Speech by Minister Desmond Lee at the Committee of Supply Debate
Mar 5, 2025
An Enduring Vision for an Endearing Home
Introduction
Mr Chairman, at the start of this term of Government, we faced significant challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was against this backdrop that I outlined MND’s priorities during the Debate on the President’s Address in 2020:
First, we committed to keep public housing affordable, accessible, and inclusive.
Second, we said that we will transform Singapore into a City in Nature. One that is more liveable and sustainable.
Third, we would continue uplifting our Built Environment sector to make it more productive and resilient.
We worked with colleagues, stakeholders and the community to deliver on these priorities.
Today, I will speak on housing as well as the Built Environment sector transformation.
My colleague, Second Minister Indranee Rajah will cover long-term planning for our city and support for our construction firms.
SMS Sim Ann will share our efforts to enhance our living environment.
SMS Tan Kiat How will touch on how we are transforming Singapore into a City Nature.
And MOS Faishal Ibrahim will speak about what we are doing for lower-income households.
Ensuring Affordable and Accessible Housing
Let me start with our first priority – affordable and accessible housing.
Over the past few years, we grappled with significant housing challenges.
The pandemic severely impacted supply.
Fear of housing delays also caused demand to spike.
At the same time, there was a broad-based increase in demand, driven by changing social norms.
Application rates for BTO flats spiked and HDB resale prices rose sharply.
We rolled out various measures over the last few years to address this supply-demand imbalance.
Ramping Up Housing Supply
First, we pushed hard to complete the flats delayed by COVID.
In January this year, HDB caught up on the delays and completed all 75,800 flats that were affected by the pandemic.
Second, we ramped up supply of new housing.
We are on track to exceed our commitment to launch 100,000 BTO flats from 2021 to 2025. This is the equivalent of two Ang Mo Kio towns in less than 5 years, despite the pandemic.
Third, we brought down overall waiting times.
We have shortened the median waiting time for BTO flats. In 2024, the median waiting time was less than 4 years, comparable to the pre-COVID norm of 3 to 4 years.
We had also previously committed that by 2025, we will build 2,000 to 3,000 Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) flats, which are flats with a waiting time of two plus years. We met this target one year ahead of schedule, when we launched more than 2,800 SWT flats in 2024.
As a result, BTO application rates for first-timer (or FT) families have stabilised to below pre-COVID levels, from 3.7 times in 2019 to 2.1 times in 2024. In the most recent February 2025 sales exercise, FT families’ application rate fell further to 1.5 times. This means that FT families applying for BTO flats are more likely to receive an invitation to book a flat today, than it was before the pandemic.
On the private housing front, we have increased supply through the Government Land Sales (or GLS) programme.
In 2024, we released land for around 11,000 private housing units, which is the highest in a single year since 2013.
As a result, the private housing market started to ease in recent years. Private residential property prices increased by 3.9% in 2024, compared to 6.8% in 2023 and 8.6% in 2022.
But we will keep pushing on to increase housing supply, to help more Singaporeans meet their housing needs.
This year, we will launch more than 25,000 flats. This includes 19,600 BTO flats and more than 5,500 Sale of Balance, (SBF) flats. We will also raise private housing supply from the GLS programme to around 8,500 units in the first half of 2025, with more to come later this year.
From 2025 to 2027, we will launch more than 50,000 BTO flats.
We will also continue to shorten waiting times. This year, we will launch another 3,800 SWT flats. This means that 20% of all BTO flats launched this year in 2025 will be a SWT flat.
We launched our largest-ever Sale of Balance Flats, or SBF, exercise last month, and will be launching another SBF exercise later this year.
These flats will cover a wide range of locations. This year alone, HDB will be launching BTO flats in around 60% of our towns and estates.
Singaporeans can also look forward to more flats in attractive locations, such as Mount Pleasant.
With your permission, Mr Speaker, may I display some slides on the LED screens.
The first of six BTO projects in Mount Pleasant will be launched in October 2025. The first Mount Pleasant project will be a sizeable development, with approximately 1,500 units of 2-room Flexi to 4-room flats, including public rental flats.
It will be near the future Mount Pleasant MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. There will be an eating house and a supermarket within the precinct.
Residents will be able to cycle to MacRitchie Reservoir, to enjoy nature.
The Toa Payoh Town Centre and the future Toa Payoh Integrated Development will be not far away, with supermarkets, a polyclinic, a library, sports facilities, and more.
