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First 2 new trains for Sengkang-Punggol LRT arrive in Singapore, will enter service in Q3 2025​

An artist's impression of the new two-carriage trains for the Punggol-Sengkang LRT.PHOTO: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY
Esther Loi
Nov 25, 2024

SINGAPORE – The first two new trains for the Sengkang-Punggol LRT arrived in Singapore on Nov 23, and will enter passenger service in the third quarter of 2025.

They are among the 25 new two-carriage trains the authorities are bringing in to cater to increased ridership demand in Sengkang and Punggol, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a Facebook post on Nov 23.

The post included a video of the new trains being offloaded from a ship.


LTA added that all new trains will be transported to the Sengkang LRT depot for thorough testing and commissioning.

The remaining 23 new two-carriage trains will arrive in Singapore progressively and start operating in batches after the third quarter of 2025.

The new trains are manufactured by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and will provide better passenger comfort, said LTA.

Seventeen of the trains, ordered in 2022, are slated to be progressively delivered from 2024 to 2027. The remaining eight trains, ordered in 2023, will progressively arrive from the second half of 2027.

The current Sengkang-Punggol LRT fleet consists of 16 two-car trains and 25 one-car trains, LTA said on Nov 25.

Some of the existing trains started operations in 2003 for the Sengkang LRT and in 2005 for the Punggol LRT before the rest entered service in 2016.


The earlier order of 17 two-car trains will replace the existing 25 one-car trains, while the later order of eight two-car trains will replace half of the existing 16 two-car trains.

As a result, the Sengkang-Punggol LRT network will eventually have a fleet of 33 two-car trains.

Each train car can accommodate 105 passengers, The Straits Times reported previously.

On average, the Sengkang-Punggol LRT clocked 612,000 car-km without service delays that lasted more than five minutes from October 2023 to September 2024. This is lower than the 1.22 million car-km between delays during the whole of 2023.

Residents who often use the Sengkang-Punggol LRT were neutral about the new trains, as many said the current ones are still in good condition.

Ms Chantelle Lee, 23, who lives at Thanggam in Sengkang, said they still work fine, and are clean and comfortable.

The business planning intern, however, is hoping for less bumpy rides on the new trains, especially from Cheng Lim to Sengkang stations where the bumps are more keenly felt.

She is also hoping for the addition of charging ports and clearer map displays of the entire LRT route that signal the next stop.

Punggol resident Summer Koh, 23, said she has had “no complaints” about the existing LRT trains in the past 10 years.

With the new trains, the university student is looking forward to seeing clearer audio-visual announcements that can cater to the needs of passengers with disabilities, in addition to digital screens that can display train schedules and real-time arrival and departure times.

But a Thanggam resident in her late 20s, who wanted to be known only as Ms Mindy C, said the existing trains are “quite small”, making them “super squeezy” for passengers during peak hours.

Also noting that some trains are poorly ventilated, leading to a “funky smell” at times, the marketing associate wishes for the new trains to have more room, better ventilation and more digital signs.

 

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One-off property tax rebate in 2025; vast majority of home owners will see lower tax bill​

The rebates will mean all owner-occupied HDB flats and over 90 per cent of owner-occupied private residential properties will see a lower tax bill in 2025.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Joyce Lim
Nov 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – A one-off property tax rebate will be given to all owner-occupied homes in 2025, a move the Government said will ease cost-of-living concerns for home owners.

Owner-occupied Housing Board flats will receive a 20 per cent rebate, while owner-occupied private residential properties will get a 15 per cent rebate – capped at $1,000, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore in a joint statement on Nov 29.

The rebates, together with the changes to annual value bands for owner-occupied homes that will kick in from 2025, will mean all such HDB flats and over 90 per cent of such private residential properties will see a lower tax bill in 2025.

The Government previously announced during Budget 2024 that it was raising the annual value bands for owner-occupied homes from Jan 1, 2025.

Property tax is calculated based on a property’s annual value, which is the estimated rent a property can fetch in a year if rented out. Annual values have risen in tandem with market rentals of public housing, which have been rising since 2022.

Under the changes, the annual value threshold for zero per cent tax for owner-occupied homes will be raised from $8,000 to $12,000 on Jan 1.

This will mean that all one- and two-room HDB flats will continue not to pay property taxes in 2025. For other HDB flats, property tax will continue to be calculated at a marginal rate of 4 per cent for the portion of annual value above $12,000.

The one-off rebate will automatically offset any property tax payable.

Mr Eugene Lim, key executive officer of real estate agency ERA Singapore, said the one-off property tax rebate may be a welcome measure from the Government that will help defray costs, but it is not expected to have a significant impact.

“This 15 to 20 per cent rebate may be a (quick) stopgap measure to help Singaporeans mitigate cost-of-living concerns,” he said.

Meanwhile, the annual value threshold that is used to assess eligibility for social support schemes will also be raised from Jan 1, 2025.

The revision will extend benefits to those living in more than a million residential properties, said MOF.

Currently, various government social support schemes provide tiered benefits to ensure that Singaporeans with greater needs receive more support.

These schemes include the GST Voucher scheme, MediShield Life premium subsidies and the Workfare Income Supplement scheme.

Alongside criteria such as income, the annual value of an individual’s residential property may be used as an indicator of means.

Under the current system, benefits are divided into two tiers – properties with an annual value of up to $21,000, and those between $21,001 and $25,000.

From January 2025, the annual value ceiling for the second tier will be raised to $31,000, while the first tier will remain unchanged.

The first tier will continue to cover all HDB flats.

With the revised second tier, more than three in four residential properties, including lower-value private properties, can be eligible for social benefits, said MOF.

For instance, under the new threshold, a resident living in a property with an annual value of $27,000 will still qualify for GST Voucher cash payouts in 2025, which would not have been possible without the adjustment.

The Ministry of Health, which uses annual value, alongside per capita household income, to determine means-testing eligibility for subsidies and financial aid, said any change in subsidy or assistance arising from the annual value changes will be automatically extended to its healthcare schemes.

These subsidies cover a wide range of services, including specialist outpatient care, drug costs in inpatient, outpatient and polyclinic settings, and various healthcare premium subsidies.

Existing Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) card holders who are eligible for a Chas card with higher subsidies after the annual value revision will be automatically issued a new one after Jan 1, 2025. No action is required from individuals.

 

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ComfortDelGro fixes commission it charges cabbies at 70 cents per ride for 3 months​

The move is intended to encourage more drivers on ComfortDelGro’s Zig app to increase the availability and supply of rides during the festive period and December school holidays.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Esther Loi
UPDATED Dec 05, 2024, 11:18 AM


SINGAPORE – Nearly a year after ComfortDelGro raised the commissions it collects from its drivers in January, the largest taxi operator here will fix its commission at 70 cents a ride for all app- and phone-booked rides from Dec 4, 2024, to Feb 28, 2025.

This move is intended to encourage more drivers on ComfortDelGro’s Zig app to increase the availability and supply of rides during the festive period and December school holidays, a ComfortDelGro spokesman told The Straits Times on Dec 2.

He added that its drivers using Zig will get increased earnings on average from the shift to a flat commission rate of 70 cents.

ComfortDelGro taxi drivers were informed of this change in commission on Nov 27 in a circular sent via e-mail and text message.

Since Jan 1, 2024, all ComfortDelGro cabbies have had to pay the operator 7 per cent – an increase from 5 per cent – of fares collected from app- and phone-booked rides for journeys costing more than $9 due to the higher cost of technology maintenance and system upgrading, and higher financial charges for cashless transactions.

Commissions were waived for bookings with fares of up to $9 to “cushion the financial impact on drivers”.

The ComfortDelGro spokesman said the change in commission will not affect how passenger fares are calculated. He did not respond to a question on whether the fee will revert to 7 per cent after Feb 28, 2025.

Some cabbies welcomed the move as the fixed fee of 70 cents is likely to increase their daily earnings.

Mr Teo Luan Goon, 61, said that this would be good as he would be able to start earning more from longer-distance, fixed-fare app bookings.

The cabby of two years added that right now, many taxi drivers do not like to accept fixed-fare app bookings as they feel disadvantaged since they need to pay 7 per cent of fares collected to ComfortDelGro, in addition to not being compensated for heavy traffic conditions and passenger no-shows.

Instead, cabbies prefer to accept metered app- and phone-booked rides, said Mr Teo, as there is already a flat commission of 70 cents on top of a booking fee that discourages passengers from not showing up, and a continuous increase in fares based on meter readings – even when the cab is stuck in traffic.

