NEA Quieter Construction Fund Briefing 41st IFAWPCA Convention in Jakarta SCAL 7th Safety Site Visit to LTA C933 Project Activities at SCAL Dormitory (Jalan Lekar) for workers Official Publication Of The Singapore Contractors Association Limited • MCI (P) 075/12/2013 Visit us at www.scal.com.sg

JAN • FEB • MAR 2014

SCAL Chinese New Year Lunch

CONTENTS 03 04 06 07 08 12 13 16 18 20 21

President’s Message

TATA Group visits SCAL BCA Academy Career Fair Indian Journalists visit SCAL Recreation Centre MechC Online Class

Executive Breakfast Talk - The Business Value of BIM

SCAL Chinese New Year Lunch

NEA Quieter Construction Fund Briefing

22 24 25 26

COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT 2013-2015 President Dr Ho Nyok Yong First Vice-President Mr Kenneth Loo

Activities at SCAL Dormitory (Jalan Lekar) for workers

Second Vice-President Mr Ng Yek Meng

SCAL Family Day 2014

Assistant Secretary-General Mr Wilson Wong

Secretary-General Mr Dominic Choy

Treasurer Mr Benjamin Tan

From Our Diary

New Members

Assistant Treasurer Mr Low Poh Kuan Immediate Past President Mr Andrew Khng Council Members Mr Brandon Lye Mr Chong Kar Wee Mr Derick Pay Mr Eugene Yong Kon Yoon Mr Goh Yiow Kuang Mr Jason Tay Mr Jeffrey Yu Mr Johnny Lim Chee Hwa Mr Lee Kay Chai Mr Quek Hong Peng Mr Tan Tian Hoe Co-Opt Members Mr Desmond Hill Mr Tan Ann Kiong EDITORIAL TEAM

SCAL Inter-Dorm Street Soccer

41st IFAWPCA Convention in Jakarta

SCAL 7th Safety Site Visit to LTA C933 Project

Highlights of Budget 2014

Briefing Session on Budget 2014 for SCAL Members by Government Agencies

Advisor Dr Ho Nyok Yong Editor Sharon Chan TO ADVERTISE, PLEASE CONTACT: Mr Kenny Ng at 65-62789577 or email [email protected] For enquiries, please send them to [email protected] ‘The Contractor’ is published quarterly by The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd. The publisher and the editor are unable to accept any liability for errors or omissions that may occur, although every effort has been taken to ensure that all information is correct at the time of print. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole, without the written permission from the publisher.

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President's Message Waterpark, Resorts World Sentosa. More than 300 participants turned up bright and early at the waterpark all raring for good time in the sun and water. SCAL would like to thank our member, Natsteel Holdings, for their kind sponsorship of the towels. Tickets were heavily subsidised as SCAL used this opportunity to thank members for your support over the years and return a token of appreciation.

Dear Members and Friends, 2013 was a good year for the construction industry with $35.8 billion of total demand, which exceeded the forecasted range of $28 to $34 billion by BCA. Likewise, 2014 spells exciting times for the construction industry with demand forecasted in a higher range of $31 to $38 billion, the highest forecast by far! Contractors can look forward to a bountiful year ahead with the high demand underlined by the ramping up of public projects to suit the needs of a growing nation despite some expected decline among private residential projects. However, the challenges we faced last year will carry forward into this year and with the increased demand, our challenges may potentially amplify such as the shortage of manpower and rising costs of operations. In addition, the operation costs are in upward trend. As such, it is even more imperative for members to plan properly for future projects and not to over commit. Looking back on the first quarter of this year, 2014 has started off promisingly with New Year celebrations and Budget 2014. We ushered in the Lunar New Year with a lunch held at our very own SCAL’s premise. I am always very encouraged to see many members supporting our formal and casual events. It shows that SCAL is committed to cater to the needs of members by providing opportunities of social interaction through informal events such as the New Year lunch. In another social event, SCAL also acknowledged the supportive families and loved ones of SCAL members’ employees by organising the annual SCAL Family Day 2014 at Adventure Cove

At the same time, SCAL will also continue to provide informative platforms for members to learn more of the latest construction trends and regulations through events such as the briefing session regarding Budget 2014 for the construction sector. On 21 February 2014, the budget was announced and there were new policies and regulations in place impacting our sector. SCAL was proactive in reaching out to members by organising a briefing cum dialogue session with four government agencies to help Members seek further clarification on the Budget 2014 announcements. More than 200 participants and invited guests turned up that day and it was great to hear Members’ positive feedback and how the session helped clarify on certain procedures and regulations. I would also like to address the importance of safety in this issue. The first quarter of 2014 has seen a high rate of fatal worksite accidents and it has certainly been a wake-up call for the industry. While I am aware that majority of members have their regular schedule of safety time-out sessions, I would like to urge members to continually remain vigilant of risks of workingat-height and implementing safe practices in all projects. As an industry, we are rebranding ourselves as a sector that is appealing to the younger generation to carve a career. It is important to maintain a good safety record not just for publicity sake’s but also to ensure that our fellow workers and colleagues are well looked-after in this line of work. I hope that moving forward with the rest of the year, 2014 will be a great year for the industry with strong construction demand underlined by public projects, new regulations following the Budget 2014 to help retain higher-skilled workers, and most importantly, a better safety record for the benefit of our industry’s stakeholders. Thank you.

Dr Ho Nyok Yong SCAL President The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd

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TATA Group visits SCAL 15 January 2014

TATA Group, with over 100 operating companies in seven business sectors visited SCAL on a construction productivity learning trip organized by the Building & Construction Authority (BCA). The meeting was opened to SCAL Members who were also interested to find out more on the Indian developers market and construction industry from TATA’s perspective. SCAL was represented by Council Member, Mr Johnny Lim, Executive Director, Mr Lim Jit Say, and from BCA, Mr John Tan, Director. SCAL will remain open international exchange with foreign businesses that can benefit members

BCA Academy Career Fair 18 January 2014

To draw more local talent into the industry, BCA Academy organizes an annual career fair to give fresh graduates and job seekers a glimpse of the construction industry-related trades and jobs. As a supporting organization, SCAL was given a complimentary booth at the fair. SCAL is glad to be part of the event as a champion for the construction industry and introduce the Association to fresh graduates and jobseekers looking to start a career in the sector.

The morning crowd

The fair was also a great opportunity for SCAL to connect with her Members as many also turned up at their individual booths. SCAL is pleased to see more and younger female graduates interested in the construction industry. This shows that the perception of the sector is rebranded among the youth as a viable career path to take. SCAL will continue to work together with BCA and other relevant government authorities to rebrand construction jobs and attract more local and younger talent. Some of our members' booths

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SCAL's booth

Indian Journalists visit SCAL Recreation Centre 19 January 2014

A group of 12 senior management journalists visited the SCAL Recreation Centre on an exchange trip organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information. The delegates visited various dormitories in Singapore to understand the conditions of foreign workers in Singapore.

The Indian journalists gather for a short briefing about SCAL and the Recreation Centre

MechC Online Class 26 March 2014

To facilitate members in learning how to apply for the MechC scheme online, SCAL organized a mass learning session for members. Two sessions were held to accommodate a total of 12 students. The Mechanisation Credit (MechC) is a scheme under the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund (CPCF) administered by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), to provide assistance to Singapore-registered construction firms to defray cost incurred in technology adoption to achieve productivity gains in construction projects. BCA sent down a trainer to help our members apply online

Builders who are interested to purchase and lease equipment can apply to the MechC scheme for financial support. Builders must not have made the purchase or leasing before or at the time of application. To learn more about this scheme, you may wish to attend our productivity clinics every fortnight or refer to www.bca.gov.sg for more information. Keep a lookout for the schedule on the newly revamped SCAL website on http://www.scal.com.sg/events_ calendar.

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See you at the next class!

Executive Breakfast Talk - The Business Value of BIM 21 January 2014

Submitted by Christine Goh, Industry Marketing Manager from AutoDesk

With the Singapore Government’s goal of increasing productivity through technology, BCA, SCAL and Autodesk, recently organized an exclusive “Executive Breakfast Talk - The Business Value of Building Information Modeling (BIM)”. The session was held at Marina Bay Sands and attendees included senior executives from the Construction industry. This event also marked the launch of a series of activities aimed at accelerating BIM adoption for the contractors. Key speakers at the session included: • Mr Dominic Choy, SCAL’s President of BIM committee • Mr Cheng Tai Fatt, Deputy Managing Director of BCA Academy • Mr Amar Hanspal, Vice President of IPG Product Group, Autodesk Inc. Opening the networking event Dominic Choy shared SCAL’s initiatives and plans to support BIM. Highlighting the benefits of BIM he reaffirmed SCAL’s commitment in using this technology for productivity. He further shared about SCAL’s BIM directives, the facilities and training classes set up, in its bid to help accelerate BIM adoption among contractors and sub-contractors.

Concluding the session on a high note, Amar Hanspal shared that BIM supports construction companies desire to win more business, deliver that business more efficiently, and rapidly adapt to changing markets, all with greater predictability and less risk. He further illustrated customer/project examples about the value of BIM and how it is being used on a variety of platforms like desktop (Autodesk Revit, Navisworks), mobile (Autodesk BIM 360 Field) and cloud (Autodesk BIM 360 Glue). According to him, BIM today is not only helping in better collaboration but it is also shortening project schedules and lower operating costs through improved access to mission-critical information.

conducting many such industry round table sessions, seminars and workshops with industry leaders, like Autodesk, in driving BIM adoption within the construction industry.