The new estate will be inspired by the area’s rich heritage. Six buildings from the Old Police Academy have been conserved.
Ensuring Affordability
Even as we ramp up supply, we have kept new flats affordable.
We have increased market subsidies for BTO flats to keep them affordable for households with a wide range of incomes. We also raised the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) last year. First-timer families can now receive up to $120,000 in grants, with lower-middle income households getting more support.
As a result, in 2024, more than 8 in 10 first-timer families who collected keys to their BTO flats were able to service their HDB loans using their CPF, with little to no cash outlay.
We have taken major steps to ensure that public housing in attractive locations, like Mount Pleasant, remains affordable.
This also ensures that they remain inclusive – an important part of Singapore’s social compact. So that Singaporeans of different backgrounds and income levels can live in the same neighbourhood.
At the same time, we need to reduce the lottery effect for those who successfully ballot for such flats to keep the system of subsidies fair. This is something Ms Cheryl Chan had asked about.
We took the first major step four years ago with the Prime Location Housing Model in 2021.
In October last year, we took another big step with the new flat classification framework, categorising BTO projects into Standard, Plus and Prime. We will launch the first Mount Pleasant project as either Plus or Prime.
This allows us to unlock new, choicer areas for affordable public housing.
Now, take the Redhill area near the MRT station for example. It is currently built-up with private residential properties. These can be expensive, as Redhill is a highly sought-after location.
But HDB launched Alexandra Vale in 2022, and then Alexandra Peaks in 2023 in the same area, all under the Prime Location Public Housing model.
In July 2025, we will be launching another two BTO projects in the area under the new flat classification framework – one next to Alexandra Peaks, and another along Tanglin Road.
One of the blocks in Alexandra Peaks will also house public rental flats, allowing lower-income households access to public rental options in these prime areas.
Now, how affordable are Plus and Prime flats?
In October last year, Mr. Chua Heng Wee and Ms. Shermaine Ho, a young couple, applied for a 4-room BTO Plus flat in Merpati Alcove, in Macpherson.
They were successful and booked a flat on a high floor early this year, for around $620,000, before grants.
Merpati Alcove is in a very good location, right at the doorstep of Mattar MRT station, and within walking distance to the Circuit Road Food Centre.
With a combined income of around $7,800 today, they received an Enhanced CPF Housing Grant of $20,000 and were able to service their mortgage with low cash outlay.
For Prime flats, let’s look at Tanjong Rhu Parc Front in Tanjong Rhu, which we launched last month. It is a very attractive project, near the city centre and a short distance from the riverfront. A 4-room BTO Prime flat in that project is around $640,000, before grants. A couple with a combined income of $8,500 will receive an EHG of $10,000 and will be able to service their mortgage with a monthly cash outlay of about $180.
This is what we mean when we say that we will seek to ensure a wide range of affordable housing options for Singaporeans with different housing budgets.
Let me now turn to the HDB resale market. Singaporeans have been anxious about resale flat prices. Mr Xie Yao Quan asked how resale flats can be kept affordable for Singaporeans.
I mentioned earlier that the supply-demand imbalance has led to high resale prices.
In these past few years, we have also seen fewer flats reaching their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) due to fewer flat completions during the pandemic.
In fact, in 2020, HDB should have completed 20,000 flats. But because of the disruptions caused by the pandemic, we completed fewer than half of that. So 5 years on, in 2025, we have much fewer flats completing their MOP, and even fewer flats going on the resale market.
The supply tightness should start to recover next year.
We expect to see a larger supply of flats entering the resale market, providing options for Singaporeans.
There will be a significant jump in the number of new flats reaching MOP, from 8,000 this year to 13,500 next year. This will steadily increase until we hit 19,500 in 2028.
The cooling measures that we implemented will also continue to work their way through the market. Taken together, the HDB resale market will stabilise.
Ensuring Accessibility
We will also improve housing accessibility for all Singaporeans.
But let me assure first-timer families, that we will continue to prioritise you for new flats.
First, we tightened the rules for non-selection of flats, to give priority to those with genuine, pressing housing needs.
Next, we have also introduced the First-Timer (Parents & Married Couples), or FT(PMC) category.
