LiveParliament to discuss haze, S’pore’s response to Nipah virus ahead of PM Wong’s Budget speech

More hot spot activity and hazy conditions could be expected in the coming weeks: Grace Fu

Hot spot activity could increase in the coming weeks over nearby areas due to wind patterns and drier conditions in the current phase of the north-east monsoon, and this could result in hazy conditions affecting Singapore, says Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

She adds that cloud seeding for rain will not be effective, as any induced rain might not fall on Singapore due to variable wind patterns.

She is responding to questions from Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) and Mr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied GRC) on the transboundary haze affecting Singapore.

Mr de Souza asks how the Government is engaging “the people creating this air pollution to reciprocate the domestic efforts of Singaporeans... of our government agencies, such that on both sides, we do not emit pollution”.

Meanwhile, Mr Fadli asks if any firms inside or outside Singapore are being investigated over the haze, as well as any prosecution in the past 12 years.

To these questions, Ms Fu emphasises the importance of regional cooperation and notes that no firms are being investigated over the current situation, as the threshold has not been crossed for such action.

Singapore’s 24-hour PSI readings have remained in the “good” to “moderate” range in 2026, with a peak PSI reading of 69 on Feb 8, well within the moderate range. 

“Hence, at this stage, the haze has not reached such levels which would warrant investigation under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act,” she adds.

Should the situation worsen, the Haze Task Force led by the National Environment Agency and comprising 28 government agencies will implement measures to safeguard public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people with chronic lung and heart diseases, she adds.

These measures include ensuring a sufficient supply of N95 masks and deploying indoor air purifiers where vulnerable groups are likely to congregate, such as in schools and nursing homes.

What is a good job? 

A question by Mr Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC) sparks a short discussion about how a “good job” should be defined for the purposes of measuring whether policies here have been successful in creating such jobs.

The Workers’ Party MP had asked what the Ministry of Manpower’s operational definition of a “good job” is for the purposes of the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) and what measurable indicators it will use to track whether the strategy is creating such jobs.

The ESR report uses the term six times without defining it, Mr Tiong notes.

Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon, answering the question, says the notion of a “good job” varies across individuals, shaped by their circumstances and aspirations.

It often includes factors such as wage growth, opportunities for career development, fair and safe workplaces, personal fulfilment, and what gives someone the highest utility, among other things, he adds.

Given that there are multiple dimensions to good jobs and no single, universally accepted framework for measuring job quality, Singapore looks at a range of more objectively measurable indicators and parameters such as labour market participation, labour underutilisation and earnings, he says.

These are broadly aligned with the OECD framework and across these domains, Singapore generally ranks favourably relative to economies in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, he adds, noting that by these measures, workers have been seeing progress over time.

He says that fundamentally, workers want to see their wages grow from year to year and want to be recognised for their talent.

“So we do take reference for the wage distribution of our workforce. And in general, well-paying jobs are those that pay above the medium wage of the resident workforce,” he says.

ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY

No tariff impact on Singapore’s import prices: Gan Siow Huang

Minister of State for Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang says that US tariffs and the corresponding decline in exports to the US have not had any impact on Singapore’s import prices, because the tariffs are paid for by the US importers.

But there could be an indirect impact if higher prices in the US lead to an increase in the prices of its exports, including those to Singapore in the future, she adds.

Singapore is currently subject to a baseline reciprocal tariff rate of 10 per cent imposed by the US, as well as sectoral tariffs that are applicable to the Republic, such as on steel and aluminium.

Meanwhile, the decline in import prices has helped lower inflation here, says Ms Gan, adding that Singapore will continue to closely monitor its import prices and inflation rates and the corresponding impact on Singaporeans, especially those from lower household income groups.

She is replying to Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang) with regard to the 10 per cent US tariff imposed on Singapore and the nearly 30 per cent year-on-year decline in exports to the US.

PHOTO: ST FILE

S’pore will adjust health measures based on evolving risk of Nipah virus outbreak

The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) is closely monitoring the Nipah virus situation in India and globally, and will adjust health measures here as needed, says Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon.

Ms Pereira had asked what Singapore is doing in the light of the outbreak in West Bengal, India. The virus, which has no approved vaccine or known cure, was detected in two people there earlier in January.

Dr Koh says Singapore has issued clinical guidance to all medical practitioners and conducted an educational webinar for primary care doctors.

The electronic Health Declaration Card for incoming travellers has also been adjusted, such that if a traveller declares any symptoms, there will be a prompt to ask if they have been to high-risk areas. The information collected will also be sent directly to the CDA, says Dr Koh.

In addition, the Ministry of Manpower has been roped in to disseminate information on precautionary health measures to migrant workers and their employers, as well as dormitory operators and employment agencies.