Through their sessions, the 3 speakers covered the local BIM landscape in the construction industry; global trends in BIM adoption, value of BIM ROI; as well as showcased how technology is enabling richer collaboration and offering higher efficiency in projects. SCAL has agreed that there is a need to increase awareness and understanding of BIM and will be

Further elaborating about BIM, Cheng Tai Fatt shared his insights about the global construction trends and BIM survey. Citing SmartMarket Report 2014, he shared that three quarters of the construction companies reported a positive Return on Investment (ROI) on their BIM program investment; and contractors in all markets are planning significant investments to expand their BIM programs over the next two years. On a local level, he highlighted the Singapore BIM survey, which benchmarked against a similar survey in the UK, indicated that Singapore is ahead of the UK in BIM usage. Results showed that Singapore was at 65% compared to the UK’s 31%.

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SCAL Chinese New Year Lunch 11 February 2014

SCAL's council toasting members a wonderful year ahead

The SCAL Chinese New Year Lunch is an annual event for SCAL Members to celebrate the beginning of a new and prosperous lunar year. A total of 18 tables were set up in Multi-purpose hall of the Construction House. To usher in wealth and prosperity, a lion dance troupe visited the office of SCAL and kick started the lunch with a roaring performance. Guests then adjourned for lunch where they were addressed by SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, in mandarin. He noted that 2013 was indeed challenging and Members were often faced with issues such as reduced ManYear Entitlements of 45%, rising operation costs, and many others. Despite the many challenges, the construction sector persevered and performed well with demand at $35 billion.

first and to conduct a risk assessment before undertaking a task. This will help mitigate the risk of accidents and workers can “go to work happily, and go home safe and sound”. He rounded off his speech with a toast, contractor-style, shouting “Huat Ah!” for a prosperous year ahead. Members were further treated to another spectacle – the SCAL Chinese New Year Greeting video. In the short clip featured the SCAL Council and Staff wishing all Members a wonderful new Lunar New Year. From all of SCAL and her subsidiaries, we would like to wish all Members a wonderful and safe year ahead.

On that note, Dr Ho said that SCAL will continually champion the industry for Members through communication the various government ministries and agencies. Through the years, SCAL has developed amiable relationships with the media and will continue to do so. While the construction outlook looks promising with demand at a record high of $31 to $38 billion, safety is still crucial to maintain smooth construction on site. Dr Ho noted that worksite accidents also have been on the rise. Just in the first two months of the new year, there have been more than six worksite accidents that resulted in nine fatalities. He said in Mandarin that he would like to remind Members to place safety

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Wishing all members a prosperous year ahead

Our council and friends

Tossing in wealth and luck for the new year!

YUM SENG all around

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NEA Quieter Construction Fund Briefing 20 February 2014

With a growing population, Singapore will continue to build more infrastructure and housing. Construction demand is forecasted in the range of $31 to $38 billion for 2014 and more project sites are expected to be found within densely built-up or residential areas. This will pose a greater challenge for contractors to keep up with the rising public expectation of a quieter environment amid a construction project within sensitive premises while maintaining productivity. As such, SCAL and the National Environment Agency (NEA) organized a Quieter Construction Fund (QCF) Briefing to inform contractors that the QCF is designed to specifically help firms defray the cost of investing in quieter construction machines, noise control equipment, and other innovative solutions. SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, in his opening address said that the QCF gives contractors the opportunity to adopt quieter methods and machines at projects located close to sensitive premises, and to raise the standards of noise mitigation in Singapore. He also encouraged members to look into various methods of reducing noise during construction and tap in the fund

as much as possible while empathising with their challenge of striking a balance between noise management and tight project schedules. Chief Executive Officer of NEA, Mr Ronnie Tay, also gave a speech at the QCF seminar acknowledging that contractors have faced challenges at work in maintaining low levels of noise at worksites within built-up areas. He also recognised that some firms may not have the experience for effective noise mitigation. Therefore, after much consultation with various government agencies and ministries, a total grant of $10 million is made available to help firms subsidise their quieter construction methods over the next two years. Mr Tay hopes that the fund will incentivise the industry to invest in quieter methods and equipment and in the long run, bring down the cost of implementation with widespread market adoption. The briefing was attended by a total of 190 participants that included speakers and invited guests. The participants were able to learn from the four presentations. SCAL would like to thank all speakers and panellists for taking the time off to attend the event.

(From left to right), Mr Khairul Sani Samsudin, Principal Engineer, Pollution Control Department, National Environment Agency, Mr Zhang Kang En, Senior Engineer, Pollution Control Department, National Environment Agency, Mr Eric Ng Teck Sing, Principal Consultant, Absolute Laboratories Pte Ltd, Mr Lester Chan, Environmental Manager, Safety Division, Land Transport Authority, Mr Althaf Hussain, Senior Project Manager, HSL Ground Engineering Pte Ltd

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For more of such events, you may refer to SCAL’s newly revamped website and check out http://www.scal.com.sg/ events_calendar for more details. SCAL endeavours to keep members updated of the latest construction trends.