We have seen positive outcomes so far. Take Ms. Nicole Chong and Mr. Christopher Edward Sean. They decided to solemnize their marriage, before applying for their flat. This made them eligible for FT(PMC). With that, they managed to book their 4-room Standard flat in Sengkang on their very first try!
Nicole and Christopher are just one of many couples who have benefitted from these priority schemes. About 9 in 10 First-Timer Parent and Married Couple applicants have been invited to book a flat, when they applied for a 4-room or smaller Standard flat. This means that virtually all of them were given the chance to book a flat within two tries in categories where they are given first priority.
We have also provided more support to families who need a place to stay while waiting to collect their keys.
Today, we provide subsidised temporary housing through the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS).
In recent exercises, all eligible applicants who are married with children aged 18 and below have been invited to select a PPHS flat.
We will double PPHS supply again from 2,000 to 4,000 PPHS flats this year. And we have come a long way since 2021, when we started out with 800 PPHS flats – so we have achieved a five-time increase in PPHS supply.
Mr Louis Ng asked whether the Government would consider allowing single unwed parents to qualify for PPHS. To all single parents in need, HDB will not turn away your request for housing assistance. We will take a holistic approach to every case, and depending on the needs, we may assist with interim rental housing.
And so, for those who are eligible for the schemes that I mentioned:
They likely can book a flat on their first or second try, based on current trends.
Then, they can apply for temporary subsidised rental housing through the PPHS.
If they booked a SWT flat, they will be able to collect their keys in 2 plus years.
Ms Cheryl Chan asked how we plan to keep housing accessible.
Aside from FTfamilies, we recognise that there are more singles looking to own their own home.
Over the years, we have provided singles with greater access to public housing:
In the past, singles 35 and above were only allowed to buy HDB resale flats.
Then in 2013, the Government allowed FT singles to purchase 2-room BTO flats, but only in non-mature estates.
In recent years, we have made further moves.
From last October, we allowed FT singles to apply for 2-room Flexi BTO flats islandwide, including in Prime and Plus locations. Just last month, one in four of the flats offered at the launch was a 2-room Flexi flat. In fact, we will launch up to 14,000 2-room Flexi BTO flats from 2024 to 2026, and the majority of these will continue to be set aside for singles.
From the middle of this year, we will move beyond just access, to providing priority access to singles who wish to live near or with their parents, under the new Family Care Scheme.
We also want to look at the needs of other groups, including second-timer (or ST) families.
In 2022, we had reduced the proportion of BTO supply set aside for ST families in order to better prioritise FT families because FT application rates had increased significantly.
Now, application rates for FT families have come down. We also hear the concerns of ST families who need to buy another subsidised flat.
And these include families who have grown and others who may wish to right-size due to financial reasons.
Therefore, we will allow more ST families to buy BTO flats by increasing the ST allocation quota by 5 percentage points for 3R and larger flats.
This change will take effect from the July 2025 BTO exercise, i.e. the next BTO exercise .
HDB will release more details closer to the date.
We do not expect significant impact on the application rate for first-timer families, as we are continuing to build more BTO flats to meet demand.
We will continue to review our policies to see if there is scope to improve access further for different groups, such as singles. Mr Henry Kwek and Ms Cheryl Chan have also asked if we can raise our BTO and Executive Condominium (EC) income ceilings.
Our BTO income ceiling today still covers about 8 in 10 Singaporean households. New flats and housing subsidies are prioritised for those who need them more.
For those with incomes up to $16,000, we will be increasing EC supply this year to around 1,500 units, up from around 1,200 units in previous years.
Those within and above this income bracket can also choose from a wide range of resale HDB flats or private residential properties, for which there is no income ceiling.
We will continue to keep an eye on income growth and market conditions, and will raise the income ceilings when the time is right.
Supporting Diverse Housing Needs
Our second priority is to keep public housing inclusive. We will continue to support the housing needs of different segments of Singaporeans.
Supporting Lower-income and Vulnerable Households
One segment is our lower-income and vulnerable households, who do not have other housing options and family support.
We are making significant moves through the Fresh Start Housing Scheme to support public rental tenants on their homeownership journey, as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had announced during his Budget Statement. My colleague, MOS Faishal, will share more details later.
Supporting Our Seniors
Another group is our seniors.
Under the Age Well SG programme, we are making our environment more senior-friendly. Ms Cheryl Chan, Ms Carrie Tan and Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked about this.
