehicle categories, and how many years this injection will be spread across.
COE prices had dropped slightly across all categories at the latest tender exercise on Oct 23, though premiums for both car categories remained above $100,000. Singapore had 1,003,126 vehicles on the road as at September 2024.
LTA said it will consider further injections of COEs to the vehicle population in future as further data and tools under ERP 2.0 are made available, including the possible option of introducing distance-based charging.

ERP charges will be adjusted as needed based on traffic conditions, LTA added.
The authority noted that the addition of COEs from February 2025 is similar to the approach taken when the Government added 10,500 COEs between 1997 and 2003, on top of the allowable vehicle growth rate, after the ERP system was introduced.
Singapore’s vehicle growth rate has been set at zero since 2018, apart from the commercial vehicle population, which can increase by 0.25 per cent per year. The vehicle growth rate is reviewed every three years, with the last review in 2021.

On Oct 29, LTA said it will keep the vehicle growth rate for the car and motorcycle categories at zero, while that for commercial vehicles will remain at 0.25 per cent per year from Feb 1, 2025, to Jan 31, 2028.
The Government’s long-term vision remains centred on being “car-lite”, with walking, cycling and public transport as the predominant travel modes, LTA said.
It noted that the rail network has expanded by 18 per cent from 228km in 2019 to around 270km today, with more MRT lines and extensions slated to open over the next few years.
Turning to ERP 2.0, LTA said the system’s satellite technology will allow it to introduce new “virtual gantries” to manage congestion in a more flexible and responsive manner. This will come after all vehicles here are installed with the new on-board units (OBUs).

The new on-board unit for ERP 2.0 is slated to be installed in all vehicles by the end of 2025. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
ERP 2.0 also provides for the option of distance-based charging, which will be an additional tool to regulate vehicle usage and manage traffic congestion more responsively, LTA said. The authority previously said it has not decided whether to implement distance-based charging yet.
The planned injection of up to 20,000 more COEs from 2025 comes after Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in March that the authorities were open to studying a one-off increase in the total vehicle population, spread over a few years.
This would be accompanied by higher usage-based charges to prevent congestion, as well as the possibility of having distance-based charging in future, Mr Chee added.

LTA has maintained in the past that the vehicle growth rate does not have a significant impact on COE supply as the COE quota is determined largely by the number of vehicle deregistrations.
Amid record-high COE premiums in 2022 and 2023, the Government moved to stabilise the supply of COEs by bringing forward more COEs guaranteed to expire in future peak supply years to fill the present supply troughs.
Despite the moves, COE prices have remained high. At the Oct 23 tender, the premium for a Category A COE, which is used to register smaller, less powerful cars and electric vehicles, ended at $102,900, while the premium for Category B COEs closed at $113,890.
LTA on Oct 29 also gave an update on the ongoing installation of OBUs for ERP 2.0.
About 150,000 new and existing vehicles have been fitted with the OBU since November 2023, LTA said.

LTA added that it will progressively send notifications to all remaining Singapore-registered vehicles to install the OBU from November 2024.
Existing vehicle owners can now make appointments directly with their preferred authorised workshops to install the OBU without going through LTA’s booking portal or waiting for LTA’s official notification, the authority said.
The original booking portal (go.gov.sg/book-obu) has been redesigned as an information page to help vehicle owners locate suitable workshops for their vehicle.

 

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Eligible national servicemen to receive $200 LifeSG credits by Nov 30​

The LifeSG credits will be progressively disbursed to those eligible by Nov 30. PHOTO: ST FILE

Rhea Yasmine

Oct 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – Some 1.2 million past and present national servicemen will receive $200 in LifeSG credits by November.
The move was announced during Budget 2024.
The credits, which can be used at online or physical merchants that accept payment via PayNow or Nets QR, are valid for a year.
Full-time national servicemen who enlist by the end of 2024 will also receive the credits.
The LifeSG credits will be progressively disbursed to those eligible by Nov 30, said the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs in a joint statement on Oct 30.
But those who enlist after Sept 15 will receive the credits in December.
Once the amount has been credited, the national serviceman will receive an SMS notification from the gov.sg Sender ID and a notification letter to their registered address.

All national servicemen can access their LifeSG credits and check their validity through the LifeSG mobile app.
Those who are unable to access the credits digitally can request hard copy vouchers by contacting the NS Call Centre on 1800-367-6767 or at [email protected]
The credits aim to recognise the contributions of national servicemen to Singapore’s defence and security, said the joint statement.