NEA CEO, Mr Ronnie Tay

SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, presenting tokens of appreciation to the 4 presenters

Participant raising a question

SCAL Inter-Dorm Street Soccer 16 March 2014

SCAL Executive Director, Mr Lim Jit Say, congratulating the winners

As part of SCAL's on-going efforts to foster camaraderie among our six dormitories through a healthy and active lifestyle, a total of 12 teams comprising 72 dorm residents participated in the inaugural SCAL Inter-Dorm Street Soccer Competition held at the SCAL Recreation Centre on 16th March 2014. The six dorms are as follows: Greenfield Dormitory Hougang Dormitory Jalan Lekar Dormitory Kim Chuan Dormitory Mandai Dormitory Soon Lee Dormitory

Despite the heavy showers that day, the event was still a success with over 300 participants and spectators. Many dorm residents came in support of their teams cheering them on and not letting the rain dampen the spirit of the competition. The winning team, Soon Lee B, won the trophy and prize money of $300. Runner Up team Soon Lee A received $200. The prizes were given away by SCAL Executive Director, Mr Lim Jit Say. SCAL Dormitories would like to make special mention of the generous sponsors towards the SCAL Inter-Dorm Street Soccer: Huge thanks go to the Main Sponsors, M1 and Ajimal Minimart. Look ahead, SCAL Dormitories will continue to plan for more of such activities and hope to see receive continuous support from dorm residents for such events.

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41st IFAWPCA Convention in Jakarta 2 to 5 March 2014

IFAWPCA (International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors’ Associations) is a federation for contractors’ association with 16 countries member in Asian and Western Pacific region – from Tokyo and Seoul in the North, to Canberra and Wellington in the down under, from the bustling cities of ASEAN and its neighbours, to the SouthAsian capitals of New Delhi and Colombo. The 41st IFAWPCA Convention, hosted by the Indonesian Contractors Association (ICA) was held at Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Indonesia from 2nd to 5th March 2014. The IFAWPCA convention has become a tradition, where each IFAWPCA members exchange important and up-to-date information about each country’s economic development and the respective construction industry. It is also an opportunity for members of the convention to meet up with one another from the Asian and Western Pacific region.

IFAWPCA Board Members

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SCAL was represented by Dr Ho Nyok Yong as IFAWPCA Board Member, Mr Kenneth Loo as SCAL Chief Delegate, Mr Desmond Hill as IFAWPCA Rapporteur and Mr Ng Yek Meng, Mr Lim Jit Say, Ms Esther Heng as SCAL Assembly Delegates. The theme of the convention was “Infrastructure for a Better Future” where members discussed the various infrastructural issues; both technically and financially which involved numerous funding options, as well as getting insight from countries with successful infrastructure development experience. Mr Kenneth Loo as represented SCAL as Chief Delegate presented his paper on the three key areas as far as infrastructure in Singapore is concerned – Transportation, Public Housing and Healthcare. Dr Ho Nyok Yong presented the Country Report highlighting on Singapore’s Construction Performance for 2013 and Outlook for 2014.

Mr Kenneth Loo, SCAL Chief Delegate delivering his presentation on “Infrastructure for a better future”

IFAWPCA Board Members at the Finance Meeting

IFAWPCA Board Members at Executive Meeting

Mr Kenneth Loo and Dr Ho Nyok Yong standing behind SCAL’s Flag and Signpost for the march-in at the Opening Ceremony

With fellow IFAWPCA delegates enjoying the entertainment provided at Welcome Dinner

Dr Ho representing Singapore at the Farewell Dinner

Important events of the Convention included two General Assemblies, Finance Meeting and other committee meetings, Presidential, Welcome and Farewell Dinner, technical visits, technical seminars and a friendly golf tournament. On the last day of the convention, a new executive board was appointed with Mr Toru Shiraishi from The Overseas Construction Association of Japan, Inc (OCAJI) as President and Mr Yoshihiro Yamaguchi (OCAJI) as Secretary General. The 42nd IFAWPCA convention is scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2015. IFAWPCA Members networking during lunch

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SCAL 7th Safety Site Visit to LTA C933 Project 21 March 2014

With ongoing positive feedback on the Safety Site Visit programme, the 7th Safety Site Visit headed underground to understand safety practices implemented underground. A total of 15 participants showed up for the site at C933 Project@Lavender hosted by Penta Ocean Construction Co Ltd. The Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) project site C933 is the first site to be opened to public. A project information centre is built at the entrance of the site to welcome visitors who are interested to gather more information on the upcoming stations along Downtown Line 3. The project information centre is fully airconditioned with several displays of the miniature versions of tunneling machines, background information on companies involved in Downtown Line 3, and a small play corner for young children. The visit started with a brief introduction to the project scope by Mr Desmond Hill, Deputy General Manager of Penta Ocean and Council Member of SCAL. Mr Chan Choong Onn, Project Manager, proceeded with the project overview and explained that completion is slated for December 2016.

Participants for the day

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He also elaborated on the bottom-up construction method employed for the tunnel work using steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC). To inculcate a safety-centric culture, senior management and site management are involved to lead by example and often encourage colleagues and workers to take the preventive measures against risk. Even though housekeeping is maintained before and after work shifts, staff and workers are still expected to take ownership of their own health and working conditions.