With the fixed commission, drivers may prefer to take up more long-distance, fixed-fare app bookings since they pay a lower commission of 70 cents, he noted, adding that they may be less willing to accept short-distance, fixed-fare app bookings of up to $9 since a 70-cent commission translates into a commission rate of nearly 10 per cent.

Likewise, Mr Peter Quek, 48, a veteran cabby of 9½ years, said he would be able to earn more as the 70-cent commission is much lower than the average amount he now pays – which ranges from 90 cents to $1.20 a trip.

For Mr Quek, the cost savings of 20 to 50 cents a trip translate into a significant overall increase in earnings each month of up to $150 since he accepts an average of 300 fixed-fare and meter-based app bookings each month.

Mr Teo hopes this fixed commission will be here to stay and remain beyond the stipulated three-month period.

Other ride-sharing platform companies collect commissions from completed trips, with Gojek charging 10 per cent of fares and Grab charging dynamic rates – ranging from minus 10 per cent to 25 per cent – that account for the distance travelled and time taken to pick up passengers.

 

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Hume MRT station to open in Q2 2025; Circle Line Stage 6 to be ready in first half of 2026​

When it opens, Hume station will serve more than 20,000 residents in the area between Hillview and Beauty World MRT stations.PHOTO: LTA/FACEBOOK

Kok Yufeng
Dec 07, 2024

SINGAPORE – Hume MRT station on the Downtown Line (DTL) will open in the second quarter of 2025, while the sixth stage of the Circle Line (CCL6) will open in the first half of 2026.

In the second half of 2026, a 2.2km DTL extension in the east linking Expo station to the future Xilin and Sungei Bedok stations will open, as will the fifth stage of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), which comprises Bedok South and Sungei Bedok stations.

Giving firmer updates on the progress of these rail projects, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in a year-end media interview on Dec 3 that the Government is not done expanding the MRT network, though he was coy about the details, citing the need for further studies.

When it opens, Hume station will serve more than 20,000 residents in the area between Hillview and Beauty World MRT stations. Work to fit out the long-empty station, a shell structure built in 2015, began in 2021 after years of lobbying.

The Government had said developments in the area and ridership growth did not warrant the station opening. But this changed following moves to redevelop the Rail Corridor and the former Bukit Timah Fire Station.

Meanwhile, CCL6, which comprises three new underground stations – Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road – will close the loop between HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations.

Announced in 2015, the 4km extension was slated to be operational in 2025, but this was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When completed, it is expected to shorten travel time and give passengers alternative routes that bypass the busy interchanges at City Hall and Raffles Place stations.

The DTL extension in the east has also had multiple hold-ups, most recently due to construction challenges related to tunnelling near existing critical infrastructure. TEL Stage 5 has faced similar delays.

The minister told reporters at his ministry’s office in Alexandra Road that a larger rail network means a bigger surface area for things to go wrong.

He urged the public transport sector to maintain the trust and teamwork that have helped to improve and strengthen rail reliability over the years.

Mr Chee said the entire MRT network clocked about 2.2 million train-km between failures for the 12 months that ended in November, up from about two million train-km in October and 1.8 million train-km in September.

This reliability improvement came in the wake of a massive breakdown that crippled rail services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations on the East-West Line in late September.

Noting that it is unrealistic to expect no incidents to occur, Mr Chee said the key is how Singapore responds to them.

“We want to make sure that we deal with every incident properly, learn the right lessons and see how we can improve further,” he added.

“But I think it’s also important to bear in mind that, beyond the incidents, there are many more ongoing projects, developments and improvements that we are making.”

Looking further ahead, Mr Chee said the Government will press on with its other rail projects, including the Jurong Region and Cross Island lines, which will open in stages from 2027 and 2030, respectively.

In addition, a DTL extension in the west has been planned for the mid-2030s, going beyond Bukit Panjang station and connecting with the North-South Line at a new Sungei Kadut interchange station.

The TEL will also be extended in the mid-2030s to connect with Changi Airport, passing through the future Terminal 5.

Beyond what has already been announced, the Transport Ministry, together with the Ministry of National Development and Urban Redevelopment Authority, will continue to study new possibilities for the MRT network, Mr Chee said.

However, he said he was not ready to provide more details just yet, pointing to various considerations, including land-use plans, physical site constraints and budgeting.

Reflecting on what he described as a challenging year for the transport sector, the minister said it is up to Singaporeans to decide how he has performed so far at the helm.

Mr Chee, who was appointed acting transport minister in 2023 and became a full minister in January 2024, added: “Transport is a tough portfolio and there are many challenges. Somebody has to do this job, and since it’s been given to me, I’ll do my best.”

 

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4 new City Direct buses to connect Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol residents to CBD from Jan 2​

The express bus services will operate two morning and evening trips each during weekday peak hours.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Ian Cheng
Dec 09, 2024

SINGAPORE – Four new City Direct (CDS) bus services – 675, 676, 677 and 678 – will start operations on Jan 2, 2025, taking residents in the north-east to the Central Business District during peak hours.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Dec 9 that the four express bus services will operate two morning and two evening trips each during weekday peak hours, excluding public holidays.

The morning trips will see the buses make their way to Temasek Boulevard, with the evening routes calling at different bus stops from the former.

CDS 675 will start from the bus stop in front of Block 953 Yio Chu Kang Road (bus stop code 64119), and serve bus stops in Hougang Avenues 9, 4, 10, 2 and 3 and Tampines Road.

CDS 676 will start from the bus stop in front of Block 477A Upper Serangoon Road (bus stop code 64409), and serve bus stops in Hougang Avenues 7 and 5.

CDS 677 will start from the bus stop opposite Block 110 Punggol Road (bus stop code 65021), and serve bus stops in Sengkang East Way, Anchorvale Road, Sengkang East Avenue, Punggol Road and Buangkok Drive.

CDS 678 will start from the bus stop at Block 162B Punggol Central (bus stop code 65269), and serve bus stops in Edgefield Plains, Punggol North Avenue, Punggol East and Sengkang East Drive.

The buses will then travel directly to the CBD, with the first stop there being the bus stop in front of Hub Synergy Point (bus stop code 03222) in Anson Road.

The services will terminate at the bus stop in front of Suntec Tower Two (bus stop code 02141) in Temasek Boulevard.

The evening journeys will begin from the bus stop in front of Suntec Tower Three (bus stop code 02149) in Temasek Boulevard.

 

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Part-time security officers to see over 30% jump in hourly pay by 2028​

Security officers in senior and supervisory roles will also see an hourly pay increase between 25 per cent and 30 per cent.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Sharon Salim

Dec 13, 2024

SINGAPORE - Part-time security officers will see their hourly pay rise by more than 30 per cent over the next four years under a new three-year plan to raise salaries in the sector.

The three-year schedule, which kicks in from January 2026, will see a part-time security officer’s hourly pay increase by 33.1 per cent by January 2028. Security officers in senior and supervisory roles will see hourly pay increases of between 25 per cent and 30 per cent over the same period.

For instance, a part-time security officer earning $10.10 an hour in December 2024 will receive an hourly pay of $13.45 by January 2028.

The sustained wage increases were announced in a joint media release by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Dec 10.

The move is one of the recommendations made by the Security Tripartite Cluster – a workgroup comprising representatives from the Government, unions, industry associations, employers and service buyers – aimed at boosting the salaries of all security officers.

Under the Employment Act, part-time security officers work fewer than 35 hours a week. Ad-hoc officers are those who are hired for specific events.

Part-time security officers welcomed the move. Mr Idil Hakim, a 40-year-old part-time security officer from Ranger Investigation and Security Services, said the sustained hourly wage increase would be helpful for him, especially in funding some of his household-related and mortgage expenses.

While he has a full-time nine-to-six job as a deliveryman in the logistics sector, he works part-time as a security officer for extra income to support his family.

“It’s definitely going to help me, and the hourly pay raise is a good thing,” he said.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for MOM said on Dec 13: “The Security Progressive Wage Model covers 18,300 security officers employed by security agencies, of which 2,300 are on part-time work arrangements.”

First implemented in 2016, the Security Progressive Wage Model (PWM) provides a wage ladder for security officers, increasing their wages and implementing training requirements for security officers who are Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Under the wage ladder that kicked in on Jan 1, 2024, full-time security officers now receive at least $2,650 in basic monthly pay, compared with at least $1,650 before Jan 1, 2024. By 2028, the basic monthly pay of entry-level security officers will increase to $3,530, a 33 per cent jump.

