Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

1. I am glad to be here today to join you in the recognition of efforts by Town Councils and stakeholders to keep our HDB estates clean.

Co-operation to keep our estates clean

2. As you know, Singapore is well regarded as a Garden City. This did not happen by chance. It was built through continuous hard work and investments in greenery over many years.

3. The cleanliness of our housing estates does not come naturally too. Town Councils and the cleaners put in a lot of work to keep our public housing estates clean and pleasant. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the Town Councils – the management, staff and workers- for working tirelessly all year round to keep our living environment clean for our residents.

4. They do not have an easy task. It is also not possible for the Town Council staff or the cleaners to be responsible for keeping every corner in the estate clean at all times. Individual residents have an important part to play in keeping their neighbourhood clean.

5. Occasionally, I receive complaints from some residents that cleaners do not clean the area outside their flat on a daily basis. This is quite a different mindset from the past, when residents actually took responsibility and pride in keeping the common areas outside their homes spick and span. I am told that there are even some residents who sweep the dust from their flats out to the common corridor and expect the cleaners to take over from there.

6. Such changes in social habits are affecting our estates in many ways. CCTVs used to be installed primarily for security reasons. However, it is increasingly common for CCTVs to be installed to catch litterbugs and those who urinate in the common areas.

Island-wide Cleanest Estate Competition

7. To this end, I am heartened that the PAP Town Councils have taken the extra step to raise public awareness and promote social responsibility in keeping the living environment clean, through the organization of this Island-wide Cleanest Estate Competition. Today, we will be recognizing the efforts put in to keep our public housing environment clean and green.

8. I would like to congratulate all the winners, and urge them to share the secret to their success in keeping the estates in a good state of cleanliness.

9. The Organising Committee told me that since the Competition was launched, the estates were seen to be cleaner. This is encouraging. It shows that the tripartite efforts by the town councils, shop retailers and residents have paid off.

10. At the same time, it is important for residents to view the areas outside their flats, the surrounding blocks and estates, as their extended home. Without co-operation from residents, the Government and Town Councils’ efforts in improving the quality of life in HDB estates will not succeed.

Workgroup on Promoting Better Social Behaviour in Public Estates

11. Keeping our public estates clean is just one aspect in raising the quality of our living environment. Whether we can enjoy our HDB living is also dependent on the social behaviour of surrounding HDB residents.

12. I am concerned to hear that bad behaviours such as noise disturbances, littering and wet laundry are increasingly common causes of discord among residents in HDB estates. While our society is approaching first world status economically, it is important that the social habits of our residents similarly improve in tandem.

13. The Ministry of National Development is therefore forming a Workgroup on Promoting Better Social Behaviour in Public Estates to look into ways to promote harmonious living and considerate neighbourly behaviour. As the Chairman of the Workgroup, I look forward to working with other members of the workgroup who have agreed to join me in this effort. They are Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary for National Development; Mr Liang Eng Hwa, MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC; Mr Lim Wee Kiak, MP for Sembawang GRC; and Mdm Halimah Yacob, MP for Jurong GRC. I am glad that they are here with us today.

14. The Workgroup can leverage on the experience of its members in handling neighbourly issues and discuss ways to promote better social behaviour amongst HDB residents.

Conclusion

15. In conclusion, all stakeholders in our public estates need to take responsibility and work together to promote harmonious living. I am confident that together, we can make a difference and create a more pleasant HDB living environment that we can all be proud to call home.

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