Mr Desmond Hill, Deputy GM of Penta Ocean, and SCAL Council Member, giving an introduction to the briefing

Part of the safety regimen includes daily morning exercises, toolbox talks, and random temperature checks to ensure workers are fit to work. On top of weekly housekeeping sessions where work stops for two hours, weekly crane inspections are also conducted with LTA to ensure an overall safe working environment. Other safety measures also identification of workers through the different stickers on the helmets and safety messages issued in various languages to cater to the different nationalities of workers.

Model exhbitions at the Project Information Centre

Walking towards the tunnel.. getting close

At the entrance, getting ready for a 700m track into the train line

There's only one way in and the same way out!

Another 300m to the end

A “train” transporting materials out of the tunnel worksite

And that's the end of the tunnel visit!

Regular safety promotion and campaigns are also conducted in tandem with government agencies such as the National Environmental Agency and Workplace Safety and Health Council.

At the end of the tour, participants were gathered back to project information centre for a question and answer session. Mr Chan and Mr Chia Keng Wah, HSE Manager, shared on more safety practices that were practiced on site and clarified any questions participants raised.

After the briefing, the participants were split into two groups and were brought down to the tunnel to view the machinery and the process of boring a tunnel. The tunnel was 700m long with only one way in and out as the other end of the tunnel is still under construction at the moment. For most participants, it was their first time seeing construction underground as often times projects are built upwards. Despite the long trek into the tunnel and out, participants found the site visit very interesting.

At the end of the visit, Mr Harry Chua thanked the host, Penta Ocean Construction, and presented a token of appreciation to Mr Chan Choon Onn. For more information on this Safety Site Visit programme, please contact Mr Harry Chua at 6278 9577 or [email protected]. Thank you Penta Ocean for the exciting safety visit

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Highlights of Budget 2014 21 February 2014

The Singapore Budget 2014 was announced on 21 February 2014 by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam. There were 4 announcements on construction sector designed to raise productivity. SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, has been in contact with various Media agencies namely, The Straits Times, The Business Times, TODAY, Lian He Zao Bao, Channel News Asia, 93.8 live and Capital 95.8 to provide comments and feedback on behalf of the construction industry. Below are tables of the announcement by the Government with the News / Article Reference: 1. Upstream Design News / Article Reference A. To mandate developers to use productive technologies in the design for projects. This applies when tendering the selected GLS lands.

TODAY Page 13 22 February 2014 Construction industry lauds Government move, but concerns persist Dr Ho says that this move will help the construction industry to improve productivity and use fewer workers.

2. Increase of Levies News / Article Reference A. Government to raise Basic Skilled Worker (R2) levy to $700 in July 2016. B. The Higher Skilled Worker (R1) levy remains unchanged.

The Straits Times Page C10 22 February 2014 Levy hike for lower-skilled construction workers The Business Times Weekend Page B4 22 to 23 February 2014 Carrots and sticks for construction industry TODAY Page 13 22 February 2014 Construction industry lauds Government move, but concerns persist Dr Ho commented that the existing levies are already very high. He further cautions that the raise of levy is not beneficial as certain projects undertaken by contractors may be underway and as such contractors have not factored this hike in their contracts.

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3. New Route for Basic Skilled Workers to become Higher Skilled Worker Allow Basic Skilled Worker (R2) to upgrade to become Higher Skilled Worker (R1) when they have worked in Singapore for at least 6 years and who earn a salary of at least $1600.00.

News / Article Reference

The Business Times Weekend Page B4 Carrots and sticks for construction industry Sunday Zao Bao Page 07 23 February 2014 Businesses welcome assistance from Government to retain skilled workers Dr Ho welcomes this initiative and this will be another route for upgrading the worker from R2 to R1 without the need to do the Core-trade Test. About 17,000 workers in accordance to MOM will benefit from this scheme.

4. Extension of Period of Employment from 18 to 22 years Government allows the extension of the Period of Employment from 18 to 22 years for Higher Skilled Workers.

News / Article Reference

TODAY Page 13 22 February 2014 Construction industry lauds Government move, but concerns persist Dr Ho commented that the decision to extend the period of employment for higher-skilled workers is good, as this would help companies to retain experienced employees.

Briefing Session on Budget 2014 for SCAL Members by Government Agencies 27 March 2014

Following the Budget Announcements by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, SCAL initiated a briefing session followed by a forum to help SCAL Members understand the impact of Budget on their businesses. The event was received with an overwhelming response of more than 200 participants and panelists packed into the multi-purpose hall of SCAL’s premise. Four agencies were invited to present on Budget announcements concerning the construction sector; the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Finance (MOF), Building & Construction Authority (BCA), and Infocomm Development Authority (IDA). The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), under MOF, was also invited to sit on the panel during the forum. The media was also invited to cover the event and sit in during the forum to understand some of the issues and concerns contractors raised. In the first half of the morning, SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, gave an opening address and beckoned Members to make full use of the opportunity to seek clarification on matters arising from Budget 2014. He also noted that SCAL’s feedback to the government was duly considered as four of the six suggestions given during the consultation period leading up the Budget finalization were acceded to. The four are: 1. Not further cuts in Man-Year Entitlements 2. New route without core-trade tests to upgrade basic skilled workers to become higher skilled workers 3. Extension of the maximum period of employment for skilled and experienced workers 4. Upstream design for productivity whereby the government leads by example While challenges such as rising land costs, and manpower shortage still persist within the industry, SCAL will continue working with the respective government ministries and agencies to discuss and find solutions to reduce the impact on contractors.

After Dr Ho’s speech, four presentations were given to help participants understand better the newly announced policies and regulations concerning the construction sector. Participants adjourned for a short tea break and the session was resumed with a forum. The panelists include the following: From MOF Mr Tony Lim, Deputy Director Economic Programmes, Land and Infrastructure Ms Julia Chew Manager, Corporate Tax Division, IRAS From MOM Mr Silas Sng Director (Customer Experience, Policy & Strategy), Work Pass Division Mr Christopher Koh Director, Foreign Workforce Policy Department From The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd Dr Ho Nyok Yong SCAL President From BCA Mr Darren Lim Director/ Productivity Development (Industry) Department Mrs Foo-Leoh Chay Hong Director/ Buildability Development Department

From IDA Mr Francis Chu Senior Manager, SME Infocomm Enabler It was a fruitful session and Members were forthcoming with their concerns. Members were able to seek clarification on grant applications, PIC applications, and new regulations concerning the upgrade of basic-skilled workers to higher-skilled workers. The general feedback from SCAL Members was positive and majority left the event not as confused as before. TODAY and Business Times covered the event and both paper published the articles the next day. You may refer to the TODAY article via this link: http://www.todayonline.com/business/ construction-sector-likely-rampproductivity-year?page=1 SCAL hope that such sessions have been beneficial to Members and we are ever committed to having her ear to the ground and bridging the gap between the industry and the government agencies. For more information on such forums and briefing sessions, please refer to the circulars sent out or refer to the newly revamped SCAL website at www.scal.com.sg.

(From left) From MOF Mr Tony Lim, Deputy Director Economic Programmes, Land and Infrastructure Ms Julia Chew Manager, Corporate Tax Division, IRAS

From MOM Mr Silas Sng Director (Customer Experience, Policy & Strategy), Work Pass Division Mr Christopher Koh Director, Foreign Workforce Policy Department

From The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd Dr Ho Nyok Yong SCAL President From BCA Mr Darren Lim Director/ Productivity Development (Industry) Dept

Mrs Foo-Leoh Chay Hong Director/ Buildability Development Dept From IDA Mr Francis Chu Senior Manager, SME Infocomm Enabler

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Activities at SCAL Dormitory (Jalan Lekar) for January to March 2014 The SCAL Dormitory along Jalan Lekar is home to some 2,400 residents. Several activities were organised in the first quarter of this year in celebration of annual festivities and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Chinese New Year Celebrations 2 Feb 2014 To usher in the Lunar New Year, a local performance troupe ‘Lei Sheng Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe’ was invited to perform their Dragon & Lion Dance at the Jalan Lekar dormitory. The Chinese believe that such performances symbolise luck and prosperity. The dance troupe entertained over 500 residents for an hour and even invited some dorm residents to have a go at Dragon & Lion dancing at the end of their show. Over 500 pairs of oranges were distributed to each spectator as part of the Chinese tradition of wishing each other wealth and prosperity. Celebrations continued into the evening with another two more hours of Chinese shows and stage performances. Stage games, icebreakers, and lucky draws were conducted intermittently throughout the show to engage residents and encourage interaction among the audience and performers. With the attractive entertainment line-up of dancing and singing performances, there were over 800 dorm residents by the end of the night. Positive feedback was given Prodigy Special Events Private Limited, engaged by our dormitory, held a 2 hour Chinese New Year Celebration Show to entertain residents. The show was held inside our dormitory between Blocks 3 & 4. Mr David Anthony, Emcee and show

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Dragon and lion dance performaces

Multi-cultural performances during the evening

host provided entertainment to the residents with his sense of humour and ever-changing games and activities. He played several games which included individual and mass games. 50 pieces of complimentary prizes for game segments were given away to residents. A large crowd of 800 residents attended the celebration and feedback revealed that they enjoyed the show.

Ms Evelyn Chung, General Manager of SCAL Dormitory, with the Lion Dance Troupe

workers Community Policing System (COPS) Rollout for Choa Chu Kang NPC 23 Feb 2014 The Choa Chu Kang Neighbourhood Police Centre officially rolled out the new Community Policing System (COPs) on 23 February 2014 at the hard-court opposite Lot 1 Shopping Mall. COPS is a nation-wide transformation of frontline policing strategies which aims to improve the way Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) currently work in, with and through the community. 14 residents from our SCAL dormitory were nominated as ambassadors and attended the opening ceremony. The ambassadors will have to work with stakeholders from the community and the surrounding HDB neighbourhood. SCAL Dormitory is proud to support this campaign and will cooperate with the authorities to keep our neighbourhood and homes a safe place.