The latest move announced on Dec 10 raises the salaries on the wage ladder for part-time and ad-hoc security officers from Jan 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2028.

The PWM is a wage ladder tied to skill and productivity improvements currently in place for lower-wage workers in seven sectors and two occupations, with wage floors at each rung increasing according to a pre-determined schedule.

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas, president of Security Association Singapore, said the association strongly supports the significant increases in the PWM wage floors for part-time security officers over the next few years. “The hourly rates for part-time security officers will rise proportionately to the increase in the PWM wage floors, as outlined in the Security Tripartite Cluster’s statement,” he said.

He urged buyers of security services to choose security agencies that provide better hours and benefits for their officers, encouraging security agencies to move towards a five-day work week by 2030. Security officers typically work six days a week or alternate between five and six days a week, he said.

“Many buyers still choose the lowest bids, which means that their chosen vendor can only pay the lowest wage under the PWM with officers working the maximum hours,” said Mr Thomas, who is also a Nominated Member of Parliament.

He also cautioned against illegal practices that unlawfully lower the costs of hiring security officers, such as hiring Malaysian security officers who work more than 12 hours or not making Central Provident Fund contributions for them.

“I appeal to security officers to choose agencies that can give them the lowest working hours for the same PWM wage or higher. Officers should not remain in agencies that have no plan to move to a five-day work week by 2030.”

NTUC said in a short statement on Dec 11 that it is part of the Security Tripartite Cluster and it is pleased that the recommendations of the cluster have been accepted by the Government.

 

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FairPrice extends discounts in 2025 for seniors, lower-income families​

The discount schemes will continue to run across all physical stores and Unity pharmacies till Dec 31, 2025.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Kolette Lim
Dec 19, 2024

SINGAPORE - FairPrice will extend its discount schemes for holders of Pioneer generation, Merdeka generation and Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) blue and orange cards till Dec 31, 2025. The schemes will continue across all stores and Unity pharmacies, said FairPrice Group on Dec 19.

Pioneer and Merdeka generation seniors, as well as blue and orange Chas card holders, can enjoy a 3 per cent discount on selected days of the week. Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 60 and above will get a 2 per cent discount on Tuesdays.

Households with a monthly income per person ranging from $1,501 to $2,300 are eligible to apply for the orange card. Households with a monthly income per person of $1,500 and below can apply for the blue card.

Customers must present their digital or physical membership cards at the cashier or select the relevant option at self-checkout counters to get the discounts.

The discounts are valid for up to $200 per transaction per day.

FairPrice Group chief executive Vipul Chawla said many Singaporeans continue to face challenges purchasing daily essentials despite the easing inflation. “We want to do our part in helping vulnerable Singaporeans stretch their dollar further... by delivering on our mission of keeping daily essentials within reach for all.”

NTUC Link members and union members can also continue to earn points when shopping at physical and online FairPrice outlets. Every dollar spent earns 0.5 Linkpoints, and 100 Linkpoints can be redeemed for $1.

 

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More than 6,000 low-income families to receive special year-end payout from Muis​

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore said it had disbursed the special payout of about $4.3 million to more than 6,000 low-income families.PHOTO: ST FILE

Sarah Koh
Dec 27, 2024

SINGAPORE – Thousands of low-income families are expected to benefit from a special year-end payout of $4.3 million from Muis, while children of zakat beneficiaries are also set to receive more financial support for their educational needs.

In a statement on Dec 24, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said it had disbursed the special payout of about $4.3 million to more than 6,000 low-income families.

This is on top of the monthly zakat financial assistance for the beneficiaries.

The disbursement – introduced in 2012 – aims to help the beneficiaries manage their year-end household expenses, such as accumulated bills, loans, and costs for the upcoming school year for families with school-going children.

Muis also announced that the children of zakat beneficiaries will each receive a standardised rate of $150 under the Reqab assistance scheme – instead of the previous range of between $70 and $100 per child.

The scheme, which is part of the Muis Zakat financial assistance programme, aims to reduce the financial burden of school-related expenses such as uniforms, books and other necessary supplies.

A sum of $1.28 million has been set aside for this enhancement, which would benefit around 8,500 children and teenagers aged 18 and below, said Muis.

orporations and affiliates as well as their agents and authorised service providers.
marketing and promotions.
It added that eligible zakat beneficiaries will receive a notification by mail this week. Zakat is a form of alms-giving.

The enhancement of Reqab assistance aligns with Muis’ mission to provide comprehensive support for low-income households, said the council.

“This initiative reflects a dual focus: addressing immediate financial pressures whilst fostering long-term empowerment,” it added. “By prioritising education and developmental needs, Muis is building a foundation for a more resilient and empowered community.”

 

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FairPrice Group doubles discounts for lower-income families for two months​

The discounts are valid for up to $200 per transaction per day.PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
Chin Soo Fang
Dec 30, 2024

SINGAPORE – FairPrice Group (FPG) is kicking off SG60 celebrations with more discounts for Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) blue and orange card holders for the first 60 days of 2025.

From Jan 1 to March 1, it will double its 3 per cent discount for Chas blue and orange card holders every Thursday and Friday, respectively, to 6 per cent at all FairPrice supermarkets and Unity outlets.

Households with a monthly income per person of $1,500 and below can apply for the blue card, while those with a monthly income per person ranging from $1,501 to $2,300 are eligible for the orange card.

The discounts, funded by FairPrice Foundation, are valid for up to $200 per transaction per day.

Earlier in December, the group announced the renewal of its daily discount schemes for seniors, Pioneer and Merdeka generation individuals, and Chas blue and orange card holders till end-2025.

To benefit from these discount schemes, eligible customers need to present either their physical or digital (through the Singpass app) membership cards to cashiers upon checking out their purchases.

At self-checkout counters, customers must select the relevant discount option to apply it to their purchases.


Group chief executive officer Vipul Chawla said the launch of the 6 per cent discount initiative for Chas blue and orange card holders is just the start of year-long celebrations that the group has planned to mark Singapore’s diamond jubilee.

The deeper discounts are part of FPG’s way of showing appreciation for Singaporeans’ support of a food-donation drive it had held from October to November 2024, he added.

The donation drive, A Full Plate, raised more than $1.6 million for 600,000 beneficiaries of 10 charity partners, such as The Food Bank Singapore, Food from the Heart and Jamiyah Singapore, to provide them with nutritious groceries and meals.

FPG said the campaign had rallied Singaporeans to donate by selecting curated grocery bundles or meals at participating outlets at 570 touchpoints, from FairPrice stores, Unity pharmacies, and Cheers and Kopitiam outlets to its app and FairPrice Online.

Its success is a testament to the compassion that Singaporeans have for their neighbours in need, even in the midst of inflation and a challenging economic backdrop, said Mr Chawla.

“With food and grocery expenditure accounting for more than 20 per cent of the average Singaporean household monthly budget, FPG believes that more can be done for lower-income groups who are probably spending an even higher percentage,” he said.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said that as Singapore celebrates SG60, NTUC remains committed to its social mission in caring for workers and ensuring that no worker is left behind.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng (left) with FairPrice Group CEO Vipul Chawla.PHOTO: FAIRPRICE GROUP
“FairPrice Group’s enhanced discount scheme for Chas card holders demonstrates our continued efforts to care for and help Singaporeans cope with rising costs,” he said.

“Together with our enterprise businesses like FairPrice Group, we will continue to strengthen our social compact and build an inclusive and caring Singapore,” he added.

Other initiatives that FPG introduced in 2024 to help Singaporeans with their grocery spending included price freezes on some items ahead of Chinese New Year, $4.5 million worth of NTUC Union and Link member deals for May Day, and vouchers worth $2,000 for consumers to buy selected essential products at discounted prices from June to September.

 

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Price freeze on some seafood, pork, vegetables at FairPrice from Jan 9 through CNY period​

Items at FairPrice outlets that have their prices locked during the Chinese New Year period include seafood like Chinese pomfret, grey prawns and red snapper.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY

Anjali Raguraman
Jan 09, 2025

SINGAPORE – The prices of 15 popular seafood, pork and vegetable items sold at FairPrice outlets islandwide will be frozen, starting from Jan 9 through the Chinese New Year period.

This will keep such items affordable during the festive period, said FairPrice Group (FPG) on Jan 9. It had done the same in previous years.

Items that will have their prices locked include seafood like Chinese pomfret, grey prawns and red snapper, while the vegetables include enoki and shiitake mushrooms, as well as napa cabbage.

Spare ribs and minced pork have been added to the list in 2025 as they have proved popular, said Mr Andy Chang, director of fresh and frozen products at FPG.