In a separate question, Mr Giam asked about the progress of research here into Nipah virus diagnostic kits and vaccines, and whether Singapore currently possesses or has plans to develop Biosafety Level 4 laboratory capacity for such vaccine testing.

Dr Koh says that to date, Duke-NUS, NUS and A*STAR are conducting six research projects on the Nipah virus covering diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines under the Programme for Research in Epidemic Preparedness and Response.

The projects are all in progress and do not involve the use of any live Nipah virus, which requires a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, says Dr Koh. Such laboratories are specifically designed to study high-consequence pathogens and enforce the highest levels of precaution.

Dr Koh says that Singapore currently does not have a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory for the purposes of research and adds that the Ministry of Defence is upgrading the capabilities of DSO National Laboratories to Biosafety Level 4.

Dr Koh says that Singapore is watching the outbreak carefully, though it is still confined to a particular locality. But “it’s not the same posture” that should be adopted as for Covid-19, which has become “a generalised pandemic”, he adds.

As a result, there is probably no urgency to look at procuring vaccine targets ahead of time in anticipation of a widespread global pandemic, he says.

READ MORE: Are we about to live through a Nipah pandemic?

Parliament opens

The MPs have taken their seats and question time has started. Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health Koh Poh Koon rises to answer the first two questions posed by Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) and Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) on Singapore’s response to the Nipah virus outbreak abroad.

More government disbursements, lower housing costs: ST street interview

Bread-and-butter issues dominated the minds of those whom ST spoke to ahead of Budget 2026.

They are looking forward to announcements of more government disbursements, such as CDC vouchers and MediSave top-ups, while others called for the SG Culture Pass to be continued.

Some hoped that those under 40 would also be included in the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.

Also on the wish list are lower housing costs and housing subsidies for young couples.

READ MORE: SG Culture Pass: How to spend your $100 credits

Wanted: More support to train workers and leaders

Several organisations have called for stronger support for workforce training in response to disruptions brought on by artificial intelligence (AI), the retention of older workers and the upskilling of professionals to prepare them as the next generation of business leaders.

The Singapore National Employers Federation is hoping for more structured training and certification pathways for AI-related skills to be developed. Meanwhile, KPMG and the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID) support establishing job transformation road maps with co-funded training and certification initiatives to further enhance worker upskilling.

KPMG and SID also cited a need for professionals and board leaders with expertise in areas such as supply chain management, AI governance and sustainability strategy.

This could be achieved through structured upskilling and leadership development programmes led by professional international “master trainers” and mentors, who could join local companies, public agencies and training institutions under a new work pass category.

Opportunities for growth

The Singapore Business Federation and PwC Singapore have jointly put up 18 recommendations to strengthen Singapore’s economy.

One idea is to expand the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone to include Indonesia’s Riau Islands – Batam, Bintan and Karimun – to make it more attractive to global investors.

Also mooted was the creation of a digital intellectual property (IP) collateral registry, with the Government adding another boost by widening its risk-sharing schemes to cover IP-backed loans at higher ratios of 70 per cent to 80 per cent.

READ MORE: Budget 2026: SBF, PwC list out 18 recommendations to strengthen Singapore economy

Opinion: Budget 2026 is Government’s chance to invest in social capital, says NUS’ Nicholas Thomas 

Factors involved in organising ground-up activities – such as booking public spaces for community events – should be simplified for residents, NUS’ Dr Nicholas Thomas said in a commentary ahead of Budget 2026.

The Institute of Policy Studies research fellow said removing small hurdles makes it easier for any resident with an idea to act on it and for others to join in. Over time, this can help rebuild connections across social and economic lines, he added.

Mixing across such lines matters because social capital – the trust and networks that make people look out for one another – does not form by accident, he argued.

Dr Thomas said Budget 2026 offers the Government a chance to invest in this social glue in the following ways:  

• Simplify funding for small, ground-up ideas;
• make the booking of community spaces less confusing;
• do more to recognise those who volunteer their time.

READ MORE: Budget 2026 should make it easier to book void deck spaces and rebuild social capital

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Alleviating the cost pressures of businesses

Several organisations have called for measures to help businesses and employers manage rising costs amid an increasingly complex and uncertain landscape.

Suggestions include support for rental and utility expenses, a moratorium on raising government fees and policies to control excessive rent increases. The Restaurant Association of Singapore said rental fees remain a major fixed cost for the industry.

Other proposals include expanding or extending initiatives such as the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme and SkillsFuture, as well as widening the list of approved source countries for work permit holders.

READ MORE: SMEs need help with costs and competitiveness as outlook weakens, says SCCCI 

PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO