Speech by 2M Indranee Rajah at the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS) Mid-Autumn Lunch

Mr Tan Swee Yiow, President of REDAS

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

Thank you all very much for inviting me to join you for this Mid-Autumn Festival lunch, I see many familiar faces and friends here. It's important also because it marks REDAS' 30th year of hosting this mid-autumn tradition. Well done, REDAS. This is testimony to the strength of your sector and your leadership.

This 30-year milestone speaks to the strength of the bonds within this industry and to REDAS' leadership.

As REDAS celebrates this milestone, Singapore is also entering an exciting new phase of development. This includes upcoming projects such as the Greater Southern Waterfront, Long Island, and Paya Lebar Air Base.

These are not small undertakings. They will be larger and more complex than anything we have built before. And they will require a built environment sector that is capable, committed to excellence, and able to breakthrough new frontiers.

This is the spirit behind the Action Team to Improve Built Environment Productivity, which brings together government agencies and industry partners to identify practical ways to save time, cost and manpower, while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Tan Swee Yiow for serving as a member of the Action Team, and for his steady and constructive input. His perspectives have helped us sharpen our understanding of what works on the ground and where there is room to improve.

Managing Complex Projects: Enhancing the Accredited Checker Framework

Developers and our built environment professionals operate in an increasingly complex environment, where safety, quality, cost and timelines have to be managed together.

Hence, getting the fundamentals right from the beginning is critical.

One of these fundamentals is the structural integrity of a building. Accredited Checkers (ACs), and AC Organisations (ACOs), play a critical role by providing independent reviews of structural designs.

This is not a mere regulatory formality. It can be a matter of life or death. It is therefore an investment in ensuring the safety of designs early in the planning stage. Problems identified upstream, during planning and design, can often be rectified at a fraction of the cost of fixing them later downstream during or after construction.

As building works become more complex, it is essential for ACs and ACOs to be equipped with the technical capability, organisational resources and relevant experience to carry out robust and effective checks.

At the same time, we have also heard from developers about the challenges of identifying and appointing ACs who are well-matched to the demands of more complex projects.

Today, I am pleased to share that the Government will be enhancing the Accredited Checker framework to better support effective checking of structural designs, especially for projects that are larger, more complex or higher-risk.

From September 2028, ACs and ACOs who undertake larger and more complex projects will be required to demonstrate relevant recent checking and design experience, as well as a good track record.

At the same time, smaller and lower-risk projects will have requirements calibrated to the risks involved, so that individual ACs can continue to take on such projects, just as they do today.

This is a risk-proportionate approach, and builds on what the Government already adopts for public sector projects, where we consider quality and value alongside price.

For developers, this means greater confidence that more complex projects are being checked by professionals and organisations that are equipped with the expertise, personnel and resources to do so. Stronger checks upstream will help reduce downstream design issues and rectification costs, supporting smoother project delivery and better safety outcomes.

For ACs and ACOs, these enhancements provide clearer recognition for the capabilities, track record and expertise that they have built up over the years, and clearer differentiation for more demanding projects.

We recognise that ACs and ACOs will need time to build the necessary track record and adjust their practices. There will be a two-year transition period before full implementation in September 2028. Contracts awarded before this will not be affected.

In addition, the Building and Construction Authority will extend the registration and renewal validity for ACs, ACOs and Specialist ACs from 12 to 36 months from 2028 onwards, to reduce administrative burden.

In tandem with these changes, the Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore (ACES), has developed a Value Articulation Framework (VAF) for AC checking services.

This aims to provide a common and transparent basis for developers and ACs or ACOs to discuss the checking approach and resources required for each project. It will help developers evaluate AC proposals more holistically, beyond fees alone, and better understand the value, capability and rigour needed for robust structural checks.

I encourage REDAS and your members to support your ACs through the transition to the enhanced AC framework, and to use the Value Articulation Framework in engaging ACs.

Supporting Families: A Shared Responsibility

Let me now turn to a topic that is something we need the whole nation, including real estate developers, to support - Families.

At the National Day Rally, PM Wong gave a preview of the first set of recommendations proposed by the Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, which I chair.

These include enhancements to child-related leave, financial support, caregiving and housing measures. They aim to provide greater confidence and assurance to Singaporeans in raising families.

These are significant moves, and they reflect our commitment to support families across the journey of raising children.

However, reversing the downward trend for marriage and parenthood, which is a global trend and not limited to Singapore, cannot be done by government alone.

It must be a whole of society effort.

The real estate sector has a meaningful role to play - as developers, real estate owners or landlords, and as employers.

If you think about it, the homes which you build are the units where families live, so you cannot have families without also talking about homes at the same time. As developers, you have a big say in how buildings are designed and what features and amenities they should have.

As you carry out your various projects, I ask that you provide leadership to your design and consultancy teams and give guidance to include intentional and inclusive spaces for families in your projects, whether it be more family-friendly common spaces, lactation rooms or facilities in commercial buildings, and spaces that cater to young children and elderly grandparents alike.

Many of you are also mall owners. I often get feedback from families on the need for more family-friendly common spaces in malls, such as places where parents can wait for children or seniors. They also ask for more family-friendly activities.

I urge you to see your malls not just as places for shopping, but as potential hubs for the community where you can have activities for singles and families, in collaboration with partners who have experience in organising such activities.

This would meet your objectives in driving footfall to your malls and bringing business to your tenants, and the community objectives of common spaces to bring people together. Encouraging F&B tenants to have more family-friendly features and practices would also help.

And of course, you are also employers. I often hear from young parents about the challenges they face in balancing work and caregiving.

But actually, this is not limited to young parents. With an ageing society, many Singaporeans, whether single or married, with or without children, will need time to care for their parents, grandparents or even siblings as they grow older.

This means that workplace norms and practices must change. We cannot operate using norms and practices that served us in the 2000s and 2010s. The workplace has changed and we have to operate on the basis that at any given point in time, at least one or more employees may have to take time off for caregiving responsibilities.

We need to adapt and find workable models that meet employers' and employees' needs and objectives.

This will not be a one-size-fits-all approach. What is optimal will differ from industry to industry, sector to sector and even company to company, depending on your workflows.

I therefore encourage you to evaluate your workplace and ask whether it is able to meet your corporate goals and the broader societal goal of being family-friendly - and whether you need to look at job redesign, workforce planning, cross-training, and fair work allocation - so that flexible arrangements can be supported in practice. Here I have to say, flexible work arrangements do not equate to work from home. There are different types of flexible work arrangements, including flexi-time and flexi-load.

HR managers and line managers also have an important role to play. They shape day to day norms in the workplace, including whether employees feel comfortable raising caregiving needs early and openly.

Much of this comes down to open communication and mutual understanding. When employers and employees can have early and respectful conversations about caregiving needs, teams can plan ahead, work together to find mutually acceptable solutions, put handovers in place, and manage workloads more sustainably.

Ultimately, when employees feel better supported across life stages, they are more likely to remain engaged, committed and able to contribute over the long term. This matters particularly in a tight labour market, where attracting and retaining skilled workers is increasingly challenging.

Conclusion

In closing, let me once again thank REDAS for your partnership over the years. You have been with us through every chapter of Singapore's development, and we look forward to writing the next chapter together.

I am confident that with the spirit of collaboration that has always defined this partnership, we will build a Singapore that is more liveable, sustainable, and one where families can thrive.

Once again, a happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all of you.

Thank you very much.