The group noted that prices of popular fresh produce at wet markets typically increase during this season.

Surveys it conducted from Jan 2 to 7 showed that prices of items such as Chinese pomfret and red grouper had gone up and were around 20 per cent to 30 per cent higher at four wet markets – in Chinatown Complex, Bedok, Tiong Bahru and Ghim Moh – compared with prices at FairPrice.

For example, an extra-large Chinese pomfret weighing around 600g to 800g cost an average of $57.33 per kg at wet markets, compared with $39.80 at FairPrice.

At the peak of price hikes at wet markets in 2024, the prices of higher-end seafood had nearly doubled.

“High demand for festive produce inevitably drives prices up, and so this price freeze is our way of making every day of the season a little better for our customers by keeping these popular festive essentials within reach,” said Mr Vipul Chawla, group chief executive officer of FPG.

This year’s promotion will run until Feb 12, the last day of Chinese New Year.

Mr Chang said FPG maintains the flow of produce throughout the festive period via prior commitments with suppliers, so that items do not fall short when Chinese New Year begins.

At FairPrice Xtra at AMK Hub, the seafood items on offer proved to be particularly popular, despite Jan 9 being the first day of the promotion.

The items are marked with a “Price Freeze” label.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Customers like Mrs Dorothy Koh, 64, were snapping up prawns, stocking up well in advance for reunion dinners.

“Basically, Singaporeans are kiasu (Hokkien for “fear of losing out”) and I am one of them, so I think nobody is going to wait until the last minute to get (their produce),” said Mrs Koh, who will have her reunion dinner at her brother’s house.

She added that she has a freezer that is “able to hold (food) for months”.

The housewife, who prefers to shop at supermarkets instead of wet markets because of the convenience and ease of finding items, is hoping for more steamboat ingredients to be added to the price freeze list.

Spare ribs and minced pork have been added to the price freeze list in 2025 as they have proved popular.ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Mr Chang said FPG “will continue to monitor customers’ demand” and keep the list of goods relevant to their needs.

The price freeze comes after FPG announced in December 2024 that those who hold blue and orange Community Health Assist Scheme – or Chas – cards will enjoy 6 per cent discounts at all FairPrice supermarkets and Unity outlets on Thursdays and Fridays from Jan 1 to March 1.

Earlier in January, some major supermarket chains, such as FairPrice and Giant, also announced that they will be giving out $6 return vouchers for shoppers who spend at least $60 worth of their CDC vouchers.

 

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Singaporean households can now claim $300 CDC vouchers, half for use at supermarkets​

A total of 1.33 million households will benefit from this sixth tranche of CDC vouchers.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Chin Soo Fang
Jan 04, 2025

SINGAPORE – Every Singaporean household can now claim $300 worth of CDC vouchers to help them alleviate daily expenses.

Half of the vouchers can be used at supermarkets, and half at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants.

They are valid until Dec 31.

A total of 1.33 million households will benefit from this sixth tranche of CDC vouchers, which can be used at 23,000 heartland merchants’ stores and hawker stalls; and eight supermarket chains, with about 400 outlets involved.

The latest tranche of vouchers is part of enhancements to the Assurance Package to help cushion the impact of cost-of-living increases. The first half – $300 in CDC vouchers – was disbursed in June 2024.

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong attended the launch of the vouchers at Marine Parade Town Centre on Jan 3, along with Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, who is an MP for Marine Parade GRC.

The event was hosted by the five mayors – Ms Low Yen Ling, Ms Denise Phua, Mr Desmond Choo, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman.

In his speech, Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, said the launch is one of the first events in 2025 by the Community Development Councils (CDCs) to kick off Singapore’s diamond jubilee, or SG60, celebrations.

The CDC vouchers are one of the key initiatives in the Government’s efforts to help households manage cost-of-living challenges, he said.

The scheme was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to show appreciation to Singaporeans for their solidarity during those difficult times, and to support businesses.

It was continued post-pandemic to help Singaporeans cushion the impact of rising prices.

In 2024, each Singaporean household received $800 worth of vouchers, with a tranche of $500 in January and $300 in June.

As at Dec 31, 2024, about 97 per cent of Singaporean households have claimed the CDC vouchers for the year.

Of these claimed vouchers, more than $1 billion, or 97.5 per cent, has been spent at participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets.

Overall, around $1.6 billion has been spent since the launch of the digital CDC vouchers scheme in December 2021 – $907 million at participating hawkers and heartland merchants, and $689 million at participating supermarkets.

“Thankfully, inflation has cooled in recent months... and barring any unforeseen circumstances, core inflation is expected to ease further to 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent this year,” said Mr Gan.

“Even though prices may not be rising as fast, we understand that Singaporeans remain concerned about cost of living,” he added.

“We have taken several measures to address these concerns, and we stand ready to do more to support Singaporeans if necessary.”

He added: “Our strong Singapore dollar enables us to mitigate increases in the costs of imported goods and services. We work with businesses too to drive productivity and innovation, so that Singaporeans can continue to have good jobs with better wages.”

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong paying for Chinese New Year goodies at Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre on Jan 3.ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Speaking to the media after the launch, Ms Low, who is Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and Culture, Community and Youth, said a total of $1.008 billion of the 2024 vouchers has been spent.

Of this figure, $500 million was spent at heartland merchants, while $508 million was used at supermarkets.

About two-thirds of the amount spent at heartland merchants and hawkers, or $331 million, was spent on food and beverages, including at coffee shops, cafes and hawker stalls.

Another $72 million was spent at heartland minimarts, and the remaining $95 million went to other trades such as salons and stationery shops, said Ms Low, who is also chairwoman of the Mayors’ Committee and Mayor of South West District.

Mr Gan said various measures to cushion the pace of price increases for individuals and households have been rolled out too.

For example, as part of the Assurance Package, all adult Singaporeans received up to $600 in cash in December 2024.

In January, eligible households will get additional U-Save rebates to help with their utility bills, and rebates for their service and conservancy charges.

Mr Gan said the community and the private sector – including merchant and heartland associations, schools and volunteers – have come forward to support efforts such as the CDC vouchers scheme.

Coffee shop operators have been included as participating merchants in the scheme, he added.

To date, there are about 600 coffee shop stalls that provide budget meal options and accept CDC vouchers.

“The positive impact of the CDC vouchers scheme is a good showcase of what we can achieve by having the public and private sectors working together,” Mr Gan said.

As the nation celebrates SG60, the Government, community and businesses can continue to find ways to work together to take Singapore forward, he added.

To mark SG60, some participating supermarkets, heartland merchants and hawkers are offering promotions for the use of the vouchers.

For example, some heartland merchants and hawkers will provide additional discounts or gifts for customers who use CDC vouchers at their stores to help Singaporeans stretch their dollar.

Supermarkets such as Cold Storage, Giant, FairPrice and Prime Supermarket will also be running in-house promotions for customers using CDC vouchers.

Human resources professional Victoria Ng, 36, said $300 is a “considerable sum” and will help families with rising costs of groceries and food.

“It’s good that more places are accepting CDC vouchers, including hawker centres, hair salons and neighbourhood stores,” she said.

“More people will also be inclined to spend at neighbourhood stores, which is a win-win situation for both customers and merchants.”

Singaporean households will receive a notification letter by mail with instructions on how to claim and spend their CDC vouchers.

Similar to previous tranches, only one household member needs to visit go.gov.sg/cdcv and log in with his or her Singpass to claim the digital vouchers on behalf of the household.

Once the vouchers are claimed, the claimant will receive an SMS with a unique voucher link sent from “gov.sg” to the person’s registered mobile number.

This link, which is different from those of previous tranches, can be conveniently shared with other household members.

Those who face difficulties with the digital process can seek help at community centres or clubs (CCs) and SG Digital Community Hubs. There will be priority queues at CCs for seniors and people with disabilities.

Help will be provided for residents without smartphones or those who need help setting up Singpass accounts or resetting passwords.

Over the first two weeks of the launch, close to 450 youth and student volunteers from institutions, such as ITE College Central, Republic Polytechnic and St Joseph’s Institution, will assist residents at selected CCs alongside CDC ambassadors.

SG Digital Office’s digital ambassadors and Silver Infocomm wellness ambassadors will be stationed at CCs to help residents claim their digital vouchers from Jan 3 to 16.

Residents are reminded to guard against scams.

Claiming the CDC vouchers does not require any involvement with bank applications or transactions.