 

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Mixed-use complex to be built above Hougang MRT station, will support demand for homes in the area​

The site for the commercial and residential mixed-use development, which will have direct access to Hougang MRT station on the North East and Cross Island lines. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Ng Keng Gene
Correspondent

Oct 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – A commercial and residential development with a bus interchange is being planned for a large vacant site above Hougang MRT station, while sites for new homes are being prepared across Singapore in areas such as Mount Pleasant, Newton and Lakeside.
The Hougang development will support demand for homes in the area and allow residents to benefit from the upcoming transport node and new commercial amenities, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a note accompanying a proposed amendment to the agency’s Master Plan 2019 that was published on Oct 28.
As part of the amendment, a site of around 4.7ha in size – equivalent to about 6½ football fields – was created for the mixed-use development and given a gross plot ratio of 2.5. This can yield up to 117,500 sq m in gross floor area if the site is used for a single development, subject to the authorities’ approval.
The site is made up of two plots. The first is a vacant area around 4ha in size that is currently zoned for commercial and residential use with a gross plot ratio of three. The second is a reserve site that houses the HDB Hougang Branch office building, next to Hougang Mall.
The 4.7ha site sits directly above Exit B of Hougang station on the North East Line and will also be connected to the Cross Island Line when the interchange station is ready in 2030.
The URA masterplan – a statutory document – guides development in Singapore for the next 10 to 15 years.
The 4.7ha site is one of three large plots of land near Hougang MRT station that are zoned for new homes, but all three plots have yet to be developed for residential use.
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URA’s plans for Hougang come amid recent news that new developments will be added near other MRT stations in HDB towns, such as Tampines and Bishan.
Plans showcased by the agency at an exhibition launched on Oct 24 showed that mixed-use developments including homes could be built above and around Tampines MRT station, and office towers could spring up near the Bishan transport hub.

Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at property search portal Mogul.sg, said that the roughly 3ha plot that is south of the newly announced mixed-use development site has a gross plot ratio of three and can yield about 750 to 800 Housing Board flats or about 1,000 condominium units.

The site is now partially occupied by Hougang Central Bus Interchange.

The Hougang Central Bus Interchange currently occupies a site that has been earmarked for housing above Hougang MRT station. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Mr Mak added that the third plot of land zoned for homes is located further south of the interchange – it is about 4ha in size, with a gross plot ratio of 3.5, and can hold about 1,200 flats, or more than 1,550 condo units.
He anticipates high demand for housing built at these three sites in Hougang, given their proximity to a future transport interchange.
Noting that the Cross Island Line is still being built, Mr Mak expects the authorities to likely release the mixed-use site for sale or development only after rail construction works are done, which will also increase the value of the land.

A plot of land of around 4ha that has been earmarked for housing near Hougang MRT station is presently being used for Cross Island Line development works. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
On Oct 28, URA also published a proposed amendment to its masterplan for the upcoming Mount Pleasant estate, which the HDB previously said will have about 5,000 homes across six Build-To-Order (BTO) projects. The first of these projects will be launched in 2025.
Two new housing plots were carved out in the proposed amendment, which also confirmed the road alignment in the future estate, and also put forth for conservation six buildings that were part of the Old Police Academy.
Property analysts said one of the two new housing plots, which has an area of about 2.7ha and a gross plot ratio of 3.2, can yield about 900 to 1,000 flats, or about 1,300 condominium units.
Future residents of this plot are likely to have direct access to the upcoming Mount Pleasant MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line, with the station set to open in tandem with surrounding developments in the estate.
The other housing plot, which is about 3.2ha and has a gross plot ratio of 4.9, is next to Thomson Road.
It can hold between 1,200 and 1,400 flats, or up to 1,800 private apartments, said analysts.
Both Mr Mak and Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property firm OrangeTee Group, said the two plots are sizeable enough to hold one BTO project each.
Mr Mak added that future flats at these plots could be classified as Plus flats due to their proximity to an MRT station and Toa Payoh town.
URA said Mount Pleasant’s future residents will also be served by amenities such as shops and childcare facilities within the estate.

Referencing the six buildings that have been put up for conservation, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Faishal Ibrahim said in a Facebook post on Oct 28 that they will be adapted for contemporary uses, with one to be used as a new neighbourhood police post.
Dr Faishal did not specify which of the six retained buildings this would be.
Elsewhere, the authorities are preparing a new housing plot in Newton, which is about 0.57ha in size and will have a gross plot ratio of 4.9, according to a proposed amendment to URA’s masterplan published on Oct 29.
Mr Mak said that based on these parameters, about 270 to 320 condominium units can be built on the site.
URA said it is preparing the plot for a “future high-density residential development”, as part of plans to introduce more homes and amenities in central locations.
The agency had earlier in 2024 told The Straits Times that it is studying adding more homes to Newton, to “meet Singaporeans’ aspirations for more diverse housing options in more central locations”.
Ms Sun said the plot is more likely to be used for private homes as it is too small for an HDB BTO project, while Mr Mak added that the site is situated in a high-end residential enclave and is likely to be sold to a developer, noting that it is “very rare for a vacant residential development site in this area to be available”.
The site, located near both the North-South and Downtown line exits of Newton MRT station, is now partially occupied by the Prudential @ Scotts office building.

The Singapore Land Authority has said that the building’s tenancy will expire on April 30, 2025, with the site to be returned to the state thereafter.
Over in the west, a site of about 1.4ha in size with a gross plot ratio of 3.6 is being prepared to house a residential development, with commercial spaces on the first storey, based on a proposed masterplan amendment published on Oct 29.
Located next to The Lakefront Residences in Lakeside Drive, the plot is a stone’s throw from Lakeside MRT station and within a short walk of Jurong Lake Gardens.
Analysts said it can yield about 460 to 600 condominium units, or between 360 and 400 flats.
Noting that the nearby Taman Jurong Skyline project that was part of October’s BTO launch comprised Standard flats, Ms Sun said she expects the same classification for homes in the Lakeside Drive site – should flats be built – and added that units could possibly have lake views.
URA said the upcoming development on the site will provide amenities to serve nearby residents in the Lakeside area, and Mr Mak suggested that these could include a childcare centre and a supermarket.
Mr Mak said the site is one of the last remaining vacant development sites within 300m of Lakeside MRT station.
Recent collective sales in Yuan Ching Road show there is interest among developers for sites in the area, he added. Lakeside Apartments and Park View Mansions were sold in 2022 and are now being redeveloped.
Should the site be released under the next round of the Government Land Sales Programme, which is slated for December, Mr Mak said it could draw four to six bids, which he noted is more than the average number of bids for recent condominium sites.
The public has until Nov 12 to submit feedback on the proposed amendments for the Hougang and Mount Pleasant sites, and until Nov 27 to do likewise for the Newton and Lakeside sites.

 

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40,000 new infant care, childcare places to open in Singapore in next 5 years​

To make pre-school subsidy applications more seamless, parents will be able to apply directly to ECDA online, instead of through pre-schools, via the LifeSG application. PHOTO: ST FILE

Chin Soo Fang
Senior Correspondent

Nov 02, 2024

SINGAPORE – There will be close to 40,000 new infant care and childcare places made available by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and five anchor operators, from 2025 to 2029.
These will include about 6,000 new infant care places to cater to increased demand.
Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli announced this at the Early Childhood Celebrations event, which was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre on Nov 2.
He said this will ensure that government-supported pre-schools can cater to 80 per cent of pre-schoolers in the medium term, up from the more than 65 per cent enrolled today.
The 40,000 new places by 2029 will add to the 60,000 developed in the last decade.
Mr Masagos said that to make the pre-school subsidy application more seamless, parents will be able to apply for subsidies directly to ECDA online, instead of through pre-schools, via the LifeSG application.
This new process will be rolled out in phases from Dec 9.

It was earlier announced during Budget 2024 that from Jan 1, 2025, full-day childcare fee caps at anchor and partner operators will be reduced by $40 to $640 and $680 (excluding goods and services tax), respectively, a month.
From Dec 9, all lower-income families with a gross monthly household income of $6,000 and below will qualify for the maximum amount of childcare subsidies for their income tier.
This means that parents can expect to pay $3 to $115, or up to 2 per cent of their income, for childcare at anchor operators, with further reductions in 2025. This will benefit more than 17,000 additional children.

Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli speaking at the Early Childhood Celebrations event held at Sands Expo and Convention Centre on Nov 2. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
To give pre-schools greater autonomy and ownership in developing and providing quality programmes, a revised Singapore Preschool Accreditation Framework, or Spark 2.0, will be implemented from January 2025.
This shift aims to encourage pre-schools to develop programmes tailored to children’s needs and that play to the pre-schools’ unique strengths.
Spark was introduced in 2011 as a framework to raise the sector’s quality. Today, around 1,000, or 60 per cent of pre-schools, are Spark-certified, up from fewer than 100 when it was first implemented.
Spark 2.0 allows pre-schools to appraise their quality against standards and indicators set out in the new Spark tool before seeking ECDA’s validation.
Instead of specifying what pre-schools have to do, the quality standards and indicators prompt pre-schools to reflect on the intent and design of their programmes and activities in relation to their aspired goals, as well as the children’s profiles and needs.
“Three features define Spark 2.0 – sharper focus on teaching and learning, more flexibility for pre-schools to develop their own programmes, and greater autonomy in their quality journey,” said Mr Masagos.
Ms Siti Daliana, principal of a My First Skool centre in Bedok North, participated in the pilot testing for Spark 2.0 in September. She told The Straits Times that the revised framework empowers pre-schools to adopt a strategic and customised approach in delivering quality education.
“Based on my centre’s profile, my team and I identified the need for enhanced language and literacy instruction,” she said.
“With Spark 2.0, I was also able to leverage relevant data to implement differentiated teaching strategies that cater to the specific needs of children struggling with language acquisition.”

The Code of Ethics, which was first launched in 2004, has also been updated by the Association for Early Childhood Educators (Singapore), or AECES, in collaboration with ECDA, to ensure its continued relevance in guiding educators.
The revised code will more clearly outline their professional responsibilities towards various stakeholders, such as the child, families, community and fellow educators.
It will include a five-step ethical decision-making process accompanied by case studies to help educators apply the code to their daily practice.
In tandem with greater inclusivity in pre-schools, the revised code has broadened its coverage beyond early childhood educators to include early intervention professionals for children with developmental needs.
Dr Christine Chen, AECES’ president, told ST that the code has been revised several times in the past to keep up with the changing landscape of the early childhood sector.
“Continuing professional development through the community of practice approach will ensure exchanges of best practices, and AECES will provide a platform for the fraternity to write about their good practices and post new case studies,” she said.
The number of child abuse cases investigated by ECDA increased to 147 in 2023, from 137 cases in 2022. Among them were two cases of child mismanagement at two Kinderland pre-school centres, Woodlands Mart and Sunshine Place, that came to light in August 2023. Kinderland has been fined $10,000.
There have been recent moves to improve educators’ well-being and working conditions.
For example, ECDA has removed the requirement for childcare centres to operate on Saturdays from 2025.
It is also growing a relief staff pool by end-2024 to help all pre-schools meet their manpower needs at reasonable hiring costs, while being assured of reliable service standards.
At the Nov 2 event, 27 early childhood educators, early intervention professionals and centres were honoured for their contributions towards enhancing the quality and inclusiveness of early childhood education.
In total, 161 pre-schools were also recognised for achieving the Spark certification.

 

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Over 4,400 workers to get average pay raise of 5% above annual increment as part of NTUC CTC Grant scheme​

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng (centre) and NTUC deputy secretary-general Desmond Tan (right) at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel Singapore on Nov 6. PHOTO: NTUC
Sharon Salim
Business Correspondent

Nov 06, 2024

SINGAPORE – Around 4,500 workers will receive an average wage increase of 5 per cent above their annual increment as part of the NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant scheme.
The workers are among 6,000 employees, including professionals, managers, executives and rank-and-file staff, across about 260 companies with CTC Grants who could benefit from a wage increase or structured career pathways through the Career Development Plan (CDP).
The CTC Grant allows companies undergoing transformation to raise their productivity, redesign jobs or improve staff prospects by co-funding up to 70 per cent of the qualifying costs, said the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) on Nov 6.
Companies can opt to use funding from the grant to cover in-house and external training, consultancy services or equipment-related training.
The labour union has established more than 2,700 CTCs since the scheme’s inception in 2019, surpassing its target of 2,500 by 2025.
“Three in four will have better wages with improved productivity and the others can look forward to better work prospects,” said NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng during a visit to Raffles Hotel Singapore.
Companies can qualify for the grant by committing to providing workers with a recurrent – or a one-time – skills allowance to recognise their upskilling efforts.

NTUC did not state a quantum for the allowance but said the amount and frequency will be on a case-to-case basis and in fitting with the type of project.
Companies were previously required to commit to providing a wage increase or implementing a CDP for their employees.
Firms with workers whose job roles will be transformed can commit to providing staff with a recurrent skills allowance.

Take a customer service associate who needs to learn new technology to improve his productivity. As this requires training to upskill himself to the redesigned role that is part of the company’s transformation project, he could receive a recurrent skills allowance.
Workers whose job roles are not transformed but need to undergo upskilling to support the implementation of the transformation project can be given a one-time skills allowance.
Raffles Hotel Singapore, which has applied for the CTC Grant, is replacing its decade-old server-based procurement system to a cloud-based, paperless one.
The new system, which is designed to streamline work processes such as purchasing and inventory management, will reduce manual workflow and improve productivity.
For instance, it will be used to procure food and beverage ingredients for the hotel’s restaurants Long Bar and Butcher’s Block. This means suppliers can receive orders and upload invoices onto the digital procurement system.
Nearly 100 of its workers will be trained – some undergoing job redesign and training – to use the new system after its implementation in 2025.
“In the hotel, we can receive real-time notifications from suppliers and make payment without using physical documents,” said Raffles Hotel Singapore purchasing manager Terence Lim.
The hotel will have more time to train employees and improve their work ability and other skills, he added.

 

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Eligible adult Singaporeans to receive cash payouts, MediSave and CPF top-ups in December 2024​

Eligible Singaporeans will receive various monies from the Government in December 2024. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Goh Yan Han
Political Correspondent

Nov 14, 2024

SINGAPORE - Eligible adult Singaporeans will be receiving various monies in December 2024, meant to alleviate cost of living pressures, offset healthcare costs and to build up retirement savings.
About 2.9 million Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2025 will receive $200 to $600 in cash as part of the enhanced Assurance Package announced in Budget 2024, said the Finance, Health and Manpower Ministries in a joint statement on Nov 14.
The sum is dependent on their assessable income and number of properties owned.
Those who have linked their NRIC to PayNow by Nov 23 will receive their AP Cash payments from Dec 5.
Singaporeans without PayNow-NRIC linked bank accounts, but who have an account with DBS, POSB, OCBC or UOB, may provide their bank account information at the govbenefits website by Nov 27. They will then receive the cash benefits via Giro from Dec 16.
Those without their NRIC and PayNow linked, or a valid bank account provided, will receive payments later via GovCash.
The second type of benefit to be disbursed in December 2024 will go to about 1.4 million Singaporeans born between 1974 and 2003, who will receive a one-time MediSave top-up of $300 to $500.

Those born in 1973 or earlier will receive a one-time MediSave top-up of $1,250 or $2,000 under the Majulah Package - MediSave Bonus.
This will benefit about 1.6 million Singaporeans.
These MediSave top-ups were previously announced in October 2024, as part of additional Government support to offset MediShield Life premium increases alongside upcoming enhancements to MediShield Life, said the ministries.

The third benefit being disbursed in December is the retirement savings bonus, another component under the Majulah Package.
About 800,000 eligible Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier will receive a one-time bonus of $1,000 or $1,500 to their Central Provident Fund accounts, depending on the amount of retirement savings they have in it.
The MediSave and CPF payments will be automatically credited to citizens’ CPF Accounts from Dec 18.
Those who wish to check their eligibility can log in with their Singpass to the govbenefits.gov.sg website.
The ministries said eligible recipients will also be notified via SMS in December 2024 after their benefits have been credited.

Those without a Singpass-registered mobile number will be informed through a letter sent to their address on their Singapore identity card.
The ministries also said that to safeguard against scams, the SMS notification sent from gov.sg will only inform citizens of their benefits.
Citizens will not be asked to reply to the SMS, click any links or provide any information to the sender.
No messages regarding the payments will be sent through WhatsApp or other mobile messaging platforms.
For more information on the schemes, citizens may call the hotline at 1800-2222-888 or visit govbenefits.gov.sg.

 

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First express feeder bus service 298X to start on Dec 9 in Tampines​

The new bus service will provide faster connections by serving only selected bus stops along the regular route of its parent service. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Kok Yufeng
Transport Correspondent

Nov 21, 2024

SINGAPORE – A first-of-its-kind express feeder bus service will ply the roads in Tampines from Dec 9, allowing residents to get to the town centre and major transport nodes like Tampines MRT station faster, with the bus calling at fewer stops.

Service 298X will act as a supplementary service to feeder service 298, which serves residents of Tampines North, Tampines Central and Tampines West.

Public transport operator SBS Transit (SBST), which will run the new express feeder service, said on Nov 18 that 298X will provide faster connections by serving only selected bus stops along the regular route of its parent service.

According to SBST, the new service will operate only during peak hours, from 6.30am to 10am, and 4pm to 7.30pm on weekdays, except on public holidays.

Regular feeder service fares will apply.

In response to queries, SBST said it will deploy seven buses for the new 298X service, which will operate at a frequency of 10 to 12 minutes.

