Parliament to discuss rising rents in heritage areas, food safety in school central kitchens

Rising rents in historic districts, food safety in school central kitchens, and a new scheme to refund reusable drink containers are up for discussion when Parliament sits on Feb 3.

Jalan Besar GRC MP Denise Phua has asked what measures the Government is taking to moderate rent increases in heritage areas such as Chinatown and Kampong Gelam to support heritage businesses and prevent their displacement, according to the order paper released on Feb 2.

Aljunied GRC MP Fadli Fawzi from the Workers’ Party has also asked about rising rents in Kampong Gelam, and has filed a question on whether the Government is aware of the “trend of bidding wars and subletting” in the historic district, and what it intends to do about it.

The issue of rising rents challenging heritage businesses made headlines after popular nasi padang eatery Warong Nasi Pariaman in Kampong Gelam announced that it would close on Jan 31 after a 78-year run.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority said on Jan 31 that median rents of shophouses in the historic districts of Kampong Gelam, Little India and Chinatown have generally increased at a moderate pace over the past two years.

Five MPs from both sides of the House have also filed questions about a new scheme which will from April 1 allow people to get a 10-cent refund to their ez-link cards for returning reusable beverage containers.

Sembawang West MP Poh Li San, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment, has asked how the National Environment Agency will ensure that consumers know where the vending machines under this scheme are placed.

She has also asked how it will make sure that shops do not sell beverages in non-returnable containers at the same price as those in returnable containers.

Under the programme, customers will pay an additional 10 cents in refundable deposit for bottled and canned drinks ranging from 150ml to 3 litres.

About 1,000 return points, comprising mainly machines, will be set up islandwide by April 1 when the scheme starts.

Within a year, the number will double to 2,000 to increase accessibility. Most of the return points will be “reverse” vending machines, which will take in empty containers and dispense money in return.

The machines will be placed at supermarkets, HDB void decks and town centres, among other high-footfall areas. This ensures that 90 per cent of residents in HDB estates will be within a five-minute walk of a return point.

Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong from WP has asked what assessment was made of the affordability impact of the scheme on lower-income households before confirming the April 2026 launch, given that it is projected to add 25 cents to 60 cents to the prices of bottled and canned drinks, of which only 10 cents is refundable.

Seven MPs have also asked about the Education Ministry’s implementation of a central kitchen model for school canteens and its relation to recent cases of gastroenteritis.

Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Rachel Ong has asked if the Government will proactively engage displaced food and beverage operators to mitigate the ongoing shortage of canteen stall operators in schools.

Mr Fadli has asked if the 60 cases of gastroenteritis at River Valley Primary School are linked to food provided under the new central kitchen meal model.

On Jan 14, 60 of the school’s pupils reported gastroenteritis symptoms after having eaten lunch provided by the school’s central kitchen meal model operator.

Parliament will also introduce a Bill on coastal protection and debate another on land transport.

It is introducing new laws on coastal protection that are meant to define the roles and responsibilities of the relevant stakeholders, safeguard land needed for coastal protection measures, and ensure that coastal protection requirements are met and sustained over time.

The land transport Bill will make it illegal from mid-2026 to keep e-scooters that do not meet fire safety standards, even if they are not used.

Introduced by Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Jan 12, the Bill will also introduce other measures like a Certificate of Medical Need, which will be required for a person to drive or ride a mobility scooter on public paths; mandatory registration of mobility scooters; and the lowering of the speed limit of personal mobility aids from 10kmh to 6kmh.

Motor vehicle owners will also be affected by the Bill: All Singapore-registered motor vehicles have to be fitted with an on-board unit to use public roads; there will be heavier penalties for illegally modified vehicles; and missed Electronic Road Pricing charges will be decriminalised.

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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