At the HDB estate level, we will be introducing senior-friendly enhancements for selected HDB estates under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, and the Silver Upgrading Programme. These include fitness trails to support healthy living, as well as rest points along pathways to boost walkability.
Within the home, HDB offers subsidised senior-friendly fittings under the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme (EASE). These fittings help to improve the mobility and safety of seniors in their own homes.
We expanded the range of subsidised fittings under EASE 2.0 last year, to include fittings like foldable U-grab bars, home fire alarm devices, and more. Since EASE and EASE 2.0 were introduced, about 340,000 households have signed up.
Beyond HDB estates, we also plan to help seniors in private residential properties age-in-place. Mr Henry Kwek, Ms Joan Pereira, and Ms. Denise Phua asked for more details.
We have expanded the scope of the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) to include senior-friendly enhancements, such as barrier-free ramps and covered drains for more walkways.
We also have a new EUP for Silver Estates, so that these benefits can reach selected estates that have benefitted from EUP some time ago.
We will do more to improve the safety and mobility of seniors living in private properties, within their own home.
We will introduce a new programme, EASE(Private) as PM had announced during Budget. I remember Ms Denise Phua and Ms Ng Ling Ling asking MND last year to consider this.
EASE(Private) will be available to Singapore Citizen households living in private properties with at least one senior aged 65 years old and above, or who are between 60 and 64 years old and requires assistance with at least one of the Activities of Daily Living.
More than 70,000 households will be eligible for subsidies to engage contractors, to install a basic list of senior-friendly fittings in their homes, such as grab bars.
The Government will subsidise 75% of the cost of these fittings, with the subsidies capped at $1,200.
EASE(Private) is targeted to commence early next year, and will be a three-year pilot programme for a start. And then, we will have a review.
Aside from improvements to the estate and home, we understand that Singaporeans are concerned about retirement adequacy – Mr Pritam Singh has asked about this.
We hear the concerns that those who buy older resale flats may not have enough saved for retirement.
But do not worry. We have a system in place today to help homebuyers balance between meeting their housing and retirement needs. And a home is also a store of value for retirement.
For those who buy older resale flats, there are limits placed on the use of the CPF Ordinary Account, as well as the amount of HDB housing loan taken. The money set aside can then be used to help homebuyers meet their retirement needs.
The generous housing grants received by eligible first-time home buyers are also refunded into their own CPF account when they sell their flat.
Today, seniors can unlock the value of their flats to supplement their retirement income through a number of ways.
First, seniors can consider renting out their flat or spare bedroom.
they can opt to sell part of their lease back to HDB through the Lease Buyback Scheme, or LBS.
Seniors can also choose to right-size to a smaller home.
We will do more for seniors who wish to right-size for their retirement.
Today, the Government provides a Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) of up to $30,000 in cash when seniors right-size to a 3-room or smaller flat.
We will make three changes to the SHB, which will take effect from 1 December 2025.
First, we will provide an additional $10,000 cash bonus to seniors who right-size to two-room flats or Community Care Apartments. This will bring the maximum bonus quantum from $30,000 currently to $40,000.
Second, we will extend the scheme to more seniors living in private residential properties, with annual values between $21,000 and $31,000. They will receive a bonus of up to $10,000 if they right-size to a 3-room HDB flat, and up to $20,000 if they purchase a 2-room HDB flat or Community Care Apartment.
With this enhancement, more than 15,000 more seniors can qualify for the SHB. Altogether, the Silver Housing Bonus scheme will cover more than 3 in 4 residential properties.
Third, we will adjust the cash top-up requirement so that seniors will qualify for the SHB as long as they commit to a net increase of up to $60,000 in their CPF Retirement Account after right-sizing, for their retirement payouts. This amount can come from their CPF housing refunds, which means that seniors may no longer need to make a cash top-up to qualify for the SHB. This will make it easier for seniors to benefit from the SHB.
Rejuvenating Our Towns
Our third priority is to rejuvenate our towns.
Some members have asked about VERS. VERS will be one of the ways to enable our towns to be revitalised to refresh the age profile of our public housing stock.
When the concept of VERS was first announced in 2018, we made it clear that VERS will not start until the 2030s when our first flats are around the 70-year mark. There are no such flats today, or any within this decade.
VERS is a complex and long-term undertaking, and is one of a number of programmes that we will need to rejuvenate and reimagine our public housing estates. We need to carefully and sensitively stage the programme to reduce disamenities to residents living in newer parts of towns. At the same time, we need to ensure there are enough homes for those who need to relocate.