Those who encounter any suspicious messages relating to gov.sg or CDC vouchers can contact the People’s Association on 6225-5322, or submit the information online at police.gov.sg/i-witness or call 1800-255-0000 to make a police report.

More details on January’s CDC vouchers scheme can be found at vouchers.cdc.gov.sg

 

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Buangkok residents enjoy better connectivity, more convenience with new bus interchange​

Buangkok Bus Interchange, which is integrated with Sengkang Grand Mall and Buangkok MRT station, has been operating with three services since Dec 1. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

Lee Li Ying
Jan 11, 2025

SINGAPORE – Buangkok residents now have more convenient transfers and improved connectivity to Sengkang town, as well as areas like Changi Airport, Bishan and Bukit Timah with the opening of a bus interchange.

Buangkok Bus Interchange, which is integrated with Sengkang Grand Mall and Buangkok MRT station, has been operating with three services since Dec 1, 2024. The interchange, which is operated by SBS Transit (SBST), will be able to progressively accommodate seven services.

Its official opening at 8.30am on Jan 11 was attended by Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai.

The launch marks the 12th integrated transport hub built by the Land Transport Authority. Such hubs link bus interchanges to MRT stations and nearby developments like malls for commuter convenience.

In a Facebook post after the event, Mr Pillai said he was heartened to hear from residents about how the Buangkok interchange has significantly boosted connectivity and convenience.

The services operating from the interchange are 110, 114 and 156.

Service 110, which goes to Changi Airport, was relocated from the Compassvale Bus Interchange, and no longer serves two stops in Compassvale Road.


As at Dec 1, 2024, service 114, which used to operate from Buangkok MRT station, has been rolled out from the new interchange at 5.55am, with stops along Buangkok Crescent and Sengkang Central.

Service 156, which used to operate from Sengkang Bus Interchange, now serves two additional stops along Sengkang East Avenue. It is skipping seven stops in Sengkang East Road, Sengkang East Way and Compassvale Road, with its route traversing Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Timah and Ulu Pandan.

Residents whom The Straits Times spoke to are most excited about service 110, which can slash the travelling time to Changi Airport.

Residents whom The Straits Times spoke to are most excited about service 110 – which can slash the travelling time to Changi Airport. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Mr Johnson Setoh, 48, who works in the healthcare sector, said he enjoys taking his family to the airport. He usually takes a train from his home near Sengkang MRT station, taking a little over an hour to reach the airport.

But by taking the train to Buangkok station, and transferring to service 110, the journey is faster. “I tried the bus once, and it didn’t take me too long. It took about 50 minutes to get to Terminal 3,” said Mr Setoh.

Dr Frederick Yeo, 35, a doctor who has a four-month-old daughter and a three-year-old son, said his family usually takes a taxi to get to the airport, which would cost up to $30. They live in Sengkang East Drive.

He will now consider tapping service 110 to save cost. “My son also enjoys taking bus rides, so we might take a bus to Changi Airport for his entertainment,” added Dr Yeo.

Mrs Ang Ziya, who works in a financial institution, said that in the past, service 114 terminated at a stop outside Sengkang Grand Mall.

“It was sometimes quite inconvenient if we wanted to go to the shopping mall, because we had to take the underpass via the MRT station. If I’m with my children and I have a stroller, I have to wait for the lift, which will take me five to 10 minutes (to get to the mall),” the 32-year-old added.

Speaking at the official launch, Mr Jeffrey Sim, group chief executive of SBST, said the Buangkok interchange focuses on inclusivity, catering to families with young children, the elderly and those with mobility challenges.


There is barrier-free access at the entrances while the boarding berths have priority queue zones with seats. Facilities include a wheelchair accessible toilet, a baby care room and a commuter care room which provides a quiet space.

SBST has signed a memorandum of understanding with private healthcare provider HMI Medical for an initial period of two years.

HMI Singapore’s CEO, Dr Walter Lim, said the three key areas of focus under the agreement would be to equip the public and SBST employees with first responder skills, raising awareness of preventative healthcare and spreading the word about common medical issues like bone and joint health.

“We want to provide options to Singaporeans to access quality wellness and healthcare in the community. Healthcare is not just restricted to clinics,” he added.

 

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New bus service in Woodlands starts operations; latest under $900m enhancement scheme​

The new service 967 is the latest in a series of bus routes launched under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Kok Yufeng
Jan 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – A trip from his home in Champions Way to Woodlands Polyclinic, where he has a medical appointment every three months, would have required Mr Jefri Mohamed to take two different bus services, transferring at Woodlands interchange.

But the new trunk service 967, which began operations on Jan 12, provides a more direct bus route for the 50-year-old, who has permanent disabilities owing to heart failure and a bout of cancer.

Other residents in the area told The Straits Times that the new bus service helps reduce their travel time and offers them another option when using public transport.

Operated by SMRT, the new bus service starts at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange and plies Woodlands Avenue 3 and Woodlands Avenue 1, making a loop at Woodlands Drive 17.

It runs at intervals of 12 to 15 minutes, with the first bus leaving the interchange at 5.30am and the last bus at 12.30am. Six buses and 11 drivers have been deployed on the route for a start.

The new service is the latest in a series of bus routes launched under the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme. The initiative, announced in July 2024, aims to improve the bus network to better serve new housing developments and meet shifting travel patterns.

Up to $900 million will be spent over eight years to buy more buses, hire additional staff and build new infrastructure so these planned improvements can be made.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said more bus routes are in the pipeline for both new and old towns.

Ms Nur Eliyana, who lives near Marsiling MRT station, decided to try service 967 as it stops in Woodlands Street 41, where her in-laws live.

Before the launch of the new service, the 40-year-old, who works as a purchaser at a shipping company, would typically take 15 minutes to walk to her in-laws’ home.

She said she will consider taking the bus in future.

“This route also goes directly to the Woodlands Health Campus, so it will be useful for me,” she said.

To mark the start of the bus service, a launch event was held on Jan 12 at Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange. Certificates and memorabilia were given out to more than 100 attendees, including throngs of bus enthusiasts.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MPs Zaqy Mohamad and Hany Soh said the new route will especially benefit those living in Woodgrove, where there is limited public transport connectivity.

“Many residents have been requesting this service for some time,” said Mr Zaqy, who is also Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower.

Woodgrove is a division of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, bounded by Woodlands Avenue 3, Woodlands Avenue 4, Woodlands Avenue 7, Mandai Road and the Bukit Timah Expressway.

For residents of Marsiling ward, which Mr Zaqy represents, service 967 will provide greater accessibility to medical care, as it stops near Woodlands Polyclinic and the Woodlands Health Campus, which opened in July 2024.

“That’s one of the major factors why this service is very useful,” he said.

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Ms Soh, who represents Woodgrove ward, said some of her residents have elderly parents living in Marsiling and Admiralty.

Previously, they had to transfer between two bus services, even though Woodlands Avenue 1 offers a straight route between these places.

Before Jan 12, the Woodgrove estate near Woodlands Avenue 1 was primarily served by services 912, 912B and 913M. Service 912M, which plied Woodlands Avenue 1 during weekday peak periods, was discontinued on Jan 10 in tandem with the launch of service 967.

Ms Soh said service 967 will improve public transport connections to several schools in her ward, bringing greater convenience for families with young children. The new service also stops at amenities such as the Woodgrove Community Centre and Marsiling Mall.

When asked if other parts of the constituency’s public bus network could be improved, Mr Zaqy said one area he is looking at is how traffic jams near Woodlands Checkpoint have impacted some of the feeder bus services.

Ms Soh pointed to previous questions she had filed in Parliament, including one on Jan 7 about whether LTA would consider starting a new dedicated feeder service between the checkpoint and Woodlands interchange.

In response, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said there is still sufficient capacity on the six bus services that currently operate between the checkpoint and the Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub.

With more housing projects coming up in Marsiling and Woodgrove, Mr Zaqy said he expects the demographics in the two estates to change, which means bus service requirements will change too.

Upcoming Build-To-Order projects there include the 1,540-unit Woodgrove Ascent and the 1,127-unit Woodgrove Edge.

 

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Eligible lower-income households can apply for public transport vouchers from Jan 14​

Public transport vouchers can be used to top up fare cards or buy monthly passes.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Sheo Chiong Teng
Jan 13, 2025

SINGAPORE – From Jan 14 to Oct 31, households with a monthly income per person of not more than $1,800 who did not receive public transport vouchers (PTVs) in 2024 can apply for vouchers worth $60 online or at their local community clubs, to help defray the public transport fare increase.

During this period, households that require more help - including those who did not qualify based on the household income eligibility criterion - can submit an appeal online or at their local community clubs, the Ministry of Transport and People’s Association said in a statement on Jan 13.

Households who have received a PTV notification letter can follow the instructions in the letter to redeem the voucher via the SimplyGo app, or at any SimplyGo kiosk, top-up kiosk, assisted service kiosk, SimplyGo ticket office or SimplyGo ticketing service centre. Residents may also approach their local community club if they have questions.

Each eligible household will receive one PTV, and these vouchers can be used to top up fare cards or buy monthly passes. The vouchers are valid until March 31, 2026.

This follows the first stage of the exercise, which was completed in December 2024, where about 270,000 households that received the voucher during the 2023 exercise and continue to meet the household income eligibility criterion received physical or digital notification letters, or both.

Vouchers handed out as part of the latest exercise are worth $60, higher than the $50 vouchers made available in the 2023 exercise. This is expected to benefit 60,000 more households.

From Dec 28, 2024, adult passengers began paying 10 cents more for each train and bus ride, as part of a 6 per cent public transport fare hike.

Meanwhile, seniors, students, people with disabilities and low-wage workers enjoying concessionary fares started paying four cents more for each journey. These increases apply if passengers pay by debit, credit or fare cards.

 

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10 areas in towns across Singapore to be made more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly by 2026​

Holland Village is one of the towns that are part of the LTA initiative to make areas around key neighbourhood amenities more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly.PHOTO: LTA

Vanessa Paige Chelvan
Jan 14, 2025

SINGAPORE – About 2km of roads in Holland Village, including Holland Avenue and Holland Drive, will soon be made safer for pedestrians, with the introduction of road humps and a lower speed limit on certain stretches of road.

Holland Village is one of 10 towns that are part of a Land Transport Authority (LTA) initiative to make areas around key neighbourhood amenities more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly, by modifying some roads connected to places such as markets, MRT stations and schools.

Dubbed Friendly Streets, the initiative will also go to Bedok, Buangkok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Pek Kio, Punggol, Sembawang and Tiong Bahru.

Works on the Friendly Streets in the 10 neighbourhoods will progressively start in the first half of 2025 and are expected to be completed in 2026, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said at their launch event at One Holland Village on Jan 14.

By 2030, every town in Singapore will have at least one Friendly Street, she added.

Jalan Besar GRC MP Denise Phua (left) and Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor at the launch event for Friendly Streets in 10 towns at One Holland Village on Jan 14.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
LTA said on Jan 14 that the locations and features of the Friendly Streets in these neighbourhoods were selected in consultation with residents and stakeholders.

Some features that will be added are more barrier-free crossings, longer green-man signals, and road humps and green road markings, which are meant to encourage drivers to slow down ahead of pedestrian-friendly zones. New road signs will also tell motorists that they are entering a Friendly Street.

Holland Avenue will see a new signalised pedestrian crossing for residents heading to Holland Village and Holland Avenue Hill Park, while another signalised pedestrian crossing in Holland Drive will be relocated to better serve those heading to the Holland Drive Market and Food Centre.

New road humps and wider centre dividers will also be installed in Holland Avenue and Holland Drive to slow down traffic and make it safer for pedestrians, particularly the elderly, to get to the markets, Buona Vista Community Club, and the Holland Village and Buona Vista MRT stations, LTA said.

Mr William Tang and Mrs Lee Tang, who have lived in the neighbourhood for more than 40 years, said it is high time streets in the area were made safer for pedestrians. At the moment, the roads “cater more for cars than pedestrians”, Mrs Tang told The Straits Times.

The couple, who live in Holland Drive, said there is a “speed issue” on that road, and called for more road humps on the stretch between Buona Vista Community Club and Block 18, which houses a multi-storey carpark.

Mrs Tang said road humps would be more helpful than lowering the speed limit, as humps force drivers to slow down, whereas not all will abide by the speed limit.

In Bukit Panjang, the signalised pedestrian crossing between Bukit Panjang Community Club and Pending LRT station will have pedestrian priority, which means a longer green-man signal and shorter waiting times.

These enhancements will complement the nearby Silver Zone in Bukit Panjang Ring Road and make it more convenient for residents to reach Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre and Market, Bangkit LRT station and Zhenghua Nature Park, LTA said.


Over in Pek Kio, a raised, signalised pedestrian crossing will be built on Owen Road to help pedestrians get to Pek Kio Market and Food Centre more safely. The area will also get raised zebra crossings, kerbless crossings and centre dividers, LTA said, without elaborating.

This will benefit existing residents as well as future residents of the upcoming public housing flats in Owen Road, it noted.


The unveiling of the 10 new Friendly Streets locations on Jan 14 follows four successful pilots in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, Toa Payoh and West Coast from 2023.

Nine in 10 residents of these neighbourhoods have agreed that their walking and cycling experiences have improved, LTA said.

A fifth pilot, in Tampines, will be completed by March.

 

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About 850,000 older Singaporeans to receive cash under Assurance Package Seniors’ Bonus​

The money will go to seniors living in Singapore who do not own more than one property.PHOTO: ST FILE
Chin Soo Fang
Jan 15, 2025

SINGAPORE - About 850,000 lower-income Singaporeans aged 55 and above will get $200 to $300 from the Assurance Package Seniors’ Bonus in February 2025.

The money will go to seniors living in Singapore who do not own more than one property.

They must also be living in properties with an annual value of up to $31,000, and with an assessable income not exceeding $34,000, said the Ministry of Finance on Jan 15.

Eligible seniors can get their payouts from 5 February 2025 via PayNow-NRIC. To do so, they would need to link their NRIC to PayNow through their banks.

They can also provide their bank account information at the govbenefits website (govbenefits.gov.sg) by Jan 27, and get the cash benefits via Giro from Feb 13.

Those without PayNow-NRIC or valid bank accounts will otherwise receive their cash benefits later via GovCash.

Every Singaporean aged 20 years and below, or 55 years and above, will also get an Assurance Package MediSave top-up of $150 in their CPF accounts.

About 2 million Singaporeans living here will benefit, regardless of the annual value of their homes or their assessable incomes. These payments will go into their CPF accounts from Feb 11.

These benefits were first announced in Budget 2022. Under the Assurance Package, eligible Singaporean seniors will get a Seniors’ Bonus totalling $600 to $900 over three years.

All Singaporeans aged 20 years and below, and 55 years and above, will also receive AP MediSave top-ups totalling $450 over three years. The disbursements are made annually, from 2023 to 2025.

At Budget 2024, a $1.9 billion enhancement to the Assurance Package was announced to help alleviate cost-of-living pressures for Singaporean households and provide more support for lower- to middle-income families.

Eligible recipients will get an SMS after the benefits have been credited in February. Those without a Singpass-registered mobile number or who do not get an SMS will get a letter, sent to their address on their NRICs.

All AP MediSave recipients aged 16 and below will get a letter addressed to their parents or guardians, informing them of the top-up to their child’s CPF account.

To safeguard against scams, the SMS notification sent from “gov.sg” will only inform citizens of their benefit. 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.

Citizens can check their eligibility on the govbenefits website by logging in with their Singpass. They can also contact 1800-2222-888 or go.gov.sg/apcontactus for more information.

From Jan 3, every Singaporean household can also claim $300 worth of CDC vouchers to help them with daily expenses. A total of 1.33 million households will benefit from this sixth tranche of CDC vouchers, which can be used at 23,000 heartland merchants’ stores and hawker stalls; and eight supermarket chains, with about 400 outlets involved.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Over 50,000 flats to be launched from 2025 to 2027; HDB will exceed earlier target: Desmond Lee​

National Development Minister Desmond Lee said keys to the last pandemic-delayed BTO project will be handed out “in a matter of weeks”.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Isabelle Liew
Jan 16, 2025

SINGAPORE - Some 19,600 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will be launched in 2025, as part of continued efforts by the authorities to address shocks to the housing market caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

These flats will be among more than 50,000 units that the Housing Board will launch from 2025 to 2027.

The figures, revealed by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee in a media interview on Jan 13, will mean that the authorities would have launched around 102,300 new flats from 2021 to 2025, exceeding their target of 100,000 flats.

This was an effort to ramp up housing supply after the pandemic caused construction to come to a halt, which led to delays for many BTO projects – some for up to 12 months.

Mr Lee said that keys to the last pandemic-delayed BTO project will be handed out “in a matter of weeks”.

“I wouldn’t say we entirely resolved everything, but I think after a few years, we’ve not just addressed the issue of pandemic-delayed flats, but also addressed (demand from first-timer applicants).”

The 2025 flat supply includes 3,800 flats with shorter waiting times of below three years. The number of flats that will be launched in 2025 is similar to the 19,637 units released in 2024.

In February, HDB will launch 5,000 BTO flats and another 5,500 balance flats for sale – the largest exercise for these flats to date.

Mr Lee said that beyond 2027, the Government will study the demand for homes before deciding how many flats to launch.

He noted that the Covid-19 pandemic was the “crisis of a generation”, which had a significant impact on construction and housing, and created challenges both in terms of supply and demand.

“We had the challenge with supply... because we shut down construction for the first time in our history,” Mr Lee said, adding that constraints on supply chains and manpower meant also that the pipeline of new flats was affected significantly.

On the demand side, BTO application rates shot up overnight as people were worried about housing and brought forward plans to apply for a flat.

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Five years on, the Government has managed to address “quite a number” of these supply and demand challenges that confronted the public housing market, Mr Lee said.

He pointed out that amid efforts to ramp up supply, demand for BTO flats has stabilised.

In 2024, there were 2.1 first-time applicants for each flat, lower than the rate of 3.7 in 2019, he said. But this is slightly higher than the rate of 1.9 in 2023.

Shorter waiting time flats – those that are already being built when they are launched – will become “quite a major feature of our BTO flat supply” in the years to come, he said.

About 2,800 of these flats were launched in 2024.

“Were it not for Covid-19, there would have been more shorter waiting time flats over the last few years, but they were all sacrificed because of the spike in demand during Covid,” said Mr Lee.

Asked if there will be at least one project with shorter waiting time flats in each BTO launch, Mr Lee said this would not necessarily be the case. He declined to reveal where these flats will be launched in 2025, and said details will be announced later.

In the private housing market, 8,505 units (including executive condominiums) will be made available in the first half of 2025 across 10 confirmed-list sites and nine reserve-list sites, up from 8,140 units in the second half of 2024.

The measures to address concerns over affordability that Mr Lee outlined included the launch of the new flat classification system in 2024, which sorts BTO flats into Standard, Plus and Prime categories based on their proximity to the city centre and amenities, as well as transport connectivity.

Flats in attractive locations, which fall under the Prime and Plus categories, come with greater subsidies to keep them affordable, but they also have stricter resale restrictions such as a subsidy clawback and 10-year minimum occupation period.

Other measures he cited included the move to lower the loan-to-value limit for HDB housing loans from 80 per cent to 75 per cent in August 2024.

At that time, the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant was also increased to help first-time home buyers in the lower- to middle-income brackets.

Turning to single home buyers, Mr Lee noted that demand from such applicants surged after the restriction that limited them to BTO flats in non-mature estates was lifted in October’s sales exercise.

He added that the authorities are committed to launching more two-room flexi flats from 2025 to address demand from singles and seniors, pointing out that such units make up 25 per cent of the 5,000 BTO and 5,500 balance flats that will be rolled out in February.

The upcoming Family Care Scheme, which grants singles priority access when they buy a home near or with their parents, is expected to drive more demand from singles when it kicks in from mid-2025, he noted.

Mr Lee also gave an update on measures implemented in the BTO market, including those to help first-timers secure their BTO flats and the stricter rules for applicants who reject offers to book units.

Since the First-Timer (Parents and Married Couples) priority category took effect, nine in 10 applicants under this group, on average, were invited to book a flat in the three BTO sales exercises from October 2023 to February 2024, he said.

These are exercises in which bookings have been completed.

First-timer families with Singaporean children aged 18 and below, as well as married couples aged 40 and below, are eligible for the priority category, which gives them three ballot chances in their BTO and Sale of Balance Flats applications. Up to 40 per cent of the flat supply are set aside for this group of applicants.

Meanwhile, the tighter rules for applicants who do not select a BTO flat when invited to do so, which kicked in from October 2023, resulted in a decline in the proportion of BTO applicants who did not book a flat.

Across the three sales exercises, the proportion dropped to 19 per cent, from 40 per cent before, Mr Lee said. “This means that people were thinking more carefully before they apply, and thinking a lot carefully before they reject,” he said.

Under these rules, first-timer applicants who do not select a BTO flat would be considered second-timers in subsequent flat applications for a year.

Those who get a queue position falling within the flat supply also cannot apply for a flat in later exercises until after their booking appointment.

With that, the HDB will issue two times more queue numbers than the flat supply from February’s BTO exercise, down from three times previously, Mr Lee said.

He said it is “the right time to do so”, as the booking chances of applicants who have queue numbers above two times the flat supply were much lower than before.

It also gives applicants more certainty in whether they should apply for the next sales exercise, rather than worry about incurring a non-selection penalty, he added.

“The aim is to help genuine home buyers, particularly first-timers, to be able to get (a home) to settle down.”

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Singapore Govt ‘not averse’ to more property cooling measures if necessary: Desmond Lee​

National Development Minister Desmond Lee said the Government has to ensure there is no property bubble, whether in private or public housing.ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Isabelle Liew
Jan 16, 2025

SINGAPORE - The Government is “not averse” to implementing more cooling measures on the property market if needed, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee.

He added that it was not yet time to roll back curbs that have been imposed to keep property prices under control.

Mr Lee was responding to a question during a media interview on Jan 13 on whether the Government’s efforts over the past years have addressed concerns over housing affordability.

He outlined the Government’s approach to addressing such concerns in recent years – the authorities have ramped up the supply of public housing through its Build-To-Order (BTO) programme, while also implementing measures to cool demand. He called for more time to let these efforts take effect on the market.

“Let the supply and demand side measures work their way through. We are not averse to putting in new measures if necessary, because we need to ultimately make sure that there’s no property bubble, whether it’s on the private side or on the public housing sector,” Mr Lee said.

Prices of Housing Board resale flats rose 9.6 per cent in 2024, up from a 4.9 per cent increase recorded in 2023. HDB resale prices grew at a rate that outstripped median income growth, which rose 3.4 per cent in 2024, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Manpower.

In the private residential market, home prices rose 3.9 per cent in 2024 – a slower pace compared with the 6.8 per cent gain in 2023.

Over the last few years, the authorities have put in place a range of measures to curb prices, both in the HDB resale and private property market.

The loan-to-value limit for HDB housing loans was lowered from 80 per cent to 75 per cent in August 2024, as part of a move to dampen demand at the higher end of the HDB resale market.

In September 2022, a 15-month wait-out period was introduced for private home owners who wish to buy a resale flat.

In the private market, additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD) rates were raised in April 2023 for Singaporeans and permanent residents buying their second and subsequent properties. The ABSD rate for foreigners buying any residential property was also doubled, from 30 per cent to 60 per cent.

Asked about the effectiveness of the 15-month wait-out period, Mr Lee said the proportion of private property downgraders paying high prices for HDB flats has come down.

From Jan 1 to Sept 29 in 2022, this group made up about 34 per cent of buyers who bought million-dollar flats. After the wait-out period was implemented, the proportion dropped to 12 per cent between January and November in 2024.

He added that the Government would lift this temporary measure when the property market stabilises, and not at this point of time.

Mr Desmond Lee outlined the Government’s approach to addressing concerns over housing affordability in recent years.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Meanwhile, price growth in the private residential market slowed in 2024, Mr Lee noted. The stock of unsold homes has been built up, and developers are more cautious in their bids for Government Land Sales sites.

But prices are still higher than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Government will continue to keep a close eye on the private market, he said.

On affordability, he noted that eight in 10 first-timer families who bought new or resale HDB flats could service their HDB loans using their Central Provident Fund contributions, with little or no cash payments.

Mr Lee said the Government is “very careful” about intervening in the property market, as people’s homes and assets are at stake.

“If you want to take very tough demand-side measures, you must be mindful of the economic environment and not over-correct, because that would risk causing the market downturn to be sharper than what I think most home owners would expect,” he said.

Mr Lee said more than 100,000 new flats will be entering the market, which would build up the stock of homes.

More than 50,000 BTO flats will be launched from 2025 to 2027, including 19,600 flats that will be rolled out in 2025.

In all, about 130,000 flats will be offered for sale from 2021 to 2027.


Noting that the property market moves in cycles, Mr Lee urged home buyers to be cautious in their financial decisions.

“Those who pay very high prices, especially high prices above valuation, will be at greatest risk when the market – when, not if – eventually does correct,” he said.

He also pointed out that “sentiment-driven psychology” has contributed to rising public housing resale prices.

Million-dollar resale flats, despite being concentrated in locations with good attributes and forming a small proportion of overall resale transactions, have caused sellers to believe they can raise their asking prices.

A record 1,035 flats changed hands for at least $1 million in 2024, more than double the 469 million-dollar deals in 2023.

This sentiment also causes home buyers to feel anxious about securing a flat despite the high price, because they think that “tomorrow (the price) may go up”, Mr Lee added.

In addition, fewer flats met their minimum occupation period (MOP) in 2024, compared with the year before, resulting in a “temporary tightness” in supply, Mr Lee said. Many of these flats were also located in central locations, and they tend to transact at higher prices.

“There’s no doubt there’s been a psychological impact on people’s sense of affordability. But we have to look at where these flats are, their age, their youth, the attractive attributes that they come with, and recognise that they remain a small proportion (of resale transactions),” he said.

He also pointed to the new flat classification system – which sorts BTO flats into Standard, Plus and Prime categories based on their proximity to the city centre and amenities, and transport connectivity – as another measure to ensure that flats in attractive locations are affordable.

These flats – which fall under the Prime and Plus categories – come with greater subsidies and resale restrictions, such as a 10-year MOP and a subsidy clawback upon resale.

Mr Lee was also asked about whether the new flat classification would contribute to higher prices in estates where Prime and Plus flats are located, because existing flats in these areas do not come with the new resale restrictions applied on Prime and Plus BTO flats.

He said this was “way too early” to tell as it will be some 10 to 15 years before Prime and Plus flats hit the resale market.

 

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COE quota up 8.2% to 17,133 for Feb to April, including first injection of additional certificates​

In all, there will be 17,133 certificates available for bidding for the February to April period.PHOTO: ST FILE

Lee Nian Tjoe
Jan 16, 2025

SINGAPORE – There will be 1,299 more certificates of entitlement (COEs) available for tender in the February to April period than in the preceding three months, marking an increase of 8.2 per cent.

In all, there will be 17,133 certificates available for bidding, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Jan 16.

This is the first quota period during which LTA is injecting extra COEs on top of the supply coming in part from deregistrations in 2024 and certificates being brought forward from guaranteed deregistrations in the next projected supply peak, using a “cut and fill” method to stabilise COE supply.

The number of COEs brought forward, as well as the additional certificates injected, will come to 4,201 across the car and motorcycle COE categories.

The Straits Times has asked the LTA for a further breakdown of the extra COEs injected.

Last October, LTA announced that it will progressively inject up to 20,000 additional COEs over the next few years across the five vehicle categories, starting in February 2025.

It had said it was able to do so because travel patterns have evolved, with the total mileage clocked by vehicles decreasing by around 6 per cent from 2019 to 2023.

The next-generation satellite-based Electronic Road Pricing system will also allow the authorities to better manage traffic congestion.

At 6,828, the supply of COEs in Category A, which are meant for smaller and less powerful cars and electric vehicles (EVs), is 10.3 per cent more than the 6,190 pieces available in the November 2024 to January 2025 period.

Category B COEs, which are used to register larger and more powerful cars and EVs, will also receive a boost of 10 per cent to 4,465 pieces, from 4,060 in the previous period.

The Open category (Category E) COE supply will rise by 10.7 per cent from 1,072 to 1,187.

Although Category E COEs can be used to register any type of vehicle, they are almost always used for larger cars and EVs.

The supply of COEs for commercial vehicles (Category C) will be 1,548 – 10 per cent more than the 1,407 pieces available in the previous three-month period.

The motorcycle COE supply remains at 3,105, unchanged from the preceding three-month period.

The Jan 16 announcement comes a week before the next COE tender exercise on Jan 22 – the final exercise for the November 2024 to January 2025 quota period.

 

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Toa Payoh Stadium can expand beyond 10,000 seats if needed, says SportSG chief​

SportSG chief Alan Goh said the stadium will be built with the flexibility to expand its capacity later if required.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Deepanraj Ganesan
Jan 16, 2025

SINGAPORE – The new Toa Payoh Stadium could become the second-largest football facility in Singapore after it is completed by 2030, if demand calls for an expansion beyond its 10,000-capacity in the future.

At present, the National Stadium at the Singapore Sports Hub in Kallang is the largest with 55,000 seats, with Jalan Besar Stadium a distant second at 6,000.

But that could change in the future. In an interview with The Straits Times on Jan 16, Sport Singapore (SportSG) chief executive Alan Goh said that the stadium at the Toa Payoh Integrated Development will be built with the flexibility to expand its capacity later if required. However, he stressed that it is too early to determine whether such an expansion will be necessary.

The 48-year-old said: “We do get government funding for the project and much as we sports people would wish for more... when you spend taxpayer’s money, it’s about trying to make sure that it is well utilised.

“Have we seen situations where Jalan Besar is always sold out? It was certainly for the (Asean Championship) semi-finals. And when we have data to show that you do have the kind of demand that can fill a stadium, then you get more justifications to build a bigger one.”

Details of the Toa Payoh project were revealed during a ground-breaking ceremony on Jan 5, and among the sporting upgrades are a 2,000-seater aquatic centre with four indoor swimming pools, a 5,000-seat indoor hall, and sheltered futsal, tennis, and netball courts.

But it is the 10,000-seater football stadium that has sparked discussions, with some observers asking about the feasibility of building a larger mid-tier stadium of 20,000 to 25,000 to serve as an alternative venue for major events.


The need for such a facility was highlighted during the Asean Championship semi-finals last December, when the match was moved to the Jalan Besar Stadium (6,000-capacity) due to a late scheduling change that rendered the National Stadium unavailable.

Goh added: “Some quarters want a bigger one (stadium), but it’s a question of how often would that situation be? The prudent thing to do, which we have done, is build for 10,000 and hopefully we fill it up as often as we can, but we have built the development such that it allows for future growth.

“So when the time comes, and we really see another situation like we encountered, then we can make the arguments to try to increase the capacity.”

Sports facilities remain a hot topic in land-scarce Singapore, with various sports vying for dedicated spaces.

One of them is motor sports, with the $380 million Changi Motorsports Hub mooted over a decade ago, though those plans were eventually scrapped in 2013.

When asked if Singapore is still keen on such a hub, Goh did not rule it out, though he admitted that it would be “hard to find a suitable pocket of land”.

“But we keep that conversation alive. As long as there’s a land plot of sufficient size and the stars align for the number of things to come together, then we can go for that,” he added.

Other developments like the velodrome at the Kallang Alive precinct and Olympic-sized skating rink – the only such facility at JCube Mall was closed in November 2023 – are in discussion, said the sports chief. On the latter, he noted that SportSG is in talks with suitable partners to “find a suitable space”.

The 10,000-seater football stadium at the Toa Payoh Integrated Development has sparked discussions.PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE
Before the interview, Goh, who started work at SportSG in April 2023, joined members of the press for a 3x3 basketball game at the OCBC Arena. After sinking several two-point shots, he later reflected on a bountiful season for Singapore sports in 2024.

Some of the year’s highlights for Goh included achievements from athletes like Maximilian Maeder, who won the kitefoiling bronze at the Paris Olympics in a phenomenal season where he also claimed the world, Asian and European titles.

He also noted SportSG’s slew of initiatives to support athletes and make sport a viable and attractive career path, such as the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarship Programme and the monthly CPF top-ups that spexScholars will enjoy from April.

Goh added: “We know we are on the right track when retired athletes ask us, ‘how come this was not available when I was young?’, and existing athletes who say ‘I actually thought of retirement, but this can help me push on for a couple more years’.”

SportSG chief Alan Goh joining members of the press for a 3x3 basketball game at the OCBC Arena on Jan 16.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
While there have been successes, Goh also acknowledged that there are areas for improvement, particularly for sports that have underperformed. Some like karate, sepak takraw and tennis have not produced notable results or qualified representatives for the SEA and Asian Games in recent years. Team sports such as football, despite being one of Singapore’s most popular sports, and basketball have also lagged behind regional counterparts.

He said that SportSG will work closely with the respective national sports associations to improve.

He added: “It is not rocket science. A top athlete is only produced... when you have the correct talent, coaching, infrastructure, training and competition. When you’re missing one of these key ingredients, you aren’t quite able to break out and reach the very top.”

Reflecting on his tenure so far, he said: “What we’ve been able to achieve the last two years shows that sports is important to our society. I still think we are a very academic biased society, and as long as we improve support for athletes, such that an athlete career is viable... that’s the room that we can improve a lot in today.”