Smoke and Fire Alarms for HDB Rental Flats

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) when will work begin on the installation of smoke and fire alarms for HDB rental flats; (b) which housing estates will be covered in the initial stage; and (c) how long will this exercise take to complete the installation for all rental flats.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced in November last year that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Housing and Development Board (HDB) and People's Association (PA) were working together to provide free installation of home fire alarm devices (HFADs) for all 60,000 public rental flats.

The installation will commence in June 2018 and will be carried out in phases, starting with housing estates with a higher number of rental households with elderly residents. We expect to complete the installation for all HDB public rental flats by 2021.

Mr Speaker, I have two supplementary questions. First, the installation, is it for all the rental flats? Previously, it was planned for only those rental flats with senior residents, but I think we should do it for all the rental flats. The second question is: Nee Soon South is under which phase?

I thank the Member for asking those two questions. The first answer is yes. I made the announcement and I had explained then that between HDB and SCDF, they have reached an agreement. Because of the unique circumstances of rental flat tenants, we have decided that the installation will be for all rental units.

To the second question, if Er Dr Lee Bee Wah did not ask that question, I would be rather surprised. It probably would have been someone else in disguise. I would be very happy if Nee Soon South was in the first phase. But if it is not in the first phase, then it would be in the second phase or perhaps in the third phase. The good news is that everything would be done by 2021.

I just want to ask the Minister, what about after the rental flats are done, would you consider the studio apartments as well, because it is mostly seniors living there?

Mr Speaker, I think we take things one step at a time. Rental units, we decided to do for all for a very simple reason, because the unit does not belong to the tenant. And there are also more movements; people move in, people move out. That is not quite the case for studio apartment. They are owned property. And if we extend it to the studio apartments, then the argument could also be made what about for seniors living in their own homes elsewhere, not in studio apartments? So, for the time being, the decision is very clear. We would do so for rental households.