We will share more details on the mechanics, processes and package for VERS in due course, and seek views from Singaporeans in the process.
Meanwhile, we will do a second round of Home Improvement Programme (HIP) upgrading for flats from around the 60- to 70-year mark.
The HIP today is our flagship programme for tackling common maintenance issues faced in older flats. Under the HIP essential improvements, like repairs to spalling concrete are fully funded by the Government. Ms Joan Pereira had asked about this.
Looking ahead, we are working with industry partners and research institutes to develop better ways to address maintenance issues in our older estates. As our homes get older, issues such as spalling concrete and external wall seepage can be disruptive to residents’ daily lives.
So first, we want to make repairs more durable. For example, HDB introduced the Corrosion Resistant Repair (CRR) method last year. CRR helps to reduce the recurrence of spalling concrete.
Second, we want to improve diagnosis methods so that we can accurately pin-point the root cause of the issue.
One example is external wall water seepage. In complex cases, it can be difficult to identify exactly the source of seepage and the extent of repairs needed through visual checks alone.
HDB has started trialling the use of better scanning technology. Similar to an x-ray machine, it allows us to see beneath the surface to try to trace the root cause of the seepage. If successful, residents can look forward to faster and more accurate diagnosis, and swifter repair works.
We will trial this technology starting with 70 flats. Then, we will see if the technology can be scaled up for more widespread use.
Third, we will develop early detection technology, such as predictive data analytics. This allows HDB to put in preventative measures and develop more targeted programmes.
We will push on with research and development (R&D) over the next few years.
We plan to invest around $10 million in R&D to build HDB’s capabilities under these three pillars. HDB will progressively launch grant calls to develop ideas.
We will also ensure that the technology we develop will be put to good us, by helping our Town Councils and private contractors to strengthen their capabilities.
Transforming Our Built Environment Sector
As we develop and improve our city, we must make our Built Environment (BE) sector more productive and resilient.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about our plans to accelerate sector transformation.
To better support developers in their transformation efforts, we will revise the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty, or ABSD, regime for those who undertake complex projects.
Currently, to ensure timely injection of housing supply, most housing developers are required to commence construction within 2 years, and complete construction and sell all units within 5 years.
Failing which, the upfront remittable ABSD component will be clawed back.
We will therefore extend the ABSD remission timeline for housing developers undertaking these projects. This includes projects that –
Transform our urban environment at a large scale;
Optimise land through intensification or integration with other developments including major public infrastructure;
Rejuvenate older estates; or
Adopt new technologies to achieve higher productivity targets.
Through this, we want to encourage housing developers and alliances of firms to undertake projects that will transform our built environment.
Additionally, to encourage early adoption of CORENET X for smaller projects, the Government will extend the qualifying period for the ABSD remission timeline extension for these projects until 31 Dec 2026.
Details will be released in a statement later today.
We will also introduce the Built Environment Technology and Capability (BETC) Grant to support the sector in long-term building capabilities that extend beyond immediate project investments.
We will set aside $100 million over five years.
This will be used to enhance enterprise capabilities, adoption of advanced technologies, and the building of firms’ manpower capabilities.
My colleague, Minister Indranee, will share more about our efforts to transform the BE sector in her speech.
Mandarin Segment
Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please.