Like 298, 298X will be a loop service that starts and ends at Tampines North bus interchange. However, 298X will call at only 15 stops in between, compared with 36 stops for service 298.

According to SBST’s route map, 298X will call at the bus stop opposite Block 648A, and bus stops at Block 641A and Block 637B – the same as 298.

But 298X will then skip three stops to get to the bus stop after Exit E of Tampines MRT station via Tampines Avenue 7.

It then travels directly to the stop opposite Tampines bus interchange, before heading straight to Block 871C via Tampines Avenue 5, skipping another seven stops in the process.


In Tampines West, 298X will call at stops in Tampines Street 86 and at the stop opposite the Tropica condominium, before heading back directly to Tampines Central, and then back to Tampines North, with a few more stops along the way.

A round trip for 298X will take 56 minutes, SBST said. This is about 20 minutes shorter than the regular 298 feeder service.

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, who is an MP for Tampines GRC, said on Facebook on Nov 18 that the new express feeder service will make daily commutes more efficient for residents.

“With fewer intermediate stops, this new service will reduce travel times and improve connectivity across the neighbourhood,” he added.

The idea for such express feeder services was mooted in July as part of improvements that will be made to the public bus network under the $900 million Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme.

More are in the pipeline, with the Land Transport Authority saying at the time that it would progressively identify and introduce more bus service enhancements in the coming months.

Tampines residents whom The Straits Times spoke to said they expect the new express feeder service to cut travel time.

But some wish the new service would also operate on weekends, or during off-peak periods.

Others hope the service would call at bus stops closer to their estates, or that similar express services would be introduced where they live.

Ms Valerie Koh, who lives in a condominium in Tampines Street 86, said it usually takes her about 20 minutes to travel to the MRT station with service 298 as the bus has to make seven stops along the way.

With 298X, this will be cut to two stops, said the 34-year-old, who works in public relations.

For Mr Wang Hengyue, 20, one concern is that slow traffic in Tampines Concourse may become a bottleneck for the new express service.

While 298X will not directly benefit the full-time national serviceman as it skips the bus stop closest to his home, he hopes the buses for the regular 298 service will become less crowded as more people take the new express service.

Ms Gina Foo, 33, another Tampines West resident, said taking 298X will allow her to travel to Tampines Central with no stops in between. “If I need to get to Tampines MRT station, this will definitely benefit me a lot,” the communications professional added.

 

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Civil servants to get 1.05 months of year-end bonus; junior grade officers to get additional $600​

The Public Service Division announced the bonus payment on Nov 25.PHOTO: ST FILE

Gabrielle Andres
Nov 26, 2024

SINGAPORE – Civil servants will get 1.05 months of year-end bonus, the Public Service Division (PSD) announced in a statement on Nov 25.

Junior officers in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16, as well as those in the Operations Support Scheme, will also receive an additional one-time payment of $600.

Together with the mid-year bonus of 0.45 month, civil servants will receive a total of 1.5 months of bonus in 2024, up from 0.9 month in 2023.


Junior grade officers received up to $250 in additional payment in June, so in total, they will receive up to $850 in 2024.

PSD said the Government will continue to adopt a “progressive approach” in determining the bonus payment, in line with the National Wages Council’s recommendation to uplift lower-wage workers’ salaries.

It added that the year-end payment also took into consideration the better-than-expected performance of the Singapore economy in the first three quarters of the year, as well as the latest global and domestic economic situations.

Singapore’s gross domestic product growth forecast for 2024 was raised to “around 3.5 per cent” from a previous range of 2 per cent to 3 per cent, the Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Nov 22.

The Ministry of Manpower’s preliminary labour market data in October also showed that total employment in the July to September period grew by 24,100, more than doubling from the growth of 11,300 in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, unemployment rates in September remained low at 1.8 per cent, while the number of retrenchments in the third quarter fell 11.3 per cent to 2,900 from 3,270 in the second quarter.


Amalgamated Union of Public Employees general secretary Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari said “it is important that when our economy does well, our civil servants who have contributed to this success are rewarded accordingly”.

He added that the additional one-time payout will help junior officers manage the rising cost of living.

NTUC and public sector unions also support the payout decision, said deputy secretary-general Cham Hui Fong.

She encouraged civil servants to enhance their skills and capabilities through upskilling programmes, so that they can remain competitive and ready for future challenges.

PSD said the Government will continue to pay the one-month non-pensionable annual allowance – or 13th month bonus – to all civil servants.