Mr Lim Koon Seng, Dormitory Manager with the 10 attendees

National Environmental Agency (NEA) Training-cum-Appreciation Session for Dormitory Ambassadors at SCAL Recreation Centre 23 Mar 2014 As part of SCAL Dormitory’s (SCD) continuous effort to promote safety and awareness among dorm residents, dorm residents undergo a workshop with the

NEA and Singapore Customs to increase the awareness of prevention of diseases such as dengue and inform residents of the repercussions if rules and regulations were flouted such as the possession of contraband cigarettes. 10 residents were selected as ambassadors and at the end of the session they were each awarded with a certificate of attendance. As ambassadors, they were also tasked to continue raising awareness among their colleagues and fellow dorm residents of what was briefed during the workshop. Daily Activities in Dormitory SCAL Dormitory at Jalan Lekar has also facilities of Gym room, Volleyball Court, two Badminton courts, two Snooker tables and two carom boards for the residents who are able to spend their free time after work to enjoy the facilities in the dormitory. SCAL Dormitory will continue to plan for newer and more attractive activities to encourage friendship among residents from various cultures and countries. Most importantly, we hope to see stronger relationships built between our foreign workers and the Singaporean community. For more information on SCAL Dormitories, please contact Mr Lim Koon Seng at tel: 6894 2770.

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SCAL Family Day 2014 22 March 2014

In appreciation of our Members’ support towards our Association over these years, SCAL organizes the annual SCAL Family Day to cater to the welfare of Members’ staff and colleagues. This year, SCAL had a splashing day in the sun at Adventure Cove Sentosa, Resorts World Sentosa with a good response of 300 participants. SCAL President, Dr Ho Nyok Yong, opened the event with a short address. This year, goody bags included a SCAL customized cooler bag, $5 food voucher and a towel for each participant generously sponsored by Natsteel Holdings Pte Ltd. SCAL would like to thank Natsteel Holdings for their kind sponsorship of all 320 towels.

Dr Ho giving a welcome speech

SCAL would like to thank members for their enthusiastic participation in the SCAL Family Day 2014

Families waiting to enter the park

Gathering participants for ticket collection

We look forward to a continued pleasant working relationship with our Members and welcome any form of sponsorship to our many events. SCAL endeavours to give back to our Members through fun events like this and is committed to looking after the welfare of Members and their staff.

Thank you for your support to SCAL!

24 The Contractor Jan-Mar 2014

From Our Diary January • February • March 2014 February 2014 1

Dr Ho Nyok Yong attended the GPC MND Resource Panel Meeting on 10 February 2014. Hosted by Dr Lee Bee Wah, the meeting was held at the Parliament House.

2

The Singapore Business Federation, with the support of the Ministry of Finance organized a briefing on Budget 2014 specially for the Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs). At the briefing, MOF presented and explained the key initiatives for business announced in Budget 2014 and addressed any clarifications that members have. SCAl was represented by Dr Ho Nyok Yong, Mr Kenneth Loo and secretariat staff.

3

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council held its bizSAFE Convention 2014 on 28 February 2014. The Convention feature the bizSAFE Awards where they recognize bizSAFE Partners and Enterprises for their dedication and commitment to good WSH via the bizSAFE programme. Dr Ho Nyok Yong attended the convention which was held at the Max Atria @ Singapore Expo.

January 2014 1

Mr Kenneth Loo attended the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU) Appreciation Dinner on 3 January 2014 at the Orchid Country Club. The dinner was held to show appreciation and to recognize the efforts of BATU’s Branch Officials and Management Partners.

2

Secretariat attended the SME Talent Programme (STP) Briefing session for SMEs on 24 January 2014 at the SCCCI Building, Conference Room. The STP is a concerted effort by SPRING Singapore to help local SMEs attract and recruit local talent from Polytechnics and ITEs by sponsorships, job opportunities, job matching and training grants.

3

4

Mr Lim Jit Say attended the launch of SG50 on 24 January 2014 at the National Library’s Event Plaza. Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence in 2015, a significant milestone in its journey as a nation and a people. All Singaporeans are invited to be part of the efforts to commemorate and celebrate this. The launch event unveiled the SG50, and a public call for celebration ideas and announcing a seed fund to support ground-up projects. Mr Desmond Hill attended the BCA Built Environment ITE Scholarship Award Ceremony on 28 January 2014 at the ITE Headquarters and ITE College Central, Tay Eng Soon Convention Centre. The Guest-of-Honour was the Acting Minister for Manpower, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin.

March 2014 1

Dr Ho Nyok Yong attended the SMEC Strategic Planning Session (SPS) – “What Makes a Well-Functioning SME Ecosystem” and appreciation dinner on 26 March 2014. The event was held at M hotel and the Guest of Honour was Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Teo Ser Luck.

2

Mr Kenneth Loo attended the Association of Consulting Engineers Singapore (ACES) 43rd Anniversary Gala Dinner on 27 March 2014 at the Orchard Grand Ballroom, Orchard Hotel. The Guest of Honour was Mr Desmond Lee, Minister of State for National Development.