今年是新加坡建国60周年。这60年以来，政府坚守使命，为国人打造属于自己的安乐窝。这份承诺不曾改变，也不会动摇。
如今，有些长辈担心孩子能不能买得到负担得起的房子。
请长辈们放心，我们已经推出了多项措施，确保你们的孩子能负担得起，也能买得到房子。
我们在今年一月份已经顺利完成了所有受到疫情延误的组屋项目，共有超过7万5千个组屋单位。
同时，我们也缩短了新组屋项目的等候时间。去年，新组屋的等候时间少于4年，与疫情前差不多。
整体来看，预购组屋的首次购屋家庭申请率也比疫情前低。
去年，我们也调高《额外安居津贴》，协助低收入的首次购屋者，能买得起组屋。这些家庭在购买预购组屋时，可获得高达12万元的补助。
去年的数据也显示，大多数的首次购屋家庭其实能够用公积金来支付每个月的分期付款，他们只需要付少许现金，有些人甚至完全不需要动用任何现金。
情况虽然已经稳定下来了，政府还是会继续推出大量的组屋。
在接下来的三年里，我们会推出超过5万个组屋单位。这相当于一个宏茂桥市镇。如此一来，我们在2021年到2025年期间，我们会推出超过10万单位，超出我们之前承诺的目标。
今年，我们也会推出3,800个等候时间较短的组屋单位, 等候时间在两年多左右。这些等候时间较早的组屋，占总供应的五分之一。
我们也将在今年推出多一轮的剩余组屋销售活动 (SBF)。
随着人口老龄化，我们要加大力度，为年长者打造一个亲乐龄的新加坡。
相信许多人对《乐龄易计划》相当熟悉 , 也曾经获得政府的津贴，在家中安装扶手、斜坡道等等的亲乐龄设备。
我们将把《乐龄易计划》扩大到居住在私人住宅的年长者家庭，让他们的居家环境更方便，也更安全。
计划将在明年第1季度开始，为期三年，详情将稍后公布。
我们也会继续通过《家居改进计划》解决旧组屋常见的维修问题, 例如洋灰脱落， 外墙渗水等等，并继续研制开发更多检测技术和修复房子的方法。
至于已经退休，并想要将组屋套现，补贴生活费的年长者，我们也会为他们提供更多的援助。
我们将扩大《乐龄安居花红》计划，让更多年长者受惠。
从2025年12月1日起：
当年长者从大屋换到2房式灵活组屋或社区关爱组屋时，将获得额外1万元的《乐龄安居花红》。也就是说，他们可享有的最高花红数额，将从目前的3万元，增加到4万元。
目前，年长屋主需要用卖屋所得的现金来填补公积金退休户头，才能获得花红。 我们会调整这个条例。屋主们能够动用卖屋所退还到公积金户头的金额，来填补到他们的公积金退休户头口。这么一来，年长者不需要动用现金，就可以享有乐龄安居花红。
除此以外，我们会扩大计划。目前, 《乐龄安居花红》仅供房屋年值低于2万1000元的私宅屋主申请。 我们将把计划扩大至房屋年值在3万1000元以下的私宅屋主，让他们也能受惠。
先辈们的高瞻远瞩， 铺就了坚固的基础，让我们能享有今天高质量的生活；我国的拥屋率也是全球名列前茅的。
如今，我们来延续这个使命。
这是我们对国人的承诺： 无论是你，还是你的孩子，孙子，都能拥有属于自己的避风港， 在温暖和谐的环境里安居乐业，追逐梦想。
Conclusion
Mr Chairman, let me conclude.
At MND, we had the privilege to work with many talented architects, planners, builders, dedicated colleagues, industry partners, conservationists, NGOs, nature groups, and so on, who have contributed to making Singapore a distinctive global city, and an enduring home for Singaporeans.
5 years ago, we plunged into crisis mode. COVID-19 had long-tail effects, particularly for construction, but we have caught up. And we have sought to address as many pain points as possible:
We have completed all COVID-19 delayed flats.
We are on track to launch more than 130,000 flats over 7 years, from 2021 to 2027.
We have shortened BTO waiting times this year to the pre-COVID norm.
BTO application rates are now lower than pre-COVID levels.
We opened up access to singles, and will be restoring some of the access for Second Timer families.
On the HDB resale market, we implemented cooling measures, and ramped up the supply of flats, which will stabilise the market over time.
At the same time, we have worked to prepare for the longer-term.
We introduced the new flat classification framework.
In doing so, we ensure social mixing in different parts of Singapore now and in the future.
We are also planning bigger moves for areas such as Mount Pleasant, Greater Southern Waterfront, Paya Lebar Air Base, and Turf City. This will create more space for Singaporeans – for their homes, dreams, and aspirations.
As Singapore grows and develops, we have also been deliberate in ensuring that we conserve nature and protect our heritage.
Given our very limited land and resources, this is not an easy feat. It requires thoughtful and disciplined long-term planning, building on the good work of our predecessors to dream bigger for the future, and to dream sustainably.
We are not done yet. It is an ongoing journey – Singapore will always be a work in progress. And through it all, we will continue working with Singaporeans as custodians and stakeholders, to shape our social compact and achieve our shared vision. To create a home where Singaporeans can thrive, where no one is left behind.
This is our enduring commitment, for an endearing home.
Thank you.