3

Dr Ho Nyok Yong attended the Building and Construction Authority Annual Dinner 2014 on 28 March 2014 at the Resorts World Sentosa, Compass East Ballroom.

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We Welcome Our New Members January 2014 - March 2014

ORDINARY

SLOTS

OBAYASHI SINGAPORE PRIVATE LIMITED

A

ASSOCIATE DDG GLASS PTE LTD VOLVO EAST ASIA (PTE) LTD

TRADE KLUJE PTE LTD

AOS BATHROOM PTE LTD APPLIED ELECTRIC ENTERPRISE AS SPEC TECHNICS PTE LTD ASAHI BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ASIAPAC CONTRACTS PTE LTD AURORA DESIGN & CONTRACTS PTE LTD AXES ENGINEERING PTE LTD AZONE TECHNOLOGIES PTE LTD

B

B & LEE ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING PTE LTD BA CONTRACTS PTE LTD BEDEC PTE LTD BEE LOCK CONSTRUCTION BEE SENG TRADING ENTERPRISE BENG CHUAN MACHINE PTE LTD BESTONE RECYCLE BESTSEAL WATERPROOFING SPECIALIST BHB ENGINEERING PTE LTD

ELECTRICWORLD ENGRG EXCELSIOR BUILDING MATERIALS & TRADING PTE LTD EYD PTE. LTD.

F

FEI TAT CONSTRUCTION FIRST RECYCLING INDUSTRIES PTE LTD FIRST TECH ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

G

GLOBALSON LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP GLOMEDIC INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD GOOD-CARE INTERIOR DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD GUTE INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD

C

H

D

I

C & T ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CHINA EXQUISITE (S) PTE LTD CHING-E DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION CHON CHYE PLUMBING & SANITARY CONTRACTOR CHS ENGINEERING LLP CLIMAX ENTERPRISE CSG METALFAB PTE LTD CSM WORKS PTE LTD CTRLPLUS PTE LTD

DELTEC MARKETING & ENGINEERING PTE LTD DESIGNBUILD CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD DRITRADE BUILDING SERVICES PTE LTD

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E

HE HENG CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD HENG YUAN ENGINEERING PTE LTD HLC AIRCON & CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD HOME ELECTRICAL & RENOVATION HON KEUNG TRADING HONG TONG ENGINEERING PTE LTD HONGDA CONSTRUCTION & PLUMBING PTE LTD HOWFINE INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD

INOCON PTE LTD INVISYS TECHNOLOGY PTE LTD IRCI BUILDER PTE LTD

K

KAM LOY DESIGN & CONTRACTS PTE LTD KHEK KAY ENGINEERING KHIANG HOR ENTERPRISE KHOO ALUMINIUM WORKS KIM LIAN BEE PILING CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD KJC ENGINEERING PTE LTD KOSEI GLASS & ALUMINIUM CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD

L

LEEKAH AIR-CON SERVICES LIGHT STAR ELECTRICAL AND RENOVATION CONTRACTOR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS (S) PRIVATE LTD LIN CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICES LONG CHEN CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD LONG JIE CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD

P Q

PERFECT LOGISTICS PTE LTD PROTECH M&E PTE LTD

Q TRADING CONSTRUCTION QINGYUN CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD

R S

RAYAO ENGINEERING PTE LTD RECONN AIR-CONDITIONING

N

SENG LEE PTE LTD SG AIRCON ENGINEERING PTE LTD SHENG HUAT DÉCOR PTE LTD SHENG LIAN CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD SHOU WANG ENGINEERING PTE LTD SING LONG ENGINEERING WORKS S-LITE EVENT SUPPORT PTE LTD SNS GROUP PTE LTD SNSG ENGINEERING PTE LTD SPM BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD SPRING CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING PTE LTD STARCOOL AIR-CON ENGINEERING SURFACE SOLUTIONS

O

TAY ENG KHUAN GENERAL CONTRACTORS PTE LTD TCH RENOVATION CONTRACTOR PTE LTD TOTO GROUP PTE LTD

M

MASTER PIECE ENGINEERING PTE LTD MING SENG ENTERPRISE PTE LTD MUN E-LIGHTING PTE LTD

NAM SHING HARDWARE INDUSTRIAL PTE LTD NEXUS CONSTRIUCTION (2012) PTE LTD NOVOX INC PTE LTD

OASIS LIM ENGINEERING AND TRADING SERVICES PTE LTD OMNI CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD ORIXTECH PTE LTD

T

U V W

UNITECH PTE LTD

VIVALDI (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD

WAN TAT GENERAL CONTRACTOR WEI LONG CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD WEITAI CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD WOOD FACTORY PTE LTD

X

XING FENG PTE LTD XINYU CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD XUN FA XING GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Y

YELLOW & RED CONSTRUCTION YI HONG CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD YUAN JU CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD

Z

ZHONGHE CONSTRUCTION PTE LTD

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